Married to the Mountain Wolf, page 14
part #4 of Mountain Wolf Protectors Series
As he took another silent step forward, the scrape and thump from earlier sounded again, but this time the scrape elongated and there was a long pause before something heavy slammed the floor, clattering loudly as if it had fallen over.
“God damn it!” Kal’s frenzied voice roared. “Are you fucking insane? Do you want me to hurt you some more? Is this what you want?” Amara’s muffled raw and terrified shriek rattled the stone walls of the basement and shivered through Nova’s body to resonate painfully in his heart.
Before Nemoy or reason could stop him, Nova launched himself forward, tearing open the basement door with a feral wrath that he couldn’t contain any longer.
Chapter 21
Amara didn’t know how long she’d been trapped in the room with Kal. Had it been an hour? A day? Longer? She didn’t know if anyone else had survived the war, or if she was even still on the compound. She didn’t know why he tortured her, first with her own knives, then his own. She didn’t know what he did when he left the room with her bloodied shirt, knives, and the handful of hair he’d torn from her head. She didn’t know how much longer she’d be able to remain conscious or sane in this eternal prison. She didn’t know much of anything anymore except pain.
Cuts and gashes marred her arms and chest where Kal bit into them with the tip of his knife. He’d relished in her screams of agony for what felt like an eternity now, and when she was finally too exhausted to scream, her throat too raw and swollen to make even the smallest of sounds, Kal would stop just long enough for her to regain a sliver of hope that maybe he could be reasoned with. And then he’d slice her again.
Amara was only certain of a few things:
She would die in this cell.
No one was coming to save her.
Contrary to her original thought, this was nothing like the Second Trial.
The Trials were scary, important, and influential, but they were fake. They were fabricated illusions that played with the mind and felt real, but ultimately she was always safe, never in any harm’s way. When the Kal in the Trials carved into her skin, it hurt like hell, but she knew, somewhere deep in the back of her head that all she had to do was hold on a bit longer and it would be over soon. Now, as she fought to ignore the stinging pain of the wounds spread across her skin, she knew with an absolute sense of powerlessness that the pain would never go away.
Where she could muster up the courage and confidence to trick Kal with seduction in the Trials, she could barely keep her heavy lids open from fatigue. But she didn’t dare try to sleep anymore. The cuts got deeper when she fell unconscious. Her body trembled against her will in fear, exhaustion, and maybe the beginnings of shock. There was no way she’d be able to pull off ‘sexy’ by any stretch of the imagination.
And even if she could… this Kal, the Kal that paced hungrily and restlessly from one edge of the cell to the next, he was so far beyond talking to that she honestly wasn’t sure why or how he hadn’t accidentally killed her yet. He was still cruel and cold, but his lunacy had multiplied after his father publicly shunned and abandoned him. Something deep inside of Kal Vann had broken, and there was no amount of seduction, negotiation, or coercion that would get Amara out of the chair she was bound to.
Caught up in all of her fears of the trials becoming a reality, Amara had made the grave mistake of forgetting that real life could be so much worse. She wasn’t strapped to this chair to prove her love for Nova, she was simply there because Kal wanted her to be. She wouldn’t earn the right to marry the man of her dreams by breaking free this time. In fact, she’d likely get killed trying to loosen the chains.
Even if she did manage to break free, to what avail? There was nothing to gain, no motive, no lesson learned. The sun would rise in the east and set in the west, Kal would go to the Tribunal and likely be sentenced to death, and she’d still be forever influenced by the trauma he’d forced her to endure. In the Trials, she could justify her actions and write them off as fiction, but she’d never be able to justify the way her fingers couldn’t stop trembling or the saliva that dribbled down her chin with blood after he struck her.
Every cut would become a new silver scar on her body, another reminder that she’d allowed Kal Vann to commandeer her life after making a vow to put that chapter behind her. Even if she were to walk away from this, the manacles would never leave her wrists. She’d be forever bound to Kal Vann, his traumas, his abuse, his obsession of her.
She’d always be the visual manifestation of her most detrimental failure.
Maybe her inevitable death was for the best after all.
Amara sat slumped and defeated in the metal chair for another eternity, silently wishing for death with every rise and fall of her chest. As she contemplated forcing Kal’s hand to hopefully end things quickly, she thought she heard something faint like humming or buzzing coming from the ceiling. At first, she thought she might finally be going into shock, but then Kal paused his perpetual circuit around the small cell to look up at the ceiling as well.
He looked back to Amara, then back up to the ceiling. “Huh, they’re back sooner than I thought.” He grinned with too many sharp teeth flashing. “Maybe they already gave up on you. You’re just human, after all.” He glanced at something in his pocket. “Ah speaking of…” He made his way back over to her, and without delay, she slid the knife effortlessly over her shoulder. Her mind was too busy analyzing the words he’d just spoken to react.
They’re back sooner? Who were ‘they’? Why did ‘they’ care that she was human? She allowed herself a moment of hope that Kal had meant Nova, and then wiped the optimism away. She’d long since lost her right to look on the bright side. She slid back into her despondency easily, awaiting the inevitable next cut while ‘they’ slowly grew louder in a hum of conversation and comradery and somehow felt like home.
With a gasp, she understood why. It sounded too much like the home she’d made for herself at the Mountain Clan compound for it to be anything else. So as much as her beaten mind fought against it, she allowed herself to believe that Nova and Nemoy and Nate and everyone else were nearby, and maybe… maybe endings like the Trials could happen in real life as well.
But even if ‘they’ were her family, there was no way to tell how. No way to get their attention. Unless…
With a slow scrape of her chair, Amara forced herself upward, just enough the make the chair jump. It leapt off the floor, ever so slightly, and the clatter of metal legs on the cement of the floor was sharp and loud as it echoed off the walls.
Kal jumped in surprise. “What the?” He shouted. “You got a problem?” he growled at Amara. She didn’t speak, she only stared defiantly back. He narrowed a sinister glare in response. “Try that shit again and see what happens.”
Amara weighed her options. She couldn’t tell if slamming the chair was even loud enough to be heard outside of what she could only guess was a shelter or a basement of some sort. Did she risk further harm by slamming the chair again? She looked down at all the cuts and bruises she’d already endured at the hands of the Vann men and figured, what was a few more?
She waited until Kal was comfortable and settled in his chair once more before attempting another slam. The clatter was louder this time, ringing in her ears. The way Kal leapt up frightfully out of his seat was the bonus icing on the cake.
Rage flashed in his eyes and he shot over to Amara. “Why the fuck won’t you listen!” he shouted, the back of his hand connecting with the soft flesh of her cheek in a world-rocking slap. As she fought to recover, Kal leaned in close though he didn’t bother to whisper. “If you honestly think I can’t find other ways to have some fun while your useless band of dogs wanders around upstairs, keep trying me, Princess.” He leaned in even closer, running a hand sensuously down the side of her bare, bloody torso. “I dare you.” His words were feverish with a bit of excitement around the edges, and she knew he meant every word of it.
And yet, before he could finally return back to his seat, she was airborne once more. She propelled herself with all of the force she could muster while fully bound. She went higher than the two times before, and the hind legs of the chair cracked satisfyingly against the stone floor, ringing out like a bell to whoever could hear. The chair continued its descent backward from having landed off-kilter and she fell hard on the concrete, her head bouncing against the floor. Stars exploded across her vision, and before she could fully recover from her fall, all she could see was a bat-shit crazy shifter looming over her as he swung his knife downward.
“Is this what you want?” he screamed right in her face as he sank the knife to the hilt deep into the meat of her shoulder. A cry of pure torture clawed and tore its way up her already ruined throat, reverberating grotesquely against the walls, floor, and ceiling.
He yanked the knife out, and raised it to strike again. As it arced downward, the door to Amara’s cell blasted open and without preamble, Nova launched himself directly at Kal.
Kal and Nova tumbled off Amara in a growling and snarling heap, and as she tried to keep track of the fight, a hand latched over her forearm before she could turn to see who it was. Panic won out, surging forth in excess. She flailed instinctively, thrashing feebly against the hand and chains and knowing that neither would budge.
“Damn it, Amara, stop moving so I can unchain you!” Nemoy barked, pressing her shoulder firmly against the back of the chair as it lay on the floor before starting on the handcuffs. She heard the jingle of Kal’s keys and wondered briefly when Nemoy had gotten ahold of them, but it was a question she could ask later after she was free. He got her wrists first, then her ankles. As the thick rope of chains finally gave way, Amara launched herself—bloody and cut and in pain—right into Nemoy’s arms.
He lifted her easily from the floor, placing her gently on her feet and curling her hand over the bundle of keys. “Go down the hall and up the stairs. It’ll take you right outside the guest house you stayed in. The pack’s inside, you’ll be safe there.”
“Callahan?” was all she could articulate to ask.
Nemoy gave a firm nod. “He’s gone.”
Before Amara could feel relief at the news, Kal roared out savagely and Nova’s pained cry echoed against the cold stone of the room. Kal fired two rapid punches into the deep purple bruises of his arm, bringing forth another scream.
“There’s no way he’s dead!” Kal shouted, launching another punch. “Trash like you couldn’t even get close to Father’s power!” Nova’s eyes were glazed over in near unconsciousness, and this time when Kal raised his arm to strike, the hand was contorted into the clawed paws of a wolf.
Nemoy shoved Amara urgently towards the doorway. “Go!”
She gave one last glance backward before leaving them to fend off Kal alone. Kal was still on top of a semi-conscious Nova with one clawed hand raised, but his gaze flitted from one brother to the other. Amara could see the conflict on his face; if he went for the kill, Nemoy was in the prime position to take him out as well. So he sat frozen, contemplating his next move.
Amara breathed a sigh of relief. All Nova needed was a few more moments to recover; they’d be fine without her. She turned to leave for good as Kal’s paw went right for Nova’s throat. She didn’t even have time to scream her horror.
Nemoy leapt into action, diving right for Kal. Suddenly, Kal’s paw changed direction easily from arcing downward to a jutting motion right out in front of him. Surprise colored Nemoy’s features as blood splattered, Kal’s claws biting deep into Nemoy’s stomach.
Nemoy staggered backward as quickly as he was able, and blood spilled freely from his wound. He was already starting to get glassy eyed and he collapsed to his knees.
Kal barked a hysterical cackle. “Big bro is down!” he bellowed in exaltation. “Now time to make it a two for one.” His grin was grisly and terrifying as he raised the blood-soaked claws above his head once more.
Amara’s mind began to panic, but she fought it down. She knew she had to do something, anything, but what could she do that the two strongest wolves and the pack couldn’t? She looked desperately around the small room for any solution. A glint caught her eye, and in the corner of the room, Kal’s knife lay glimmering and forgotten on the floor like some unspoken answer to her problems. As soon and she saw it, her feet were already in motion. Even she could tell that she wouldn’t be fast enough to make it to Kal before he stuck the still barely there Beta, but maybe she didn’t have to stab him directly.
She snapped up the knife, taking only a second to relish in the feeling of its heavy, cool hilt before launching the blade end over end at the Valley wolf. In a glorious display of Karmic justice, the blade buried itself right into Kal Vann’s shoulder.
Kal yelped out in pain, clutching the knife that was still inside him. He stared at the blade in confusion, overlooking Nova as he shifted his own claws. He didn’t notice until they were stabbed firmly in his side.
With a roar, Nova flipped Kal off of him, finally gaining the high ground. He victoriously raised his clawed hand high to deal the final blow.
“No, Nova,” Nemoy gasped. His wound was still leaking too much blood. Amara was worried that he might not be able to make it upstairs to the help. “Tr-Tribunal,” he struggled.
Both Amara and Nova were distracted by their injured brother, and Kal took the opportunity to wrench the knife from his shoulder with a hiss. “Like hell I’m going to that place to pay for my Old Man’s crimes,” he muttered quietly, Amara subconsciously leaning closer to hear his words. He lashed out with the blade, headed directly for her throat. It was too fast for her to dodge but too slow to make its mark before Nova reacted. His sharp claws tore into the soft flesh of Kal’s throat without hesitation. The tawny wolf spasmed once, and then with a final gurgling breath, Kal Vann finally died.
Nemoy breathed a pained sigh. “Damn it! I should have known he’d take the weak way out.” His breathing was labored, getting more ragged by the moment.
Nova nodded, looking down at the graphic wound he’d created as it bubbled blood out around the body. “Once a coward, always a coward.”
“It’s going to be a bitch to explain but… later.” He struggled to lie on his back in the cell. “Get me… a medic…” Amara could tell he was close to passing out and stood to leave.
Nova made sure Kal truly moved no more before rising with Amara. He used his good hand to cup her face in his palm. “Are you okay?” he whispered brushing a light kiss across her forehead.
Amara nodded. “I will be.” A single tear slid down her cheek. “I just want to go home.”
Epilogue
Visions of harsh fluorescent lights as they glinted wickedly off cold, emotionless steel. A manic cackle before pain bites into skin. The angry red flash of blood. Fingers trailing down… down… down… venturing to places that made her mind want to black out, shut down, waste away to end it all, but the fear wouldn’t let her. The fear was in control… and it never wanted to let her go.
Amara felt the urge to scream as arms snaked tightly around her waist.
With a gasp, Amara’ eyes sprung open. She was bathed in sweat, shivering in the darkness of Nova’s bedroom.
“Shhh, shhh,” Nova was cooing softly into her ear as she woke. She felt the cool surety of his hand as he caressed her damp hair back from her face, and almost instantly she felt relieved.
She was almost completely composed before Nova spoke again. “Was it about…” His voice trailed off, leaving the obvious question hanging in the air.
Amara thought back fleetingly over the nightmare. “I…” Her voice cracked, heavy with dream-bidden tears. She cleared her throat and tried again. “I can’t entirely remember, but I wouldn’t be surprised.”
It had been a week since the war ended. A week since Kal and his even more terrifying father had been struck down after over a decade of tyranny and hate. After Nova had dealt the fatal blow that saved her life, Amara thought that she’d finally get some peace of mind. Apparently, her subconscious had different plans.
She hadn’t had a full night’s rest since the night before the battle began. It was worse the first night after; her mind vividly recounted the torture she’d endured in almost uncanny detail, except when Kal slashed the knife outward towards her throat at the end, Nova wasn’t fast enough to save her. She’d woken up in hysterics and unable to sleep the rest of the night.
Her body still ached and stung where the healing marks had begun to scab over. Some would leave scars, but she was alive. That was enough, she kept telling herself, but with every twinge of pain, all she could see, all she could feel, all she could fear was Kal Vann.
Despite her lingering trauma, it had gotten better. She’d sleep a few hours every night, until a dream or nightmare would have her jolting awake in the middle of the night. Over the course of the seven days, Amara had grown accustomed to living off of only a few hours of sleep a night.
Nova cuddled her close. “Babe, are you okay?” He’d been asking her that question a lot lately.
Was she okay? She shook her head. “I don’t think I am. Not yet.” She looked up into his dark, worried eyes. “But I’m getting there. One day at a time. I just need normal. Murphy’s opening back up tomorrow will help.”
She snuggled into the crook of his neck as he held her. “I’m sorry I keep waking you up with my nonsense,” she murmured against the warmth of his skin.
“No, no,” he chastised lightly. “None of that. Nothing about what you’re going through is nonsense, love.”
Amara shrugged. “Maybe, but it feels like nonsense when I can’t deal with it on my own, you know?”
“We’re a unit,” Nova comforted. “When you’re hurting, I want to make you feel better. That’s all I’ll ever want for the rest of my life.”
