Sundown Series (Book 4): Torment

by Konstantin, Courtney

  "Keep this on for a while. Hopefully it helps any swelling inside. But I'm not sure how bad the damage really is. We'll have to wait and see."

  "You may go, Coral," the Noble Lord said.

  Alex noticed that he didn't call her “Auntie” now that Alex was awake. When he thought she was asleep, he was more vulnerable and gave up more information. Alex didn't give any indication that she knew anything as the two parted ways at the door. The Noble Lord came back to the bed. In his hand were a pair of silver handcuffs. He walked straight to Alex and hooked one side to her wrist and the other to the metal framework of the large headboard. Without a word he went to the other side of the bed and laid down.

  He faced her and watched her as she stared at the ceiling. Alex didn't turn to look at him. Not only would her neck not allow the movement, she also wouldn't give him the satisfaction of interacting. Alex was exhausted. Her body demanded time to recharge and begin its healing process. But a part of her was too scared to sleep next to the vile man. Though she was injured, she didn't believe that would stop him from taking what he wanted. She was an easy victim at the moment, no matter what Alex wanted. Her will to live was back, she could feel it flow through her mind. It was as if her father was infused in her cells now, after imagining him during her blackout.

  Eventually Alex could no longer fight the sleep she needed so badly. She was able to hold out longer than the Noble Lord. She noted the moment his eyes closed, and his breathing became deep and even. She spent a good amount of time wishing she had something to stab him with. It was frustrating to her to have him so close and vulnerable and yet she could do nothing about it. As she began to fall into sleep, she found herself wishing she saw her father again. When she finally closed her eyes, she could feel herself reaching for him. However, he wasn't there this time. She was reaching nothing but darkness.

  With no windows to the outside, Alex couldn't be sure how long she had slept. She was woken by the Noble Lord rolling out of bed. The moment he shifted his feet to the ground Alex was wide awake. And the pain hit her like a ton of bricks. With her free hand, Alex removed the now warm ice pack from her neck. She unceremoniously threw it to the floor. She touched her throat carefully, feeling abnormal swelling. The discovery made her seethe with anger. She would find the chance to make the Noble Lord pay for injuring her.

  Alex then ran her hand down her leg, finding the bandage Coral had placed. She peeled up a piece of the tape so she could put her fingers on the skin underneath. She waited a beat and was thankful to not feel any hot skin around the wound. A raging infection was the last thing she needed and being stabbed by wood could leave any number of particles in her body. She dodged a real problem with that.

  "I wouldn't mess with that," the Noble Lord said.

  He came out of his closet area fully dressed, holding his boots. Alex didn't bother trying to respond. She knew it would hurt and she didn't feel like he deserved any responses from her. He sat on her side of the bed and pushed his feet into his boots. Once done, he leaned over her, his hand resting on her uninjured thigh. He brought himself nose to nose with her.

  "You won't be doing that again, will you?" He asked.

  Whichever way she shook her head, he would assume she was agreeing with him. So instead she looked away from him. He grabbed her chin and brought her back to face him. Alex stared at him with hate.

  "Still some fire in there, I see. Well, we have time to break that," the Noble Lord said.

  Then he leaned down and softly kissed her. If Alex had more strength in her neck, she would have ripped her face out of his hand. However, at that moment she was too weak to do anything. Instead, she didn't move a muscle, she didn't kiss him back, she laid stiff. Once he was done, he sat back and studied her.

  "It's such a shame that we had to damage that beautiful body. But I think you'll heal and we'll start again."

  She didn't answer him, just stared at the ceiling. At that moment she made a vow to herself that she wouldn't be there long enough for him to try to break her again. She would figure out a way to escape and if she could, kill him on the way out. She knew it was going to be hard and she wasn't even really sure how she would make it happen. But she thought about her father's words. She had been raised the way she had been for a reason. She was determined to live up to her father's belief in her. The Noble Lord wouldn't break her spirit or her body again.

  Without an answer, the Noble Lord just sighed and rose from the bed. He went back to the closet and when he exited again, he was strapping on the hunting knife he kept on his hip. Again, Alex noted that he didn't seem to carry a gun, only the twelve-inch blade. She wondered if it was arrogance that caused him to not carry something more for protection. On the hopeful side, Alex thought maybe he wasn't adept with using a gun. That would give Alex a step up on him and if she could get her hands on a firearm, she could easily take him out.

  "Coral will be back to check on you this morning. Try to be nice to the old woman," the Noble Lord said over his shoulder as he walked toward the door.

  Without any additional conversation, the Noble Lord opened the door. Alex then snapped to attention, raising her head slightly to see what the guard set-up was. She could see one man by the door and a muzzle from a second gun on the other side. Two men at least at the door. Both of which were armed to the teeth with weapons to protect their dear leader. The Noble Lord relied on and trusted his guards. Alex toyed with the idea of finding one she could turn with lies and promises. If she could get one on her side, it would be easier to get the weapon she needed.

  Hours later Alex was awakened by prodding on her throat. Somehow through the day Alex had succumbed to her need for rest and had fallen into a deep sleep. Stupid, she thought to herself. She hadn't heard the door open or anyone enter. Luckily for her this time it was only Coral there to check on her. When Alex's eyes popped open the woman sat back slightly to look at her. Alex looked all around the room, afraid that the Noble Lord had come back with her. Finding the room empty she turned her eyes back on the woman that was acting as a nurse.

  "Yes, we're alone," Coral said, understanding Alex's inspection of the room.

  "Why?" Alex said with a croak.

  "You probably should wait another few days before really talking. But I'm not sure what you're asking. Why are we alone?" Coral asked.

  Alex nodded her head slightly, but stilled as soon as pain hit her from her neck.

  "The Noble Lord doesn't think you're a threat right now. And we were alone before and you didn't hurt me. How would you now?"

  Coral shrugged her shoulders as if the answer was so simple. It was then that Alex suddenly realized that her arm was no longer handcuffed to the bed. Both of her hands laid on her stomach, as if Coral was positioning her for something. Alex flexed the hand and tried to rotate her shoulder. The pain in her neck stopped her from doing much, but the blood flowing freely back through the limb felt great.

  "I think we should get you up to the bathroom," Coral said.

  Alex didn't argue. Her body needed to relieve itself and she wasn't sure where the bathroom was. She shouldn't have been surprised when she was led to a private bathroom that had been blocked off for the Noble Lord. Coral led her through a hallway that had been blocked by wood, not allowing any view from the ballroom. The hallway led to a door which opened to a bathroom with three stalls and a makeshift shower in the corner. Coral helped Alex into a stall before stepping back to wait.

  In the stall, Alex sat heavily on the toilet. She didn't move, long after she was done relieving herself. She hadn't been alone in three days and even the idea of privacy in the stall was blissful to Alex. The bathroom was quiet, with none of the outside chaos reaching her. She leaned over and rested her head on the stall wall. She studied the tile on the ground, black and white squares that seemed to be from a different era.

  She closed her eyes for a moment and took some deep breaths. In her mind she memorized the bathroom as well. There was one high window, that Alex cou
ldn't climb out of without help. Three toilet stalls and one large metal tub that was made into a shower. There were two sinks, but one was rerouted for the shower water. There was no escape from this room. Knowing that, Alex marked it off her list of possibilities.

  "Did you fall in?" Coral's voice came from the other side of the stall door.

  Alex didn't bother trying to respond, as she knew it would hurt. She stood and flushed the toilet. When she came out of the stall, Coral stood leaning against the wall waiting. She came to Alex and put an arm around her waist to help. At the sink, Coral splashed water on Alex's face and patted it dry. She used a washcloth to clean away the dried blood that had caked into Alex's hair and skin. Can't have me looking bad for the Noble Lord, Alex thought to herself. She guessed he expected his pets to be in perfect condition. A hard request since he's the one that broke them.

  Looking into the mirror, Alex inspected her face and throat. She experimented turning her head from side to side. Her muscles were stiff and tight. The pain was still there, but it was getting more manageable. She continued to stretch for a moment, working the kinks out of her body. Laying in a bed for twelve hours or more straight wasn't normal for Alex. With her injuries and laying stationary, muscles she had forgotten about were angry with her. The cut on her thigh hurt, but it was a speck in the larger scheme of sensations in her body.

  When she was done, Coral led her back to the bed. She helped Alex climb into the tall bed and then she propped her up on pillows. While they were in the bathroom, a tray had been brought in. On it was a steaming liquid-filled bowl and a bottle of water. After Alex was settled, Coral held a spoon to Alex's mouth. Alex eyed the spoon and the woman with distrust.

  "I'm not here to poison you. If he wanted you dead, he wouldn't have stopped when you passed out," Coral said, nodding toward her throat.

  Alex conceded that Coral's reasoning made sense. She opened her lips slightly and Coral slid the warm liquid over her tongue. It was a broth of some type. Though Alex couldn't have felt hunger if she tried, the warmth spread down her injured throat into her belly, making her shiver. Coral set the bowl down and pulled the thick comforter over Alex. The blanket did little to make Alex feel better, but she knew the warmth would soon set in and her body would appreciate that.

  "Do I call you Auntie?" Alex said in a whisper.

  She watched Coral for her reaction, her widening eyes were the only indication Alex received that she had hit a nerve.

  "My name is Coral, you know that."

  "I know that you are the Noble Lord's aunt. And he respects you in the only way he knows how," Alex said.

  "You are delusional. The Noble Lord doesn't respect anyone but himself."

  "In general terms, sure. But I have wondered about you. He doesn't treat you the same. He listens to you. And I now have my answer. My new question is, why do you let him do what he does?"

  Coral didn't answer Alex, but instead held the spoon to her lips again. Alex didn't hesitate to allow the spoon-feeding to continue. When she was handed the water bottle, Alex wanted to guzzle the water. Yet, she knew it would only make her sick if she did it too fast. She took sips before placing the cap back and giving it to Coral. When the woman tried to give Alex another bite, Alex shook her head slightly and stared at Coral. She wanted an answer to her question.

  "No one lets him do anything," Coral finally said.

  Alex opened her mouth for the bite. The broth was filling her with pleasant heat, and she wanted to drink straight from the bowl. But she thought if she could delay Coral leaving, she may be able to gather more information about the Noble Lord and his organization.

  "Maybe not. But I think he listens more to you than you are willing to admit to me. Look at me, I'm not in the position to use any information. Be honest."

  Her hand swept her body, highlighting the bruises and injuries. Alex hedged her bets that Coral was lonely. That she had no one to talk to in this apocalyptic world. She now lived to serve the Noble Lord. And Alex knew that wasn't a fulfilling life. If she could position herself as a confidant for Coral, Alex thought she may be able to obtain information that was useful to her escape. While her body was in the state it was, she didn't have much else to do.

  "I don't know things about the Noble Lord and his operation," Coral said.

  "Ok. If that's how you want to be. How long has this place been like this?" Alex asked.

  "The drugs were his business before the dead. The women started a few weeks after. He took this place over when he realized he had a moneymaker."

  "So, not long," Alex said. Her voice was getting quieter as the pain intensified with each word she spoke.

  "No. It looks like something he's worked on for a long time. But this building was a good find. It was being used by FEMA. The Noble Lord and his men, shall we say evicted the workers? They already had separate rooms set up for survivors. The Noble Lord had the manpower and he pushed them all out."

  "Pushed or killed?" Alex asked.

  "Doesn't really matter now," Coral replied, shrugging her small shoulders.

  Alex could guess for herself, the menace of the Noble Lord was apparent. He wouldn't have left anyone alive that could oppose him. She thought about the bodies in the front of the building, some decomposed and smelling. Originally she had assumed they were the infected that were just left to rot. Now she wondered if some of those weren't the innocent people that had originally called the old building salvation. The hate she had for the evil man intensified.

  "I know you aren't really ok with what goes on here," Alex said.

  "You'll learn to do what you have to, to stay alive," Coral said.

  As she spoke, she straightened the nightie that Alex still wore. On one side the lace was ripped away from the bodice, exposing more of Alex's skin than she would have liked. Beneath the black material, bruises bloomed across Alex's skin. They were darkening by the hour and Alex felt her anger grow at the same rate. She would not be learning to do anything, except fight for her freedom and protect her body.

  Coral stood and started to clean up the supplies she had brought. She then turned and quickly handcuffed Alex again, preventing Alex from even attempting an escape after she left.

  "I'll be back in a few hours with a dinner for you. Rest. You'll feel better about everything once you're feeling back to normal."

  "Unlikely," Alex replied.

  Coral just sighed and left the room. It was clear the woman thought anything the Noble Lord did was worth his protection. The difference between Coral and Alex, Alex didn't need protection. She could take care of herself and the surrounding people. She had killed hundreds of the infected. Bending the knee to the Noble Lord wasn't something she was going to even consider doing. On the other hand, her mind was ready to take Coral's advice for rest. Her eyes slowly fell shut and she was immediately in darkness.

  Angry voices entered the bedroom and Alex pushed herself up into a sitting position. She had been awake watching the firelight dance on the ceiling. Her nap had re-energized her and she’d spent some time messing with the handcuffs. When she couldn't open those, she tried to find a way to break the bed to get away. Nothing proved successful so she just laid and stared at the ceiling. The Noble Lord coming in having an angry conversation was enough to make Alex jump.

  The Noble Lord strode across the room to the fireplace that had the warm fire burning. A guard had come in numerous times to make sure there was a light in the room and that the fire didn't go out. She guessed it was his job to make sure the room was always ready for the Noble Lord. Behind a very pissed off Noble Lord, two men in military uniforms followed. Alex sucked in a breath and then cursed to herself when her movements set off pain in her neck. One of the men looked over at Alex and then pointedly back to the Noble Lord.

  "She's not a problem. She can't speak right now, anyhow," the Noble Lord said, waving Alex off like a fly around his dinner plate.

  "We come with a message," the blond soldier said.

  "I have to
ld you people, you don't come here. I will meet you when we have our arranged times. You coming in here like this makes my people question who's running this place," the Noble Lord said.

  Alex listened intently. She decided that the Noble Lord brought the soldiers into his room to have the ultimate level of privacy. None of the guards would dare enter his chambers without permission. He didn't see Alex as a threat. She would prove him mistaken on that point. Now she found herself wondering if there was a secret behind the brothel that she hadn't discovered. The Noble Lord wasn't in power.

  "Our Major is the driving force behind this place you call home. Your guards would not be as efficient without the weapons we have supplied. Don't fool yourself, you do not run this place," the brown-haired soldier said.

  Even with only the candle and firelight Alex could tell the Noble Lord's face was flushing with anger. His eyes narrowed as she stared at the soldiers. His hands were on his hip and Alex realized he had them there for easy access to his knife.

  "And without me Callahan wouldn't have the drugs he needs," the Noble Lord said.

  The name was a shot to Alex's gut. It had been almost two months since the last attack from the Major and his men. Alex hadn't allowed her hopes to get up though. Callahan had captured her sister and tortured her, attacked her home to kidnap Charlie and kill her brother, and again attacked when she was on the compound and she killed his men. She knew all of these failures wouldn't allow Callahan to give up his pursuit of the Duncans. And that was without the connection between Callahan and 'The Suit'.

  "The Major wants to continue the partnership you have. But the terms need to change," the brown-haired soldier said.