CHAPTER 10
"Alexis, Sweetheart, wake up" she heard the voice of the man she had grown to love so much in the last few months and that she had feared she would never get to see again. She felt the gentle caress of his kisses as they landed softy on her eyes, cheeks and lips as he tried to wake her up.
"Julian" she asked groggy from whatever Valentine had injected her with "How did you find me." she asked as he caressed her cheek trying to wake her. She struggled to sit up and open her eyes but the drugs in her system made it impossible for her to get up on her own.
"Sweetheart, we have to go" he pleaded with her.
"Julian. I was so afraid" she wrapped her arms around his neck bringing him down to her so that she could wrap her arms around him and feel his heartbeat and life flowing through him.
Suddenly she felt him go slack against her shoulder. She pulled away and was startled when she saw the shocked, open eyed expression on his handsome face. "Julian" she yelled trying to get his attention "Julian" she cried as she felt the blood covering her hands. She heard a deep voice coming from behind her, turning quickly she found herself looking into the eyes of Valentine.
"Are you ready Natasha" he leaned down over her pushing Julian out of the way. "It is time we became one as we should have always been" he said as he leaned over her his face coming closer trying to bind his lips with hers even as she struggled to push away from him . "No one will ever come between us again." he laughed.
"Nooooo!"
Alexis jerked awake frantically looking around taking stock of her surroundings. She didn't know how long it had been since Valentine had taken her and Stefan. She knew that she had been drugged because she felt nauseas, confused and groggy as she sat up and had to take a few minutes to get her stomach under control. She tried to sit up and panic when she realized that she was tied to the bed. She began to struggle against the ropes that were binding her hands together but her struggle only caused the ropes to cut deeper into her wrists.
She looked around and to her terror recognized her surroundings. Valentine had apparently brought then straight to the castle and put them in one of the many cells that were still standing in the underground labyrinth of hell.
"About time you woke up" she heard Valentine's voice came from the corner of the bed she was lying on and soon enough she felt the bed dip as he came closer to her running a hand up along her legs making her shudder in disgust. "I have been waiting for far too long." he said in what Alexis could only assume was suppose to be a seductive tone.
"Get away from her" she vaguely heard Stefan cry out in concern. She tried to pull away from Valentine but her whole body felt heavy and she only managed to roll onto her side.
"Poor, pathetic Stefan" Valentine mocked Stefan's attempt to protect her. She felt his hand run through her hair. "So soft" he hummed, taunting Stefan.
"Get your disgusting hands off of her you bastard" She could feel the heaviness attempting to overtake her once more but she knew she had to stay awake and let Stefan know that she was okay and he didn't have to worry. She needed to tell Stefan not to make Valentine mad so that he wouldn't hurt him.
"Stefan" he said menacingly as she felt his weight, where he had been sitting, lift as he started walking towards where Stefan was chained up. She wanted to lift her head and tell Stefan she was okay but she found it to difficult and was about to let the darkness overtake her when she heard a loud grunt coming from where she had last heard her brother. Scared for her brother she used all the energy she had left and opened her eyes. It was so dark at first that she couldn't see a thing so she blink furiously as fear began to gnaw at her as she heard what sounded like a fist hitting flesh.
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Stefan could feel every blow that Valentine was inflicting. The punches were all intended to inflict maximum pain but were not meant to be lethal. Stefan fought back as hard as he could even though he was tied to the bars of their cell. He used his feet trying to push the other man off.
"I will not let you touch my sister you sick pervert" he hissed.
"Ah ah ah brother, she is my sister too." Valentine stepped away laughing. Walking back to Alexis and taking her hand in his as his other hand once again resumed his stroking of her hair.
"Get away from her, I will kill you. I swear I will kill you if you touch her." Irritated by Stefan, Valentine sprung away from Alexis and once again start to violently beat Stefan to silence him.
"You do not tell me what I can or cannot do with Natasha" he swiftly kicked him on his side knocking the wind out of Stefan.
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Finally her eyes adjusted to the dark and allowed her see the sight in front of her, the shock of seeing the abuse inflicted on her brother clearing up the haze she was feeling.
"Stop it. Leave him alone" she shouted getting off the bed and running towards Valentine. Her bound hands made it difficult but she managed to grab at the fist that was about to hit Stefan causing Valentine to turn on her. Fueled with anger Valentine reared back with his fist before bringing it down across her face, knocking her to the ground.
Alexis could feel the burning sensation across her face. She was confused and stunned and just laid on the floor while Valentine looked down at her heaving from the exertion he had used on Stefan and her.
Before she could react Valentine lunged at her, pushing her down as he straddled her. He grabbed her shoulders and pushed her roughly against the cement floor. "How dare you"
"Stop it' Stefan shouted ,helpless to do anything as Valentine continued his assault on Alexis.
Alexis felt her brain rattled as the back of her head made contact time and again with the floor. She kept her eyes closed afraid of looking into Valentine's eyes until she felt his hands wrap around her throat. Her eyes flew open as her hands simultaneously grabbed at his wrists trying to get him to release the hold he had on her neck.
Stefan watched powerlessly as Valentine wrapped his hands tightly around Alexis's neck. He shouted at him taunting him trying to get Valentine to turn his focus on him but Valentine was far to gone in his haze of fury that his whole focus was now on Alexis. "Alexis" he cried as he watch the last few seconds of his sister's life. He tugged furtively on the chains holding him but they would not budge.
"Valentine, damn it you're killing her" he shouted helplessly as he watched in despair he suddenly felt the chains loosen and he was free to move. Without thinking he ran towards Alexis landing on Valentine's back. Stefan hit at him wildly until Valentine had no choice but to stop choking Alexis and turn his attention to Stefan. Valentine roared back with Stefan still on his back as he pushed back into the wall hard enough that it knocked the air out of Stefan.
"I will kill you" Valentine roared once again lashing out at Stefan. As darkness started overtaking Stefan he looked over towards where his sister laid. He could see her chest slowly moving up and down. Grateful that she was at least alive Stefan succumb to the darkness.
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Damien ran down the stairs as fast as he could carrying the package Valentine had sent him to get. He could hear the shouting coming from where the Cassadine siblings were being kept. As he reached the bottom step he carefully put down the package and walked slowly towards where Stefan was straining to get loose to get to his sister and help her. Damien was shocked to see how out of control Valentine was. Damien crawled towards Stefan and unlocked the chains holding her without anyone noticing.
Stefan, who upon feeling the chains fall off, ran towards his sister and Valentine. Unable to pull Valentine off of her he jumped on his back and started punching him. Valentine turned his attention towards Stefan and began throwing punishing blows that Stefan was unable to fend off. Finally unable to stand any longer Stefan fell face first to the ground. Damien, upon seeing that Alexis was okay, ran back to get the package and returned to cell to try and distract Valentine from the siblings.
"Sir" he said timidly from outside the cell.
"I said I did not want to be interrupted" Valentine shouted as sweat, blood and spittle ran down his chin from the exertion of the beating he had given Stefan and Alexis.
"I apologize sir" the guard took a step back " but you said you wanted to know as soon as the man Julian was on the Island." Damien's tense shoulders relaxed a fraction at his boss's apparent approval of the interruption. "They took the bait sir"
"Good, get everything ready for tonight. I have one last piece of unfinished business to take care of before I make Natasha my bride." he pushed out of the cell not glancing at Stefan who laid bleeding in a heap or Alexis who was once again unconscious.
The guard looked unsure at Valentine causing Valentine to pause on his way up to the main house. "What is it" he demanded.
"Sir you wanted the child brought down here" Damien indicated to the small child in the bassinet. "What do you want to do with him."
Valentine walked over and peered down at the child who was sleeping peacefully in his bassinet. He was curious as to what Natasha's reaction would be to the child and he decided not to wait until the other matter was handle.
"Put the child in the cell with Natasha. I don't want to delay their reunion." he paused to stroke the child's cheek "It has been a long time coming" he laughed at he thought just how horrified Natasha was going to be when she learned the parentage of the child.
Damien walked carefully into the cell making sure not to step on the unconscious Cassadine siblings.
"Wait" Valentine ordered. "I wanted to tell Natasha in person but my time will is going to be taken up with dealing with Mr. Jerome and I want her to know immediately when she wakes up" he smiled sadistically.
Valentine re-entered the cell, and not being as careful as Damien had been, stepped on Stefan's hand causing a sickening crushing sound as the bones broke under his weight. "Your phone" he demanded to Damien.
Damien reached into his coat pocket and handed him his phone. Valentine quickly dictated a message and set the timer for the message to go off automatically and then he set the phone down on the child's blanket. "Set him down and let's go set the next phase of our plan in motion."
Damien walked towards the bed and set down the bassinet. He listened and made sure Valentine had turned away and walked out of the cell before under the guise of adjusting the blanket around the baby Damien put a note under him hoping that Ms. Cassadine would see it and get some solace from it.