Sanctuary (The Assassins series 1)

This is going to be fun. I’ve never been to a costume party before, not a real one where everyone is dressed up as something. I’ve only been to those half-lame Halloween parties back at the orphanage but those weren’t real costume parties. This is. This party is hosted by some rich kid from a wealthy family, and I only got an invite because one of my friends is flirting with one of his friends. I know, it sounds complicated, but it’s not really. Alright, so my friend Holly did have to do some convincing before I agreed to go with her, because parties aren’t usually my scene, but I’m actually quite excited for this party. A costume party; I mean, what’s not to be excited about? Holly has decided to dress up at a sexy cat because who doesn’t love Catwoman? And me? I’ve debated with myself for weeks on what to be now when I finally had the chance to go all-in on a costume. I mean, I could have gone as all the traditional things; sexy nurse, innocent school girl, Princess Leia or maybe a Playboy bunny. But what would be the fun in dressing up in the exact same costume as all the other girls will be wearing too? No. I went all-in. The corset/dress alone cost me a smaller fortune but looking at myself in the mirror right now, it was worth every damn penny. The dark red corset is laced with gold and the short, blue skirt is attached to its edge so it’s more like a dress than a corset with a skirt. A corset-dress, I guess. I even bought the long dark red boots that goes up above my knees even though I didn’t know if I would be able to walk in them. Turns out, I can. The headband is gold with the telltale red star in the middle and I have made sure to style my long, dark brown hair the right way too: with the curly ends and the long waves. I basically only need the sword and shield, but I decided against them when I ordered the costume. It’s not exactly practical to walk around with a sword and a shield, and especially not practical attire for dancing at some loud party. I did however make sure to have the long, golden whip attached to my hip and Holly has joked that I can use it to catch some poor cowboy at the party tonight. The wristbands are heavier than I expected; not cheap plastic but at that price, they really shouldn’t be either! I decide against a long jacket as it will ruin my costume and the evening will be warm because we’re in the middle of June, so I won’t be cold even with what little I’m wearing.

Holly picks me up just after 8pm and she is already so giggly, I can barely understand what she’s saying. The taxi driver seems annoyed at her too, but maybe he’s just tired of drunk, young women puking in his cab every weekend. I get it. I probably would have been more fun if I had been tipsy too, but I haven’t had anything to drink because I don’t drink at all. I know, I know. A 23 year old who doesn’t drink? What’s wrong with her? Well, my parents were killed when I was 4 years old by a drunken driver. Hence, the no alcohol policy in my life. I lived with my aunt for a few years until she died of cancer at the age of 45 – I had just turned 7 – and after she died, I was sent to live in the orphanage until they kicked me out when I was 16. I’ve been on my own ever since. I met Holly about six months ago at the gas station where I was renting a movie and she was buying smokes. She saw the cover of “Avengers: Age of Ultron” in my hand and asked me if my boyfriend had sent me shopping for action. As if no women would ever pick that movie on her own. I laughed and told her I didn’t have a boyfriend but that I just really liked superhero movies. She hit me on the shoulder and told me she did too. There was something so familiar and safe about her, and I asked her if she wanted to watch it with me. Despite not knowing me at all, I mean, I could have been a serial killer, she said yes and the rest is history. A few weeks ago, she started dating this rich guy named Allan or Alec or something along those lines. He’s apparently friends with the Gatsby kid who hosts tonight’s costume party and Holly won’t shut up about how much sex she and Al-whatever is going to have after the party. Whatever. I’ll take another cab home alone, it’s not a big deal.

We arrive at the party about ten minutes later and the music is so loud, the windows of the cab shake. The valley opens the door for the both of us, and a waiter comes to escort us inside. Holy shit. Escorted by a butler, that’s a first for me. Holly’s giggle lets me know she feels the same. The venue is huge, like sports-hall-huge and there are people everywhere. How Holly will manage to find Arlo-Anton-whatever is beyond me, but she drags me towards the bar for drinks. The bartender is busy but notices us right away, probably thanks to the low-cut latex suit that Holly has managed to get her petite little body into. I pull my corset down a bit. It’s not the most reviling outfit, not like Holly’s tight black suit, but my boobs still look good in it and I know the corset gives my curves a lovely shape like an hourglass. And the boots and short skirt makes my legs look longer. I’m not complaining, though I do sometimes look at the smaller statue of Holly’s and envy her, but I guess that’s pretty normal for women to do because she once told me she envies my curvy hips. We always want what we don’t have, right? Her long, straight dark brown hair is like a horse’s mane and it’s so damn shiny too. I also envy that. Does she envy my curly waves too? I don’t know. The bartender serves Holly her Sex-on-the-beach and hands me an ice cold Redbull per request. We’ve barely stood there for half a minute when Holly screams startled.

“Alaric!” she whines and throws herself into the arms of a tall Batman. Ah Alaric, yes, thát was his name. Holly stands on her tiptoes and kisses the guy in front of her who has to bend his neck to kiss her back. Alaric dressed as Batman? They must have coordinated that, right? I mean, Catwoman and Batman, what are the odds??

“Alaric, I want you to meet my best friend!” Holly calls out loudly so we can hear her over the music. Batman turns towards me and sweeps me a gallant bow.

“Miss Prince,” he greets me and kisses me softly on the back of my hand. Wow. A gentleman. I didn’t know they still existed. Prince? Oh! My costume. Diana Prince aka Wonder Woman. Of course. I smile at Batman and nods to him. He then turns towards Holly and pulls her into his arms. He mumbles something into her ear, and she giggles like a little schoolgirl while the faintest blush appears on her cheeks, even though most of her face is still covered by the mask. It’s a very good look on her. She nods wildly and turns towards me.

“We’re going dancing, you wanna join?” she calls but I shake my head. Dancing in these boots? I don’t wanna risk breaking my ankle or something, I have a long week at work next week. Holly smiles at my rejection and then she’s gone with Batman right behind her. I finish my Redbull and signal to the bartender for a new one. I finish that one too in a few minutes and turn towards the crowd of people in costumes. I like observing people. Especially when they’re in costumes, that’s just extra fun. I love seeing how much effort and details everyone has put into their costumes. I guess that’s rich people; they never do anything cheap or half-heartedly. The music changes from dance to something pop-ish sounding and I tap my heel on the side of the bar to the rhythm. It’s a good tune, though I don’t recognise it. It has a bit of a jazz-vibe though it’s clearly not all jazz. The male singer sings something about leaving the door open. It’s not really a dance-song but looking at the crowd dancing, they could probably dance to anything. The music changes again and this is a song I know very well. An old Christina Aquilera song. One of her best and a great dance-song too. Now I secretly regret saying no to Holly about the dancing, but there’s no way I will be able to find her and Batman in the crowd and even if I can, I won’t find them in time before the song ends.

“Can I have this dance?”

I turn at the sound of a masculine voice. Holy muuuush. A tall, blonde police officer stands before me with his hand reached out for me. His face is pretty-boy handsome and the smile he gives me is radiant, making his clear blue eyes shine brightly even in the half-dim lighting. How can I say no to this handsome man? He looks like a mix of Chris Hemsworth’s pretty face and Henry Cavill’s huge body with the smile of Brad Pitt. Definitely not a bad look! Fuck the boots! I nod and let him take my hand to lead me onto the dance floor. The song is in the middle of its first chorus and the man lets his hands rest of my hips while we move to the rhythm. As the song continues, he comes closer and I don’t particularly mind, seeing as he doesn’t seem to just wanna grope me like an asshole, but his touches are respectful while still letting me know, he means them. When the song ends, the police officer grabs my hand and spins me around. I laugh and spin straight into the arms of another man. Shit! My hands instinctually reach out for some balance, and they hit a hard, naked chest in front of me. Strong arms embrace me to keep me from falling. I look up into another handsome face and a full-fletched grin. The man is wearing a black tie attached to a shirt-collar but there isn’t any shirt on him, just the collar around his neck. His chest and stomach are naked, exposing a well-trained and tanned upper body most men would kill to obtain. Black slacks hang on his hips in an erotic way with a shiny chain hanging down the side of one of his hips. It’s very 90’s-hip-hop. Dark blonde hair, brown eyes, a teasing but brilliant smile. What is he supposed to be - Oh! Of course. The stripper, ahm, Magic Mike, right? I think I remember this outfit from the cover of the DVD, though I haven’t seen the movie since it was released. The man starts to move his hips against me as another dance-song fills the room with a catchy tune you just can’t not dance to. I forget all about the police officer I danced with moments ago because Magic Mike lets me have the full show. It’s more like a strip-dance without him stripping and he seems to be using me as both a pole and a willing victim. I start to laugh and Magic Mike smiles radiantly back at me. This is fun. Who knew I would be having so much fun at this party that Holly practically had to beg me to attend with her? The song ends and Mike’s hands reach out for me so he can spin around me one last time. Slam! I hit the chest of another man, face first, and all the air in my lungs is pressed out at the hard impact. I’m about to open my mouth to say sorry when I look up and my body instantly freezes. Fuck me. The man I hit is a huge soldier, wearing a full uniform with the hat too. His body looks like a freaking mountain as he dwarfs me by at least 30 centimetres even though I’m pretty tall for a girl with my 170 cm and 12 cm heels too. The soldier has to be at least 210 cm or very close to it. If I look straight ahead, I only see his broad chest, but oh what a chest to see. Magic Mike, go home. This soldier is bodybuilder-training-to-be-The-Mountain-from-GoT huge. But it’s not even the height or the enormous size of this man that intimidates me. No. It’s the aura of menace and seriousness around him, and that hard look in his dark eyes. His black hair makes him seem even more sinister and his skin is tanned and leathery, so I’m guessing he spends a lot of time outdoors in the sun. He doesn’t look like someone playing dress-up as a soldier. He looks like a real soldier, and I whine in surprise as his huge hands reach out for my hips. Some part of me wants to object and tell him to not touch me, but the feel of his strong hands on my body is electrifying. He’s definitely a dom, I mean, how can he not be? Everything about him screams danger and power, and the way his hands grab my skin makes me very aware of the fact that he is a complete stranger, and I won’t be able to push him off me when he gets too far for my taste. And he will. I have no doubt about that. This is a man who is used to getting what he wants simply because he fucking takes it when he wants it, no questions asked and no objections from anyone. I feel the fear creep across my skin at the same time as chills of thrill run down my spine. It’s dangerous but arousing at the same time. Who knew such a thing could even exist? The soldier pulls me in against his hard chest from behind and I can feel his hips push in against my ass. Shit! Is that a hard arousal I can feel through his pants? His hands grab my hips and pull me closer while I feel warmth breath against the back of my neck.

“I wanna fuck that ass,” a deep, masculine growl sounds and I freeze at the words.

“Excuse me?” I call back and hear a low chuckle which I also feel vibrating against my shoulders.

“You have a fucking lovely ass,” he repeats slowly to make sure I hear it and I laugh insecurely because I could have sworn that was not what he said the first time. Another song dies out and is replaced with some random 90’s hit which ends the spell of the intimate dance I’m having with the soldier. I pull out of his hands – he lets me – and turn to walk back to my drink but the police officer is standing right in front of me. I smile hesitantly at him and want to walk past him as Magic Mike suddenly appears in my way. A dangerous shiver runs down my spine and I turn away from those two, but the soldier is still standing right behind me. They all start to move to the music, and I feel like a trapped mouse with the walls closing in on me. I push at the soldier’s chest, but nothing happens. The impact of the push doesn’t budge him the slightest but manages to push me a bit backwards instead. A strong set of hands reach out from behind to steady me and suddenly a wave of dizziness clouds my head and thoughts. Fuck. I haven’t touched any alcohol, but I still feel like I might be a bit drunk. I’ve only had two Redbull while being here, but I did chuck down two at home before I left. Maybe four Redbull in two hours is too much caffeine? The men continue to dance around me, and they move in closer and closer. It’s too much. They are too close. I want to get away; every instinct of me is screaming for me to run, but the dizziness is clouding my movements as well as my head. Suddenly I feel my body go limp and I would have fallen to the dirty floor if it wasn’t for the strong arms that close around my torso. I am lifted up into the soldier’s huge arms and my head dangles against his lower arm while I feel him start to walk out of the room. Somewhere in the distance I hear a mumbled voice and then someone says: “No, no, she’s just drunk. We’ll take care of her; make sure she gets home safely.” Or maybe no one said it. Maybe it’s just the dizziness talking. I honestly don’t know. I have no strength left and can’t stop the soldier from carrying me out of the party with the loud music, out into the warm summer night and I have a feeling that both the police officer and Magic Mike are right next to us, but my vision is too blurry for me to focus on anything. Then, everything is black.

*

I wake up groggy. My head is pounding like a good hangover, but I’m absolutely certain that I didn’t drink any alcohol last night. And – oh wait – this isn’t my bed. I sit up quickly. The room is dark, only illuminated by the small lamp in the corner that gives the room a red glow because the lamp screen is dark red. The bed sheet is black, the walls are covered in black paint and actually, the whole room is mostly consistent of things that are black or dark. It gives it a goth-vibe. Even the floor to ceiling mirror that dominates one of the walls is surrounded by a black frame that has something that looks like thorns sticking out of it. Freaky. I jump off the bed and immediately regret it because the movement makes the whole room spin fast and my head pounds even harder. Fuck. Where am I? What did I do last night? I try to think back. I came to the party with Holly. She met her Batman and I danced with a few guys. Handsome guys, if I recall correctly, but I don’t remember leaving with any of them or even getting closer to do anything but dance with any of them. I also don’t feel like I’ve been doing anything, as I’m pretty sure I would feel it physically if I’d done something more than just dance the night before. So, where the fuck am I? I leave the room and enter another room which looks like a living room, but the décor is the same; black and darkness everywhere. No windows to see either. If I didn’t know any better, I would think a freaking vampire lived here. Hey! I see a door at the end of a small, open entrée hall. I run towards the broad wooden door that looks heavy as fuck and grab the round iron handle. I pull. But nothing happens. The door is either locked or too heavy for me to open it. I close my fists and bang at the wood.

“HEY! LET ME OUT OF HERE!” I yell while pounding at the door. My head responses by pounding back, but that’s pretty much the only response I get. I bang at the door for another few minutes until my wrists hurt and I fear I will pound my fists bloody if I continue. I stop and sigh out loud.

“Under five minutes; pay up.”

I spin around at the sound of a man’s voice but see nothing.

“Ah guttered, I thought she was more persistent,” someone replies, and the sound of paper being rustled sounds.

“Who’s there?!” I call out into the darkness. I squint my eyes and see the shadows of three huge men standing against the wall of the other end of the living room. The stand so still they could have been statues, which is probably why I haven’t noticed them before. Shit. Now I regret not ordering the sword and shield for the costume because they could have come in handy right about now. I desperately look around for something to use as a weapon, not finding anything at all when a movement draws my attention. One of the shadows steps forward and he holds out his hand for me. I look at it confused.

“It’s water. For your head? It must be throbbing; you’ve only slept for a few hours” he says calmly while reaching out a glass for me. I push the glass back towards the guy so water splashes all over his shirt and pants.

“Fuck you!” I spit towards the guy as he looks down at himself. A deep laughter sounds from one of the other shadows.

“Yes! I told you she was a fighter!” the laughter continues, but the man standing right in front of me doesn’t exactly seem to enjoy himself right now. Serves him right. I can’t see his face in the darkness but I don’t recognise any of their voices so they must be strangers.

“Who are you guys? Why am I here? How do I get out?”

More laughter.

“That was a lot of questions, which one should we answer first?” the same shadow as before laughs and the guy in front of me steps closer while I step back. But as he comes closer, the light illuminates his face enough for me to see it clearly. He looks... familiar. Somehow.

“Wait, I know you,” I whisper as pieces of last night start to appear in my mind. This guy… he was one of the men I danced with, wasn’t he? He’s not in his costume anymore, so it’s harder for me to place him but something about that blonde hair and those piercingly blue eyes strike me as familiar.

“Just take is easy, Merida, you’re okay,” the blonde man says calmly as if talking to a wild animal. I back up further but hit the hard door with my back. Fuck. He knows my name!

“You know my name,” I exhale, fear really starting to pound through my veins at the realisation that I am trapped in some gothic basement with three huge strangers who apparently know my name.

“Of course we do, it’s not like we have a habit of kidnapping random birds,” the shadow laughs and the man steps out from the darkness.

“Not even the ones as beautiful as you, babygirl.”

He comes to stand next to the blonde and I get a good look at his face too. Flashbacks from last night dance in my head; this guy, I danced with him too, didn’t I? Those brown eyes and that teasing smile are familiar, just as the blonde’s face is. But the weight of his words wins over my desperate attempts at remembering.

“Kidnapping?” I whisper horrified as the word registers with me. Fuck. Kidnapped? Seriously?! The second guy laughs again – his laughter seems to be echoing around me – but the blonde elbows him in the side and the laughter stops with a hard grunt.

“Gobshite,” the blonde mumbles to him as he focuses those piercingly blue eyes at me again. There is determination but also compassion in them. Weird for a kidnapper to look at his victim like that, isn’t it?

“You’re here for a reason, Merida, we need you. You’re the only one who can help us to –“

“Enough.”

The word is hard and commanding, leaving absolutely no doubt about the last shadow being in charge here. The last man steps out of the darkness and slowly his huge body starts to take form right in front of me. The other two step aside to let the last one come into the light. Holy… fuck. That menacing look in those dark eyes scares the shit out of me. This is a true kidnapper – he’s nothing but evil and bad news. He is over a head taller than me and I’m still wearing my boots from last night. I cringe back against the door while the mountain of brutality comes nearer but he stops right in front of me.

“You can take a shower, if you want, you look like you need it. There is no rush, we will be here when you’re finished,” he growls low and the words themselves might be ‘nice’ enough but the tone they are delivered in sounds more like a threat of pain rather than an opportunity to take a break during a shower. Why would I want to shower here? I wanna go home and have a shower! But that hard look on the brute’s face tells me that it’s not an option. They aren’t going to – hey wait! A sudden flash of recognition strikes me, and I remember this man in a military uniform from last night. He’s the soldier I danced with at the end of the party.

“You,” I whisper as I stare up into those dark-as-night eyes and that hard face in front of me.

“You’re the soldier.”

It’s not a question. One single nod is all I get and then I turn my gaze to the two other men. I wreck my brain to remember and suddenly I do.

“The cop…” I whisper looking from the blonde to the laughing guy, “and the stripper.”

“Hey, she knew I was Mike!” the guy exclaims joyfully as his brown eyes gleam with anticipation. He earns another elbow in the side from the blonde who also nods to me as he confirms my memories of last night.

“I danced with you, with all of you, at that party,” I mumble, recalling broken images of the dancing and the hands all over my body. I also remember how dizzy I suddenly felt and how they collectively continued to dance around me. The soldier… he carried me away, didn’t he? Where to? Here? Is that what happened? I lift my eyes to the soldier in front of me, the one with those deep, dark eyes that reek of evilness.

“What did you do to me?” I whisper accusingly, my eyes filling with tears as the words leave my lips. The hard face stays impassive, and his mouth is pressed into a tight line.

“What I had to, to get you with me,” he replies coldly while straightening his back, so he seems even taller than before. It’s probably supposed to be intimidating and it truly is. But I’m already scared shitless, so it’s not like I can get any more frighten.

“Did you drug me? Is that how you got me here without me remembering it?”

“Look, Merida,” the blonde guy steps up next to the brute and his blue eyes draw my attention, but it’s the Magic Mike look-a-like who speaks up before the others.

“We got you here without anyone getting hurt, I’d say that’s a pretty well accomplished mission.”

He laughs at his own words, but none of the other two laughs with him. I have a feeling they’re so used to him that they don’t find him funny anymore.

“Why would anyone get hurt? Why would you guys want me? I mean, I’m literally no one of importance. If you came to that party to kidnap someone, why not kidnap some heir to a fortune and claim ransom? I’m sure there were hundreds of better candidates for a ransom-kidnapping at that party than me. I don’t have any money; I don’t even have a family to pay a ransom!”

I’m rambling. I can hear it myself. The blonde looks at me with compassion on his handsome face, Magic Mike laughs at my crazy rambling and the brute just stares at me with a serious mine on his face. He doesn’t seem fazed by my ramblings, and I force my eyes away from his.

“Look around, babygirl; does it look like we need money from kidnapping pretty, innocent girls?” Mike laughs and I automatically do as he says. I look around the dark room and notice that he is right. The place reeks of Goth, but luxurious Goth indeed. They really don’t need money, so I guess it’s not a mistake that they have targeted me as their kidnapped victim. Which only makes the question remaining even stronger; why?

“Then why me? I don’t understand!” I exclaim desperately, tears again filling my eyes as the frustration and fear rushes through my blood.

“Enough.”

The word echoes in the darkness and I am forced to look at the brute again. His face is a hard mask of impatience.

“There is a change of clothes for you in bathroom next to the bedroom. Lock the door if that makes you feel better. We won’t disturb you either way. But you look like a smart girl, Merida, so don’t even think of trying to escape. There is no way of escaping this place or any of us.”

Fuck. He’s serious. I have absolutely no doubt about that. Instead of continuing my whining and searching for answers, I figure the best plan for now is to go along with what they want, not that I have any other choice in the matter. I nod solemnly and exhale when all three of the men step back, letting me breathe properly for the first time since I woke up not so long ago. I look from one to the other and then at the last one before leaving the room, going back to the bedroom I woke up in and finding the bathroom from there. Of course. What else? The whole bathroom is made of glossy, black tiles and the light comes from long panels all the way around the edge of the ceiling, giving the room a sombre feel to it. Luxurious, indeed. A pile of neatly folded clothes is placed on top of a wooden hamper along with two large towels and a hairbrush. Really? A hairbrush? I shake my head and lock the door behind me. I have a feeling that a locked door won’t keep any of these strong men out of here if they truly want to get in, but the brute said they wouldn’t bother me, and I hope he spoke the truth. I remove my Wonder Woman costume and step into the large shower before closing the glass door behind me. The shower head is huge and placed so high up on the wall that I have no way of pulling it down closer to me. But the water is warm, and I turn up the heat even more so its practically scalding water falling down towards me from the ceiling which is exactly what I want right now. I use whatever shampoo I find in the shower and thank fuck it is with a neutral smell or I would have stepped out of the shower smelling like an ad for men’s cologne, like Bijan for Men having been sprayed into my face. I stand under the scalding water for much longer than I really need to; I have finished washing myself like ten minutes ago, but I don’t want to leave the security of the shower. But promise or not, I’m pretty sure that eventually the men will run out of patience and break down the door to get to me if I don’t come out at some point. After I’ve turned off the water and pulled one of the big towels around my body, I look at the clothes they have left for me. A pair of grey sweatpants and a black tank top. That’s it. No underwear, no socks, no hoodie to hide in either. Just those two items. Shit. But I don’t have a choice. I can’t wear my Wonder Woman costume forever and I don’t want to flash my boobs, or my legs any more than I have already done so far. Luckily the clothes fit me, but somehow, I didn’t doubt that it would. I even use the hairbrush because I know that my long hair will be a bird’s nest if I don’t comb it after a shower. I then force myself to take several deep breaths before unlocking the door and leaving the false security of the bathroom. The bedroom is empty, but I hear quiet voices coming from the living room. I slowly and silently creep closer, trying to listen in on the conversation.

“Merida.”

My name is a dead giveaway and somehow, they already know I’m here. Damn. I force my legs to start moving. Three sets of eyes look in my direction when I enter the room. Blondie and Mike are sitting on a huge – black – leather sofa, while the brute soldier sits on a – surprise; black – Chesterfield chair on the side of the small table. The blonde smiles calmly at me and nods towards the other chair that’s still empty.

“Come on in, Merida, we won’t bite,” he reassures me.

“Yet,” Mike laughs slowly but one look from the brute shuts his laughter up. I inhale sharply and let myself sink down into the chair offered me.

“What now?” I ask slowly, looking at the three men sitting around me with unease and fear pounding in my chest. The blonde and Magic Mike carefully look over at the brute who is so clearly in charge here. His eyes are fixated on me, and his upper lip almost vibrates with annoyance.

“Are you hungry?” he asks, even though he clearly looks like he doesn’t give a shit about me being hungry or not. I slowly shake my head. I’m not hungry. I’m actually a bit nauseous, not that I’m going to mention that.

“No, thank you,” I whisper, feeling how tears well in my eyes again. The brute mumbles something that sounds like cursing under his breath while the blonde looks at me with a tight smile.

“We won’t hurt you, Merida, just…” he exhales, running a large hand through his blonde hair, “just do as we say, alright? Everything will be okay if you just do as we tell you to.”

Tears fall down my cheeks, but I nod anyway. As if I have a choice? The blonde rises from the sofa and reaches out a hand for me. Shit. What now? As I put my hand in his, I see Magic Mike smile like a motherfucker but the look on the brute’s face is unreadable.

“What are you –“ I start to mumble but my words are choked as the blonde puts his hands around my face.

“You’re very beautiful, do you know that, Merida?” he mumbles to me, those piercingly blue eyes roaming over my face as they follow every line and curve of it. I shake my head as much as his grip allows me to, earning me a compassionate smile from blondie.

“No, no, no. You can’t do this to me,” I whisper in denial because a horrible sensation sweeps down my spine.

“If you could see what we see…” he whispers, and I feel the other two rising too though I cannot see them right now. All I can see is the blonde’s handsome face and those blue eyes that are almost luminous right now.

“We?” I manage to choke out just as another set of hands touch my waist from behind. They grab my wrists and force my hands behind my back. Panic surges through my blood as I suddenly realise what is about to happen. Fuck! NO!