Misfits - Chapter 29 (Patreon)

Cold. I’m always cold. I’m always stuck here. Chained to this bed, in this elegant room. Vitale is an evil bastard, exploiting Cal’s weakness for his own gain. I could see how much being in love with me had changed Cal. And so did Vitale. And he took that and used it against Cal.

I’m tired of having this collar around my throat. I’m tired of being locked to this bed and confined to this room. Completely at the mercy of Vitale. He’s a despicable person and a sad excuse for a human being. I don’t even know how long it’s been since Cal left here. How long has it been since he threatened Cal, dangling my life right in front of him? But I do know that Cal is going to do everything in his power to get me out of here as he promised.

Vitale chooses that moment to open the door, and I feel the blood in my veins turn cold as icy fear grips me. He has shown me his true colors since forcing me here, and I don’t like it.

He’s beat me, threatened me with Cal’s life, telling me to watch what I say when Cal comes to visit me. I finally escaped from my father's torture only to be dragged into this hell hole. He turns on the light, illuminating the darkroom. I cringe from the sudden brightness.

“Ah, flower. How have you been?” he asks. I can hear only his footsteps so I know he’s alone. Which isn’t good. His deep chuckle reverberated through the whole room when I don’t respond.

“I can see that you’re a little sour from last time huh. I guess I deserve that,” he says. I feel a dip in the bed, and he sits down on the edge of my bed. I finally look up and immediately notice that there is something different about him today. But I can’t put my finger on it, and that scares me even more.

“It’s been four days, flower. How long until your Callum returns with the ticket to your freedom?” he says mockingly.

“You know you’re not going to let me go once he brings you what you want,” I murmur. I look at Vitale after I realize there is no blow to my head, and see that he’s smiling at me. He reaches towards me, placing a hand against my cheek. I immediately flinch away, but I take notice of the frown that appears on his face and force myself to sit still, not wanting to provoke him.

“You are so right my delicate little flower.” His hand moves from my face to my throat, and my heart begins to speed up in pace.

“When I first realized that Callum had feelings for you, I figured it would be bad. Callum and emotions never really mixed. And I was right. It was horrible. I couldn’t even control him anymore. You don’t realize the powerful hold you have over him. But now that I have you, and Callum is at my mercy, I can’t think of anything that could possibly be better.” He smiles and shifts on the bed, bringing his body closer to mine. I try not to acknowledge it, but he’s beginning to make me nervous. His whole tone drops.

“And now, I’ve grown to enjoy your company. A little more than I was expecting.” My heart shoots into overdrive as his eyes take on that lustful haze. His hands make their way into my curls and he squeezes tightly.

“Now I can think of plenty of things that could be better.” His head dips and his lips meet my throat. I feel bile threatening to come up, and quickly scream trying to push Vitale off of me.

“Get away from me!” I scream. In all my frantic moving, my fist connects with the side of his face. I don’t have the time to think. A blow lands across my face and I’m sent sprawling backward on the bed, the room spinning as Vitale stands over me, a look of rage on his face.

His hands are immediately on me, trying to pull at the flimsy shorts I have on. I’m screaming trying to keep them on. Clawing at his hands and kicking as hard as I can. I’ve never fought so hard in my life.

“Shut up!” Vitale hisses. He reels back and lands another hit across my face. But I’m used to it. My father has beaten me more times than I can count. So I hold on to consciousness with every fiber of my being. Because I know that once I lose it, I’ll lose everything I have left.

I scramble away from Vitale opening my mouth.

“Cal!” I scream. I know he can’t hear me, I know he isn’t here. But I scream for him anyway. Because he promised to protect me. He promised.

“Ca-” My words are abruptly cut off as Vitale jerks on the chain around my neck. Causing me to choke and fall. He stands over my body, and straddles me, wrapping his hand around my throat.

“You want your Callum so bad? Fine. I will bring him to you. With his fucking head on a platter. And when he is dead and gone, you will be mine. Whether you want to or not,” he hisses. I can't respond to the pressure he has around my throat.

His eyes narrow at me a moment longer, and he jerks away from me roughly, leaving me there on the floor in a shivering heap.

I wrap my arms around myself, trying to stop the sobs that are spilling from my mouth. What have I gotten myself into?

* * * * *

I’m sitting in front of Boris Viktor. He’s gazing at me with a steady gaze and a wicked glint in his eye. I keep chanting to myself that this is for Rue. To save her.

“Now, Callum. Things around here are different. I know you aren’t sworn into anyone. You seem to have your own little freelance thing going with Vitale. Which is why he can never control you.” I feel immediate irritation growing within me at him using the word “control”. All my life that’s what everyone I have ever encountered has tried to do. Control me.

Only one person has ever succeeded in controlling me completely, and she wasn’t even meaning to do so. And that’s Rue. This is why I need to do whatever Viktor says. For her sake.

He places a gun, a knife, and a card on the table. It’s the Ace of Spades.

“I don’t think you understand your value in our world, Callum. As a matter of fact, I know you don’t.” He picks up his drink that has a golden liquid in it and swirls it around before taking a drink and setting it back down on the table.

“Now. To guarantee your loyalty to me, I want to swear you in,” he says. His words ring out over the room, and I narrow my eyes at him. I don’t want to belong to him. And that’s what will happen if I agree. He’ll get my freedom. I like my freedom.

“And if I say no?” I ask. He chuckles. Amusement plastered on his face.

“Then I cannot guarantee the safety of your lover,” he says taking another drink. Shit. I let out a deep sigh, taking a hold of the knife. This is for Rue. The only person I have ever loved. I run the blade over my thumb, watching as my blood wells to the surface.

I move my thumb, pressing it to the card Viktor laid out, thus blood binding me to him. I remove my thumb, gazing at the print that is now there. Viktor takes the card staring at it as if he has just won the lottery. Then he smiles. I am officially a part of his mob.

“Don’t worry Callum, you are much different than the men I have. And will be treated accordingly.” He slowly stands putting my card away.

“We will leave tomorrow to rid the world of that pest, Vitale.” He pauses as if just now remembering something, and snaps his fingers.

“About your lover. She is a part of this organization as well. She already knows too much. If you wish to keep her protected unconditionally, you will be married by the end of the year.” He turns away from me, walking out the door.

“And Callum, I’m not Vitale. I will not kidnap her and force you to do things for me. I will kill her.”

* * * * *

I step into my house. It’s dark. Quiet. That used to bring me comfort, but not anymore. I miss Rue. I miss her presence. Her being here. I miss being able to walk in and hear the TV on, knowing it’s her. Or hearing her walk around upstairs because she can’t walk light to save her life. Or knowing that when the house is quiet, I can step into my room, and she’ll be there. Cuddled up and warm in my bed.

It feels like a long time since I’ve been home. I go non-stop trying to get Rue out of Vitale's clutches. I hate it. I dragged her into my life, and I may get her killed if things don’t go according to plan. And that breaks my heart more than anything. I don’t know what I’ll do if Rue dies. I’ll die. I can’t live without her. I need her in my life. A part of me wants to be angry with Viktor for forcing these things upon us.

But the other part, a much more selfish part is glad. I can make her mine completely and have an excuse in doing so. I know that she’ll hate me for it. But maybe eventually, she’ll realize that everything I’ve done, is for her protection.

I walk past my room, turning the light on. The bed is still unmade and messy from her sleeping in it. I have yet to touch anything. I thought giving her her own life, and letting her be on her own would benefit both of us. And it would show her how much I love her. But Vitale had to step in and snatch her right out from under me. I still can’t wrap my mind around his betrayal. I always knew Vitale feared me. But I never thought that he would go as far as taking the one thing that is precious to me and using it against me. It just locks in how much of a coward he is.

I look around my house. When Rue was here, it was a home. And now, it’s just walls. Each serves as a reminder to mine and Rue's time together. I walk around out back, passing by the pool. A small smile appears on my face as I remember when Rue realized she had a pool in the backyard. I’ve used my pool for drowning victims, and occasionally a swim to clear my mind. But Rue used it as a place of solace and fun. I still remember the days she would play with me in the pool.

She would splash water at me, and try and outswim me. She even let me talk her into swimming naked. She did all of this without fear of me. She adored me. And I loved that about her. She wasn’t afraid. And I never wanted her to be.

Maybe I should have kept everything in the dark about me. Maybe it was foolish to expect her to accept everything about me. She’s a good person with a kind heart. There’s no way she could accept the dark side of me with a clear conscience. But I was so wrapped up in love, I didn’t think of the consequences everything would entail.

Maybe I should have just left her alone in that clearing. None of this would be happening. I frown as I remember her father. This probably would have been her last year on this earth. He would have ended up killing her. The beatings were getting worse and worse. And she was showing no signs of leaving. So focused on her end goal, that she couldn’t even see the danger. Even when it was telling her it loved her.

She’s too naïve. She’s too fragile. I try and suppress the thoughts that are beginning to surface. I try and force myself to think like she would in this situation. But the betrayal, the hate, the anger, it’s all coming back to me and clouding my better judgment.

I can’t pretend to be someone I’m not. Eventually, I will snap and kill everyone trying to be something I’m not. I want Rue. Even more so now. She’s too fragile to leave alone in this world. To let go. There are bad people out there, me being one of them. But she’s lucky that I’m not the one that wants to hurt her. I want to protect her. And with my new role as Viktor’s enforcer and muscle, the world just got a whole lot more dangerous for her.

When this is over, and I kill Vitale and have Rue safe in my arms, I’m not going to let her go. Ever. She can hate me all she wants. But I love her. More than anything. And I would die if anyone took that away from me. She is my new reason for living. My new purpose. And I have to protect her. Once this all blows over, she is never leaving my sight again. Not for school, not for a job, not for a normal life. Normal blew out of the fucking window the moment she gave herself to me.

And now, she is mine. Completely and unconditionally. Whether she wants to be or not. I realize that I’m smiling. My cheeks began to grow sore from the tension. The thought of her belonging to me brought me much-needed joy.

I turn around looking at my house. I bought this because I liked the seclusion. And I like nice things. But this is my past. Along with everything in it. I turn to the shed that contains all the collections of blood I have accumulated over the years. All those people that defied me and got in my way, are gone. The only thing still there is the blood that ran through their veins. I chuckle aloud, my sanity slowly crumbling second by second.

It’s done. I am broken. The sliver of humanity I had left is gone. Rue is my humanity. Rue is my sanity. And until I get her back nothing else matters. Nothing. I let the wave of hatred wash over me, and my last sane thought is of an angel. My love. My everything. My Rue.

* * * * *

Rue

I jolt awake. I heard something. I immediately realize that something isn’t right. I look around but the room I’m in is dark. My entire body aches. And I’m pretty sure that my eye is swollen shut. My lips are dry and cracked and my entire body is weak.

Vitale didn’t feed me. He’s starving me because I rejected him and fought. My stomach tightens in hunger and I press my hand to it trying to add some relief. A loud thud causes me to jump again, and I look towards the door. What the hell is going on? The room I’m in is soundproof, so I can only hear muffled thuds.

Suddenly, the door is hit. A scream escapes me. It’s hit two more times and broken off its hinges. Light floods the room as someone turns the light on. My eyes take a moment to adjust to the sudden brightness, and when I see who’s entered the room, it’s a man that I’ve never seen before. He’s tall with a powerful build. and a carefree aura.

There’s a smirk playing at his lips as his crystal blue gaze falls on me. I shiver, but not from the cold. This man screams power. He even has a large trench coat on, as he strides gracefully across the room.

“You must be Callum's lover,” he chuckles. My eyes widen, and joy filters my heart. Cal? He’s friends with Cal? The man's gaze roams up and down my body.

“Callum didn’t mention that you were such a beauty. Rare and exquisite. I can see why he likes you so much,” he says. He walks over to me, pulling out a blade and going to work on the collar around my throat.

“You know Cal?” I ask. His deep rumble of laughter vibrates my entire body.

“Callum officially belongs to me, sweetheart.” He steps back away from me, the collar around my throat falling as the man stares at me.

“I am Boris Viktor.” My stomach drops. This is the man that Cal was supposed to kill. And instead, he sold his soul to him? Viktor takes off his jacket, wrapping it around my shoulders.

“Come,” Is all he says. So I blindly follow.

“Where is Cal?” I ask. Viktor is looking around constantly, his whole demeanor deadly.

“Callum is otherwise occupied. He’s a different man thanks to you,” he says. I can hear the pride in his voice and immediately images of Callum when I left him flash across my mind. He was insane, Vitale couldn’t even control him. If Viktor was proud of the way Cal is now, I can only assume he’s as similar as he was at that time.

A man rounds the corner and Viktor immediately shoots him. I gasp behind him, looking away immediately. I hear Viktor chuckle above me.

“It’s a curious thing, Callum falling for someone like you.” He begins walking again, and I have to jog to keep up. The room is spinning from my lack of food, but I ignore it focusing on trying to get out of here.

“Callum is known for being untamable. uncontrollable. Yet he sold his soul to me, just to protect you.” He laughs as if it’s the funniest thing ever.

“Don’t worry though, I would never use you against Callum now. He belongs to me now, on a blood oath. It was just a matter of getting him there.” I hear an agonizing scream echo throughout the halls, and I know it must be Cal.

Vitale slowly leads me through the house, and we round the corner, and I immediately want to gouge my eyes out and vomit.

The walls. They’re painted in blood. There’s blood everywhere. Not just that. Limbs. Severed limbs. There is a thick coating of blood on the ground beneath us, and I want to faint. On the ground are the jars. They are filled with blood, lined up against the walls. There has to be at least 20.

“Fuck.” I hear Viktor murmur. We slowly walk up the hallway, and I shudder in disgust because I’m not wearing shoes, so the warm blood is all over the bottom of my feet. We turn another corner, and I pause. I don’t know whether to feel happiness or fear.

Cal. He has a gun slung over his shoulder, and what looks like a sword in his hand. He’s holding what’s left of someone and drops the body with a sickening thud. I gasp. Cal immediately turns, a murderous gleam in his eye, and he aims his gun at us. Viktor holds up his hand.

“Callum,” he says warningly. Cal doesn’t look at him though. He looks past him at me. His face is blank, and then a small smile appears. It’s just the slight upturn of his lips. I want to be happy to see him, but I’m scared. He looks deranged. And the copious amounts of blood on his body don’t help either.

He takes a step towards us, and I involuntarily step closer to Viktor. Cal takes notice of the movement, his eyes narrowing and his face looking very unhappy.

“Callum. Listen to me, You’re scaring her,” Viktor says calmly.

“Where’s Vitale,” Viktor says. Cal doesn’t respond though. He takes quick steps towards us, blood splashing in puddles around his feet. He walks right past Viktor, and grabs me, pulling me into his body and mashing his lips to mine.

Joy, Excitement, lust.

All these emotions explode inside of me. Cal pulls away from me, staring into my eyes. He looks conflicted. Like there is a storm of good and evil inside of him, and he’s fighting it.

“I told you I’d get you out,” he says. I open my mouth to respond but don’t get the chance to. Cal’s gaze moves beyond me, and he pushes me out of the way, just as a shot rings out throughout the hallway. The bullet whizzes right past my head, and I land in a heap on the floor. Right in the puddle of blood.

Cal and Viktor immediately pull out their guns and begin shooting, But Vitale has back up. Just three of his men. They each duck behind columns as the standoff begins. Eventually, the bullets stop, and fists are flying. Men double team Cal, and they are right to. Cal is dangerous. I can tell by the way he takes out two men immediately. But one of them reaches for his sword, and Cal swats it out of his hand. A loud clatter brings me out of my thoughts and I look up to see Cal’s sword on the ground. I immediately crawl towards it, trying to get it to him. My fingers brush the tip of the sword, before I’m hauled upwards, and slammed against the wall. I don’t have time to register anything else. An exploding pain ripples throughout my body, starting from my stomach.

I look up with wide eyes, and Vitale is standing in front of me, Cal’s blade now protruding through me, nailing me to the wall. I’m stuck. I can’t even scream. But I don’t have to. Cal does for me.

“Rue!” he screams my name. I look at him in confusion, trying to process what’s happening right now, but my brain doesn’t seem to be working. Vitale is torn from my body, and I vaguely note more people pouring into the room. They must be Viktor’s men because Cal doesn’t seem worried about them in the least.

I reach up, trying to pry the blade from my body and slice my hands up as I try and catch my breath. The cold steel cuts all the way to the bone of my palms, and I can do nothing to budge it. It’s tightly forced through me and into the wall, keeping me locked here. Cal is in front of me, he looks frantic.

My vision is beginning to blur. And he starts screaming at me. I open my mouth to say something, but blood comes out. A long stream of blood. I cough again as more comes out of my mouth. My eyelids grow heavy, and my head is jerked up into a frantic pair of amber-colored eyes.

Cal has my head between his hands. He’s screaming something at me. I try and read his lips.

“Stay...With...Me...”

My body grows heavy. Real heavy. I can’t even hold my head up. Cal seems to be screaming something at someone, but I can’t decipher what it is he’s saying. My eyes travel to the tattoos peeking from underneath his collar and crawling up the side of his neck. He never explained to me what those were for. I muster all the strength I can, lifting my arm to his face. He gazes at me in shock, but I just want to feel his skin. The blood from my hand is seeping down his face, but he doesn’t seem to care. Tears are spilling out of his eyes and he places his hand over mine. I can’t focus on anything anymore. I’m so tired. So tired.

Maybe if I just close my eyes for a second...