Taming Amanda (Book 1) Jacob's Broken Mercenaries

Prologue

He pulls me so tight I can't breathe; I stop fighting and go lax, my chin resting in the crook of his elbow. John eases up enough to allow a small supply of air to fill my lungs. I can hear Katie screaming, and I close my eyes tight as tears start anew. My body jostles into his when he opens the back hatch of his jeep,

"Get in facing the front and put your hands behind your back!" John commands truffle. I do as I'm told without a struggle and anxiously listen as he pulls his belt free and uses it to tie my wrists together. When the hatch slams shut, my body reflectively jumps at the loud noise. Seconds later, he speeds away, screeching the tires on the pavement. I can't tell for sure, but I think he's speeding, and I pray he gets pulled over. Dropping my forehead to the floor for balance, I try to lift some weight off my shoulder that's digging into something hard and cold. My stomach flutters when the car goes down a hill at high speed. A few minutes later, we stop, and he kills the engine. I can hear the keys cling together.

"Try anything, and it will be the last thing you do." I hear John sneer from the front of the vehicle before he slams the door. The locks engage, and the alarm beeps signaling its activation, damn it! There goes my plan to escape quietly. I wait a few minutes before carefully looking around. Slowly rising to the window, I use my knees and shoulder to balance.

We're at his house. The lights turn on, then off as he walks around inside. Dizzy from the rush of adrenaline at the thought of escape, I look back and forth between the house and flashing blue light of the alarm. It's only been a couple of minutes, but they stretch on with my internal debate.

I'm about to go for it when John pops out, throwing a Jerry can in the side door of the garage. No, no, no! I missed my chance! Hunching down, I freeze just as he turns his head toward me. The moment he looks away, I release a gasp of air, and it feels like all hope slips out with that breath. I wouldn't have gotten very far, I concede to myself. Slowly creeping back up, I watch as he throws a match on the garage floor. Flames ignite, and John jumps back from the doorstep, shielding his face. I drop back down swiftly and swallow past a hard lump in my throat. I have a feeling it's all downhill from here...

Countless days pass in a drug induced haze. Today I'm coherent, and my senses are functioning. I was seventy percent sure I was in a cage, but looking around now, I realize how bad off I am. The pungent smell has me gagging. I plug my nose and search for the overwhelming scent of what I can only assume is human waste.

When I sit up, my head angrily pounds from the movement, making my vision waiver with the tinge of pain. There's a white bucket in my line of sight. I'm currently lying on straw, and my body suddenly realizes It's extremely itchy. Scratching at my back and legs reminds me I have aching muscles. When I get to my arms, my fingers catch on something that makes me wince. I look down, and terror catches in my throat, coming out a brutal scream. I kick my head back and hold my arms as far from me as I can.

My limbs are scaled!

Florescent hues of magenta and shades of blue from midnight to azure cover my skin. There are flushes of pink here and there, I rub my eyes in an attempt to clear my sight, but when I look back down, nothing changes.

A creaking sound brings me back to my current situation. A thump follows the ominous sound, and I reflectively push back toward the corner of my cage. My hand slides in something wet and gooey, jarring my shoulder in the process. I scrape my hand against the bars, trying to rid myself of the slimy substance. reluctantly, I chance a quick whiff and can only assume its vomit, most likely mine. The fact it's likely mine doesn't make me feel any better.

Foot steps sound, and I already know who's they are. Wrapping my arms around myself, I drop my head in my lap and rock back and forth, trying to calm down. It's useless, of course there's nothing humane about the situation. He knows it, and I know it, but he wants me to play the part. To be grateful and it makes me scared sick.

"you're awake. good. I've got a present for you!"

I shudder at his repulsive tone and brave a peek. My eyes widen in shock, Katie lies on the floor unconscious as John holds onto a rope tied to her wrists. He drags her away, smirking. I move to the bars and watch as he locks her in the cage farthest from me. John looks up at me with a delighted grin,

"you're welcome. Now she can join you."

He walks back over to my cage, bending down to my level, and reaches through the bars. I jump back with lightning speed. He finds it entertaining, eyes alight with excitement,

"I'm going to enjoy breaking you. To think I was worried for a couple of days. For a minute, I started to believe you weren't going to make it, but you pulled through. I knew you'd be sound enough, not like the others. You're going to make me a lot of money butterfly. You and Katie."

He walks away, and I hear a separate voice, a gentler soothing one telling me to calm down and that I need to save my strength. I look around, checking the cages. There's a moment where I think I've finally lost it just then a man with blonde curly hair and warm amber eyes looks back at me. His light pink lips are in an upturned bow. I don't return the smile because his presence has shocked me, and he averts his stare, shoving a hand through the tight locks. His skin is a deep bronze from countless days in the sun,

"I'll try."

My voice comes out squeaky from disuse, but I follow with a small lift of my lips, of what I hope resembles a smile and hide a wince. My lips are dry, and the faux smile causes them to crack. He smiles widely, and I can't help but stare in awe. He has the showiest teeth I've ever seen. Perfect and white, they seem to fill every space in his mouth. His skin begins to shine as well. It glistens like little tiny diamonds, shimmering as if in motion under the light. I gasp at the sight,

"your skin!" I breathe the words. He's completely calm when he responds.

"I know, I haven't quite figured that out yet... Does it bother you?"

I shake my head in disagreement,

"No, it's beautiful!" I tell him awkwardly, meaning every word...

Austin becomes my only light in the dark days that follow, and I his. The cop that comes sometimes does horrible things to him. At first, he was fascinated with Austin, and after a couple of visits, he started to beat him. When I thought things couldn't get any worse, I was horribly wrong. Even now, it sickens me just thinking of the horror he survived. Austin was raped. Of course, I didn't witness it. If I did? I shudder at the thought. Even so, I know what I heard, and there was no mistaking it. I'm still having a hard time accepting it. I guess I should be thankful he's not extending the abuse. It's a selfish thought, but I'm only human, and I feel like I'm about to break already. I don't know how I could handle any more trauma. It's already changed, Austin. He has a hidden rage boiling to a fever pitch just below the surface. When he snaps, I don't want to be anywhere near him. We avoid the subject offering each other comfort.

Just before sunset, John dragged Katie in my cell. He gave me a sixth round of the serum, starving me out. Then He cut her and made me lick at the wound; I think he wanted me to eat her! I'm not sure what his twisted mind was trying to accomplish, but I think he failed. Austin flipped out, made such a ruckus that John knocked him out with the tranquilizer. It's been quiet for some time, and my rattle body has settled to an intermittent pattern of tremors. I fall asleep watching Austin's steady breaths...

I shoot awake to the sound of yelling two men are fighting on the other side of our cells. One of them is John. I don't recognize the others' voices. I hear cussing and the word escape! My body thrums with excited energy as I listen carefully, hanging on every word. This is the highlight of my day. The unthinkable has happened! Katie has escaped. This gives me hope. Its only a matter of time, police could be on their way as we speak.

The door swings open, and in my minds eye police officers pile in. They open my cell and cover me with a warm blanket. Owe! Something in the blanket has pricked me. I look down at my arm to see a small bead of blood pool there. There's no blanket. It melts away. When I look up, it's into johns eyes. Like a balloon, I deflate. We're moved before she can get help. In that time, things get worse, much worse. By the time I'm saved it's too late, I know I'll never be the person I was. That girl is dead!