It took me a minute to process the scene in front of me, my eyes didn't know what to focus on first. The room was huge. I wasn't sure what the warehouse had been used for before, but abandoned crates where stacked everywhere, taking up most of the space. One side of the room was filled with metal cages, not unlike the ones Kane had in his basement, but these were rusted and filthy.
Some of the cages were empty, but some were not. A few had occupants in the form of the giant wolves that had been roaming around our quiet little town. At the sight of me they went wild, snarling and jumping against the bars of the cages. I felt myself recoil in shock.
The middle of the room held a table and chairs. Laid out on the table were all manner of torture devices. I saw knives, and whips, and some things I couldn't even identify. I felt my heart skip a beat at the macabre scene. If Kelsey or Bradley had been touched there would be hell to pay.
Men were scattered around, some lounging in chairs, others leaned up against crates. I counted ten heartbeats. What? Surely I couldn't really hear their heartbeats... but that was sure as hell what it seemed like. If for some reason I had developed super powers this was the time for it.
I realized that I could also smell them. Musty and aggressive, they made the hair on the back of my neck stand up. Finally my eyes focused on what I had subconsciously been avoiding. Kelsey was tied up in one of the wooden chairs. Her face looked a little swollen, and there was blood on her shirt. She was still wearing the clothes she had worn to work. It seemed like it had been years since she dropped me off.
Her hands where tied behind her back, and she had duct tape over her mouth. Her eyes met mine and they were scared. I was going to fix this no matter what it took. Bradley was sitting on the floor beside her. His little hands tied in front of him, and silent tears running down his face. My heart clenched at the sight of him. These men would die tonight.
Finally my gaze settled on the man standing beside her. He wasn't anything impressive. If I had passed him on the street I wouldn't have even given him a second glance. He was Spanish, his dark skin and hair giving him away. I didn't remember hearing an accent, so I figured he had been born in America.
I felt like hours were passing with my slow entrance into the room, but I knew it had been mere seconds. Time was slowing for me as my mind tried to process everything I was seeing.
"Ah so nice of you to finally join us! Your friend has been very excited to see you!" the man said. His fingers trailed down Kelsey's cheek, and my anger was given more fuel.
"Take your hands off of her," my voice was a growl.
I may not have been able to take care of myself, but I would be damned if I stood around and watched someone else get hurt. Jason had always said I didn't have a backbone, but Jason had never messed with anyone I loved.
"My my little dove. Someone is feeling confident."
He grabbed a handful of Kelsey's hair and yanked her head back. His hand tightened around her throat.
"You said you would let them go. In fact, you vowed it," my skin started to tingle again, and the corner's of he man's mouth tightened.
"Ah yes. I wouldn't want to break my word."
He pulled a knife out from behind his back and cut Kelsey's ropes. Once she was free she pulled the duct tape off her mouth, but remained silent. She watched as he cut the rope binding Bradley, and then snatched the boy up into her arms. His cries were louder now, and I could hear her shushing him.
"Sebastian, please escort our guests home, and stay with them until I call you."
One of the men in the room peeled off the wall, and pulled a gun out of it's holster. The barrel came to rest on Kelsey's back, and with a gruff 'move' they started toward me. I wanted to reach out to Kelsey, but with the gun on her I didn't dare.
Her eyes met mine. I couldn't read what was in them before her and Bradley were out of the room. I breathed out a sigh of relief. I didn't like that Sebastian was going with her, but I didn't know what I could do about it.
"Cassie I don't think we have been fully introduced. I know you, but you don't know me, and what a shame that is. My name is Miguel, and these are my men."
He threw out a lazy hand to encompass the remaining men, but I didn't take my eyes off him. The way he said 'these are my men' brought an image of pirates to my mind, and I had to choke back a bubble of hysterical laughter.
"Pleasure," I wasn't looking to stroke this guys ego, so I kept my comments down to a minimum.
"Please dove, why don't you have a seat?"
I shook my head, but I felt a rough hand grip my upper arm and I was pulled toward Miguel. The man shoved me into the chair Kelsey had vacated, and wrenched my arms behind my back. The rope bit in tight around my wrists, but I had entered a strange state of calm. Kelsey was out of the chair, and I was happy to take her place.
"Comfortable?"
I looked up silently at Miguel, studying his face now that I was closer. He skin was pocketed with scars, making him look older than he originally had. His eyes were hard and cold, and a sliver of fear tried to worm it's way into my stomach, but I shut it down.
I needed a cool head if I was going to make it out of this... Whatever this was.
My silence seemed to anger him. His eyes if possible got colder, and before I knew what had happened his fist connected with my cheekbone. My head snapped back at the force of the hit.
Nothing was broken, so I was sure he had pulled the punch, but it still hurt like a bitch. Stars danced in my vision and the swelling started immediately. I fought the rising moan of pain, snuffing it out before it was out of my throat.
"How did you like that dove?" He asked smugly.
I laughed, not a happy laugh, but a low sinister chuckle. If there was one thing I could do, it was take a beating. I was ready for the second hit. This one busted my lip, and I tasted blood. I smiled at him, my red teeth mocking.
"Is that all you've got? I'm not impressed. Why don't we get down to business. Why am I here?"
I spat blood on his shoes, and I was sure he was going to hit me again, but when I looked back up he seemed pleasantly surprised. My bravado was only going to last so long.
"Well, good to know all you witches aren't the same," I was surprised that my kidnapper had an aversion to swearing. "It's very simple Cassie, all we need is a little help from you and you're free to go."
"Help from me?"
"Don't play coy, it doesn't become you. We know what you are Cassie."
As he spoke he began walking around my chair. His fingers drifting across my shoulders. I fought a shudder of aversion, his touch was as slimy as his voice. The way he said my name... I felt like I needed a shower, and the fun had only started. I was getting so damn tired of all this weird bullshit.
I had assumed getting away from Jason would make my life easier, but right now, tied up with this asshole's hands on me I almost missed the smug bastard.
"What the fuck are you talking about?"
"Come now little dove, show us some of your power," the way he said power made it sound explicit.
"If you're looking for power, you've got the wrong girl. I-"
"Miguel, they're closing in," a man had run in from the hallway, speaking to Miguel in an urgent tone.
"Take a team, lead them away from here. I am going to need more time with her."
His palm cupped my cheek, and his leering smile made my heart sink. I've seen those smiles, I knew what they meant.
Without a word the men cleared out of the room, and we were alone, save for the cages full of wolves beside me. When Miguel had tied me up they had fallen silent, watching calmly from behind the bars. Without untying me he yanked me up out of the chair by my arm. My wrists pulled painfully against the rope, but there was no give. I was pushed back onto the only clear surface of the table.
Miguel picked up one of the larger knives and smiled at me, "Now dove, don't put up a fight. You might even enjoy yourself if you would just relax a little."
One hand grabbed me by the throat, holding me down. I began to thrash until his grip tightened. Miguel was strong. So very strong. Holding me still he brought the knife down and cut through the cloth of my shirt. I could feel the sharp point skimming lightly over my skin. The two sides fell away to reveal my chest and stomach. His sharp intake of breath was punctuated by his fingers digging in tighter around my neck. I could already feel the bruise forming.
The calm I had fought for was slowly draining away, and silent tears began leaking down my cheeks. My breathing was shallow from the grip he had on my throat, but I was too afraid of what was going to happen to pass out. My arms were pinned painfully underneath me, and my bruised and swollen face throbbed in time to my increasing heart rate.
He let go of my throat long enough to transfer the knife to his other hand. The metal rested lightly against my throat, but I knew even the slightest movement from me, and the pressure would increase. He used his free hand to trail down the bare skin of my side. Goosebumps popped up where he touched me. I could feel the dirty trail he left.
His hand moved to cup my breast and I whimpered. He smiled liking the sound, and I made a silent promise to keep quiet. He pinched my nipple painfully through the material of my bra and I closed my eyes, the tears coming faster.
I didn't know what to do. I didn't know why I was here or who he thought I was. I didn't know how I was going to get out of here, but mostly I didn't know how I was going to survive what was coming next.