Forgotten

Chapter 22: I Can't

      Pidge was in the middle of picking her way through Keith's manacles when the rusted and beaten handle of the door began to turn. With the speed of an adder, each person in the room scrambled to their discarded restraints and pressed against the frigid wall. Hunk had barely been able to conceal his free hands behind him, when the door opened to reveal Lotor and his entourage of stoic escorts.

      The demon's voluminous hair had been pulled back into a loose man-bun, which showed off his highlighted razor-sharp cheekbones, perfectly tailored smirk, and his dull blue eyes that shone with wicked delight. He wore a black long-sleeved shirt that clung to him like a second skin, paired with black cargo pants and polished boots that gleamed in the garish light that could've been on for more than two minutes.

      Keith couldn't help but notice the gun holster looped loosely around his hips, along with the drastic change in Lotor's aesthetic. His stomach churned.

Something was going down.

      A wave of nausea washed over him, forcing the merman to choke down a gag. It was as if his body knew to stay far, far away from the approaching situation. Keith turned his head over his shoulder and cringed as Lotor's eyes slid over each Voltron member glaring their asses off.

      Shiro began to see red, Hunk was desperately trying to hold back his inner Hulk, Pidge was calculating every possible way to kill the demon with a dull pencil, and Lance . . .

Holy Gods.

His expression was petrifying.

      The scowl mauling his normally ecstatic face sent shivers down the guards spines, and the ice roaring behind his eyes would've stopped the Joker dead. But of course, Lotor's calm and suave didn't falter as he drank in the sapphire-eyed man. Instead the smirk plastered on his face grew into a leer as he said to his escorts, "Bring me the blue one and the merman."

      Out of the corner of his eye, Keith saw Lance's arms slowly moving behind his back. His webbed ear flicked as it picked up a nearly inaudible clicking. Good.

The merman didn't dare leave his gaze from the wall behind Lotor as the clicking stopped.

      Lance, meanwhile, was internally screeching. In rage, sorrow, and desperation. His friends had gone through hell and back to come get them and of course everything had to go to shit. But, there was no way in all hells realms that he would blow their cover and their chance at escaping this place.

      The cell erupted in a chorus in threats and protests as the guards moved to grab the pair. Neither of their emotionless expressions fractured, both keeping the practiced stare intact as they wrenched them of the floor and began to drag them away.

      Keith thrashed against the yank in his arm, eyes glowing a faint purple and a hiss crawling from his throat while Lance's legs scrambled against the cement, trying to get some sort of purchase. His was cussing up a storm; at Lotor, at the world, at everything.

      Lotor turned on his heel and stalked out of the room never looking behind him, sure of the prize he'd won.

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      They fought all the way to the unmarked room they were now currently being held hostage. Lance roared until his throat was sore. "Let us go, you son of a bitch."

The merman growled his agreement.

Lotor huffed a laugh, waved the guards outside, prowled over to the Voltron member and yanked his head back; hand full of his chocolate brown hair. Lance let out a bark of pain. The demon then leaned in close enough to Lance that he could see the flecks of dark green in his eyes and said while his free hand drifted towards his gun, "Be careful what you wish for."

      He pulled the pistol from its holster and rested against Lance's skull. He chuckled and his finger grazed the trigger.

       Completely forgetting everything he's down to do seal the fact he could speak and understand English, Keith screamed, "No! Please no!" The merman attempted to throw himself closer to Lance.

      A raise of the eyebrow was the only surprise Lotor showed. "It's seams the legend speaks after all." He mused backing away from the blue-eyed man. He spun the weapon around his finger.

Keith growled.

      The demon sighed and then pointed the barrel directly in the middle of his chest and aimed his next statement at the other man. "Now, tell me what I wish to know or the legend dies."

      Pure unchecked terror flooded through Lances system, draining his face of color. His eyes visibly widened to the size of dinner plates  and his mouth dropped open. "Please," He breathed. "Please."

      Nothing even resembling mercy or consideration passed through Lotor's face as he repeated unwavering, "Tell me what I need to know."

      Keith was trembling as he shook his head. He tried to send his message across with his eyes. Whatever you do don't give him anything.

      For a second, defiance flashed through his eyes before he shuddered and glowered into Lotor's eyes, "Fine."

The gun didn't move.

      "Have you seen your memories?"

      That single sentence echoed through the room, in his bones, and in Lance's very soul. No. No. Anything but this.

      The demon huffed impatiently, "Well?"

      Keith could feel tears prick behind his eyes. Why must the gods be so cruel? He prayed them, who had forgotten him, forgotten Lance, forgotten everyone on this damn planet. What he prayed for? He had know idea, he knew they just needed to get out.

      Lance cringed and shuddered as he ground out, "Y-yes." Even as his very soul recoiled at those damning words, he couldn't let Keith die, he couldn't. He would gladly take Keith's place. Even if that suffering was for a hundred years, he would take it.

      But, Lotor only smirked as his finger pulled against the trigger, eliciting a loud bang to echo throughout the small room.

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Chapter 22!!!!!

I would like to thank you all for 18k views holy crap! And now down to business, this book will have 2-3 more chapters depending on how much I write for each....so be prepared for a storm! I hope y'all have a great weekend. Don't forget to vote, comment, and Stay Sweet!

Word Count: 1064