Chapter 7

 

It all made sense now, Eric had left that night and not come back because he was working with the soldiers, they kept finding me in our hiding places because he told them where to look. He was the damn bad guy and he was in this hotel probably ready to sell them out the second that he could.

I only realised then that Cora and Edward had been trying to talk to me. “Hellooooo, Taylor are you in there?” Cora asked with a giggle.

I looked and forced a smile. “Yeah, yeah, I just, I’ll be right back.”

“You turned a little pale are you feeling sick again?” Edward asked.

I shook my head. “Nope, I’m ok, but I should go.” I said before standing up.

I walked over to Eric and said to him. “Hey, can I talk to you privately for a minute.”

I saw Danielle looking over at us with a frown on her face. “Get Lucian.” I mouthed at her hoping she would get the message. I was glad when she nodded her head and disappeared from the room.

Eric stood up and looked at me with a grin before following me into a corner. “Missing me already?”

I smirked. “Not quite, just wanted to talk about that stag you said about.”

He frowned for a minute. “What about it?”

“I just find it interesting that you would know about it when you were out scouting.”

His smile faltered as realisation crossed his face. “Y-you told me about it.” He stuttered.

I shook my head. “I didn’t Eric and strangely I remember you standing next to the camp just before the attack, strange that you survived don’t you think?”

I saw the moment when he realised he couldn’t talk his way out of it, his face turned menacing and he snarled. “You just don’t know when to keep your nose out do you?”

“You did it didn’t you?” I hissed shoving him in the chest.

“So what if I did?” He growled drawing everyone in our direction, great why did these things always have to have an audience.

“You fucking killed them!” I screamed feeling a rage build up inside me only born from wanting revenge for the people you love.

He laughed, he actually laughed at me. “You were so blind, all this time and you never noticed anything. It was to fucking easy.”

“You bastard.” I yelled kicking him in the stomach jolting him backwards hard enough that he rolled over the top of the table.

He pulled a dagger from his boot and jumped up in a defensive position before slicing out at me. I dodged backwards before punching him in the jaw and pulling a pistol out aiming it at his face.

“Give me one good reason not to pull this trigger and I’ll put the gun down.”

He snorted. “You won’t kill me, you can kill zombies and soldiers yeah, but you can’t kill someone you know, you don’t have the guts.”

“I don’t know you.” I hissed. “I thought I did, but you’re someone else.” Despite that though, he was right, the way my hand was shaking with the gun was enough proof of that. I wouldn’t be able to shoot him and he knew it and he took advantage of it.

Before I could blink he kicked the gun out of my hand sending it sliding across the floor and lunged for me. He sliced my stomach before spinning me around by the hand, pressing his arm across my chest and pulling my back up against his front before pressing the dagger into my throat.

I was now facing the door to the room as Lucian ran in with Danielle, Liam and Jack on his heels. He stopped dead when he saw the predicament I was in.

“What the hell is going on?” He growled his eyes burning into Eric as he took a stop forward.

“Uh, uh, wait right there or Taylor here takes her last breath.”

“You’re a bastard.” I hissed trying to tug away from him. I winced and stopped when I felt the dagger pierce my skin.

“Careful now babe, wouldn’t want you to take your own head off.”

“I told you not to call me ba-.”

“Not to call you babe?” He interrupted. “Yes, that’s right, but I don’t think you’re in any position to be telling me what I can and can’t do, do you?”

“You’re such an asshole.” I hissed as I moved my hand, if I could just distract him long enough I could grab the pistol and shoot him.

I was certain that Lucian saw what I was doing and I had to admit he was very good, he didn’t even glance down at my hand as he spoke to Eric. “Ok, tell us what you want and then you can let her go.” Lucian said calmly.

“Well, if you let me take her, you’re all free to go. Of course I can’t tell you what the other soldiers will do because I’ll have to tell them of course.”

I snorted and moved my hand a bit further. “Right, like they didn’t kill everyone at camp. You’re a liar, you’ll be here first chance you get.”

“You should shut your pretty little mouth babe.” He said pressing the dagger tighter into my throat drawing more blood.

I let out a little squeak and my eyes drooped slightly as the blood loss from my stomach began to affect me.

“There must be something, you’re willing to trade for her.” Lucian said sounding a little desperate.

My hand was getting closer to the gun, I almost had it. When Eric shook with his laughter I was thankful, it gave me a jostle in the right direction until I had the handle of the gun in my hand. “What could you possibly trade?”

Lucian smirked and I knew he knew I had the gun. “Ammo.”

“Ammo?” Eric asked in confusion seeming unsure of his smirk.

“Sure.” I said. “You get one bullet in return for my freedom.” I hissed directing my gun at the top of his leg and pulling the trigger at the same time.

He howled in pain and when the grip on his dagger slackened enough to get me out of any immediate danger I grabbed his wrist shoving it further away from my neck before turning on the spot, kicking him between the legs, punching him in the face, grabbing his hair and tugging it backwards until his neck was exposed. Within seconds my sword was unsheathed and pressed against his neck.

“There’s going to be a time that I won’t consider you as someone I know anymore, so you better pray you never meet me when that happens because I can promise you I won’t hesitate.”

“You’re bluffing.” He muttered.

“Am I? Maybe you should ask a few of your soldier buddies that I came across if I was bluffing. If you can find all of the pieces that is.”

He gulped and I pulled my sword away before hitting him over the head with the butt of my gun knocking him out cold.

I put my sword and gun away before grabbing the discarded one on the floor and putting it back in its place. Then I looked over at everyone who wore looks ranging from amazement to fear. My eyes automatically sought Lucian to find Elizabeth wrapping herself around him as she cried. I pulled my gaze away from them feeling pissed and jealous as hell, what the hell did she have to cry about anyway? It had been me in his arms a little over an hour ago, didn’t take long for things to change.

“Ok, well since no one else is going to say it, I will.” Liam said walking over to me and patting my back. “Nice job.”

Gordon strolled in then and let out a low whistle at the mess as he looked at me, Eric and the surrounding area. “Should I ask?”

“I’m kind of curious myself.” Jack said looking at me.

I glared over at Eric’s still form. “He’s a fucking traitor, end of story.”

“Ooooook, do we put him out with the zombies?” Gordon asked Lucian who to my annoyance was still comforting Elizabeth.

“Only if you want him to run off to his soldier buddies and tell them where we are.” I spat.

“He’s one of them?” Gordon asked. “But we tested him, he can’t be.”

I snorted. “He’s a good liar, I trusted him for months and turned out he was responsible for the attack at camp. He was there right in front of me all this damn time.” I dragged my hands through my hair as I tried to get a hold of myself, I felt like I was coming apart at the seams. “I fucking kissed his dirty lying mouth.” Shaking my head I turned towards the door. “I’m taking a shower.”

“I think that cut needs stitches.” Liam pointed out.

“It’s fine.” I grunted marching towards the door before anyone could stop me including Lucian who was still all close with Elizabeth.

When I reached my room I slammed the door closed behind me and pulled all of my weapons off, throwing them on the floor before punching the wall as hard as I could trying to erase the anger I was feeling. How could I not have noticed? I should have avenged the people not been walking around with the one responsible, he must have known that they would kidnap and rape me, he was just lying the whole damn time. How was I ever supposed to forgive myself for not noticing? My Dad would be disgusted to think that I had, had a relationship with him. Lucian’s Mum would have been appalled at my choice in men, they probably would have all seen straight through him, but somehow I had missed it. Eric was right I had been blind to it, blinded by fear or pain or the need to hang on to the last person who was alive around me. Something had made me lose the ability to see what was right in front of me. Maybe those adverts were always right, I should have gone to fucking Specsavers.

I ground my teeth together in frustration before punching the wall again as hard as I could. “Stupid, traitoring, asshole bastard!” I hissed punching with every word.

My knuckles were pounding and bloody within a few minutes. I then leant against the wall and sunk down to the floor ignoring the sting of the cut across my stomach. The loss of blood didn’t even seem important anymore, it wasn’t a serious cut beyond feeling a little weak and it wasn’t about to kill me so it didn’t matter.

At some point in the next few minutes the door must have opened and closed, but I didn’t hear it, the only reason I did know was because Lucian crouched down next to my curled up form before picking me up and walking over to the bed.

I felt so safe in his arms and that was when the hold I had on my tears finally broke, there was so much force behind the sobs that I thought my body was going to crack and fall apart. Lucian just sat on my bed silently and held me in his lap wrapping his arms around me. The fact that he had been with Elizabeth just now didn’t matter at that moment the tears just kept coming and they wouldn’t stop. I cried for the loss of my Dad and everyone else at camp, I cried for my sister, I cried for all the pain, I cried for the soldier kidnaps, I cried for Eric’s betrayal, I cried for the miscarriage of the baby I wouldn’t have wanted, I cried for everything. Lucian didn’t say anything throughout my outburst, he just held me silently as I sobbed against his t-shirt and clung to him. I felt his fingers run through my hair and down my back sending shivers down my spine that weren’t unpleasant to say the least, which made me remember Elizabeth because I shouldn’t be feeling like that. Try as I might to convince myself to climb off of him and apologise though, I just couldn’t bring myself to do it. My sobs had tuned right down until they were sniffles, but I was so warm and comfortable in his arms that I just didn’t want to leave. My eyes were drooping and the thought of getting into bed over staying right where I was seemed completely unappealing. My body was just so exhausted after pouring my heart out that I couldn’t stay awake anymore and I fell asleep with the sound of Lucian’s heartbeat against my ear and the feel of his fingers running through my hair.

 

I woke up suddenly with a pinch of pain in my stomach before letting out a groan. I was certain that I wasn’t in Lucian’s arms anymore because I was lying on my back, but I obviously was confused about the odd pinching on my stomach so I forced my eyelids to open. The first thing I saw was Jason leaning over me, I lifted my hand up to rub my eyes thinking I must be dreaming.

“He’s just stitching you up Blondie.” Lucian said from beside the bed.

I looked in that direction to find him looking at me. The pinches from my stomach continued so I returned my gaze to Jason hoping he was nearly finished because it was getting a little uncomfortable being repeatedly stabbed by a needle.

I gave a sigh of relief when he finally sat up announcing he was done before his gaze landed on my hand and he asked. “What happened there?”

I tried to stop myself, but my body betrayed me by glancing at the wall where I had punched it. There were marks there, only noticeable if you knew where to look though. Lucian’s gaze of course immediately went to the wall before turning back to me with a frown.

“Did it accomplish anything?” He asked.

I grunted. “I had to punch something ok, the wall was handy.”

He sighed and Jason said. “I’ll just clean and cover it up to stop infection.”

I frowned not liking the idea of someone poking around my raw, throbbing knuckles because I knew it would sting like a bitch so I quickly said. “It’s ok, I’ll do it I’m just about to take a shower anyway. Just leave the stuff here and I can do it afterwards.”

Jason frowned and hesitated before Lucian sighed and said. “I’ll make sure she gets it done Jason, it’s ok, you can get to bed now sorry I disturbed you so late.”

“Anytime son, just make sure she gets that cleaned up.”

Lucian nodded and Jason left, his gaze landed on me the second he did. “I’ll just take a shower.” I said climbing off of the bed.

“That’s going to burn like hell underneath the spray of the shower.”

“Well, then what do you suggest?” I snapped at him, I wasn’t crying anymore I could be angry as hell about Elizabeth.

He sighed. “Take a shower and keep it from getting wet, clean it afterwards.”

I grunted in response and did as he suggested grabbing jogging bottoms and a t-shirt on my way in, it wasn’t the easiest thing to shower with one hand, but I managed to wipe the blood off from around the stitches and from the tiny cuts at my neck, which hadn’t even bled much before stopping.

When I was dressed I moved over to the sink and turned the tap on before moving my knuckles towards it. I was about an inch from the spray when I stopped and tried to convince myself to do it. It was really going to sting there was no doubt about that and it was definitely my own fault, but maybe I could just put a bandage on it without the cleaning. I mean it wasn’t like the wall was dirty right?

My idea was put completely out of my hands when Lucian walked in as if he owned the place. A combination of him ruining my plan and jealousy left over from Elizabeth made me hiss out. “What the hell? I could have been naked, you don’t just come waltzing in here.”

He raised his eyebrows. “Well clearly you aren’t.”

“But I could have been!” I shouted.

He sighed. “I’d love to argue with you Tink, but we need to clean your hand so save it for later.”

I glared at him and pulled my hand away from the still running tap. “I already cleaned it.”

“Yeah Blondie, I’m really not as stupid as you might think.” He said grabbing a cloth and soaking it in water before ringing it. He held his hand out. “Come on, let me see it.”

I glared at him and shook my head.

“Ok, we can do this the easy way or the hard way. Either way your hand is being cleaned, we don’t have supplies to waste by risking an infection.”

“It won’t get infected, it’s not like the wall is dirty.” I said using the argument I had used in my head.

“Just give me your hand.” He said patiently.

“No.” I muttered.

“Mckenzie.” He growled.

“Adams.” I returned.

He sighed. “Fine, I’ll just get some of the security to hold you down while I clean it.”

“You wouldn’t.” I said my eyes widening.

He smirked. “Try me Tinkerbell.”

I glared at him putting as much hate behind it as I could before reluctantly holding my hand out to him with my knuckles up.

“See, that wasn’t so hard.”

I grunted and before I could even see it coming he pulled a small bottle of something out of his pocket and poured it on my knuckles. Letting out a yelp I tried to yank my hand back, but Lucian was ready and kept a hold of my wrist.

“I’m sorry.” He said. “I thought it would be worse if I warned you.”

“I hate you.” I groaned as he started patting the cloth against my knuckles.

He sighed and led me back into the room after dropping the cloth in the sink. “I know Blondie.”

We were both silent as he wrapped my hand up with the stuff that Jason had left.

“Thanks.” I muttered pulling my hand away when he had finished and sitting on my bed.

“Listen Mckenzie, you can’t blame yourself for what that asshole did.”

I grunted and lay down on my bed turning away from him before mumbling. “I don’t blame myself for what he did Adams, I hate myself for not seeing what he was really like and I hate that I kissed him and liked him and we almost…………” I trailed off realising I didn’t really want to be talking about that kind of stuff with Lucian, especially now that I wanted to be doing that stuff with him not that he needed to know that. Instead I sighed and shook my head. “Never mind.”

“You almost did? What you mean you didn’t?” He asked in surprise.

I glanced over my shoulder at him with a frown guessing he can’t have been in the room for the part of the argument between Eric and I when he said it couldn’t be his baby. “No, why?”

He rubbed the back of his neck looking away. “Nothing, just that means your first time was…….” He trailed off.

I sighed looking away again. “Yes, my first time was against my will, and second and third and if I hadn’t been so scared and freaked out on Eric the night he came back he would have been my fourth and the sick thing is that I’m almost glad those soldiers did that to me so that the fear of them made me stop it that night with Eric.” I couldn’t see Lucian from my position, but I knew he opened his mouth to speak so I said before he could get the chance. “I know, I’m fucked up.”

He sighed. “You’re not fucked up, you’ve just been through a lot.”

I grunted and muttered. “I’m going to get some sleep.”

“Ok Mckenzie.” He said. “Night.” I didn’t respond and he silently left the room.