Sold to my mate's evil brother

Chapter 4: Damien

Damien's p.o.v.

We stood in the alleyway, a single streetlight on in the distance. It was some unearthly hour between sunset and sunrise. No cars were on the streets. No people on the sidewalks. When the light was gone, the monsters came out.

Ryu stood beside me, the bag of my clothes near his feet. He glanced at his black watch and checked the time. “He’s not coming.”

“ He will. I knew he would be late.” He always liked to make an entrance, to make people wait in anticipation. It was the only respect he could gain—by force.

My heart was beating dangerously slow. Just before danger, I was always calm. It was written in my blood since birth. But when I was alone in the dark, that’s when the fear kicked in.

The paranoia settled, and I couldn’t shake it off. I needed to break something just to stay relaxed. I needed to cause pain just to feel good.

Ryu's pack members gathered around us and formed a protective layer. The rule for the meeting was to come alone. But no one ever came alone. I wasn’t sure why we bothered saying it.

Ryu looked at his watch again, the irritation deep in his eyes. “ He might have killed her already.”

“Don’t say that.” No point in mourning someone unless it was a fact they were gone. I refused to go through the motions of heartbreak when it was unnecessary. It was so difficult for me to care about anything as it was. My body became dead a long time ago...heart, frozen.

And it never thawed.

“She’s dead, and we both know it.” When he looked at me, there was resignation on his face. “Sick f***s like him don’t just let people go. He will never forgive you for running.”

" I don't need his forgiveness. I just wanted him to let her go..."

Finally, activity happened. We focused back on the dark road. Black Hummers pulled up at the end of the alleyway. No one left their vehicles until the lights had been extinguished. Vampires hopped out of their vehicles, red eyes gleaming in the darkness.

One of the men opened the back door of a vehicle and out she came.

Rosa.

Even from here and in the darkness, I could see the infinite bruises covering her body. Her arms were black and blue, scars on top of scars. The side of her neck was caked with dried blood from being injected so many times. Her eyes were black from being punched. She could barely stand because her muscles had atrophied, and she was weaker than I’d ever seen her.

I saw red.

I couldn’t think about what he’d done to her. I couldn’t think about the months of torment he made her suffer. All those nights I slept, she was being injected and beaten.

He was constantly on the move and virtually untraceable. I worked tirelessly to get her back. I found her brother Ryu and the pack she was stolen from years ago. But they all were weak, just like me. Even when we had found him, it was useless. Just fifteen bunch of werewolf wouldn't be able to fight him. It wasn't enough. But even when everything seemed hopeless, I didn’t give up.

Because she wouldn’t give up on me.

So, at last, the only logical thing I can think of was a deal. Ryu will give him what's most precious to him...and in return, he will give him his sister.

The ruthless vampire prince came out of the vehicle behind her. I clenched my knuckles. It took all my strength not to run and ripped apart his body in half.

I daydreamed about his blood spraying the vampires behind him. I fantasized about his body hitting the cold pavement. I relished it like a dream come true.

“ Damien.” Ryu brought me back to reality with just a word. “Think about my sister.” My claws dug into my palm before I released it.

He grabbed Rosa by her hair as he walked her forward. She was in a flimsy bra and old underwear, covered in dirt and sludge. She didn’t look like the same person I remembered. He could be handing over a completely different girl, and Ryu and I wouldn't know it.

“Here she is.” He pushed her forward, making her fall to the pavement. She whimpered as her bare knees collided with the ground.

It was her. I recognized her voice.

My spine tightened in ferocity. I was so angry I could breathe fire. I wanted a lightning bolt to strike here and kill us all. It would accomplish nothing but death, but I still relished the idea.

“I brought my end of the bargain.” He stood in a black suit with a black collared shirt underneath. “Now yours?”

Ryu nodded and placed a hand on my back. He gave me a hard push. It was strong. I fall across the distance separating us until it reached their end of the alleyway. Clenching my jaw, I stood up straight. I understand, Ryu had to do it. He needed this all to look real. He needed to show that he didn't care for me, that I am nothing but a bargain to get his sister back. He promised he will get strong and come back for me. But I know it's never going to happen. No one can become that strong. It's impossible. But I am fine...Rosa will be free. That's all I want. I'd spend ten years locked up in that cage, I can spend some more. At least I'll be happy to know that Ryu and Rosa will be safe.

One of his vampires came close to me and inspected my green eyes, then my neck...they checked some wounds and gave me his blood to heal me. I drank it. I will do anything if he let Rosa go. I'll be good. I won't fight. I won't try to run.

Hell, I will even let him kill my wolf. Just let...my Rosa go.

Those vampires inspected every inch of my flesh, making sure he received a non-defective product. Yes, a product. That's what I am, an experiment in his science lab. He used a machine to quickly scan me and make sure that I wasn't bringing any sharp objects with me.

Time dragged on forever.

Rosa slowly rose to her feet, her knees red from the collision against the ground. The strong and proud girl I used to know was completely gone. She was broken beyond repair. Even though Ryu was getting her back, she would never be the same. She would be f****d up forever after the terrible things she experienced. But I know, somehow, someday...she'll be better. She has to.

She looked at Ryu and me then started to cry.

Rosa never cried.

She was made of the same stuff I was. She was hard as steel and ruthless as f**k. You could break all of her fingers, and she still wouldn’t crack. But she’d experienced enough to make her break—a million times over.

“You got me back.” I glared at him, “Now let her go.” When she was back to safety, I would take a shot. There is no chance I'll win. But I didn’t care at this point. My blood screamed for murder.

I had to do it. I had to annihilate him. Maybe I'll not succeed today, but one day I will.

“You heard them, sweetheart.” He pushed her forward again. “Go.”

She wobbled on her feet before she found her footing. Then she slowly walked away, taking forever. She glanced behind her like she wasn't sure if it was a sick game.

“ Rosa.” Power rang in my voice. I needed to bring her back to the present. I needed her to cross the distance between her and Ryu before that sick motherfucker changed his mind.

She turned to me, tears in her eyes.

“Get your ass over there now.” Ryu could deal with her problems later. Right now wasn’t the time for her emotional abuse. “Move it.”

She walked faster, reaching the halfway point. Her arms circled her waist to fight off the chill. Her bare feet hit puddles of water, but she didn’t seem to care. Her body was numb to everything.

She was almost there, back on the right side of this battle. Away from me...safe.

Ryu would take her to the hospital and check her with a therapist. Without hearing a single word from her, we knew she wasn’t the same person. The girl I love was dead. Now all that had left was her corpse. But I am sure, after some therapy, she will get better. She will.

“She’s taking too long.” He pulled a gun out of his pocket.

“Attack!” Ryu commanded his pack. He reacted quicker than I did and jumped at vampires, while I just stood there.

I’d been concentrating on Rosa, and his movement escaped my notice. He pointed the gun directly at my mate and fired.

I had a nanosecond to react. All I could do was charge. I ran to her as fast as I could, the muscles in my legs screaming from the exertion. My hands grabbed her frail body, and I shoved her to the ground.

But it was too late.

Her body jerked forward as the wooden bullet entered the back of her heart, making blood spray through the front. It got all over my face and jacket. Her blue eyes locked with mine just before the darkness descended. Then she was gone, dead before she hit the ground.

I knew she was dead, but I couldn’t accept it. I shook her, hoping she just passed out. I pressed my ear to her chest and listened for a heartbeat. I listened for a breath. I listened for anything that would tell me she was alive.

There was nothing.

Screams and growls erupted around me as the battle raged. I momentarily forgot about the war. I forgot about everything altogether when I saw a half of my soul dead on the concrete.

" Oh, little D...", He clicked his tongue as he stood behind me, " I told you, I don't like making you sad, but you just won't listen!"

A vampire dragged half-beaten Ryu to the ground and threw him in front of me. He kneeled beside me and looked at Rosa. I could hear the laugh of others, and two beating hearts, Mine and Ryu's. They killed everyone else.

Ryu breathed hard as he stared at her, not shedding a single tear. I didn’t either. Years of torture made me forsake all emotion. I didn't understand sadness or despair. I didn't understand happiness or joy. All I understood was rage.

And that’s what I felt now.

I locked eyes with Ryu, we both are thinking the same... He is going to regret leaving us alive. We'll make sure of it. But then I felt a tight grip on my hair, he yanked my head back and pierced a needle right on my neck.

I could hear my own scream, a sharp pain traveled through my entire body, my own blood burning my flesh. And as my body fell to the ground with a thud...my eyes opened with a loud gasp.

I woke up, crying. A thing, I thought I was incapable of. But now after ten long years, after dreaming that same memory over and over again, I realized that's the only thing I can do. Cry...like a coward.

I stared at the ceiling, breathing deeply to calm my shivering pathetic body. Her face... It never leave my mind, no matter how many years had passed, no matter how many vampires I'd killed in the name of revenge...no matter how painful death I'd given to him.

I never felt satisfied.

This feeling, it never goes away. At this point, I stopped hoping. There is no way I could ever forget...how could I?! It was my fault anyway...

I was nineteen, young and naive....if only I never decided to run, if only I waited long enough to be stronger. But no, I was impatient and foolish. It was all my fault. Rosa died because of me.

Closing my eyes, I lay there for a while...it's no way I can go back to sleep now. That fucker still torments me after I killed him. When will he stop coming to my dreams...Perhaps, never? I met him when I was nine...nineteen years, I'd lived with him. Sometimes I felt he left a mark on me that can never wash away, can never rip apart...can never burn.

If only I could die...