A year and a half later
Eira's pov.
I unlock the door of my apartament and step inside, taking my father's jacket off. I'm glad I grabbed it as Keenan and I rushed out of our old house. Sometimes I can still catch a faint smell of my home back in the village or even my father himself.
I take my shoes off, lock the door, drop my small backpack in the corner and go to light a fireplace in the living room. Cozy flames starts flickering, instantly relaxing me. I sink in the armchair in front of the hearth. It's my favorite place in this apartament.
It was a tiresome day at the hotel today. A lot of calls to receive, a lot of guests coming and going... Of couse, I was thankful for my job as a receptionist, it helped to cover our bills and bring food on the table. I even made some friends there, but damn, being always polite to the customers was sometimes excruciatingly hard. I was never the one who's good at faking smiles.
I sighed and closed my eyes for a while, enjoying the warmth. It was November now and the weather was already too cold for my liking. I should buy something nice and warm to wear...
I sat like that, waiting for Keenan to come back home from his little bakery shop. He managed to wisely invest the money and now he had his own business. It didn't bring us big profit yet, but we had a nice roof over our heads and Keenan was happy. I was happy for him too.
We haven't heard anything about our mother since we fled. But how could we? She didn't know where we were and if she knew... I doubt she'd try to contact us. Somehow, I made myself think my mother was dead. Maybe it was easier this way.
For the past year and a half, I tried to forget the horrors I had to endure. At this point, I manage to finally sleep through the night, to not think about his fangs sinking in my flesh, his bloody face, his beatings every second of the day. I can finally look in the mirror again.
The mark where he bit me is ugly, jagged. I used to cover it up with tons of makeup. Now, I don't bother. Now, it reminds me that I survived. It tells a story about my strenght, my weakness, my pain. And every time I come back home after a shitty day, I glance at the scar and remember that I survived so much worse.
Sometimes I think about him. I wonder what had happened there that night I left. What did he do? Did he try to find me? Is he still trying? Or maybe... Just maybe, he gave up. Maybe he has already forgotten me. Maybe he even died. I hope he did.
I am woken from my thoughts by the jiggling door handle. God damn, Keenan forgot his keys again... I get up rolling my eyes and go to the door to unlock it for him, but I do not reach it - the door flies off it's hinges.
I freeze up. No. No no no no no. This is not happening. It's just my mind doing stupid things. It can't be him. I ran away, I escaped.
But then, he steps inside.
He looks even more terrifying than I remember. He is bigger, more muscular now. His ivory hair, once shortly cut, was now in a bun. He grew a beard, too. He looks like a damn viking now, ready to kill.
But the worst is his eyes. I remember them being icy blue, almost white. And now, I swear they were pitch black. It was not the man's eyes, but the beast's. And he came to get me.
He slowly steps towards me, his shoes leaving dirty trail on my beloved cream rug, his eyes never leaving mine. I was frozen in fear. The only thing I could think about was if my Keenan was still alive. I knew the monster would kill him for what I've done. He told me that before.
Suddenly, he starts to speak, eerily calmly. ''You played me well, Eira. You played me well.'' He takes another step towards me. ''You ran fast that night. Even I couldn't catch you''. Another step. ''Good thing I had one of my men patroling near your village. But you killed him.'' He takes the final step and now is standing right in front of me. ''You shot him straight to the head.''
I shudder, remembering that shot I had to take. And yet again, I feel like I can't get enough air in my lungs. I'm starting to shake. Ronan keeps talking.
''I wanted to kill your brother today so much, Eira. I stood there in front of him, ready to do it. But then I thought - I should let him suffer. I want him to know that he couldn't protect his sister. I want him to feel the same thing I felt when you ran away from me that night.'' Wh-What? Keenan...
''So I've beaten him to a pulp while telling him all the things I'm going to do to you. It's all your fault, Eira.'' I can't go through all this again. I can't. I want to run, to go to my brother, to try to escape again. But still, I am unable to move a muscle.
''You ran so fast that night, Eira... What would you say if you weren't able to run ever again?'' He was going to torture me because I left. Because I wanted my freedom back.
''I should just break your spine for what you have done. But let's start with your legs first.''
*****
I woke up already fully aware of where I was. Everything hurt so much I couldn't move without crying out loud. I can't remember what exactly happened after he was finished beating and breaking me. I was in and out of consciousness again and again yesterday. I remember some flashes of him bringing me back here, throwing me on his bed, ripping my clothes. After that - darkness.
I wanted to cry, but I couldn't make myself to tear up. I lost everything. I will be locked up here, with these crazy people and especially with him, forever. I will have my legs broken, my body beaten again and again... There is no escaping this time. I will never get away.
Still, my eyes remained dry. Not a single tear left my eyes. I guess I was too... empty to cry. I layed here, wrapped in blankets, trying to block the pain. Even with my werewolf healing, I won't feel alright for a long time.
The door flew open with a bang. I whimpered, trying to hide my face in the pillows. I can't face yet another beating. Just thinking about it got me shaking uncontrollably. I can't go through this again.
''Get up'' he commanded in a harsh voice. And with that, I finally started to weep. His voice was enough to frighten me so much I couldn't hold it back. Silent tears flowed down my face as I tried to sit up, my stiff, damaged body not wanting to comply.
He crossed the room, ripping off my blankets away. At least I am not naked. I look down at my legs, now black and blue from all the bruises he inflicted on me. I try to move my toes, but searing pain shoots through my body and I cry out. Definitely broken.
''You see what happens when you do shit like that to me, little dove? I was looking for you everywhere, lifting every god damn rock, trying to find you. And you... You run away, get a nice apartament in the city and pretend that I don't even exist. Big mistake, dove.''
He sits in bed beside me now and I try to flinch away. It hurts so much. Ronan eyes my legs and shakes his head. ''It's already starting to heal up... I don't think you've earned the right to heal so fast.''
With that, he grabs my arm and jabs a syringe in my bicep. I didn't notice him having it before. I scream in pain. He doesn't give a shit.
I know for instant what it is. Wolfsbane. I won't be able to heal now. If he'll continue injecting this to me, it will be months till I'll be able to walk normaly again.
''Or maybe... I shouldn't let you heal at all.''
*****
A month went by. At least I guess so. I was locked in this room for so long I lost the count of the days, tied to the bed with a long chain. I could go to the bathroom, I could get in the shower, but I was never able to close the door and have some privacy. I couldn't even dress myself without him coming and unleashing the clasp around my ankle. The skin underneath it was raw and bloody, never able to fully heal.
With each passing day, my legs got a little better. I could walk almost normaly again. However, almost every day, the monster came with the syringe full of that yellowish liquid. At first, I tried to fight. Now, I willingly offered him my arm every time he came, too afraid of him using force on me again.
Every night, he took care of my wounds - he gently washed away the blood from my ankle, sometimes putting on new bandages. He slept in the same bed with me every night, embracing me. He was the one who brought me food every day. He was the one who slapped me if I acted out.
His affection towards me drove me crazy. I was always so scared of him, convinced that he'd snap at me any time. I didn't know what to expect from him. I was so confused and scared and tired and hopless... And every single day was like that - it was full of me trying to figure out what he would do to me next.
But today was different. Today he decided I could be let out.
A/N
Hello hello hello hello! So I decided to write a quick one and post it. I have tons of work to do, but was really inspired to write lately so I wanted to put something out!
I hope you liked it!
As always, let me know what you think. Your lovely comments always make my day!
I love you all,
J.
xoxoxoxoxo