Destiny Enslaved (editing)

Part 4

Bjorn looked down at the blood which had coated his hardy and well-worn boots. He grimaced seeing how the blood had seeped into the leather and would no doubt stain it. He smiled cruelly when he called to the men and nudged the dead girl's body. I finally had the fire in my blood to move my body from its frozen state.

 I just needed a special fuel- anger. The anger at his dismissive treatment of just taking this girl's life had me blistering. I pushed myself from the podium to land barefoot in the cooling sludge that her blood had become. I had to suppress the churning of my stomach as the goo slipped between my toes.

Then I did something stupid. I stepped towards this Bjorn and found my eyes came just above his jawline. I was a perfect height to act and I did. I slapped him with the back of my hand across the ear and cheek as he was turned towards Rollo.

Once it was done the bravery or more likely stupidity that had flooded my body now abandoned me and it took all my strength to stay upright. There was a pause as the sound of my hit echoed in the small chamber. It had silenced the men and the women whimpered more fearfully behind me- I had signed their lives away. 

Bjorn was still. Then he reached up with his free hand to rub the reddened area. I gritted my teeth in preparation for being hit much harder. My eyes bulged as I tried my best to keep my nerve. He cocked his head to look at me whilst moving his hand away. His face was thunder. Until it wasn't it was like the wiry ones- predatory. A smirk appeared and he called out 'A Fiesty  Valkyrie!' before raising his arms to the men who all responded with hearty chuckles. Rollo's laugh paled to the others as he watched their leader with a suspicious squint. Bjorn whirled back to grab me by the throat. He lifted me with one arm and I felt my feet rise, the smacking of the sticky blood leaving my soles amplified by my shock, they hovered just scraping the wet tiles. I began to claw at his hand, staring panicked into his stormy eyes that had grown bright with excitement.

''hvitserk' he beckoned casually to the younger man. He stepped forward looking into my eyes with anger, then to Bjorn, waiting for orders of some kind. Coolly Bjorn spoke, not taking his eyes from my throat as he tested the pressure of his hand. He squeezed slightly and black-circled my vision. I could only hear the frantic beat of my heart now. Then the pressure lightened.

I could breathe slightly better but his grip remained steadfast. He spoke again and 'hvitserk approached with a length of rope that had come from nowhere. I knew what he would do and didn't want that. Anything but being bound. He had to pass over the still dead girl and to my disgust, he didn't hesitate to step on her back. I felt it again the fury the boiling blood and though I knew I couldn't get the best of this colossus I could damn well try. As he passed Bjorn's distance from me I stopped clawing at the hand which choked me. Instead, I gripped it for leverage and brought my foot as far behind me as I could, as quickly as I could. I felt my body rock in Bjorn's hand and, with the little strength I had spare, I sent my tensed foot right into the bastard's balls.

He keeled over in pain and the hand around my throat suddenly tightened. Bjorn spoke slowly and though I still didn't know what he was saying his expression said it all. A straight-lined mouth and a slightly quirked eyebrow combined with his darkening eyes it all said clearly- behave or be punished. Also, just try doing that to me seemed to be heavily implied.

I relaxed taking my hands from him and putting them up in surrender this pleased Bjorn as the smirk returned. He lowered me to the floor and released my throat. I had never been so relieved to breathe in stale, hot air before. I gulped in the air like it would be taken away again at any moment. Which it could.

Hvitserk slowly got up from the floor, clearly hurt by my kick, glaring up at me with eyes I recognised as spruce blue. They were not as pretty or intriguing as Bjorn's and held more reckless emotion. He was covered in more blood and it was through being bested rather than victory. I could tell he wanted to beat me there and then. Apparently, everyone else could as well, as Rollo gripped his shoulder Bjorn growled a low warning 'Hvitserk...'. 

The man brushed off Rollo's hand and moved past me throwing his rope to Rollo. I watched as he made for the concubines picking one of the youngest to take to one of the seating alcoves. She screamed and begged for death rather than defilement.

But I had to block it out. I had to focus on staying alive now. Because apparently my apathy for life had been chased away by these heathens. My body wanted to live- I wanted to survive.

Rollo approached from my right with the rope raised in front of him. he clearly wanted my hands. I realised they had fallen beneath my veil once more. The material had stains in patches along the bottom and the dotting pattern remained- the blood of the muddy-eyed girl. Now that my rage was ebbing I couldn't block the cold wetness of the floor from my mind and my stomach somersaulted. a speckling crimson vision before me made it all worse. 

 I moved my hand out from the veil and gripped the top making to pull the whole thing off. But before I could a hand wrapped around my wrist. It was Bjorn. I looked at him unable to stop the squeak of surprise and apprehension which came. I waited, my heart hammering against my chest, gaping at him whilst he found my eyes through the veil. He shook his head, slow and with clear meaning. I released the grip I had on the cloth. Satisfied he released my wrist and walked away, out of the room.

Rollo squinted his eyes at Bjorn's back- something was clearly playing on his mind. I didn't have the leisure time to think more about it. I pushed my other arm out to expose both wrists to Rollo. When he again realised what he was meant to be doing he set to tie my wrists. Not before he quirked an eyebrow at me when he saw the designs which coiled around them and onto the backs of my hands. I quirked my eyebrow back at him with some false bravado. He grinned and chortled to himself.

Whilst he twisted the rope around me I clenched my fists in an attempt to make my forearm muscles bulge. A trick I picked up in my youth. Hopefully, it worked for me later as Rollo had bound the rough rope quite tight.

With me seen to, he pushed me in the direction of the door and went to join Hvitserk. In the doorway, Bjorn waited bored, leaning against its frame. I carefully moved through the men who saw that their superiors had chosen their women rushed into the room to claim themselves a prize. I had to swallow hard to stop vomiting as I heard more screams fill the space.

M.U.M. 's the word

Hello – I hope that you are enjoying the story so far.

Like my writing? You can check out my new release; M.U.M. 's the word.

Let me tell you more

In short, this story came from a simple concept: Miss Marple the Vampire Slayer.

Intrigued? Go on have a read – and if you're not yet enthralled by curiosity here is the synopsis of M.U.M.'s the word:

book one: Devout Disorder

it's 1946 – World War 2 has ended but its wounds have not had time to heal. There is a rift in society, and it seeps into every facet of life – even for a witch.

Mei Su was raised by the Ministry of Magic Under Majesty (otherwise known as MUM.) now 18 she must prove herself useful to M.U.M. or be terminated. A Witch with no idea of her power and her Grandwitch who holds more secrets than the ocean's depths – together they must save a town from a vampire's madness or watch it drown in blood.

https://www.wattpad.com/story/306661739-m-u-m%27s-the-word-book-one-devout-disorder