The room got gradually colder.
Artemis slept once again in Butler's lap for what must have been a few hours. He didn't even realize the decreasing temperature until the young man began to shiver. Artemis woke due to the discomfort and pressed himself to Butler's side, searching for warmth.
His teeth chattered as he said, "It's - s-so cold."
Butler's only response was to wrap his arm around him and hold him close.
When he looked down at his charge, Butler could just make out the bruise on his face in the faint light. A rage rose inside him and he made a silent promise that nothing more would happen to Artemis.
Little did he know that promise was bound to be broken.
The door opened.
"Ooh," Ritter said, descending the stairs. "It sure is chilly in here."
Butler got up and looked to Artemis, silently telling him not to move.
"What's your game this time, Ritter?"
Ritter punched him across the face, but Butler barely reacted.
"That's Master Ritter to you. Don't forget your manners."
"What's your game this time, Master Ritter?"
"Very good. I've come to collect you. You are my… party favors."
"Excuse me?"
"I believe you heard me, Mr. Butler. Don't waste my time with having me repeat myself. Come along now."
Butler's blood turned cold. "We're not going anywhere with you."
Ritter chuckled, then pulled a gun, aiming it at Butler's head. "Come with me or die."
He didn't move.
In a flash, Ritter pointed the gun in Artemis's direction and fired. Artemis flinched as the bullet hit a spot right next to his head.
"Care to reconsider your options?"
Butler gave him a deadly look. "How do you know we won't escape?"
"Trust me, you wouldn't make it out alive."
With only a moment of hesitation, Butler reached a hand out to Artemis and helped him to his feet. The boy looked skeptical and more than a little frightened.
"It'll be all right," he whispered to him, though if he were honest, Butler didn't like to think about what Ritter meant by "party favors."
With his gun on them, Ritter led the two to the door. Butler was glad to be out of the cold, but his relief didn't last as they entered a full room. All eyes went to him, each balking at his size. One beautiful, blonde woman stood and approached him, looking him up and down appreciatively. She put a slim hand on his chest and looked into his eyes with a devious smile.
"I like this one," she purred. Butler pushed her hand away from him.
"Not interested," he said.
The woman didn't look hurt in the least. In fact, her smile widened.
"Who said anything about interest?" Ritter said. "I'm sorry, Mr. Butler, but you don't have a choice in the matter."
Before Butler could respond, the woman was pulling his head down and pressing their lips together. Immediately, Butler pulled away and smacked the woman across the face. Her head whipped to the side and an alarmed look crossed her face before she straightened and glared evilly at Butler. She looked like she was about to tackle him, but Ritter stepped in instead.
"Oh, wrong move, Mr. Butler. Mr. Thomas, take Artemis to the party room."
As one of the men moved towards them, Butler knocked him out with a single punch, putting himself between Artemis and the people looking hungrily at the pair. Almost everyone in the room surged at them at once, and Butler went to swinging. Everyone who came into contact with him was put down or put back, and he thought, just for a moment, that maybe they would get out of there.
Then a bullet was shot into his left leg.
He shouted in pain and was brought to his knees. Artemis was by his side in an instant. He had taken Butler's jacket from his own shoulders and was pressing it to the wound.
"He needs a doctor!" Artemis shouted at the room.
Ritter only chuckled. "He'll get one. Later."
Artemis was pulled away from his bodyguard, but he didn't go without a fight. He managed to rake his fingernails across one man's face, and kick another one between the legs. He knew he was doomed when someone's fingers circled his neck from behind him and squeezed, cutting off his oxygen enough for him to submit.
A tongue ran up the side of his face and Artemis fought the urge to vomit.
Ritter smiled. "Take him to the party room, Mr. Thomas."
"No!" Butler insisted, trying to get to his feet. It didn't take more than a kick to his wounded leg to bring him back to his knees.
"Don't worry, Mr. Butler, you'll get your chance with him."
"Go to hell," he spat.
Ritter only nodded, and Artemis was led away.
"Well, I'd better join the party," Ritter said. "I'll have you brought back to your room, though, first. Enjoy your night. I'm sure you'll see your dear employer sometime tomorrow."
Without a care, Butler was shoved down the stairs into the basement once more, landing awkwardly and painfully on his wounded leg. But he couldn't think about that. He had to think about Artemis.
But he couldn't stand, and he was in too much pain to move. He almost let unconsciousness take him, but that was when the screaming started.
It was Artemis. It was so clearly Artemis. It was a sound Butler never wanted to hear.
He promised. He broke his promise.
He couldn't stop himself from envisioning what was being done to his friend. He shook his head, trying to get the images out.
He wouldn't know for sure until he was returned to the room.
It seemed like hours before the door opened again. Three people entered: Ritter, an unconscious Artemis, and a man Butler had never seen before.
Ritter was supporting Artemis with one of his arms over his shoulder. The boy was naked except for his underwear. Ritter deposited him on the ground near the door, not bothering to use care.
Ritter spoke. "This is Dr. Mitchell. He's here to look at your leg. You should thank Artemis, he exchanged himself for Mitchell to be here."
What? Artemis had…
"You have fifteen minutes," Ritter said before exiting the room.
The doctor approached him with caution, but Butler didn't care. He just wanted to get looked at and have it be done so he could go to his charge.
The doctor removed the bullet, and Butler felt it, but it hardly mattered. He had been shot before, this was nothing new. Once he was stitched up and Mitchell scurried away, he limped to Artemis's still form.
"Artemis…?" he whispered. He put his hand on his master's shoulder and shook him, desperate for him to wake up, to tell him everything was okay.
But Butler didn't deserve that. He had failed.
He took to examining his body in the faint light. There were bruises, and cuts, and burns all over his back. When his eyes reached Artemis's backside, his heart stopped.
His underwear was speckled with blood.
And Butler remembered what Ritter had said.
He promised then that Ritter was a dead man.
And this time, he would do whatever it took to keep that promise.
