Filed to story: The LORDS Series Free PDF by Shantel Tessier
Laughter fills the woods and I’m grabbed and rolled onto my back. I look up to see the masked men standing over me. One drops to his knees above my head and pins my still tied arms down to the uneven ground. The second one straddles my legs.
“We’re going to give you a little something. Make this a little more fun for you.” He pulls a syringe out of his pocket and removes the cap with his teeth.
I close my eyes. I’m too tired to fight or even speak.
“It’s only going to hurt for a second,” he says before a burning pain shoots through my body.
My cracked lips open and a scream escapes my mouth as I arch my back. The sound of birds flying from the nearby trees follows.
“That’s it.” The one lets go of my arms and then cuts through the rope, freeing them.
The other stands up off me, and I roll onto my side, holding my chest as I feel like my heart may explode. “If you last twenty minutes, I’ll be surprised.” He chuckles. “We’ll give you a three-minute head start. Don’t want to end the game too soon.”
I pry my swollen eyes open and look around aimlessly. I feel drunk, like the world is tilted on its side, but I realize I’m still lying on the ground.
Using my left hand, I push myself up to a sitting position as my back screams in protest. I can’t feel my right hand at all. My feet tingle, and my stomach rumbles. I’m so hungry.
Something around my neck gets my attention, and I reach up to feel a collar. My trembling fingers move to the back, and there’s a lock on it. Pulling on it, I hear a bell of some sort. It’s me. They’ve given me a cat collar like Saint had. But the leather is thicker and heavier.
“You’re wasting your time,” someone says, and then a boot is shoved into my back, pushing me forward.
I get to my feet and fall. My legs are so weak they tremble.
“Why isn’t it working?” the other asks, and I have no clue what he’s referring to.
“Maybe she needs more. I didn’t want to overdo it,” the first one says.
“Run, bitch!” one orders.
Getting to my hands and knees, I begin to crawl away from them. The stupid bell rings as my body moves mechanically. I fall on my face, and they laugh.
“We’ll give you ten minutes,” one states. “It’ll be better if you actually have the strength to fight us.” The door shuts, letting me know they returned to the house.
I lie on my stomach, my head to the side, staring at a squirrel not far from me as my heavy breathing moves the leaves that cover the ground. Taking everything I have, I get back to my hands and knees and crawl as far as I can as fast as I can.
I’m a fucking turtle. Tears sting my swollen eyes, and I hate myself for crying. I’ve done it so much in the past few days.
The door opens once more. “I think you’re ready,” one says.
And I dig my hand into the ground, feeling the dirt under my nails.
“It’s okay, Ashtyn. We’re going to play with you first,” one taunts.
I scramble to get behind a large tree and press my back into it as they laugh. Looking down, I see a small puddle of water. It’s from the guy hosing me down this morning after he whipped me. I push my hand into it, digging my fingers into the mud and grabbing a handful. Bringing it up, I cover the bell connected to my collar. Squeezing my hand around it, I try to fill the small holes with mud. If I can pack it full of it, you won’t hear the bell when I run.
It doesn’t work like I want it to. So I lie down, getting my face and neck as close as I can to the puddle and grab another fistful. I do it a few more times until there’s not much left, and I shake the collar. Tears of relief fall from my eyes when there’s no ringing.
Getting to my shaky legs, I press my back into the rough tree and take a deep breath. It’s now or never. They gave me the opportunity I’ve been needing. No one will ever find me out here. Wherever the fuck here is. I have to do this on my own. Save myself.
I push off the tree and run as fast as I can in the opposite direction of the house and farther into the woods.
Have you ever had those dreams when you’re running for your life, and one of your legs doesn’t work? You drag it behind you? That’s what I feel like right now. I have no shoes, no clothes, and no fucking clue where I am, but I’m running for my life. I can feel my pulse racing and blood rushing in my ears.
I refuse to look back. It’ll just slow me down. I’m sucking in breath; my side aches, and I can’t hold back the sobs of relief at how close I am to freedom. I try to be quiet, but it takes everything I have to stay on my feet. They hurt so bad as I step on sharp objects and twigs. I trip over a log covered in leaves and land on something sharp that takes my breath away.
Rolling onto my back, I blink looking up into the night, seeing all the stars twinkle as my shaky hand comes to my side. I whimper when I feel something sharp sticking into me. It’s glass.
Looking to the right, I see the reflection of brown glass. It looks like part of a broken beer bottle, and if I had to guess, I’d say it’s part of what’s embedded into me.
“Ashtyn? Here, kitty kitty.” I hear the altered voice. “Come on, sweetheart, be a good pussy, and let me catch you.”
“Dude, that’s so fucking stupid.” The other laughs.
They don’t sound really close, but the fact I can hear anything tells me that I’m too close. Slowly, I get to my feet and keep going in the direction I was headed.
I’m exhausted. All I want to do is sleep, but if I stop, I’m dead. I hobble my way through the trees, dragging my right leg and holding my bleeding side. I’m having problems breathing, and my throat is closing up on me.
I can’t die here, not like this. Making it to a clearing, I sob harder when I step onto the blacktop. It’s a road. Two lanes and curvy. I start to walk down it, looking over my shoulder to make sure they’re not on my ass. Lights come around the corner, and I stand in the center of the two lanes, prepared to die if they don’t stop in time. It’s the only chance I have at this point.
I hold my heavy arms up and wave them the best I can when it comes to an abrupt stop, almost hitting me. I fall to my knees, my head hanging, when I hear car doors open and close.
“Jesus Christ,” a man hisses.
I lift my head, but I can’t see anything since the headlights are even with my already blurry eyes.
“Where the fuck did she come from?” another one demands.
“Pl-ease?” I manage to get out. “They’re…coming.” Who knows how far out they are.
“Get her in the car.” Hands grab at me and yank me to my feet.
I whimper as I’m picked up and cradled to a hard chest. Car doors open and close as I’m placed inside.
“Phone,” I manage to say through cracked lips. “I need-“
“A hospital.” One interrupts me.
“No.” I start to fight, and he lets go of me.
I fall to the floor and push my back up against the back-seat door on the driver’s side, pulling my knees to my chest to cover my naked body. I could have just traded one nightmare for another. “I need a phone.” I manage to say.
My hand is grabbed, and a phone is placed in it. Just like in the woods, my fingers won’t work on the phone. It’s as if my mind has no idea how to process a phone call. And a thought hits me: I don’t know Saint’s number by heart. I could call my cell number that Kashton gave me, but it’s probably dead by now.
I can only think of one number at the moment. I ramble it off three times before I hear a phone ringing on the end of the line. It was placed on speakerphone, and it’s held in front of my bloody face.
“Hello?” the voice asks.
I don’t know any of the Spade brothers’ numbers by heart, but I know hers. “Jas-mine.” My voice cracks.
“Yeah. Who is this?” she asks, sounding worried. “Are you okay?”
“Ashtyn.” I swallow the lump that forms in my throat. “I need you to call Kashton.”
She sighs. “Ashtyn, I told you he doesn’t matter…”
“Please?” I interrupt her, feeling my eyes grow heavy. “I’m lost…I’m about to pass out. I need…I need Saint…”