Chapter 24 - Agony
1502 Words
#musicvibe - Speechless, Naomi Scott
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Valeria POV
***Flashback***
My head whipped to the side from the blow, and blood filled my mouth. I desperately tried to stay on my feet, and I felt a pair of hands grabbing me from behind and stopping me from tumbling to the ground. Two’s fist connected with my ribs and I heard them crack, the pain knocking the wind out of me.
I screamed out when Six threw me to the floor, and I started to get disoriented when their fists rained down on me, beating me with everything they had.
A forcefield pushed them all off of me, making them land a few feet away. My heart sank, and I looked up at Master Rastin, knowing that I had failed the assignment.
He sighed, looking disappointed.
“Alright everyone.” He said. “I want you all to do fifty laps around the hall. Twelve, you’re coming with me.”
Gritting my teeth from the pain, I forced myself to my feet and limped after Master Rastin as he briskly walked out of the hall while the others started jogging around the large hall.
I followed Master Rastin out of the hall and after looking around to make sure that we were alone, he turned to me.
“You’re probably wondering why I’m doing this to you.” He said softly.
I glued my eyes to the floor.
“It’s not my place to ask questions, Master.” I replied and shifted my weight. “I’m sorry I keep failing.”
“Honestly, I would be surprised if you didn’t fail.” He chuckled. “Few people I know would actually manage to allow themselves to be beaten up and be forced to hold back their instincts to defend themselves. But it’s important that you learn to do this.”
I looked up at him in confusion.
“I don’t understand.” I said.
Master Rastin looked around us again and took a step closer to me.
“You have incredible powers.” He said softly. “But your greatest strength is also your weakest point. Your powers give you a false impression that you’re invincible. I hope that day never comes, but if you are left without your powers for any reason, you have to be just as strong without them.”
I opened my mouth to ask how this exercise was going to help me to be strong without my powers when there was no way I was going to be able to fight the others and win without using my powers, but he cut me off.
“I’m doing all of this so that you can learn what you need to do if you’re ever completely outnumbered, and there is no way out. In a situation like this, you must take the very essence of yourself, everything that you are, and lock it away deep inside your mind. The rest of it, your pride, your body, your memories, you sacrifice it all to save the parts of you that really matter.”
I stared at him silently trying to digest his words.
“What parts of me should I save?” I asked.
He put his hands on my shoulders.
“Your worth.” He replied. “Not to others, but to yourself. Know your worth. Always.”
Master Rastin sighed.
“The reason I’m starting with you, is because you need it the most.” He continued. “The training you’re doing with Myers…”
He stopped himself, and looked around.
“One day, you might need to remember that you can sacrifice everything, but you can never let them break you.” He said sternly. “As long as you’re still breathing, the fight isn’t over. Promise you remember that, Twelve.”
I nodded.
“I promise, Master.” I replied.
“And we never had this conversation.” He whispered.
***End flashback***
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I had always remembered what Master Rastin told me that day, but I never thought that I would need it.
Until now.
The chains rattled when I moved, giving off the only sound in the empty dungeon. My stomach was growling with hunger and my throat was completely dry. I didn’t know how long I had been here, but they hadn’t given me either food or water, and I could feel myself getting weaker.
Willow was pacing behind the block in my mind, and I figured that the cuffs were giving off the same frequency that stopped Tyson and the others from shifting during the battle in Jubilee Garden a few months ago. There must be some silver in them too, because my enhanced strength and senses were all gone and I found myself left without both my powers and my lycan abilities.
I closed my eyes and leaned my head tiredly against the wall, hoping that I could sleep to pass the time and save my strength.
I looked up when the door to my cell opened and a large vampire with brown hair in a ponytail came inside.
“Here you are, all on your own.” He mumbled.
I raised an eyebrow at him.
“Perceptive.” I replied coldly.
He closed the door and was beside me in a flash. I flinched and jammed my back against the wall, my heart pounding in my chest.
“Not so tough now that you’re basically a lowly human.” He sneered.
Before I could reply, he grabbed me by the shoulders and pulled my dress aside. I pushed at his chest to get him off of me, but it was like hitting a brick wall. He wasn’t moving, and there was nothing I could do to stop him when he sank his teeth into my shoulder. I cried out in pain, and for the first time in years, I felt completely helpless.
I didn’t like the feeling at all.
I heard his rhythmic gulps as he almost drained me, and white spots appeared in my vision and I started to feel tired.
Suddenly he pulled away, my blood still glistening from his fangs.
“Lycan blood is so potent, I can feel myself getting stronger.” He grinned.
He got up and left, while I started to feel more and more tired.
You can never let them break you.
“I swear on my love for Tyson.” I whispered.
They would never break me.
I laid down on the floor and everything went dark before I could do anything to stop it.
*
Caniluna Castle.
August 11th, 2146.
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Tyson POV
Agony.
That was the only way to describe my current existence.
Dax was hysterical, and it took everything in me not to lose control of him. But I could barely control myself either. The frustration and fear for my mate made me want to lose control too.
I looked around in my trashed office, the shattered picture frames on the floor and everything on top of my desk lying beside it completely broken.
But I didn’t care.
I was sitting in the furthest corner with one of Valeria’s sweaters, her scent the only thing keeping me sane.
There was a knock at the door, and I suppressed a growl when Kayden walked in.
“How are you doing?” He asked softly.
I didn’t reply. He could probably figure it out for himself.
“A new message just arrived.” He continued and my ears perked up. “He wants to meet in two days to discuss a price for the damage we had done to them.”
He rolled his eyes and I glared at him.
“Valeria?” I asked.
“The message didn’t say anything about her, but my guess is that they are keeping her as leverage.”
He put his hand on my shoulder.
“They won’t hurt her.” He whispered. “They wouldn’t go to such great lengths if they weren't planning to use her for something.”
My heart clenched at the thought of Valeria being locked up and used, just like she grew up. She was free from her past, and then I showed up and now she was back into captivity again.
“It’s not your fault, Ty.” Kayden said. “None if this is your fault.”
I shook my head and looked up at him while the tears I tried to hold back welled up in my eyes.
“I can’t live without her.” I whispered.
“And we’re gonna get her back.” Kayden said with determination in his voice. “And if I know Valeria, she’s already making a plan to get out of there.”
I nodded slowly. Kayden sat down next to me and I leaned my head on his shoulder. We sat in silence together while my emotions threatened to drown me.
I was happy that I wasn’t alone, but I wished even more that I could say the same for Valeria.
- Writer
