by S. S. Sahoo
“I- I am s-sorry” Austin trembled in fear.
“Sorry? Sorry?” Zachary rolled the gun between his finger and laughed out loud throwing his head backward.
“This word. Sorry. I hate it. I really it” and he pointed the gun back on Austin’s head.
“Please forgive m-”
The birds flew away flocking their feathers furiously when the gunshot was heard. Austin’s body fell limp on the ground while Zachary stood their emotionless with no trace of regret on his face. Merciless.
“I don’t want even a trace of their filthy blood in my place. Clean it up!” he said and walked towards the car wiping his hand on his coat’s sleeve.
“Umm!” Seth looked down.
Killing our own mates from within our group is not a new site for us. But as long as I have been here I have come to know that Zachary doesn’t trust anyone. No even his own family.
He is even more merciless than Nicholas. In truth, Nicholas is a coward. He would always hide behind me or his men for safety. He just knows how to torture and how to kill someone.
But Zachary. He is independent. He works and speaks of his own. He doesn’t trust anyone nor does his show mercy to anyone. The complete opposite of Nicholas.
I wonder what has gotten him for his he has lost his calmness all of a sudden.
A car stopped right near the gate and came out Max. He looked at us and then hurried to us.
“What the fuck?” Max cursed seeing Austin and the other guy.
“Don’t swear!” I hissed and he rolled his eyes at me.
“Boss did it. They were traitors!” Seth told him.
“Austin? No way!” Max shook his head and looked down at his body sorrowful.
“Let’s get them out of here before boss returns,” I said and both of them nodded.
From my peripheral vision, I saw a figure running towards the house from the car but I chose to ignore thinking it might be a man of Zachary within the territory.
“Oh man!” Max cried out throwing his arms in the air.
After we were done, we walked inside the house only to be stopped by Zachary himself.
“All finished?” he asked again looking calm and collective.
“Yes, boss!” Seth said when all of a sudden we heard a feminine scream.
Zachary composed himself and we all ran towards the room where we heard the scream.
“A lady? Here?” Max asked.
The voice came from Nicholas’s room.
Zachary was the first to get there. But as soon as he opened the door, he froze seeing the woman before him.
It was Mrs. Sullivan. His wife in Nicholas’s room.
She was on the ground while Nicholas stood there near the bed. Somehow, he had managed to untie himself.
“Y-You are N-Nicholas?” was what Juliette cried out stammering seeing Nicholas before him.
I looked back at Zachary. His palms were balled into tight fists while he clenched and unclenched his jaw. His eyes filled with anger. But his anger was directed towards Nicholas. He looked pissed and ready to kill when Nicholas crunched down on the ground before Juliette.
32
Juliette
“I am going to get out of here” I chanted the words like a mantra pacing around my room dressed in a black button-up shirt and black jeans. I have been chanting the words from the moment Zachary left the room.
Surprisingly, mom was allowed to meet me and she was disheartened to know how Zachary treated me. She even convinced me that she will talk to Zachary and let me out of the room but then when she came for the second time I knew that Zachary has clearly denied his own mother in the regards of letting me out of the room.
I am not his pet that he will just lock me inside a room just like that.
“You are my little bird.”
His words angered me even more. The fact that looking at my state right now, it is true that certainly I’m his bird and he surely has locked me inside his cage.
“No!” I held my head and walked to the window.
“I need to get out of here!”
I looked outside of the window to find guards guarding the perimeter.
“No way could I ever get out without being noticed!” I muttered to myself.
“I need a plan!” I thought and closed the window.
First of all, I need to call my family. It’s not that I never tried. I tried every time I got a phone secretly from the maids or Cosmina but every time it was the same thing.
The number doesn’t exist!
What in the world is wrong with every phone number I know? All of a sudden number doesn’t exist?
I sighed and began to think about the ways to tackle those guards behind my room’s door.
“Think! Think!” I held my hair in frustration.
I was pacing around without even looking where I was going and the next moment I hit my foot hard on the corner of the table. I yelped and limped clutching the feet and I knelt down on the floor crying seeing the blood oozing out from the edge of my nail.
The door swung open and from the corner of my teary eyes, I saw as a man holding came inside and walked up to my side.
“Are you alright Ma’am?” he said in a language I didn’t understand.
“What?” I asked not understanding what he was speaking.
“Te simți bine Doamnă?” he said again.
I made up a face while rubbing the sore area of my feet. “What?” I asked again but this time irritated.
“Sânge?” he muttered looking down at my feet.
“Hu?” I asked and he rubbed his forehead all of a sudden looking frightened.
“Oh! Nu” he muttered.
“Boss is going to kill me he said and before I could get even more frustrated and kick his ass he turned around and left. Leaving the door open.
“Door is open!” I muttered. Then the recognition hit me.
“Door is open!” I yelled but soon clamped my hand on my mouth stopping myself from shouting.
I got up and limped towards the dressing table where I last saw an alphabet band-aid. I took it out with the letter X on it and applied it on my now swollen feet.
I slide my feet inside my sneaker and limped towards the door. Carefully I sneaked out of the room. I saw the guard talking on his phone in his language. Before he could notice me, slowly I closed the room’s door so that he will think I am inside and then tiptoed behind his back towards the stairs.
I saw some guards walking up and I squealed a little before turning around and hiding under a table nearby. I clamped my hands on my mouth and saw as they passed by me. Took a sigh of relief for not getting spotted.
Slowly and cautiously, I walked down the stairs and towards the main hall. I saw grandfather, mom, and dad sitting in the lounge talking to each other. They didn’t really look happy.
“I will talk to Udolf about this. Something seems off by the way he treats his wife” grandfather spoke to which dad scoffed and crossed his arms across his chest.
“I told you from the beginning. Nobody really cared. I told you something is really fishy. He and in love? Please!” Dad said to which mom looked at him and glared.
“Stop judging my son!” she hissed.
“He is my son too!” Dad said while grandfather heaved a sigh and got up to get a drink from the mini bar.
“So they really don’t have any idea about my relation with Zachary,” I thought and quietly passed the door without getting noticed.
I was going to be freed today. I am keen on escaping this place today.
I walked towards the back gradually looking here and there for any person.
When I reached the door, I was just going to open it but stopped when I saw shadows of people standing behind the door.
“Eee!” I clicked my tongue and slowly backed off a little.
Please don’t open the door!
God help me!
Please! Please! Please!
If they opened the door I would be busted. There
was no way I could hide anywhere from where I was standing.
“I heard that Nicholas has been caught by the boss!” I was just ready to turn around and run but stopped when I heard this.
Hearing about the Nicholas guy made me have Goosebumps all over my body. I didn’t really know that person yet that person is trying to kill me. I don’t even know the reason why he wants to see me dead.
Instantly, I took a step further and overheard their conversation.
“Yes! Our boss is really amazing. He caught him with ease” the other one spoke.
“That man has really got himself in trouble. I don’t think the boss is going to let him leave this easily after all Nicholas killed his sister” the man said and I clamped my hands over my mouth from letting the gasp escape my mouth.
Nicholas killed his sister?
Is that why he was so keen on finding him?
But what did I do? Why am I involved in all this?
“Yeah! Boss is coming back. Let’s be at the gate” the man spoke and the other hummed in response. I waited until I could no longer hear any voice from outside or any presence.
Slowly, I turned the knob and peep a little before opening the door. Took a sigh of relief finding no one nearby. I looked back and slowly closed the door not making any sound.
I walked cautiously towards the front gate. As long as I have stayed here I have come to know that there was only one door to get out of the mansion. And it was the front gate. But the thing was how was I suppose to get out of here without getting noticed.
I stopped and hid behind a tree once I reached near the front side. I saw a lot of guards guarding the area.
“Damn!” I cursed and hid a little when saw a guard looking my way.
I waited for some minutes but it was of no use. Nobody was leaving the space nor anyone doing anything so that I could use the moment as my time to get out.
I saw as the front gates opened a sleek car entered and pulled over. My heart beat raised thinking about Zachary. As soon as the door opened I was ready to run back in towards the room literally scared of Zachary might do if he found out I was missing.
But exhaled out air when saw Max coming out of the car.
He got out of the car and walked towards the house. All of a sudden my eyes fell on my room’s window. There I saw the guard from before standing and looking everywhere.
“Shoot! he found out that I was missing” I bit down on my lips and waited when he went away. I need to get out right now else I will be in trouble. I looked around frantically and the only option I saw was the car’s hood. It was open. The car was really close to me. Few steps away. If I made a run I would definitely reach there.
So I counted to three and made a run with closed eyes. As stupid as I looked but I was scared. Scared shitless!
I opened my eyes when I reached closer and in a flash, I opened the hood and got it closing it after me. I made sure not to lock it else I couldn’t get away.
All of a sudden I felt the car moving and I clamped my hands over my mouth trying not to squeak or utter any words out of my mouth.
“Doamnă!” I heard people but soon the voice faded but I could feel the vehicle still moving.
Am I out of the house?
I shifted in an odd position feeling my back aching because of the small place. But somehow managed to adjust me in that enclosed place.
Hours later, when I was sure I could no longer feel my back the car stopped making me hit my head hard on the back of the seat.
“Ah!” I uttered.
I heard the door of the car opening and slamming shut.
I took that the chance to open the hood to look out.
“Where am I?” I thought.
I got out of the car and looked around. The place was surrounded by trees and there was a house which looked like a warehouse. I turned around and saw some people walking towards me.
I narrowed my eyes and looked at the familiar faces.
“Oh my god! They are Zachary’s men!” I said pulling my hair and made up a run towards the house.
Great! Back to Zachary.
His men everywhere I go.
Leave me alone already!
As soon as I made to the door, I saw another group of men walking and I hid behind the door.
“Did you hear what boss did to Nicholas?” one of them talked.
“Yeah!”
“Did you tie him back?”
“Yeah, I did. Boss ordered me to shift to another room after he wakes up.”
Wait! Nicholas? He is here?
Oh my god!
I waited for them to pass and when they did I came out of my hiding place and looked towards the stair. I heard that Nicholas is here. So he is really has been captured by Zachary?
“Why does that man after my life?” I thought and balled my fists.
Should I go and look for him?
I heard he has been tied. He can’t harm me. Should I ask what I have done?
Nonsense! It’s dangerous! Just mind your own business and get out of here.
My subconscious was nagging me continuously to get out the place.
So I turned around and was ready to leave the place but all of a sudden stopped.
“If today I get out of here and get myself free then it doesn’t mean that this person and Zachary won’t stop searching for me. If he has been caught there must be a reason. He killed Zachary’s sister. Zachary wants to kill him and he wants to kill me” I spoke to myself and turned around back towards the stair.
I might take the risk. I have come so far and yet I am trying to take away from the truth. At least I can look at his face to know how he looks.
Slowly, I made up my way towards the stair. I looked back if anyone was coming. Finding no one I walked further and as the room got nearer I found my heart beating vigorously against my chest in fear. I gulped down the lump that formed in my throat and stopped just before the door.
“C’mon Juliette. Just get a glimpse of his face!” I motivated myself and in the count of three turned the knob.
When I did. I saw a man standing with his back facing me. He was undoing the rope from his hands and he shook his head.
“Is he Nicholas!” I thought.
I thought he has been tied! Has he got himself free? Oh my god! Run Juliette!
“I am going to kill you Zachary Udolf Sullivan!” he spoke angrily and I stood paralyzed to the position.
That voice!