Wow, 60 reviews already? You guys are so awesome. Much love to all of you!

PS: I'm writing this with my Chihuahua, Peanut, on my lap. He says hello.

(Then my mom noticed him on my lap and screamed at me for spoiling him cause she was trying to train him so he is no longer on my lap.)

Ashes of Our Lives – Chapter 4

JJ screamed.

She twisted and fought, desperately pushing Alex's body with her hands.

"Reid!" She tried once more, and this time results of her efforts came about immediately. The harsh pressure of Alex's body over hers disappeared, and she felt her captor topple sideways off of her. She sat up immediately and scooted back, scrambling to her feet.

When she saw Reid sprawled out beside Napuri, she knew that the young agent had tackled the older man off of her. Despite everything, her delicate brows rose in surprise. She glanced over her shoulder to see a scuff on the concrete wall from where the bullet had hit. Reid sat up quickly, and stood when he noticed the chain at his ankle was at its limit. He moved back as Alex got to his feet, eyes wild and lips pulled back in a snarl.

"I thought you were smarter than that," he hissed, moving forward. JJ glanced between the two males, and Reid only stood his ground, watching Alex calculatingly. "I ought to gut you like a fish."

He reached down to grab a hunting knife from the side of his hiking boot, and JJ let out a startled gasp, moving to stand beside her partner.

"Reid," she hissed under her breath. His eyes moved fractionally, but he didn't look at her. It was enough to let her know he'd heard. "Do something."

He seemed disappointed with her words, and when Alex came toward them again he tilted his head. "You can't kill us now," he said slowly, "it would be over too quickly for you."

"Oh," Alex replied, smiling charmingly. "But you haven't even seen my medical collection yet. I can fix you up real good just before you bleed to death." He flashed the blade and both agents took a step back, pressing against the wall behind them.

"But not now."

His words seemed to ease a little of the tension both agents' were feeling, but the relief was short lived when Napuri's cold eyes locked on both their faces, darting back and forth. "For now, I have something a little more entertaining."

He left again, moving this time further back into the enclosure. He stepped past the dog kennel where Tank was lurking. JJ looked at Reid, eyes wide.

"What's he doing?"

Reid leaned forward, straining to see through the dark. The dim overhead bulb only illuminated a small section of the basement. "Don't know," he said slowly, sounding regretful. "I can't see."

"Don't worry about that," Alex said as he returned. "I'm back. And I'm sure you're so eager to meet your new friend." He stepped forward to stand in front of them. He was wearing thick, elbow-length gloves on both hands.

And coiled between them was a massive snake.

"This here's my prize," Napuri said proudly, holding the creature up. The animal curved around its flexible neck until it's tapered snout was pointed at them, yellow eyes wide and dark pupils slitted like discs. "He doesn't have a name yet, but he doesn't really need one. He's a yellow-jawed tommygoff, more commonly known up here as a fer-de-lance."

He set the brown and yellow snake on the ground, gently, and backed away immediately. The animal twisted its long body, slithering in a waving pattern against the concrete. It moved toward JJ and Reid, curious about the new arrivals. JJ pressed her back against the wall, eyes wide. Reid watched the animal through narrowed eyes, trying to gather any information he knew about the snake.

"I'll leave you three to play," Alex said shortly, retreating once more. The door slammed and locked behind him and JJ reached out slowly to touch Reid's shoulder. The young profiler flicked his eyes over to look at her, but otherwise didn't move.

"I'm getting sick of this routine, Reid," she murmured, "coming down here, doing something then leaving immediately. It's like he wants to hurt us but doesn't want to witness it."

"It's not that," Reid countered slowly, "he doesn't want to be at risk. As much as he hates to admit it, the snake- and us- are a danger to him too."

The animal had stopped now and was lying in loose coils nearly ten feet away. It watched them, unmoving aside from the forked tongue that occasionally flicked over its nose.

JJ frowned. "Have you noticed-"

"He seems to like animals," Reid finished, nodding fractionally. "So far he's used a big dog and a snake against us. Maybe he's some sort of animal handler. Like a zoo worker, or a vet."

The snake flicked its tail and JJ tightened her grip on Reid's shoulder. "Think about that later, what do you know about the snake?"

Reid swallowed harshly, trying to lean back without moving too suddenly. The snake's cold eyes watched them both. "Yellow-jawed tommygoff… fer-de-lance. It's a somewhat exotic snake considering the other choices he could've found closer to here, which makes me think he might've gotten the animal illegally or from another state."

"Okay," JJ replied evenly, "and what does this mean for us?"

"Oh, that. It moves impossibly fast; when it's ready to strike it lifts its head and neck off the ground and curves it- but rarely can it be seen striking because of the speed. The venom is powerful and causes symptoms that are both quick to appear and slow to act."

"And those symptoms would be?"

"Fever, nausea, swelling, bleeding of the nose and gums, and severe gastrointestinal internal bleeding. If it's left untreated for too long, necrosis will appear in the victim." His replies were rapidfire, and she felt herself wondering when he'd ever found the time to read anything about snakes.

"What's that last one?" Her tone was becoming strained. Internal bleeding. Sickness.

"Necrosis… probably the one most people fear above the other symptoms. The flesh, tissue, muscle, and bone of the affected area literally rot. The skin turns anywhere from a gray-green to black and peels, the muscle and flesh rots and falls off—"

"Reid, do you have to be so graphic?" JJ winced, looking sick at the thought. Rotting flesh, skin blackened then gone, tissue decaying and-

He mumbled and apology but she barely heard. He attention was focused on the snake as it lurched forward inquisitively. JJ glued herself against Reid's back, peering around his right side to see. If he minded her body smashed against his, he didn't comment, but she felt his weight shift when the snake began moving toward them again.

When it was only a few feet away it lifted its triangular head from the ground, nosing forward curiously. Reid tried to lean back, but the animal nudged its snout against his knee. He shifted in alarm, and JJ moved back slowly, slipping her hand into his and tugging. The snake arched further and JJ jerked in alarm, making Reid jump in surprise with her. He threw out a hand to push her back.

The tammygoff struck with such deadly precision and speed, it caused both of them to cry out in stunned disbelief. Their cries were more of surprise than of the sharp pain. The snake sunk its fangs into Reid's hand and was attached, the young profiler blinking in surprise as he watched it, but then the facts came slamming into his head and without another thought he grabbed the body of the animal with his free hand, tearing it free and throwing it down. He stumbled back into JJ and the blonde pushed him to the floor.

"God, oh my god," She was sobbing without the tears, too shocked to react properly. Reid looked stunned, but he came into focus and began waving his good hand frantically.

"Behind you, JJ, behind you!"

JJ whirled in time to see the smooth head coming at her. The teeth nicked her knee but Reid lashed out and kicked it away. The animal recoiled, hissing. JJ noted the line of blood coming from the cuts with alarm and a sickening sense of despair.

"Enough, enough," Alex shouted, clambering down the stairs to scoop up the hissing animal. It curled its head around and bit at his arms, but they were protected by the gloves. He moved to put the snake away and returned shortly after, taking off his gloves and setting them down near the base of the stairs.

"Sorry about that," he said lightly. "Didn't think he'd bite. They aren't supposed to unless provoked." He sounded displeased, but not concerned. He frowned irately. "I guess I'll have to get that anti-venom for you. You can wait a while, can't you?"

They expected him to leave again, but instead he stepped forward. "Now that things appear to be going downhill, I'd best get a move on." He shrugged his tshirt off and sauntered toward them, his eyes on JJ. They roved over her lithe body to take in all the curves and every detail of her form. She shifted uncomfortably, eyes flicking from Reid to Alex, and back again. Back and forth, until Alex was in front of them. He leaned down over JJ, dragging a hand across her jaw. Reid strained against the shackle, glaring hotly.

"I think it's time, my dear," Alex cooed, starting to unbutton the blonde agents' blouse. Her breathing became strained, but she knew that fighting him would only get her and Reid hurt. He slipped off her shirt and she squeezed her eyes shut, naked aside from her bra from the waist up. Napuri made quick word of her skirt, then started on her underwear.

She was sobbing without the tears under her breath, stressed and unsure of what to do. Naked in front of a violent unsub and with a close friend and partner watching. Reid tugged viciously at his bindings, desperate.

"Stop, please, don't do this to her," The young profiler knew it was useless. But he couldn't sit by and do nothing. He strained to get to his feet but his vision was swimming. He lurched half-up, throwing his shoulder into Alex's.

Scowling, Alex shoved Reid away, ripping a short-bladed hunting dagger from his hip.

"Tell me, profiler, since you're so smart… am I going to do it?" Alex had his teeth bared, blue eyes wild. He looked more animal than human.

"Yes," Reid nearly whispered, and he hissed in shock when Napuri plunged the blade into his exposed torso. He tore it loose, and stabbed again. Reid groaned, throwing his elbow out violently into Alex's side, nearly grinning when he heard bone crack. Napuri cried out and snarled, reaching out to twist the blade and reveling at Reid's soft moans. JJ cried, hitting and kicking Alex as hard as he could, but his heavy body was still almost entirely on top of her.

"Quiet down, profiler," he snapped at the now silent Reid. The younger agent watched JJ- only her face, she noted thankfully- with murky hazel eyes, but he looked so afraid. Not for him, but for her.

Confident that things were settled, Alex turned his attention back to JJ. He finished undressing himself and her, then he straddled her. She twisted and pushed, but to no avail. It wasn't long before he was taking advantage of the young woman, and she screamed and cried in desperation, fear, pain, and ultimately, sadness. She'd never known what her job could bring. They saw it every day in others, but she found the entire situation just so sad. That she ended up here while on a mission to save people from this very fate.

Reid had at first tried to help, but with labored breaths and snake venom assaulting him, it wasn't long until his body gave up… long before his mind did. Alex assured her that the limp agent was already gone, and JJ had sobbed harder, mourning the loss of her friend, her partner. Her Spence.

It had seemed like forever until Alex had finished with her, and he pushed off and gathered his clothes, leaving without a word. Without any indication of when he'd be back.

Shivering, nude, and scared, JJ moved over to Reid's unmoving form. She reached out to touch his skin, brushing her fingers across his cheek. She winced, sitting up straighter when she felt warm breath ghost over her skin from his slightly parted lips.

"Spence?" she tried, her voice high pitched. He grimaced. Alive, She thought desperately, slipping her hand into his and squeezing. That son of a bitch lied to me.

He roused after a few minutes of trying, looking into her face with startlingly clear eyes.

"I thought you were dead, idiot," she said immediately.

"Pretending," he replied breathily. "JJ you're… you're…"

She blinked, and her eyes went wide. She leaned back and tore her hand from his, moving to cover herself. She'd forgotten about her nudity. Her eyes watered.

"I… he threw my clothes way over there, I couldn't…"

Reid sat up, after much trying, and slipped off his jacket. It had been unzipped, and spared from most of his blood. He grimaced. "Not much, kinda bloody… but it's better than nothing.

JJ draped it over her and frowned. "Thanks, Spence."

They were both so traumatized, and JJ was nearly wheezing with anxiety. Reid looked at her, his dark eyes concerned.

"How can we fix it?" She asked quickly, looking at the bite just above her knee. It was more of a scrape.

"Don't worry too much," Reid said gently, and she distantly wondered why he sounded so calm. "The fangs didn't puncture. I doubt he got any venom in."

"He sprayed it," she replied, finally looking at him with watery blue eyes. "I felt it."

Reid rubbed the thumb of his good hand over her gash and she winced, but he shook his head. "Dry. It might have hit you somewhere else but you should be okay if you don't have any other open wounds. If it did get you, I couldn't have been much…"

"God, what about you?"

He instinctively wedged his injured hand under his hip, but JJ grabbed his wrist to see it. She flinched when she saw the two punctures; they looked deep, but clean.

"Don't worry," he repeated, his voice breathy. "He won't let us die. Not yet."

"But… but…" She pressed her free hand against his abdomen and he cried out. Her eyes were red and watery as she looked at him. She kept her hand over his stomach, keeping pressure on the stab wounds.

"Don't worry," he repeated, and she felt consciousness leaving him. He was tired, so tired.

She blinked back tears and rested her cheek against his shoulder.

All she could think about was what was to come.

Well that took a long time.

Sorry about the wait, peoples. I actually cut out a huge chunk at the end of this 'cause it was better for starting a new chapter.

I really need to kick my ass into gear and get to work with this story… but fear not! School's out in like 3 weeks, then I will literally have all the time in the world. XD

Please read, enjoy and review, foshizzle.

Til all are one,

Sharky