Sapphire Bones

Paranoia

Disclaimer: Mention of drugs and their effects on werewolves/Lycans. Since this is a work of fiction and a world I have created, drugs have a slightly different effect on the supernatural and humans than they do in the real world. Any discrepancies are not meant to offend. 

____________

L

A distant yell wrenched my attention in the opposite direction I was heading. Roddy's voice rang through the heavy air in the camp. I changed direction, keeping my body close to tent walls to stay out of view. I moved quietly, one hand out in front of me so I didn't hit anything, and the other grazing the thick tent fabric behind me. The pain in my jaw scorched. I could feel a bruise forming along my jawline. Distant, fuzzy red silhouettes started to appear in my line of sight. I recognized my former Alpha and Beta's shadows, but another shadow, slimmer but taller than Roddy's lean form.

"He'll be out for a while," the third person said, a laugh layered in his words. The cage door slammed and the third figure stalked away. His silhouette disappeared behind an object I couldn't see. As soon as the coast was clear I started for the cage. My feet pounded into the earth as I sprinted for Roddy.

"L?" Roddy's hands wrapped around the cage door just as I slammed into the door myself. "What happened to you?" He asked, reaching through to touch the growing bruise on my jaw.

"Nothing that won't heal. We need to leave – now," I fumbled with the lock on the gate.

"They dosed Cole again," Roddy said. "He's going to be out for a few hours. We can't go until he's awake."

"Roddy we need to le-,"

"L!" Just as Roddy's voice hit my ears I felt a set of fingers around my throat, and my front slam into the wooden door. The pain in my jaw ricocheted as the sore spot smashed into the wood.

"Now what are you doin' out the cage? I don't rememba boss bringin' you back," a scratchy voice played at my ear. I struggled in his grip but he held me firm against the door.

"Let her go," Roddy snapped from the other side.

"What you gon' do, pretty boy?" The man behind me teased, his fingers clamped in my hair, pulling my head back so I was forced to look at him. "Come on sweetheart, you know you want to have some fun." His breath fanned over my face in a nasty blend of rotting teeth and old food.

"Get," I snarled and hiked my knee up between his legs. "Off me!" I pushed him backward but he didn't keel over – hardly moved other than the distance I shoved him.

"Stubborn little girl," he hissed and reached around me. His hand clamped back on my neck as he fumbled with the lock on the gate.

The door to the cage wrenched open. The man threw me backward into the dirt, and the door shut again. My head smacked into the ground. I fumbled backwards trying to get as much distance from the man on the other side of the cage as possible.

"L," Roddy was behind me in an instant. He grabbed at my arms and pulled me up so I was sitting, my back to his chest. "You're okay," he mumbled. "You're okay," he repeated, his arms around my shoulders to hold me close to him.

"Don't get too comfortable," the man sneered. "We'll have fun, yet." He left and stalked off. His silhouette dimmed, and disappeared far off. Roddy snapped at him, several words exchanged but I didn't care to listen.

"How did you get away?" Roddy asked. He kept his arms wrapped securely around my shoulders. I faced the front of the cage, my eyes darting looking for new shadows to appear but none ever did.