Black Veil Vampires

Chapter 38

When the blow came, it landed perfectly across my face. I shrieked in pain, and seconds later another blow came on the other side of my face. I tried backing away, but I only made it a few inches before Ashley kicked me, then I was hit again. This time, I was knocked back off my elbows. I could hear Mike's shouting over my pain, and I tried to get to my feet, but Ashley kicked me back down and hit me a fourth time. The stinging blows were excruciating, only excruciating is an understatement. I would almost rather stand in the sun and willingly be burned alive.

My head lashed back to the side and I could see what was left of the prisoners on the opposite side of us. They all looked on in horror, crying and shouting at Ashley; he was oblivious. His only focus was taking his rage out on me. Slowly, I turned my head and glanced at him. His face was red with rage, and his hand raised again. Five... Six.. Seven. His arm was preparing for an eighth hit, and I was beginning to lose consciousness. Blood had pooled and smeared under me, the neck of my shirt was soaked, and his clothes were splattered. All I could hope for at this point was it to end; either my life or the lashes. Then, I heard a door slam open in the background.

"Stop! Ashley, stop!" It was Jinxx, and he was too late. Ashley had hit me an eighth time. Suddenly, everything just stopped though. I managed to glance around long enough to see that Jinxx had tackled Ashley, and they landed about four feet away. Jinxx began screaming at Ashley.

"I give you that weapon for two reasons! To protect yourself, and to show discipline for prisons who act up! You don't repeatedly beat them to hell!" Jinxx glanced down at me and continued speaking. "I imagine she deserved this to some degree, but not eight lashes. What the fuck did she do!?" I could tell they were both livid, but Jinxx had more control.

"She was disobedient." Ashley said through gritted teeth, glaring at me.

"No. Fucking. Shit. Tell me how she was disobedient."

"I was taking her out to feed. I told her we were going to pass his cell," he said motioning to mike, "and not to look at him, or talk to him, no telepathy, or even to breathe in his direction. So what the fuck does she do? She hits me in the nose and runs over to him." Ashley's face was coated in blood, and I suspected I had, at the very least, fractured something. Jinxx sighed, looking at Mike.

"That true?" Mike only nodded, then Jinxx looked to me and I could see rage immediately. "Ashley, just... go wait in your fucking room. I'll be up shortly." Ashley mumbled something, and was gone in the blink of an eye, the echo of the door slamming was the only thing left of him. Jinxx walked over to me and helped me up. My entire body ached so much that, when I was on my feet, I only hunched over and blood spilled out of my mouth. Jinxx actually helped me over to Mike's cell, who did his best to put his arm around me.

"Despite what has happened, I still don't have the ability to let prisoners out. Ashley is in charge of the prisoners and keys."

"You're the boss though, aren't you? Just tell him to give you the fucking keys." Mike said.

"I can't. Even though I'm the boss, he's still in charge of everything that goes on down here. I've told him multiple times to not treat prisoners the way he does, but I literally can't do anything about it. I'm sorry." Mike sighed, kissing me on the forehead.

"I love you.." He whispered in my ear, wiping some of the blood off around the gashes in my face.

"We should probably go.. You need medical attention." Jinxx said wistfully. Mike kissed me again as Jinxx took me from his hold and picked me up and walked us out of the cell block.

At some point during the trip up to Jinxx's room, I blacked out, because when I woke up again, I was lying on the couch in his room, staring up at the ceiling. Jinxx was hovering over me with a wet rag on my forehead, cleaning off the blood. My face felt stiff, but I didn't smell any blood. I reached up to feel my face. I was shocked to find stitches. I picked up my other hand and felt my entire face, there were stitches everywhere. I went to sit up, but he gently pushed me back down.