This chapter does contain suggestions of rape. You have been warned.
Quite a few of you knew which direction this was headed and to be honest, it was my intention ever since I started Absolution. This was the most difficult chapter for me to write—and that includes out of everything I have ever written. Give me a graphic murder scene and I have no problem writing it. In fact, I welcome the challenge. But rape is an entirely different matter.
I approached Lady Emily with my idea and she was very supportive and encouraging of my decision. We spoke for quite a while about how I would approach the subject and I honestly couldn't have done this without her. It is such a taboo subject and everyone has a different reaction to it. It is also something that is very real, and women—and men—are faced with this crime on a daily basis. The statistics are staggering and as much as we would like to turn a blind eye to it, it still happens.
I grew up with Nancy Drew—she's been my heroine for as long as I can remember. When I first started writing fanfiction, it was my intention to make her a human being. I have her facing real problems and dealing with real emotions. Some you may agree with, and others you may not.
I understand if some of you choose not to read this chapter, but I really do hope you give it a chance. I tried to handle it in the most delicate way possible. It is your decision and I will support you guys either way, just as you have supported me.
Fifteen
Nancy tried to ignore the pounding in her head, but it was difficult with the way that Wesley was dragging her through the house. Spots danced in her vision as blackness crept in the edges, but she refused to give in to unconsciousness. There was no way in hell she was about to close her eyes, no matter how welcoming it may be.
How could she have been so stupid to try to take on Wesley? At the very least, she should have made sure he was unconscious before trying to rescue Ella. Instead, she had left herself wide open to attack.
Now Wesley was pissed.
And Nancy would be the one to pay.
She knew, deep down in her heart, she would take whatever he dished out if it meant Ella stayed safe. There was no hope for Kate now, but Ella still had a chance to make it out of there alive.
Nancy was going to do everything in her power to make sure Ella lived to see her family again.
"Where are you taking me?" Nancy asked, stumbling as she tried to keep up with Wesley. He had a firm grip on her arm as he dragged her along behind him.
"Somewhere a little more private," Wesley answered, his voice barely more than a growl.
"I want to go back to the basement."
Wesley was seething as he came to a stop, jerking Nancy forward so she was right in front of him. "I don't really give a shit about what you want at the moment. You really should have thought about that before you decided to attack me."
Nancy gritted her teeth as she tried to pull away from him. "And I would do it again, you son of a bitch."
"Which is exactly why you're not going back down there, my love."
"Don't call me that." Nancy moved to pull away from him again, but he only strengthened his hold on her. "I'm nothing to you."
"You're everything to me. And I'm going to show you just how much," Wesley said, pulling her along once again. "We're going to get to know each other very well, Nancy."
Nancy felt a sliver of fear crawl down her spine as Wesley continued to pull her down the hallway, only to stop at the door at the end. Throwing the door open, Wesley shoved her inside, slamming the door behind them as Nancy tumbled to the floor. When he looked at her, there was an almost feral gleam to his eyes as he slowly approached her.
Scooting away from him, Nancy didn't dare turn her back on him. Not with the way that he was looking at her, like a hunter scoping out its prey. She could feel her heart pounding in her chest, almost to the point where she was sure it was going to burst out of her chest. The look Wesley was giving her was more terrifying than anything she had ever seen in her life.
"If I didn't know any better, I would say you looked afraid, Nancy." Wesley took another deliberate step towards her.
"Stay away from me, Wesley." Nancy continued to scoot back, swallowing hard as her eyes darted surreptitiously around for a weapon she could use. Wesley was going to pounce on her at any moment, she was sure of it. And she wanted to be ready for it when he did. And that meant finding a weapon, no matter how innocuous it may look.
"Why would I want to do something like that?"
Nancy let out a gasp as she bumped into a nightstand, the handles digging into her back. She allowed herself to be cornered and she needed to find a way out—now. Keeping her eyes on Wesley, she reached blindly around for a weapon, her hand closing around a something chunky and heavy.
A boot.
Closing her hand around it, she brought it closer to her body. It wasn't much, but she didn't need a lot. Just something to help in her escape before Wesley could do what he had planned.
"Get up off the floor, Nancy," Wesley said, completely blocking her in. There was only enough space for her to stand up. Just barely.
"No."
Wesley chuckled darkly. "I wasn't really giving you the option." Reaching down so he could grab her arm, he never expected Nancy to strike out with the boot. He let out a roar of surprise as she hit him in the head, knocking him away from her.
Unfortunately, he only stumbled back and didn't fall to the ground. He was still blocking her exit to the door. Seeing no other option, Nancy began crawling underneath the large bed. She made it halfway under when Wesley grabbed her ankle and began yanking her back.
Nancy let out a scream as she kicked at him with her other foot, grabbing at anything she could find to stop his momentum. Wesley let out a hiss before grabbing her other foot and pulling her out with a brutal jerk, eliciting another scream from her.
"Let go of me!" Reaching for the boot, she made to throw it at his head but he grabbed her wrist and jerked it out of her grasp before throwing it across the room. Grabbing her other wrist, he hauled her to her feet.
"I'm so glad to see you like to play rough, Nancy." Wesley's smile was chilling as he pulled her closer so his face was only inches from hers. "You have no idea how happy that makes me."
Before Nancy could react, he threw her on top of the bed, quickly straddling her so she couldn't go anywhere. Nancy instantly began pounding against him with her fists, trying to get him off of her.
Letting out a growl, Wesley grabbed her wrists, holding them in his left hand as he reached over in the top drawer of the nightstand for a length of leather cord. Wrapping it tightly around her wrists, he brought her hands up over her head and lashed them to the headboard, giving it one final brutal jerk to make sure she was secure.
Nancy let out a frustrated cry as she jerked against her bonds, but the leather only became more restricting against her skin. Even before Wesley began taking off his shirt, Nancy knew exactly what was about to happen.
And there wasn't a damn thing she could do to stop it.
"Please, don't do this, Wesley," Nancy begged, unable to keep the fear out of her voice. She'd been faced with death so many times, but this was going to be so much worse. She'd prefer death to this any day than to have Wesley violate her in the worse way possible.
"Why not?" Wesley murmured as he trailed kisses along her neck. "I know you want me, Nancy. I can see it in the way you're looking at me."
"Then you must be blind, you bastard," Nancy said as she tried to move her head away from him. "The only thing I want from you is for you to rot in hell!"
"Now, now, Nancy. Don't be mean." Wesley gripped her chin to make her look at him. "I can make this very enjoyable for you if you'll just let me."
"No!" Nancy thrashed underneath him as one of his hands moved under her shirt to touch her bare stomach before slowly moving up to cup one of her breasts. "Get off of me!"
"No," Wesley said softly, tracing more kisses along her neck before moving to nip at her collarbone. "You don't know how long I've wanted this, Nancy. The very first time I saw you, I knew I had to have you."
"Is that why you tried to kill me?"
"That was a mistake."
"And what do you call this?" Nancy asked, jerking against her bonds.
Wesley smiled at her as he sat up. "Making up for my mistake."
"By raping me?"
"That's such a harsh word, don't you think, Nancy?" Wesley tilted his head as he looked down at her. "It doesn't have to be that way. I don't have to be the only one to enjoy it."
"You will be, because there is no way in hell I would give you the satisfaction."
"Very well." Without warning, Wesley grabbed her shirt and ripped it open, making buttons bounce across the room. Nancy let out a gasp as the cold air hit her bare skin, but didn't get a chance to say anything else as his he covered her mouth with his, thrusting his tongue inside.
Nancy tried to turn her head away from him, but he gripped her chin, holding her in place as he continued his assault on her mouth. Wesley let out a low moan as his other hand traveled down her body, sliding into the waistband of her jeans. Panic flared inside of Nancy as she writhed underneath him, ignoring the pain in her wrists as she tried to pull away.
"Just give in, Nancy…" Wesley whispered, taking a few ragged breaths before collapsing his lips onto hers once again.
Letting out a guttural cry, Nancy somehow got her legs underneath him and kicked him off of her. Wesley fell backwards from the bed, landing against the footboard before tumbling to the floor. Nancy quickly scooted away from him, huddling against the headboard, pulling in desperation against the leather strap that held her prisoner. No matter how hard she pulled, it only seemed to get tighter until her hands started to go numb.
She watched with wide eyes as Wesley slowly got up from the floor before walking over to the large walk-in closet. He emerged a few seconds later with several neckties. Calmly making his way back to the bed, he grabbed for Nancy's legs, barely reacting as she continued to kick out at him. He quickly looped the ties around her ankles before tying them off to either end of the footboard.
Nancy let out an ear-piercing scream as tears ran down her cheeks, hoping by some miracle that someone just happened to be passing by, even though there wasn't a neighbor within hearing distance. Wesley quickly took the remaining tie and shoved it into her mouth before tying it tightly behind her head, silencing her scream muffled whimpers.
There was no way out of this.
Right then and there, Nancy prayed for death, especially as Wesley removed a knife and brought it up to her throat as he straddled her once again.
"You know, Nancy…if you were any other woman, I would have killed you by now." He slowly trailed the tip of the knife along her throat and down the length of her body until stopping at the waistband of her jeans. "I really wanted to make this as painless as possible, but I'm afraid you're not leaving me much choice."
Chocking back a sob, Nancy stiffened as he unbuttoned her jeans, slowly lowering her zipper. Then, using the knife, he cut her jeans away before throwing them across the room, leaving her only in her bra and panties.
Wesley smiled as he his gaze traveled up and down her body, lingering on the lacy red panties she wore. "I have to say, Nancy, I prefer the pink ones." He reached into the nightstand and pulled out a pink pair of panties. "Maybe you can put these on for me later."
Nancy's eyes widened as she recognized the lacy undergarment. The bastard had taken them from her apartment!
Wesley chuckled as he put the blade of the knife underneath the thin fabric, slicing through them like they were butter. Lifting off of her, he quickly donned his own jeans and boxers before taking his position above her once again. "I think we've wasted enough time. Don't you?"
In one horrifying instant, Nancy felt her world shatter.
Wesley let out a satisfied sigh as he lay beside Nancy, softly tracing circles along her bare stomach. The shiver going through her body only served to excite him even more and he had to control the urge to have his way with her again.
She was everything he had thought she would be and more. He wondered why he'd waited so long to take her and to make her his. He should have done it all those months ago when he'd first had her, but his ambition and thrill of the kill had clouded his better judgment.
Rising up on an elbow, Wesley looked down at her. She was absolutely beautiful, even with fear evident in her bright blue eyes. Using one of his hands, he brushed her hair back from her face, trying not to show the pleasure on his face as she flinched and whimpered. Using that same hand, he pulled the gag away from her mouth.
"It's okay, Nancy," he whispered as he caressed the side of her face. "There's no reason to be afraid anymore. I'm going to take good care of you."
"I don't need you to take care of me," Nancy whispered, tears streaming down her face. Please, just leave me alone, Wesley."
"I'm afraid that I can't do that. You're too vulnerable right now. There's no telling what you might try in your current condition."
"Please…"
Wesley smiled as he sat up. "I know what I can do for you, though. Would you like to get cleaned up?"
Before she could say anything, Wesley got off of the bed and walked across the room to the large master bathroom. Turning on the tap, he brought the water to a suitable temperature before adding coconut scented bath gel to the water. Walking back into the bedroom, he quickly undid the ties around her ankles before moving to the headboard and releasing her from the bed, leaving her hands tied together.
"I'm afraid I'll have to leave your hands tied," Wesley said as he leaned down to pick her up.
Nancy jerked away from him, shaking uncontrollably. "Don't touch me!"
Ignoring her, Wesley picked her up and carried her into the bathroom, gently placing her inside the bathtub. Before she could pull away from him, he tied the length of the leather cord to the rail, preventing her from going anywhere.
"I don't need you to bathe me, Wesley," Nancy said, glaring at him with red-rimmed eyes. "In fact, I don't want anything from you!"
"You're angry right now, Nancy, and I completely understand," Wesley said as he picked up a washrag and began moving it along her body. "I told you I just want to take care of you, if you'll let me."
"You should have thought about that before you decided to rape me." Nancy tried pulling away from him, but he didn't bother paying attention as he continued to bathe her. "You really want to help me, Wesley? Then let me go."
"I can't do that, Nancy."
"You can't keep me like this!"
"I can and I will." Wesley looked up at her, meeting her defiant stare. "It what you do when you love someone."
Nancy instantly stilled, her eyes widening in horror. "What did you say?"
"I love you, Nancy…"
"No," Nancy whispered, shaking her head. "That's not possible."
"Why not?"
"Because you're incapable of love, Wesley. Look at what you're doing—it's not love."
Wesley gritted his teeth, trying to control his anger. He refused to lash out at her, knowing she was just thrown off and confused. It was a perfectly understandable reaction. She was so caught off-guard, she wasn't sure how to react to the revelation.
"Then what would you call it, Nancy?" Wesley asked softly as he rinsed the soap off of her body.
"Anything but love," Nancy answered. "Love is what I have with Frank. He loves me and he shows it to me every day. And not by hurting me."
Closing his eyes, Wesley tried not to let Frank's name get to him. He could feel his hands shaking, but he wouldn't take it out on her. Counting silently to ten, Wesley opened his eyes to see Nancy staring back at him, as if daring him to contradict what she said.
Instead, he stood up and grabbed a towel before releasing her from the railing. Helping her stand, he wrapped the towel around her body before untying her hands. He nodded to a teal nightgown and her panties he'd gotten from her apartment.
"Get dressed."
"Get out."
"No." Nancy glared at him, but he refused to leave. "You can either dress yourself, Nancy, or I'll do it. The choice is yours."
That was the only motivation she needed as she quickly grabbed the clothes and put them on, ignoring the way he was staring at her body. "You should really get some rest."
"Are you taking me back to the basement?" There was an almost hopeful gleam to her eyes.
Wesley shook his head. "No. You'll be sleeping here in the bedroom where I can keep an eye on you. I still don't trust you not to try anything, Nancy, and I would hate to have to give you another lesson."
"Is that what you call it?"
"Hold your hands out," Wesley said, ignoring her question. At her hesitation, he grabbed her hands and tightly wrapped the leather around her wrists, giving her no wiggle room. He knew what she was capable of, as evidenced by her earlier escape attempt.
Pulling her into the room, he led her back towards the bed. He jerked as Nancy came to a sudden stop, a look of pure terror on her face. He tried pulling her again, but she refused to budge, shaking her head. Tears were forming in her eyes once again, threatening to spill over onto her cheeks.
"Please…" Nancy begged, her voice catching slightly.
Wesley let out a sigh as he forced her back onto the bed. "Relax, Nancy. We're only going to sleep." Lifting her arms up, he once again tethered her to the headboard before pressing a hand softly against her face. "You were wrong before, you know."
"About what?" Nancy whispered.
"I am capable of love."
Nancy shook her head. "Wesley, this—"
"Ask me for anything and I'll give it to you," Wesley said, unable to mask his own pleading tone. He needed her to know that what he felt for her was different than any of the other women he'd been with and killed.
"Let me go…"
Wesley shook his head. "Anything but that."
Nancy closed her eyes as another sob escaped her lips. She was silent for so long, that he thought she wasn't going to answer him. "You'll give me anything I ask for?"
His eyes went to the engagement ring on her left hand, the light hitting it just right to make the diamond sparkle, almost mocking him. It took everything in him not to rip it off of her finger and throw it across the room. Instead, he took a deep breath and turned his eyes to hers. "Anything."
"Let Ella go."
Many thanks to everyone who reviewed the previous chapter!
Guest (I try to give you warnings when a chapter is going to me a little more intense than the rest. I figure it's only fair!), Michelle Gallichio (Thank you so much! Your support means so much to me!), Caranath (I thought it best that Frank keep it together—he's always been the one to keep a level head, no matter the situation), MinecraftDanny (Glad you like the creepiness!), FreshKicks (Nothing is wrong with you—unless there's something wrong with me as well…), SC15 (Nothing wrong with enjoying a little bit of violence, as long as it is fictional!), Xdaisy chainX (Welcome back! And there will definitely be something coming up with Frank and Wesley…), Lady Emily (You can yell at Nancy all you want! I think she needs some yelling!), Cupcake (I have a twisted mind…that's either a good thing or a bad thing. I'm not sure yet…), max2013 (You're very welcome for the warnings—I will always warn you when things are getting bad), kpopluver (Thank you so much and welcome!), SarahE7191 (Not sure how many chapters this will be, but it won't be finished anytime soon. There is a lot more story to tell!), AP (Welcome! Glad you liked it and I am updating as soon as I am able!), Jabba1 (Silence of the Lambs creeps me out so much…and it's definitely going to be hard for the brothers to find her!), catlover1033 (Welcome back! I hope you had a wonderful trip! I'm sorry that I stress you out so much with my stories…everyone never knows what to expect from me—which I kind of love!).
I apologize for any mistakes, and please, please let me know what you think!
