Lace

29

3rd POV:

"What do you mean she got away?"

The woman; feared among her loyal workers that lined against the wall, asked. Her voice remained neutral... calm. That's what made her people cower in fear. They didn't know how she'd react. Her tone gave away no emotion. No indication of the barrel of disaster that laid before them. "Well?' she asked again, prompting an answer.

"She... She broke out, boss." Brenda, a nightly guard that stood at the door the little street rat escaped from. She spoke with fear, evident in the little tremor in her voice.

The woman looked at her through furrowed brows. "Broke out?" she asked quizzically, "Why Brenda, I would have never guessed." She laughed, but with no humor in her voice.

silence. Then a loud crash.

Not a soul flinched when Brenda was pushed into the wall behind her. The woman held her in a fierce grip. One hand twisted into Brenda's collar while the other one held a gun strongly under her chin.

Brenda was already in pain, having caught a beating just a few hours earlier by that street rat. Now she was in hell. "You let her getaway? Didn't ya?" Poor Brenda was shaking for her life. The psychotic woman in front of her brought the fiercely trained guard to her knees.

"I have waited years, girl!" she reprimanded. "Do you have any clue what that feels like?! Do you know how it feels to have the one person I spent years working my life away for, just slip out?! Oh no no no, break out... isn't that right Brenda?" her name was acid to the woman's tongue. "And do you want to know what's worst of all? I did not even get a chance to see her."

Brenda hears nothing but a ring in her ears the whole time. She feared her life at this moment. Her children... her sister. And her beautiful, innocent little wife that thought that she was working in a bloody security company. If only she'd kept her bloody mouth shut, she thought.

***

Lacey:

I woke up sore. Every limb in my body ached with a fiery pain that brought out a weak cry of destress even before I could open my eyes. I groaned at the weight of my eyelids, feeling tired and worn out already.

I felt escorted. Drowning in the most immense pain I've yet to endure.

I felt weak. Bound to the bed with no real restrains and trapped in a room with the windows wide open. As the person, I was just months ago.

Trapped... in pain... enduring... It's disgusting.

"Lace..." the whisper of my name caused me to open my eyes.

Erebus. The beast... he was the first thing I saw. Outlined but the rays of the sun that made the merciless beast look like an angel, he stood here. Looking pale. Tired. Defeated.

He looked worse than I felt. His eyes spelled failure. But why?

"Lace..." he called again, crunching down beside me. I still laid flat. Unmoving. I didn't have the energy to do anything but breathe. And even that burned by lings like fire. "I'm so sorry." He sounded defeated. But why? What happened? How long was I out?

Why was he sorry? Did he lose Riley?

Riley...

How could I forget? My best friend... my brother.

"R-Riley?" I asked between choked breaths.

"He's fine... but are you?" why would he ask? I'm alive aren't I. I'm safe. I'm warm. I have a roof over my head. Of course, I'm fine. I'm just in a little pain... that's all.

So, I nodded.

Erebus looked skeptically but decided not to argue straight away. So, we were silent, but our gazes never leaving each other.

He looked so vulnerable. I hated it. Erebus wasn't some fluffy little pushover. He's a beast. Feared by all. And if looked this vulnerable because of me... no. I won't allow it.

I tried to get up but Erebus wouldn't let me. "You need to rest." He ordered. I didn't argue. I didn't have the energy to.

My mind drifted off, thinking back to the last few hours.

I was drugged, kidnaped, tortured, hurt, attacked... almost died... found my best friend, rescued my best friend, escaped my kidnappers, and demanded that the police find one of the most feared criminals... then woke up safe and okay.

"you need to drink some water." I felt a cold drop land on my hand and was brought back to reality with a gasp. Erebus helped me up and helped me sip on the cold water. I was embarrassingly shameful... I couldn't even hold the bottle with my bruised hands. How was I supposed to take care of myself?"

"You need to sleep." His one hand found its way towards my hair as he massaged gently and the other slowly caressed my hair. It was like chills against my inflamed skin, causing me to shudder under his touch as a trail of Goosebumps followed his hand. "I need you to be my strong girl when you wake up, okay?" he leaned down to place a single kiss on my forehead. I was speechless. Shocked at the gentleness and care behind his actions and more so by how my body was reacting to it.

For a moment there was no pain. So fiery limbs. Nothing.

For a moment in time, I just existed.

Then he pulled away.

"Stay," a voice said. Apparently, it was my own, but it didn't sound like it. my hand opposed the pain and on its own accord reached out to grab his wrist. It was hardly a hold, maybe just contact, then my mouth began to move faster than my brain could comprehend the words coming out of it.

"Please, don't go."  

***

Its late, but its still my birthday week so lets count it as a birthday update. 

anyway, I'm writing a maths exam tomorrow, but Iwrote this instead... priorites right?

but about the book... I thought that it would be important for us to see Lace and Erebus being vurnarble for a change, rather than wanting to be strong all the time. But as we could see, Lace hasnt learned when to realise that she needs help, and that its okay not to be okay. 

Anyway... what about the unknown person? any theories? 

till next time, 

make good choices! 

~(the now legal) Virgo