Hostage

Chapter 5: Facing Death

Chapter 5

5:19 am

Her eyes were hazing over and she found it harder to breath. Her limbs and head were heavy, aching, and numb.

What was the use of fighting anymore? No one was coming to save her. She was good as dead.

Her eyes drifted slowly down to the bleached white floor, it was splattered with her own blood. It was a slow, steady, red stream that pooled in the center of the room.

For some reason it reminded her of Christ's sacrifice... How her sin was as red as scarlet on a white sheet.

Charóth only filled the buckets a little bit, just enough to finish the sacrifice.

She smiled weakly.

She prayed that somehow she would get out of this one... But how many times had that prayer been answered already?

"Fine," she choked out. "You win."

Charóth grinned. "Really?" He turned to the door with malice. "Did you hear that, Agent Johnson? I won."

Danny! He's here?

The door flew open and standing in the doorway, with his semiautomatic in hand, was Agent Johnson.

---

Daniel couldn't believe his eyes. He could barely recognized his partner.

Samantha's face was twisted in pain and confusion. Her beautiful hazel eyes were clouded and grey; her full lips had lost all color; and her hair hung in a loose braid over her right shoulder.

She wore only her underwear and bra, her slim figure bloody and blue. She was hanging on by a thread; quickly fading.

Daniel took in the room and the smell of bleach and blood; the empty syringes of morphine and other drugs . He could only hope that she would be alright and that she didn't die of an overdose.

Daniel pointed his semiautomatic at the murder, who stood with his back to him. His hands covered in Samantha's blood.

"Turn around!" Agent Johnson snapped, aiming his .40 caliber at Bleeder's spinal column.

"Well, well, well, come on in. I've been expecting you," the dark-haired killer slowly pivoted around to face the younger man. "My, my Daniel. Haven't you grown up! Nothing like the chubby kid with braces that I knew back when you were in what-? Fourth grade?"

"What?" Daniel Danny kept the gun pointed at the psychotic kidnapper; "How do you know that? How do you know my name?"

"Why does everyone ask that?" He chuckled, shaking is head in amusement. "Let's just say that I've been interested in you for a long, long time. Just like I've been interested in your partner Sammy here."

"Who in the hell are you?" Daniel demanded cooly.

"This is Jonathan, my vessel," he gestured to his body. "He's my personal favorite. However, in my realm, I am known as Charóth, the Defiler."

Daniel furrowed his brow. "What are you talking about?"

"He's a-," Samantha croaked out. "Demon."

"Your lady friend is correct, though I prefer the term "Fallen Angel" over demon. It makes me sound far more appealing." Bleeder smirked.

"Why did you take her?" Daniel demanded, nodding toward his partner. "Why did you murder all those women?"

"It's simple, really," Charóth shrugged. "They were daughters of my Father; some of His favorites. So I figured, huh, I bet Daddy wouldn't mind me sending His daughters home. These women all had one thing in common: they were the symbol of purity and for that," He pointed to Samantha emotionlessly. "They were the perfect sacrifice."