Torn

Chapter 34✓

Carter

My muscles burn like fire licking up my legs as I throw myself up the stairs as fast as I can. The dizziness I feel is overwhelming, I can't remember the last time I've eaten, my blood has been drained and the adrenaline pumping through my depleted veins is the only thing keeping me alive.

"One." I hear Tyler's voice float up the stairs towards me. A deafening growl echoes off of the walls, and full-blown panic spreads through my body like an explosion. I am still a few feet from the top of the stairs, and I push myself as hard as I can to close the distance.

"Five." He continues the countdown to my demise without emotion as my breath comes out in ragged bursts and my lungs burn in my chest. I reach the top of the stairs I slap my hand down on the yellow button on the wall, and the hidden door in the bookshelf slides wide open.

I feel a sharp sting at the back of my head as my head snaps backwards by a hand that is wrapped in my hair. My breath is forced from my lungs as Tyler slams my back against the cement wall.

"So close, sweet stuff. You almost made it. It's too bad your time is up, but now I have you in my grasp. Now, you're all mine to play with, and there is nothing you can do about it." Tyler's breath is hot on my cheek as he whispers in my ear. His voice is more guttural than I've ever heard it. It doesn't sound like him at all, and I wonder if his wolf has taken over the chase. Is Tyler even in there?

He runs his nose along the length of my neck, and I can feel his teeth bite the lobe of my ear. He turns my body around to face him and his tongue slides up the length of my neck. Nausea builds in my stomach, and I have to focus on not allowing myself to throw up everywhere. I slam both of my hands onto his chest and try to push his body away from mine.

"Please! Tyler, let me go! Your dad doesn't have to know. Take more of my blood and let me go free. You can tell Viktor that you bled me and left me to die! Please!" Tears are pouring down my cheeks as I shamelessly beg for my life.

Tyler chuckles darkly, his glowing blood red eyes stare right into my shivering soul. "And where is the fun in that, sweet stuff? Let me tell you what we are going to do, how does that sound?" The beast whispers and leans his mouth to my ear and I can't help but whimper.

He presses a soft kiss to my neck before one of his hands wraps tightly into the hair at the nape of my neck and the other, he lifts and grasps my neck tightly, cutting off my air supply. My hands come up to the hand on my neck and try to pry his fingers loose. Tyler tightens his grip and the edges of my vision turn black as I desperately try to get any amount of air into my lungs. As quickly as he held off my oxygen, he loosens his grip just enough to allow me to breathe in slightly.

"First, we are going to have a little fun," his tongue runs along my neck and up my cheek. "You remember how much fun we had at my cabin don't you, sweet stuff?"

"Please," I whimper.

"I like it when you beg for me," he growls in my ear, and I can feel his hard member pressing against my stomach.

The hand he has pressed tightly against my throat, slides down my chest to my stomach, while his other hand tightens its grip on my hair painfully. I can feel the warmth of his fingers on my stomach as he slides under my shirt, and I have to bite my tongue, so the bile doesn't come up.

I shove my hands against his chest and try once more to push him away, but it's like trying to make a cement wall budge. I feel useless and weak. His hand twists itself into the shirt of his that I am wearing, and he tears it off my body, leaving me in only his boxers. His rough, calloused palm cups my breast, and he presses his hard member against my stomach more firmly. Before I can think about my actions, I feel the sharp sting on my palm as I slap him across the face.

"You fucking bitch!" Tyler shouts, spit hitting my cheek.

Air is once again forbidden from entering my lungs and my vision blurs as my head slams against the wall and Tyler crushes my windpipe in his hand. He growls more expletives as he pulls me from the wall and smashes my body back into it over, and over. Saliva drips from his bared teeth in strings as his guttural growls vibrate through me. Warmth pools at the back of my head and I can feel something dripping down the back of my neck.

I realize that this is probably a bad sign, but as my vision blurs further and my lungs burn as they beg for relief, I feel slightly grateful that this is the end. I want him to kill me, I want him to end the pain before he uses my body for his pleasure. I begin begging the Goddess to let me fade from this world with the little dignity I have left intact.

It's funny, really. I thought I could be this strong, independent woman who could manage all of this. My misplaced trust in Tyler, my love for Quinn and Xander, the secrets and lies, all of it. I wanted to be able to take it all in stride and hold my head high while wading through the waters of the unknown. Yet, here I am with my lifeline slipping away and all I can do now is smile as I accept my fate.

Everything slips away as it all goes black. It feels like I am floating through the air as soft music plays all around me. I open my eyes to see swirls of water colour streaked through a cloud filled sky. I sit up and look around to find that I am lying in the grass on the top of a hill, in the middle of a vast field. A warm breeze comforts me as it flows through my hair. I spread my arms out and flop back to the ground and run my fingers through the silk blades of grass. I hear the most beautiful laugh beside me and turn to see a woman kneeling on the grass beside me.

I sit up quickly, and my eyes damn near pop out of my head. She has long, straight hair that's as white as the moon, and flows down to her waist. Eyes as blue as the ocean and a light dusting of freckles cover her nose. She looks like she might be around the same height as me, and my Goddess, she is utterly beautiful. I realize I am staring at her with my mouth wide open like a fool and quickly snap it shut.

She throws her head back and laughs loudly, it's like music to my ears. My heart leaps in my chest and I can feel this magnetic pull towards her. She looks back at me with warmth in her pretty blue eyes and smiles brightly. She feels like home, and I have to make conscious effort not to throw my arms around her and breathe in her comfort.

"My sweet, Carter. You have grown to be so beautiful. I hope you know how proud I am of you." She singsongs and even the sound of her voice is perfect.

"Who are you?" I cringe at the roughness of my voice. "I'm dead, aren't I?"

"No, Carter, you aren't dead. Not yet at least. Do not worry about who I am quite yet. You will know soon enough. It is not time yet." The beautiful woman smiles sadly.

She leans down towards me and whispers, "It's not your time yet." Before placing a soft kiss upon my forehead.

As her lips touch my skin a splitting pain shoots through the back of my skull, and I cannot help the scream that tears its way up my throat.

I open my eyes to see Tyler's deep red eyes and the feral look on his face as he smashes my body into the wall once more. A violent growl erupts from behind Tyler and my eyes fall onto the most beautiful sight. Quinn and another man are standing in the doorway, both snarling wildly at the man holding my bloody, half-naked body in his hand.

Tyler looks back and forth between Quinn and me before a wide smile spread across his face. The hand that is wrapped around my throat constricts even more before he lifts me off of the ground and looks back to Quinn.

"Alright Alpha, let's play." He laughs before turning and throwing my body through the air.

A piercing scream is ripped from my abused throat as my body flies downwards, before tumbling roughly down the cement stairs. I hit an edge of one stair on my side and the sound of my bones breaking fills my ears. My body continues tumbling uncontrollably until I land at the bottom in a broken heap. My head snaps back roughly, cracking against the hard floor and once again I feel myself fade from consciousness.