Chasing the Moon

Chapter 33

They hadn't gotten that far out of the clearing after shifting when Tristan felt a stinging slap across his face that made him stumble. As he stopped to right himself, he felt another slap before fear overwhelmed him. For a minute he was confused about what was happening and then he remembered that pain in his shoulder when Eve was shot and realize the pain and fear were hers. A few seconds after the fear went through him and it suddenly spiked higher, Mia let out a piercing howl as she stumbled too, spasming on the ground. As everyone stopped to go back to her and see what was wrong, she let out another painful howl and Tristan himself felt the need to cry out coming from Eve. He didn't know exactly what was happening to them, but he didn't like it at all.

            “Mia, what's wrong?” Lindy said anxiously.

            “It's not her, it's Chris,” Tristan answered. Mia continued spasming and Tristan winced at the thought of what could be happening to Chris.

            “What's happening to him?” Carlos asked Mia and she howled again in agony.

            “Whatever it is, it isn't good,” Lindy replied.

            “It'll get worse if we all just stand by and watch,” Tristan said. “Lindy, can you stay here with Mia while Carlos and I go ahead? It's the only way to help Chris before it's too late.”

            “He's right,” Mia said, even her mind link sounding faint. “Tristan, Carlos, go. Chris needs your help.” Carlos glanced at Tristan and they both nodded before taking off in the direction of the club again. Just hold on, Eve, Tristan thought, wishing more than anything that she could actually hear him. Tell Chris to hold on, we're on our way.

*          *          *          *          *         

            Eve didn't know what was worse; watching Max drive the knife into Chris, leaving it to burn inside of him for a few minutes, or watching Chris spasm into the restraints which burned him more until he screamed in pain and his head fell forward when it was all done. Every time his head fell forward Eve was sure it would be the last time and she would witness the death of the only family she had left. No matter how much Tom and Damian yelled for Max to stop, he wouldn't. Instead, he left slightly longer time periods between each stabbing as if to let Chris heal enough that he wouldn't die just yet. Eve wanted to yell for him to stop but every time he drove the knife into Chris she could only scream, fearing anything else would cause his death sooner.

            Looking through tear filled eyes, Eve watched as Max came towards Chris again, this time grabbing hold of his face by his chin and making him look at him. Despite the obvious effort it was taking to keep himself conscious, Chris glared at Max unrelentingly. “You are amazingly strong willed for a Beta,” Max said honestly. “I have to say, I'm very impressed. I'll tell you what, if you tell Eve to behave herself and apologize for what she said to me, I'll stop the torture. I'm not saying I won't kill you, but I will make it quicker than it is at the moment.”

            Chris was silent for a minute and then spit blood into Max's face. “Go to hell,” he replied. “Because I'm not telling her shit.”

            “Bad idea,” Max said with irritation, wiping the blood from his face.

            “No, please!” Eve yelled as he moved to stab Chris again. “Please stop! I'll tell you whatever you want, just please stop hurting him.”

            Max dropped Chris' face and turned to look at her. “Why do you care so much what happens to him?” he asked.

            “He's my brother,” she answered.