MC's Viking Warriors- Bolt #4

Bolt

A metallic tang I recognise all too well coats my tongue. My stomach lurches with nausea and my brain aches with grogginess.

My groans echo around whatever room I'm being kept in, and then another whimper of pain mirrors my own.

I pry my eyes open through the swelling and panic for a second. I can see nothing but darkness.

Another whimper sharpens my resolve to find my Juliet. I focus my eyes towards the sounds and I can finally make out the form of my woman sprawled out on the floor across the room from me.

"Jules." My voice crackles and fails me, it's hoarse I doubt Juliet can hear me.

"Doll?"

Still no reply. Ignoring the screaming protests of my beaten body, I drag my body slowly, painfully across the freezing stone floor.

It's so cold that my bones are burning from the cold, my teeth are chattering and all I can think is how cold my Juliet must be over there.

Finally, I'm sitting before her. Frantically, my hands find her face and I gently turn her so I can see the damage.

She's been beaten.

The blood from her nose has spread across her face and crusted in her hair.

"Doll?" I whisper again as my fingertips trace the bruised free spaces of her face. Juliet whimpers in confusion, her eyes flittering open and shut.

The tears I didn't realise had formed roll down my cheeks as I look at the angel who I failed. I've failed her.

I'm still failing her, she's shivering with the cold. I lean against the brutally cold stone wall and cautiously raise Juliet into my arms and onto my chest. She cries out in pain and I suspect her to have a broken rib or two.

Hissing as Juliet presses on my own broken ribs, I feel her warmth starting to emit through my chest.

Sighing, I wrap my arms around her back and press kisses to her forehead until her eyes flit open properly.

"Bolt?" She mumbles, confusion written across her face. "Where are we-W-what happened?"

"I'm not sure doll, I'm not sure..."

The truth is I am not sure, but I think I have a rather awful idea.

My old club. My father's old club.

You see, they had a rule that was essentially an eye for and eye, a life for a life. Because I took my father's, they will take mine.

My death has been decided, I just need to make sure they don't touch Juliet.

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Juliet slips in and out of consciousness in my arms. Me, I'm not wasting a second of enjoying having her with me. She's in my arms, probably for the last time.

When the door slams open Juliet jumps awake and gives a strangled cry of fear.

"It's ok doll."

I press her face into my neck, hiding her face from view, protecting her from harm. I kiss her head and stroke her back as the heavy footsteps approach the cell.

Juliet's tears are wetting my neck and I feel completely powerless to save her.

We've failed her.

We knew we would.

You've let her down.

"You'll be ok Jules, you'll be ok. I'll make sure of it."

Juliet shifts and perks her head out of my shoulder.

"We'll be ok Bolt."

I smile sadly and stroke the back of her hair, she doesn't need to know the truth. When the door slams as someone enters the cell, Juliet whimpers and hides her face in me again.

"Well Bolt. Good to see you again." The voice drawls and I freeze, I know that voice. It's the voice of my childhood friend, fate really is a bitch.

"And you're not alone, I'll admit..." he smirks as he kneels before us, "I wasn't expecting to see such a pretty woman with you."

"Don't touch her." I snarl as his hand reaches and grabs a tendril of her hair. He raises an eyebrow at me before yanking on Juliet's hair.

She cries out as her face is pulled to look at him. I can do nothing, my hands are holding Juliet and if I move them she'll fall. Once again, I'm at the mercy of my old club.

"Such a pretty little thing. I might take her after I kill you."

Juliet's strangled cry of fear is rivalled by my scream of rage. I pull her against my chest and then behind me, Juliet cries out again in pain but there's nothing I can do about that. I need to get her away from his hands, away from his gaze.

"Bored now." Julius drawls and he stands before us once again. "You know the rules here Bolt, a life for a life and seeing as though you took our president maybe it should be more than just your life."

"More than my life? Wha-" Then the reality of his words hits me, not only am I going to be punished for my crime, but now Juliet is too.

We should have stayed away.

Now look at what's going to happen- your fault, all your fault.

"No! You can't! You take my life, it's my price, my life for his. Don't hurt her!" I roar and shake with rage, then it disappears.

"Please, please don't hurt her." I beg, my tears are already falling, I don't care if it makes me look weak, I'm going to die anyway. The least I can do now is beg until I reach the remains of my old friend, maybe then he won't hurt my angel.

"Well, I'm the president now Bolt so I make my own rules. I don't want to kill you, truly I don't but my club wants blood.

So here are your options. One, you're beaten to death like you did your father. Or two, we make both you and Juliet hurt a little before letting you go. The club would take the beating of a woman as justice."

And that's why I ran from my club, this place would beat an innocent woman for sport than simply let me serve my justice.

"Don't touch her. I choose option one. I want to die."

"No!" Wails Juliet, "Bolt please! Option two, please options two."

Julius throws his head back, his eyes glinting in amusement. He always enjoyed inflicting torment even as a child, it's just now he's playing with lives instead of a football.

"I'll leave you two to think this one over, I'll be back tomorrow."