Ashe
My eyelids felt heavy and my muscles ached, but as I slowly opened my eyes I felt my energy flowing back into me quickly. It was dark and the air was damp. The floor I laid flat on was hard, concrete maybe. The room smelled of mildew, dirt and blood.
I sat up slowly, feeling the cold metal cuff on my wrists. I lifted it and shook it slightly, listening to the jingle the chain made at the small movement. I closed my eyes again and sought my shadow vision. After a moment of taking in my surroundings, a large grin spread across my face. They underestimated me, again. I decided it was in my best interest to wait until someone checked on me at least twice before busting out, so that I could get a good idea of how long I had before I'd need to fight someone off.
As I finished my thoughts, the sound of squeaky rubber boots made there way down cracked cement stairs. This underground lair was much more like a dungeon than ours, with concrete floors and cobblestone walls, all of which were crumbling apart with time.
Whoever had entered stopped in front of the metal bars that locked me in my cell, "I see you're finally awake." His voice was rough, as if he'd smoked ten packs of cigarettes a day for ages. I recognized it immediately as Sam and chuckled. He made an amused grunting noise before the barred door slid open with a screech. I stood, continuing to use the shadow vision to keep an eye on where he was, five feet from me now. "What do you want?" I growled at him.
He chuckled and tapped his squeaky boot in amused disapproval, "now that's not how you speak to your host, is it doll-face?" I gagged at the pet name and glared in his direction, doubting that he could actually see me. "A host deserving of respect doesn't chain their guests," I spoke calmly. He took a couple steps closer, squeaking with each one. I went to step back and bumped into the wall behind me, scowling as I did so. "What do you want, squeaky?" I demanded again.
Suddenly his hand was around my throat. Since he was human it had no real effect on me, he was weak, but I didn't want him knowing what I was capable of just yet so I pretended to struggle. "You're going to regret ever denying me, doll-face," he practically spit the pet name in my face this time, and I returned the favor with a thick loogie in his eye. He gagged and dropped me to step back and wipe his face off, "you nasty fucking cunt, you'll regret that."
I chuckled this time. "I asked you a question," I shrugged as I continued, "and you were rude." He scoffed and hit a switch somewhere that tuned the lights of the dungeon on. I flinched slightly at the sudden brightness, but Squeaky seemed to think I was flinching at him when I noticed his grin. "You know exactly what I want dear, I've taken it before. Only now, I can take it whenever I want," he spoke with a mischievous twinkle in his eye as he traced a dirt stained finger down my cheek.
I jerked away and nearly exploded with anger at his touch, "how dare you, you shrimp dicked bastard. I'd like to see you try that ever again." He smirked and eyed my body, only then did I realize I was down to just panties and a bra. My anger only boiled hotter, but I quickly pulled the reins in on myself, remembering my initial plan. If he tried to take me anywhere, I could just set him ablaze and run for it. I needed to know where August was first though.
I attempted communication through the shadow with him, but Sam and whoever else was with him either managed to block it or he was still out cold. I refused to believe any other reasoning. "Where's August?" I snap at him. His smirk falters for only a second before returning, "oh that thing? He's in the cell next to you. I'm surprised he hasn't woke up yet, then again we did have to give him a higher dose seeing as when he noticed you go limp he nearly went all god on us."
I sighed quietly, that makes all of this so much easier. Sam closed the space between us in the blink of an eye and before I could react, he had dry lips on mine. I jerked away from him and kicked his shin, leaving him limping away to rub the sore spot out of my reach and grumbling in frustration. "You know, the last time you fought me it didn't go so well for you," he said in a dark, sing-song tone, "and you weren't even chained up those times."
I heard rustling in the cell over and let out another sigh of relief. Sam noticed it too and let out a drawn out "ugh" before perking back up, an evil grin taking over his chapped lips. I didn't like the look in his eyes one bit. He walked over and kicked August's door, "hey lover boy, wake up. I want you to watch me take your girl." I heard August jump up quickly and kick his door from the inside, "you sick fuck, touch her and your dead."
"August? Sweetheart it's okay, I've got everything under control just stay calm," I could hear his breathing slow through the wall as I communicated my plans through the shadow to him. Sam made it clear he didn't like whatever was going on as he walked back into my cell with his hands on his hips, "you never were any fun, like playing with a dying fish," his annoying smirk returned, "in more ways than one."
I shook my head and gave him a disappointed expression, "Sammy, Sammy, Sammy. You poor, ignorant, pathetic excuse for a man. Y'know, back in ancient times they took men like you and cut your cocks off, I'd say that's going easy on your type but, I guess I have different morals." His eyes widened at me in surprise momentarily before bursting into laughter, "what the hell could you do? You're chained."
I heard August's soft chuckle of encouragement and felt the pride flowing through my chest and bubbling to the rest of my body with each word I spoke next, "people like you deserve to rot, I will not let you hurt another innocent, you've underestimated me for the last fucking time." He opened his mouth to speak but, before he could get a word out, I blew on my fingertips and snapped them. Within seconds Sam's head silently exploded, blood, pieces of skull and brain matter sprinkling my body and the surrounding area as his body hit the ground with a heavy thud. "That's my goddess," I heard August's proud voice say and I purred loudly.
I shook myself out of the moment before busting the shackles off as August did the same. "That isn't exactly what you said you were going to do you know," he said with a chuckle, "not that I'm complaining." I bumped his shoulder with mine and grinned, "I was sick of his stupid face, now I'll never have to see it again. Plus I didn't sense anyone else upstairs when I was using the shadow veil and I'm assuming, based on the weak shackles and general build of this place, it's a hunter's and not Loralai's."
He beamed at me proudly before taking my hand, "ready to go home princess?" I nodded and we shadow traveled back to the cabin. I figured we would check to see if James was still in the cell or not later seeing as I needed to get dressed, but I assumed Sam had gotten him out. We shadow-linked with our friends to meet with us in an hour near the area we'd locked him up and stepped inside the cabin slowly.
Nothing seemed off, weird or out of place so I relaxed a little. "I'm going to grab a couple things from our room and some clothes," I called to August as I headed in that direction. He'd went towards the kitchen, "that's fine, I'm going to make some snacks." I sighed thankfully, I was starving.
Once I was in the bedroom, I picked up a couple notebooks and tossed them in my black backpack along with an extra coat. I grabbed some clean clothes, walked back towards the kitchen and quickly caught a chocolate bar that was flying right for my face, "watch it mister, you almost hit me." August laughed and I rolled my eyes at him, "I'm going to grab a quick shower and rinse all this...matter off me." He nodded and gave me a thumbs up while chewing a mouthful of spicy chips.
***
We sat in the dark depths of the underground prison, James had been knocked unconscious and we weren't sure how long he'd been like that but he still had a pulse. We weren't exactly surprised that he was still here, just surprised he was alive. Oakley and Clovella would be here any minute, we got here extra early to scope the place out and make sure no one was sneaking around and waiting for us. Oakley had finally been through her transformation a couple days ago, but she was still getting the hang of controlling and figuring out her own powers.
A wolf had appeared directly in front of us, causing me to jump back. August was calm though, which eased my nerves long enough for me to realize it was Magna in her wolf form that stood before us. I nodded at her and she released a huff through her nose. Magna's wolf was a little larger than the size of a dire wolf, her fur was rough and black but her muzzle had tints of grey and white to express her age. Her eyes still glowed the same colors they did when she was in her human form.
Minutes later, my best friend and her girlfriend showed up. Oakley's transformation hadn't caused many physical changes for her, she was still learning how to retract her fangs so they peaked out of her lips just slightly when her expression was relaxed. They gave us a small nod and I tilted my head towards James' cell before turning and walking in his direction, the group followed. "So," I started, "here's the plan so far."
After I had walked them through everything me and August had been discussing, I turned to open the door to James' cell. "Is that a good idea?" Oakley asked hesitantly. I shrugged without turning to look at her, "he's human, we're not." Satisfied with the following silence I continued to open his door the rest of the way and walked in slowly, August close behind. The others gathered tightly around the open doorway.
Cautiously, I bent down next to the poor boy who'd been forced into a life he didn't seem to want and felt for his pulse again. Sure enough it was there, faint and slow, but it was there. I nudged him gently at an attempt to wake him, hoping he hadn't been knocked into a coma. Not that a little magic couldn't fix that problem, but I had a feeling that if that was the case then his memory wouldn't be as good as it had been before.
August seemed to come to the same conclusion I had, by the way he kicked James' legs a bit harder than I would've. I shot him a sharp look and he shrugged, "obviously your gentle approach wasn't working, maybe he's a deep sleeper." I rolled my eyes, "you have a point, but that didn't seem to work either." I gestured at the still out cold James in front of us. I stood and turned towards Magna, who'd finally shifted back into her human form, only stopping in my tracks slightly due to the surprising fact that she still had clothes on. From what I'd read, werewolves had the misfortune of needing to redress themselves after a transformation.
"This is not a fairytale darling, you should know better by now. Those human fairytales are silly anyways, what's the point of having magic if we're not using it for practicality?" she spoke as if reading my mind. It made sense too, needing to have clothes hidden in every possible place you might decide to turn human seemed like much more of a hassle than using a little energy to just leave them on, but what do I know? I'm no wolf after all.
I shrugged and clapped my hands together, "well then, how about we use some of that magic to wake this damsel in distress then? I could use some practice anyways." I heard the faint sound of Oakley snickering and caught August rolling his eyes. A small grin tugged at my mouth but I hid it, turning back towards James and kneeling down again.
I turned him so that he was flat on his back and gently wiped the loose hairs away from his face before straddling his upper stomach. I placed my thumbs on his temples and added some pressure before slowly chanting a small incantation. I noticed August shifting his weight from one leg to the other and back, I couldn't help but wonder what he was in a rush for. It's not like James' awakening would affect our plans, it'd just be a bit more helpful.
Focus, my fathers voice echoed into my thoughts and nearly made me stumble forward in surprise. I shook my head and quickly refocused on the task at hand. Within seconds James eyes finally began to flutter open.
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