AUTHOR'S NOTES: Thank you all for the awesome reviews and kind words! You have no idea how much this means to me.I really appreciate it! Will Kenzi finally talk about her past? Read on and find out!
CHAPTER 2
"Anything yet Hale," Dyson questioned the siren, anxiously walking around the clubhouse.
"Still nothing," Hale answered. A long sigh escaped from his lips. "Bo, did Kenzi mention anything to you why her stepfather's been looking for her?"
Bo thought she heard someone call her name, but she was too focused on the young woman sleeping next her. She stared at her best friend's frail form as she laid in a fetal position, sound asleep. Bo had her right arm snaked around Kenzi's body as her other hand soothed and caressed the young woman's black mane.
"Bo," Vex gently asked. No response came from the succubus' mouth. Lauren lightly squeezed Bo's knee to get her attention, snapping the succubus out of her daze.
"What," Bo's tone was fragile as she looked around the room.
Tamsin asked quietly, "Her stepfather? Did she say why he's been searching for her?"
"No," she shook her head, answering the valkyrie faintly.
Dyson exhaled slowly. The shifter knew they should have stopped at that moment, but his job as a detective urged him to ask again, "Are you sure?"
Bo quickly glimpsed at Dyson from the corner of her eye. She answered him in a soft but firm tone, "Yes … I'm sure."
The shifter plopped down into the chair next to the succubus. "Bo, we need to ask Kenzi," he stated. Bo rolled her eyes in disgust as he pressed on quietly. "She is our best bet at finding out why her step ..."
"Let her sleep for a bit," she whispered angrily. "She's been through hell the last half hour. Okay?" She drew in a shaky breath, shutting her eyes for a moment. She knew Kenzi is a strong person, but thinking about what the young woman went through terrified her. Kenzi's demeanor was something she never saw before and hoped she'd at no time see again. The shifter interrupted her thoughts.
"Bo, we don't have …" Dyson muttered quietly.
"You don't think I want to find that bastard and wring his freaking neck," the succubus softly snapped at the shifter, her eyes flashing blue. "He's going to pay for what he did to Kenzi. Mark my words!" Everyone knew how protective Bo was of the young woman. She would do anything to keep Kenzi safe. Past events flashed quickly in the succubus' head, remembering all the moments when she almost lost her best friend.
Rescuing the young woman from Baba Yaga.
Kenzi almost bleeding out when they faced the Garuda.
Saving the goth girl from the Kitsune's lair.
"I'm sorry," Bo apologized as she rested her arm on top of the couch, her eyes shifting back to her normal browns. "I'm just on edge at the moment."
"We all are Bo," the Blood King chimed in. "We feel the same way as you. Let's just wait until Kenzi wakes up then she can tell us what happened." The succubus nodded in agreement. Bo felt a small hand embrace her own.
"I'm up," she heard the young woman say. Everyone turned their eyes to Kenzi as a pair of crystal, blue orbs stared up at Bo. The goth girl gently rolled on to her back, her head still laying against the succubus' legs. "I couldn't sleep."
Bo lightly rubbed her hand on the young woman's face as Kenzi closed her eyes, relishing the warmth and comfort coming from her best friend's touch.
"Hey Pipsqueak," Tamsin said as she quietly sat down at the other end of the couch, allowing Kenzi to use her lap as a leg rest. The valkyrie gently laid her hands on the young woman's legs, reassuring the goth girl was safe. "Are you feeling better?"
"All right I guess," the young woman softly stated as she glanced over to the valkyrie. Kenzi brought the blanket up to her chin as she tried to keep herself warm from the cool, late-afternoon air. A long sigh escaped from her lips as she shut her eyes for a moment.
"Kenz," Bo whispered to her best friend. The young woman opened her eyes and looked up at the succubus. "Did your stepfather do anything besides verbally abuse you?"
She knew what Bo was asking her to do. Maybe she is right, Kenzi thought. They should know what happened. They're my friends. I know that they'll do whatever it takes to protect me. Keep me safe. They're my family now. And family always sticks together. The young woman acknowledged her best friend with a nod.
Kenzi let out a shaky breath and slowly sat up, wrapping herself with the blanket as Bo moved closer to her. Tamsin scooted towards Kenzi as well; her arm wrapped around the young woman's shoulders.
The goth girl started, "I never knew who my real father was." Everyone gave their undivided attention to the young woman. "He left us before I was born. We had a tough time trying to make it for the first few years. Financially, we were poor." The young woman stared down at her hands as she continued.
"I was five when she met him. A couple of months later, they got married. It turned out, she got hitched for the wrong reason. Money." Kenzi rolled her eyes at the end.
"He at no time told us where he worked or what he did. As long as he put food on the table and kept a roof over our heads, my mom didn't bother asking." The young woman paused for a quick second as she intertwined her fingers together, placing her hands in her lap. Kenzi pressed on.
"Even though I was young, it still bothered me. I don't know why, but it did. He would bring home a duffel bag filled with cash once in a while. He hid it in the bedroom closet during the day. However, at night, he would pile them on our kitchen table, counting away. It was like I was living in a movie. It scared the hell out of me." The young woman's voice whimpered at the end.
Kenzi's tone lowered as she progressed with her story, "I was eight when I finally found out what he did for a living … " The young woman didn't want to continue. She visibly started to shake in fear as Bo and Tamsin tried to calm her down.
"Kenzi," Bo quietly said. "It's okay. You can tell us."
The goth girl looked down at her lap as she continued, "He is a turf accountant … another word for a bookie. His bosses … are the Solntsevskaya Bratva."
All three fae detectives just looked at each other in shock and disbelief. Kenzi could see the fear in their eyes, something that she never saw before. Dyson quickly rubbed his hands over his face as he interrupted the young woman's story, "Kenzi … please tell me you're joking."
The goth girl looked at Dyson. When he saw the seriousness in her eyes, he knew that Kenzi was telling the truth. It sent a shiver down his spine as he muttered under his breath, his voice unsettled, "Son of a bitch."
"Who are the Sol … net … ," Bo asked with a puzzled look.
"Solntsevskaya Bratva," Hale answered the succubus as he ran his hands through his hair in frustration. "They are one of the most dangerous criminal organizations in the world. They're seriously bad news."
"They're considered the largest faction of the Russian Mafia," Tamsin added. "They're criminal activities include drug and human trafficking, arson, racketeering, smuggling ... and murder." The air in the clubhouse fell silent.
Kenzi progressed with her story, her voice shaking in fear, "When he found out that I knew … he made my life a living hell for the next two years. He verbally attacked me … every day … he called me every bad name you can think of." A silent tear ran down her cheek.
"If I disrupted him with any type of noise I made …" Kenzi's voice cracked as she brought a shaky hand to her mouth. She couldn't contain her emotions any longer as the dams burst from her eyes.
"He would beat me," her voice strained as the young woman remembered all the terrible things he did to her. "He … pinched me … kicked me … slapped me … punch, trip, push, you name it. He even dragged me by the hair and threw me against a wall one time for no reason. He also broke my arm and ribs several times."
Bo began to feel the saltiness build-up in her eyes as she brought a hand to her mouth, stifling a sob. Tamsin hung her head low as she tried to hide her emotions from everyone. Dyson, Hale and Vex shut their eyes tightly, rage beginning to build up inside them. Lauren frowned, placing her hand on the young woman's knee as she gently squeezed to give Kenzi some comfort and reassurance. The goth girl continued.
"I would go to school every day with bruises on my face and arms. The worst part ..." Kenzi looked down as her cries continued, her voice shaking in fear. "Everyone knew what he was doing to me. No one bothered to help me. They were so scared of him because of who he worked for ... including my mother."
The young woman brought her hands over her face as she started bawling, her wails piercing the air. "No one protected me. I was just a kid. I didn't deserve any of it!"
Bo and Tamsin couldn't contain their emotions as streams of anguish ran down their cheeks. Both women rested their forehead against either side of Kenzi. The doctor's bottom lip quivered as tears escaped from her eyes. Dyson shot up and walked to the kitchen, resting his hands on the counter. As his anger grew at an alarming rate, his eyes began to shift yellow. A deep rumble escaped from the pit of the shifter's stomach. Trick and Vex noticed the change in Dyson's demeanor as they ushered towards him. Hale moseyed on over to the shifter as well, placing a hand on his shoulder.
"Dy," the siren stated. "I feel the same as you man, but we have to try to keep it cool for Kenzi. Okay?"
"I can't Hale," the shifter whispered angrily. "Just even thinking about what that monster did to her really pisses me off!"
"We're all on edge," Vex asserted as he stared at Dyson. "But you have to keep it together. She needs you now. She needs us."
"Vex is right," the Blood King agreed. "You need to calm down."
"I can't Trick," the shifter growled. "Did you see the way how she was half an hour ago? That's a side of her I've never seen before. I have no doubt that bastard threatened to kill her."
"How can you be so sure," Trick questioned.
"Because I know," the shifter snapped. "I just know! He will pay for this!" His fist came crashing down on to the kitchen counter. Everyone jumped at the sudden crack in the clubhouse.
All the women turned and looked at Dyson in utter shock. Kenzi stared at him with wide eyes, knowing that her story brought out the shifter's emotional side, something that was rarely seen by any of his friends. She knew Dyson would do anything to protect her.
He drew in a breath and exhaled slowly. He turned around and trekked towards the chair, his eyes shifting back to normal. He looked directly into Kenzi's blue orbs as he apologized softly, "I'm sorry for acting that way Kenz. Just even thinking …"
"It's okay," the young woman said quietly, a sad smile crept on her face as she wiped the tears away. The shifter nodded.
"It was the day before I turned ten when I finally stood up to that asshole," Kenzi continued. "It was during dinner time. My mom already went to bed, so it was just me and him at the table. I didn't want to eat any of the food he made ... he obviously didn't like that."
She sniffled as the young woman's breath hitched, trying to keep her emotions in check. She pressed on, new unshed tears forming in her eyes.
"So he grabbed my wrist, pulled me towards him and slapped me across the face."
Kenzi's tone dropped to barely above a whisper, "That's when I finally snapped. I grabbed my table knife and stabbed him in the hand several times. That … was the biggest mistake I ever made."
The young woman's lips trembled as she started to shiver in fear, a steady flow rolled down her cheeks.
"He … he pinned me to the wall …" the goth girl cried. "By my throat …"
"I couldn't breathe …"
The young woman swallowed hard as she drew in a shaky breath.
"He whispered …"
Her breathing became irregular.
"Vy ne dozhivet do utro … Posle menya yest' moy put' s vami …"
Bo gently placed her hand on the young woman's leg as she softly asked, her voice cracked, "What did he say?"
Kenzi brought her hands up to her mouth as she closed her eyes, answering her best friend in a strained voice, "You will not live to see the morning. After I have my way with you."
Tamsin fought back her tears as the valkyrie quietly asked, "Kenzi, did he …"
Kenzi gently rocked back and forth as she shook her head. "I kicked him. When he lessened his grip, I kicked him several more times. I stomped on his face when he collapsed to the ground, knocking him unconscious."
The goth girl tried to compose herself as she continued, "When I made sure he was out cold I ran up the stairs, packed as much as I could into my bag and hightailed it out of there. I never looked back since."
The clubhouse was once again filled with the young woman's sobs. Tamsin moved closer to Kenzi as she wrapped her arms around the young woman, giving her the comfort and security the goth girl desperately sought.
"Up until the day I left that house, I always made a wish every night before I went to bed," the young woman truthfully said, her cries still wracking her body.
"What was that wish," Lauren softly asked, knowing full well what the answer was.
The young woman looked at the doctor, her voice strained, "To be able to sleep forever. To be free of all the pain I suffered from that monster. Not a day goes by that I can't stop thinking what the world would be like … without me in it."
Bo covered her face with her hands, hiding the grief she had for her best friend. Her silent sobs violently shuddered her body.
The valkyrie tenderly placed her hand on Kenzi's chin as she pulled her face to look at her own.
"Don't you ever … think like that again," Tamsin's voice cracked as a lone tear escaped from the corner of her eye. "The fact that you are here today shows how brave, strong and smart you are. You don't give yourself enough credit. You did what you had to do to protect yourself … at home and on the streets. You're a survivor Kenzi."
The valkyrie wiped away the tears from the young woman's face as she kissed her cheek tenderly. Bo lunged at her best friend, embracing her in a tight hug and gently caressing the back of the young woman's head.
The succubus whispered as her lips trembled. "I am so sorry baby. I can't imagine all the heartache and pain you went through. You didn't deserve any of it. However, I am glad that you got out of there when you did. Like Tamsin said, don't ever think like that again."
She gently leaned back and took Kenzi's face into her hands, wiping the young woman's wet cheeks with her thumbs as she exhaled slowly.
Bo continued, "Because no matter what, you are a part of us now. We are your family. For as long as you are here with us … we will do everything for you … protect you … and keep you safe. We love you." Her voice cracked at the end.
As she rested her forehead against the succubus, Kenzi closed her eyes and whispered, "I love you all too. I … I just don't want to lose any of you."
"And you won't," the succubus smiled, gently lifting the young woman's face to meet hers. "Because family always sticks together."
Kenzi flashed her first genuine smile of the day as Bo pressed her lips softly against the young woman's temple.
"Kenzi," Dyson asked. "Can you … tell us what happened?"
The goth girl nodded as she leaned against the couch, wiping the tears from her face. Kenzi started, "I was in the liquor aisle when I heard a commotion come from the back room. I went to go check and see."
"Did you see him," Vex inquired.
"I only saw two big guys hovering over a desk," the young woman answered the mesmer. She looked at her best friend as she continued, "I wanted to get a better look, so I quietly walked in, making sure they didn't see me."
Kenzi cleared her throat. "That's when someone grabbed me from behind. They spun me around and held me against the wall by my throat. It was him. He told me that he had been looking for me since I ran away. It turns out his bosses want me brought in. They want to know how I knew about his job and them."
The young woman hung her head low. "He held a knife to my face …" Kenzi's voice cracked.
Unshed tears began to well in the goth girl's icy, blue orbs. The young woman drew in a quivering breath. "Instinct took over as I kicked him really hard. Talk about deja vu right? I ran out of there as his two goons chased me. For big guys, they can move. One of them dove and grabbed my ankle, sending me into one of the wine displays. That's how I sprained it."
Kenzi's bottom lip quivered as salty streams rolled down her cheek. "I screamed for help. Nobody did anything. They all stood there and watched … even the customers. I tried crawling away, but that monster picked me up and threw me into another display."
The young woman's sobs began to overtake her body as she held her hands to her face, her voice strained, "He held the tip of the knife to my stomach. He said 'You kick me in groin multiple times. Time for payback.' He moved the tip further down … between my … oh god!"
Kenzi slowly rocked back and forth as Tamsin carefully rested the young woman against the nook of her neck, cradling the goth girl's head. The valkyrie lightly stroked her hair and whispered reassurances in her ear as she softly rubbed soothing circles to calm her down.
"Vicious asshole," Dyson muttered under his breath as he tightly clenched his hands together, his anger showing through.
"Vicious," Bo growled as she quickly rose from the couch, strolling to the kitchen. "More like perverse! He's a sadistic, sick bastard!"
Tamsin moved her gaze to the shifter, her eyes filled with rage and hate towards the man who caused this much pain to her friend. "That monster … is going to get what's coming to him," the valkyrie rumbled. Dyson nodded in agreement.
Kenzi's cries subsided into hiccups as she continued, "He was towering over me. I grabbed one of the bottles and hit his arm, making him drop the knife. That's when I used the heel of my boot and nailed him. He fell to the ground."
The young woman drew in a shaky breath. "I got up and started chucking bottles at them. It gave me enough time to run. I heard him yell that by the end of tonight, one way or the other, he's going to drag me back … dead or alive … preferably dead."
The valkyrie tilted the young woman's face, looking into her sparkling blue eyes. "He will never lay a finger on you," Tamsin softly said to the young woman. "That is a …"
"Shh," the shifter quietly blurted as he quickly stood up from his chair, pointing towards the ceiling.
The soft banging of footsteps from upstairs permeated through the clubhouse.