Chapter Sixty-Four Hers

Water dripped off the ends of my hair as I shook off another bucket full of ice water. I looked at Chad, who held the bucket and smirked. Chad threw the bucket against the wall by the door, which sent him into a coughing fit. 

"Not feeling well?" I teased viciously. 

"Chad glared, "What the fuck did you do to me?" 

I shrugged, pushing my hair off my face, and glanced at Finn. Chad hadn't removed the bindings on his hands, and I worried about their coloring. Chad saw my look and smiled evilly. He grabbed onto Finn's wounded shoulder, shoving him to the ground so hard I swear I heard his cheekbone snap. "Now, be an obedient little mutt and help me convince this bitch here to cooperate." 

I wanted to sob. Instead, I felt a dark power swirling inside my stomach. Like a hurricane of ashen mist, it created this hollowed depth in my being. The feeling was different than the one I felt connecting me to Ollie. I tried grasping that feeling, staring straight into Chad's eyes. For only a moment, he seemed to get lost in my gaze; a look of pure terror graced his features before it was gone, and so was the misty power. I tried to concentrate on that power, calling it back to the surface, but it disappeared. I collapsed into the ground of the padded cell. A frustrated grunt escaped my lips. 

"Ah, sweetie, don't hurt yourself now." Chad chided me. He crouched down and pulled Finn up by his hair. Finn's jaw clenched as he bared his teeth. There was still fight in him, and I felt relief rush through me. Fight meant life, so we still had a chance. I had time to figure out an escape plan. 

"I'm going to fucking kill you." Finn spat a combination of saliva and blood onto Chad's cheek. Chad's face turned purple with indignation and slammed Finn's head down on the ground. When Chad pulled Finn's head up again, blood trickled from his crooked nose. Finn propelled his legs around with a deadly growl to sweep Chad's legs out from underneath him. Finn sat up on his knees and slammed his body down on top of Chad's stomach. Both men grunted in pain, but Chad shoved Finn off him and scrambled to stand. I jumped between the two, trying to protect Finn. Chad backhanded me across my face, successfully sending me flying to the ground. He grabbed Finn by the hair again and repeatedly punched his face. 

Finn laughed as blood soaked his face." My sister punches harder than you, fuck face." 

Chad released his hair, panting and huffing. The coughing fit that followed as Chad tried to regain his breath clotted his lips with blood. Finn met his eyes with a cruel coldness I'd never seen before. His voice dripped with venom, "If you touch Luna again, I'll tear your fucking throat out." 

I felt a massive surge of pride as I watched Finn fight for our survival. This strength was why Ollie trusted him with my life. Finn shuffled on his knees to put himself between me and anything that would hurt me. My face throbbed, but it was nothing compared to the damage done to Finn. I was in awe that he could still fight so hard and protect me when he was barely hanging on to consciousness. The door lock sounded as it slid open. Chad took a few steps back so he could lean against the wall. He swiped his mouth with the back of his hand, revealing the angry-looking welts that slowly poisoned him. 

My mother entered the room with Bernie. Mother looked terrible; her face was drawn tight in pain, and she shuffled slowly, with Bernie helping her limp along. I could see now that her leg was bandaged. The laughter that rolled out of me was hard, nearly deranged, as I realized the impact that my pendant had when I stabbed her leg. Chad sprung forward, and Finn used all his will to fight and protect me. They moved back and forth, struggling against each other. I looked for an opening to help, but there was none. Finn suddenly stumbled, and Chad took that opportunity to trip him and kick his face. Finn's jaw snapped back before his body went limp. 

I screamed, pulling at that power source again and charging toward Chad. Bernie's fingers gripped the root of my hair and threw me back onto the ground. She leaped to me, kicking into my stomach, my shoulders, and my head while screaming profanities. I threw my arm up to protect my head and the other wrapped around my stomach. I watched under my arm as Chad slowly dragged Finn's body by his leg out of the room. A trail of blood was the only reminder that he was even here. I let my mind slip into my happy place as Bernie continued her assault. 

I closed my eyes and saw Ollie reaching his hand out. I focused on his face and called his name, trying desperately to bring back that connection. 

"Enough, Bernie." My mother's voice held authority, and Bernie stepped away from me. I bit the inside of my cheek to distract myself from the physical pain they inflicted and the emotional pain of missing Ollie. I needed to focus on finding Finn and escaping. I pushed myself up into a sitting position. My head swirled, and nausea forced me to close my eyes for a moment. My scalp jerked under my mother's bony fingers and snapped my eyes open. 

My mother's gaze was stern, "What did you do?" 

I was done with all of the torment. I knew Gloria's plans, and I knew that my part would never be done until one of us was dead. I wouldn't let it be me this time. "Where are you taking Finn?"

Mother's face gnarled in disgust. She gripped my chin with her other hand, her sharp fingernails breaking into my swollen skin, "Your little mutt will be dealt with accordingly." 

The final snap surged through my body, "If you don't bring him back to me now, Gloria, I will kill you myself." 

Gloria's laugh was fake and undercut by the fear I could sense in it; "You are in no position to make threats, child." 

"No, but that was a promise." I snarled, yanking my face from her grip and shoving her away from me. Gloria stumbled back, and Bernie stepped toward me. I prepared myself for a fight. I wouldn't back down anymore. "Back the fuck up, Bernie, unless you want to die a slow, painful death like your friend Gloria here." 

Bernie hesitated, but her voice was still sharp, "You are nothing but a half-breed mutt. You can't do anything." 

"Try me." I snapped. Gloria collapsed on the ground. Her leg oozed out of the giant wound, and her veins were visible as a deep purple pumped through them. Bernie growled deeply low and pulled something from her pocket. I observed her as she uncapped the needle, stuck it into a vial of clear liquid, and then drew it into the syringe. I watched her like a hawk, but my mind raced to see what would happen next. 

A loud explosion rippled through the air and rocked the building's foundation. I was unsteady already, but the shaking forced me back onto my knees. I suddenly felt a small sting and watched Bernie step away from me, pulling the needle out of my arm. Fuck. "What was in that vial?" 

"Don't worry, child. A small sedative won't hurt you. I'll move her as soon as she is asleep." Bernie said, fussing over Gloria.

Gloria nodded, breathing heavily, "We will move her to a different location as soon as she is out. Now go grab Chad and figure out what that explosion was." 

Bernie stood up and rushed out of the room. I saw that the door was left ajar. I crawled my way over to Gloria. She barely moved as I approached her, but her expression was triumphant. "All that effort for nothing. Stupid, stupid girl." 

I grabbed Gloria's chin when I reached her and made her look directly at me, "I hope you enjoy the padded room, Mother, as you will slowly die here." 

Confusion morphed her pristine face, and I roughly released her. This was my only chance to find Finn. I forced myself up through a haze and fog that was seating itself in my brain. I used the wall to wobble over to the door. I pried it open. 

"Daughter! Wait!" Gloria cried out, trying to crawl toward the open doorway. I watched with grim satisfaction as her face fell into terror with each small push to close the door. When I twisted the lock into place, her petrified screams were muted by the padding. I leaned my forehead against the steel door, allowing one moment of grief for the mother I deserved before turning to follow the trail of blood smears down the hallway.