"Clancy…" The male in question turned without hesitation, "Yes?" The burning was insistent. And painful. "How much longer must we stay here?" My head cocked sideways in a jerked motion referring to the room in question. A dingy, peeled back wallpaper, single bed motel room wasn't exactly homely. Then again, what home had you ever known besides those white walls. I almost snarled at the condescending voice in my head. Clancy seemed amused at the obvious inner turmoil I was suffering from. "We've barely been here three days Katherine."
The role of my eyes was involuntary, and his short laugh was an expected response. For two weeks now I had been traveling with Clancy Gray. Clancy fucking Gray… The prodigy child of our brilliant president. And on top of that… "Three fuckin' days Gray! I'm losing myself staring at a lamp!" Clancy stood and strode over to where my exasperation was palpable. …He's fuckin' gorgeous…
"I know it's hard for you to be in one place for too long; I know what it's like to be locked behind walls…" My jaw was clenched tight, and not even the stale smell in the air could distract me from the sincerity in those chocolate death traps. "…just hold out for a little while longer, I promise you that before dawn tomorrow – we'll head out. Ok?" I might've been under lock from society for four years, but I had enough socialization beforehand to still have a sense of attraction.
All at once, the clawed beast beneath my skin began shredding at the layers in my muscles, and a blinding pain of a newly heated branding iron slammed into the back of my skull. Notagainnotagainnotaggain…. I could feel the change in the air; the simmering burn like embers in a nice heat across my entire body, the beast roaring in its new found freedom, and the fleeting image of a surprised Clancy flashed against my eyelids. "Shit!" I couldn't tell who said it; though I'm pretty sure I was gasping for air at the time.
And then…everything just…stopped. All that was left was a pleasant heat, though the air was ten degrees warmer than before. Everything was silent, except for the slightly ragged breaths stemming from Clancy's lips. After realizing this I also became aware of the incessant hand clasping into my mind. An invisible grip…his grip… "Get out of my head goddamnit…" It came out as a whisper, but had the violent undertone of a trained killer. Ironic isn't it… The invisible fingers lost their grip and eased out of my brain.
"Why does that keep happenin'?" My voice was choked as I tried to shake off the lasting feeling of Clancy's mind grip. "I speculate…" Clancy combed a hand through brunette locks, "…that considering your prolonged captivity and conditioning, your mind and body most likely are having a hard time adjusting to the new routine." Rubbing my temples I stood up slowly. Clancy glanced back from his position at the shrouded window incredulously, "although, a little warning next time would be nice Katherine…" "Shut it."
His eyebrows shot up, and he froze in place. A light steam rose off my skin; proof of the flames that had engulfed my being beforehand. "I wanted to know my name before…" His face relaxed as he turned his entire body toward me. "…that didn't mean call me by it now." Clancy tilted his chin back in consideration. "That name doesn't fit me anymore. I am not some normal human at this point; my humanity was ripped from me. And your father's government tore me apart and put me back together again over…and over." His jaw tightened and his gaze became heavy.
"I don't care what you call me, but don't call me by that." The steam and heat had subsided and Clancy nodded in understanding. The carpet singed at my feet caused a grimace to break across my features. "Well then." Clancy lifted back the dirty curtain to glance at the desolate parking lot, "how bout we leave earlier than expected, I'd rather not be here when the owner receives the complaints about a burning smell…" A curt nod was my answer, and we gathered what we had and headed out. The clawing feeling returning to my skull once again.
"Damn it-" My voice was harsh and the southern lilt only intensified its intended affect. For what seemed like the thousandth time, I adjusted my position in the vehicle. Clancy sighed, "we're almost there, I know you must be coming apart at the seams by now…" Choosing to not respond due to the obviousness of the situation I casts my view on the heavily tree covered landscape. The beast hadn't let up, but I was holding out. Inside the car the light smell of leather lingered. That's something I've certainly learned to live without…