by Jenna Aileen
It was a long way down to the ground, but the forest was in sight. I closed my eyes, swallowed the lump in my throat, and took the leap of faith. Unfortunately, the landing of faith wasn’t as graceful as the leap was.
My ankle twisted the wrong way, and my hands scraped hard against the asphalt.
“Kathryn!” I heard Vladimir call my name.
Somehow I managed to stand up and with a hurried limp ran into the woods. I didn’t make it far before collapsing; the pain was just too much to bear. I crawled behind a pine tree and rested my back up against it.
This is it.
I did my best to slow my breathing and try to calm myself down, though it was nearly impossible. I was cold and afraid, but I didn’t want to show weakness. I needed to be strong.
A twig snapped behind me and the hairs on the back of my neck prickled. With my heart racing I grabbed branch and pulled myself to my feet. What did it matter at this point?
I peeked around the tree trunk, but saw nothing. I then stepped out a little further and boom, I was on the ground. Vladimir was pinning me down, growling—a fierce, low growl burning anger in his eyes.
“Did you really think you could get away?” he asked, right before bashing my head against the trunk of the tree. *~*~*
I was completely alone when I woke up again, and in a strange room. It smelled old and musty, like nobody had been in it for a while. The mattress that I was lying on was the only thing in the room besides myself.
The only light came in the room from the small window across from me. With a shaky breath, I slowly rose and tiptoed over to it.
“Good morning, sweetheart.” Vladimir’s voice rang out behind me. I jumped, scrambling to cover more of my body with the thin sheet. He chuckled, sounding amused.
“Where am I?” I asked him, my voice trembling.
“I decided you could use a little…time out. To show you how good you had it back at my place, before you tried to escape.”
“Where’s Conan?”
“He’s dead.”
“I don’t believe you.”
“Look,” Vladimir threw something on the floor. My heart skipped a beat when I saw it. Conan’s black coat lie at my feet, covered in blood. I slowly bent down and picked it up. It was all torn up, and I found a few bullet holes.
“No…” I whispered, clutching his coat tightly. “You’re lying!”
“Why would I lie about this?” he asked, walking towards me.
“I don’t know, maybe you’re just trying to scare me,” I replied coldly, backing up against the wall.
“You’re already afraid of me, Kathryn, why would I need to do that?” he chuckled, his mouth twisting into an evil grin, his eyes dark and monstrous.
“I’m not afraid” I lied, swallowing the lump in my throat.
“You should be,” he whispered, wrapping his arms around me. I flinched as his fingers ran along the scratches on my back.
“Please…” I gasped when he dug his fingernails in the wounds.
“Ah, there it is. Fear. It’s clear in your eyes. I can smell it all over you.” Vladimir stuck his face into my neck and inhaled deeply. I tried to push him away, but he pinned my shoulders to the wall. He leaned forward, brushing his lips against mine. I bit down hard, and he jerked away, spitting on the floor. He smacked my face hard, and I fell to the ground.
“Oh, Kathryn, when will you learn?” He asked, his eyes dark as the midnight sky.
*~*~*
It can’t be true, it just can’t be true. He’s still alive. He has to be alive. I told myself every day, refusing to believe anything that Vladimir said.
He left me in that freezing little room for two weeks, only coming to feed me and give me water when I was on the brink of starvation and complete dehydration. He said nothing more about Conan, and I was left to try and discern whether he was telling the truth.
Just when I was beginning to wonder how long he was going to keep me like this, he came barging in and demanded that I follow him.
“What’s got you so riled up?” I asked him as he dragged me out the door. That only resulted in him smacking my mouth and barking at me to shut up. But that didn’t stop me from asking where we were going.
“You’re staying with me again, it’s safer,” he replied curtly, as he pulled me into his house. I opened my mouth to ask him another question, but he shoved me up against the wall and started to kiss me. He growled as I tried to wiggle free of his grasp.
“You’re mine,” he snapped. “And they’re not going to take you from me. I will have my revenge.”
“Vladimir what on earth are you—”
He interrupted me with another kiss. I whimpered, and again tried to push him away. I could just tell by the way he kissed me hungrily that he was not in the mood to be gentle or try and play mind games with me. This time, he wasn’t going to hold back at all, and that scared me. His eyes grew dark and there was a vicious look in them. I wondered if the animal side of him had anything to do with this sudden aggression. Or was this truly him? Was this the real Vladimir?
Just when I thought he wasn’t going to stop, he punched the wall beside my head and stepped away, panting. When he finally turned to me, all the darkness was gone from his eyes and I saw sorrow.
“Kathryn, I'm sorry.” He reached his hand out to gently tuck my hair behind my ear. I flinched and squeezed my eyes shut, waiting for him to strike me. “I'm so, sorry, for everything. Please forgive me.” There they were. The bright blue eyes of my childhood friend. I just stared at him, biting my lip—afraid to say anything.
“I never wanted to hurt you. And I still don’t. Please, forgive me.” His eyes filled with tears and something in me softened. I started to cry with him.
“Please,” I whispered “Please don’t.”
“You don't understand what it's like to feel this. It's a constant, never-ending fight. It's so hard to keep him from taking over.” His eyes grew dark again, and a deep growl rumbled through his entire body. He stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind him. I stood there panting for a moment, and then let myself slide down the wall to the floor.
Chapter Thirty, Conan
I tried to escape, but it was no use. The silver shackles rubbed the skin around my wrists until it was almost worn to the bone. For days I tried desperately to claw and bite the silver away, but it was impossible. I went the first whole week without food or water. Impossible for a human yes, and still very difficult for a werewolf, though survivable. My tongue and throat were so dry I couldn’t even remember how to swallow.
I heard the door to the basement open and expected Vladimir to come down, having changed his mind about letting me live. But to my complete surprise, it was Valko. He came running over and unchained me from the wall.
“Conan, hurry— you have to get out of here now.” “What?”
“Go find Aidan and get him to come and help you. It’s the
only way. We can’t save her on our own.” My wolf growled at the thought. Asking the werewolf hunter for help? But deep down, I knew it was the only way that’d I’d be able to save her.
“What about you? Come with me—” “No, I’ll hold them off as long as I can. You’ll move faster alone. Go now, Conan, hurry!”
I nodded and ran past him up the stairs and out the door as quickly as possible.
“Wait, Conan!” he shouted after me. “I almost forgot, here.” He handed me the worn out sweatshirt that Abel gave Kathryn. “This may help convince them.”
“Thanks, Valko.”
“Now go, what are you waiting for?”
I ran in human form for a while, until I was far enough away, and then transformed into my wolf form. I had to fight for control. He didn’t like seeking out the hunter, not in the least, but in the end my humanity won over and I set out to find Aidan McLeod.
Chapter Thirty-One, Abel
I gazed out the window and watched the snow fall and coat the ground in a white sparkling blanket. Another day p
assed with us just sitting here doing absolutely nothing. We had lost their trail in the snow and were now stuck at one of the old hunter bases.
I growled and punched the wall in frustration, leaving a big dent in the sheetrock right next to the window.
“What was that all about?” I heard Ryan’s voice behind me.
“Everything,” I grumbled, not really in the mood to analyze every frustrated feeling that was going on in my head. I cursed Agent Reeves under my breath and Ryan chuckled.
“I think we all agree with that statement,” he sighed and looked out the window. “Hey, do you see that?”
“See what?”
“That, right there.” He pointed to a dark, shadowy figure moving towards the base.
“Is that a…is that a wolf?” I asked, squinting. Ryan and I looked at each other, then made a beeline for the door, grabbing our guns, throwing our boots on and running out into the snow.
“HEY!” Ryan shouted. The wolf stopped and crouched down lower. To my surprise however, it didn’t attack us but turned into its human form.
“Don’t shoot! Don’t shoot!” he shouted, holding his hands up. “I’m a friend! I swear, I didn’t come to hurt anyone! I came to help you get Kathryn back.” Ryan and I stopped dead and lowered our guns.
“Alright, you have thirty seconds to explain to me who the hell you are and what the hell you are talking about,” Ryan said, aiming his gun at the werewolf’s head.
“My name is Conan. I know where Kathryn is, I can lead you to her.”
“Now why would you do that?” I asked.
“Because I’m the one who kidnapped her. I dragged her into this and I intend to get her out if it’s the last thing I do.”
I knew why his voice sounded familiar. He was the one I had shot at, the one that had knocked me out. I pistol whipped him and he fell back.
“You son of a—”
“ABEL! STOP!” Ryan grabbed my arm and pulled me away before I could strike him again.
“Ryan he’s the one that took her.”
“It’s alright, I deserved that,” the wolf said, rubbing his chin. “I’m sorry. I really am. I want…I want to change. I want to help you. Ryan…you’re Kathryn’s brother, am I right?” Ryan nodded his head and lowered his gun. “You look nothing alike.”
“I take after my mom—”
“Ryan! We’re not playing tea party here. This is serious. He’s the bastard that kidnapped your sister! This is all his fault! He needs to die.”
“You’re right, it is all my fault and I am truly, deeply sorry.”
“Oh don’t be a martyr, you stupid—”
“Abel! Knock it off! I think…I think he’s telling the truth—”
“Are you serious! This is probably just a trick! He came here to try and get us to trust him so he can slit our throats while we sleep. Prove it—prove that you’re telling the truth,” I said, keeping my gun pointed at him.
“I don’t know how to do that—”
“That’s it, you’re dead—”
“BUT—”
I pulled the trigger right as Ryan lunged at me and whacked my arm. The werewolf shouted in pain as the bullet went in his leg.
“You idiot!” Ryan shouted at me. “Give him a chance!”
“Listen! I have this!” Conan said, I could hear the pain in his voice. He held up what I immediately recognized as the sweatshirt I had given Kathryn on the night that she was kidnapped. I swore under my breath. All of the commotion had caused a few of the other guys to come running out to see what was going on.
“What the—”
“Dad!” Ryan interrupted Aidan and ran over to him. “He knows where Kathryn is.” Aidan’s face remained stoic, though his eyes betrayed him, alive with anger. He stalked over to Conan, who lie naked in the snow, a pool of blood surrounding his leg where the bullet wound was.
“Aidan. I’m here on behalf of myself to help you get your daughter back. I do not blame you or hold it against you if you shoot me. But, at least give me a chance to explain myself.” Aidan inhaled sharply and exhaled shakily.
“You better have a damn good explanation,” Aidan said in a cool voice, crouching down so he and Conan were eye to eye. “Now tell me, werewolf, where the hell is my daughter?”
Conan nodded, then hesitated a moment. “Can I…put some pants on first?”
Chapter Thirty-Two, Conan
I was completely surrounded by werewolf hunters as I walked into their base. I had to keep reminding myself not to consider them enemies or I would end up blowing this whole thing and Kathryn would probably be stuck with Vladimir forever.
Kathryn’s brother Ryan disap peared and I started to get nervous since he was the one pleading my case. Abel—who had already tried to kill me— was glaring at me. Thankfully, he returned with some pants for me that I quickly pulled on. I felt a little less vulnerable now that I was no longer wearing just my birthday suit. Someone behind me shoved me forward, but I didn’t do anything.
“Jarrod, knock it off. Follow me,” Aidan said, looking straight at me and cocking his head to the side. He led me to a gray room with a metal table and chairs in the middle. I did as I was told and didn’t protest as Ryan handcuffed me to the table with silver cuffs. I winced as they rubbed the scabs from the shackles, but I didn’t complain.
Aidan and Ryan sat in the two chairs directly across from me. Abel stood in the corner leaning against the wall with his arms crossed, shooting daggers at me and still clutching the sweatshirt. Aidan cleared his throat and I turned my attention back to him.
“Why did you come? You’re lucky you weren’t shot.” “I came to try and help you get your daughter back.” He studied my face.
“Again, why?”
“Because…I feel responsible for all of this. I am the one Vladimir sent to kidnap her. While we were traveling I really got to know her. I realized that she had no idea what was going on and was completely…innocent.” My voice cracked with emotion, the guilt still weighing on my shoulders. “I’m not looking for redemption. I’m just trying to right some of the wrongs that I did.”
“So you’re using this to clear your conscience, is that it?” Abel snapped, pushing himself away from the wall he was leaning on and walking over to the table.
“Prove it. Prove you’re not lying and that you’re genuine about wanting to help her.”
“I don’t know, I don’t know how I can prove it…except ask you to look me in the eye and beg of you to let me help you. I swear to God that I’m telling the truth. I want to help you get your daughter back if it’s the last thing I do.”
The room was so quiet you could’ve heard a pin drop.
“Do you have a plan, Conan?” he asked after a few moments, his deep voice a little more than a whisper.
“You don’t actually believe him?!” Abel asked in utter disbelief.
“Do we have any other choice?” Aidan asked, turning and giving Abel a look that made him shut his mouth and glare at me. I hardly noticed; I was still a little shocked that he had actually believed me.
Chapter Thirty-Three, Kathryn
This time around, I didn’t get free roam of the house. I stayed locked in Vladimir’s bedroom with absolutely nothing to do except just lie around and think. It was absolutely awful.
The days passed so slowly that I started to completely lose hope. The chances of me being free ever again seemed less likely with the more time that went by. A small part of me wondered if everyone had forgotten about me. Or had just given up.
I winced as I sat up, rubbing my bruised arms. Just looking at the dark purple and green blotches on my arms and legs made me cringe.
At least the bruises will fade in time. I thought to myself, lifting my shirt to examine the scars on my stomach. My fingers slowly traced along the numerous dark pink streaks of skin.
“Staring at them with hatred won’t make them go away you know,” Vladimir’s raspy voice called out to me. I inhaled sharply and turned to glare at him
.
“Don’t touch me,” I whispered as his hands gently began to massage my shoulders. His eyes darkened, and I knew better than to try and escape his grasp. My body trembled, and it took all that was in me not to jerk myself away from him.
His mouth twisted into an evil grin, and he drug me over to the full-length mirror hanging on the door. With one swift move, he yanked my shirt off and threw it on the floor. I shivered as his cold fingers brushed against the tender scars on my lower back.
“Please, Vladimir—”
“You know, I kind of like your scars actually,” he chuckled, gazing at me with lust in his eyes. I could tell by the way his voice deepened he was slipping.
“They’re hideous,” I spat, trying to pull away from him. I’d had enough of his games.
“They remind me of how human you are. How weak, and fragile,” he murmured, pressing his lips to my neck. I whimpered and tried to pull away from him, but it was no use.
“It’s a pity that they’re starting to fade. Maybe we’ll just have to fix that.”
“Please, no,” I begged, shoving him away; but it was no use. My eyes were shut so I had no idea he’d transformed until he raked his claws across my back, causing me to cry out in pain.
“Please, please stop!” He struck me, and I fell to the floor, seeing stars. I curled into a ball to try and protect myself, but in a split second he grabbed me and shoved me up against the wall. I braced myself for the worst and was genuinely surprised when he let me go.
“Please I—”
“Shut up,” he snapped, his eyebrows knit together in concentration. He grabbed his jeans off the floor and hastily pulled them on.
“What’s—”
“Come here.” Vladimir grabbed my wrist and yanked the door open. My wounds stung as he roughly yanked on my arm, and I could feel warm blood dripping down my back.
“Vladimir what the—”
He pulled me out into the snow and dragged me down the street.
“Are you crazy?” I asked, my teeth chattering. He let out a loud and long howl, and suddenly we were surrounded by the whole pack of werewolves.