Change of Heart

Chapter 40

I was thrown to the ground. This heat felt so familiar, just like that time. There was no mistaking it. These were the floors of hell.

Coughing out more blood, I struggled pushing myself up to my knees. A dark presence appeared before me, and sure enough it was Zander.

"You just keep finding ways to surprise me don't you?" He bent down putting his face to mine. "It's as she said, you're still able to move even just a little bit with that poison traveling through your system. Oh, and also..." He pulled out a folded sheet of paper from the inside of his shirt. When he unfolded it and held it in front of my face, I began trembling even more. That's...one of my drawings. "Who knew you were just like Alex. No wonder why you two have a strong connection to each other. It does make me wonder though, why you?"

Zander lifted my chin and placed his lips against mine. Something liquid came into my mouth, thick like oil. He forced my head back with his lips still in contact. Is he trying to make me drink this? I couldn't hold it in my mouth much longer, and it ended up traveling down my throat.

Surprisingly, nothing happened besides it having an awful taste, but it still terrified me of what it could be.

His lips stayed attached to mine for a while longer before he finally pulled away. I let out a breath of relief, and groaned from the poison's affect. "What I've just injected in you is the antidote. But of course it won't kick in for another few hours." Hearing that made me both relieved and a bit wary. What was his gain? "Don't worry, I'm not going to kill you now. After all, the fun's only begun." As Zander walked past, my body started falling to the floor again but was stopped when two arms wrapped under my arms holding me in place.

"What do you want me to do with her until then?" Nikki asked as she pulled me straight up.

"Just tie her up for now. It still surprises me though she's able to move on her own even with that level of poison." As he turned around, he moved his eyes in the direction of mine. "I want to keep her. See what else she's capable of, what other surprises she's hiding."

Nikki nodded, and in an instant the walls around us were gone. Nothing but flames all around this single platform we've landed on. She dropped me down to the ground and I cried out as my side slammed into a giant rock.

She pushed me against the ground and forced my arms back. Nikki made my wrists cross in an X, and a thick chain was wrapped around my wrist down the middle and to the sides. "That should hold you off for a while."

The chains were tight, and my wrists wouldn't even budge. Why is Nikki helping Zander? It just doesn't add up.

Glancing up at her, she still had that evil grin on her face. Gritting my teeth, I tried holding back the tears. She picked me up by the hair and put my face against hers.

"What's wrong? Disappointed? Thought that I was the good guy?" As she laughed, Nikki thrusted me back into the ground. "You're so easy to manipulate. Both you and those snotty twins. I'll be back for you later on. Zander's got a surprise for that little boy toy of yours." Her words triggered something inside, and I couldn't hold back anymore. I began to scream out of frustration. Why is all of this happening?

Dammit! I can't force myself to move anymore, not even a single muscle. It burns...my whole body feels like it's been engulfed by the flames around me. There's nothing I can do, no way I can call out to Alex, or Alek, no way I can warn them about her...I'm useless!