God, it's only been two days and I'm so desperate to see him it's killing me! And for once we have a whole week off, at the same time…which probably accounts for my less than legal speed right now as I fly down the highway towards home.
Adam, my Adam…waiting for me. I spoke to him not 6 hours ago from the plane, but you'd think it's been a month, with the way I ache to hear his voice. I grab my cell phone from the passenger seat, dialing in our number and propping it against my shoulder as I continue to speed down the road.
6 rings later, the answering machine picks up. That's odd. I hang up without leaving a message, there's little point as I'm only ten minutes away now. I grin, imagining him in the shower, naked and wet, hoping he's still in there when I get home…hot, wet shower sex sounds like a lovely way to start our week long vacation together.
It's been 6 months since we 'officially' got together. But we've known each other since the 3rd grade and I think I've loved him since the 6th. I can't really explain why it took us so long to realize we were meant for each other, but suffice to say we've wasted *no* time since we did. We moved in together 3 months ago and, though he has no idea, I plan on proposing to Adam this week. The ring is tucked safely away in my pocket, just waiting to be slipped on his finger. I'm not even nervous about it, just anxious to hear him say yes, which I don't doubt he will. I've never been as sure of anything as I am of Adam's love.
I pull into the drive, noticing that the house is dark as I shut off the car and climb out, slinging my duffle over my shoulder. Well, it *is* late, maybe he's gone to bed. I grin again, imagining slipping into be behind him and waking him gently with kisses on his nape.
I'm as quiet as I can be as I slip into the house, locking the door and setting down my bag. I tiptoe silently up the stairs, smiling as I ease open our bedroom door and step inside.
The smile freezes on my face when my eyes fall on the bed.
Adam is kneeling on the floor at the foot of the bed, facing the door, tears and terror in his eyes. Sitting on the bed above him, fist clenched in Adam's hair, a knife to Adam's throat…is Raven. Wearing a deadly, evil smirk as I gape disbelievingly at the scene.
Instinctively, I take a step towards them, but Raven jerks Adam's hair tighter, the knife glinting menacingly in the moonlight and I freeze.
Raven shakes his head. "Uh uh uh…don't do anything stupid, Jay, I'd hate to have to kill him so soon."
I cannot begin to explain the feelings racing through me right now…confusion, fear and pure, blood-red fury vie for supremacy as I stand frozen in the doorway, the man I love a mere flick of the wrist from death.
Raven…sick, demented, sadistic son of a bitch has lusted after Adam for more than a year…a brief fling was all it took for Adam to realize he wanted nothing to do with the man. He's never spoken to me at length about his short time with Raven, but I've long suspected it was anything but pleasant.
And now he's got *my* baby in his fucking hands and if I ever doubted my own capacity for murder, I don't anymore. I'm going to rip him limb from limb if he so much as hurts one hair on Adam's head. Hell, I'm gonna kill him anyway simply for daring to put his hands on what's mine. But first…I gotta get Adam out of harms way.
Raven must sense where my thoughts are going, because he smiles and shakes his head. "You're gonna make me do this the hard way, aren't you, Jay? I thought so." His eyes flick over my shoulder. "Mark?"
And before I can do more than register that he's brought backup, there's a thud, agonizing pain, then blackness.
******************
It's like fighting my way through quicksand as I come to, a dull throbbing at the base of my skull, and I groan, wincing as I try to reach to rub the spot, only to realize my wrists are bound firmly behind my back.
And, in a rush, it all comes back to me…Raven, Adam, danger! My eyes fly open and my heart stutters to a halt as I take in my surroundings.
Jesus, it's some kind of dungeon, dark and chilly, but enough light from dozens of candles that I can see Adam across the room and a howl of pure rage claws at my throat. He's standing against the far wall, arms stretched high above his head, a chain looping his wrists and attached to the wall. Naked.
A black sash covers his eyes and a gag the likes of which I've never seen is in his mouth. It looks like a thick leather bar, about 3 inches across, secured between his teeth by straps knotted behind his head. I can see tears slipping from beneath the blindfold and he is shaking, violently.
"Ah, I see you're finally joining our little party, Jay." My head whips to the side to see Raven, leaning casually against the opposite wall.
"You son of a bitch…" I grit out between my teeth, a fury like I've never tasted whipping through me. A low whimper from Adam reaches my ears and my gaze flies back to him, tears filling my eyes as he tugs helplessly at the chains, face turned in my direction. "It's okay, baby…" Even though it's *so* not.
I turn my glare back on Raven, who's still smirking. "Let him go, goddammit!" I tug vainly at my own bonds, but they're secure, my feet tied to the legs of the chair in which I sit.
Raven just sneers at me, pushing away from the wall. "Oh, I don't think that's going to be happening anytime soon, Jay." I watch helplessly as he crosses to stand in front of Adam. "Besides, the fun is just beginning."
His hand comes up to brush lightly down Adam's throat and Adam jerks, flinching away. I can't control the growl that escapes me, jerking at my bonds uselessly.
"Don't fucking touch him!" I hiss, impotent rage pouring through my veins as Raven lets his fingers trail lightly across Adam's chest and down over his rippling abs.
Raven turns towards me, a menacing glare on his face. "I give the orders here, Jay. You'd do well to remember that." He advances on me and all I can think is that as long as he's focused on me, Adam's safe. Bring it on, mother-fucker.
"Untie me and see how long you're in charge then you fucking coward." I snarl, glaring up at him.
He looks for a second like he's gonna hit me, and I brace for the blow. But it doesn't come and he grins, pure evil in that curving of his mouth. Chills shoot down my spine.
"I know what you're trying to do, Jay. It won't work." He turns and heads back to Adam, reaching up to tug off the blindfold.
Blinking rapidly as his eyes adjust, in the next instant those watery, frightened blue eyes lock with mine and I want to wail at how fucking helpless I am as Adam stares pleadingly at me.
"What do you want, Raven?" I demand, desperate to keep the bastard's attention on me, not Adam.
"What do I want? What do I *want*?" He laughs sharply, the harsh, humorless sound echoing off the walls. "I want what you took from me, Jay." His hand comes up to run through Adam's thick, platinum and gold waves and I stiffen, jaw clenched as Adam squeezes his eyes shut, shrinking back away from Raven's touch.
Raven leans in close to Adam, bringing a handful of those shiny, silky locks to his face, inhaling deeply, his eyes closing. "I want what's mine." Then he turns an icy glare on me. "And I want you to pay for taking it from me."
Jesus. He is seriously disturbed, as if there were any lingering doubt about that. I can't breathe around the terror lodged in my throat. Unless a fucking miracle occurs, I can't see a way out of this. I've never felt so helpless, fear for Adam slicing through me…I don't even want to imagine what this madman plans to do.
"You want me to pay? Fine, do whatever you want to me, just don't hurt him." I see Adam's eyes widen and he shakes his head, muffled whimpers escaping him. For my own sanity I don't look at him, but keep my eyes on Raven. "Just don't hurt Adam."
Raven sneers at me. "How disgustingly sweet, so willing to sacrifice yourself for your beloved Adam." He suddenly fists his hand in Adam's hair and gives a harsh yank, smiling with sadistic pleasure at the groan from Adam. "Unfortunately, I'm not making deals here, Jay. Adam has a lesson to learn about making bad choices. You get to watch him learn."
And if I thought I was scared before, seeing Raven reach out and grab a short, deadly-looking whip of a nearby table sends me right over the edge to frantic, abject terror.
I jerk harder at my bonds, breath gasping as he whips Adam around to face the wall. "Jesus! No, don't!"
I will never for the rest of my life forget the sickening sound of that whip connecting with Adam's back, 6 thin, braided strips of leather slicing into perfect, sleek, golden flesh. The muffled grunt of pain from Adam. The sight of his spine arching, head snapping back, the tips of his hair coming away stained with red where they brushed the thin cuts from the whip. The muscles in his arms bulging as he strains against the chains holding him. Oh dear god….
***
I don't think I can cry anymore.
Raven's gone, left us alone here 10 minutes ago. I can't bear to look, yet can't look away. Adam sagging weakly from the chains at his wrists, head hanging down, his beautiful, wide back a bloody crisscross of weeping stripes. I lost count of the blows, lost my voice from screaming, first begging him to stop, then cursing him, finally just screaming in furious, helpless agony, unable to stop the surely unthinkable pain for my Adam.
"Adam…oh god, baby I'm so sorry…" I whisper, not knowing if he can hear me, if he's even conscious.
Slowly, Adam's head lifts and turns towards me, his eyes finding mine and, sweet Christ I was wrong. I *can* cry. I do. Pain, shame, sorrow, apologies and love for me burns in his shadowed, midnight blue eyes, tears streaking his pale cheeks, the hideous gag still stretched between his teeth and trembling, swollen lips. I can't breathe for the pain that claws at me.
"Jesus…Adam, I'm so sorry! I'll get us out of this, I swear!"
More tears slick down his cheeks and he drops his head, shoulders shaking as he cries. I feel like I'm going insane from the helpless fury inside me, gnawing at me. I can't help him, can't save him and, no matter what promises I give him, can't see any way to get us out of this nightmare. I don't fool myself into thinking Raven is anywhere near done. And there's been no sign of Taker, who I'm pretty sure was the 'Mark' who knocked me out back at the house. I can't fathom what role he plays in this demented production.
The scraping of the lock turning makes my blood run cold and I see Adam go rigid at the sound of the door opening. Raven strolls in, carrying a bowl and a rag. I say nothing, eyes locked on him as he ignores me, approaching Adam.
He tsk’s softly under his breath, setting the bowl on the table beside the whip, dipping the cloth into the water and turning to Adam.
“Poor baby…that must hurt.” He croons, lifting the cloth to wipe it with surprising gentleness across Adam’s bloody back. Adam jerks, whimpering softly and my heart clenches. “Shhh…easy my sweet.”
I grit my teeth, remaining silent as Raven methodically cleans Adam’s wounds. The gentleness with which he does it gives me some hope. Perhaps he’s regretting his actions? I take a breath, trying to keep the hatred and fury out of my voice. “Raven. Please, let him go…”
He acts as though he didn’t hear me, finishing cleaning Adam’s striped back, then turning him to face him. Adam doesn’t look at him, flinching sharply when Raven lifts his hand to brush his cheek. Only fear for Adam if I anger Raven keeps me from screaming my rage at him as he caresses Adam’s jaw and brushes his fingers lightly across his lower lip.
“Let’s get this off…” Raven murmurs, reaching behind Adam’s head to unknot the straps of the gag, placing it on the table beside the bowl. Raven sighs, looking up at Adam for a long, silent moment. “You know I hate to hurt you. Why do you make me?”
Adam says nothing, keeping his eyes on the floor.
“Have you learned your lesson, Adam?”
I hold my breath as Adam slowly nods.
Raven arches his brows. “Have you? I wonder.” He finally acknowledges my presence with a cold glare over his shoulder. “Tell me, then, Adam…tell me you love me. And promise me you won’t be so stupid as to try to leave me again.”
I close my eyes, silently praying Adam will tell him what he wants to hear. Dear god, Adam tell him…anything so he doesn’t hurt you anymore. Even if the words will rip my heart to shreds, so long as Adam knows no more pain.
There is a long moment of silence then, softly, “No.”
My eyes snap open and lock on Adam, who is staring directly at me and I choke back a sob. Because I can see in his eyes…he won’t say it because of me. And I want to scream at him for being so stupid…so precious…so fucking brave. All that and he won’t say a few meaningless words and cause me pain. I blink back more tears, begging his with my eyes to say it. He gives a small shake of his head, turning blazing, determined eyes on Raven. “No.” Firmly. Sweet Christ, I love him so much.
Disbelief, surprise and rage sweep across Raven’s face and then, like a cobra striking, brings the back of his hand hard across Adam’s cheek, snapping his head to the side. “Stupid bitch.”
Adam says nothing, tongue slipping out to touch the blood where his lower lip has split.
Raven’s voice drips with venom. “You want to be a martyr, Adam? We’ll see how brave you are.” He turns slightly, calling over his shoulder. “Mark!”
My eyes widen as Taker strides into the room, clad head to toe in black leather, looking as fucking terrifying as he ever has.
Adam pales, shaking. “No…” and something in his voice tells me he knows what’s coming, like he’s been in just this situation before. The thought sickens me and his fear escalates my own.
Raven smirks. “Oh yes, Adam.” He takes a step back, looking at Taker. “All yours Mark.”
Taker grins sadistically, striding forward, and it’s his hands unfastening his pants that finally ignites the light bulb. Oh god…no….
Before I can begin to grasp what’s about to happen, Taker is on Adam, spinning him to face the wall, holding him there with one hand on the back of his neck, his other hand freeing his massive, raging hard cock. “No!” I shout, but it’s as if I’m not even in the room.
Adam’s writhing, struggling as much as he can, chained as he is, breath gasping in short, terrified pants. “No…no…no…” and then those pleading words are cut short by a blood-curdling, agonized scream as Taker forces Adam’s legs apart, jerks his hips back slightly and, pausing only long enough to spit on his cock, thrusts forward.
I can’t even find the breath to scream, frozen in horror as Taker batters forward, only getting halfway in on the first thrust, then plunging back in, this time to the hilt, and I can’t fathom the pain in Adam’s sobbing cries. Even Taker groans in pain, because dry fucking isn’t fun for either party, but from the twisted smile on the big man’s face, he’s getting off on the pain, his own and Adam’s.
I think I’m going to be sick. I close my eyes and turn my face away, but that doesn’t stop the horrible sounds. Taker’s rough grunts, Adam’s sobbing pleas, the slap of flesh against flesh, the rattling of Adam’s chains on each thrust. After a few minutes, Adam isn’t screaming anymore, only small, sobbing whimpers escaping from him as Taker slams into him. By the time Taker throws his head back with a shout and goes stiff, I don’t think Adam’s even conscious, having mercifully blacked out from the pain.
It’s when Taker steps back, pulling out of Adam, cock deflating rapidly, smeared with come and blood, that I lose it, turning my head to the side and retching violently. Taker and Raven are laughing and mocking me as I straighten back up, but all I can focus on is Adam, dangling limply from the chains, battered and bruised and unconscious and I feel my stomach roll, threatening to empty itself again.
I turn my gaze on Raven and Taker. “You sons of bitches!”
Raven just rolls his eyes. “Please, Jay, if you insist on hurling insults, at least try to be creative, would you?” He smirks at Taker. “You did well, Mark. Now go, I’m not quite finished here.”
Like some kind of leather-clad, oversized lapdog, Taker obeys, tucking himself back into his pants as he leaves the room.
I stare at Raven. “Why are you doing this? How can you hurt him?” It baffles me, really. How can any human being want to hurt Adam?”
Raven arches his brows, leaning back against the wall with arms crossed. “I do it because I love him, Jay, that’s why. Because, unlike you, I love him enough to chastise him when he’s made bad decisions.”
What’s scarier than almost anything is that it’s obvious Raven believes what he’s saying. Like this whole thing is for Adam’s own good.
I try to bluff him. “And what happens when neither of us show up for Raw tonight? By the end of the night everyone will know we’re missing.”
He just smiles. “Nice try, Jay. I know you and he are off for a week. It will be days before anyone realizes something’s wrong.”
Jesus…and that tells me that he either plans to keep us here for the whole week, or he expects one or both of us to be dead before anyone notices out absence. My blood runs cold.
“Myself, however…I do have to make an appearance at the arena.” He pushes away from the wall. “Now, I’ll be gone, but Mark is right outside that door, so don’t try anything stupid. He has orders to kill you if you try anything.”
I glare up at him, but nod my understanding.
“Good. Now then, I’m going to let Adam down before I go. I would untie you myself, but somehow I doubt you’d be able to resist the temptation to kill me.” He smirks. “When Adam comes to, he can untie you if he wants. Mark will provide the evening meal through the slot in the door.”
Turning, Raven crosses to where Adam still hangs limply by the wrists. I cringe as he unhooks the chains and Adam falls to the floor with a thud, obviously still unconscious.
Raven gives me a mocking wave as he strolls to the door. “See you in the morning!”
*****************
As soon as the door shuts behind him, I try to scoot my chair towards where Adam lays crumpled on the floor, only to realize the chair is bolted to the floor. Dammit!
“Adam? Jesus, Adam!” He isn’t moving and from here I can’t even tell if he’s breathing. “Adam! Wake up, Adam!”
Then, finally he moves, groaning softly as he shifts, his hands, still chained together, sliding along the floor as he tries to sit up.
“Adam?”
He jumps at the sound of my voice, head whipping towards me and I’ve never seen such tortured eyes before, wide and dilated, darting from side to side. His hair a tangle spilling over his shoulders, partially obscuring his face,
“Adam…” My voice soft, not wanting to startle him. “Baby…are you alright?”
He bites his lip, eyes clenched shut, and gives a sharp shake of his head. My heart breaks again.
“Okay, baby, it’s okay…Adam, look at me.” He doesn’t. “Look at me, Adam.” Finally his eyes open and he looks at me through the tangled skeins of gold tumbling across his face. He looks like such a frightened little boy that I want to cry again. But I don’t, dammit I have to be strong for him. He’s on the verge of falling apart, I can see it, but before he does, he has to untie me.
“Adam, you have to untie me, baby…come here and untie me.” Another sharp shake of his head and his wild eyes dart to the door. I realize what he’s thinking. “No, no, Adam it’s okay, you can untie me. You won’t get in trouble, I promise.” I can’t say for sure that that’s true, but if we have any chance of getting out of here, he has to untie me. I refuse to just sit here and wait for Raven to come back and torture Adam some more.
“Adam. Listen to me. I will get us out of here.” His eyes lock on mine and I inhale sharply at the terrified hope in them. “If you never believe anything else I tell you, believe this. I will get us out of here. But you have to untie me, Adam. Now.”
Then, to my relief, he nods just slightly, eyes darting to the door as he slowly, painfully, crawls towards me. Kneeling at my feet, his elegant, graceful fingers, though trembling wildly, make short work of the ropes at my ankles. Then, scooting behind me, he plucks at the knots at my wrists, quickly freeing me completely.
As the ropes fall away, I slide out of the chair to the floor and reach for him, needing to hold him. But he flinches and scrambles away, shaking, face turned away from me, eyes clenched shut. I can’t describe the pain of that…he’s afraid of me, of my touch. If I didn’t already plan to kill Raven, I would now.
Hiding the agony that’s ripping at my heart, I hold up my palms, not moving any closer. “Hey, it’s okay…baby, I’m not gonna hurt you…” His eyes dart to meet mine and there is such utter devastation there that I can’t breathe. “Adam…I won’t hurt you, baby, you gotta know that…please.” Begging him with my eyes.
He’s shaking, terrified, confused, in pain…I can practically see the cracks forming in his psyche. Adam falling apart is something I’d hoped never to see, and yet here it is, happening before my very eyes.
He bites his lower lip. “I’m…I’m sorry…” His voice little more than a whisper, refusing to look at me.
I shake my head, scooting closer. “No. God, no, this isn’t your fault, Adam!” That he would for a second blame himself for this nightmare is almost more than I can stand. I need to hold him but, though I’m close enough now, I’m scared to reach for him. Scared he’ll flinch away again.
He lets out a sob. “I’m so sorry, Jay…I thought…I thought I could…get away from him. I’m sorry.”
Unable to stop myself, I reach for him, pulling him gently into my arms. For a second he stiffens then, as if he’s suddenly boneless, he sinks into me, burying his face against my chest as harsh, wracking sobs rip through him.
All our lives, for as long as I can remember, I’ve protected him. From bullies in junior high who’d slam him against lockers and jeer at him for his long hair and too-pretty face. From his mother when she’d drink too much and he’d run at 2 in the morning to my house, sneaking in my bedroom window and crying on my shoulder before falling asleep in my arms.
But I can’t protect him from this and it’s going to kill me. Raven’s going to come back and, with the help of Taker, is going to tie me back to that chair and do god knows what to Adam until he breaks. Or dies, whichever comes first. I can’t let that happen, but I don’t know how to stop it.
****************
Holding him against me, I’m careful of his back, gently stroking the soft tangle of his hair, dropping light kisses on the top of his head, murmuring crooning, consoling nothings as he cries.
“It’s okay, Adam, it’s okay. I’ll think of something.” Please god let me think of something, anything. And though I really don’t want to know and he’s nowhere near calm enough to talk about it, I don’t know how long we have before Taker and Raven come back and I have to ask him. “Adam…have you been in this room before?” Holding my breath.
He stiffens slightly, then nods against my chest. My heart fells like it’s gonna explode it’s pounding so hard. “Baby, you gotta think…is there another way out? Anything we can use to escape?” Because a collection of whips and crops aren’t gonna do much against Taker. The chain might, but it’s still wrapped around Adam’s wrists and no way am I risking Adam getting close enough to try to whack him with it.
Adam shakes his head. “No…that’s the only way in or out.” Nodding to the door. “He keeps the knives and guns and…other stuff…in a closet upstairs. Not here.”
I am beyond horrified that he knows that, meaning he’s been subjected to this kind of torture before, probably more than once. It makes me nauseous to think about, so I don’t, for my own sanity.
He must sense my horror, because he pushes away, suddenly not looking me in the eye. “I’m…I’m sorry, I shoulda, shoulda told you.” He whispers, shaking his head. Finally lifting his eyes to meet mine. “I just…I didn’t want you to, to know I was…dirty.”
Oh sweet god, I feel that like a fist to the stomach. In an instant I am kneeling in front of him, his beautiful, tear-streaked face in my hands. “You are not…” I swallow hard with emotion. “You are NOT dirty! Don’t you even think that, do you hear me?” I suck in a deep breath, eyes closing for a moment as I try to compose myself, try not to cry. “Adam, my god, you are the most beautiful, amazing perfect man I’ve ever known. None of this is your fault, none of Raven’s lies are true, you are * everything *, do you understand me?” I give him a little shake, staring into his wide eyes. “You are everything *.”
I don’t give him a chance to respond, dragging him into my arms and hugging him as tight as I dare, mindful of his injured back. And he’s clinging to me, shaking, his fists in my hair as if to hold me there, as if I might let go. Never, Adam, never. I will *never * let you go. I refuse to admit, even to myself, that this might be it, that this might be how we spend our last days on the planet. No. No!
“Okay…there hasta be something…” I gently ease him out of my arms, brushing back the tangled mass of bright waves from his face. “Stay right here, I’m gonna look around, ok?” He nods and I detangle myself from him, standing and looking around the room.
Whips, riding crops, floggers…there’s a startling array of them hanging from the walls but I give them only a passing glance, though I mentally note the location of one long bullwhip, thinking it could be used to choke if worse comes to worse. The bowl gets examined, but it’s cheap plastic and I set it aside swiftly.
There’s iron shackles, but they are firmly attached to the walls, no way to remove them and use them as a weapon. Other than that, the chair in which I was tied and a contraption shaped like a cross with shackles on either end, there’s nothing. Dammit. He planned this well. Crazy, not stupid. Fuck.
“Jay?”
I turn at the soft sound of Adam’s voice. “Yeah, angel?”
He looks down, then back up. “I…I know a way.”
I cross the room, kneeling in front of him. “How?”
“I can…distract Mark. While you…”
I shake my head sharply. “No! No! Not a chance!”
He swallows hard. “It could work. Mark…likes me. It would give you time to, I dunno, get help or get a real weapon or…”
I want to hug him for being so brave. “No. We’ll think of something else, some other way.”
His eyes are hollow black circles and he shakes his head. “There is no other way. I know Raven, Jay. He…he doesn’t intend for either of us to leave here alive.”
I kinda figured that much, but to hear Adam say it aloud is chilling. “Adam, no! I can’t…”
“Yes, you can. You have to.” He looks up at me and I can see he is determined, convinced this is the only way. Damn him, he may be right. “Up the stairs, first door on the left. Raven keeps all his weapons in that closet.”
“No…” I can feel the tears forming.
“Yes.”
“Taker’ll never fall for it...” Grasping at straws now.
Adam smiles just a little and my heart lurches. “He will. He’s a dumb as he is big.”
“But I’ll be...”
“Tied to the chair. Sort of.”
Dammit, the logic of the plan is overwhelming, but the reality of it is pure horror. I can’t do it, can’t let Adam serve himself up as some sacrificial lamb. “Adam, please…”
He suddenly grips my hands, midnight blue eyes pleading. “Jay, please, I don’t want to die here, not yet, not like this! You have to do this. For me, please…”
If he’d put it any other way, I might have still argued. I don’t bother trying to hide the tears as I drag him against me, burying my face in his hair. “I love you, Adam. God, I love you so much.”
“I love you too, more than anything.”
I pull back, staring into his eyes, and I smile a little. “I was gonna propose to you this week.”
His eyes widen, then go sad. “I woulda said yes.”
I touch his cheek lightly, thumb brushing his lips. “I’m still gonna do it.”
He smiles a little. “Then I’ll still say yes.”
We sit that way for a long moment, just staring at each other, both entertaining thoughts of what might have been, until finally he blinks and pulls away a little.
“We have to do it now. Raven might come back.”
I nod, heart in my throat. “I know.”
A few minutes later, I’m back in my chair, rope loosely looped around my wrists and ankles, I’ll appear to be tied to Taker, so long as he doesn’t examine too closely. Adam looks up at me from where he’s finishing arranging the rope at my feet.
“Jay…if anything goes wrong…”
I shake my head. “It won’t.” Dear god, it can’t.
“But if it does…promise me you’ll get out of here.”
I just stare at him. How can he even ask that of me? “No.”
Jay…”
“No!”
“Promise me.”
“No!” I shake my head again. “I’ll do anything for you, Adam, anything you ask. Except that. No.” because, god forbid something should go wrong, I won’t want to live without him anyway. I don’t think I’d even know how. “No, no matter how this ends, it ends with us together. End of discussion.”
He must sense that arguing further would do no good, because he nods. He starts to stand up and suddenly I’m so scared. So fucking scared that this is the last time I’m gonna see him alive and it’s like a fist around my heart.
“Adam…kiss me. Please.”
He stares at me for a long moment, then leans down, his beautiful, graceful hands cupping my face and his soft, warm, lush pink lips brush my own. I want to sob at the sheer beauty of kissing him. It’s like my whole life, my entire existence, my very being boils down to this brief, infinitely tender brushing of lips against lips. And if I die in the next few minutes, I’ll die knowing I loved and was loved by the most perfect creature God ever made. And that’s worth a lifetime of never having loved him.
*****************
Then he’s standing, approaching the door and I let my head fall forward, eyes closing, pretending to be asleep as Adam had suggested. He thought Taker would pay less attention to me if he thought I was asleep, and hence, no threat and no distraction.
“Mark? His voice is soft and shaky and I know it’s not acting. He’s scared. I want to scream at him to stop, but it’s too late, the wheels already in motion.
“What the fuck do you want, bitch?” Taker’s voice, rough and gravelly.
“You.” Pure seduction in that tone.
In the next instant the lock is turning. Jesus…it can’t be that easy…
“What the hell you tryin’ to pull, kid?” Suspicion tinges Taker’s voice, but so does lust. Because Adam is still naked, and Adam is beautiful.
“Nothing. I just…I just thought, Raven’s gone and maybe we could…maybe work out an arrangement. Like last time.”
Oh my god. He’s bartered himself to Taker before?? It takes every ounce of self control to remain unmoving. But I’m screaming inside.
Taker chuckles at that, the sound dark and menacing. “Oh hell yeah, bitch, we can do that. Same as before?”
“Yeah. Same as before.” I don’t even want to know what the terms were.
The next sounds I hear are shuffling and muffled groans from the other side of the room. I risk slitting my eyes open and nausea rolls through me. Adam is on his knees, Taker’s back to me and the door, and I don’t have to see Adam to know what he’s doing.
Slowly, silently, I drop the rope I’d been holding around my hands and bend to uncoil the rope around my ankles. Then, though it goes against every instinct I have, I turn my back on the two of them and slip silently from the room.
Racing swiftly up the stairs, I reach the hall above, turning to the first door on the left and slipping inside. With no time to waste, I ease open the closet doors, for a second stunned immobile by the array of weaponry before me. But just for a second before I begin to make my selections. The guns are the best bet, but after checking 3 and finding the clips empty and no time to look for bullets, I abandon them and turn to the knives. Flashes of Pulp Fiction flit through my mind as I reach for a katana, unsheathing it and then grabbing a smaller, but still deadly-looking dagger.
A sense of calm washes over me as I retrace my steps to the basement room, and I grip the handles of the blades firmly, envisioning my attack.
The calm stutters for a moment as I slip back into the room to find Taker, his back to me and the door, bent over Adam, pumping and grunting. And then a wave of murderous surety fills me. The bastard is going to die. Now.
I strike swiftly, leaping onto Taker’s back and burying the dagger into his side, bringing the katana’s blade around to his throat. But before I can make the killing slice, he straightens, his meaty fist coming around to cuff the side of my head as I am flung off of him.
He turns and I charge towards him, sword in hand when, as though in slow motion, he grabs Adam by the hair and drags him in front of him like a human shield.
I skid to a halt barely in time to avoid burying the blade in Adam’s chest. I freeze, gripping the sword, Taker gripping Adam…oh Christ, this isn’t how it was supposed to happen…a stand off.
But it lasts only a split second as, almost quicker than I can blink, Taker jerks the dagger from his own side, smirks evilly at me…and buries it to the hilt in Adam’s chest.
“No!!!!!!!!!” I scream, disbelief and horror filling me as Taker callously shoves Adam to the floor. Murderous rage ripping through me, I launch myself at Taker, the katana’s blade sinking easily into his belly and we are eye to eye, my hand still gripping the handle as he gurgles in shock. “Die you fucking pig!” I snarl at him, jerking the sword up, nearly slicing him in half and drenching us both in his blood as he falls backwards, eyes wide open and lifeless.
I’m at Adam’s side in the next instant, tears streaking my face as I pull him across my lap, frantic. “Oh god…Adam! No, no, don’t die…please god don’t die!”
His beautiful midnight blue eyes are wide and filled with shock, blinking rapidly up at me. “Jay…is he…?”
I nod shakily, my hands hovering over the handle that protrudes obscenely from Adam’s chest. Oh god, there’s so much blood…what do I do. What do I fucking do? Should I pull it out? Leave it? “Adam…please no…” I should go find a phone but…and it becomes clear in that moment. He’s dying. A phone call won’t save him and I won’t leave him here to die alone. The pain is almost surreal as I watch his eyes dim. “I love you…oh god, I love you, Adam!”
He smiles then, the most beautiful smile I’ve ever seen on him. “I love…you too…always.” He swallows, coughing, then opens his eyes again, a different look in them. “Stop…Raven…”
I shake my head, grabbing blindly behind me to pull the katana from Taker. “No…I’m coming with you…remember? It ends with us together, remember?”
He draws a shuddering breath. “No…stop Raven…for me…”
Oh god, I can’t refuse him, even as my shredding heart is demanding I end the pain now. I nod, choking back a sob. “I will, baby…I will…” Then suddenly a thought occurs to me and I cry out, digging frantically in my pocket.
I smile shakily down at him as I hold up the ring. The ring I’d bought in anticipation of a lifetime of love and memories and forever. “Marry me, angel?”
He smiles again, barely a curve of his lips, but a smile nonetheless, and nods minutely. He’s fading so fast…lifting his hand, I slip the ring onto his finger and stare at it for a second, his hand curled in mine and then look back into his eyes, barely there now. I bend to press my lips to his, and when I pull back, his eyes are closed and I know…he’s gone.
I can’t find the strength to wail, simply staring down at his beautiful, pale, peaceful face, disbelief filling me. No. No…not yet, baby, not yet…
I stare at his hand, the ring glinting brightly at me, and suddenly I need a ring too…if we’re married I need a ring too or it’s not official. It’s suddenly the most important thing in the world that it be official. And though I can’t tell you why it occurs to me, I grab the katana, gather up a thin lock of his beautiful, golden hair, and cut it free.
With shaking hands, I wind the lock over and over around my ring finger, knotting it there. I smile to myself, staring at it. It even shines like real gold.
I don’t know how long I sit there, Adam cradled in m y lap, but suddenly the faraway sound of a door slamming shut startles me out of my daze. Icy determination fills me. Raven.
Easing Adam from my lap, I rise, grabbing up the bloody katana and crossing to the door, pressing myself back against the wall beside it, waiting.
He gets out “What the…?” before I am on him. He doesn’t die quickly or easily or painlessly. I take great pleasure in killing him by agonizingly slow degrees, every fucking scream from his lips like music to my ears. He knows ever bit of pain my Adam did before I finally cut his black heart from his chest.
And then I carry Adam outside, curling with him on the grass under the stars. Our final resting place will not be in that madman’s dungeon. My hand, Adam’s lock of hair twisted around my finger, closes on his as I put the blade of the dagger, still wet with Adam’s blood, to my wrist. And as the life drains out of me I curl around him, burying my face in the tangled mass of his hair, the sweet scent of honeysuckle surrounding me as darkness moves in.
Together. Forever.
