Chuckles1414: Thank you so much for reviewing! I love your story!
Kings Lioness: Thanks for reading it, Laur! I can't wait to read one of your fan fics! Speaking of the Lioness...I'm getting an idea in my head for a Tamora Pierce fan fic!
Patricia L. Bryans: Thanks for reading and reviewing again. I thought I'd add that bit about Paige passing out as a bit of comedic relief. Glad you liked that bit. I guess I didn't make the Patty/Paige meeting clear. I'm going to edit my story when I post it all, so it will be a complete version, but Patty had been seeing Paige at the social work place for a few years before...as a human, which the Elders didn't like, of course, but only sporratically. That was my original idea, anyway. I have yet to put it into my story...but that's basically how Paige knew. Sorry I didn't clarify it!
Phoebe Turner Halliwell: Thank you for taking your time to read my story! It means a lot to me!
-11-
A fireball crackled through the cool, damp air, lighting up a green, shady glen with its evil power, siziling through the atmosphere towards a figure who was rooted to the spot with fear; Kate. Without knowing what she was doing, Samantha hurled herself from her hiding spot, sprinted to her sister, and pushed Kate aside, screaming her name. "Kate!" The fireball took Samantha hard in the stomach, causing her to grunt in pain.
Sam became fully awake and alert as a heavy boot kicked her again, driving the wind out of her lungs in an attempt to bring her around. Instinctively, Sam tried to curl up into a ball to protect herself, but she couldn't; her hands were tied above her head and it was then that she realized she was kneeling. Before she could even shift slightly to get a more comfortable position, a cruel, clawed hand grabbed her hair and forced her head back painfully, exposing her heaving chest. Sam tried to cry out, but she had not yet regained her full breath and could only manage a tiny whimper.
"So, the next witch graces my presence. Maybe you will tell me what your sister didn't."
At the mention of her sister, Sam looked up, hate seething in her eyes. "What have you done to my sister?"
"It matters not," The high voice burned into her head, and Sam recognised it as the voice of the demon who had kidnapped her sisters. Lynxe stepped forward and knelt so she was even with the witch's eyes. Now Sam could see the disgusting creature before her with her full sight. "But I have been informed that you were the witch who was the last conscious before your sister orbed away, and I am guessing it was you who told her where to go. I'm hoping you will tell me where you sent her. I know you yelled something to her. I heard you. Perhaps you could fill me in?" The demon said, almost lovingly.
Anger built inside Sam. Mustering up her strength, she spat into the demon's face. With a shriek of pain and rage, Lynxe stumbled backward, rubbing at her eyes furiously. A large, male demon stepped forward to help his mistress, and all the sudden, Sam felt one of her arms set free, as if the demon had been holding it there.
"Milady, are you-" But the demon's question was quickly cut off as Lynxe shot flame from her palm towards him. The demon looked stupidly at himself as the flames licked his form, let out a single cry of agony that tore through Sam's head, then was reduced to ash on the stone floor.
Sam, momentarily astounded by the cruel and heartless murder, suddenly remembered that her arm had been loosened from its bonds, but before she could make a move, almost as if he had been reading her mind, another demon sprang forward and swung his rod into her stomach, again winding her, knocking the fight from her body. As Sam gasped for air, one arm fastened to the wall, the other clutching her stomach, a third demon stepped up and motioned with his hand. Sam's free hand was swept up by magic and slammed into the pole and held there. Fighting for breath, Sam forced her mind on controlling her labored breathing, wincing as her bruised ribs protested fiercely. It was painful to draw even a single breath.
"Impudent wretch!" Lynxe hissed, swiping a hand across her eyes again, still trying to dispel Sam's saliva from her eyes, while at the same time, drawing a short, stubby object from her cloak. It resembled the hilt of a knife, but on the end that should have held a blade was a short, dull, forked piece of metal. "Your torture will be much more painful now, witch. Unless you tell me where your sister is," Lynxe snapped at Sam, seizing her hair again.
Sam had regained most of her breath and was ready with a retort, trying to stop herself from visibly wincing as her hair was tugged hard. "Then kill me now, bitch! I'm not breaking to you, no matter what you do to me!"
Lynxe stalked closer to her prisoner, her face working furiously to conceal her fury, but her eyes glittered maliciously. Releasing her hair and kneeling in front of her, the demon slid the handle under Sam's chin, pulling her head upward until the girl was looking into her eyes. "Oh, you'll die, my dear," She whispered contemptuously. But I'm afraid you will have no say in the matter of speed. You'll die slowly, but not before you answer me. Where is the youngest Magicked One?"
Coolly, Sam blinked the demon's putrid saliva from her eyes and stared at her silently, inwardly seething, determined not to say anything that could harm Lucy.
"Suit yourself, witch," Lynxe whispered cruelly to Sam, then with a small smile that was filled with hate, touched the metal bit of the handle to Sam's chest. The girl's body convulsed suddenly as electric shocks of blue energy entered her veins, propelled by evil intentions. Lynxe watched as Sam's face twisted in pain, and eyes filled with tears, but the young woman still did not make a sound. Not satisfied, the demon prodded harder. Stronger jolts of electricity flowed into Sam, causing her heart to race beyond normal pace and her muscles to spasm uncontrollably. Her mind screamed in protest and ultimate pain and it was a few seconds before she realized that she was physically screaming as well. Then, as suddenly as the pain had started, it stopped. Sam's cry echoed off the stone walls as hung by her wrists limply, her knees weak and shaky and her entire body twitching as the thousands of electric currents died down, little by little. She was gasping for breath, her heart pounding unnaturally fast, her throat raw from screaming. She choked back sobs of pain as she struggled to remain awake, but darkness threatened her, creeping in on her vision slowly.
Lynxe looked down upon her victim, basking in her enemy's pain as if it gave her strength. "Had enough? Your body has received plenty of voltage over a very short period of time. Mark my words, the next shock will hurt even more, and I'm hoping it will not kill you. What a pity that would be, wouldn't it? I've been wanting to kill you ever since I lay eyes on your pathetic figure. However, you can end all of this immediately, as well as end the suffering of your other sisters, if you simply tell me where your sister is."
Still trembling, Sam couldn't lift her head; her neck muscles were lax and unresponsive, but her mouth still worked. "You...won't...break...me," She gritted out, harshly. "I'm...n-not telling...you...anything."
Controlling her frustration, Lynxe's mouth and eyes hardened. The Magicked One was strong, no doubt about it. Both girls she had interrogated so far were. She imagined that the eldest would be the weaker of the three, overprotective and unwilling to put her sisters in danger. However, maybe this one would speak after a little more...persuasion. Surely her eldest sister would talk if she knew how much pain this one had been in. "I only hope you speak soon, witch. It would be a pity if the electricity killed you before I had a chance!" With that, she pressed the metal rod to Sam's bare chest again, but this time nearer to her heart. She smiled as she listened to Sam's agonized screams, enjoying the spectacle of Sam's body convulsing and spasming against the wooden pole but in a disappointingly short time, Sam went limp, her last cry of pain echoing off the walls. Prodding harder, thinking she had stopped the voltage, Lynxe watched Sam's body continue to convulse, then sighing resignedly, Lynxe withdrew the rod and flung it away from her. She watched for a few moments as the witch's body twitched involuntarily the girl's smooth, tan skin smoking slightly, savoring the smell of slightly burnt flesh. Nudging the still woman with her foot, testing to see if she was really unconscious, Lynxe chuckled slightly, then turned to a demon behind her.
"Take this one back to the cavern. Keep her hands bound. She won't run away, so leave her legs untied. She will be out for a while...well, if her heart keeps beating that is. She might not even make it through the next hour with all the shock she got. When you return, bring along the eldest, as well as the Quiet One again. Make sure they are both awake and alert. I have a plan that will not fail..."