Chapter 43 The very thought of doing that fell heavy upon her heart
“We’ll have to teach you a lesson you’ll never forget,” Madison shook her head, as if the very thought of doing that fell heavy upon her heart.
Izabella knew no such thing was true. Whatever they had in mind, it would be painful and they’d both enjoy it.
“You obviously can’t leave either Raphael or Renwick alone, you whore,” Morgan growled again, baring her canine teeth.
Izabella resented being called a whore but she knew that backtalk would only escalate things. It was already bad enough. Looking at their frames, she was sure she could take them on. She’d taken on worse than the two of them together but that wasn’t the point. This might go upstairs and she might get in trouble. She needed to behave for a few more days. The Headmaster would return any day now. She could sense it. She had to swallow just a few more insults until that meeting and then, all hell would break loose.
“Listen, I’ll keep away, just…” Izabella tried to keep her head down, even though it took her much more effort than she initially thought.
“We already tried that and it didn’t work,” Madison shook her head menacingly again.
Izabella had no idea what they were about to do to her but she knew she was in danger. She could sense it in the way they circled around her, like vultures, their teeth out in the open, like daggers aimed at the soft, palpitating veins in her neck.
“You obviously need something more painful to remind you of what is asked of you,” Madison eyed her.
Izabella’s mind raced. There was no one in the hallways any longer. They were alone. She knew that, even if she shouted for help, it was uncertain if anybody would hear her. She could take them out but she was sure retribution would follow and she’d be stuck in a vicious cycle fighting these two, instead of being focused on what she came here to do.
Madison’s hand traveled up to Izabella’s neck, her claw like nails already on Izabella’s skin. Izabella had only a second to react. She could allow Madison to hurt her, or she could fight back, as she usually did. She took a slow, deep breath. There was only one thing to do, only one thing that was natural to her.
“Hey!”
All three of them turned to see who called out. Madison’s hand immediately fell down, releasing the grip she had on Izabella’s neck. Izabella took a step to the side, so that now, she was out of Madison’s reach.
“What’s going on here!?”
The voice belonged to Hendrik. Izabella felt like jumping into his arms, not because he was there to save her, but because he was there to save the twins. Izabella wouldn’t have to hurt them now. Her identity was still kept safe and her mission could continue. For that, she would be forever grateful, no matter the outcome of her ordeal.
“Move along, Picasso,” Madison hissed at him, “unless you want to have your ear cut off and become Monet.”
“You mean, Van Gogh, you retard,” Hendrik snorted, then looked at Izabella. “Two to
one, isn’t that a bit unfair?”
“We didn’t do anything to her, we’re just talking...“ Morgan quickly added.
“I didn’t mean you,” Hendrik replied, with a sly smile, looking at Izabella. “I meant her.
She’d take both of you on, easy.”
Madison and Morgan eyed each other with obvious confusion on their faces. Izabella swallowed heavily. She couldn’t tell if Hendrik was bluffing, or if he knew something about her. Cleverly, she waited for the twins to make the first move and then act herself.
“Come on, Morgan,” Madison suddenly blurted out, as if she remembered something. “We have more important business to take care of but this isn’t over.”
Before Izabella could say anything to that, the twins demonstratively turned around and angrily walked down the hallway and out of the building. Izabella pressed her hand against her neck. She could feel the beating of her own heart. She knew that the twins probably didn’t believe a word Hendrik said but they didn’t want witnesses to whatever they were about to do with her. One thing was sure, this really wasn’t over yet.
“Are you okay?” Hendrik asked.
He sounded worried. That led Izabella to the conclusion that he was just bluffing. He had no idea whether or not she could take them on. Luckily, Izabella didn’t need to prove that she could.
“Yeah, just…” Izabella started, then sighed heavily. “They just won’t let me be.”
“You’re not the only one they pick on but I know that doesn’t make it better,” he
tried.
“It’s okay,” she smiled, “I appreciate the help. We still heading to the Bunker?”
“Yeah, just…” he sounded a little nervous.
“What is it?” she wondered. She’d never seen him like this.
“Nothing, I guess…”
“Oh, come on,” she punched him on the shoulder, playfully. “There’s obviously something you want to tell me. Come on. Spill it.”
“I don’t know if there’s time, everyone’s waiting for us at the Bunker,” he continued, avoiding her eyes.
“Who’s everyone?”
“The guys… and girls… you know, everyone…” he answered, but each time, he sounded more and more confused.
“Hendrik,” she approached him, so close that she was almost standing on his toes.
She also needed to stand on hers, if she wanted to be on his eye level. She rested her hands on his shoulders. He was sturdy and strong, she knew she’d be able to rely on him, no matter what.
“What is it?” she whispered her question softly, urging him to open up to her, without fear.
“I guess I just wanted to do something, before we got there,” he smiled nervously.
“What?” she smiled back warmly.
Instead of a reply, he moved in, and pressed his lips on hers. The moment he did that, she felt a dam deep inside of her break and that primal desire which had been there all along, was released once more, just like before with Thorne, and then Raphael and Renwick. She didn’t close her eyes for a second. She didn’t want to. He seemed to feel the same way, because he looked at her with a power to see right through to her very soul. She could almost feel her body melting in his arms, as he pulled her closer and tighter. There was nothing like it.
A second later and he let go. She just stood there, like a statue, frozen with confusion and excitement, waiting for him to explain himself.
“Sorry, I….” he started, but her smile assured him there was nothing to be sorry about.