The Leader

The Leader: Chapter Twenty Six

Chapter Twenty Six: Maya

Caleb is due to arrive tomorrow morning, and I can't wait to see him. The soldiers I've befriended have taught me a lot, and I'm now ready for a tough battle. I pack my most valuable possessions into a small backpack with a change of clothes that are fit for a battle. Satisfied, I go to bed. In the morning, I cannot be bothered going to Ian's room, so I stay in bed. I hear a doorknob turning, and then Ian walks into the room casually.

"Why have you not come to see me?" he asks, his voice soft, but his eyes betraying his anger. There is a murderous glint in there over having his orders disobeyed.

"Sorry. I just woke up. I went for a run last night, and I lost track of time."

"You are forgiven." Ian sits on my bed, and I swear he's nervous. He makes me sit up, then he leans over and kisses me so hard I fall back again. He rolls into me, pulling me to him, and I feel so repulsed, yet I cannot move.

"Maya, come on. Everyone has lust in them." It occurs to me just now that I have no idea what time Caleb is coming. It could be hours before he arrives.

"I don't want this," I reply defiantly, pushing him off me. "I am in love with Caleb."

"But you said-"

"I lied, bastard. You have a lot to learn about love. Like, how to actually feel it, for one."

"You lied to me? How dare you!" Ian stands up, and his whole body shakes with anger. "Fine. If you won't give yourself to me willingly, I will force you."

"You mean rape?" I ask, grinning, knowing just how spiteful I'm being. I really don't care what he does right now. I'll fight him until my last breath.

"Oh, babe, I'm going to do a lot worse than that." I feel his power grip me and freeze my entire body. Thick black ropes made of tendrils of smoke wrap around my wrists and ankles, and now I'm bound to the bed, unable to free myself. The hold on me is gone, though the physical chains keep me from moving.

"I hate you," I whisper with anger, spitting out the words. Ian just grins maliciously. Then the ropes pull four different ways, and my limbs stretch agonisingly slowly. The pain begins as a dull ache and builds up to a burning. I feel as though the worst is over, but then I stretch more. It feels as though my arms and legs must have ripped off by now, but the pain continues. I remain silent, my stubbornness finally paying off in some way. I would rather die than give Ian the satisfaction of hearing me scream. Finally, after what seems like hours but is really minutes, the pain stops, and my arms and legs stop stretching. I look up hopefully, but then comes a mental onslaught. Ian shatters the barrier around my mind, gaining access to all of my thoughts. I cling to my memories of time spent with Caleb, and yet Ian strips them away from me. He finds my worst nightmares, my most terrifying memories, and he lets them play out in my mind. I use all of my strength attempting to block him, but he is too strong. Ian finds the memory of Nathan trying to kill me, and he replays it three times. I flinch each time, because it never gets to the part where Caleb bursts in and I kill him. The one thing that keeps me going is that my strength has manage to protect the knowledge of the battle that will begin today. I know Caleb is coming, and Ian doesn't. Soon I'll be safe in Caleb's arms. This thought only comforts me for a second before Ian continues. Once he has gone through everything in my head, he withdraws and brings out a knife. Ian cuts my clothes to shreds, and yet manages not to spill a single drop of my blood. He then pulls down his pants, but not all of the way. Just enough. I close my eyes and this is when I start screaming. However, I don't scream out loud. I send out a mental plea for help that I know goes out around us for miles and miles. There is just one word that I scream out, and it is a name. Caleb. My cry for help distracts Ian for just a moment, but then he continues.

"Your boyfriend cannot save you now," he says with a smirk. Ian goes to slide into me, but that is when I hear it. The most beautiful and yet deadly voice in the entire world. The only voice that causes Ian to freeze and stand. The only voice that causes Ian to fear.

"Get your filthy body away from my girlfriend, you disgusting son of a bitch." I look up and see Caleb, before I kick Ian with all my strength. He stumbles backwards, and then Caleb pushes him into the wall, his elbow cutting off Ian's air supply.

"I hereby challenge you to a fight to the death over the marking of Maya." I feel a tingling at the back of my neck, and I know that the challenge is accepted. The fight begins now.