Instincts: A Roven Story

Chapter 8: Revenge

A/N: based off my mood.. I apologize if this becomes too much. I'll try to contain my emotions and not let them spill over.

I lay on the ground beaten, broken, bleeding. Biting chains suffocated my wrists, ankles, and neck. I was helpless, powerless, and fearful. Being left in this state with nothing but my thoughts... I don't know what hurts more. The gash leaking blood in my stomach or the fact that someone must have contacted Slade of my presence here. I began to count how many and who knew where I was hiding. The Count of course, and then Evangeli, Devera, Lina, and Jasmine, along with Natasha, Salyard, and the new maid Arbilla, oh and Kathleen. But which of them could be so heartless as to do this? I was focused on Kathleen's hatred when I remembered someone else who knew I was back. Vlad. My brother of sorts, the Count's son who shares my age. Once Vlad and I had been close. But when I left to join the Titans.. our bond was completely shattered. My last visit two years ago had ended in a terrible fight which was only stopped by my impaling him with a dinner fork. Does Vlad really hate me enough he'd contact Slade? It became the only reasonable conclusion. Kathleen could never know about Deathstroke after all. She knows nothing of Trigons existence or at least my connection to him as evidenced by her lack of fear. In her mind I was nothing more than another wanna be vampire, maybe a cultist, that the Count happened to have taken pity on and brought into his home. First thing about the Count, he pities no one. The man is evil. There is a reason he haunts children's nightmares. And second thing, no human could find his home. They have to be brought there. I myself was drawn to it. The dark energy emerging from the area was astounding. It pulled me in. My power and skill grew more in the manor than it ever had in Azarath. I fed off the mystic air.

When I returned I felt rejuvenated. Sadly I was still no match for Slade. I was tired after being awake for nearly 48 hours after months of not sleeping well and it really affected my performance, whereas Slade was driven by desire and hatred. His need for my blood to be shed kept him fighting long into the morning. No one came to help me. The worst part about that family.. My family, is once they're asleep no noise will wake them. The staff doesn't live in the manor either so that left the only one able to know of my predicament to be Kathleen. Maybe she could've contacted Slade after all. The Count could have told her I guess, when he was leaving to come help rescue me from my father. When I turn up missing will he look for me? Contact the Titans? Or will he just think I returned home while they slept having finished my visit?

The empty air around me made me long for Robin's presence. I want him holding me while I try to calm down. I want this to be nothing more than another nightmare. But more than anything I just want Robin. I willed him to come and save me.

*Titans Tower*

It's been four days and Raven has not returned. Cyborg and the others have long since given up hope of us finding any clues to her hiding spot. Jinx and I however, have done nothing but search. Drew has assisted as much as he can but he hasn't found anything either. Something had been biting at me since the second day of her disappearance. Now searching the haven once again, this time alone with Jinx, I finally I felt it was okay to voice my concern aloud.

"Um Jinx..." I was nervous admitting this but it was necessary.

"Yes?" Her head snapped in my direction her eyes filled with hope then anger. I quickly held up my hands in surrender.

"I just wanted to know if-" I sighed before finishing. "If you think Raven might have gone home... Just after she first went missing... I felt this surge of security and joy. But it wasn't my own... it was hers..."

Jinx just stared at me.

"We have this sort of emotional... telepathic... connection?" I don't know why I phrased it as a question but I did.

"Well then. Let's go." Jinx stood up and brushed herself off.

"Go where?" How well she was taking this left me surprised.

"To find a way to Azarath." With that she left.

I felt strongly she had gone home... But not that she was on Azarath... Something Raven had mumbled during one of her nightmares had been haunting my thoughts.

*Flashback*
I held her shivering form as she clung to me, tears spilling out her closed eyes.

"Robin..." She mumbled breathily. It was clear she was still in a deep sleep.

"Yes?" I pushed her hair out of her face.

"I'm sorry..."

"For what?" Is she really apologizing? She can't help this. It isn't her fault.

"For never telling you..."

"About what Raven?"

"My other home... My sisters and brother... the Count..." Her words were barely audible.

"Other home? Sisters and brother? Raven what are you talking about?" I was very confused now, but she didn't speak again.

"Raven?" I shook her a bit but she still didn't answer.
*End of flashback*

Another day has passed and we still have no way to get to Azarath. We were flipping through book after book when I felt the pain. It felt like someone was tearing their nails into my right arm. I quickly grabbed it out of instinct. Blood squeezed between my fingers.

"Robin. What's going on?" Star stared at me like I was Satan. She had tagged along out of jealousy since I'd been spending all my time with Jinx searching for Raven.

"I think... I think he has her."

A burst of energy shot through my body and I knew Raven must be fighting back. Sadly it didn't last. A searing pain tore through my stomach. I quickly lifted my shirt to see a 4' long gash. It was clearly deep by the amount of blood pouring out. That's when my leg was opened up, and then my back. He was continuing to beat her body. From the numbness in my limbs despite the reoccurring cuts I knew that Raven must be unconscious. I finally was experiencing first hand why Slade Wilson, is Deathstroke the Terminator. And my poor Raven was getting the worst of it.

*Who knows where?"

I continued to bleed out while I thought of Robin, how he must be suffering just as I am. I don't know how many days I've been held here. But Slade hasn't returned. The door opened.

"You really are daddy's little girl"

Until now.