Legacy of the White Raven: Volume II

Chapter Eleven: Prisoners

  

    Inside the back of a large van Gale stared down at the shackles around her feet which were chained to the bench she sat on. Another set of heavy shackles kept her hands bound and were joined to the restraints around her ankles by a drooping chain. She couldn't believe her own eyes. It all seemed so surreal, like a very bad dream she couldn't wake from. Captured and caged like criminals, she and her sisters, along with Corbin and Amanda, were traveling to who knows where in the back of a van that belonged to Jarell. She couldn't fathom at the moment how the situation could get any worse, but knowing Jarell was behind it all meant that the worst was yet to come. She shuddered inwardly at the thought.

    Tossing a subtle glance across at Lydia, so she wouldn't be noticed by the armed guard sitting between the two benches which flanked the cargo bay of the van, Gale noted how broken her teenaged sister appeared. Drooping with heartache over the treachery and coldness of the android she was smitten with, the young raven-haired girl clung desperately to the toddler in her arms. Gale's heart sank further at the dismal sight, especially when she saw the overwhelming fear welling up in Corbin's little eyes. The toddler had nudged himself as close to Lydia as he possibly could, and his tiny hands were clenched with fistfuls of her shirt to make sure no one could tear him away.

    When Lydia finally felt Gale's stare upon her, the two sisters exchanged distressed frowns before an unexpected bump in the road shook the van very rudely. Their shackles and chains clanged loudly from the rattling disturbance, and Amanda moaned softly from the agony of her wounds which the jostling stirred. The wounded vampire lay chained on the floor next to Shade, lost in her own world of never-ending pain due to the tormenting splinters which riddled her body from the confrontation with Axel. Every motion, be it gentle or abrupt, aggravated her injuries.

     A waking groan drew Gale's attention to Shade, who began to twist and turn weakly on the floor of the van. The leather-clad beauty's dark eyes opened with a haze of disorientation, and they roamed around the strange surroundings of the van until finding Gale. Staring in befuddlement at the sight of her blond-haired sister in chains, Shade attempted to sit up, but a sudden stabbing pain in her shoulder objected to the idea. She winced sharply with a hiss of restrained agony as she fell back to the floor. Staring up at the roof of the van until the intense wave of pain passed, Shade tugged at her hands and feet to confirm what she suspected: She was bound with chains too.

    "Ya know...," Shade started, rolling her head to face Gale. "...there used to be a time when waking up like this was proof of a good time," she quipped.

    Gale gave a half smile at the remark as she shook her head at her sister's resilient attitude. Though she played as if Shade's blunt demeanor was just too much, she secretly wished she possessed even an ounce of Shade's courage.

    "Are you hurt?" Gale inquired, looking over her sister with blue eyes full of concern.

    "Yeah, my shoulder," Shade informed, nodding towards the injured shoulder.

    Gale reached out for her wounded sister, but the shackles and chains keeping her confined to the bench wouldn't allow her to get close. She strained against them, but to no avail. Her healing gift was useless if she couldn't make contact. For Shade's sake she tried once more, stretching the chains so tight that the shackles began to bite into her wrists.

    "Hey! Hands down!" The guard barked, glaring with disapproval at Gale who shuddered from the sudden blast of his voice.

    Gale threw a contemptuous scowl in his direction, and he countered by laying his rifle in his lap so he could unholster a taser. Pointing the weapon at her, he clicked it on for a quick moment so the display of arcing blue sparks could warn her of the consequences if she tested him further.