Animals [z.m. || a.u.]

xiv.

xiv.

Do you ever get this gut feeling when you know you have 'screwed it all up'? When your stomach just squeezes of pity towards yourself. When you just know that it was all fine a moment ago and you just regret making that one move that just brought it all down in pieces. That's what Claire felt once she heard the door open.

As much as Claire hated to accept her current position, she cannot deny the fact that she brought it on herself. Never had she expected to be in yet somehow, there she was as Zayn shuffled around in his room and she stood awkwardly in a corner with her hands still tied and mouth still 'tapeless.' She didn't know what stopped her from screaming. Zayn's demeanor when he rushed down from his room as a reaction to the scream was almost as frightening as the whole idea of being held ransom. So, as Zayn slammed the door open and Louis froze in his place cursing himself with his eyes squinted shut, all Claire's brain could register was how Godly did her mishap of a kidnapper look.

This unceremonious outburst of emotion from someone held ransom was completely strange to Zayn for as far as he had seen people being held ransom, he'd seen them shaking with fear as they pushed themselves away from the kidnapper. They'd have glassy eyes with red, prominent edges giving away the fact they'd gone through a lot of crying. But all of this happened under one condition: not a sound being heard. It was just a usual tradition to let the kidnapped person know the presence of a gun with the kidnapper that he won't hesitate to use in case of any shouting and screaming for help. The main motive being safe and not letting the society suspect any illegal work being carried out in the house. As he pulled Claire into his room making her stand at some random spot, he started rummaging through his belongings until his hand came in contact with cold metal. Pulling his gun out he took a chair and placed it right infront of the shivering girl who happened to be standing awkwardly beside the bed with her hands tied against her back. Zayn sat in the chair and carded his fingers into his hair letting a sigh of frustration escape. He pulled a cigarette from the box lying on his bed and lit it cautiously. Puffs of inhalation of the smoke soon followed by exhalation of smoke ring after smoke ring made the atmosphere of the room toxic.

Claire bit her lip not knowing what to do. The kidnapper sat right in front of her taking in some carcinogenic gas which she despised. The sight of it obviously would've looked immensely, deliciously arousing for any female but for Claire the silence was terrifying. As if to grant Claire's wish, the kidnapper suddenly loaded the gun making it purposely noisy.

"You know, I don't even know your name. But unluckily, you happen to be the sole witness of what happened the other night" the kidnapper's voice held a calm monotone that sent shivers down Claire's spine. His voice was smooth, like the calm before a storm. His eyes still shadowed and dark, still equally hard to read. He held the cigarette in his teeth as he freed his right hand starting to toy with the gun. Claire could swear she felt her pulse increase as his hands came in contact with the gun. She gulped in fear as the kidnapper made no effort of making an eye contact. The images in her brain on seeing the gun terrified her to no end.

He won't hesitate to use the gun, obviously. After all I'm just a witness. A problem to get rid of.

The thought sent shivers down her spine.

Suddenly the kidnapper looked up at her. Their gazes met and Claire could see the mischievous glint in his eyes. He closed his eyes taking his silencer-loaded gun away from his body, pointing his nozzle towards the ground and pulled the trigger. There obviously was no sound but as Claire looked at the carpet she could see a black coloured, smoking hole where the bullet had penetrated. She looked up at him to see his jaw to be set tight and his nostrils flared. The calm demeanor he held seemed to have evaporated into thin air. His arm flexed again and Claire looked back at the carpet to see another hole on it. She was suddenly pulled away from her original spot. The kidnapper had pinned her against the wall of his room. His body pressed against her and Claire did not even want to think about the perverted thoughts that might be raiding the man's mind. She helplessly tried to push him off her but soon stopped struggling remembering of their first meeting when all of her efforts were fruitless. So she stood there, bracing herself for what awaited her.

He brought his gun up and trailed it down on Claire's face tentatively touching the tufts of hair which were distorting her hairline. "Next time you scream, the gun would be on your forehead and the hole you see on that carpet?" He cocked his head away from Claire's line of vision to let her get a good veiw of the black holes in the plush carpet, "those would be somewhere on your skull" he continued regaining his position as he met his hard gaze with her confused, terrified, innocent one.

He moved away from her but Claire satyed grounded.

"I won't hesitate to kill you-" he stopped abruptly to look at Claire with an expecting glance.

"W-what?" Claire choked getting uncomfortable under his steady eyes.

"Your name?" he asked after a sigh signifying the amount of interest he had in this chat was minimal.

Claire just shook her head. She might be terrified but there was no way on hell she was going to allow this arrogant man to pursuade her to give away her personal information. With all the leftover pieces of her shattered courage Claire gave him the sternest glare. "I'm not telling you any of that"

He sighed letting out a frustrated laugh as he massaged his temples. "You don't get it, do you? You're here at a place you barely know. You don't even know your way back home. There's no way you can escape 'cuz trust me a bullet would run ten times as fast as you can. And also you're nothing more than a mere witness. I pull this trigger once and you'll be gone for good and I'll be secure for the only witness cannot speak a word anymore." He exhaled and looked at Claire who gulped in terror.

"Now, babe, your name?"

"C-claire." She stuttered and only then did she realise she was shaking. Shaking in fear. Her skin had goosebumps and her mind was thrown in a chaos. She could not imagine how she had ended up here and still regretted every moment of her ever since she accepted to go clubbing with Harry.

"Claire what?" His voice startled her back to the reality.

"Claire Watson"

Nodding to that, he turned around and walked to the door of the room. He twisted the knob to open it.

"Now that you know that there's no way to escape, I think there isn't any need to tie you up anymore." He turned around again to meet her gaze before continuing, "But keep in mind, one mistake, one attempt and you'll regret it." He slammed the door close before walking off to some unknown destination leaving behind a terrified Claire.

Claire.
_

"Sir, they have a girl at their place." merely fifteen year old boy reported to Benjamin Gray.

"A girl?" Benjamin couldn't believe his ears. As far as he'd known Zayn, or rather studied Zayn's behavior, he was totally professional. No 'leftovers of war' were ever taken into consideration when it came to Zayn. According to what the rumor held, Zayn once belonged to a family of three sisters, a father and a mother causing Zayn to be brought up under a woman influence. So, as everyone said, Zayn was known to respect women and their presence leaving Benjamin pondering over the current situation.

"Are you sure?" Benjamin tried to confirm what he'd heard.

"Very sure, Sir"

He sighed leaning back in the chair.

What's on your mind, Malik.

____________________________

A/N: GOD!! I'M SO SORRY FOR NOT UPDATING IN(finity! Sorry I had to). FOREVER!! OMG!!

College is tiring and never leaves me alone. Sorry.

Hope you enjoyed the chapter.

Let me know through votes and comments!

Sorry again

Vote!
Comment!
Share!!!

Love,
Piya.

xoxo