Depredation

by Natalie Bennett

  I dropped my hands, cupping his balls and gripping him around his base more firmly before he could catch onto what I’d been searching for.

  There was no way I could lift the key; I’d have to reach all the way inside the pocket. The knife had been big enough that I’d been confident I could grab it while he was preoccupied with my mouth.

  Peering up at him through lowered lashes, I saw his head was tilted back slightly, and his eyes were closed.

  He disgusted me.

  The longer I stared, the more my pulse elevated. I could feel adrenaline begin to course through my body.

  I wanted out.

  I had to get out.

  I knew he was close; his balls were beginning to tighten.

  And I knew the cell door automatically locked when it was shut, unlocking from the outside.

  I’d have to move fast regardless, but that would buy me some time.

  I was doing this.

  My nostrils flared as I sucked in a deep breath. I pulled my lips back as if I were baring my teeth, and then I bit down as hard as I could on his fleshy cock with a guttural growl. I dug my fingers into his balls and twisted as hard as I could.

  He screamed, releasing his hold on my hair and shoving me off him. Something inside me was deeply satisfied by his pain.

  He practically fell backward, grabbing himself with both hands.

  Not waiting another second, I took off. I grabbed the cell door and slammed it shut on my way out like he’d done countless times before.

  “Harper!” he yelled after me.

  I ran as fast as my legs would carry me, taking the stairs two at a time.

  The door opened with no resistance; I was so relieved I could have cried right then, but I wasn’t free yet.

  I shut it behind me, turning the simple lock on the handle. The only way I could go was straight; the door had opened into a narrow hall.

  Taking off again, I directly entered the main area of the place he was keeping me. The furniture was covered in clean white sheets, and the few windows were boarded up with plywood.

  I saw one single, deep green door and charged for it. My fear that it may have the same locking mechanism as the cell was diminshed with the easy turn of the knob.

  I bolted through the opening.

  My retinas instantly began to water, burning as warm sunlight beamed down on me.

  I covered my brow with my forearm and stumbled sideways, slamming into someone who had come from the back of the cabin.

  Sucking in a surprised breath, I inhaled the strong scent of Cool Water.

  –Chapter Fifteen–

  Harper

  How the fuck did he get out?

  “That was very stupid,” he said, way too calmly. His chest was heaving up and down. One partial look in his darkened, rage clouded eyes had me stumbling away from him, blindly beginning to run.

  His footsteps sounded behind me, making me pour on speed.

  “Help!” I screamed as loud as I could, hoping to god someone heard me. My eyes continued to water as I ran. Startled birds took off from where they’d been perched in trees.

  I zig-zagged, having no idea where I was or where I was going. There were trees everywhere, and I couldn’t spot a designated path.

  His breath was on the back of my neck, and I knew he was right behind me.

  I darted sharply to the right in an attempt to throw him off and gain some distance. Twigs and dirt pushed up between my toes, digging into the soles of my feet.

  My lungs were already beginning to burn from exertion. I realized too late that just because I felt fine, it didn’t mean I was.

  “Help me!” I screamed again.

  “You stupid bitch,” J seethed, slamming into me from behind.

  I landed flat on my stomach; all the air I had left whooshed out of my lungs. I threw an elbow, catching him in the corner of his eye.

  He cursed and straddled my back, struggling to get a firm hold on me.

  Unable to buck him off, I turned my head and bit down on his lower wrist, the only part of him I was able to reach.

  “Dammit,” J cursed, punching me in the back of the head.

  I let go as spots swam in front of my vision. Temporarily stunned, J used it to his advantage, standing up and grabbing me by the hair.

  I went over his shoulder, and he started back towards the cabin.

  “I can’t go back,” I cried to myself.

  Everything inside me said death would be better than being his fuck toy for another day longer.

  I pounded my fist into him, tossing my weight around, but he refused to let go.

  We rounded the cabin, and a pair of cellar doors came into view.

  “You’ve ruined it all,” he growled when we reached the opening.

  Time seemed to slow as he lifted me up, and hurled me between the doors.

  I bounced, and missed the first stair altogether, banging my elbow on the second when I finally landed.

  Pain radiated from my tailbone. I did my best to ignore it.

  I stared at the place the industrial shelving unit always sat, never knowing this was behind it.

  My brain urged me to run away, find somewhere safe, but that wasn’t possible.

  There was nothing safe here.

  I scrambled to get to my feet, ignoring the various throbs on my body.

  J was on me before I could stand all the way up.

  “You told me you’d be good!” he yelled, shoving me across the room.

  I caught myself, gripping the bars.

  He slammed my head into them before I could turn.

  I cried out in pain, feeling one of my top teeth knocked loose.

  “Fuck you!” I whirled around as strands of my hair pulled from the scalp, and spat a mouthful of blood into his face.

  He blinked like he couldn’t believe I’d just done it, backhanding me when it registered.

  I spat out another , colliding with the bars again when he slammed me backward. He wrapped his hands around my throat and squeezed so hard, I began sinking down.

  “You were special,” he repeated over and over.

  My chest felt like it had been set on fire, my lungs unable to get the oxygen they needed, as my vision blurred.

  A fluffy sort of feeling washed over me a few seconds later.

  I never tried to fight him off.

  When I passed out, I prayed I’d wake someplace far away from here.

  –Chapter Sixteen–

  J

  I watched the blood wash down the drain, bracing my hands on the vanity.

  I’d lost control.

  Not only did I feel shamed, but emasculated and humiliated.

  She bit into my dick like it was a chicken wing.

  I couldn’t tell anyone that.

  My friends had already doubted my ability to pull this off for so long.

  I’d told them Harper would be different, and she had been.

  She’d gotten more than any of the others—so much so that I’d contemplated moving her upstairs, setting up the cabin for her to be more comfortable.

  Only to her, it was all a lie.

  A fucking joke.

  Lifting my head, I stared at myself in the mirror.

  Aside from my sore dick and throbbing balls, I wasn’t bothered by what I saw.

  I was an attractive thirty-three-year-old man, with a majorly successful real estate company, and a charming smile that got me almost whatever I wanted.

  I had more than enough money to buy hundreds of the kind of women I wanted, and I had—multiple times—but there was no excitement in that.

  The thrill came from this. The kidnapping, the torture, and finally the bittersweet ending. It was delayed gratification after watching them for so long.

  When I bought women from Malignant, they all begged for death in the end.

  They’d gone through hell already, and just wanted everything to be over.

  They were always so complaint, happily spreading their legs for me wi
th the promise of freedom.

  “J,” Minnie’s voice called through the door, bringing me back to the moment.

  I checked the hamper, making sure I closed the lid before replying.

  “It’s open,” I said, wiping my hands on a towel.

  She opened the door and stepped inside, dressed in a tight yellow sundress.

  “Are you okay?” she asked, her hazel eyes scanning the side of my face.

  “I’m fine, Minnie,” I replied. “Are you ready to leave yet?”

  “So you bit yourself then?” Her voice dripped with dry sarcasm.

  I saw where she was looking and irritably rolled my sleeve down, brushing past her.

  “It’s the Lane girl, isn’t it? Why haven’t you gotten rid of her yet?” she demanded to know, following after me, heels clicking on the newly shined hardwood. Leave it to Minnie to hit the nail right on the head. Regardless, her nagging was starting to piss me off.

  “You’re getting sloppy again, aren’t you? She has to go, Jayce. You need to get rid of—”

  I spun around so fast she almost collided with my chest. “You and I don’t discuss Harper. We discuss when you want extra money to splurge, or a rare night in my bed. Now get your shit, and go wait in the car.”

  Looking only slightly taken aback, she placed her dainty hands on her hips and glared up at me.

  “I’m just looking out for you. For us.”

  “Are you?”

  “Yes! I know you need to fulfil your…other needs, and I support that, but I’m also your wife. I love you, and you love me. So you should know I’m looking out for our best interest.”

  I almost laughed. Loved her?

  The only person I loved was myself. I used her to maintain an image to the outside world. Love was a major stretch of the imagination.

  Of course, I couldn’t exactly tell her that.

  “I’ve got everything under control. Now please, go get in the car.”

  She puckered her glossy lips like she had a lengthy response she was ready to spew.

  Fortunately, she only nodded and turned back around, walking her prissy ass out of my bedroom.

  I sighed, scrubbing a hand over my face. This wasn’t the first time we’d almost discussed my newest toy.

  I never spent as many nights buried inside them as I did this particular brunette, and Minnie had started to notice. She didn’t care what I did to the girls, how I fucked them, or how badly they suffured, but she did care about protecting her claim as my wife.

  I couldn’t have her jealous and bitter—which begged the question: what the hell was I going to do with Harper Lane?

  I couldn’t keep her long-term, I knew that now.

  Walking to my closet, I opened it and retrieved the little black box I kept on the top shelf.

  I sat down with it on my bed and lifted the lid.

  The first thing I saw was my golden cross. Growing up in the church ensured I always had one somewhere.

  Beside it was a round silver stop-watch that used to belong to my grandfather. It had a bit of wear on it, but otherwise still worked.

  I lifted it out by its silver chain and clutched it within my fist.

  An idea began forming in my head.

  I started to shut the box, stopping when I saw a picture of my mother.

  She looked youthful here, her doe brown eyes and matching long hair healthy.

  This was taken a short six months before cancer won—the same damn disease that took Father.

  We’d been extremely close in every way possible. She helped me explore some of my darker interests, and told me every day that not a damn thing was wrong with me.

  Losing her was unexpected. However, I wasn’t upset. Death was a natural part of life. When it was time, it was time.

  Beside her picture was the folded flyer with Harper’s smiling face on it.

  She looked just as my mother did when the picture was taken: youthful and happy.

  That was all gone now.

  Letting the lid shut, I sat on the bed until I heard a horn honk from out front.

  –Chapter Seventeen–

  Harper

  “Time to wake up.”

  My eyes flew open and stared right into J’s. He had his hand wrapped around my throat, pinning me down on the floor.

  It took my sleepy brain a few seconds to realize he was burning me. His other hand was between my legs, pressing the butt of a cigarette against my labia.

  I cried out and tried to squirm away from him, arching my back and kicking my legs out.

  “Are you awake?” he asked, lifting the cigarette away to take a drag from it.

  “Harper, you have to wake up,” he cooed, blowing smoke into my face.

  He pressed the butt of the cig a little higher than before.

  I cried out again, my hoarse voice echoing around the room.

  “I’m awake!” I screamed up at him.

  “Oh,” he chuckled, immediately letting my neck go and removing his cigarette. “Why didn’t you say that a minute ago?”

  I shut my eyes and pressed my trembling lips into a firm line.

  “I asked you a question, Harper,” he stressed. Not a second later, the heel of his hand uppercut my nose.

  Pain ricocheted.

  I cried out, bringing my hands up to catch the blood now rolling over my lips, a metallic tang sneaking its way into my mouth.

  Eyes now wide open, I stared up at him through tear blinded vision, willing him to stop hurting me.

  He tilted his head to the side and smirked. “Get up. I come bearing gifts.”

  I let my head loll, and watched him walk back out of the cell.

  Chest heaving, I pushed myself onto my elbow, and then slowly got to my feet. Instantly, I wanted to sink back down to the ground, but I knew he’d just hurt me even worse.

  Stiffly making my way across the room, I glanced down at the freshly formed blisters on the left side of my labia. They were ugly, swollen welts I felt with every step. My nose throbbed, pain intensifying if I dared touch it.

  J was at the sink, running water into an orange bucket by the time I reached the door.

  As soon as I saw the brunette passed out inside the dog cage, I stopped.

  “Hop up on the chair,” he commanded, lifting the bucket from the sink.

  I cautiously shuffled forward and did as he said. I studied the woman from my peripheral as I went. She didn’t look much older than me, and physically she wasn’t hurt in any way.

  Her tanned skin and clean hair had me taking notice of how much mine had changed.

  It wasn’t something I paid any attention to anymore; seeing the sickly color beneath all the grime, blood, and bruises had my heart twisting painfully in my chest.

  My hair was a bushel of snarls and knots now J didn’t brush it anymore.

  She was in a sundress.

  When I was taken, I’d been wearing a winter coat.

  How many months had I been here?

  I was barely able to prepare myself for the cold water J dumped over my head.

  I closed my eyes briefly to keep them clear, crossing my arms over my chest. The low temperature in the room had my teeth chattering.

  He set the bucket down and swiped a few wet strands of hair out of my face.

  “I spent the last few nights trying to come up with how long I should keep you around. After your reckless actions, I’m beginning to think you’re not stable, Harper. And, sweetheart, you kinda let yourself go.”

  I tucked my chin into my chest and hugged myself a little tighter.

  I didn’t have the mental or physical energy to spar with him, and for once, I didn’t want to.

  “Hey, there’s no need to feel down about it. That’s what this is for.” He pulled a shiny, slightly scuffed stopwatch from his pocket, and flipped it open.

  I watched the black hand move in a full circle, then finally looked at J for an explanation.

  “I’m going to hang this on the wall right outside your c
ell,” he began, pointing to a hook I’d never noticed before. “When the timer stops, so does your life.” He stepped back and went to do just that, slipping the thin metal chain over the hook.

  “Nothing?” he inquired when I remained silent. “All right then, lie down.”

  If he was surprised by how easily I complied, he didn’t show it. I knew the cigarette burns were just the start of what he had planned.

  He was too calm. I could have spat out a few snarky remarks, maybe spat on him again. Honestly, though, it didn’t matter what I did.

  He’d just assured me I wouldn’t be making it out of this alive. I thought I wanted to die; I never accepted that I was going to.

  He secured each of my legs in a nylon stirrup, and then my wrists.

  Once he was done, he stepped away, returning with the rusted spreader bar and a gag. Curling my hands into fists, I dropped my head back, knowing for certain now that the cigarette burns had been child’s play.

  He secured the bar and shoved the gag into my mouth without saying a word. His lack of taunting increased my gut-gnawing anxiety in the form of cold sweat.

  Using one hand, he gripped one of my ass cheeks and pulled them apart. He cleared his throat, spitting a glob of saliva right in the crevice.

  He moved away again. I lifted my head to see what he was doing now. With eyes wide, I watched him stand at his shelf of toys and select a dark purple dildo.

  Silver nails were melted into the rubber on all sides.

  I shut my eyes, knowing how bad this was about to hurt, and how much he was going to enjoy it.

  –Chapter Eighteen–

  Harper

  My legs were splayed wide open, strapped down to steel plated stirrups, and slightly lifted in the air.

  Tremors wracked my body with fear of what came next. My arms were painfully stretched on either side of my tearstained face, each tightly secured in their own restraint.

  I shook my head rapidly back and forth, begging and pleading around the gag he’d angrily shoved in my mouth.

  He was unmoved, enjoying every minute of my fear and discomfort.

  I wanted to look away, but couldn’t. I needed to bear witness to everything he did, no matter how fucked up it was.

  I tried to brace myself for the pain I knew was coming, inhaling deep breaths through my bloody nose.