In The Right Direction Chapter 29

                                    

                                          
Twenty Nine: Lexi
                          
He stared at me with those eyes; the ones I'd been dreading to see, an icy cold but clear blue. The glare penetrated my thoughts and threatened to make me squirm; I couldn't give him that satisfaction. No tears, no whimpers; no reactions whatsoever.He'd get tired with a toy that wouldn't play well."You're not going to talk, are you." He'd been running off for a while now and I'd stopped listening, thinking of scenarios where I could somehow escape, somehow get the others; make it back to the boys, unscathed and unharmed.Maybe not all hope was lost. I was lying to myself though, and I knew it clearly. There wasn't any more hope. The metal chair was cold against my skin and the handcuffs dug into my wrists and ankles, easily holding me prisoner on the chair's icy limbs. Damien stood a few feet away, leaning over the long metal table that held an array of weapons. I tried not to look at them, not to analyze them too much; they could predict my fate. Needles, a few pocket knives; small bags of unknown substances that could hardly be legal. He wasn't just a crazy bastard; Damien had some kind of plan.Criminals with plans could be foiled, right? It was the loose-hinged ones you had to watch out for, not the calculating control freaks. Or maybe you had to watch out for criminals in general; that was common sense, right? Common sense wasn't my forte."Really bitch? I'm talking to you." He was getting impatient with me quickly; I let a small smile twitch at the corners of my lips, mocking him.He slapped me hard, knocking my head to the side and making stars in my eyes; I'd been expecting that. There wasn't much I hadn't already thought out. Physically, mentally, emotionally, he was going to try and break me. All weekend this had been happening, with the notes and pictures. Now he was testing me physically, seeing if I'd succumb to his will.I wasn't ever going to back down.He chuckled mockingly and shook his head, stepping toward me around the table. There was a sick gleam in those eyes that unnerved me a bit. A shiver of unease went down my arms, leaving goose bumps.When he began to speak; that was the turning point where I started to lose it. The beast wanted to break free, rip his throat out and let the blood run down, drip down his flesh and to the concrete floor. It wanted him to moan in pain as the life drifted out of those blue eyes, to see the sick gleam leave them.The beast wanted that man to die, quickly, simply."Hm, did that not hurt? I can do better." Damien grinned and cracked his knuckles. The slap had jarred me, but it wasn't more than just a hit. I'd been hit many times before and I wasn't going to back down for a single smack. "Your choice then," He murmured, stroking the line of my jawbone. Non-intentionally a shiver ran through me; he felt it and the grin got wider, his lips curling in pleasure. Those fingers grasped my chin then, pulling my face up to meet the icy blue eyes, filled with a satisfaction that scared me. He chuckled, the laughter rumbled around me. "You know, I kind of like you being mute bitch." He murmured. His thumb touched my bottom lip and I considered biting him; maybe I'd draw blood and make him growl. Instead I just continued to glare, eyes burning.That made him laugh again, my failure to respond."You know, that slut talks a lot, just like you usually do. Around your friends; you talk to the slut all the time. Giving those assholes advice, that's your specialty right?" Still keeping a hand on my chin, he leaned over to the table and extracted a pocket knife, opening it in a flash."Since you're mute, you don't need those vocal chords anymore, huh? I saw a few videos on YouTube; you and your faggot singing together for those pathetic fans. You're loud, aren't you. The loudest of them all, that's what the magazines say. Where'd the voice go bitch, huh? Stuck up your fat blonde ass?" That got to me and he saw it; the knife was close to the my jawbone though, getting closer to my neck, threatening me. "Awe, that hurt, didn't it. Fucking fat ass bitch. You like that nickname? It's kind of a mouthful, but I like it. Suits you perfectly.""Fuck you," The whispered defense escaped me, I couldn't help it. Damien's eyes sparked in anger and enjoyment; this was the best part for him, when victims talked back. I hated myself for it, but I'd started the ball rolling.It all was going to be downhill from here."Fuck you too bitch, I was waiting for that. It made my day, you know that? The slut was getting much too boring with her pathetic back talk and don't even get me started on that Nick kid. Louis's girl is boring too, even before Elise stabbed her. I hate the weak ones, they're no fun.""What the hell did you do to her?" I shouted, losing my control. The name Elise was familiar; Damien stepped back from me for a minute while my brain deciphered his words, grinning and smiling like it was his birthday.Elise... oh no. Elise White, Louis's ex. Elise White, the crazy woman who still stalked Louis on twitter and still tried to get into the concerts.The Elise that used to send Skyler death threats."Get Elise the heck away from Skyler you bastard! What the hell is wrong with you? Why can't you just leave us alone and let us go; they'll give the money god dammit!" I struggled with the handcuffs around my wrists, making them rattle against the metal and dig into my flesh further."That's what I wanted sweetheart." He growled right in my ear and the knife was back, along my chin. His hand was there, and I bit down hard."Fucking bitch!" He bellowed, jumping back and letting go of the knife. It clattered to the floor and I braced myself for some kind of impact from him; I was smiling at his pain.The beast was laughing; I was laughing and chuckling out loud, shaking in my seat.He lunged at me and I startling pain hit my abdomen; the blow made me gasp and I tried to clutch my stomach and get some kind of relief."Ass," I panted, hissing the word. Damien growled and punched me this time, his knuckles making impact against my stomach again, not giving me time to recover from the previous blow. This one was going to leave a bruise. It left me facing the floor, the contents of my stomach dangerously churning."Yeah, keep the insults coming; it gives me an excuse doesn't it?" He rolled the pocket knife around in his hand as I stared up at him, trying to get my panting under control. He came closer then; the blade was close to my hair and it unnerved me.With a single finger he flicked a blonde strand out of my face and then took another longer, thicker piece from behind my ear, playing with it in his hand."You love your hair, don't you?" He purred, testing me and watching my reaction. The pain in my stomach had been reduced to a solid ache; partly ignorable but still striking me if I moved or shifted my body weight.When I didn't respond the blade moved closer to my hair, along the edge of the strand; teasing, threatening. It was stupid and pathetic and self-centered, but I gasped."Don't worry bitch, I wouldn't do that; it's too replaceable." His palm cupped my face and moved my chin up to him again; he loved this, the subtle teasing, small gasps building up to the grand finale.He wasn't nearly done with me, this was only part one. Needlessly the venom came into me, mixing with my saliva. The words came on their own accord, or maybe I just wanted to get back at him, somehow. Skyler was... she probably wasn't doing so well. There was no telling how the others were faring."Then what's not fucking replaceable, huh Damien? My life? Are you really going to take that away? You need me." The knife was steady in his hand but his eyes were wild and uncontrolled.Another blow hit me in the stomach, so accurately placed, near my diaphragm. It knocked the breath out of me and I couldn't stop the startled groan that escaped my lips."Your life is in the palm of my hand." He growled, grabbing my chin harshly. His grip hurt on my jawbone but I couldn't move from his grasp; he held me there, staring at him, the knife right in my line of vision.The tip of the blade went into my top lip and I shut my mouth, or at least tried; his grip kept my jaw and lips in the perfect spot. "You won't need these to kiss that boyfriend of yours anymore if you're dead." The knife went into the skin on my lips, tracing the outline of them, the blood slowly dribbling into my mouth.Then Damien did the unexpected.His lips were on mine; tasting the blood he'd drawn. His tongue explored inside my mouth and lapped at the blood; my whole jaw was too slack to stop him. The entire bottom part of my face was just numb everywhere from his grip on my chin, the way the knife and his lips were sending little shocks of pain into me. I could try to bite him, but the blood was leaving a tang in my saliva, mixing with the taste of his tongue lingering on mine. It was horrible and I... I couldn't stop.He broke away first; as his lips left mine the blood poured into my mouth and a sick realization came to me. I hadn't stopped him; I'd let this man kiss me as he made marks in my flesh, along the lips he'd branded with a knife's touch."No," The small exclamation came from my throat, a croak of exasperation."I've been... Sophie never liked you, but I thought you were just... he never deserved you." His voice was husky and his words startled me; it was a lie, a plot. It had to be. Sophie was his sister, I think. This whole plot was about money, the entire reason he'd captured us was money, right? Not... not because he had some benign crush on me.Even if he did, Damien's version of love wasn't ideal; it was pain. The pain I was experiencing now; the constant ache in my stomach that was only growing worse."He deserves me more than you ever will." I spit the words, and with them, blood. The wounds on my lips would scab up quickly, but until then I would use the choking red liquid to my advantage. He wouldn't get a solid scream from me, not yet, not ever.My comeback earned me a spark in his eyes, igniting the flame of anger again; I braced myself for a blow from his fist.Oh, how I wish it was his fist.Instead, it was his entire body, slamming into me and pushing the chair backward into the wall; the weight of his muscle jarred me and created black spots that danced across my vision. My head spun as it almost hit the concrete and the chair flew to the side, taking me down with it. The metal armrest rammed my torso and nausea took over, the contents of my stomach coming to the surface.The vomit struck the floor slowly; red painting the contaminants."Oh did that hurt? He's a fucking low-life compared to me bitch, you better hurt!" For a few seconds my mind was fuzzy and I could barely comprehend his words; he pulled the chair and me upright easily. "What are you tired? We're not even close to being finished." He slapped me again and lights shined behind my eyelids before my sight came back in focus.There was that satisfied look in his eyes again.The beast hated that look, despised it."What are you going to do then Damien, kill me? You fucking need me. You need your money, don't you? If you kill me, there's no more money. Harry won't give you anything; the boys won't give you anything if I'm gone." That struck a nerve in him; the beast found pleasure in that. I knew it was wrong that I was enjoying this, the exchange of arguing and pain and injuries. Some small voice in my head liked to see this despicable man squirm, just as he liked to watch me bleed.With a sort of flourish Damien found another knife that suited his liking and cocked his head at me, the clear blue eyes of a killer meeting my own; the eyes that I swore would haunt me now, forever."Sophie loved your boyfriend, you know that? He was her favorite. It was always Harry this, Harry that. She had the poster, a wristband; even made me get her a stupid sweatshirt for her birthday. She was obsessed. She hated you too, the fact that you were his girlfriend. She respected you sure, but she wasn't one to gush about your beauty or say how sweet you looked next to that curly haired faggot. Mrs. Sophie Anne Styles will be my name, she used to say. You'll see Damien, one day I'm going to meet him and steal his heart. He'll forget all about Lexi. She would go on and on about it I swear. Sometimes it was sickening." There was some kind of emotion behind his eyes, pain maybe? Too bad I didn't care."What's your point?" All of his rants were making me focus on the words; I could barely focus on him, let alone his words with the dull ache in my abdomen. I wouldn't scream though, no matter how much the burning persisted. They were just bruises; how bad could it be?  Damien growled at me and his foot hit my stomach again; the pain did get worse.Someone screamed; the sound was like a dying animal.It was me."There we go! The bitch has some fucking feelings now doesn't she? It hurts now, it really hurt doesn't it? Let me make my point or it will hurt more." He played with the knife in his hand and cracked a smile."As I was saying, Sophie loved your useless excuse of a boyfriend. She worshipped him and it was sickening. There was one aspect she hated about him though; those tattoos. He got tons of them didn't he? What does he have now, ten? She hated them." His finger lightly caressed my forearm, "I heard you disagree. I heard you love his tattoos. That you want your own, two of them on your arm, right? Something pathetic about love, the other about strength. Stupid tattoos, but you want them don't you?" He put his face an inch from mine."Today's your lucky day."There wasn't any time for me to protest before he was holding me down and I was thrashing in the chair, the cuffs rattling and digging into my flesh."No please!" Someone was screaming, the high pitch piercing the humid air that was thick with sweat.Damien was laughing as the knife carved lines into the flesh on my arm, going deep enough to agonize me, yet not so that my veins were punctured. No, he would keep me alive; without me there was no money.The pain and his laughter continued; the whole weight of his body was holding me down, holding my arm in place on its rest. His hair and the occasional glance from him, the rumbling of his chuckles mixing with the wild shrieking; my mind couldn't comprehend anything else. The arm he held down was completely numb from the elbow down, a quick glance to it and I couldn't look again; the red liquid slowly dripping to the floor and staining the concrete.From there I honestly thought it would be over, when he stepped back from me and the wet knife clattered on the table.The syringe was in his left hand in a flash, the needle menacingly pointy and long. A bead of sweat fell down my forehead, adding to the wet sheen collecting on my body, pasting strands of hair to my face. Damien raised his eyebrow and his lip curled upward, the smirk mocking."You remember last year when you had a food poisoning scare and he took you to the hospital? Sophie was all over that for a few days; she thought you were a wimp, being scared of needles. It's all over the news, she said, why do they care? She's such a wimp." The needle moved closer; the contents were unknown, a clear liquid in a clear vile. The fear must have been clear on my face because he chuckled and continued to speak, his voice mocking. "Don't worry bitch, once it hits you, you'll be begging for more." There was a crazed light in his eyes that unnerved me; he took my left arm, undamaged by the knife, and positioned the needle like an IV in the crook of my elbow.When it hit my system the whole room spun and a hacking built up in my chest, I tasted blood.Damien laughed.So did I."You like it?" He was shaking with the laughter, his form moving in and out of focus. Was his hair really that black, his eyes really that blue? I didn't care, they were just beautiful.He was so beautiful, like an angel.There was a glowing white light surrounding him; it was pulsing around everything. Maybe this was heaven; Damien had taken me to heaven because he was an angel. He smelled so good too; sweat and some sweet cologne. It was a great smell; there was a metallic odor too though that didn't mix well in the room."I... love it." Some small part of me, maybe it was the beast; it told me that this was wrong. You shouldn't be feeling this way, hearing or seeing or smelling this way. It's unnatural.Currently I just didn't care. The rushes of adrenaline were too addictive; it felt so damn good, the way it thrilled up into me and made me shiver it pleasure.All the pain was numbing and disappearing, fading until nothing was left but that thrill and Damian, laughing and purring in my ear."Want another hit?" He murmured the words but they rang in my ears clear as a bell. The knife was in his hand again, reopening the wounds along my lips and down my arm. His tongue played with mine again and this time I turned my head away, all too aware that no matter how much I... wanted him, Harry was... he wasn't here.Stop this now, the voice in my head urged; the beast forcing some kind of demented common sense into me. I hadn't given Damien a response to his question, but the needle came closer again, a new bit of liquid as its contents."Let's see how much you'll take," In some distant part of me a shock of fear pulsed my brain; these were drugs, dangerous and unpredictable."But if--" The need went in and it rushed into my brain, leaving me coughing even more than the first; blood was coming up with the furious hacks and I couldn't breathe. There was a burning pain in my lungs and my chest; the ache was back in my stomach and I felt like puking up my guts, if that would somehow make it stop.There was an animal's high pitched keening, a whimper, than a full blown scream.They wouldn't stop.