by Jane West
“I don't remember what the dickens you're talkin' about but don't hit me again,” he gravely warned.
Funny, I didn't recall Bane having a Southern drawl. Then he did just threaten me. “Or what,” I challenged.
“Or, I'll knock you off your fuckin' feet.”
“Tell me the truth or I'm leaving!” I crossed my arms, holding my gaze to his.
“How about we start with you taking off your clothes and spread 'em wide for papa!”
“Ugh! Don't speak to me like I'm one of your whores!” I might've made an error in judgment, and now the piper demanded payment.
“I'll talk to you, bitch, anyway I choose.”
Had I been blind to his true nature?
I scoffed. “This conversation is over!” I spun on my heels, heading god-knows-where.
As I brushed over the field, a startling realization hit me square in the jaw. The sun hadn't moved. It was stagnant, just setting on the horizon. The atmosphere was void of air, no wind tousling my hair or the treetops. It was as if everything had frozen in time.
Then there was the silence, no birds chirping, no crickets singing, and the scent hovering smelled of decay. A nagging pain in my gut told me we weren't even on earth.
My eyes widened as I cut a hard look back at Bane. “Where are we?”
An acerbic grin painted his face, “Wouldn't you like to know?”
“Actually, no, take me back, now,” I demanded.
Bane slowly circled me, hostile and menacing.
My heart hammered against my ribs as I eyed his every calculated step.
“Aidan, why are you behaving like this?” I shook my head, staring into the face of someone I didn't recognize.
“I'm giving you what you want.” His eyes darkened dangerously.
Taken aback, I was about to be eaten by the big bad wolf! I had to do some fast-talking.
“Yes, you have been very generous to me, but can we take this down a notch? You're scaring me.”
Bane tilted his head backward and released a deep belly laugh. Chills dawdled down my spine. “I like scaring you!”
“I'm sorry Aidan,” my voice choked with tears, “Just let me go! I'll leave town, whatever you want, I'll do.” I held out my palms. “Please, don't hurt me!”
“Do you think leaving will right this apocalyptic doom you have created?” Cords in his neck jutted out.
“This arrangement isn't my fault.” Now I was pissed. “I didn't ask to be born, and I didn't ask to be bound to you either,” I shouted back with as much courage as I possessed.
“Shut the fuck up! Undress or else I'll tear your clothes off your body myself, and when I'm finished ripping your insides apart, I'll leave you for dead!” He flashed his pointy teeth.
Whoa! I didn't recall Bane's teeth jagged and sharp like a piranha.
I jumped back, losing my balance and falling to the cushion of flowers. Only I landed on something sharp. I drew my hand back and saw blood. My blood! I'd never known flowers to be jagged as glass. “What the hell kinda place did you bring me to?”
He leaned down over me, looming so close I smelled his whiskey breath. “I'm only going to say this but one more time. Take. Your. Clothes. Off!”
I rose to my feet, meeting his perilous gaze. “Screw you!” I turned my back to him, and that was when I'd made my worst mistake.
Before I knew what hit me, I was on my back and Bane throttling me. Violently he began ripping my clothes off. I did the only thing I knew to do, and that was to fight back, arms swinging, fingernails digging, feet kicking as hard as I could against his incredible strength. I screamed for mercy at the top of my lungs. Back in the haze of my mind, I recalled Sam's warning, and I wished desperately that I'd listened.
In return for my pleas, he wrung his fingers around my neck, squeezing the life out of me, shutting off my oxygen. I pounded at his arms fiercely to free from his steel clenches, but he was far more powerful.
Deprived of air, the burning in my throat and lungs morphed into a scorching fire. I felt my life slipping away as he bore down his hold. The light grew dimmer by the second and my will to fight weakened as my body grew numb. I vaguely felt his release of my throat.
By now, he'd forced my clothing off my body. The shredded cloth lay in a pile next to me. Exposed under his violent prison, as if I was in a tunnel, I watched as he unfastened his belt and unzipped his pants. A sick coldness enshrouded my body as I sank into unconsciousness, fading to the point of oblivion.
Then suddenly I was jarred back to my harsh reality, and only the burning agony in my gut kept my senses alive. In a last ditch effort, I began thrashing. I reached up and drove my thumbs into his eye sockets.
For a quick breath, he loosened his grip as he clutched his face, howling. Right on cue, I kneed him, dead center in the groin. He doubled over groaning, “You stupid bitch!” His face knotted, drool dripping from his mouth, doubled over and clenching his crotch. That was my moment to flee.
I rushed to my feet, darting for the safety of the trees, but before I could gain momentum, he toppled me to the ground. Sharp stabbing pain shot through me. I struck my head on something sharp. Warm wetness quickly pooled around my head. Blood! He'd cracked my head open.
Every cell in my body screamed with searing misery as I wrapped my fingers around my neck, gasping for air. So much pain; blinding pain.
“Whore, I'll teach you not to run from me!” That's when he reared back with his iron fist and crushed my jaw with such force that it seemed inhumanly possible.
For a second, I blacked. When my senses returned, I begged for the sweet release of death. “Kill me why don't you?” Racked with anguish, I couldn't take much more.
Swiftly, Bane threw me down on my back, jarring me back to the incubus present, forcing my legs apart, my mind spiraling as my death became more imminent. He outweighed me better than a hundred pounds and was much stronger. Rape filled his face and hatred diseased his heart. Under my racing mind of all things to wonder, it didn't make sense for Bane to take my life.
All at once, I heard a loud crack, and an unbearable stab quickly followed. I tried to scream, but my throat burned too much. My arm, oh dear god, I couldn't move my arm. I think it was broken. 'Oh, god, just kill me.' I shouted in my head. I couldn't stand the misery. The excruciating torture seized my breath. When I opened my eyes, the lilies were gone and in its place came decay, skulls, and bones everywhere. Now I understood the stench. The field was an illusion.
“It's your fault that I'm in this mess in the first place. If you'd not moved here, everything would've been fine.” Bane rambled, madly. “I hated you from the moment I laid eyes on you, Chickadee!”
Chickadee? Wait! “What the hell,” I gasped. “You're Sam! How did you…”
Suddenly, it was Sam's voice piercing the atmosphere. “That's right! You fell into my hands so easily. It almost seems unfair.” His dark eyes churned with malice.
I lifted my gaze, blinking, fighting the haze of shock. All this time it was Sam. A rush of relief washed over me that it wasn't Bane, but only a minute.
Reality set, and with no uncertainty, I'd reached the end of the line. At this point, I welcomed death. I never imagined my ending would be so vile and violent. Death compared to this seemed easy.
I wondered if I'd see my dad. Would he be there at the gates of heaven welcoming me? I smiled to myself. That would be wonderful. No more worries, no more disappointments, all sadness melted into nothing. Death was tranquil, serene.
Thrust back to the present, Sam rose up over me grinding his pelvis against me. Somehow, he'd dropped his pants to his knees, and he didn't shy away from his manhood as he groped himself. Sam shot a wicked smile. “You like what you see,” he moaned, full of depraved lust, bending over me and trying to force a kiss upon me.
I took his lip between my teeth and bit down hard. I tasted blood in my mouth, and I spat it back into his face. He jolted back, touching his lip and drawing back blood. “You fuckin' cunt,�
�� he railed as he slapped me. It hurt like hell, but I wouldn't give him any more satisfaction.
I coughed out, past the burn, “Aidan will hunt you down. I know what he's capable of doing, and you're just as dead as me!”
“Oh really? My cousin has my father to worry about. Besides, I want him to find me,” he boasted. “I plan to leave your remains on his doorstep,” he growled. “I'm going to steal your essence, whore! Ain't that as sweet as a tall glass of lemonade?” He smiled, darkly.
My eyes widened. “You're Aidan's cousin? Who is your father?”
“My father is his uncle, Chickadee! The very one who wishes your death,” he sneered.
“Get off me,” I hissed.
“Why would I do that? We're having such fun. Besides, you're gonna be dead in a few!” He flashed his jagged teeth, sharp and unnaturally shiny.
I closed my eyes as Sam rose to thrust himself inside me. I braced myself for the worst and prayed for a speedy death.
Abruptly, something snapped within me, like a tight lever releasing its grip. A dark flash shot past me and a roaring sound assaulted my ears.
Out of nowhere, a shadowed figure sent Sam spiraling into the air and crashing to the ground in a bloody heap. Losing consciousness, I forced my eyes open and saw Bane crouched in a war stance in front of me.
He snarled with savagery as he rose tall and fearless, ready to defend my honor to the death. I attempted to ease up on my elbows, but I'd lost too much blood and I had only one good arm. My head felt heavy and it was even harder to hold a thought. Death promised. I laid there, surrendering to its sweet beckoning call.
We Belong
Slipping in and out of consciousness, I couldn't tell if I was dreaming or if it was real. The lilies returned, and a bed of soft flowers comforted my broken body.
Two male voices pierced the atmosphere as I drifted in and out of a dream state, listening…
“Sam, I warned you not to go near her,” Bane roared as he charged Sam, launching him several feet away with one powerful Druid-blast of white lightning.
Sam tumbled backward, slamming into the ground. He jolted to a sitting position, shaking off the sting, blood dripped from his mouth. “Come on Cuz!” He staggered to his feet, taking the back of his hand and wiping the blood from his lips. His breath sounded short winded. “I was just having a little fun with her is all.”
“You've done enough harm. I'm ending this now!” Bane's voice spurred from blind rage.
“Aw, Cuz! We're family. Where's the love?” Sam's voice appeared shaken.
“It left when you kidnapped Stevie! You crossed a line, dear cousin, and now you have to pay,” Bane promised, gravely.
“I've been paying all my life!” Sam's mad laughter bounced around my brain. He'd fallen into the pool of hysteria. “My wonderful father has made me into the creature I am today, a psychopath,” he paused, “And for something that wasn't my fault you punish me by taking my life?”
Bane's voice, though powerful, filled with despair, “Do you think being in this family has been easy for me, for any of us,” he shouted. “Your father has been blackmailing me for a long while now. My beloved cousin, we both have our story to tell.”
“How about we sit down and break bread, Cuz?” I pictured Sam smiling as he extended an olive branch.
“Nah, I think we've said enough. I have to stop you from hurting any more women. It has to end here.”
“So, it's just like that? No second chances!” Sam growled. “I remember you made a grave error, and my father took you under his wing. He hid the truth from the Family to save your pathetic ass!” Sam bit out in anger. “I get caught with my pants down over who… some inept girl, and now your hell bent on killing me?”
“Enough is enough, Sam! You're damaged goods. No one can control you. If the Order doesn't take action and stop your madness, you're going to blow our cover. Your conspicuous behavior has gone beyond reason. You must be dealt with.”
“Oh, and you, my cousin, an assassin, have never harmed a soul or taken a woman against her will?” Sam argued.
“For the record, I've never forced my affections on any woman, and as for my murders, it was justice!”
“Of course, you claim justice!” Sam's mad laughter echoed. “Your blood is tainted, Princes of Darkness.”
“My cousin, I wish I could say I'm going to miss you, but I'd be lying.”
“If you kill me, my father will come for you!” Sam threatened, grasping at straws.
Bane scoffed. “So be it. Let your father come. I am following direct orders from the council. They asked me to handle you. Sorry Cuz.”
Out from nowhere an explosion erupted that was so blustery it fueled everything in its wake. From the trees snapping to the leaves and branches falling like bricks, raining from the heavens to crashing to the ground, the atmosphere rumbled ferociously.
I lay helpless as I feared the outcome. I listened, though I slipped back and forth from unconsciousness. Silence swallowed the field of lilies. I opened my eyes for a second as I spotted a thin wafer of what appeared to be something burning, wafting into the dark sky, drifting high above the towering trees until it dissolved.
My eyes closed as peace engulfed my thoughts. I drifted afloat into nothingness. My lungs opened, no pain, no sadness, fear had ceased. Only sleep, dark sleep.
Unaware of my surroundings, I felt warm arms embrace me. I heard a deep throaty voice filled with worry. “Princess, this is my fault.”
Bane?
“All mine!”
Did I hear a sob?
I was nestled against his chest as he confessed. “I should've stopped him before it came to this. I'm so sorry.” His heart thundered violently, beating as fast as mine. “I'm going to make you better,” he whispered, shooting chills through me.
When my eyes fluttered open, I gasped, my mind muffled. I didn't know if I was dead or alive. I began to wiggle until I heard a gruff voice.
“Lie still. I'm trying to heal you.” I glimpsed up at Aidan's face, brows knitted tight, face strained with concentration.
I gasped, taken aback. “What are you doing?” My eyes filled with fright as I jerked away, confused and terrified.
“It's okay! Lie still.”
I recoiled, remembering Sam's vicious charade. A minute passed before I could apprehend that the man before me was, in fact, the true Aidan Bane. Finally, I relaxed, trusting him.
A golden swirl of magick engulfed me, penetrating its warmth down to the bone. My eyes dropped to my arm. Bane's hands flushed against my skin as a bright light spilled from underneath his touch. Somehow, my body began to ease from the pain and strangely mend.
“Sam looked identical to you. How is that possible?” My head ached and my mind fought through the cloud of confusion. Had I'd been dreaming?
“Shush,” Bane coaxed, faintly smiling with weary lines coating his forehead. “I can't heal you if you keep fidgeting.”
I nodded. Astounded that my voice had returned and the burn in my throat dissipated, though parched. Even my head no longer hurt. I flopped my head back to the cushion of what felt like cloth, closing my eyes, letting the warmth soak into the pores of my body, mending all the broken pieces.
As though Lazarus rose from the dead, life spread through every cell of my body as my senses began to process. The pain had taken absence, but I remained light headed and weak.
After a few moments, the warmth stopped and I heard Bane shuffle, sitting back on his heels. I opened my eyes and saw how drained his face looked. Taken aback, my eyes drew in his taunt features. His lips were a light blue and his skin almost gray, “Are you okay?”
“I'm fine.” His breath was short like he'd been running the marathon. “Just give me a minute. Healing is quite taxing.” A weak smile appeared on his pale skin.
“I'm sorry!” I reached out and touched his cheek. “I should've listened to you.” Guilt swelled inside me.
“No need to apologize. How could you have known?” Thoug
h his smile was faint, the color in his face was returning, and his breathing eased. I gave a sigh of relief.
“Where are we,” I mumbled. My eyes raked over the forest. “We're back with the fireflies, the altered reality. Just a moment ago there was a field of lilies and dead people, skull-bones everywhere.”
“The field was an illusion Sam created. It's not real like dimensions.”
I glimpsed around at my surroundings. I was laying on the same picnic blanket, the basket and wine bottles still in tack. “Did you change the scenery or did we pop here?”
Bane stifled a laugh. “You watch too much Bewitched.” He grinned. “I don't recall ever popping anywhere. I fade. It is similar to time travel. Creatures like us have the gift.”
“I get it, fading in and out of different dimensions.” I burrowed my brows, baffled. “How did Sam fade?”
“Sam is fey. Part fey and part human, similar to you.” Bane grimaced. “Sam isn't capable of creating dimensions. His father 'clipped his wings' for lack of a better term.”
“How can Sam be your cousin and Van your uncle since you are centuries older?”
“If we give each other titles, it makes us appear less conspicuous to outsiders.” Bane smiled.
“Are you blood kin to them?”
“No. They are part of the thirteen bloodlines. I am the last of mine.”
“What did Sam mean by Van taking you under his wing?”
“Because I appear young, I must keep the appearance as such to outsiders. Van acted as a guardian over me. It was only in pretense, nothing more.”
“He was blackmailing you. There has to be more to the story,” I pushed.
“My love,” Bane paused, “Will you allow me to handle Van?”
I gazed into his tender blues and I decided to let it go for now. “Okay.” I bit my bottom lip. “Can I ask you something else?”
Bane blew out an exhausting sigh. “Go ahead. Something tells me you'll ask even under protest.”
“Sam came with Jen to Ms. Noel's house and claimed he and Jen were guardians. I believed him.”
“Sam most likely eluded both your neighbor and Jen. Fey are known for such trickery. It was an enchantment.”
