The Viking Alpha

Escape

(Cassi POV)

She had lost track of how long she'd been here. But everyday they came for her. Dragged her to another room. The room was hell itself. No hope.
No light. Just pain. They would strap her to a table or chair. No matter how hard she struggled, screamed, or begged they always won. They would put their hands on her and chant. It felt like her bones were being dragged around in her body. Her blood felt like it was boiling hot. Her skull felt like someone was giving her a lobotomy. After what felt like hours of this torture they'd drag her limp body back to her cell. The "food" that was left for her was tiny portions of meat and something that looked like coffee grounds mixed with herbs.
'Witches brew.' Sylvia explained as she watched Cassi poke at it. 'You need to keep your strength up. Chalk full of vitality. Enough anyway to keep you pumping.'
'Go fuck youself!' Cassi ground out then threw the tray at her cell door. Watching it splatter Sylvia and her pretty little black dress made Cassi laugh.
Sylvia shrugged and brushed it off.
'Have it your way.' With a snap of her fingers Cassi was paralyzed again. They forced it down her throat then.
To pass the time between torture sessions she tried to talk to Rexton. Tried to keep him talking to her. She saw him getting weaker by the day.
'Rexton. I know this is selfish of me. But please don't leave me here. I need you.' She wanted her friend to not suffer anymore but she was terrified of being all alone.
He was laying on his side on the dirt ground facing her in his cell. His breathing was raspy and short.
'Cassi...I'm not sure...that I can hang on much longer. I'm...sorry. Just know...you're my best friend. Besides Vincent…' He broke off to cough up blood. 'You...were...the only one to accept me for me. I love you. Thank you.'
Cassi shook her head.
'No. Don't you talk like that. You can't leave me. I won't let you, damn it! I need you. Please stay with me.'
She listened but all she heard in reply was shallow breaths.
Time passed and then she heard a scuffle. She saw Rexton's eyes flinch open.
'Let go of me you, bitch!'
A man was being dragged down the hall past her cell and thrown in on the other side of the wall. The gate crashed behind her.
'We'll be back for you.' She heard the voice threaten before leaving. After the cloaked figure left she heard him groaning.
'Hello?' Cassi whispered.
'Who's there?'
'My name is Cassi. How did you get here?'
'Cassi!' She heard the man shout. 'Where is Rexton? I can feel him. Where is he?'
Rexton groaned weakly.
'Vincent…?'
'Rexton!'
'Wait, Vincent. Is that you?' Cassi was thrilled that this may help Rexton heal but despair for Vincemt now accompanied the joy.
'Yes. I was searching for you two. I got caught by someone. I woke up on a wagon that led me here.'
'Sounds about right.' She agreed. 'Rexton is very weak. They've been torturing us both. Every day. Keep talking. Let him hear you.'
Vincent now sounded as if he was choking up.
'Oh..Rexton. I love you. I love you! I've missed you so much. I'm sorry I lied. I didn't know. If I had, I'd have told the truth. I would have protected you, I swear. Please, say something.'
Rexton's eyes opened.
'...So good to hear you.'
Vincent's laugh was a half sob.
'Only thing that would make it better is if I could see you.' Vincent countered.
A tiny weak chuckle came from Rexton.
'As terrible...as I feel now I-Ican only imagine how I look. Best you keep the memories.'
'To my eyes you'll always be the most handsome man there ever lived. So shut up! No! I didn't mean that. Don't shut up! Keep talking.'
Another weak laugh came.
'Cassi?' Vincent now sounded like he was trying to get as close as possible to her.
'Yes?'
'Your a witch.'
'So I've been told.' She couldn't help the snarky reply.
'I mean you can do what they do. Siphon off other magical elements.'
'Oh? How do you propose I do that, hmmm? I don't know if you've been paying attention but were kind of stuck. Even if we weren't, I'm in a cage that's magically spelled. Until a while ago I thought I was human. I wouldn't even know where to begin.'
'Just focus.' A rough male voice came from a cell down the hall.
'What? Who is that?' Cassi asked.
'Never mind, girl. Just focus. Can you touch him? Vincent? Slip your arm out through the bars and try touching his hand.'
Slowly the tips of Vincent's fingers appeared around the corner.
'Touch him and then try touching the door. Before you touch, picture the magic flowing into you.'
'It won't work. It'll just electrocute me.'
'Do you want to die here? Would you like to see your friends die here?'
The voice had a point. What did she really have to lose?
She maneuvered her hand through and managed to barely touch Vincent. She went to touch and got zapped.
'Ahhh.'
She breathed and held her hand to her chest.
'Did you focus?'
'Shut up!'
The man huffed impatiently.
'Focus! See it in your mind. Picture the energy flowing off him and the bars and into you. Like dust particles in the air.'
She felt stupid but she tried. It zapped her again.
'Keep trying.'
Easy for you to say. Who the hell are you anyway?'
A dry laugh came from him.
'That, my child, is a very long story.'
'What a coincidence. We're not going anywhere.'
'We can if you just focus.'
'Tell me to focus one more time!' She hissed.
'That's good. Get angry. Use it.'
'Cassi, please just try. We have to get Rexton out of here.' Vincent begged.
Sighing Cassi tried again. After countless tries she finally had enough. Slamming her hands the door sparked and flew off into Rexton's door. It worked! She felt groggy and drained. Getting up unsteadily she quickly tried with Vincent's door. She heard voices coming. Shit! She tried and tried. On the next it didn't zap.
'Can you open it?' She asked Vincent.
He stepped back and kicked the door. The top hinge came off. He climbed and slipped through. They both hid behind the corner. Hurried footsteps came to the broken doors.
'Where are they?' As they turned, Vincent pounced and ripped one of the witches' throats out. Cassi turned and tried Rexton's door. She felt too weak. Like she just ran a marathon. It gave away the same time it zapped her and slammed her into the cell door behind her.
Someone grabbed her by her hair and pulled her up.
'Going somewhere?' Sylvia sneered.
She didn't know where the instinct came from but she grabbed Sylvia's face and watched as she fell to her knees and screamed in pain. Rexton came from behind Sylvia shoved his hand through her back. Ripping her still pumping black heart out. Then dropping it on the floor.
'Let's go!' Vincent grabbed Rexton on one side while Cassi grabbed the other. As they ran she saw him. Stumbling to a halt.
'Cassi what are you doing? Let's go!'
'Wait.'
She looked closer. The feeling of deja vu crept in.
He was sitting with his back to the stone wall. A fire torch was just outside the cell so she could see vaguely. The man looked horrid. He was wearing tattered clothes and his hands cut up and were caked in dirt and blood.
She knew this!
His hair was long, stringy, and greasy. Dark from what it looked like and streaked with gray. He didn't have any shoes or socks on. His head was down. She looked closer. There was something about him that was familiar. He was a stranger but there was something she could sense. Who was he? All of a sudden his head came up. His face was filthy and sunk in from lack of food. He stared at her before he lunged for the gated door.
'Help me!'
She dreamt this!
His voice. He was the one that talked her through just minutes ago.
He held his hand out through the gate to her. She slowly reached out. His grasp was surprisingly strong. He began to chanted. The door sparked and popped open.
She backed up as he tore out. All of them running. Endlessly through tunnels. Following the man. Sunlight finally broke through as they ran up a tunnel. They crawled through dirt and came out through the grass.
Vincent and Cassi carried Rexton until they were far off. They didn't stop moving until the sun was dipping below the horizon.
They were by a small river when they all collapsed in a heap on the ground. They all caught their breaths and drank from the stream.
Vincent had Rexton's head resting on his lap as he sat in the grass catching his breath.
Looking at Cassi he quickly looked away and cleared his throat. He removed his shirt and handed it to her.
Oh yeah. She was still naked from that night she was taken. She actually had gotten so used to it she almost forgot.
'Thanks.' She slid the shirt on. It reached past her butt and to her thighs.
'What about him?' Rexton was still naked.
'I have clothes stashed not far from here. I've been living out in these damned woods since you both disappeared. I should hunt for him too.'
'No. Don't go out by yourself.'
'She's right.' Rexton croaked. He started to get up before both Vincent and Cassi pushed him back down.
'Stay. I'll be back.'
'No. I'll come with you. Like hell are you leaving my sight again.' Rexton argued.
'Stubborn ass.'
'Damn right. The sooner I get up and shift the better I'll be.'
Vincent sighed before tenderly running his finger through Rexton's hair.
'You're right. As usual. What about you two?'
Cassi looked over to the man who helped them. He was resting against a tree. He held his hand up.
'I've cloaked us. I'm invisible right now and so are you three. As long as you don't stray too far from my magic you'll stay like that.'
'Your a witch?' Vincent blacked Rexton as if to shield him.
'So is your little girlfriend.' He pointed to Cassi. 'Relax boy. Don't hold it against me. I'm not exactly like them. Just born with the gift. Go. I'll babysit her.'
'I don't need babysat!'
'I beg to differ. Besides, I may need you to help me to keep the spell strong.'
Rexton and Vincent looked unsure.
She should have PTSD when it comes to witches but something about him was different.
'Go. I'll be fine.' Cassi assured after a few moments.
'No, I'll be-'
'Don't make me slap you, Rexton! Sooner you get yourself up to full health the sooner you can bitch to me on not being reckless. You saw what I can do in a pinch. I'll be fine. Go. Now.'
Vincent led him away to hunt.
After they disappeared out of sight she walked around. She kept glancing over to the man. She sat down intending to ask him questions.
He opened an eye and peeked over to her. Both eyes opened and now we're staring with shock at her chest. His eyes darted from the ring to her face. Then without warning he jumped and clasped her necklace in his hand.
‘Who are you?!’
She managed to push him away.
‘Don’t touch me!’
He stood again. Slowly as if it took all his strength. His voice however was strong as steel.
‘I asked you a question! Who are you? Where did you get that?’ He pointed to the necklace.
‘It’s mine! My mother gave it to me! Not that it’s any of your damn business.’
He looked stunned. Then the look on his face broke. He now had tears in his eyes.
‘Cassandra?'
She stiffened at the note of familiarity in his voice.
'How do you know me?'
'I should have known.' He broke off. 'You look like her. But how...how are you here?'
His hand again came up. But this time they clumsily cupped her face gently.
'Er..umm.' she went to back away when he whispered again.
'My daughter.'
Her eyes rounded.
'What?'
She was then crushed to him.
She was now frozen in confusion.
'Okay.' She eased away and stepped back.
'Are you alright? Do you need some water? I think you're a little confused right now.'
'No.' He gently picked up the ring around her neck and held it up.
'This was mine. I gave it to your mother. Deborah. Right after she told me she was pregnant.'
It took a moment for her mind to absorb his words and their meaning. Cassis' eyes searched him wildly.
Was this man…? Was he…?
'I'm your father, Cassandra.'
As if her hand belonged to someone else, it delivered a stinging slap across his face that echoed across the field.