PRETENDING TO LIVE~ {The Lestrange Daughter #2}

𝟕𝟒. Love

There was no slow ascend to consciousness. No steady growing clarity of the senses. One second there was nothing at all and then Valentine's eye's snapped opened and she was met with the sight of her own boots.

She could now feel the burn of rope. She was tied to a tree, she realized immediately, arms outstretched along the wide trunk beside her, bound and tied back tightly.

What the fuck is this?

Valentine heard a slight intake of breath and she lifted her head another inch.

Jane Philips was sitting on the forest floor with her feet crossed, tips of her shoes touching Valentine's. She blinked up at her and smiled, hazel eyes twinkling with the moon reflected in them brightly. 

"You're awake."

Valentine didn't even check to see if her legs were bound before kicking Jane square in the face.

"Oh, my, God!" A new voice gasped as Jane's head rocked back onto the forest floor.

Valentine looked up to see Christine and Rebecca, standing several meters away. Rebecca had her hand clamped over her mouth. They both stared in shock but neither made a move to help.

Jane groaned, clutching at her lower face. She sat up slowly and pulled her hand away, frowning at the blood that now coloured her teeth and lips. She wiped at her mouth with a grimace and held out a hand behind her expectantly.

Christine and Rebecca traded panicked looks for a moment before Christine hurriedly started to yank at the knot on her necktie.

Once she had it loose, she slid it from her collar and quickly handed it to Jane.

Jane took it without a word of thanks, wiping at the blood nonchalantly.

There wasn't a trace of the anger Valentine expected and in turn, it angered herself instead.

"I'll kill you for this." She growled, low and menacing. 

She strained against the ropes, letting them bite into her skin and only serve to rile her up more. Hair fell over her face and she glared daggers through her curls. She knew she must have painted an intimidating picture, even restrained because Christine and Rebecca each took a measured step back like they were preparing to run if they had to.

Anger coursed through her veins like fire. She had been so damn close. She had the answers she needed and it was all snatched away at the very last second.

She pulled against the ropes again, tried to move her arms but she couldn't at all. No one knew where she was and these ropes clearly weren't going to budge on their own.

Jane stood, throwing the soiled tie at Christine like it was nothing.

Christine tucked it into her pocket, seemingly unbothered by the blood. 

Valentine wondered if she had been in this kind of situation before.

"You're beautiful, you know." Jane said suddenly, hands clasped behind her back, glancing down at her shoes. "It's almost unfair how much. I've waited so long to tell you that, it's actually rather embarrassing."

It was like Jane wasn't present in the current situation. She was there, but her words and tone and actions didn't at all match what was actually happening.

"You're not getting your way, you psychotic bitch." Valentine spat aggressively.

Christine and Rebecca eyed her hesitantly but Jane hardly seemed to even hear what Valentine had said.

"You two can go." Jane threw a cold glance over her shoulder at them. "It'll be lights out soon."

"This is all going to end," Valentine said before they could turn away. "and when it's over there won't be anything left of her for you to fear."