Heroine

Ch 32 - I Matter

His black eyes bore into mine as his hand tightened around my throat.

"Mine," his voice vibrated through my body, chilling me to my core.

He lifted me by my neck until I was barely touching the ground with my toes. I clawed at his hand, my grip slipping on the cold blood he was covered in.

"Woah! Drake!" Adam sprinted to us. "It's 2024. Spoils of war aren't a thing anymore, man."

He put his hand on Drake's arm but Drake just swatted him away like a fly with his free hand. He flew twenty feet on the cobblestone floor.

I felt the pressure build up in my face as I struggled to breathe. Tears streamed down my face as I fought against losing consciousness. Black spots crowded my vision as I clawed at his arm. He stood still as a statue, staring at me with the empty expression of a creature who had left humanity behind a long time ago.

He dropped me to the ground only to pin me against the stone wall behind me. His hand pressed on my face, his long fingernails digging into my cheek. My temple split on the stone wall he forced my head into. His other hand ran down my waist greedily. He tugged on my dress, the hem was still below my knees but the realization of what he was doing caused my cries to turn into screams.

"No! NO!" I thrashed against his touch, my fear turning me into an animal.

He ignored me completely as he slid his rancid forked tongue down my chest and up my neck.

"Mine." He repeated to himself in a soft voice, paying no attention to my screams.

I dropped to the ground as his hands left me all of a sudden. He screeched like a beast as he was drug away by the ankle. Pete stood in his shadow form, dripping smoke like tar on the ground. He towered over Drake and roared in his face so loud it shook the castle walls.

The whites of Dake's eyes returned as he looked up at Pete's shadow with hatred.

I clung to the person holding me, not knowing when I ended up in Taylor's arms. He gripped my hand back giving me a warm look full of sympathy. Spencer was on the other side of me, thumbing a rosary and muttering something to himself.

"Bella," Kelly whispered from in front of us.

I saw Belladonna's hand on Kelly's arm before she appeared out of nowhere. It was like she was reaching through space for him. Kelly said something to her that was completely silent. She spoke back without a sound reaching my ears, glancing back at me without emotion. She shrugged and disappeared. He looked back at me with eyes on fire with anger.

The room was deathly silent apart from my heavy breathing and stifled cries. The entire team looked at Drake and Pete with interest. Adam stood at a distance, watching everyone's reaction like he was collecting vital data.

Drake and Pete stared at each other. Shadows pinning Drake to the ground.

"You are no better than a beast," Pete bellowed in a voice revealing how ancient he truly was. "Do better."

Pete slashed Drake's face, leaving four gashes dripping with back ooze. The wounds healed faster than I could blink.

Drake stood from the ground smoothly, his posture proud. He glanced around the room with an unaffected look before he began to walk toward the exit.

"No!" I screamed in anger at the top of my lungs, turning everyone's attention to me as I stood up.

Drake looked at me for the first time, his face void of any emotion. My eyes were brimming with angry tears. I didn't know what to say. My thoughts were incoherent.