© ItalRT4u, 2012

     A week had come and gone since my rescue and no major incident had occurred.  Although relieved at the lack of eventfulness, everyone knew that it was a matter of time before hell would break loose; the tension was so thick all around that you could cut it with a knife as people found themselves on pins and needles.

     Throughout the week, Will and Sandy had brought me up to speed on the Royal Family’s history.  I was beginning to feel more confident about what I stood for in the Fae world.  Word had spread that a Royal was within their midst, thus shaking everyone up seeing as they all believed that the bloodline had been nothing more than extinct.  My abilities had done nothing but grow although I could barely see that much of a good use for them; except for my gift to command those around me.  Will had mentioned that all of my abilities would come into play at some point or another and that they did serve a purpose; whether it being for self-preservation, full-fledged defensive tactics, or pleasure; might I add that he blushed at the mention of the latter; all of my gifts would be handy.  I found it hard to believe but I had made up my mind to remain objective about it all; especially when he had made a point that I was most likely utilizing each ability more frequently than I had even realized.

     Cane and I hadn’t been able to be intimate with one another thanks to the events of a week ago.  Truth be told, it wasn’t that I couldn’t stand his touching me because it couldn’t have been further from the truth, it was more on his behalf.  He didn’t want me rushing things knowing all too well that I was traumatized still from Matt’s advances.  It wasn’t something I had said or the way I was behaving that told him this; more the fact that I was having night terrors of sorts about my hellish ordeal.  I hadn’t known about the night terrors until a few days ago – I had no recollection of them oddly enough.  Cane had been the one that had discovered that if he held me tightly in my sleep, that peace finally settled my unconscious state and allowed me to rest.  It explained the fact that I’d been waking up with him wrapped around me every morning, since my rescue, as though I was the butterfly and he the cocoon.  I was growing progressively frustrated with each passing day that Cane held out on me.  At first, I thought it sweet and honorable but now I was just annoyed at the fact that he wasn’t letting me do the things I so desperately wanted to do to him.  I wanted to move forward from the ordeal and leave it in the past but Cane didn’t see it the same way.  For that, I was stuck in the past so to speak.

     It was Saturday morning and I woke up, Cane wrapped around me protectively with my face tucked sweetly under his chin, into the crook of his neck.  I took in a nice long breath of his manly scent which never failed to make my heart race and my hormones to rage in want for him.  My hands apparently had a plan all of their own because they began to wander his body tenderly as I mentally took in the firmness of his chest and abs, the slight “v” shape that pointed to his nether region urging to take what I craved.

     After allowing a few minutes for my fingers and hands to re-commit his gorgeous body to their memory, Cane’s body was becoming more and more responsive to my touch.  It wasn’t until his eyes snapped open that I knew for a fact that, like every other morning, I wasn’t going to win this battle – the fury in his eyes said it all.

     “You have no clue what I’ve been through!”  Cane had exclaimed after I had tried to justify that I was okay with it all for the umpteenth time.  I knew that he had issues that spanned from Matt kidnapping me and so on but it wasn’t until this argument that I had realized that I hadn’t even taken the time to learn as to what had happened after I had been pulled out of Cane’s wrecked car; what he had gone through – his perspective.  I felt self-centered and like a complete jerk to boot.

     I couldn’t stop the tears from falling as I listened to Cane tell me his side of the story…

     I could hear Payton calling out my name, pleading for me to come to and open my eyes.  As hard as I tried, I couldn’t quite pry the windows to my soul open.  I smelled the smoke and the all too pungent smell of fuel in the air, its assault was rendering my breathing increasingly difficult; my head pounding from the hit that had knocked me out cold moments earlier.

     I heard her shriek out in pain and glass scattering about inside the car everywhere.  My wits about me, regained, I finally managed to open my eyes only to see two men handling my woman toward and into the back of that black Suburban that had tried to run us off the road; our eyes met and before I could do anything, I saw one of Matt’s cronies bash her over the head with the butt of his gun, the back doors shutting and them driving off – leaving me for dead.  Anger fuelled me; enveloped me in rage and a thirst for revenge.  I mustered every ounce of energy left within me and dragged my helpless ass out of the wreckage.

     I lay in the grass for God knows how long when I finally heard tires on asphalt.  I looked up, relieved to find my gaze upon my two brothers and father.  For the second time in the last month, my tracker had proven useful – thank the higher powers that be that Payton had the good sense to pick up my cell and call home.  Honestly, I don’t think I would have remembered that until it was too late.

     “Where’s Payton?”  Were the immediate words my father had said once he had reached my side.  Feeling disoriented and helpless, I sat up and let my head lightly fall onto my knees as I felt my whole world going up in smoke, much like my car was in this very moment.

     “They took her.”  I growled out in pain, clutching at my head, willing it to stop throbbing to no avail.

     “Who?”  Patrick asked softly.  My head shot up, stars began spinning as I attempted to get up to my feet, Andy helping me with an arm around the back of my waist while my body chose to rebel against me with its stiffness and aches already setting in.

     “Davis.”  Was the only word that came out; the word that explained everything; the word that made me feel empty inside; the word that filled me with hate, rage, and lust for his blood – I was going to get Payton back in one piece if it was the last thing I did or I would die trying.

     I had barely slept a wink that first night.  My thoughts were completely consumed with Payton.  What was she doing?  Was she safe?  Where was she?  I knew what it felt to be alone in a room physically but I had never known, until now that is, how ‘alone’ I actually felt deep within my core without my match.  My soul ached to see her face, to touch her skin, to see her smile; just to have her near me would suffice at this point.

     I sat in bed, nursing my aching body which had already begun to feel better; my head still slightly throbbing but bearable with the help of a few pain killers.  My mother had cleaned the gash on my forehead up and taped it shut shortly after I had been brought back home.  Thinking of the last two days we had spent at the cottage, alone, only made me miss her more.  I had a life I wanted to build with this woman – the only woman that I was made for, the one that was made for me.

     “Payton.”  I whispered.  “I love you.”  I felt those words with all of my soul as I finally drifted off to sleep; promising myself that when I woke next, it was all about business and finding Payton.

     I felt like I had been out for days when in reality, according to the alarm clock by my bed, it was merely an hour and a half of rest.  I could have sworn I had heard Payton’s sweet voice in my ears.  As I took in my surroundings, the empty spot in my bed beside me only confirmed the reality – Payton wasn’t here.  I didn’t need the undisturbed sheets or the lack of warmth that I had grown accustomed to in the recent days to tell me that there was a chance that I wouldn’t have her with me again.  And then, that’s when I heard it…

     “Cane?”  That was Payton’s voice!  I can’t believe I didn’t think of it before!  “Cane, if you can hear me, please say something.  I need you!”

     I had called out to her a few times immediately after she reached out to me but I got nothing.  I hadn’t liked how she sounded so panicked; it broke my heart to think that I hadn’t been able to protect her as I should have.

     “Payton!  Please answer!”  I called out to her in my subconscious, willing this last effort of mine to finally bring me the answer I so desperately desired.

     “Please get me out of here!”  She cried out with what was an urgent tone.  As terrified as I was for her, I couldn’t shake the feeling of warm relief that swept over my entire being.

     “Where are you?”  I asked her in my best calm tone, hoping it would give her strength in all of this.  Maybe she had been fortunate to see where in the hell they had brought her to because we haven’t yet been able to track her down or the vehicle that she had been taken away in.

     “I don't know.  I'm in some kind of bedroom.”  She says and images played around in my head of her bound to a bed, unable to move, Davis’ hands touching only what I should be touching, taking what was already mine.  My mind was running wild with pictures of the worse I could fathom aside from death and I struggled to keep my head in the game.

     I had told her that Mom, Dad, the boys and I, along with a few others of our clan had banded together to look into things.  We had been to the Davis mansion, their two cottages, a list of their various public properties and had found nothing – we weren’t stopping there; well, I wasn’t anyway.  Despite her injury, I had asked for her to go to the window and take in her surroundings and see if maybe we could figure something out that way but what she thought were windows were nothing but curtains – strictly decorative – a trick of the eye.  There was no means of escaping for her – Matt had indeed given this whole abduction thing some thought.  The more I thought about it, the more I was under the impression that she was being kept in a basement or some sort of warehouse.

     When Payton had told me about this young woman, Kristie, that tended to her and her injuries, a thought had occurred to me that perhaps she could befriend her and see what kind of information she could possibly gather up for us.  After all, it was a shot, right?

     Over the next few days, Payton and I had made a point to touch base with one another, even if it was simply to profess our love for one another – those three words meant everything to me; they kept me going.  I could tell that she wasn’t doing so well – something in her voice made it seem like she was filled with desperation.  I too was beginning to feel some loss of hope but what made a difference and kept me putting one foot in front of the other was my family.  For Payton, she had no one but me – the guy she loves and couldn’t keep her safe; the one that let her get away; the one who put her in harm’s way.

     It was Thursday late morning when that doorbell rang.  I never expected this event to play out but if I could bring myself to kiss another woman, I think I would have kissed her but alas, there’s only one woman in the world for me.  This tiny woman stood there with worry strewn across her face, a swollen cheek and a black eye that looked like they were freshly given to her.  Her name was Kristie – yeah, you got it, the one and only that had been caring for my Payton; the one who refused to help her out earlier; but what was she doing here?

     I had allowed her entrance and called for everyone to meet in the living room.  I didn’t trust myself to keep my emotions in check.  My abilities had been wonky ever since the crash and I’m sure it had everything to do with this emotional roller-coaster I was stuck on.  This was one ride I couldn’t wait to end.

     Kristie had explained that Payton had begged her to get a hold of us the day after the accident but she was too terrified to do anything of it – until today, when her life had literally been threatened.  Payton had coaxed her into seeing the light; well, Payton had partially convinced her to do something to help out, Matt’s beating was the straw that broke the proverbial camel’s back.  We weren’t a hard family to track down; the Nottingham’s were known quite widely across this area.  Kristie had made her way over here, leaving the Davis clan to think that she was indeed running the errands that had been requested of her.

     “I can’t believe that she’s been under our noses all this time!”  I sat there, digesting the revelation that Payton had indeed been at the Davis’ residence the entire time, contrary to what we had initially suspected – a basement compound.  Kristie explained to us where exactly it was in the house that they had been holding Payton.  Going to the point of drawing us a map along with details on how many men there were and so on.  That bastard would get what he deserved once and for all.  I was adamant of that.

     I had mind-linked Payton, assuring her that we were on our way, to give us a few hours to get together and come up with a plan.  It had been so hard not to take off in one of the cars and head over there on my own but I knew all too well that that would have been extremely foolish on my part.

     We had managed to infiltrate the main entrance and as Dad and some of Andy’s and Patrick’s buddies handled those guys, my brothers, the rest of the group and I proceeded throughout the house, looking for the door to the basement as per Kristie’s instructions. 

     Kristie better not have lied to us.  I began thinking. 

     As terrified and genuine as she had seemed earlier, I simply couldn’t move past the fact that it seemed all too easy to get a hold of Payton.  I didn’t know this woman and she shows up on my doorstep without a fuss and hands over all this information so willingly, answering every question we threw at her.  I made a point in finding out why she would do this, once all of this was over, for me, for Payton – for the other side.

     It wasn’t until I opened the door to the cellar that was on my left, from the basement landing that I had realized that he had an entire compound built below his house like Kristie had described earlier.  It is also then that we ran into trouble, leaving us three brothers to fight two handfuls of men that were on the other side of that door while the rest of our group was preoccupied with fending off additional attacks that had caught us off-guard.  It took us a while but we eventually managed.

     “Go get her!”  Andy yelled at me as he and Patrick stayed behind trying to finish off the last three of Matt’s goons. 

     She said third door on the right, right?  I tried to remember as I looked down this sterile looking hallway that was lined in stone and covered with four doors on either side. 

     How big is this place?  I found myself wondering as I noticed another set of hallways at the end of the one I was currently walking down – this place was a maze. 

     I didn’t need directions to find the right room; all I needed were my ears as I heard Payton yell out in a commanding fashion which sent shivers through my spine: “I said NO!”  It seems like my woman found some kind of resolve.  That made me smile.

     Following this lead, I found myself staring at the shut door and momentarily took a breather as I closed my eyes.  I dreaded the sight that might behold me whence that door was opened.  Putting my thoughts aside, I slammed the door open forcefully to the point that the door flew open and got stuck in the wall by its doorknob, making a loud cracking sound in the process.

     “Back the fuck off of my woman!”  I yelled at him.  Nothing could prepare me for the sight before me.  The bastard was kneeling between Payton’s legs, a smirk of enjoyment on his face – the smirk only the devil himself could ever possess.  I had no clue what Payton was wearing, only that the remnants of it was clinging to her sides with her arms still through its original arm holes, her underwear lay on the floor, torn to bits, leaving her bare.  I took in her bandaged thigh, bruises, and her bound hands; she had no means to really defend herself – she truly was helpless.

     After a brief exchange of words, I had heard enough.  I laid it on thick on Matt, physically that is – the battle of words was more than over with.  I wasn’t a killer and I wouldn’t allow myself to get to that point but part of me wished I could have killed him right then and there and finished this whole thing off right here, right now. 

     He’s only one, Cane.  I kept telling myself; it was true. 

     There would be others that are already willing to take control.  We weren’t at the end of this whole war – quite on the contrary; we were at the beginning.

     To say Matt had painted a pretty vivid picture of what he had done to Payton was an understatement.  Images of him touching, kissing, raping her flashed through my mind as I pummeled him into the floor.  When I figured he’d had enough, I made sure he was still breathing as I stood above him trying to regain my wits.

     “Um.  Cane?”  Patrick said softly behind me.

     “What?!?”  I growled, looking down at Matt, my fists still clenched.

     “Uh…  You might want to…  Uh…”  He tried hesitantly.

     “Would you just spit it out already?”  I finally turned and looked at him, annoyance in my tone, only to find the two idiots with their noses up in the air, staring at the ceiling.  “What the fuck are you two doing?”  I asked and they pointed past me, toward Payton before turning their backs to me and staring at the wall opposite the one the bed was up against.

     “Someone get her some clothes!”  I ordered as I rushed to her side now that my fury had settled some and I was able to think clearly.

     “No!  Don't!  I'd rather wear these sheets if anything.”  She tells me, blushing, her legs crossed tightly in an effort to conceal as much of herself away from any prying eyes.

     “Holy shit!”  Andy exclaimed as he peered into the closet, moments later.  Patrick was in complete agreement with that statement.

     I always knew that Matthew Davis was a demented prick but I didn’t need to take a look in that closet and those drawers to know about that; my brothers more than proved that point with their disgusted gasps and grunts as they perused the contents of the aforementioned.  I also didn’t need my brothers to see what was on display either and was thankful that they were the gentlemen that our parents had raised; showing this with keeping their eyes averted away from Payton as soon as they had arrived on the scene.

     I had untied her bonds and removed my shirt, pulling it over her head to cover her up, after removing the remnants of the torn negligée; she was reduced to a quivering mess.  Figuring that now that I had her, I’d inspect all the damage when we were somewhere far from here, I wrapped one of the sheets around her torso and legs and picked her up bridal style as she clung to me tightly her tremors barely easing.

     As I watched her unconscious form wrapped up in my arms, I knew that things would never be the same.  I swore up and down within myself that I would never let anything happen to her and I had failed; I had failed epically – to the point that I didn’t know if I could ever forgive myself for it.  Consumed with my guilt, sorrow, and the ever-growing sense of relief of having her back in my arms, I fell asleep worried about my future – our future.  Would she still love me in the morning?  Could she forgive me?  Can we survive this?  I desperately hoped the answer to these questions were all ‘yes’.

     Over the next week, I couldn’t bring myself to make love to her.  No matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t bring myself to let her go through with it, giving into our urges.  Her night terrors have calmed since that first night and I’m relieved but they only gave me a glimpse, an all too vivid one at that, of what she had been put through at the hands of Matt Davis.  I never told her the full extent of her terrors because I was terrified enough as it was – she knew she was having them and that was enough.  She didn’t need me to go into detail as to the words she spoke, the sweating, the kicking and thrashing about that she did either; that first night was brutal.  I woke up feeling like some maniac was attacking me.  It wasn’t until I had tried to wake her up unsuccessfully that I realized how deeply rooted the terrors were.  All I could do was wrap my arms and legs around her to keep her from hurting herself and me as she calmed down and fell into a more peaceful slumber.  I had cried myself to sleep those first few nights, begging for all of this to simply erase itself from our minds like it never happened – I would do anything, short of giving us up, to make it all go away.

     When I woke up this morning to a fire begging to be put out within me, I knew that something needed to be said – I couldn’t believe that I was angry with her for pushing herself onto me. 

     Maybe she is ready. 

     The thought occurred but I quickly dismissed it claiming that it was my deprived hormones talking; it was too soon, wasn’t it?  I ached for the day I could give in but today, I didn’t have the assurances I needed – what if I never did?  What if Matt took it all from me when he raped her?  I shuttered at that thought as I stared at Payton’s tear-filled eyes, our bodies facing each other as we sat on our knees atop the mattress, my hands holding hers tightly.

     I couldn’t believe what I had just heard. 

     Rape?  Did I hear right? 

     I couldn’t believe my next reaction because it was completely unexpected, not to mention, out of my control for some reason.  I laughed – I mean, hysterically laughed.  Sure, I will agree that it wasn’t exactly my most tactful and sensitive moment but it’s the only thing that came out at that point.  Cane’s expression turned into one of confusion and quickly transformed into a face red with fury and I knew I had to say something.  I quickly stifled my laughter and cradled his face in my hands.

     “Sweetheart, Matt never raped me.”  I told him as my eyes fused to his.

     “But…” his voice trailed off as his eyes searched for answers deep within my own.  I felt the tension in him subside slightly.

     “You got there before he could do anything.”  I explained but he didn’t seem to be cluing in.

     “The terrors!”  He blurted.

     “I know.”  I said quietly with a small, sad nod.  “I managed to command him to stop before…”  I couldn’t find a way to finish that sentence.  I knew that Cane understood what I was getting at.  I had never gone into detail as to that part of that horrible day with any of the Nottingham’s.  The less they knew about my attempted rape the better; I didn’t need everyone’s pity; I needed them to see me as a strong person – their Queen.  Damn that sounds weird!  I seriously need to get over the shock of being called that.

                                          *************************************

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