Emily

by Storm Jk

  ‘He was the son of one of my trusted guards. Unfortunately for him, he helped your mother escape; at the start I was so disappointed with him. But he lasted three days in this very room. I was proud of him for holding out but in the end he begged for his life.’

  Vladimir could see how this was affecting Eric so he said, ‘It seems like a lot of your people betray you. If I was you, I would put some thought into that fact.’

  Varrick laughed, ‘My son, if you join me maybe you can show me the error of my ways.’

  ‘Never,’ Vladimir replied coldly.

  ‘Many men have said never to me in this room,’ and then turning to Ivan he said, ‘I believe you were one of them.’

  Ivan looked pale and washed out, his eyes were bloodshot and he seemed not to be able to focus on anything. The broken bond with Sarah had somehow weakened him.

  ‘I want to kill the witch,’ his voice was hoarse. He had spent the night as a wolf in the forest, howling for Sarah.

  Varrick was gentle with his words. ‘Ivan, I need the girl for a little longer. Once I have harvested her eggs I will let you kill her.’

  Looking at Vladimir he smiled and added, ‘Anyway you want to.’

  Vladimir’s rage was building in him, it was in his head and consuming him. He imagined ripping Varrick to pieces.

  Varrick just laughed and turning to Roy said, ‘Now, where do we start?’

  Roy picked up an electric coil and replied, ‘Let’s start with this, it’s a bit cold in here.’

  *

  Emily woke with a start; the men were in pain. Her whole body pulsated with it and she let out a scream that was primal. Her thoughts were confused. It was so hard to gather them…again a wave of pain ran through her body.

  A voice. She could hear a voice. It sounded close but it was not in the same room as her.

  ‘You are safe.’ It was a woman’s voice with a heavy Czech accent.

  ‘No,’ Emily cried. ‘The pain! Vladimir and Eric are in pain.’

  ‘Vladimir and Eric?’ The woman’s voice asked sounding startled. ‘Tell me girl, who are you?’ But Emily screamed again. It was so hard for her to think. Then, as suddenly as it had started the pain stopped. She heard the door of the cell open but she couldn’t lift her head. Why couldn’t she move?

  The woman’s voice was harsh and demanded, ‘What are you doing to this girl?’

  A man dressed in a white lab coat barked back, ‘Shut up, Valeskia, get back to your room. Why Varrick doesn’t put a bullet into your head I’ll never know.’ But he knew why, the woman meant something to Varrick.

  She had the run of the level although she wore a collar that stopped her from leaving it. Her cell was large and comfortable, like a small apartment, and once a month Varrick would join her for dinner. Over the years a peace had come to Valeskia. Varrick had told her that Vladimir and Eric were dead. Everyone she had loved was dead and, in a way, it was freeing. She didn’t need to protect anyone from Varrick and he had nothing to hold over her. Her faith had stopped her from killing herself over the many years of capture. The gene therapy meant her life was extended, so in the last thirty years Valeskia had hardly changed.

  Varrick had expected to breed with Valeskia again. But Valeskia had taken a knife from one of the guards and stabbed her belly, cutting her womb. Varrick had managed to harvest an egg from the wound, which had made Vondra, but he had been so angry with her that she thought he would kill her on the spot. But instead he’d her sewn up, and while he hadn’t touched her again he would visit her sometimes to talk, sometimes just to look at her. Over the years Valeskia realised he had feelings for her.

  Maybe it was love, if a man like him could feel such a thing.

  Why had this woman called out Vladimir and Eric’s names? Coming back from her thoughts, Valeskia asked the lab assistant who was injecting an anaesthetic into Emily’s arm, ‘The woman talks of Vladimir and Eric, who are they?’

  The lab assistant, who was quite young and didn’t know of Valeskia’s past with Varrick, responded, ‘Varrick’s son has returned. He brought this girl with him and another man called Eric. They are both on the floor below getting special treatment from Varrick.’ The lab assistant chuckled. The lower floor was a threat that kept the abnormals in line. No one returned from that floor. The hair on Valeskia’s neck prickled and her heart started thumping in her chest; her son was alive. My son and Eric, they live, she thought. And then Valeskia realised that they were on the white floor and, more than ever, they needed her protection.

  ‘Pup,’ she ordered the lab tech, ‘tell Varrick that I want to see him.’

  ‘Woman,’ the lab tech responded briskly, ‘I’m busy.’

  Cutting him off, Valeskia’s tone was firm. ‘You know I’m a favourite, tell him I want to talk.’ Softening her voice Valeskia added, ‘He won’t be angry, I promise you. But he will be if he finds out that you didn’t deliver my message.’

  The lab tech looked at Emily and checked her pulse. The anaesthetic had put her under again and she would not wake for another six hours. So far, her body didn’t show any signs of stress with all the drugs that they had used on her. Looking back at Valeskia he decided to pass the message along to a supervisor. He would know what to do about this crazy woman.

  *

  Roy threw a bucket of water on Vladimir who had finally, after four hours of torture, fallen unconscious. ‘Very impressive,’ Roy said to Varrick. Even with all the different methods that they had used on Vladimir, he had not spoken once.

  ‘Yes, he’s a good specimen.’ Varrick was pleased, he liked that his seed was so strong. It seemed a waste to have to kill him.

  Eric had lasted three hours and was unconscious before Roy and Varrick focused on Vladimir. Varrick had liked seeing the pain in his son’s eyes as he had tortured Eric.

  ‘Will you mate him before you kill him?’ Roy asked.

  ‘No, I will just harvest his sperm. I can’t imagine he would mate willingly. I will harvest this one’s too,’ Varrick added pointing to Eric. ‘His reflexes are incredible.’

  ‘I prefer to keep my sperm to myself,’ Vladimir mumbled, coming to. His body was covered in blood and sweat.

  There was a knock on the door and an old man in a white lab coat walked in and whispered something to Varrick. A look of displeasure came over his face.

  ‘How did she find out?’ he barked at the old man.

  The man looked scared and Varrick paused before saying to Roy, ‘Enough for today. Get them back to their cells,’ then he stalked out of the room.

  Eric was also coming round as Roy picked up a phone and ordered someone to come and take the men back to their cells. As soon as the guards arrived he walked out, cursing.

  ‘What’s going on?’ Eric murmured. His body had never hurt so badly in his life.

  ‘I’m not sure but I think we have copped a break.’

  Eric laughed weakly, ‘This is a break?’ and after a moment Vladimir joined him.

  *

  Varrick stormed into Valeskia’s cell. He noticed that she had taken care of her appearance and had let her rich, chocolate-coloured hair down. He could smell the deliciousness of the curls and it bothered him that she could affect him so. After all the years he had held her captive, she still excited him in a way no other woman could.

  ‘Is it true?’ Valeskia asked. ‘Are Vladimir and Eric here?’ She would remain calm. The old game between them had started again.

  Moving behind her Varrick stuck his hands into her hair, lifting it to his nose to smell it. Reaching down her front he fondled her breast, he liked how she tried to control the shudder.

  ‘Let’s discuss this in your bed,’ he suggested.

  ‘After we see our son and Eric we can discuss anything you like in my bed,’ Valeskia replied coolly.

  ‘Our son, I like the sound of that.’ And thinking for a moment Varrick added, ‘Yes, maybe that is what I need to do to bring him onto my side. Come then my love, we go to see our son.’<
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  Valeskia’s heart was beating so hard in her chest, she was sick to her stomach. What if this was another one of Varrick’s tricks? And yet, the girl had called their names. Walking along the hall, Valeskia stumbled and Varrick grabbed her. He could feel how fast her heart was beating.

  In a moment of compassion he said, ‘They will look bad. I’ve been trying to persuade them to join me.’

  As the cell opened Valeskia was assaulted with the smell of sweat and blood. Both men were now shackled to the wall. In an instant Valeskia recognised them both; her boys had become men.

  ‘Please don’t leave them like that,’ she pleaded with Varrick, but he was silent and stood leaning against the wall with his arms crossed. Hearing her voice, Vladimir looked up. At first seeing his mother in front of him he thought he was dreaming and then Eric gasped.

  ‘Valeskia, you are alive!’ and she was kissing them both and they were laughing and crying.

  ‘I thought you were dead,’ Valeskia sobbed.

  ‘We thought you were dead, too,’ Vladimir replied, tears rolling down his face.

  ‘I couldn’t believe it when the girl spoke your name.’ Valeskia was wiping the blood from their faces with the corner of her shirt.

  ‘Girl?’ Vladimir asked. ‘Emily. You have seen Emily?’ From his tone Valeskia knew that this woman meant something to her son.

  ‘A small blonde woman?’

  ‘Yes,’ breathed Eric. ‘Is she alright?’

  ‘Enough!’ Varrick boomed. ‘You have seen them now. Come woman!’ He felt strangely moved by the love Valeskia was showing for the men.

  ‘Please Varrick! I beg you, don’t leave them like this. They’re not a threat to you,’ Valeskia pleaded softly.

  God, she looked so beautiful. Hating himself for his weakness, Varrick looked at the men and then called for the guards to come in.

  ‘Let them down and clean them up, but make sure they can’t escape.’

  ‘Wait,’ Eric called. ‘Valeskia, is my son safe?’

  ‘Your son?’ Valeskia replied confused.

  ‘His name is Eben. I saw him when we arrived, do you know him?’

  Valeskia thought for a moment. No wonder the boy had always seemed familiar to her.

  ‘I know Eben, he’s a good boy.’ Valeskia cursed herself under her breath ‘Oh, Dusana, how could I not see he was your grandchild?’ She had seen the boy when they had brought him in for tests, he had a cheeky way about him that was endearing.

  Turning to Varrick, she asked softly, ‘Where is the boy?’

  Varrick smiled coldly at Valeskia and then turned to Eric. ‘I sent him away from you. I didn’t want to test the boy’s loyalty with you here. Once you’ve joined me I will call for him to come back.’

  ‘We’ll never join you,’ Eric’s voice was cold and there was no doubt that he meant what he said.

  ‘Well then, when you are both dead, if that works for you,’ and he grabbed Valeskia and pushed her from the cell.

  Vladimir broke for a moment and screamed, ‘Mother!’ as Valeskia was led down the hall, tears streaming down her face, sobbing all the way to her quarters.

  Varrick was unmoved by her display and barked, ‘Clean yourself up, woman. I’ll return shortly for our discussion,’ and he strode off down the hallway.

  Valeskia was numb for a moment and then she cried softly to herself, ‘think, think,’ and she moved to the washstand. Suddenly, feeling alive she cried out loud, ‘Oh Dusana! I didn’t fail you. Our sons are still alive. We still have hope.’ For the last year she had dreamed of Dusana and in her dreams Dusana had told her, ‘It is not over’. The dream had haunted her with the fruitlessness of her life. Now at last she knew what Dusana was telling her.

  Washing her face and pulling a comb through her hair, Valeskia’s mind was racing. She would welcome Varrick into her bed. She would give him what he wanted to keep her son and Eric alive. As she removed her clothing she heard the cell door open. She stood naked at the edge of the bed, facing the wall, wondering to herself if she could go through with it. Then she heard Varrick remove his clothes and then his hands were on her and they were so cold…

  *

  The joy of seeing Valeskia passed as soon as he left the cell. ‘Oh, my God,’ Vladimir cried, ‘I should have made sure she was dead.’

  ‘Vlad, we thought she was. The signs were there,’ Eric replied. He too felt guilty that they had left her behind.

  The guards had let them down and brought fresh water for them to clean up. One guard stood outside the cell with a machine gun pointed at the men. Clean clothes were given and food and water were brought in. The men dressed and ate the food, bland as it was – they were so hungry. After they had eaten the guards brought in two shackles with long chains for their legs.

  ‘Stay still,’ the guard commanded.

  ‘Or what?’ Eric baited. But he was still as the guards put the shackles on him and Vladimir.

  ‘This is titanium, no one has ever broken it,’ the guard said coldly.

  ‘Good to know we’ll be the first,’ Eric quipped, and the guards left them, snarling under his breath.

  ‘How is your body?’ Vladimir asked. He was still racked with pain from the torture.

  Eric replied smiling slightly, ‘A bit tender here and there,’ then both men laughed. Their bodies were throbbing with pain, Vladimir’s leg was so sore he was not sure he could stand on it, but they both knew they would heal quickly as long as they were not tortured again.

  ‘Do you think Janak will come through tomorrow?’ Eric quickly asked Vladimir.

  ‘He’d better,’ Vladimir replied. He knew that neither Eric nor he would last another session in the White room and he so badly wanted to live now; he needed to free his women.

  Chapter 19

  Vince was stunned for a moment after materialising by where the train had left them, the dense forest looked menacing around him. The small group, Rumour, Applejacks, Vondra, Ross and Vince’s men, Martin, Frank and John, froze for at least five seconds before moving. Vondra had transformed back into her human form and looked at Vince and Ross.

  Ross gently asked her, ‘Can you untie us?’ he was trying not to look at her perfect, naked body. Vondra untied Ross and then he untied the rest of the men.

  Rumour was whimpering and Ross bent down to look at her while Vince removed his shirt, handing it to Vondra to put on. Applejacks was distressed, he couldn’t contact Emily, Vladimir or Eric – he was unsure if they were still alive.

  Realising that Applejacks was upset, Ross spoke softly to him. ‘It’s okay, we’ll get them out, but I don’t think we should stay here.’

  Applejacks nodded, glad that at least Ross could understand him.

  ‘Vince, Rumour is hurt. We need to make a sling to carry her in.’ Ross spoke calmly. Vince nodded and gestured for another man to take off his shirt, they were all wearing thermal singlets that would keep them warm until they could find some supplies. Vondra looked at Ross intensely as he tenderly looked over Rumour and she had seen how he had spoken to the horse as an equal.

  ‘You care for dog?’ Vondra asked Ross in broken English.

  ‘Of course, she is important,’ Ross replied as the men put together a sling for her. Gently lifting Rumour, Ross’ voice was soothing. ‘It’s okay girl, you’ll be alright.’ Vince instructed the men to form a protective circle around Applejacks and Ross.

  ‘Where are we going?’ Ross asked Vince, lifting Rumour into the sling and gently putting it onto his back.

  ‘I’ll send John and Martin to where we’ve hidden the spare weapons and supplies. If they’re still there we’ll meet up. Right now we move east for two kilometres, we need to vacate this area immediately.’

  Before moving off, Ross turned to Vondra and asked, ‘Will you stay with us?’

  Pulling Vince’s shirt off she responded, ‘I will stay with you,’ and turned back into a white tiger. Ross picked up the shirt and tucked it into the sling. When he turned he found Vi
nce smiling at him.

  He repeated Vondra’s last words to Ross. ‘I will stay with you?’ Vince asked. Ross turned bright red. He wasn’t sure what she had meant but he had an uneasy feeling that he would find out.

  *

  Emily’s thoughts started to come together and slowly she became aware of her surroundings. But it was like another person was thinking her thoughts; they didn’t make sense, she couldn’t understand them. The noises around her were confusing, she could hear dripping and metal scraping then nothing.

  Not knowing how long between thoughts, Emily came to and realised she was still strapped to a metal bench. Her body hurt, especially her arm, and it was so hard to move. It was hard to understand why her body didn’t want to respond to any commands that she made of it. After what seemed like hours, she moved her head slightly to the left and opened her eyes. The bright light hurt and the pain stabbed through her head. Closing them quickly, she waited for a while before opening her eyes again. The pain was less but her vision was blurry. Her mouth was dry and she tried to lick her lips but there was no spit.

  Much later, she didn’t know how long, her vision cleared and she could see the drip that was connected to her arm. The fluid was bright purple. I know that colour, she thought to herself. Another thought popped up, I don’t like purple, but the thought seemed odd; her favourite flower was lavender.

  After a while there were people in the room. They were talking but the words, while familiar, didn’t make sense to Emily.

  ‘She has almost completed the final dose,’ a man’s voice said.

  ‘Yes, her body seems stable,’ another voice said. ‘Should we put her under again?’

  ‘Yes, I think she can stand another six hours.’ Then darkness spread through her body and Emily’s last thought was, Why?

  Waking again, Emily felt different. The purple drip was gone and in its place was a clear fluid.

  ‘Hello Emily,’ a voice boomed, it was Varrick. He was standing over her, his face close to hers, looking down as she lay on the metal table. I know this voice, Emily thought. Looking at his face she thought he looked familiar, but it was not a face she wanted to see. Again Varrick spoke, ‘Emily, focus here.’ And he snapped his fingers in front of her face. ‘Her reflexes are slow,’ he said, turning to the tech.