Smoke and Mirrors
Chapter Six: Sticks and Stones

Sapphire Ragna Nightborne

I groaned as my eyelids fluttered open and my vision cleared. I tried to move but only winced as my skin burned the moment I stretched my hands. I looked at the shackles of silver that bound me, swearing to the heavens when I looked down to see my legs. Of the two things it had to be wolfsbane I was invulnerable to, it just had to be the rare plant instead of the ridiculously easy to obtain metal. I was strung up with my legs and arms bound to a wooden frame, I snorted to clear my nose as they were once again assaulted by the metallic scent of blood, this time both new and old.

I looked around as I surveyed my new home. Bloody handprints covered the walls of my new residence like wallpaper, deep scratches decorated the wall as if an animal had been trapped here and had desperately tried to get out. My new floor was covered with teeth and nails, both of the human and wolf variety. I moved my right arm experimentally, ignoring the sharp burns that felt like fire had replaced the blood in my veins and let out a sigh of relief, happy that it healed. A weak draft of air graced my mid-section and I looked down to see that someone had fitted me with a set of black undergarments. My new clothes were tight and cut into my skin. I could not help but smirk at the contrast between my grime covered skin and the clean garments. However, the amount of skin exposed made me uncomfortable as I had been a warrior long enough to know the reason for why so much of my skin had to be out in the open.

I had been in a position just like this before many years ago, so I decided to survey the surroundings in hopes of replaceing a way out. My peaceful frame of mind was interrupted by the door bursting open, slamming against the wall as the son of the Devil decided to make his grand entrance.

“How are you doing? Feeling better, all nice and healed up?”

I snarled as I saw this monster walk in front of me, his faux concern angered me, he walked in and acted as he if he did not just order the slaughter of an entire pack. His sheer arrogance reminded me of the Hunters who locked my kind up, they were mock and parade themselves in front of us as they knew we were helpless.

“I never had the chance to introduce myself, Damien Black, Alpha of the Black Blood Pack.”

Oh did I know who he is, there were few alive who didn’t, his family’s history was known throughout the pack’s and was told to little children to scare them. His family name was one many refused to speak of and was the subject of furious debate between Ryder and I. To everyone he was the ‘Son of the Devil’, the man who decided to take on his father’s title, after killing him first.

“Suits you. Black just like your sad dark lonely heart.”

My remark was met with a slap in the face that made me feel as though some of my teeth had been loosened. I glared at him as I ran my tongue over my teeth to ensure that they were all where they were meant to be. It was probably not a good idea to anger the man who I knew was going to torture me, but I had never been good at holding my tongue. This resulted in more than one punishment in the past, so I stopped caring after the fifth or sixth beating.

“Now now darling, I suggest you mind your tone.”

Like I said, I had no control over my tongue, I retorted with words which I thought were excellent choices due to the situation at hand. He kept silent as he reached his hand to touch my face, his face moving closer to mine. He yelled in pain as my teeth clamped down on his nose, he stumbled backwards after he managed to wrench his nose away from my teeth. I expected him to rage and storm at me, but he remained calm and simply took a cloth out of his pocket to staunch the bleeding.

“That was not nice darling, now you’ve forced me to punish you.”

He stepped close to me, his nose bearing the marks of my teeth. With two fingers he imitated a walking motion my arm before grabbing the elongated nail on my index finger, I did not bother to struggle as there was no point to it. Disgust flooded me features as he blew a kiss towards me before pulling. Blood trickled down my arm before dripping to the ground, joining the various shades of red. No scream left my mouth, I had withstood torture that made this look like child’s play, I was not going to let go of my pride for a mere fingernail that would grow back in less than an hour. I could feel the pain course through my entire being but did nothing besides dig my nails into my own skin to remind myself of all the times I had to control my pain.

“Does it hurt, child?”

Tears welled in my eyes as I looked at the silver coins placed neatly in a row on my arm. The skin around them was burned and blistered. My silence caused my torturer to press the coins deeper into my skin, my nails elongated and dug into my skin.

Just distract yourself from the coins, Sapphire, don’t let them break you.

“I asked you a question. I expect an answer or is this too simple for the Lycan…”

“No... I feel nothing.”

“Interesting…I think it is time for further testing.”

I opened my eyes when I heard Damien humming, my claws still remained deep in my skin.

“Pretty long, for a girl.”

I watched as this monster examined my claw while running his fingers over the length of it, he paused his actions before turning to me with a grin on his face.

I was not going to lie, he was easy on the eyes and had power that would have drawn many women to him like moths to a fire. His smile was one that girls would kill to be directed at them, but I was not like other girls, I could tell the smile of psychopath no matter how handsome the face. He was ugly, ugly on the inside and rotten to the core.

I was ripped from my thoughts by a hand grabbing my chin and using it to jerking me forward.

“You know princess, I never wanted a mate. You just show how love can weaken an Alpha but sweetheart, that is not going to happen.”

I scoffed although I knew it was true.

For centuries when an Alpha found his or her mate, they would have to give part of their power to their mates to establish a balance in the relationship as both needed to lead the pack together and in most cases, the mate of an Alpha was not from a dominant lineage and did not have the power to wield over the pack. It was rare for causes such as mine when a wolf with a strong warrior bloodline bonded with an Alpha. How lucky am I?

“I don’t want your power or anything to do with this pathetic excuse of a pack!”

That got me another slap in the face, the metallic taste of blood soon filled my mouth and I knew just where to spit it out.

I laughed as I watched his eyes, the blue now raged like the ocean during a storm, as he used his sleeve to wipe his now blood and spit speckled face, my laughter died down though when his baritone one joined mine. He reached a hand to my face and I clenched my jaw as he slid a clawed finger down my cheek just stopping at the corner of my lip, my tongue became reacquainted with the metallic tang of blood as it slowly made its way from the cut to the corner of my mouth before leaking in and violating my taste buds.

“This fire you have might be beneficial to me in the future but first sweet, I am going to tame you, I am going to break you till you beg me for death and maybe, just maybe I will give it to you.”

I watched as he walked to open the door, letting in three men each carrying a heavy-laden tray covered by black cloth, the sterile smell you would usually smell at the Healer’s invaded my nose.

He pulled the black cloth to reveal gleaming silver instruments that I knew all too well.

“Like them? I got them cleaned just for you.”

“I. Am. Honoured.”

The coward took a pair of thick gloves from his men before he skimmed his fingers across various instruments, holding up certain ones, caressing each lovingly, all while humming to himself as he were just choosing fruits from the market. To busy myself I thought of ways to kill him, getting him quartered by horses… killing him by a thousand cuts… the possibilities were endless. I was fine with anything as long as it got the job done slowly and painfully. I paused my train of thoughts when his humming did, he slowly held up a black leather whip with shards of silver protruding from its entire length, I watched as he let it run across his fingers lovingly. He turned to me with a wicked grin on his face.

“Shall we start, darling?”

Bring on the pain Damien, you won’t hear a sound from me.