The Beast of Stornoway

Chapter 92: Amani

Amani woke up and struggled against the restraints on her arms and legs. She pulled against the leather straps holding her arms in place in the surgical chair she'd been chained to.

"There's no point in struggling, Amani." Catriona sighed from across the room. Amani could barely see her in the dimly lit dungeon she'd been imprisoned in.

She clenched her fists and glared in her direction. "You can't keep me here."

"Oh, yes I can. You have something of mine growing inside of you. I'll keep you here as long as I like." Catriona laughed as she waved her hand toward the door.

A guard and a doctor wheeling a portable lab in front of them entered the room and closed the door behind them. Amani recognized the smug-looking guard from the black and blue marks she left on his face when he tried to serve her food.

He held out an iron shackle and let the chains clank to the floor. "Can't have you trying to escape after your check-up, Miss Blake." He grinned and knelt down in front of her.

She growled and squirmed against the restraints on her legs. The man held her leg tight and attached the shackle above her left ankle and hooked the other end to an iron loop sticking out of the floor.

"I was hoping I wouldn't have to physically chain you to this room, but it looks like you're just like Van." Catriona giggled and stood from her chair. Her heels clicked against the cobbled floor as she neared her. She grasped Amani's cheek tight as her nails dug into her skin. "Van never liked being locked away in this room either, but he eventually broke and you will too."

Amani stared into her eyes as she built up the saliva in her mouth and spat in Catriona's face. "He's not broken and you won't break me."

"You disgusting little bitch!" Catriona roared and slapped Amani across her face.

She winced at the pain, but laughed in the wretched woman's face. "Is that all you've got?"

Catriona's face turned beet red and her eyes darkened with rage. "I'm going to kill you once my grandchild is born."

A grin curled over Amani's lips. "Not if Van kills you first.."

Catriona let out a bark of laughter. "Van kill me? His own mother?" She smirked. "You obviously don't know him very well. He will do as I ask to save your pathetic life. And once he's done that and you deliver my heir, I'll have you disposed of." She looked at the doctor and the guard. "Check her vitals. My new maid will bring her food. Check that she finishes her plate. If you have to shove the food down her throat. Do it."

Amani watched Catriona slink her way out of the room and she turned her gaze to the doctor who pressed a button on her chair to move her into a horizontal position. She glared into the woman's brown eyes and struggled when she began lifting her shirt. "Don't touch me!" she screamed.

"Miss Blake, I'm not going to hurt you. I'm just checking you and the baby's vitals." The doctor explained and pulled the machine toward her.

"Do you want me to knock her out?" the guard said holding up his tranquilizer gun.

"No, you moron, it'll hurt the baby." She sighed as she put her stethoscope in her ears. She looked at Amani's angry eyes. "You can gag her, though. I don't want her spitting or biting me."

"Fair enough," he grumbled as he stood behind Amani and held her face still. He squeezed her cheeks and pried her mouth open. She screamed and struggled against the restraints as he shoved a black silicone ball in her mouth to muffle her screams. The guard grabbed a fist full of her hair. "That gag looks good on you. Too bad you're off-limits."