Claimed By Him

I sat up sharply, pulled from my rest by the sound of banging. Was everything alright downstairs? Were my parents okay? My panic-stricken mind thought frantically.

A rough, deep voice echoed through the following silence. “Go check upstairs. Make sure no one else is hiding.” They commanded.

A man had broken into the house. A shiver ran down my spine and I had to bite my lip to keep from screaming. Forcing myself to breathe I made my way to the window and brushed the curtain aside with shaking hands. It was too far down with no way to climb and nothing to break my fall. I turned sharply when I heard heavy boots walking up the stairs. Thud. Thud. Thud. There was no time to think. No time to breathe. I shoved myself to the floor and slid under the bed.

The door slammed open, smashing into the wall with a sickening crunching sound. I shoved a hand over my mouth to hold in a gasp. The intruder looked around for only a moment, not even taking time to investigate the window.

He flung my closet doors open with the same force and I could hear the smirk in his voice when he didn’t find me. “Come on little girl...hiding under the bed? There’s monsters under there.” His voice was mocking, and it sounded as though he’d been swallowing broken glass.

This was all a game to him. Footsteps came closer and closer to my hiding place. I could hear the floorboards straining under his weight. With one hand he grabbed the mattress and hurled it with terrifying strength. I turned onto my back. It was easier to see him now and I shuddered internally. He was tall and muscular, with soft fluffy black hair and perfect pearly white teeth.

Feigning gentleness he spoke again. “Come on Princess, ya’ can’t stay down there for ever. Your prince wants you. Get up.” I couldn’t move. He grabbed my hair and pulled me painfully to my feet. From there he held my arm tightly with a bruising grip. I stumbled and tripped as he dragged me back to the first floor. Tears streamed down my face at the sight of my mom and dad’s broken bodies sprawled in the middle of the living room. The once white carpet was now a horrid rust color, soaked through with brain matter and blood.

Looking away from my parents’ gruesome death I noticed six men, all little more than shadow figures given my blurry vision and the faint evening light. I was shoved in a chair before I even thought to resist, too stunned by the horrors that had taken place. I only began to struggle as a cloth was pressed to my mouth and nose. Then I fought viciously, clawing and kicking until sleep overcame me.

What I assumed to be hours passed before I woke up again. Ropes bound my elbows and wrists behind me, before snaking along and connecting to my similarly bound ankles and knees. A strict and painful hogtie. My mouth was stuffed with cloth and a handkerchief had been tied around my lips, effectively silencing my screams. I screamed in between sobs anyway. I felt the car skid to a halt once my captors heard my cries. The creep, the one who called me Princess, spoke up again. “Put her back to sleep.” His voice remained as raspy as ever. The thought of being drugged again spurred me to action and I started to squirm, trying to break the ropes. Light flooded the small space as the trunk opened. A new mystery man held up a needle and I struggled to get away even harder. He plunged it into my neck and darkness began to overtake me once more.

He scoffed. “Stupid girl. Should’ve just stayed quiet. This is the most fun you’re going to have for a long while.”

When I woke up for the final time I was lying on the cold, hard ground. My eyes opened slowly, and I flinched at the slightest exposure to light. I’d grown used to darkness. The room looked like some kind of dungeon. Even from my awkward position I could see the instruments of torture hanging against the onyx walls.

I groaned in pain as feelings came flooding back to limbs. Apparently the sound drew attention. “Finally awake are we?” A young man strutted into view, leaning in close to study me with dangerous, gleeful gray eyes. My lack of a response seemed to anger him.

He slapped me. “You would do well to answer me when I ask you a question.” His voice was low and threatening like the hiss of a snake. Instinctively I knew he wasn’t the kind of person I wanted to frustrate.

I whimpered. He grabbed my face in a vice-like grip. “I may have lost my temper a bit there.” He said mockingly. “You will answer me.” I nodded desperately as he let go of my chin.

The relief was short lived and he slapped me again. “Come on now, use your words.” He all but purred. I managed to choke out a stuttering, “Y-Yes sir...” He smirked. “Good girl. Now go change into this.” He handed me a dress and heels before heading out the door, pausing to issue further commands. “I expect you to be dressed in the next 10 minutes. Don’t disappoint me, unless you want to discover the true meaning of pain.” His voice was threatening and unmistakably cruel. Then he left me alone. The door slammed shut.

I tried not to cry as I focused on the task at hand. It was a relief to see I was unchained, but I couldn’t help but stare at my wrists. They were bruised from the tightness of the ropes. Noticing a bucket of water a foot away I crawled forward, not having the strength to stand just yet. The water was ice cold. I slid my pajama top off carefully, wincing when the movement tore at some of the scratches I’d accumulated. After washing the dirt from my face and what I prayed wasn’t blood from my hair, I studied the dress and shoes. The dress itself was made of fine black material, though nothing I could put a name to, with a slit in the side and a lace-up bodice. The shoes were matching black peep toes with diamond studded straps. At least my tormentor has good taste. I thought ruefully. After sliding the dress on and struggling into the shoes I managed to force myself to my feet. Just in time.

The lock clicked, and the door slid open. The man was back, still just as composed and terrifying as ever. I could see that fierce cruelty shimmering just under the surface of his relaxed facade. He moved towards me swiftly and grabbed my arm, just above the bruises and rope burn. I waited for him to do something, maybe hurt me again. Instead he thrust two objects into my hand. One was clearly a padded blindfold but the other was unfamiliar. Noticing my confusion he grabbed the second object and shoved it into my mouth, buckling it behind my head. It was a gag.

“Now put the blindfold on.” He demanded. The sight of his dangerously shifting aura promoted me to obey. I slid it over my head.

He all but dragged me down the hall, not caring that I couldn’t see nor that I kept stumbling in the high heels. It seemed to go on forever until he suddenly and unexpectedly shoved me. I tripped and tumbled into something big and solid. My blindfold was removed. It was a bodyguard dressed in what seemed to be the uniform, bullet proof vest and all. He was just as dreadful as all the rouges I’d encountered thus far. He yanked me to a brightly lit room with far too many mirrors and a group of maids. These girls sat me down swiftly and began to style my hair and brush makeup onto my face. I looked at them in confusion, even opening my mouth to ask something once someone removed the gag but this resulted in glares from my kidnapper and his cronie. I looked down at my lap with a sigh instead. Resisting seemed worth the risk. Once they finished forcing my hair into some unnatural position they looked to the ‘boss’ for orders. He and the guard forced me to my feet and took hold of my arm once again.

He started to speak. “We are going to a family gathering tonight. You’ll be my lovely plus one of course. And if you even think of acting up I’ll know, and trust me, you will regret it.” His voice was akin to having a gun held against my neck. Cold and unsettling. I shivered.

The guard smirked. “I don’t think you’ll have any issue with her. Seems she’s scared of you already.” I could practically hear the malicious grin in his voice as the boss stopped talking and looked at him. “Maybe you’re right.” He grabbed my chin again and smiled, raising an eyebrow. “So... are you scared of me or do I need to make you scared of me?” He whispered in my ear before nibbling lightly on the tip.

My whole body shuddered. I tried to pull away but his grip only tightened as he shoved me against the wall. I flinched, accidentally hitting him. He caught my hand and growled. “Someone needs to be taught a lesson. I’ll deal with you when we get back.” He turned back to the henchman and ignored me entirely. “Jake. Gag and blindfold her. You know what to do after that.”

I felt strong arms grab me, putting a gag in my mouth and lowering the blindfold back over my eyes. I tensed and tried to fight but my hands were tied together as someone else lifted me off the ground and threw me over their shoulder. He walked out the door and towards an open car. He set me in the trunk and tied my hands to a metal handle bar before slamming it shut. I heard 3 car doors shut and the sound of the engine roaring to life.

After what felt like hours but was likely only minutes we arrived at our dreaded location. The car stopped and I started to struggle again, fruitlessly attempting to wriggle out of my bonds. This was as unsuccessful as it had been the first three times. The trunk popped open to reveal Jake who started to untie me and remove the rest. Then he pulled me out of the trunk and held me firmly around the shoulders to keep me from crumbling to the ground. Then he pushed me into the now familiar embrace of my kidnapper. He caught me with a glare.

“Say a word in there and your punishment will be a thousand times worse. Understand?” I quickly nodded as he started to walk me inside the building, never letting go of my arm.