A Sinister Betrayal

CHAPTER 5

RIO

The guard led me to a room where a maid stripped me down and bathed me thoroughly. She took her time brushing my hair and dressed me up in a white evening dress.

Conflicting thoughts crept into my head. I tried to think of an explanation for what was happening.

General Jolt must have come back to his senses and seen the wrong in what he had done. He was going to ask for my forgiveness and we would put this ugly misunderstanding behind us.

But first we had to get Dido out of the dungeon and get her treated. She wouldn't survive another night in that cursed place. That was the first thing we were going to do. Get dido out.

The maid led me to a door, knocked twice and walked away. A few seconds later, the door opened and the man that betrayed me stood there with a warm smile on his face.

"Come in. Please." He bowed, stepping aside.

I was right after all. Everything was going back to normal. Thank the heavens!

"General — " I said as I entered.

My words died off as he shut the door and locked it behind him.

Something didn't feel right. I noticed the big bed, scented candles burning low on the stand, and the complete silence in the room.

I turned around to stumble into General Jolt's big arms as they swung around me. He smelled of aftershave and nicotine.

"What is this?" I gasped, fighting to wiggle out of his grip.

He was too strong. The dampeners were off and I could feel a fraction of my wolf powers had returned.

I focused my energy on the tips of my fingers and released it on his chest. He heaved away, slamming against the wall with thundering force. The whole room shook from the impact. It was like an earthquake.

I ran to the door to trying to open it but the keys were gone. I wasn't strong enough yet to take down the door. I needed an hour's rest to get my strength back.

"Where do you think you're going, you b***h?"

I turned just in time to get hit across the face. The slap sent me across the room. I felt like I had been hit by a bullet train. The ringing in my head dulled my senses.

He picked me up by my hair and ran his fist to my side, knocking the air out of my lungs.

I coughed painfully as tears stung my eyes. I fought back the darkness threatening to enclose me.

"You obnoxious, self-absorbed child. You will do as you're told." He said close enough to my ears that his hot breath fanned my neck, making my skin crawl.

He tossed me on the bed as I tried to get my strength back. One hand held me down as his other hand ripped away the dress piece by piece like it was made out of paper.

I pushed my fingers into the hand holding me down and he yelled in response.

"Why you — " His fist came down on my chest.

I felt my heart stop for a brief moment but it continued beating. I was sure I would die then and there, but one thing I knew was that I wouldn't let him have his way with me. He'd better be prepared to f**k a lifeless corpse.

His hands moved along my thighs, riding what was left of the dress up to my crotch. I could feel his finger edging closer to my panties. I can't let him. I just can't.

"Stop." I muttered weakly.

My eyes glowed red and a burst of strength filled my body. It was adrenaline and Detri.

I grabbed General Jolt's arm and broke it easily just below his elbow. The sound of cracking bone excited me especially when his painful screams followed. Yes. Scream you bastard.

Sitting upright on the bed, I was about to pull his heart out when he pulled out a pendant that weakened me completely.

Detri cried out inside my head and my insides felt like they were on fire. My bones turned to steel and liquified over and over. It was the worst feeling ever. It was unimaginable.

"Arrrrgh." I cried out. "Make it stop. Please make it stop."

General Jolt grabbed my neck and squeezed hard. I felt his hand slowly extinguish the life out of me. I didn't have any strength left to fight.

"Please." I wheezed. "Please, I want to live."

My chest felt like it was exploding. A pulse beat slowly in my head. Slow labored thuds. Please. Please stop it. I want to live.

General Jolt's satisfied smirk flashed in my face as my eyes fluttered for a few seconds. The pulse ticked silently.

And then it stopped. Everything stopped.

****

She woke up feeling a heavy pain in her chest. She didn't have enough strength to scream. She turned to her side on the cold wet ground to take a look at the empty space.

She isn't back yet. Something is wrong.

Dido knew she was dying. She could feel life slipping away from her, yet she worried about the Princess.

"Guard." She called weakly, her voice barely over a whisper.

"Guard."

"What is it!"

The guard's voice was too loud. Her head felt like it was going to explode any moment.

"Where is she?" She gasped for breath. "Where is Rio?"

The guard laughed. The sound of his laughter cut deep into her. He was mocking her even in her condition. "Worry about yourself. Besides, there was never a Rio to begin with."

Dido knew. She knew from the moment she woke up.

She touched her pendant with hands that had no strength left in them and muttered the incantation she had learnt from her mother. If she was right about Rio then it would work. If she was right, they would both get what they wanted; revenge.

Dido breathed her last, a shrill grin on her cold pale face.