Lover United - Black Dagger Brotherhood FanFic

The Tunnel

Rhaylynn sat on the couch in the library of her mother's house and sighed, rubbing her tired eyes. They had been reading newpapers and looking over images for the last several hours and nothing was jumping out at her. Why was her mother so obsessed with Lash? And why did she follow him around taking photo after photo that all seemed the same? The more she looked around, the more questions she had. Kade emerged from the cellar and sat down next to her, equally exhausted. She leaned against him and closed her eyes. As she listened to the steady rhythm of his heart, she didn't notice her father approach her until he was right in front of her. Rhay opened her eyes and sat up, "Find something?" she asked.

Rhage shook his head and said, "I was hoping you would take a walk with me. I wanted to talk, just you and me." Rhay looked to Kade and he kissed her forehead.
"I'm going to go to the room. Take your time." He stood and left the library, leaving the door open marginally. Rhay stood and asked,
"Where do you want to go?" Her father shrugged,
"No where in particular. Let's just take a walk."

They made their way through the kitchen and to the back porch. Rhay took off her shoes and Rhage did the same, and they walked barefoot to the water and then turned left to wander along the shore, the waves brushing their feet as they walked. "What was Murhder talking about with the tunnel?" Rhage finally asked. Rhay took a deep breath and said,
"The tunnel is where I lived, after Suzerhain had me sent away. It's an old abandoned railway system that was built into the side of the mountain. I guess they abandoned the project because it was never finished. I've lived there for years."
"You lived in a tunnel?" Rhay looked down at her feet and nodded. "What do you do about food? Clothing? How do you bathe?"
"I do what I have to do," she said. "It was pretty awful at first, but I learned how to survive. Sometimes I even miss it. Staring up at the stars on a slow night when I don't have anything to do. The quiet. I miss the quiet sometimes, just sitting and listening." She looked up at him and said, "If I'm found guilty again, what's going to happen to me?"

Rhage didn't know what to tell her. The only witness to what happened is no where to be found, and they can't go snooping around to try to see what anyone may know about her whereabouts. He just hoped Murhder would be able to find something out about her soon. They were still deciding the best way to approach Suzerhain and the council with their request for a mistrial. "Whatever happens, you are not going back to the tunnel. Not to live anyways. Even if we discover that you did kill them, it was not you. It was the beast and you had no control over what happened. You more than made up for the crime and to be honest, if I get my hands on Suzerhain they will most likely have to put me on trial for his murder."

Rhay stopped abruptly and wrapped her arms tightly around him. "I love you dad," she said. Rhage returned the embrace and said,
"I love you too Rhay. Let's get back and try to get some rest. The sun will be up soon and we have a long day ahead of us."

When they got back to the house Rhay said good night to her father and Mary and went into the bedroom. Kade was sitting on the bed, Argos was laying on his lap. The shaggy dog quickly stood and barked when Rhay opened the door. "ARGOS!" Rhay shouted and smiled, jumping on the bed and hugging the dog.
"Apparently he sat at the front door and whined from the moment we left. My mom called me and told me that one of the doggen was bringing him down." Rhay stroked the dogs fur and beamed at Kade.
"I missed him."
"I would say he missed you too."
"Why didn't you tell me he was coming?"
"I thought you might like a nice surprise." Rhay let go of Argos and kissed Kade.
"Thank you."

"I do think we should leave him here tomorrow while we visit the tunnel."
her joy quickly melting away.  "I really don't want to go back there."
"I want to go. I want to see everything, know everything that has happened."
"Why?"
"Because I am going to tally every sin Suzerhain has ever committed against you and I am going to strike him for every slight against you. I am going to make him pay for they way he treated you. I couldn't do anything about it then, but I'm here now. You're mine and I am going to make sure you are taken care of. If there is anything valuable or special to you in the tunnel, we will take it with us. Once we leave tomorrow, you are never going back there. I made you a promise and nothing will get in the way of me keeping it."