Equilibrium

Chapter 45: Jackie's POV

When I come to, my head is swimming and lights are spiraling in a blur above me. The dull pounding at the back of my skull subsides a little and I blink, clearing my vision.
"Where... What-?" I try to rub at my eyes but growl in frustration and confusion when I find that I can't. My hands are bound behind my back with thick rope, tied to a metal pole against the wall. I slide my hands further up the pole and attempt to stand but the second I put pressure on my injured ankle it explodes in pain and I collapse to the ground again.
"SHIT- FUCK- oh my GODS-" I cry out, glaring down at my ankle. The bandage is peeling away, revealing the bloodied flesh. Somehow, some of the cuts have reopened and started bleeding again. What I need is to clean and re bandage the wound, but I can't exactly do that with my hands tied up.
I try to calm my breathing and take in my surroundings. I'm in a small, dark, square room. It's empty except for a single lightbulb glowing dully from the ceiling. There's a metal door opposite of me, and it's shut tight. There's no windows, vents, anything. The dull, black walls are bare and condescending, and I feel like they're going to swallow me up. I've never been claustrophobic, but my stomach tightens in worry as I scan my prison. One way in, one way out. The door is the only way.
I've got to get out of here. I do a mental run through of my inventory. My backpack is gone of course, since I chucked it at Luka. I silently curse that asshole in my head. My shotgun and sword are missing, which is not good. I don't like being unarmed and alone. Definitely not a good combo. The pocketknife I keep in the back pocket of my shorts has definitely been taken too, and the Hermes relic is no longer hanging around my neck. Shit.
Come on Jackie, think!
A million plans of escape keep running through my head but none of them compensate for the fact that I am tied to a fucking metal pole and my ankle is busted.
I stare down at my camp T-shirt, which has been reduced to tatters. There's nothing I can do. I'm stuck. Until somebody comes in here, I can't escape. I can barely move. I have no idea where I am. It's fucking dark and fucking cold and the worst part is I'm alone with nothing but my thoughts for company. And my thoughts are pretty shitty company.
Thankfully, or maybe unthankfully, I'm not alone for long. The door creaks open and I snap my head up, peering at it with fear and anticipation. I expect to see some sort of monster or a psychopath with crazy eyes but instead I see... A girl?
She looks to be about my age, but she's definitely taller. She has long, wavy black hair, dark purple eyes, and a pale complexion. The girl's dressed like she's about to go out to a party or something. White mini skirt, matching heels, purple crop top, silver bracelets dangling from her wrist, you know, the works. She's definitely pretty. Not my type though.
The girl steps through the metal door and smiles down at me, but not in a friendly way. It's sickly sweet, and I almost cringe at the sight of it.
"Who are you?" I growl, managing to pull myself up into a standing position, putting all my weight on my right foot. My ankle still hurts like hell, but I will not be seen cowering on the ground in front of this girl. She lets out a high pitched giggle, smirking down at me. I curse my short height.
"Who, me?"
I stare at her incredulously, "Uh, yes you, dumbass! Do you see anybody else in this room?!"
She snorts and rolls her eyes, "Fine. I'm Clara."
"Clara who?" I stare her down.
"Just... Clara?" She raises an eyebrow, "And no need to introduce yourself, Jaquelin Elway. I know exactly who you are." She gives me a cold smile and I shoot her a withering glare in return.
"What do you want from me?"
"Oh, sweetheart, just information."
I snarl at the nickname, "Yeah? What sort of information?" She smiles again, even more coldly than before.
"Where is Luka Del Rosso?"
Luka? What does she want with him? Then realization dawns on me. Maybe she wants the relics. What if... what if the Ares relic had been the bait? When she found out I only had the Hermes relic on me, and she probably realized Luka must have the rest of them. I decide to play dumb, mentally patting myself on the back for figuring everything out.
"Luka who?"
Ok Jackie, maybe not that dumb.
Clara doesn't seem to like my response. She slaps me right across the face. I blink in shock, tears watering in my eyes, and I reach to wipe them away but find myself uselessly tugging at the ropes binding my wrists together.
"You know exactly who I'm talking about. Tell me where he is."
"I don't know." I mutter automatically. Clara snarls, shoving me to the ground, and I hiss in pain as my ankle collides with the concrete floor.
"Try again." She smiles cruelly.
"I. Don't. Know."
"Jackie, darling, I'm done playing nice. If you don't tell me how to find your little boyfriend, things are going to become a lot more... Painful." She drawls, eyes gliding over my injured ankle.
"He's not my boyfriend," I snap, "He doesn't even like me. We're not even friends. I hate him," My voice breaks, but I take a breath and continue, "I left him. I have no idea where he is now..." And he's not coming to rescue me. I trail off, keeping the last part to myself. My heart thuds painfully in my chest. I hate Luka. I hate him so much. And now I'm probably going to die because of him. At the hands of this... thing. Clara. Whatever she is.
"Do not lie to me!" In one swift movement, Clara steps forward and kicks me hard in my injured ankle. I howl in pain, trying to curl up in a defensive position as best I can but Clara yanks me by my hair until I'm kneeling. My ankle is throbbing, tears are leaking out of my eyes, and all I can do is pull furiously at the ropes binding my wrists together, which are starting to hurt too.
"Where. Is. He." She demands again. I tilt my chin up and look her in the eye defiantly.
"I told you already. I don't know." Clara shrieks in frustration and sends another kick flying at my stomach. I hear something crack and I double over in pain, gasping for air. Each shuddering breath I take sends a jolt of pain through my chest. Godsdamnit. She must have broken a rib.
"Sit up!" Clara snaps, yanking me back into a kneeling position. I whimper in pain. Everything hurts. I'm incredibly close to passing out. I can already see little dots swimming before my eyes. Then Clara crouches down in front of me and grabs my chin, her dark purple eyes meeting my hazel ones.
"Let's try again, shall we? Tell me where the boy is. I could do this all day." Then her eyes flash red and she grins crazily. Except where her canine teeth should be, she has two, long white fangs.
"You're a Mormo." I breathe, and she digs her talon-like acrylics into my cheek.
"That's right sweetheart. And if you don't tell me where to find the boy, we'll just wait for him to come after you."
So I got it wrong. Maybe this isn't about the relics. Clara's a Mormo, and she wants Luka's blood. Mormo's are kind of like the Greek version of vampires, except they're attractive girls who lure in unsuspecting men, particularly demigods, to feast on their blood. I was unlucky enough to be captured by one, and from the sounds of it, I'm just the bait. Which means she won't kill me. Without me, she'll never get Luka. With that thought, a new ounce of bravery enters me. But it vanishes just as fast. Luka isn't going to save me. And if he doesn't, the Mormo will just torture me for the rest of my existence. Or maybe she'll just let me go? Part of me dares to hope.
"Luka isn't coming to save me," I mumble, staring into her red eyes, "Last I saw him was back in Colorado, but he's probably long gone by now. I have nothing you want." I sigh defeatedly, wincing as pain rattles through my chest.
"We'll see about that," Clara hisses, "And if you're right, then I'll just have your blood instead. I don't usually go after girls but... I'll make an exception." She winks, tongue sliding over one of her fangs.
"You're sick." I spit in her eye, and she reels back, disgusted.
"You'll pay for that!" She scowls, aiming another kick at me, but I whip my good leg towards her and slam my heel into her knee. She yelps in pain and then glares at me, red eyes blazing in fury. "Who do you think you are, halfblood?!"
"I'm the Jackie Elway," I growl, and my heart pangs painfully as I think back to what Luka said to me in the cave with the wolves, "Nothing scares me. Especially not you, you bitch."
Clara looks livid. She charges at me and slams my head into the metal pole. I hear a dull clang, a splitting pain at my temple, and then everything goes black once more.