"So you're finally awake. How does my servant feel?" Word asked as I struggled awake, wondering why I had fainted and wound up on the cold floor of his office.
"My apologizes, Mr Paynn I have no idea why I passed out. What are your orders, sir?" I asked as I stood and gave him a slight bow.
"I need you to follow my son, Moordryd without being seen. I know he's helping the Penns and I want to know why. Take one of my wraith dragons and find out everything you can then report back to me." Word ordered and giving him another bow, deeper this time, I walked towards the wraith standing nearby.
It knelt, allowing me to climb onto its back and sit behind its head. Once the dragon straightened it shot towards the exit and as I clung to the wraith's neck I frowned, wondering why Word's pathetic excuse for a son would side with the Penn brat. But as the dragon searched for Moordryd I couldn't shake a sudden nagging feeling that I was missing something. Then I shook my head and focused on my orders which caused me to not even see Artha and Beau, who had made the smart move to hide in the shadows. As we raced past, Artha couldn't help but stared open-mouthed as he saw me sitting on the back of a wraith. By the time Artha snapped out of his daze, the wraith activated its stealth gear and we vanished into thin air.
"Why would Rayne ride a wraith? Something's not right." Artha muttered and as he stared off into the distance he heard a voice.
"Why are you still here? Did you see Rayne?" Moordryd asked as Decepshun moved towards him and Beau. After seeing the confused expression on his rival's face he narrowed his eyes.
"You're not going to like this but...Word kidnapped her." Artha told him and getting no response he tried again. "She was riding a wraith dragon." He added and that's when Moordryd growled, furious at his father.
"How dare he do this to her?!" Moordryd yelled suddenly and even Decepshun stared at him, shocked by his outburst. "I'm going after my father and..." Knowing where he was going with this, Artha wisely chose to intervene.
"No Moordryd. Word did this but we should go after Rayne, not confront him. If we can bring her back to the Penn stables myabe we can undo whatever he's done to her." Artha said and after gritting his teeth for a few second, Moordryd found himself agreeing with the stablebrat. Even if he wouldn't admit it out loud.
"Fine but he's not getting away with this. Come on, Decepshun." He said and letting out a snort she rushed past Beau and Artha, the latter letting out a frustrated growl.
"You don't even know where she went! Moordryd!" Artha yelled, getting totally ignored and with a sigh he urged Beau to follow the smaller dragon. It didn't take them too long to catch up as Decepshun had slowed her pace, knowing that her rider had no idea just where he wanted to go except after me and the wraith. As they caught up, Artha watched Moordryd as the rider stared straight ahead. The younger Paynn seemed to be somewhere else and for the briefist of moments Artha was sure he was what looked like pain and even fear in his pale grey eyes than Moordryd blinked and the look vanished.
"What are you staring at, Stablebrat?" Moordryd growled, back to his usual angry self and Artha frowned at him not too happy about his nickname.
"You know that nicknames really scrapping my scales." Artha shot back and Moordryd just chuckled. Truthfully Moordryd had only insulted his rival to take his mind of me. "Anyway the dragon's probably long gone by now since it used stealth gear." He added and Moordryd's head imediately whipped around, almost unseating him.
"And you're telling me this now?!" Moordryd shouted and letting out a growl, Decepshun skidded to a halt. Beau ran straight past both dragon and rider before he dug his claws and managed to stop. "What gives?" He asked his dragon, who stared up at him.
Calm down, she growled knowing full well he couldn't understand her. But as Decepshun watched he sighed, looking off into the distance for a few seconds.
"I shouldn't have let her go." He whispered as he sat slightly hunched over in the saddle. "Now she's..." He trailed off then, not sure what to do and Artha took pity on him.
"Look maybe if we split up, we'll have a better chance of finding her." Artha suggested and was more than a little shocked to see Moordryd actually nod. "Okay I'll head towards Down City and you head towards Mid City. We'll keep looking and hopefully spot her soon." After giving him another nod, Moordryd urges Decepshun forward. As they race away too intent on finding me neither dragon nor rider hears footsteps nearby or a quiet chuckle as a wraith and its rider shadowed the pair. Hours passed and with no sign of me, Moordryd urged Decepshun towards his compound in the faint hope that someone in his crew had seen or heard from me. The moment he rushed through the gate he frowned once he saw Cain and Vizz standing side by side.
"Any news?" Moordryd asked, jumping down from his dragon's back and getting two head shakes he growled. "Scales." He muttered and Cain rolled his eyes.
"If she's using stealth gear we'll just have to track some other way." Vizz said. The words were barely out of his mouth when something smacked into him and Cain, sending them sprawling and as they all tried to figure out what had knocked them over something emerged out of thin air.
As a wraith slowly appeared it screeched, making both Cain and Vizz leap to their feet and scarmble several feet away. Which left Moordryd to glare at the dragon right up until he saw me sitting on its back and he blinked. Leaping down I crossed my arms, narrowing my eyes at him as he stared back.
"Hmph I was right behind you and you didn't even notice. Pathetic really." I sighed looking at my nails for a moment and as I gave Moordryd a grin he finally shook his head. Before my eyes he stepped towards me, his arms raised and realizing he was going to hug me I moved back.
"Rayne, for dragon's sake I thought my father..." He trailed off as soon as I glared at him, hatred clear in my eyes. "What's wrong with you?"
"Me? How dare you try and touch me? Who do you think you are? I'm the servant of Word Paynn, not a useless fool like you." I growled and Cain's jaw dropped, Vizz's not far behind.
"Rayne, why are you...wait what's that gear on your head?" Moordryd asked as he moved closer and I kicked out, slamming my foot into his stomach and making him gasp. Before he could recover I lashed out again with my full leg, only for something to slam into me and knock me backwards into the wraith. Letting out a screech it rushed at Moordryd, only for Decepshun to rush to defend her rider. With a mag-blast she sent the dragon flying and after it smacked into the pavement it screeched before turning tail and running away. As I struggled to my feet I saw something out of the corner of my eye shoot towards me, slamming into my body and ripping my mag energy from me. I let out a cry before I collapsed to the pavement, not even hearing Moordryd's voice.
When I woke a short time later I shook my head, wondering why I was unable to move and that's when I discovered that I was pinned to the wall. As I shifted my head as much as possible, which was only a few inches, I found myself in someone's room and as I tried to figure out just why I was here I heard a nearby door open. The moment I locked eyes with Moordryd Paynn I growled and tried in vain to free myself.
"Rayne its me. Why are you acting like this?" Moordryd asked, staring at me as I struggled to free myself from the green trapping gear. "Its me, Moordryd."
"Huh you mean Word's pathetic excuse for a son?" I growled and his eyes went wide for a moment, making me giggle. "I still don't see why he bothers with you. Can't even beat the stablebrat in a race." I added, enjoying the anger on his face.
Then he sighed and moved closer, making me kick out at him or I tried to anyway. But with my arms and legs pinned to the wall I could barely move. So I glared at him instead, furious that he'd trapped me. I thought he'd lash out at me since I knew exactly what to say to anger him but he shocked me when he reached up and gently stroked my cheek. The glare on my face vanished to be replaced by a look of puzzlement as he stared into my eyes. Then they narrowed and I growled, causing him to release my cheek and take a step back.
"Rayne I know you don't really mean that. What did my father do to you?" Moordryd asked and I giggled again, rolling my eyes at him.
"He just opened my eyes, that's all. Anyway why do you care so much? Do you have a little crush on me, is that it?" I taunted and getting a raised eyebrow I giggled again. "I'm way out of your league, Paynn."
Moordryd couldn't believe that I was taunting him and as he listened to my insults, feeling his heart sink he came to a sudden conclusion; that the only way to snap me out of Word's mind control was to make me remember everything that had happened between us.
"Actually I'm not." Moordryd said as he moved towards me, coming to a stop inches from my face and as I watched he lent forward. With nowhere to run I couldn't avoid the kiss he brushed against my lips.
"How dare you!" I yelled and he chuckled this time before he kissed me again, a little harder before he opened his mouth. Furious I thrashed my head but Moordryd just reached up and grasped my chin, his other hand pushing agaisnt my stomach and pinning me back against the wall. Unable to escape I glared instead as Moordryd kissed and nibbled my lips, opening his eyes to see just what I thought. Inwardly he cringed as he saw the glare I gave him though as he watched my cheeks flushed. Releasing my mouth he gave me a slight smile as I gritted my teeth.
"Heh you thought that was drac, didn't you?" Moordryd asked, not hiding his grin as I growled. "From the blush I'm guessing it was."
"Hmph. That was pathetic. A pathetic kiss from a pathetic racer." I shot back waiting to see just how mad I could make him. I wasn't expecting a smile and a shrug before he lent closer and when his mouth closed over the skin between my chin and base of my neck I gasped rather than growled.
"Stop it you worthless excuse for a racer!" I shouted at Moordryd, hoping he'd stop but he started sucking on my throat instead and seconds later I closed my eyes, uanble to control the groan that emerged from my lips. Silently laughing at me, Moordryd nibbled and kissed my throat not giving me a moment to insult him. When I ceased struggling he cupped my chin, his mouth shifting from my throat to my mouth.
Even though I was enraged by his actions I didn't even attempt to push him away, returning the kiss just as eagerly as him and when it ended I growled in frustration this time. Which just caused me to blush an even deeper shade of red. "Why...are you doing this?" I panted, glaring at him as he watched me, his face inches from mine.
"Because I know you still care about me, despite my father's gear." Moordryd replied as he released my chin and I frowned, not sure how to explain how ridiculous this was.
"Why do you keep insisting that we were together? I barely even know you." I answered as he stared into my eyes and that's when Moordryd shocked me.
"I know because we've been a couple for weeks now. " He told me before he lent in closer and what he whispered into my ear made me gasp in shock.
"You...touched me?!" I roared and he took a step back, grey eyes blinking as my own went wide. "How dare you...you worthless..." I never finished as Moordryd shot forward and raised a Jakk stick lying beside me. The one I couldn't see since I was pinned to the wall. Thinking he was going to strike me with it I could only watch on as he took aim and swung it, only to strike the Green Trapping Gear and not me. Seconds later I hit the floor, knees first and as I let out a cry of pain Moordryd knelt offering me a hand up.
But I kicked out, my right leg aimed for his and he dodged before leaping forward. Before I could react I found myself pinned to the floor, Moordryd's legs on either side of my body and his hands pinning my arms above my head. I struggled, unwilling to let him win but Moordryd wouldn't budge and I soon had to rest.
"Maybe that was a bit much but its all true. I know you're still in there." Moordryd whispered, his voice calm despite the fact he was keeping me immobilised. I wanted to lash out, strike him or do something not lie there and listen to what he wanted me to hear. "Rayne, I care about you. I don't want to fight you."
"I don't care about you!" I spat, slapping him across the cheek and he froze, shocked that I would strike him. "You're nothing to me but a worthless excuse of a rider and a human being! No wonder your father thinks you're useless and so do I. There's no way I'd let my put your disgusting hands on me!" I shouted, eyes narrowed. I thought he'd get angry, maybe even lash out at me however what happened next stunned me. Instead of seeing anger I only saw pain in his grey eyes and before he turned his head I saw what looked like a tear running down his cheek. Suddenly he stood, taking his weight off me and allowing me to stand. I was all set to insult him, even push him aside though as I watched him wipe his cheek with the back of his hand something just felt wrong about all this.
"I shouldn't have even tried. My father's gear's just too strong and I'm a fool for even..." Moordryd whispered fighting to keep his voice from shaking and that's when he felt an arm on his shoulder making him turn his head.
"Is there something I've forgotten?" I asked, not sure why I wasn't attacking him. But something in my mind kept nagging at me. Maybe Moordryd was telling the truth but that would mean...Word Paynn had used some sort of gear on me and made me forget. And that was just too far-fetched even for me.
He's telling the truth...trust him...
A sudden voice in my head made me gasp then and as I clutched my forehead I stumbled. Instantly I felt strong arms wrap around my waist and hold me upright as my eyes clenched shut, dizzy as someone invaded my thoughts.
Rayne, don't lose sight of who you are...
That same voice in my head wouldn't leave me alone and I tried to shout at it to leave me alone. Something about the voice seemed familar and as I gasped from a shocking pain in my forehead I remembered who was talking to me.
"Bianca?" I whispered before darkness overtook my sight and I heard Moordryd's voice before I fainted. At least that's what I think happened though I was out cold at the time.
Shocked at my collapse, Moordryd gently lowered me to the floor and tried to wake me shaking my shoulder and calling my name. When I didn't respond he sighed and wrapped his arms around me, carefully carrying me towards my room.
Unable to wake me, Moordryd laid me down on my bed and sitting beside me watched as my head shifted. Carefully he reached across and stroked my forehead with just the tips of his fingers, wondering why I had passed out.
"What did my father do to you?" He whispered and getting to reply he sighed, lowering his head towards mine and brushing a kiss against my forehead. Left to his own thoughts, Moordryd still couldn't believe that I'd been so cruel and heartless towards him then he shook his head. "You only said those thing because of my father. I know you still care about me. At least I hope you still do." He sighed again as he watched me sleep. A while later Moordryd started awake, shocked that he'd fallen asleep at some point though as soon as he saw I was still fast asleep beside him he grinned. Moordryd fully intended to stay put in the hopes I'd wake soon and be my usual self but as luck would have it his VIDDCom beeped and he sat up, gritting his teeth before he answered it. "What?"
"Hello to you too, Paynn. I found your wraith dragon." Artha told him, sitting on Beau's back as he watched the wraith rush past him. "Pretty sure its heading for Word's citadel."
"Stay there and I'll meet you there." Moordryd answered, hanging up just as Artha muttered something under his breath and with a quiet chuckle he climbed off the bed. "You stay put, okay?" He told me before he headed for the door, not knowing that I had heard every word.