Night Of The Hunter

Broken

31.

My back hit the wall, making me grunt in pain. I was immune to it by now. The pain slowly becoming a dull throb throughout my entire body. With every brutal hit that connected with my body, making me go limp.

"Look who's big and bad now, princess."

I watched as he stepped towards me once more through swollen eyes. The taste of blood filled my mouth, as I tried to pull myself together.

Failure.

Thats what I was.

His laugh echoed the room as he paused in front of me. I didn't give him the satisfaction of looking at him, to see the broken and bruised woman he beat.

For hours it must have been, endless torture of beatings and being tossed around like a rag doll. He stopped for about an hour, letting me pass out, only for me to be woken up with more of his limbs to deliver blow after blow. He enjoyed the way I looked, the way he was able to manhandle me, to destroy me both physically and mentally. I didn't have my abilities, but he did. I was just a pure fragile human on the brink of death now, and he was the unstoppable machine that let nothing in his way.

He grabbed me by the throat, lifting me off the ground with ease. First my chest, then my legs, then my feet, as I dangled in his hold. I grabbed his wrist, trying with the best of whatever strength I had in me to try and breath. But I couldn't.

The smirk on his face was unforgettable, like a kid in a candy shop, finally getting what he wanted. My back connected with the wall once again as he held me in place. My feet finally touched the ground again as he allowed me to stand, barely being able to. His body leaned against mine, pinning me against him, holding me in place.

His fingers went to my hair that was covered in dirt and blood, brushing the strands back, tucking them behind my ear. He nudged my chin upwards so I could see him, so he could watch me as his free hand went up and down my sides slowly. I clenched my jaw tightly, feeling disgusted over the fact his hands were touching my bare skin. He had ripped my clothes off hours ago, leaving me in nothing but my bra and panties. Exposed, freezing, filthy, battered, and broken.

Thats what Markus has made me become.

"Did I finally break you, Callahan?" 

His voice in my ear, the question in his breath made me cringe. I wasn't going to give him the answer that he craved.

The tips of his fingers slid over the base of my ribs. I squirmed in his hold, desperate to get away from his touch, but I lost the energy to fight. Knowing he had broken several of my ribs already, his touch made it worse. With every breath I took, with every touch he made, I felt them digging inside of me, making me desperately withholding a whimper.

His smirk on his face grew as he continued to roam my skin. With every inch touched, my body flinched against him. His eyes flickered towards my chest as I heaved in and out. He licked his lips, hungrily and satisfied.

"It's too bad your boyfriend is late for his date." He said, his hold on my neck tightening now. "I was hoping he could watch me end you."

Bullets started to fly upstairs as we both looked up towards the dusty floorboards above us, hearing the commotion. The yelling, the banging.. it started to become distant to my ears as the pressure around my neck was tightening. I grabbed his wrist tighter, trying to loosen it, trying to gasp for air, but with my eyes locked to the side of his head, I could tell his grip was made from fear.

Footsteps were heading down the stairs now and Markus moved me in front of him, my back to his front as he continued to grip my neck and keeping me in place. He held me just tight enough for me to breath in slow, but making it painful to gasp for air.

My eyes flickered to the person who raced down the stairs now, his gun pointing to me before moving towards Markus. His figure was fuzzy, but I could make it out to whom it was.

"You're late, Braxton." Markus said.

"Let her go."

Markus's laughter shook my body as I began to feel more lightheaded by the minute. I tried to gasp in more air, but it wasn't helping. It was the blood loss that was making it worse.

"Not a chance."

I felt the cool tip of his blade at my shoulder, the same one he's been cutting me with all night.. or day.. I wasn't sure which anymore.

Aiden gripped his gun tighter, staring at me for a moment before his eyes shifted back to Markus. I wanted to yell at him to pull the trigger, I didn't care if I was in the way or not. I just wanted Markus to be dead, to watch the blood run out of his body as he did to me. I couldn't say it verbally, I couldn't even breath properly, let alone speak; so I screamed it in my head, hoping he would listen, hoping he could hear me.

"You can hear her fainting heart beat, can't you?" Mark teased, running the blade down my arm. He didn't cut me, he just let it slide down my skin. "I can feel it." He whispered. "Feeling her heart slowly giving out." He taunted us, whispering the beat of my heart as I felt it beat in my chest. His eyes flickered back to Aiden with a smirk. "Are you going to shoot me or what?"

I heard the bullet leave the chamber as the sound echoed through the room, just in the same time as I felt the white hot burn in my stomach. I let out a gasp, my body clenched and went numb as I felt myself fall backward, landing on top of Markus's body. The ringing in my ears grew louder now as I saw his face hover above mine in a sheer panic. It felt as if my world was suddenly in slow motion as I lied there staring at his face. I no longer felt any pain, just coldness.

"Bella! Can you hear me?"

His voice lingered in my ears, but it seemed so far away.

"Hold on. Do you hear me? You fight this!"

But I don't want to fight anymore. I'm tired of fighting. I've been fighting since I was a toddler. I am a fighter. But I don't want to anymore. I just want to sleep. Can I just sleep?

"Don't you dare give up on me!"

My eyes felt droopy, the tiredness winning. A nap wouldn't hurt now.

"No. No, Arabella.. keep your eyes open."

My body was being picked up now and I rested my head on his shoulder. He was warm and comfy.. just what I needed.

"Stay with me, baby."

I closed my eyes, giving into the darkness that wanted to consume me.

I just wanted to be in peace.

Will there ever be peace for me?