Page 26 of Raven

"Good. Hold your hands out. Try anything, and my buddy here will knock you the fuck out," the driver said as he joined us. I held out my cuffed hands, which they refused to free. Instead, they adjusted the chains, adding another segment that transformed them into a cruel handle and lead. He fetched more cuffs from the car boot and fastened them around my ankles, connecting my hands and feet with a single chain. "Now. Walk. Follow the yellow line."

The yellow line was a glaring strip of paint that led down some steps and into the building. I followed it, shuffling as best I could with the chains binding me. They ushered me through the door and down a corridor. I didn’t note how many doors we passed—too many, all locking behind me—until we reached a brightly lit room. Inside, one officer sat behind an oversized, round desk, while another monitored the screens while munching on a sandwich.

"Got another one for you," my escort announced, dropping a sheet on the desk. Earl, as his name tag declared, glanced at the list, then at me, and nodded. "Leave him with me. You on all night?"

"Till six," he replied, eyeing me up and down before chuckling. "Good luck with this one."

He sauntered back out, swiping a keycard to open the door, and didn't look back as it closed behind him.

"Please," I said, my voice barely above a whisper, "someone needs to go and pick up my girlfriend. They left her at the cafe."

I pushed forward, not to attack but to emphasise my plea. The silver at my wrists seared my skin, and my panther roared in frustration.

"You think you get to give orders here?" Earl said, settling back into his chair, forcing himself to look up at me.

"No, I'm just asking. Someone needs to?—"

He leant back, amusement lighting his eyes. "Oh, someone needs?" He gestured at the man at the other desk. "Hear this, Jake? He thinks someone needs to do something for him."

Jake turned in his seat, grinning, a pencil tucked behind his ear. "Isn't that wonderful? Should we send a special unit? Use some government money for you? This isn't the Hilton. We don't do room service here."

"You heard him. No services here," Earl echoed mockingly.

"I'm not asking for a service, just for someone to check on her. She's a young girl. I thought you had a duty to protect," I said, the images of what those Humans could have been doing to her haunting my every thought.

Both men laughed at my anguish. I didn’t care about their mockery as long as they took action. But they didn’t.

"Stand the fuck back and shut your mouth," Earl barked.

If she gets hurt, if they—," I started, but Earl cut me off.

"If they do, then we'll be one less bitch to deal with," he interrupted, his eyes gleaming coldly. "Besides, you never know. They might do you a favour, show her what a real man is like since you obviously aren't satisfying her. Now, get against the wall and stay there until I call you for processing."

"How long will that be?"

He lifted his paper to show me the crossword puzzle he had begun, with only three words filled in. "When I'm damn well ready. This is your last warning. Get over by the wall. I don’t want to hear another word from you. You so much as breathe wrong over there, and I'll throw you in the silver cage. Do you understand?"

Grinding my jaw, I met his gaze—they weren’t going to help. All I could do was pray that Tia was okay. She had to be. If she wasn't ... I didn't even want to think about it. I would hunt those Humans down myself. They would only hurt her once, but I'd ensure they regretted every second of it.

Earl raised an eyebrow, his expression unchanging.

I shuffled back, the chains clinking with each step, the burning sensation growing with each movement. I didn’t need directions; the place I was meant to stand was clearly marked. The sign read 'Filth', a cruel label for the spot devoid of any comfort. The floor bore scars where a bench might once have been, but now, only an overflowing bin and its spilt contents kept me company.

I had no idea how long I stood there; with no clock or windows, time seemed to stretch into hours. If I didn't move too much, or breathe too deeply, the silver cuffs around my wrists and ankles didn’t shift so much, and then the pain wasn't so bad. It didn't feel like I was shaking up a horde of hungry little fire ants against my skin. Because that was how the silver felt. Ants, with a million teeth to bite against me.

The door I had been brought through opened, and a different officer than the one who had escorted me came through with a human. He was so drunk he could barely stand, but that didn't stop him from turning to me and scowling as the officer booked him. "Fucking scum," he spat at me. His aim was off, and I dodged, but that caused the silver to lance against my sores. I gritted my teeth and snarled.

"Now, now, Deek. Don't go antagonising the vermin," the officer warned.

"They should be put to death at birth," Deek retorted. "All of them. It ain't right, none of it."

Earl, busy filling in his paperwork, didn't look up. "Oh, I agree with you there. But we can't, so it doesn't matter. Now, what have you been doing? Did Rosie kick you out again?"

"Rosie's here. Thomas took her down to the women's section. Caught the two of them fucking on a bench on the beach."

"Seriously?" Earl shook his head. "Stick him in three. It's clean. He can sleep it off there, and we'll talk about this tomorrow."

"Can I get a sandwich? Ham and cheese?" Deek slurred, his voice wobbling between demanding and pathetic.

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