Pleasantly Raising Cain

Girl On Fire (Part 1)

This will be in parts guys. Enjoy.

Valkyrie Cain stared blankly at the wall in silence. Just ten minutes ago her and Skulduggery had been sneaking through the halls of Serpine's castle. Now, she was sitting in a prison cell, with her wrists shackled and no sign of Skulduggery anywhere. And she didn't even have her protective clothing on. Smart move Valkyrie, she thought, scolding herself. Idiot.

She cursed, and stood as the bars of the cell door slid open, and Billy Ray Sanguine smiled at her.

"Ello' lil darlin'," he said. She scowled.

"Where's Skulduggery?" She snarled.

Sanguine laughed. "Right here," he turned and Valkyrie craned her neck to see Dusk leading her partner up to the bars. She was breathing heavily now. What were they going to do to them?

"Look at you," Sanguine laughed. "Both of you. The world's greatest detectives, shackled in the hands of the world's greatest villains. Perfect isn't it?"

Valkyrie ignored him. "Skulduggery?" She whispered. His skull turned slowly towards her, and the breath caught in her throat.

"I'm sorry," he whispered. A confused expression appeared on Valkyrie's face.

"What?"

Skulduggery didn't answer, he just stared at her.

"Awww, he can't say it," Sanguine said.

"Shut up Texan!" Valkyrie growled. Sanguine smiled.

"Come on Pleasant, why don't you tell our dear old Valkyrie here why you're sorry?"

Valkyrie looked at Skulduggery and her heart dropped to her feet.

"No," she whispered. He looked at her with hollow eye sockets and even though he had no face, Valkyrie knew he was in pain. "No," she said again, taking a step back.

"I'm so sorry Valkyrie," he whispered.

She backed away from the bars, all the way until she was up against the furthest wall. She shook her head violently.

"No," she said again, her voice breaking.

"So she's worked it out. Clever girl," Sanguine smiled. Valkyrie glared at him.

"Shut up!" She spat.

"Make me!" Sanguine teased in a whiny kids voice. Valkyrie grew more angry, yet her expression showed pain. Suddenly, Skulduggery grew violent.

"Fight back Valkyrie!" He shouted, struggling against Dusk's grip. "Do whatever it takes! I can't lose you!"

The breath hitched in her throat again. What had Sanguine planned for her? He obviously knew. And he couldn't help her. Her expression changed again when Sanguine laughed.

"And would you look at that, she doesn't even have her armoured clothes on. This is too easy," he smirked, coming closer towards Valkyrie.

"Stay away from me or I'll burn you!" She yelled, and heard Dusk and Skulduggery wrestle with each other.

Sanguine smiled. "Why would you burn Momma Sanguine's favourite son?"

"Because you're a nutcase!" She retorted.

Sanguine stopped smiling. Now his expression had turned smug.

"You have no idea what I'm going to do to you," he snarled. Valkyrie tried to back up away from him more, but Dusk was blocking her escape route. "There's nowhere to run," Sanguine teased. Suddenly, Sanguine was looming over her, and sent his fist into her stomach. If she had been wearing her protective clothing, that wouldn't have bothered her, but now...

Valkyrie fell to the floor, wheezing. She'd never realised how hard he punched before, but then again she'd never really felt his punches before. Pain was shooting through her mid section and she knew that she had broken ribs. She could still hear Skulduggery and Dusk fighting, and she knew that Skulduggery wouldn't give up, not until he died. Again.

Once she could breathe properly again, she got to her feet, wincing as she felt a rib rub against her lung. Sanguine stood there, a smirk on his face. Valkyrie summoned a flame, but before she could even think to throw it, Sanguine had sent a kick to her groin. She went down again, and felt the blackness about to take over. She could hear Skulduggery calling her name, but now the whole world was a blur, and she felt dizzy. She felt sick.

She tried to get up, but failed.

"See that skeleton," she heard Sanguine say. "That is what should've happened a long time ago."

"Go to hell," Skulduggery growled.

Dusk slammed him against the wall, and Sanguine smiled, and that's when something thudded behind him, and Sanguine turned...

Haha! I left it on a cliffhanger! Now you guys have to wait until tomorrow! Lol I'm so mean sometimes... ;)