Chapter Twenty-Four
Stormy
S omeone screams, waking me from the fitful sleep I’d barely drifted into. My heart stutters in my chest as I quickly scan the dark room, still only illuminated by the bathroom light, looking for my siblings. Relief floods through me as I remember they’re with me. The twins are curled together like they’re in the womb beside me on one of the disgusting mattresses. I’m thankful the scream didn’t come from them. But when I see the dark figure dragging someone from the room, I realize the source.
Pete.
And now I know why Smelly Melly calls him PeePee Pete. The strong scent of piss permeates the air. Poor guy is so scared, he can’t control his urine.
He’s gone within minutes and the door locks into place. Still no Dragon. My heart aches at having witnessed what Night Giant made him do and then the way he brutalized him. After, I was sent back to the room, but Dragon stayed with Night Giant. Not knowing what he’s doing to him feels worse than actually seeing it.
An hour or so passes when another guy comes to extract Smelly Melly. She flirts with him and he fingers her a bit under her dress before he takes her away. Not long after, they take Crybaby Charlie and true to his name, he bawls. I want to help him, but I’m no match against these brutish men who are armed with weapons. But, when they return for Erin, I can’t keep my mouth shut.
“Where are you taking her?” I demand.
The masked man turns to look at me. “None of your business, bitch.”
“It’s my business because she’s my friend.” I slide off the bed to my feet so I don’t feel at such a disadvantage. “You people are sick.”
The man chokes out a laugh. “There are sicker people out there who pay for what we offer. Shut your pretty mouth or I’ll find a way to shut it for you.”
I keep my mouth closed until he slams the door and locks it into place. A ragged, overwhelmed sigh escapes me. I don’t know what to do or how to save anyone. The thought is exhausting and defeating. It takes forever, but I manage to fall back asleep. The next time I’m awakened, it’s because someone is dragging me out of the bed by my hair.
“Time to go,” the man grunts.
Tears burn at my eyes by the hold he has on my hair. All the people in this room are being led out by the masked men in black. I fight against my captor’s hold, but he’s too strong. In the end, I give up and let him lead me back to the cage room with all the cameras. As soon as I see Dragon, relief floods through me. It’s brief, knowing he’s alive, but then dread consumes me.
He’s a maniac in the big cage—covered in blood and snarling. Several bodies litter the floor around him. My heart rate stutters in my chest with all-consuming worry. I’m no closer to escaping this place than I was yesterday when we arrived.
The men keep hold of us as we gather round the big cage, watching Dragon end junkie after junkie they send in there, staggering and shaking too hard to fight back. He’s in such a crazed state, there’s no stopping him. Night Giant barks out commands that seem to get inside Dragon’s head each time, easily controlling him.
Eventually, Night Giant ends the show and gives Dragon a break. Other men clean out the corpses as Night Giant leads Dragon to a bench. Night Giant takes a seat and Dragon kneels in front of him, resting his head in his lap.
I want to whisper to the twins that everything will be all right, but I can’t lie to them. Not about this. There is nothing okay about this. We’re not going to leave this unscathed. I’m too weak to fight against these monsters.
“You’re up next, Tuna Terri,” one of the goons says, dragging the poor, sickly girl toward the cage.
He tosses her in and then follows after her, unfastening his pants. She’s too tired to put up a fight. Simply plops down on the dirty mattress on the floor, waiting for the inevitable. I have to turn away, but I’m unable to ignore her cries or the grunts of the man abusing her. When he’s finished, another guy replaces him. This goes on until her cries are no longer heard.
My cheeks are wet and I swipe away the tears as I glance back at Terri. A man carries her out and then dumps her to the floor near Dragon. He doesn’t flinch. Her back moves, so I know she’s still breathing. Unfortunately. After the brutal rapes she just endured, she’d be better off dead.
Night Giant pats Dragon on the head and then points to the main cage. My heart rate quickens. The last thing I want to see is more murder.
“You,” Night Giant bellows as he stands and walks our way. “You remind me of little Caught when I first captured him.” His eyes glint evilly beyond the mask. “Innocent and so goddamn breakable. Your cock sucking video was just the beginning and already is a favorite among our viewers. Soon, you’ll be a well-known star like Caught.”
My chest squeezes painfully when I realize he’s speaking to Cove. Images of that bastard forcing my brother to suck a dick has me sick to my stomach. I can’t let him do that again. Or worse.
Hell no.
I’m shaking my head, gasping for breath as he nears. My limbs are quaking and my head throbs from lack of food. I realize I’m going to have to fight this man off my brother. When I try to stand, the man behind me yanks on my hair, keeping me in place.
“Stop,” I plead. “Don’t do this.”
Night Giant ignores me as he drags my silent brother toward the cage door. Calla sobs loudly, reaching for him to no avail. Cove gets shoved into the cage.
With Dragon.
The mindless murderer Night Giant has turned him into.
“He’s not like the others,” Night Giant says to Dragon. “You’re going to have to use his body like I use yours. Break him that way.”
“No,” I croak out. “Don’t do this.”
No one listens.
Cove’s body trembles as he lifts his terrified stare to Dragon, who is now circling him, cracking his neck. Bile rises up my throat and I gag. With nothing in my stomach, I don’t vomit.
“Take off your clothes,” Night Giant orders. “Now, boy.”
Cove stumbles over his feet as he backs away, whimpering and finally finding his voice. “No. I don’t want to do this.” So broken and small and innocent.
“If you don’t do it, Caught will help you,” Night Giant says with a cruel laugh. When Cove disobeys, Night Giant whistles at Dragon. “Here.” He shoves a small pocketknife through the chain length fence. “Help the boy, boy.”
Dragon’s green eyes blaze at the sight of the knife. He snatches it from Night Giant’s meaty hand and whirls around, his shoulders tense and poised as he readies to attack my brother. I can’t watch this, yet I can’t look away.
Dragon pounces toward Cove, but my brother is quick, sidestepping him. Not quick enough, though, because Dragon tackles him to the bed. Cove’s scream makes my bones rattle. Ruthlessly, Dragon tears through his shirt with the pocketknife.
Oh God.
I turn, kneeing the big guy holding my hair in the balls, and take off in a sprint to the cage door. Grabbing hold, I lean forward and yell at Dragon.
“Don’t touch my brother, you motherfucker!”
Someone swoops an arm around my waist to pull me away, but I cling to the cage, screaming like a wild banshee. Dragon, like a cat with a mouse pinned beneath his paws, turns his head to see what the commotion is about. We lock eyes and I shoot him a venomous glare.
“Dragon, let him go! Don’t do to him what that bastard did to you!” I shriek. “You’re better than that!”
Dragon’s jaw clenches, but he doesn’t move.
“You’re not in charge, bitch,” the voice behind me snarls.
“Let me in there instead,” I demand, fighting against the guy behind me, my eyes slicing over to Night Giant. “You want Dragon to fuck someone, then send me in. Not my brother.”
Night Giant’s phone rings and he ignores us to take the call. He grunts out a few words and then ends it before walking my way.
“Looks like you got your wish, blondie. The paying customers want to see those fat titties. The junkies didn’t put up enough fight, but you, my dear,” Night Giant croons, petting my hair like I’m a damn cat, “look like quite the fighter.”
He unlocks the cage and the man behind me wrangles me inside. Cove runs over to me, hugging me tight. It’s the first real reaction from my little brother since I’ve been locked here with him. I might die in a few minutes by someone I know, but if that buys my brother another chance to live, it was worth it.
“Time to go, little one,” Night Giant orders. “Let your sister take your punishment since she’s so willing.”
Cove sobs against my neck, whispering out apologies. I choke down cries of my own as I kiss the side of his head.
“It’s okay,” I murmur. “Keep Calla safe.”
He nods and then he’s gone, leaving me alone with the fire breathing dragon.
I don’t waste time facing off with Dragon. I’m not about to have my back turned on him. He’s unpredictable when he’s being cool and funny back home. Now, he’s like a monster straight from a nightmare.
His chest is bare, as are his feet, but he still wears his jeans. The tattoo on his neck is covered with blood, which makes it seem all the more terrifying as he slowly stalks me in the cage. Green eyes are alight with madness, focused on me.
“Dragon,” I whisper. “It’s me. Stormy. We have to get out of here. Don’t let that asshole win. Please.”
His jaw ticks and his nostrils flare.
“Please,” I say again, but I’m cut off when he lunges at me.
Remembering my training, I use his momentum against him, ducking at the last minute to send him sailing past me and crashing against the cage. He bellows, furious and manic, as I rush to put distance between us. He flips his knife around in his hand, all too familiar with the weapon. I’m pissed I’m at such a disadvantage.
Realization dawns on me as I manage to thwart another attack. I’m going to die in here. My sweet little unborn baby and I will be gutted by Dragon—a mentally fucked creation of these monsters. I’ll never see Copper again. We’ll never have that happily ever after I so stupidly dreamed about.
Tears threaten, blurring the world in front of me, which is a horrible mistake. It hides Dragon long enough that he’s able to shove me to the mattress. A scream lurches from my throat as he tears the blade along the fabric of my hoodie. His strength overpowers mine as he removes the material and cuts through my bra. My heart is in my throat as I claw at the soiled mattress, trying to escape. Dragon grabs my hips, flipping me to my back. His free hand easily fumbles at the button and zipper of my jeans. I howl and squirm to no avail.
“I’m pregnant with Copper’s baby,” I whimper. “Dragon. Help me.”
His bright green eyes narrow and then his sticky, bloody chest presses against mine while one hand grips my throat tight enough my screams are strangled. Hot breath finds my ear.
“I have to do this or they’ll kill us both. Scream and fight me. It’s going to hurt, but you have to trust me.” He sits up enough to stare down at me and says loud enough for Night Giant to hear, “Pretty girls get to be stars.”
The knife cuts down my cheek, splitting the flesh painfully. All I can do is gape at him in horror, trying like hell to make sense of his words. Remorse flashes in his green orbs, and I realize what this is.
An act.
He knows how to get us out of this.
I just have to play along.
Trust him, no matter how much it hurts.
“Do it,” I croak out. “Do what you have to do to get us out of here alive and then we’ll make these motherfuckers pay.”
Madness shines in his gaze, but it’s a familiar one. One I remember from nights around the campfire at the Q at Koyn’s. Despite his crazy, he thinks of the Royal Bastards as family. And me. We’re in this together.
Filter was right.
I’ll use sex to my advantage to save my neck. It’s clear Dragon will do the same. We’re both warriors and we’ll get the fuck out of this place.
Dragon lets go of my throat and I claw at his pretty face, drawing blood on his cheek. He grins in a violently terrifying way, so I do the other side too. While I’m distracted marring his runway perfect face, he yanks my jeans down my thighs. He shoves me onto my stomach. Then, with no warning, he’s inside me. I cry as he does what he needs to do, taking comfort in the soft, pleading words he whispers to me.
We’re going to get free.
We’re going back to our family.
We’ll kill them all.
This goes on long enough that my ears ring from my exaggerated screams and that I black out from exertion. A groan rouses me and then hot, sticky semen splatters on my ass. I lie limp as Dragon jerks away from me and rolls onto his back next to me.
“Brav-fucking-o,” Night Giant says, clapping. “The viewers loved that shit.”
Night Giant walks into the cage and toes me with his boot. Once he realizes I’m still alive and breathing, he grabs me by my shoulders and hauls me to my feet.
“Put your clothes back on,” he barks out. “I have a meeting with the bosses. You all get a break until you’re needed again.”
Shakily, I pull my jeans back up and snatch up the remains of my hoodie, tying the bottom of it so it keeps me covered. It’s not until I’m hugging my middle, trying to process the fact that I’m still alive, when I feel something digging into my upper thigh. Discreetly, I slip my finger in my pocket to realize Dragon left me a gift.
The pocketknife.
It’s small, but it’s a weapon.
Dragon was right…
We’re going to get free.
We’re going back to our family.
We’ll kill them all.