Ashbringer

Chapter 4 - Subjugation

Rebecca gulped and gasped for air as she lay in the dark, cold room. Her body screamed at her as blood trickled down her arms, legs, face, and torso from deep lacerations, the bloody barbed cat-o-nine tails that had caused the damage lay next to her head as her legs trembled violently. Her face was swollen and terrified, welts dotted her skin and a dull pain throbbed inside from broken ribs and internal trauma.

She had stopped fighting the restraints that he had used to bind her to the bed ages ago; the collar strapped around her neck had robbed her of all her abilities. Her hands were chained over her head, and her ankles to her thighs, giving him easy access as he had his way with her.

Xanthos trailed his fingers across her chest and down her abdomen with a sick grin on his face. Rebecca flinched and tried to close her legs, but the jaguar grabbed her knees and yanked them back apart. Picking up the whip, Rebecca jerked and cried out as it snapped, striking which she had so desperately tried to protect. "I expected more of a fight from a princess," Xanthos said, getting up and crawling over on top of her. Rebecca wheezed and started trembling, unable to reply as he took her again, she didn't know how many times now. He had not stopped, hadn't given her any break since the night before when he had grabbed her. She barely remembered how she got there, her own name was becoming harder to remember over the blinding pain. Not an inch of her body had been spared the whip by the sick dragon. He only stopped when he knew she had passed out and couldn't feel his assault on her, and began again as soon as he noticed she had come to.

"S-Stop," Rebecca pleaded hoarsely. "G-Get off me."

"Oh, princess..." Xanthos sighed. "It's your brother I want. Unfortunately, for now, you have to satiate my appetite."

"Vered will kill you," She said, trying to snarl.

"Vered...will break. Just like you." Xanthos purred with a twisted smile. "I'd like you to be there to see it, but I don't think that will happen. Sadly, I was a bit too rough with your body, and, well...our time will be cut short." He sighed as he laid down fully on top of her.

"Y-You're wrong," Rebecca growled weakly. "They're coming for me, and you will regret thi-"

Her words were cut off as Xanthos grabbed her throat. "Darling, if you're going to run your mouth, the only thing I want to hear is more of that beautiful screaming. I will kill you soon, but for now, entertain me." His growl filled her ears as the color of red agony blinded her.

* * *

"Wait!" Came a distant holler as Clarice landed on the ground, the hot sand stinging her long, bare toes as she ducked into some sparse shade. The white bat came crashing down behind her, skidding in the sand as he landed on his chest. The dive from the floating city had been rapid and brutal.

Vered quickly helped him stand up. "Dude! Don't hurt yourself."

"I'm coming with you," He said quickly, dusting himself off and spitting out sand.

"That's not a good idea. You're, well...weak. No offense." Clarice said.

"I love Rebecca. I'm going to find her." He said with a look of determination.

"It's fine," Vered said. "He needs to be here. I can understand his feelings. We have a problem though- if it is Xanthos who has her, we don't know where he lives."

"He looked rich, so perhaps a penthouse somewhere down here," Clarice offered.

Vered looked up at the large houses overlooking them. He had a hunch but shook his head in response to her. "No, something tells me he's not the type. He came across as a predator who likes to keep a low profile."