A/N : New chapter up for you guys- don't forget to review! If I get alot, I'll update super soon
Jonathan's fingers snaked through my hair and yanked me to my feet.
He caressed my face while shushing me with mock concern.
"Now, now, lovey. No need to cry, this is only the beginning."
I cowered in the corner of the room, clutching my bloody hand to my chest as I shivered involuntarily.
Don't tell me he's back already, I thought fearfully as I tried to disappear into the stone walls.
The figure stepped into the room, and I let out a relieved sigh when I saw that it wasn't Jonathan but a girl. And a human one, by the looks of it.
She crossed the room in three long strides and I couldn't help but flinch away when she reached for me.
"I'm not here to hurt you" She promised "I was just sent to wrap up your hand"
She held up a piece of gauze as proof, but I wasn't looking anymore. Tears had already formed a thick cover over my eyes. He had cut off my fucking finger! Now, I was some bruised, bloodied, fingerless freak.
"He's going to kill me" I said in a voice barely above a whisper. The girl reached for my hand, and I watched with morbid interest as the white material became soaked with red when it made contact with my flesh.
"He's going to kill us all" The girl sighed. I stared at her as she worked. She was definitely pretty- or had been once upon a time. Now, her black hair was matted and choppy, her skin was covered in bruises -old and new- and she looked about as frail as a porcelain doll.
I could easily overpower her in any normal circumstances. But, as circumstance would have it, Jonathan had broken both of my legs; leaving me completely helpless. That seemed to be how he liked his prey- helpless. God forbid, one of his meals had the strength to fight back. I hated him. In fact, the only thought that kept me going was a resilient idea of only three words: Jonathan will pay. In this life or the next, I would get him back.
"Look what I found, love" came a familiar British accent that I would not soon forget. I looked to the doorway to see Jonathan leaning against the doorframe, holding a pair of sheep shears.
The color (what little of it was left) drained from my face as Jonathan took another step into the room. The girl tending my hand stiffened at the sound of his voice, but made no sign to acknowledge his presence. It gave me strength. That strength, was quickly deflated when Jonathan was upon me with leering red eyes. He snapped the shears together, threateningly before placing the blades on either side of my throat.
"We're gonna do a little experiment" He said, appearing millimeters in front of my face. I could feel his breath brush across my face- setting the open wounds on fire. "I want to see how much you can bleed before you die, little lovely love"
My eyes shot wide and I let out a panicked whimper when I felt the blades begin to close around my throat. He was going to kill me.
Third Person
Damon cursed aloud as his foot connected with a rather large boulder- mid sprint, and sent him sprawling into the creek in front of him.
Well, that couldn't have gone any worse He thought to himself as he stood, finding his shirt completely soaked. He was blaming Jonathan for that one.
He wiped himself off, ignoring the chuckles of his brothers and the very annoying werewolf as he glowered at a lone flower. Damon couldn't be sure, but he was pretty positive he saw the petals begin to wilt under his glare. That little accomplishment picked up his spirits if only infinitesimally.
Right now, he was fuming. He felt like his veins were on fire, with how angry he was. There wasn't a word for the kind of violence he wanted to exact upon his brother.
"You guys go on ahead" Gabriel murmured to Nathaniel and Peter "I'll look after him"
Nathaniel frowned, glancing between Damon and Gabriel "You sure that's a good idea?"
"Are you kidding?" Gabriel replied "It's a horrible idea. But Damon is more likely to rip the head off of someone he isn't related to at the moment"
Gabriel couldn't help but glance at Peter as he said this, hoping the werewolf got the picture- and didn't provoke his brother.
"I wouldn't be so sure about that, brother" Damon said from where he stood, glaring at a flower. His cool blue eyes snapped up to Gabriel's and he continued "There's a certain brother of mine whom I wouldn't mind beheading and skewering at the moment"
Gabriel couldn't manage the smirk he usually would have worn in reply to Damon's comment. He was still too shaken from that day's earlier incident with Jonathan's "present"
Instead, Gabriel nodded and appeared at the edge of the creek; beside Damon.
"Sit down. Cool off" Gabriel commanded "We'll be useless to Chloe if we all bust into Jonathan's place too angry to form a comprehensible sentence"
"Worry about yourself, boy." Damon snapped "I'm perfectly in control of myself"
Gabriel raised an amused, questioning eyebrow. Apparently, Damon was oblivious to the thick black aura of menace and malevolence that was rolling off of him in thick waves.
I always have an aura of menace Damon sneered mentally It's part of my charm
"You're unbelievable" Gabriel sighed, shaking his head absently.
"Also part of my charm"
The brothers settled into an uncharacteristic silence. Both, with things that needed to be said, but neither wanting to be the first to bring up their bloody past.
"Do you ever regret it?" Gabriel asked finally, watching the water slip through the cracks of the rocks with idle amusement. "Doing what you did?"
"Do you regret what you did?" Damon countered
"Everyday"
Damon sighed, glaring at the rushing water "Well, there you go"
It wasn't an apology, or even really an answer. But it was good enough for Gabriel.
"Do you ever wonder the real reason I did it?" Gabriel probed "The real reason I wanted Jonathan dead?"
Damon turned to Gabriel, a pained smirk on his face "Don't tell me you wanna get all sentimental now- after however many decades"
"I wanted him dead, because I saw what was happening. I saw what would happen" Gabriel continued "You never listened to Jonathan's thoughts out of respect, or privacy, or whatever. But I could see the changes in him- even back then. He was becoming cruel, distant, hard-"
"That's the way we're supposed to be, Gabriel" Damon hissed vehemently "Otherwise, people will walk all over us, otherwise they'll do exactly what Jonathan is doing right now"
"Jonathan, is insane" Gabriel said slowly, "And so are you if you believe that vampires have the right to toy with people the way he does"
"Don't we?" Damon smirked, his cool blue eyes flashing. Gabriel rolled his eyes.
"Shut up. You're not fooling anyone."
Damon shrugged, standing gracefully and wiping invisible dirt from his jeans.
"We should get moving" Damon growled "Before we lose the scent of Jonathan's delivery dog"
Gabriel nodded in agreement, inwardly smirking. Apparently, Damon wasn't as cold as he liked people to believe. Gabriel couldn't help but think it had something to do with Chloe. And for that reason, he vowed that they would get her back- alive. No matter what.
If he and Nathaniel had to suffer through one more year of Damon's indifferent, insufferable, attitude…they were all going to kill each other.
Chloe, Gabriel spoke mentally, knowing she wouldn't hear even if she were close by We're coming to get you.
Chloe's POV
I felt the blades pierce my skin, and wanted to scream, but was afraid it would cause further damage to myself from Jonathan.
"Master" the girl spoke.
I let out a small sigh of relief when the shears fell from my throat, and Jonathan turned to glare at the girl.
"What, Courtney" Jonathan growled, his voice making it clear that he didn't like her interruption.
"I don't think she can take much more blood loss. And if you want to keep her alive long enough for whatever it is you have planned, slitting her throat wouldn't be the best thing"
I had to hand it to the girl, she stood her ground, even with him staring at her like he might rip through her rib cage and use one of them to play 'smash the vertebrae of porcelain doll girl.'
Without warning, Jonathan struck; picking up the shears, and slicing them down the girls face.
She screamed, and he kicked her shoulder. After a few tense seconds of him glowering at the both of us, Jonathan stormed out of the room and slammed the door behind him.
Apparently, he had decided to keep Courtney in his little playroom for her outburst.
"Thank you" I said breathlessly.
She nodded as she clutched her cheek, red blood slowly dripping down her hand.
"Do you need the gauze?" I asked.
"No" Courtney replied "It's not that deep. It should stop bleeding in a minute"
"How…how long have you been here? With Jonathan, I mean"
"My entire life" She shrugged. She smiled sadly at my horrified stare.
"I know what you're thinking" She said "How am I still alive?"
I nodded "Yeah, a little bit"
Courtney's smile became softer "I guess he has a soft spot for me. I'm the only slave he ever actually talks to- or listens to, even if there are repercussions involved"
I frowned. Jonathan doesn't even have a soft spot for his own family- what could he find so special about this girl?
"I hate him" Courtney said suddenly. I nodded my agreement as we lapsed into silence.
I broke the silence only once.
"His day will come" I assured her "And on that day, he'll have hell to pay"
Courtney nodded sleepily "Hopefully, that day comes soon"
Again, I nodded my head in agreement.