Page 134 of Darling Wildfire
“Let’s go!” I got us moving and within minutes we came to a raging river with white water frothing over rocks as it headed south. Upstream, there was a pounding waterfall with mist curling from its base.
“Get in the water!” I had to shout to be heard. I shoved Nyx towards the water and helped Atlas with Preacher. Once they were all in up to their waists, I turned and shot down the two drones as they flew at me through the trees. Then I turned and launched myself into the current.
Night had fallen by the time I hauled myself up onto the bank, only to hear the click of a gun.
I looked up, straight into the eyes of one of Vetticus’ men.
“Round them up,” he said.
My head dropped in frustration as they manhandled us out of the water. A short walk through the trees we came to a waiting SUV on a barely discernible dirt track.
The drive was a surprisingly short one and I was hauled out and forced onto my knees, a gun to my head with Nyx, Atlas and Preacher in a similar fashion next to me. We were in a clearing with a crude cabin, the rustic and decrepit feel offset by the two gleaming black SUVs sitting to one side. The headlights of one cast a spotlight on us as Vetticus appeared on the steps, casually cutting up an apple in his hands.
“Kraven, Kraven, Kraven.”
He tsked as he deliberately took each step down towards us.
“Didn’t I tell you? I knew you were going to do this to me,” he chuckled but it held no humor.
Vetticus stepped up to me and I heard him eat another apple slice, then toss the core away. He wagged the knife towards me.
“You’ve gotten the farthest anyone has yet, so there’s something.”
He grabbed me by the hair and pulled me into the center of the clearing, closer to the steps. I scrambled to keep from being dragged before he quicklythrew me down into the dirt. I lunged for him but his brass knuckles connected with my jaw and I collapsed back down as the taste of copper exploded in my mouth.
“Now, now—none of that,” he said as he grinned down at me. “Do you remember what I told you would happen when I caught you? Because again—I was right—I said I’d catch you and here you are. But do you remember what I said—what Ipromisedyou?” He looked positively gleeful as he leered, his eyes flickered with the headlights, radiating pure evil.
I didn’t answer. But I remembered.
Dread pooled in my gut and I turned my head when I heard a commotion behind me. Atlas was being dragged towards one of the cars by two men. His struggles were weak and they easily threw him face down over the hood, stretching his arms wide so he couldn’t move. A third man sliced his shirt off him.
I growled in protest and went to get to my feet, but Vetticus pressed his gun to my head, forcing my attention to Atlas. The man who’d cut Atlas’ shirt off now held a whip in his hand and despite the gun, I jerked again in Vetticus’ grip.
“Remember Kraven, you only have yourself to blame for this,” Vetticus protested. “And baby, I’m just getting started.”
The whip came down on Atlas’ back and I was forced to watch as lash after lash was doled out. Nyx cursed viciously at Vetticus and went to rise to his feet, but the man with the gun to his head pistol whipped him back down, beating him into submission until he lay there unmoving, panting and grimacing as he watched the man beat Atlas.
Atlas took it well in the beginning, only muttering a soft curse after the tenth but then Vetticus stepped in.
“Give it to me,” Vetticus said impatiently as he strode over and yanked the whip from the man’s hands. “You’re obviously not doing it hard enough.”
Vetticus drew his arm back and the moment the whip connected with Atlas’ back, red bloomed where it broke the skin. He lasted through four more of those before a soft cry escaped him. Five more and he was visibly shaking against the hood of the vehicle, fists clenched as his wrists were tightly held in place.
Each lash after that was violent and bloody. He looked like a sacrifice, framed by the headlights. Forced to give himself over to the devil standing behind him. Nyx was in obvious distress. He struggled to his knees and with a surge of speed leapt to his feet and landed a solid punch to Vetticus’ jaw.
“You son of a bitch!” Nyx raged.
The guards grabbed him and beat him again, sending up a cloud of dustilluminated in the glow.
Vetticus brushed his fingers over his jaw before cracking his neck to work out a kink.
“Well that will wake you up,” he said. “Fine, if you really want to go next, I won’t object.”
He waved his hand and the men released Atlas. He slid down into the dirt. Unable to hold himself up, he slouched against the bumper on his knees, head against the grill, barely conscious.
Vetticus’ attention was on Nyx now. He looked like a hunter, assessing his prey as he stalked closer. He still had the knife in his hand and he tapped it thoughtfully against his pursed lips.
“Kraven,” he turned to me. “What did I tell you I’d do to Reaper?”
