by Lucy Lyons
Isabel hesitated. The last thing she wanted was to get Oz and Ava into trouble. She opened her mouth to speak, but before she could say anything, she heard a throaty whisper coming from inside the cells. “The voice belonged to me,” it said. “I did it.” Isabel turned around, and it was Oz. His skin was paler than ever, and she could see him crawl on his hands and knees, eventually settling down next to the cell door. His voice was raspy— Isabel deduced that he was dehydrated— and the corners of his lips were chapped to the point where it hurt to look at them. It seemed as though every time he opened his mouth, the corners would bleed a little. Isabel cringed at the sight. “We’re on to you, you think we’re not on to you?” Oz hissed.
Analise walked over to his cell, eyeing him up and down before she started kicking at the iron bars loudly. They vibrated in their place, their ringing echoing all across the cemented cell floor. Oz rolled over and covered his ears with both hands, his body rocking back and forth violently. Isabel felt helpless. She tried to move but it felt like her feet were cemented to the floor. They’re doing this on purpose, it’s all a part of the mind control. She averted her gaze to Gavin, and when their eyes met, she realized he had been staring at her, holding her in place. If she was going to rebel, then she had to find a way to overcome Gavin’s powers. She closed her eyes and tried to focus all her energy on what was happening. She could feel an invisible force, something intangible, and it was taking over her mind and soul. Bit by bit, she began feeling detached, like her soul had escaped her body, and she was watching everything and everyone from afar. She had a will, a free will, to do whatever she wanted, and to act however way she wanted. Suddenly she felt more powerful than ever. She fantasized about breaking into those cells and freeing everyone that was in there, but then she felt her arms falling limp to her side again, her ability to focus diminishing altogether. She wondered why this tended to happen without warning, and she cursed herself for not being to gain control over her own life and body.
“Stop, Stop!” Oz yelled, folding both arms above his head. He was curled up in a fetal position, his body shaking to the rattling of the metal bars. “Please, for the love of God, just stop!”
“This ought to teach you to mind your own business!” Analise snarled. She stepped back and turned to Gavin. They exchanged brief glances, and then suddenly, Gavin grabbed Isabel and pulled her towards him. She tried to wiggle away from him, her body arching all the way back, but then his grip on her wrists tightened, and she could feel herself being pulled towards Gavin again and then shoved into the cell with Ava. Her body slammed against the wall and she fell to the floor, crawling on all fours in an attempt to get out. “Don’t even think about it!” Analise hissed, kicking Isabel so she fell back again. “You’re going to regret this… do you want to get yourself killed?” she asked, glaring at Isabel.
“I want to get out, get me out!” Isabel yelled, rising to her feet and trying to push past Analise. She felt her body being pushed back again, and she ended up right back where she was. Ava was lying there on the ground, her eyes following them as they came at each other like animals. She tried to get up but her body failed her. She couldn’t even stand on her own two feet. Since they locked her up in there, she hadn’t been feeding on anyone, and it made her weak. She and Oz were locked up in separate cages. If they had been able to get through to each other, they could’ve fed off of each other. But instead, one watched the other all day, their lives turning into this endless cycle of desperation. The truth was, Isabel was their last hope. They both knew how powerful she was, but she just had to believe in herself. Ava opened her mouth by no words came out, and with every breath she sucked in, she could feel her throat dry up like sandpaper. She reached out to Isabel, but then Analise kicked at her hand, and she fell back, howling in pain. “Why the fuck did you do that?” Isabel asked, shoving Analise.
“Gavin, are you just going to stand there and watch?” Analise asked, turning to him briefly before she realized Isabel had slapped her across the face. “That’s it,” she snapped, taking her claws out and attacking Isabel.
“Wait,” Gavin said, placing a hand over Analise’s shoulder. “This isn’t how you’re supposed to handle things.”
“Oh, and you’re the expert at it?” Analise asked, rolling her eyes at him.
Gavin gently pushed Analise aside and stepped closer to Isabel, his eyes locked on hers. Suddenly she could feel the hunger rise up in her again. This time, it was fierier, more intense than it ever was in the past few days. She clutched her stomach with her hands, trying to control that tingling feeling, that warmth, which was slowly spreading out through her. “Analise, I’d like for you to step out,” Gavin said, nodding towards the exit. Analise narrowed her eyes at him, her face drooping to a scowl. She stood there for a moment, as if waiting for Gavin to change his words, but when he didn’t she let out a sigh and turned around, making her way back upstairs.
“Sometimes I wish I was a free woman, but I’m not, now, am I?” she muttered, her voice growing more and more distant as she climbed up the stairs. Isabel cocked her head to the side, listening to Analise’s footsteps as they moved further and further away. In her absence, Isabel found peace. And now, she was left with Gavin. She squirmed in the corner of her cell, trying to stay as far away from him as she possibly could.
“Isabel, why so scared?” he asked. There was something about the way his teeth protruded through his smile that made Isabel shiver. He wasn’t the old Gavin anymore, but he was something else, something more menacing. Isabel looked over and Oz had his eyes closed; he was almost completely out of it. Ava was slumped down on the floor, her body curved into a wobbly L shape. “Well, that just leaves the two of us,” Gavin said, raising an eyebrow at Isabel.
She tried to resist it, but Gavin’s eyes ignited a spark inside of her. She hadn’t fed on anyone in days, and as much as she had liked to push back the feeling, it always seemed to pop back up. Her hunger was something she couldn’t control, and it seemed to her that it had reached its breaking point. Just looking at Gavin made her feel desperate, like an electric current was zapping through her, and no matter how hard she tried, Isabel knew she wouldn’t be able to resist. “Please, just stay away from me,” she said, holding up both hands in front of her. “I don’t want to do this.”
“Oh, you don’t?” Gavin asked, crouching down in front of her. He got down on his knees so his eyes were level with hers. “Look at me,” he said. Immediately, Isabel raised her eyes to him, like some invisible force was pulling them up. “Look at me and tell me you don’t want me,” Gavin continued, licking his lips. Isabel’s lips were slightly parted, and she could feel the desire gush right through her.
“I, I-” she muttered.
“Shh,” Gavin said, leaning in close to her. She could feel his warm breath against her face; she couldn’t resist it anymore. Isabel dove in and kissed him hungrily, their tongues intertwining.
She closed her eyes, letting the feel of his hands on her ignite the fire inside her, and despite how she felt about him, couldn’t deny how much she needed this. She could feel her body reacting to his touch, the feel of his lips against hers, and she knew that whatever false bravado she had put up only moments before was gone now. All she wanted was to feed, and a part of her tried desperately to close off the notion that she was getting what she wanted from Gavin.
She wrapped an arm around his neck as his hands slid under her robe and cupped one of her breasts, instantly sending waves of desire through her. The touch of his fingers against her nipple only made her want him more, and without any form of control, she was undressing him just as quickly as he was disrobing her.
Gavin brought her to her feet and pushed her against the cell wall, clutching her by the neck as his eyes took her in. She could see the hunger in them, and she wondered if his matched hers. With a swipe of her arm, she pushed his hand away and pulled him to her, her hand immediately grabbing his cock and stroking. Their eyes locked, and she shuddered
at the smile he gave her.
“Turn around,” Gavin ordered.
Isabel hesitated for the briefest of seconds before he grabbed her by the shoulders, turned her around and pushed her against the wall. She could feel the cold stones against her body, but the warmth of his hardness pressed against her bare ass was enough to make her ignore the momentary discomfort. Besides, it was just as well that she wouldn’t have to look into those eyes.
She began to rotate her hips against him, urging him on, letting him know that she was ready. She felt his hand snake in between her thighs and press against the softness of her, his fingers easily finding her clit and making her shudder and moan.
“I bet you’re hungry, aren’t you, Isabel?”
Isabel only whimpered, and when she reached back to grab him and guide him into her he slapped her hand away.
“Please,” she moaned as his fingers sent shock waves through her. “Please, just do it already.”
“I thought you didn’t want this,” Gavin teased, and she hated herself for being in this situation, at his mercy. “You said so yourself.”
“I was wrong,” Isabel sighed. “Gavin, I –”
He didn’t wait for her to continue, obviously just as eager to fuck her as she wanted to be fucked. He quickly pushed her legs open and thrust inside her, without any warning, forcing her to scream as he penetrated deep inside her. She felt her insides being torn apart, and when she tried to move, his pushed her harder against the wall and stopped her.
Gavin began to thrust against her, hard, slamming his cock deep inside with every stroke, her screams of pleasure mixing with pain. He picked up the pace, and within seconds her ass was smacking against his hips as he rocked against her. She placed her hands against the wall, trying to keep balance as she felt her legs go numb with his intensity, his cock filling her up.
Gavin leaned against her, pushing deeper inside, and Isabel pushed her hips against his, urging him in further. She forgot that it was Gavin drilling her, and when she closed her eyes, she replaced him with a multitude of other faces as she screamed in pleasure with his every thrust.
He suddenly dug his nails into her waist and pulled her to him, pushing even further inside, and with a loud grunt, exploded. She felt his warmth gush into her, his cock pulsating inside her as he emptied himself. She tried to catch her breath, feeling her own muscles twitching, and when he pulled out she slid silently to the floor. She closed her eyes, and pulled her knees to her chest, and let her mind float away.
CHAPTER 10
“Well, that was nice,” Gavin whispered, running a finger down Isabel’s bare back.
“Yeah, it was,” she said, almost robotically. She felt numb, violated, almost, but she couldn’t bring herself to admit it, even to herself. Gavin still had the power. A part of her believed that he always would, and that saddened her more than anything. She was done playing the victim, and she was done being irresponsible. She couldn’t let the hunger get the best of her; she had to find a way to overcome her own shortcomings. “Gavin,” she said suddenly. “I want to be alone.”
“How are you feeling, Isabel?” he asked, brushing his fingers through her hair. Isabel grabbed hold of his wrist.
“Please, just leave me alone,” she said again, her voice stern. Gavin narrowed his eyes at her. He didn’t like this, not one bit. Isabel was gaining control over her own life, or at least she was trying to, and to him, this was a major threat to their system. She was like a means to an end; he didn’t want her wandering here or there. He needed her to stay put, to obey his orders without fail.
“You never used to kick me out like this,” he said, a serious look on his face. “What’s the matter?”
“What’s the matter? What do you mean “what’s the matter”?” Isabel asked, pulling her robe together. For the first time, she didn’t feel good after a night with Gavin. The feeling was like being bloated after a big meal, but nowhere near satisfied. Something was changing, and Isabel had to figure out how she was going to cope with it. It was all so overwhelming.
“Isabel, we have an amazing time together,” Gavin said. “What changed?”
What do you mean “what changed”? Oh, I have a pretty good hunch it has to do with the fact that I’m locked up in a dungeon, Oz is dying and there’s a shape shifter on the loose pretending to be him?
“I, I don’t know,” she said, looking away. But deep down, she knew their plan was backfiring. Isabel was getting stronger, more in control. Gavin repulsed her. It was true she needed him to feed, but that feeling of exclusivity, or relying on him and him only, it completely vanished. Isabel didn’t know what it was that led to this progression, but it sure was working. And she couldn’t let Gavin know that was the case. This time, she was going to play it smart. “I think I was just scared, that you were going to pull away again,” she breathed, smoothing the hair off her forehead. “I was scared you would leave me hanging again.”
“I’m sorry I left you hanging, Izzy,” Gavin said, tracing circles over her bare arm. Isabel felt her skin crawl at contact with his fingers. “Are you okay? You seem cold.”
“You’re just making me hungry all over again,” she said, her lips curving to a smile. The truth was, Isabel had outdone herself. She didn’t know she could lie like that, to be able to turn her disgust into pleasure. “You’re making me want you all over again.”
“In time,” Gavin whispered. “I won’t be long.”
“You better not be,” Isabel mouthed. Inside, she was glad he was leaving. She hoped he would leave her alone for good, but she knew this wasn’t an option. She wrapped her arms around herself and let out a sigh, her eyes locked on Gavin’s. “I’ll be waiting for you here,” she hissed.
“You want to go back up to your room?” he asked, rising to his feet. “I know I can talk Analise into taking you back there.”
“No, I think I’ll be good here,” Isabel said. “I don’t feel so well, I better not take the stairs.”
“Alright,” Gavin nodded. “I better go now, but I’ll be back.”
Isabel smiled to him, and as soon as he turned around to leave, her face drooped to a scowl. “Well, that was definitely disgusting,” she muttered to herself.
“It sure was,” Oz said. Isabel looked over and he had pushed his body up against the wall. He was sweating, his skin glistening under the dim lights. “Now, who’s a better performer in bed, him, or I?”
Isabel chuckled. “Oh, God, I hope you didn’t see anything,” she said, her hand flying to her mouth. “You missed out on quite the threesome, though,” she said, rolling her eyes.
“You wish that was me instead of Mikael,” Oz said, folding both arms across his chest. Isabel thought he looked weaker than ever, and yet, she was so attracted to him right now. A part of her just wanted to pounce on him, to revive that fervor they once had. Oz was her one chance at revival, and with him, she felt like she could do anything.
“I do,” Isabel said, rising to her feet. She walked over to his cell, which, in her haste, Analise had left unlocked. She sat down next to him, brushing his hair with the back of her hand, and when he looked up at her, Isabel felt something inside of her shake. She had missed Oz, the real Oz, and with Gavin, a part of her always felt like there was something wrong. “I think, I think we should join forces, you and I,” she said, her eyes roaming his face and neck. “We can beat the vampires at their own game, together.”
Oz wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close. She placed her head on his chest as he cradled her, and for the first time in a while, she felt safe. It was ironic, she thought, that the safest she felt in weeks was in a prison cell. But with both Oz and Ava around her, she knew nothing would happen to her. Isabel let out a sigh, not knowing what her next move should be. She looked up at Oz, and his eyes were fixated on the cement floor. She wondered if he was strong enough to do this with her, to face up to the enemy. But by the looks of it, they weren’t even close.
“Oz,” she said, taking his
hand and squeezing it. His fingers were so cold and bony, but he squeezed back with just enough pressure to indicate that he was still awake. Isabel wasn’t really hopeful. “Do you want to do this together?” she asked.
“It’s not a matter of wanting to, it’s a matter of needing to,” he replied. “If I don’t do anything about this, I’ll die. I’ve been starving for a while now… they’re just giving me enough to keep me alive,” he said.
“Oz,” Isabel said again. “Why are they keeping you alive?”
“Because I help them,” he replied. “They starve me, Isabel, sometimes I have no choice but to give them what they want.”
“Do you give them information?” she asked, raising an eyebrow at him.
Oz nodded. “I tell them what controls you, what makes you tick,” he said. “They’re studying me like a lab rat so they can go on creating this image, this replica. They want to use me to get to you, Isabel.”
“Well, now I know the truth,” she said. “I knew it right from the start, that there was something wrong about this Mikael… he wasn’t like you.”
“Funny you should tell the difference,” Oz said, the corners of his lips turning upwards. “When they brought Mikael to you, they made sure that everything matched. They made no mistakes.”
“I don’t know, something just felt… off,” Isabel said. And she knew it was true. She had grown so attached to Oz, that a part of her felt like she couldn’t survive without him. And then it came to her; Gavin had made a huge mistake by leaving them together. “We can make each other strong,” Isabel said, leaning in close to Oz. “We can feed on each other.”
“But if they catch us, it’ll be a disaster,” he said. Isabel opened her mouth to speak but no words came out. Suddenly, they heard voices coming from upstairs. “Quick, go back to your cell,” Oz whispered.
