Chapter 33

******

New Chapter! I hope you enjoy!! Jordy, my doggy, is still sick and so I've been trying to write more to keep my mind off of it. ALSO!! This book will be coming to a close soon, and its been a wonderful ride and I love seeing all the votes and comments and reads. It makes me happy like a pig rolling in mud!! Okay, maybe not the best analogy, but you know I'm awesome! I already planned what is coming for my new book and I am soo excited...! I can't wait! Enough of my ramblin'! Enjoy!! XX, Love, Hannah<3

******

CHAPTER 33: Natalie woke with a horrible headache. Rather than forgetting what happened, it was at the forefront of her mind and she tried to reign in the fear that threatened to consume her, swamping her like a viscous black goo that she felt she would drown in, because she knew that it wouldn't do her any good right now. She kept her breathing even and willed the erratic beat of her heart to slow and even though it was a large feat- she managed it. Taking in stock of her situation, she focused on where she was.

She felt cold, her skin pebbling with goosebumps and she realized she was no longer in her beautiful wedding dress and only the dainty white silk and lace slip she had on under the wedding gown. She felt bile burn the back of her throat and slowly, slightly, tightened her pelvic muscles to see if she was tender and almost cried with relief when she still felt her panties on underneath and no tenderness. She hadn't been raped and she was almost dizzy with the relief she felt with that revelation. Next she took in where she was as well as she could with her eyes closed.

Her jaw throbbed painfully, and she was cold.

There was a dripping sound like someone had left on a faucet and water was dripping. The sound was a dull almost un-hearable sound that was quickly drowned out by the roar of her heart in her ears though, she heard something in the distance, like water lapping at the shore, waves cresting and she knew that sound should've been relaxing but it just sickened her with the knowledge of the situation she was in and so she forced herself to focus. She noted she was sitting on a hard wooden chair and her hands were tied behind her back and her legs were bound to the legs of the chair.

"I know you're awake." A deep voice rumbled and she nearly jumped out of her skin as the sound of the man's voice echoed throughout the structure of wherever they were.

Natalie took in a shuddering breath and peeled her eyes open.

She expected it to be kind of bright, but it wasn't. Her eyes quickly took in where she was at without being too conspicuous. It was a warehouse of some sort. The floors were a dark grey concrete and it was a huge building-one level she was guessing- and a single lightbulb hung from the large metal beams that made up the ceiling.

The light bulb hummed, a low maniacal drumming sound that seemed to resonate through her, making bile burn her throat.

Finally, her eyes fixed on the form lurking in the deep shadows. She could tell it was a tall man, slender but not really muscular.

"Show your face." She said and was surprised when her voice came out steady, not showing the inner turmoil roiling inside of her.

A chuckle sounded, slithering like dark snakes over her skin and making the hairs on her arms stand on end.

She clenched her jaw.

"You're just like your mother." The voice drawled and her spine straightened as after a moment the figure stepped out of the shadows.

Within a second as the light cast on the man's features, she knew with a sickening sense that this man was her father.

His hair was a shade or two lighter than hers, a dark sandy blonde that fell over his forehead, greying at the temples and sparkling green eyes seemed lit within and glowed in the dim light of the warehouse.

She swallowed hard.

He grinned, his teeth white and straight.

"Why hello, daughter." He said and Natalie's hands fisted behind her back.

She stared at him, unwilling to speak. She could see his eyes grow dark with anger, but he controlled it and she knew she shouldn't push him.

"Why are you doing this?" She asked in a low voice and he sighed dramatically.

"No hello for dear old dad?" he asked and she tried to hold back her glare, but he didn't seem to notice anyways as he straightened his suit jacket and dusted off an imaginary piece of lint.

"I guess I should explain." He said and Natalie didn't dare move an inch as he grabbed a chair and straddled it, facing her with eyes that she knew would haunt her if she got out of this alive.

'If'...

She banished that thought and focused on her father's confident words.

"I've done a lot of bad things in my life. More than most people would think." He said and a sickening light of pride filtered through his eyes and Natalie knew this man wasn't good.

His eyes were dark even as they glowed, and as cold as the ice that seemed to flow through her veins as he continued to speak.

"I've killed, many times. I've stolen, I've abused, and I've done things you wouldn't be able to think of in your worst nightmares. I liked doing it too-still-like doing it. But, as the years passed I began to hear voices in my head." He went on as he burned her flesh with his gaze.

"They were dark and deep and I realized they were demons." He said and stood to walk over to Natalie. He came so he was in front of her, far too close for her liking.

"They told me I need to pay for all that I have done, and that the souls that I've stolen from want a soul, want something in payment. They tormented me day and night, and they still do. Anyways," he continued as if he wasn't talking about demons in his mind.

"Then, I met your mother and I thought that maybe...just maybe --she could be my redemption, but," he sighed, "She was tainted and it made me angry. I was so close to finding redemption and release from the demons that plague me." He whispered and then kneeled in front of her.

"Then you came along, my own redemption." He said and his eyes were shining with a dark coldness that scared her to her very core.

He lifted a hand, trailing it down her cheek and tilting his head as he stared her as if fascinated. She tried not to recoil from his touch, and it was one of the hardest things she had ever done. He stared at her for a moment and then abruptly stood and she felt as though she could breathe again without him near. His presence was suffocating.

He sat back down in the chair and crossed his legs at the ankle.

"Is that why you want me dead?" she asked quietly and no emotion sparked in his eyes.

They were cold.

Dark.

Lifeless, and unfeeling.

Eyes of a monster.

"Yes. The demons will take you, the souls I have stolen from will be happy with you."

"Then why would you want to die too? My mother told me that she found that you tried to kill yourself too." Natalie said and he sighed as if perturbed by the fact Rebecca had told her.

"I have to die, too. You have to be delivered to them by me and they won't let it any other way and then, they'll leave me alone. They'll leave me alone when they take you." He whispered, his gaze unfocusing as if he was imagining it-and liking it.

Something snapped inside of Natalie.

Her rage that this man-this man who was beyond crazy and supposed to be her father was ruining her life because of this. She wanted to be home with Giovanni-with her friends and her family. He took that away from her and she didn't know that she would ever feel the safety of being in Giovanni's arms again.

The rage that pulsed inside of her roared in her ears-made her tremble with the force of it coursing through her in thick hot pulses of boiling liquid fury.

"YOU STUPID SAD CRAZY MAN!! YOU HAVE RUINED LIVES AND LIVES AND THIS IS YOUR REASON?! You are sick and you are evil and even the demons in your head can't save you!!!" She screamed.

She regretted her outburst not even a moment later.

His eyes flashed, becoming hard and even colder which she didn't know how that was possible. He stood slowly and kicked the chair so it slid away before he began stripping off his suit coat and slung it over the back of the chair and began rolling up the cuffs of his dress shirt.

Natalie's stomach rolled, but her rage rolled with it.

"I hate you and no matter what happens you will never be free of your demons or whatever the hell you think they are because you took me from the people I love and for that- I. Will. Always. Come. For. You." She snarled and for the first time she thought she saw a glimpse of fear in his cold eyes, but it was gone a moment later and instead anger replaced them.

As he stalked toward her, she knew the blow was coming, but it still hurt like a bitch as he backhanded her.

She felt her lip split open and the taste of copper blood coated her tongue.

It only fueled her rage.

"You will never be free from me after taking me from my family." She said in a low whisper.

The next punch he threw with so much force the chair tipped to the side and she crashed to the floor. She didn't make a peep, didn't want to give him the satisfaction.

Her hands were at least no longer bound to the wood of the chair because it had splintered, but the bottom half of the chair was still intact.

His foot slammed into her ribs as she was still recovering from the punch and she gasped in air as pain shot through her side. Her father laughed, a sound that had her shivering but not from the cold concrete that nipped at her exposed skin. He gripped her hair in his fist and her hand instantly went to her head as her scalp screamed with pain. With the angle of her head back from his hand fisted in her hair, their faces were close and he brushed his stubbly cheek against her own that was bruising and throbbing.

"You shouldn't have done that." He whispered against her jaw before he kneed her in the back.

She bit her lip to stop from crying out and she knew it angered him that she wasn't begging for him to stop. He liked knowing he was causing pain and she wasn't going to give him that satisfaction. He kicked her away from her and she fell to the floor gasping, trying to hold back the tears that stung her eyes.

"You stupid little bitch. You're just like your mother. I am going to enjoy this." He snarled and walked behind her and for one small, hopeful, glorious moment she thought he would leave her but instead he came up behind her and grabbed her by the arm and before she knew what had happened he pulled.

Hard.

She felt her shoulder pop out of the socket, dislocating, and she couldn't help it.

She screamed.

And screamed.

Through her gasping pain-filled sobs and white hot agony rolling over her in waves, she heard the man that was supposed to be her father laughing.

"Hurry, Giovanni, hurry..."...

*************

AHHHH! Omg OMG omg OMG!! I really hope you liked this chapter! It means a lot to me! I'm not even joking that you all make my day with just reading and voting and commenting. I love all of it and just knowing someone is reading what I write makes me so elated. Thank you so much! Keep tuned...!! EEK! Don't forget to.... VOTE. COMMENT. FOLLOW. SHARE. See you soon ;D XX, Love, Hannah <3