His Prize

Chapter 2: The Cell

Important Author's Note:

This story has the most views because it's my oldest, but it's not my best work. Check out my newer kidnapping dark romance books instead, as they are similar stories with much better plots, characters and endings. My latest book is about a girl taken prisoner by a prince - His Stolen Sorceress on my new account rileysing . For those who prefer an abusive male lead, Vampire's Prey is also a better option.

The ground flows beneath me, coming in and out of focus. I'm being carried by the back of my shirt as if I was a handbag. My limbs drag along limply, still refusing to move. My body is begging to let the darkness take me, but I hold on for dear life.

The roaring of the engines return. They're only a few feet away now.

I'm hoisted to an upright position. I'm inside their vehicle, sitting limply on Alex's cold metal lap. An arm is wrapped around my chest, pinning my arms on either side of me. My legs are trapped under his, and my head is lying limply against his neck.

A new soldier takes the seat beside us. His armour is mostly black like the first soldier's, whereas Alex's armour has a few maroon stripes on it.

"Hey Captain," the new soldier begins, "I see you finally decided to get yourself a pet. A cute little blond one too!"

"Shut it, Charley. I'm simply taking her to prove to Abel that training a human is easy. She won't be staying for more than a few days."

"I won do shic for you, Mr emo iron mam," I slur out with my somewhat functioning lips. "You pafecic escuse for a-"

I'm cut off by his hand covering my mouth. It's incredibly frustrating to no longer be able to tell these parbeings what I think of them.

"You will be punished for that later," he whispers into my ear. That would normally terrify me, but right now, I'm just blinded by anger.

* * * * * * * *

The ride to wherever they're taking me is a long one. I can move my limbs again, well I could if they weren't being held down.

Now that the adrenaline is wearing off, my whole body begins to ache. The pain in my chest forces me to take shallow breaths.

Luckily, the hand on my mouth is holding my head in a way that I can at least look out the window. We are traveling fast. Very fast. This kind of distance would take weeks to walk. If, no, when I escape, it'll be a long journey back to my few belongings.

Thanks to the parbeings, nothing I own is worth much. All I care about is the golden necklace Mom and Dad gave me before the world fell apart. I didn't carry it on my person to avoid having to fight off other humans for it, a decision which I now regret.

Thinking about Mom and Dad calms me down. Unfortunately, that brings with it an overwhelming sense of fear. What is this man going to do to me? He can so easily kill me. I doubt I'd survive any more blows like the last one. This is a ridiculously unfair fight. They're armed with guns that can kill me with a single shot, robotic body armour that can kill me with a few punches, and a scanner to find me when I'm hidden.

* * * * * * * *

After a few hours of driving, mostly through the countryside and ruins of human cities, we're finally close enough that I can see our destination. It's a parbeing city. All the buildings are white, huge and curvy. Not grey and square like human cities once were. It's surrounded by a large wall, clearly defining where the wilderness ends and the city starts.

I have never been this close to one of their cities. It would be suicide.

Our vehicle enters through a huge gate. Armed guards and turrets are sprinkled along the wall. Inside the city there are trees, but no grass. The ground is covered in a bright white paving. My dirt covered skin is the filthiest thing here.

The vehicle stops and most of the soldiers get out. Alex and the driver stay behind.

"Take me to the Human Processing Centre," he orders.

"Yes sir."

We drive for a few more minutes. We stop outside a building I assume is the Human Processing Centre. Chills run through my spine as I repeat the name in my head, Human Processing Centre.

Alex finally removes his hand from my mouth. He carries me into the building and says something to the parbeing reception lady.

I'm too distracted by the sight around me to listen. There are humans here!

But they don't look happy. Most of them are very thin. Some of them are in chains, some have collars. Most are accompanied by a parbeing. They keep their eyes down and don't say a word.

They are slaves, shells of the people they once were. Wait, does this mean I'm now a slave?

No, I reassure myself, being a slave is both physical and mental. While they can physically chain me up, I will never submit to them.

I'm carried towards the back of the building and placed against the wall in a small room.

Before releasing his iron grip, Alex cuffs my hands to chains above my head, one hand on either side. I'm standing in a Y-shape. Without saying a word, he leaves the room and closes the door.

I release a breath I didn't realise I was holding. The room, or rather the cell, is small and white, with a bright light above me. There's a large, I assume two-way mirror opposite me, as well as a camera in the top corner. There's also a shiny silver sink and toilet, which seems rather stupid considering I'm chained to a wall.

* * * * * * * *

I don't know how much time has passed. There's no natural light in this cell. I figure it must have been at least a couple hours before the door opens again.

In walks a parbeing man. I perk up from the relaxed position I was leaning in. He's strong, good-looking and has perfect posture, like all parbeing men. He's tall. The top of my head is just below his collarbone. He looks like he's in his late twenties. He has dark hair and his eyes are cold and angry. It's a shame the scientists who created parbeings seem to have genetically encoded them to be assholes.

He slams the door behind him, causing me to flinch. My heart is in my stomach.

"What is your name, human?" He emphasises his disgust in the last word. I recognise his voice immediately. This is Alex without his robotic-armour.

My name is Nina, but I have no intension of telling him that. He cannot tell me what to do. "Go to hell!" I spit back.

He grabs my neck, hitting my head against the wall. Pain radiates through my skull.

"I would be careful with that little mouth of yours. Now that I'm no longer armoured, I can control my strength. I'll make sure you feel pain without the release of death."

"I can take your beatings, but please re-cover your ugly face with that mask. Looking at you is just a cruel and unusual-" I'm cut off by a sharp pain in my stomach as he punches me with his other hand.

"Your name!" he shouts in my ear.

"Get fucked!" I'm unable to think of anything better through the pain.

"You don't want to mess with me, human!" He pulls out the taser and flips a few dials.

"Oh my," I begin sarcastically "you're so tough-" I'm cut off as stinging waves of electricity pass through my body.

"Name!" he shouts, stopping the flow of current.

"Get... fucked..."

More electricity follows. The cycle repeats, over and over. His voice grows distant, and my vision goes black.

Published: 17 Oct. Edits: 20 Nov; 23 Nov; 02 Dec; 26 Dec; 01 Jan; 26 Feb