Chapter 13

Viv watched the door. The demoness had started coming in at all hours of the day. It didn’t matter if the sun was up or the moon. Sometimes she just threw open the door and stood there. Sometimes she threw stuff at them. Sometimes she carried Thomas out and brought him back bloody. By the third day, Viv started feeling feverish. She had a feeling her hand was infected, but there wasn’t much she could do about it. They got a bottle of water on day three, but she kept it all for drinking. She couldn’t remember how long you could last without water, but she was sure it wasn’t more than three days. There was only one bucket, and it had been filthy to start with, so collecting their own urine to drink wasn’t an option. She wasn’t sure when they would get water again, so her hand would need to wait. It wasn’t like she had soap anyway.

She’d taken Thomas last night and hadn’t brought him back yet and Viv was very afraid that her friend was dead. Hearing the board creak in the hallway made her feel hope. The demoness was coming back.

This time, she just dumped him in right by the door.

“He’s a little sore right now,” she laughed. “I’ll be back later when he’s aware. It’s no fun to play with toys that aren’t awake.”

Viv waited until the woman left. The last time she tried to rush the door to grab him, she had gotten a kick to the ribs that sent her spinning across the room. Viv ran to the door, getting on her knees, reaching as far as she could to try to reach him. Her chain fell a couple of feet short of the door, but if she stretched enough, she could reach most of him. The cuff cut into her skin, and she could feel the scabs that had started to form reopen, but she ignored the pain.

“Thomas? What did she do?” Viv looked over his body frantically. He had burn marks on his chest. His left hand was swollen, several fingers clearly broken. Both eyes were now bruised, and when she checked his one eye, it was bloodshot, no white showing at all. While he was unconscious, she tried to ease his fingers back into place as best as she could. Ripping her other shirt sleeve off, she wrapped the fabric between each finger, before doing a loose wrap around his whole hand. It wouldn’t keep them from bending, but it might help stabilize them a little bit.

She didn’t want to move him until he woke up, in case something else was broken that she couldn’t see. She waited by his side, holding the hand that wasn’t broken until he started to stir.

“Shh. You’re back in the room with me,” she said quietly, trying to keep her voice soothing.

Thomas groaned. “It’s cold.”

“I didn’t want to move you until you woke up and could tell me what hurt. I mean, I know most of you hurts, but more that I didn’t want to move you and cause a broken bone to puncture something.” She stayed next to him, trying to help him sit up as much as she could, letting him set the pace.

“I don’t think any ribs are broken,” he said. “This time she played around with matches and her fists.” Thomas managed to get to one knee and hopped to standing using her shoulder to push off on. Viv stayed there, letting him get steadier, although he was swaying a bit. Viv jumped up, holding her arms out for him to grab. He hopped over to stand next to her.

“Do you think D will find us?” Viv asked, propping his arm around her shoulders, letting him use her as a crutch. It was the one hope that was keeping her going. She knew they had the mate bond and was hoping he could track them.

“I do. I think she has this place warded though, so he might not be able to as easily,” he admitted. “But I do know he won’t give up. He’ll keep looking. I’m sure Mac is helping too.”

“I’m sure. It’s his best friend’s mate that was taken. He should have some good resources to help.” She didn’t want to say too much in case the demoness was listening.

Thomas leaned his head on her shoulder. “You know he’s got other motivation to help,” he pointed out in a whisper.

Viv just shook her head. He didn’t want her as a mate, so while he might feel bad that she got kidnapped and try to find her as part of his job, she truly didn’t believe that he would be as devastated as D right now. Viv helped Thomas hobble over to the cot, his leg still very swollen and she worried about it healing right. She tried to help him raise his leg and lay it on the bed as gently as possible, but he still hissed in pain and paled. Viv sat on the floor next to the cot, laying her head on the edge, holding on to his hand. She hoped they came soon.

It was dark, barely any light filtering through the window. Viv wasn’t sure what had woken her. The door creaked open, the demoness filling the doorway. This time she was in human form.

“It’s adorable how you two snuggle together, as if that will make any bit of difference. I’m so happy you decided to wrap his hand. It just shows me which pathetic human is the one I’m after. It’s been so much fun playing with both of you, but I really must insist that he and I have some one-on-one time right now.” She transformed with a horrible smile, grabbing Thomas by his broken leg, waking him up screaming. She tossed him over her shoulder.

“No, please. Take me for a while, please. I could be a mate too. Let him go. I’ll take his place,” Viv pleaded. She didn’t know how much more Thomas could take. They hadn’t gotten any food since arriving, and other than the one water bottle, no water.

“No thank you. I’m good with the one I got.” The demoness slammed the door shut behind her.

Viv sat in the dark waiting for her friend to be brought back. She stared at the door, willing it to open. It was another day before Thomas was dropped in the room. Viv had the bucket ready. She had dumped out their waste and was going to swing it at the demoness as soon as she brought Thomas in. She normally liked to gloat a little bit before she left, so it would give Viv a chance to beam her with the bucket. She didn’t think it would do much, but maybe it would draw the attention to her instead of Thomas for a while. If she was really lucky, it would knock her out and Viv could search her for the key, although she knew that probably wouldn’t happen.

The door finally opened, Thomas’ body a bloody mess. He was missing his shirt and was covered in what looked like whip marks. Some were only red welts, some had clearly been hard enough to split his skin, some looked deep and were bleeding. Viv waited until she put Thomas on the ground. Reaching behind her to grab the bucket, she swung it with all her strength. The demoness was still bent over and Viv managed to nail her in the head.

“That wasn’t wise,” she said, storming over to grab Viv by the hair.

Viv struggled against the grip, kicking and digging in with her nails. The last thing she saw was the floor coming toward her face.

“Viv. Viv, wake up,” a deep voice said that sounded familiar.

She opened her eyes, finding D leaning over her. “You’re here,” she said, full of disbelief.

“I am. Mac and I split up looking at different places, so it’s just me right now. I can only take one of you at a time.”

“Take Thomas. He needs help. She’s broken his leg and fingers, I’m worried he has a concussion, he has burn and whip marks,” she said.

D looked conflicted.

“Go,” she urged. “Come back when he’s safe.”

“I will. I can’t tell Mac where you are since it’s warded. I’ll be able to get back here though.”

Viv sat on the cot, waiting for D to come back. She was so grateful that D had found them. Thomas was in bad shape and needed lots of medical attention.

“Where did my toy go?” the demoness demanded when she threw open the door only minutes later.

“He’s safe. You can’t hurt him anymore,” Viv said with a smile.

“Hm. But I’ve still got you. This place is compromised, so I’ll take you someplace else to play.”

Viv fought, lashing out with her hands and arms, legs kicking, but it didn’t matter. A blow to the head knocked her out.