章 22: ~ 22: Satisfy A Desire - Part 1 ~
Tears started to flow by themselves, blurring my vision. My hand was still holding the knife to the side of his chest where blood flowed effortlessly. I couldn't let go of my hold on the knife. But why was I crying? He was neither someone I knew nor I had known in my entire existence. Yet my heart felt like breaking apart.
"Take this dagger and get through that door already!" he yelled as he fell to his knees.
He sunk the knife deeper and I only held onto it to prevent him from taking it in any further. I put my forehead on his shoulder, quivering from the effort to yank his hand away.
"Why are you doing this?" I cried. "You remind me of a past event that I wish to forget."
"Your life is vital, not for you but everyone around you," he said with a groan. "So don't lose the opportunity you are given. You have to take this and get through that door. This bloodshed and that dagger will let them think you are stronger than me, so they wouldn't stop you from making it out of here without your friend."
"And what if it only makes them get greater backup to fight me off?"
"There's already a force installed for you. You just have to do as I say, and everything will go smoothly."
"How do you even know whether there is something kept for me?"
"Because I'm a seer and a major in computer engineering. Should that suffice for you to run and get your friend out before it's too late? I could have triggered you to jab at me, instead of doing it this way. If only I didn't have to fulfil that promise."
He gently removed my shaking hand and in it, he placed his elegant, bejewelled dagger. He cupped my hand and giving it a small kiss, he swept me to his side so that I would launch off.
I looked back at him one last time with an unforgettable concern dangling in my eyes. He glimpsed at my face sideways for a brief moment to say, "I'll be fine."
I ran as fast as my legs could take me. I couldn't risk losing the man, who had gone out of his way to help me, and my friend, who had, over time, become my closest companion. So I hoped that I could take the two of them out of the mess, whatever few minutes were left.
The door he had shown led to the back of the hall, in which Melissa was being held captive. Like a mouse, I got through the door and the stack of boxes without anyone hearing my tread in my boots.
I had neared the clearing where she was tied when I heard a snap. There was a small piece of cracker that I had most ingeniously stepped on, and the sound had reverberated throughout the room. I hid behind one pile of boxes, but the dagger gave me away.
"Is that you, Lucas?" a voice thundered. "Is there another attack coming for this girl?"
"Lucas is dead, sir," I said bravely, hiding the tremor in my voice. "I'm his little toy, who has been assigned to transfer the message of leaving that girl. Men have been asked to come after her, so it would be best to leave now."
"Lucas would have been able to see further than this. That would only mean that you are an impostor trying to break our neat little circuit. Am I wrong there, dear? You must be a pretty woman if Lucas has chosen you himself. Show yourself unless you are a coward."
"Perhaps you are in the wrong. But I won't show who I am until you leave that girl."
"Then how about I snap her petite neck and then get to you? That would make things just right, wouldn't it?"
His laugh brought terror to my mind and heart. It couldn't end this way. I had to save both of them or die as a victim.
Finding no other alternative, I revealed myself, wishing that I had a mask to cover my face. I saw Melissa tied to her chair, her head bent. Her skirt had been pulled up, unveiling the bruises that marked her legs. Her arms were tied to the chair, making it impossible for her to move or cut the ropes. Her sleeves were torn in places from where blood had dripped down her arm to the ground.
'Be expressionless,' my small voice said. 'Don't give it away at all.'
I took a deep breath and strode to the centre, locking my eyes with the stout man. His appearance was filled with lust and greed the moment he set his eyes on me.
"Lucas wouldn't mind if I grabbed a bite from his plaything, would he now?" he said, smacking his lips.
"Isn't the man possessive of what he owns? Otherwise, getting this beautiful dagger would have been hard."
"A dagger is useless if you don't know how to use it, darling. Now, come here and get to work, unless you want to be turned into a bruised flesh of your meat. I wouldn't want to spoil such a pretty work like you."
'You just wait. I will avenge everything that you have taken without their consent.'
I stepped closer into the central circle, observing the thug's features. He was a piece of work with rippling muscles. It would be hard to get over him and escape once I was in his clutches.
Rather than going towards him, I sidestepped to where she was seated, trying to pick up her heavy head. I tipped up her chin so that we could both see each other.
"Celest... Why?" she gasped out.
"Because you lend me a shoulder when I was nearly dying from homesickness," I whispered. "You took care of me like I was a child when I had fractured my bones. And you were there to listen to all my angry rants. What more could I ask of you?"
Two drops fell from her eyes. I saw her clenching her jaw to keep it away and then sucking in the air painfully. I rubbed her cheek playfully and told her that if she was going to stick up for me, then I wasn't afraid to do it for her, no matter how horrendous it would be.
I felt a hand on my should pulling me away from her. It shoved my head up, letting the hoodie fall. My identity was now completely revealed.
"Aren't you the one who put Crawford behind the bars?" he spoke slyly. "My brother has great taste, I must say, after being in this business with me for years."
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