Rogue (Supernatural) [Rogue Trilogy] {1}

10. Stuck

10. Stuck

A hard slap to my face brings me back to reality.

I wince, rotating my jaw. My eyes can't adjust to the poor lighting, but I know we're not in the motel room anymore. I don't even know where we are. My truck is still there. Shit.

I'm sitting on the cold floor, my arms stuck behind my back. I wiggle, I'm chained to a pole. Across from me, Muriel is the same way. To my left, Castiel remains shackled, standing.

"Josette," he breathes, noticing my alertness.

"I'm okay. I think." I gasp, feeling a dull throb in my side. "Scratch that. That douchebag stabbed me."

"If I can get us out of here, I can get you help."

My lips turn into a snarl as someone—probably another angel—makes his way into our room. He has a dirty appearance, with nappy dark hair that's long enough to pull back into a ponytail. His clothes look as though he took over a homeless person's body. My eyes briefly look at an angle. There's a table with torture devices.

Son of a bitch. Who is this bastard? I can't complain too much, those two angels wanted me dead. Here I am, alive. Something changed their minds. Speaking of the angels from before, the taller one is the flank. I don't see the shorter angel anywhere in sight.

"Malachi," Castiel growls.

"Let me take a look here," says Malachi. "One coward"—he nods to Muriel, who's coming to now—"one measly human"—at this, he looks at me—"and then there's you, Castiel. The reason why we're all suffering down here."

"Let these two go, they have nothing to do with this."

"Oh, but they do. Guilty by association." Malachi smirks. He hums as he goes to his instruments of torture. "I've thought about how to go about this. I can just use you as the guinea pig, or I can have your human pet here serve the purpose." Malachi unravels a long, thin whip. "I think I'll start with the human."

Malachi stands in front of me. My breathing is already running fast.

"Tell me what I want to know, Castiel, and I'll spare her pain," he says softly.

"I call bullshit," I hiss. I yelp as the whip cracks at my ear, not hitting flesh.

"How do we reverse Metatron's spell?"

"I don't know," Castiel mutters.

I flinch as the whip stings my cut cheek.

"Surely you know something, as you aided him in exiling us all from Heaven."

"He tricked me into helping."

I yell as the whip tears into my shoulder.

"Tell me the truth, Castiel," says Malachi. "Tell me how to reverse this!"

"I don't know a way!" Castiel shouts. This earns me a strong sting across my forehead.

"He clearly doesn't know anything!" I screech. "Stop this!" This earns a strike across my collarbone that leaves me gasping.

"Malachi!" Castiel roars.

"Oh, is she a soft spot for you, Castiel?" Malachi purrs. "Then tell me how to reverse the spell."