Beyond The Fury

Chapter Eighteen

(Song- Mercy by Lewis Capaldi)
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Hardin's POV

I pace through Ivory's apartment. How did they even find her? My eyes meet the untouched broken vase that is scattered across the living room floor but they focus on speckled droplets of crimson.

Blood. My skin slowly grows cold the longer I stare down at the floor. I remain still as I try to reimagine the invasion, the horrified look that probably came across Ivory's face when they entered... I'm reliving my own terrors. It's clear to me that they pushed their way in, Ivory tried to run.. stood on the broken glass. That explains the blood. She struggled against them.. she fucking struggled and she fought and I wasn't even fucking here.

I try to keep myself in line here, I can't be wasting any more time by overthinking everything. What's important is that I get Ivory back alive.

Besides from the blood there is nothing more to tell me where she may be, or who she may be with.

My paranoia is abruptly invades my thoughts. I am seconds away from leaving when I notice a mark on the wall, it is small. Like the symbol has been carved carefully onto a ring and then punched into the wall as some sort of warning. The closer I get the more I begin to put the pieces together.

The symbol is a skull. Large devil horns poke through the head of the bone and a long snake tongue unravels from its empty mouth. Both betrayal and rage settle deep within my soul. I know who fucking did this.

A loud chime rings through the deserted house and I pull my mobile from my pocket, "Ken." I speak, my voice is gravelly. He lets me know that they are parked out the front and will be ready for me whenever I am done. I let him know that I'm getting my shit together and that he should keep the engine running. 

"Find anything?" Felix pipes up from beside me as I slide into the car and I shake my head. Is he reliable? Can I trust him? Or is he just dead weight.. My whole brain is rewiring itself.

"Drive until you reach the old factory warehouse. You remember the one." My father nods at the memory and speeds off into the distance. We're coming, Ivory. And when we do those mutts will regret the day they stepped out of their fucking caves.. I will torch them alive.

***
Ivory's POV

I am awoken from my rather uncomfortable slumber with a loud bang of the heavy metal door being kicked open and for a moment I am hopeful. The mattress beneath me is old and worn, metal springs stab out of the material at an almost deadly pointed angle. I groan as there is a harsh grab of my arm however my limbs feel numb, "Get up. We're gonna have some fun." A wicked smile almost rips Milo's face in two and my blood turns to ice. I feel like I can't speak. I can't even move.

"What.. no.. stop ple.. please.." My words come out slower than usual. Too slow. Way too slow. I thrash in his arms weakly, only earning a punishingly tighter grip around my forearm, "You.. you pervert.." I spit through clenched teeth. I feel so heavy, so weak. My eyes are struggling to remain open and I am so.. so tired.

I am dragged up from the bed and through a dark hallway. Everything is doubled and shifting in slow motion. What is happening to me?

There is very little light and I trip and stumble over my own two feet repeatedly which only angers Milo more. I wonder who shoved a stick up his ass..

Soon I am thrown down onto the concrete floor of what seems like a bear cage, scraping both my knees and the palms of my hands. Small sleep crusties still rest in the corners of my eyes and my mind is hazy. What the hell is going on? I need help.. I need someone to help me.