Bás (completed book 6 of the blood moon saga)

17

I stopped thrashing, and Instead I sucked it all in and I could feel my lungs burn painfully. I wondered if they blistered like my skin. When he let me up for air I just looked to the roof as he pushed me back under and slowly I started to drown. Black dots clouded my vision and soon there was no more pain, no more panic, just darkness.

—

I woke with a sharp pain in my chest and I could feel my lungs empty of the stinging liquid. I felt it force its way up my throat and out of my mouth. I gagged on the taste and vomited more up. I was laying on the tile floor, the tiles were cold on my blistered skin. It felt like I was burning from the inside out and I just wanted it to end so I closed my eyes and hoped sleep would take me.

"You f*****g killed her!"

"She needed to be cleansed. She is cleansed now. When she stopped fighting, that means she's clean."

"No, it means she died. You're lucky I could bring her back to life!"

"Doesn't matter she is clean now"

Steven replied to Patrick.

"Yeah and now covered in bloody blisters, who wants to touch that?"

Donny sounded pissed. Not that I died but that I came back blistered and burned

"I'll touch her now that she's clensed"

I felt someone grab my foot and trail me from the room. I could feel the blisters burn and rub painfully against the uneven wooden floor, felt them tear and pull, most likely bleeding now too. I kept my eyes closed that first time where they took turns. I didn't react, I didn't say a word. I just lay there with my eyes closed praying it would end soon but I'm not sure how long I sat there. How much time they spent with me all I know is it was hell.

——-flashback ends——-

I shuddered at the memory. Then I thought about the letter? They said I'd suck d**k for a smoke? I never did that? I never had a choice in the matter, the only thing I remember doing was debating internally if fighting it was worse than a beating.

But it never mattered, they would just beat me until I was unconscious and use my body like a rag doll after. I mostly preferred that unless they threatened me with the knife. A hot knife is a terrifying thing and will make you do stuff you never imagined you would do.

The other 2 didn't use the knife they preferred there fists. Steven was a mentally ill psychopath and anytime I was alone with him I learned quickly to do what he said or he would brand me with that knife. Make me suffer like you couldn't imagine. I remember at the start when I was so stupid and tried to fight him. It didn't take me long to learn that no matter what I did Steven was sick and he enjoyed what he did to a degree that I wouldn't ever be able to imagine.

———flashback———

He threw a toothbrush at my face.

"Strip and clean the floor with that"

I shook my head. I was still wounded from the last time he cut me up.

"Do it or I'll get the knife"

I closed my eyes at the shame. The guilt that I was giving in instead of fighting. The fear of what he will do to me when I'm naked.

When Steven is around it's best you stay in a corner out of his way but today he was being particularly cruel. He had already beaten and raped me now he wanted this. If I didn't do it I know he would use the knife.

I trembled as I took my clothes off my body, unable to move fast with the gash up my side but he was impatient and growled. Walking to the kitchen to retrieve it. I pulled my clothes off faster than before and started to scrub the floor with my toothbrush. I hope the other 2 get me a new one. I hated not being able to brush my teeth.

He walked around me and watched me as I cleaned the floor and I flinched when the door opened. I didn't dare look up as I heard a sadistic laugh at my expense. I continued to scrub the floor, even when they poured sugar all over it cutting into my knees painfully bringing tears to my eyes.

All I was doing was brushing it a tiny bit at a time, unable to move too fast from the pain. My knees started to bleed as the tiny sugar particles dung into my skin and ripped me up teeny tiny pieces at a time.

"May I go to the bathroom"

I whispered as loud as my voice could go.

"Yes"

I try to get up but I feel a foot on my back

"On your damn knees"

I nodded and started to crawl to the bathroom. Everything hurt but as I got to the door and tried to pull myself up

"I said on your damn knees"

I shook but nodded and crawled the rest of the way to the toilet then I pulled myself up to do my business. When I was done I stood to wash my hands but Steven grabbed me by the hair and dragged me out of the room.

"How many f*****g times do I have to say it! On your f*****g knees! You you will be punished"

He threw me to the floor in a ball and I cried as my knees hit the floor with a bang. I heard the gas going and the rattling of culturally and I closed my eyes terrified of what he was going to do.

After a minute he pushed my body to the floor and climbed on top of me and pulled my feet back to him then I felt him cut down my foot, I felt as the blade sliced through my foot like butter and I felt the heat of the red hot knife branded each foot.

"You won't f*****g listen so now you can't walk even if you try"

I scream at the pain. There was no holding this scream in, it was just too painful and I know I won't be able to walk again for a while. After he checks his work and pokes and prods it making me scream harder he lets my foot drop and gets up.

"Good. Now piss off I can't stand the sight of you"

I scurry off to my room on my knees. I stop to get shorts and a T-shirt and climb into bed and pull on my clothes. I grabbed wound dressings from the box beside my bed and wrapped my feet up after cleaning them. The pain was so bad but if I didn't do it nobody else would. It was a small luxury to be able to dress my wounds but either way it hurt like hell.

———-flashback ends———

One after the other my flashbacks hit me one at a time. Repeatedly hurting my soul and trapping me in my own mind. I could see in front of me but I couldn't focus on what I saw. Numb to everything around me.

———————

Ardens POV

it had been hours since the letter arrived and Fay was completely out of it, every time I got into her head the horrors of what I saw her go threw made me retreat quickly. Gran had arrived but even she couldn't stop this so she had called for reinforcements and we were now waiting on Sophie to.

"We need to cut off the memories it's the only thing I can think of doing?"

I frowned and shook my head

"You can't do that! As bad as it all is, it's part of her and who she is! If you do that you could change her personality!"

Gran's face softens and he runs her hands over her eyes looking very tired, granda pulls her into his arms.

"I understand that but she's trapped in her own mind. She's reliving it all and feeling the pain. I don't know what else to do and I'm scared it's going to damage her more"

"I understand that but this is her choice. A choice she has got to make. Is there a way you can get me in there? Make me apart of her memories? Make her aware that I'm in there with her?"

Gran frowns and taps her chin then rings someone. Granny Caron's voice appears on the line.

"Mum, can I send someone into a memory, so they become part of it? And the person who's dealing with the memory is aware of their presence?"

They talk for a while as I continue to try and talk to fay, everyone is here and worried sick. They all love her and hate what has happened to her. Even Paul, the baby of our house, has taken a great liking to her and wants to be her personal guard when he leaves school. They have fun together. Although I'm always by her side I'm never away from her unless I'm training and even then she's at the side watching.

Sometimes I will have an important meeting but she's always in the room next door watching tv. But I didn't mind Paul hanging around and making her laugh. They had a connection and it was clear he was her favourite new little brother. Gran cleared her throat and pulled me from my thoughts.

"Yes we can do it but we are going to need help, Caron is bringing me some voodoo juice or whatever that stinking blue s**t is and it's going to take a lot out of everyone. We are all going to need to take turns. So I will need you all ready to jump in. Anyone that's willing to do this needs to know you will feel her pain like you are there and when you are you will need to fight her battle for her because in her head she's human. Every memory you go into you need to slay the dragon. Basically kill them and let her know she's safe. It could take all night and it's going to be tiring so if your up for helping stay"

I looked around the room and I was happy to see each of my family members step forward to help. Mum, dad, aspen, Paul, Luke, Zander, grandpa. All were ready to fight and get her back to me.

Gran told us Sophie, Brian, Megan, Noah, James and Lola were all coming to help too. I was so proud to be a part of this family especially at this moment.

10 minutes later Caron arrived and talked through the process with gran. I would go first. Nerves settled in my stomach as I prepared to deal with the hell that my beautiful mate went through. Gran said she might not recognise me in the memory but if I kill the men and stop her pain it will help change the memory so just save her and leave.

Gran grabbed my hand and squeezed it for good luck then I closed my eyes and I could feel myself being pulled into the flashback but this time I wasn't looking at it from fays POV, but instead I stood there in the flashback as me.

——flashback——-

I lifted my hands and it felt so real and unusual.

A sharp pain down my back woke me out of my daze and I surveyed the area, the pain hit me over and over again and if I wasn't so focused on finding her I'd probably collapse in pain.

I heard her screams from a room down the hall so I followed it and watched as they whipped my beautiful Fay with a belt buckle and a long whip. They had her tied to the bed on her stomach. Tied tightly from her arms and her feet. Her back was bloodied and torn to pieces and I could feel bile rise in my stomach. But then her eyes met with mine and panic took over as she stopped screaming and looked at the men.

They turned and looked at me funny. Confused. Before they could ponder anymore I took the belt from one of their hands and wrapped it around Steven's neck and I pulled him to the ground so fast the other 2 couldn't react. I took them both by the throat and ignited my hands burning through them and letting their lifeless body fall in a heap.

When that was done I turned my attention to Steven. I untied Fay first and I could see how afraid she was

"It's me Arden? Can you remember me? I'm not going to hurt you, I'm here to help you. Do you want to kill Steven or do you want me to do it?"

She looked so confused and I could see she wanted to talk but couldn't out of fear.

"I know it feels like there is acid in your throat stopping you from talking but I promise you I'm not going to hurt you. I'll kill them all to protect you"

She bends her head slightly looking at me but never saying anything. Steven fights with the belt to get out of it but it's tight around his neck. I yank it tighter, pulling him to me.

"Do you want to kill him"

Her eyes scanned his and lit up slightly and she nodded. She pulled on her clothes and waved for me to follow her. I dragged Steven with me. He was starting to turn a little blue but when I made it to the kitchen fay was by the cooker heating up a knife.

When it was red hot she lifted it and took it with her to him. She ran the hot metal down his cheek and he screamed in pain. He screamed bloody murder as she branded him with the knife. She ran it down his throat and chest but by then it had cooled down and she went to move to reheat it but I ignited my hand. She studied it for a minute then heated the knife and continued to burn Steven.

When she was done having fun she took the knife and slowly slit his throat and smiled as the blood pumped out of him slowly. She even smiled and waved at Steven as he died. When he was dead and she was safe I stood back and smiled at her.

"I will never let them hurt you again. I will kill them all. I'll kill an army to keep you safe"

Recognition passed over her features as I was pulled out of the flashback with a gasp.

———flashback ends———-

I was shaking like a damn leaf. Trembling and exhausted. I looked around the room to my family who all watched me worried.

"It worked but you need to not touch her. And I let her kill one of them that made her happy. Just tell her I won't let them hurt her again and I'll kill them all, I'll kill an army to keep her safe."

"I'll go next. You need coffee son"

Mum said to me taking my place, she was right that was exhausting. I excused myself after I kissed her cheek and went for a smoke.

——————

Baylees POV

Arden had finally found his mate and she was such a sweetheart. Just to know her was to love her and how anyone could hurt her amazed me. She was loved by us all and we were worried sick about her now. She was just like another daughter and she made Arden so happy. She had come along so much over the past few months and she was turning into an incredible Luna. She just needs time to heal.

So to see her like this is heartbreaking. To see her look so broken, to feel the pain radiating off her was awful and if I hadn't had a vision of her happy and healthy in the future I would be genuinely worried about her and to be honest after what i've been told by mum and Sophie I'm not going to like what I see in her head.

I take a deep breath and smile to caden. He will be with me because he can see everything I can see but we are unsure if he will be able to participate. I nod to mum and she grabs my hand and smiles

—————flashback—————-

"I told you on your f*****g knees you slag"

I turned and gasped. Blood all over her back and bum, kneeling in a pool full of shattered glass and blood. Tears streaming down her face and pieces of glass were embedded into her skin.

Then the tanned man pushed her back down with his foot putting his full weight on her back so her front would be covered in glass. I could feel it as it cut into her painfully. I could feel the weight on my back.

Donny the one we have captured stamped a cigarette out on her back making her scream. The black man seemed to enjoy this and he did the same with his then lifted a red hot poker from the fire and stuck it to her side. I could feel it like he was doing it to me.

I was frozen on the spot, unable to move from the shock of what was happening right in front of my eyes. I would scream but I would kill her in her dream, not that death might be better than this!

"Shut her up!"

Donny looks at the tan man. He takes his dirty sock from his foot and stuffs it in her mouth and it tastes rank, rank enough to shock me into doing something as the tan one pushes it into her mouth and tries to stick it down her throat. I grab him by the back of the hair and throw him to the floor in front of the fire.

They growl and get up to come after me

"Submit!"

I screamed at them all, Fay's eyes widened as she looked at me. I pulled the sock from her mouth and helped her to her feet. She clung to me desperately not saying a word just staring at her 3 abusers on the ground with their necks bared!

"Do you want to kill them fay?"

Her eyes darted from where they kneeled to my eyes. I could see a glimmer of hope on her face. She nodded and pulled a T-shirt from the ground and pulled it on cringing as the material stuck to her wounds.

How she ever survived this as a human is beyond me. It's sick what they did, what they subjected her to. She grabs the hot poker and he walks up to the tan one and sticks it to his throat. He screams as it burns through his flesh and into his neck.

She pulls it out and does the same to the other too but stopping at the black man and stabs him in the eyes first but when he opens his mouth to scream she sticks it down his throat. She hurt them for a little but when she started to sway on her feet I gave her a knife to finish them off. She slit their throats and turned to me and clung onto me like a lifeline.

"Remember that Arden loves you, he won't let them hurt you anymore. He will kill them all. He will kill an army to keep you safe"

She furrowed her brows as I smiled and waved then I was pulled back into reality

———-flashback ends————

Paul's POV

I'm not really sure why I was so fond of my new sister, I just know that she was nice to me and treated me like an adult instead of a baby. She was funny and she seemed to feel the same about me. I was definitely her new favourite sibling and she was definitely mine.

I watched as Arden, mum, dad, aspen, grandpa, Luke, Zander, Brian, Megan and James all went into her head. Each one came out crying, unable to speak of the things they had done to her.

I was going to go after Lola. Gran was exhausted and Sophie had taken over. Everyone seemed tired but she was so lost in her head. So lost in the abuse she suffered and we needed to get her out. It was bad enough she went through it once she didn't need to be in a constant loop.

I was secretly hoping my charming good looks and funny witty remarks would jog her memory and pull her out but I wasn't going to get my hopes up, the one thing everyone did say was she was starting to recognise us so that was good.

I took a deep breath and nodded to gran and soon I was pulled into her reality.

—————flashback—————

"GO f*****g JUMP OF A CLIFF YOU SADISTIC BASTARD"

I snorted at her only to stop and gasp at the sight. I pulled off my T-shirt with the intention of giving it to her.

"f*****g do it you slag"

A black man punched her in the face, she was naked in the corner. Her face was so swollen it was unrecognisable and anger pumped through me like never before! He held her by the hair as he punched her again. He had his trousers down and I knew he was trying to force her to do something.

I marched straight up to him and kicked him in the stomach. He fell in shock. I threw her my T-shirt as he tried to pull his trousers up and fight but I kicked him in the knees making him fall on his face. I stood on his back not letting him up and making it difficult for him to breathe.

"Fay this isn't real. You're stuck in a memory and I'm here to help you out. My name is Paul and I'm your new little brother. Can you remember me?"

She looked me over.

"Your married to my brother. He won't let them hurt you ever again. He will kill them al—"

"—he will kill an army if he has to?"

She said quietly. I grinned at her and put my hand out, she grabbed it and pulled herself up.

"How are you here?"

"We have all been in your head all day, everytime we come and you kill them and change your memory. And it's working but you need to try and fight your way out. You don't belong here, you belong at home with us your family. Now kill him so we can leave"

She looked at him then lifted her hand and it ignited I grinned

"What the frickin f**k are you aaaaah"

The man screams, she smiles and brings her flaming hands to his neck and breaks it. The screaming stops and she looks at me smiling.

"I'm ready to come home now"

She took my hand again and I sighed and closed my eyes and I felt the world around me shift.

———flashback ends————

Fays POV

Flashback after flashback pledges me all day but soon the burden of them got lighter and lighter, like it was disappearing or changing. I wasn't sure but I was starting to feel a lot better but I still couldn't find my way out then one of my most favourite people in the world appeared in my head. Little Paul although he hates it when I call him that.

He explained what was happening and I knew he was right and suddenly everything warped and changed and with a gasp I was back in the tv room surrounded by my family all of whom had puffy red faces. I didn't even get a second to adjust as I was tossed on the sofa with arms around me.

"Sister! You did it! I did it! I got her out! Haha me! I did that"

I chuckled and pushed him of me

"Get off you little s**t you're squishing me!"

"Oh sorry"

He pulled back only to be pushed out of the way by Arden who took his place and lifted me into his arms.

"I've been so worried! How are you? Are you ok?"

"Yes I'm ok. Thank you all for what you did. I feel different and more powerful now that I know they are just memories. And if I fight hard enough I can change them to make me feel better. Thank you all"

All of a sudden everyone was around us hugging us. I giggled and laughed as they all tried to hug me. That is the moment when I really realised that if my father is dead I will be ok. Iv dealt with it this long and with these people who love me I can do anything. I'm invincible in their arms.

"I love you all"

"I love you all too!"

Everyone replied at the same time making most of us giggle

"Ok let me go now I need to smoke"

They all let go and started to disappear into the dinning room. I sighed in happiness as Arden lifted me from my seat and carried me to the outside patio furniture and stuffed a smoke in my mouth. Paul snuck out after us checking the corner for his mum then lit one up to and sighed in happiness making me and Arden chuckle

"Such a chicken s**t little brother"

"f**k you, if it wasn't for Fay you wouldn't have the balls to tell her you were smoking to so don't b***h to me about being a chicken when your 25 and still terrified of her"

He had a fair point. Baylee was scary, the only people she didn't shout at was me and aspen. We were her girls and her girls never got in trouble.

"Let's face it boys, the only ones who wear the balls around here are us women. When we meet you, you all tend to castrate yourselves and hand them right over"

I said giggling away as Arden scoffed at me then started to tickle me

"Take that back you b***h"

I screamed and jumped on his knee and ran to the dinning hall with both of them chasing me. I ran in giggling and jumped behind mum and aspen who smirked at me.

"What did that smart ass mouth say now?"

I snorted and laughed as Arden walked in with his arms crossed and a smirk on his face.

"Ok big balls you want to share your theory with the room"

I tried to stop laughing but I can't. I just crack myself up so much. Sophie reaches out for me and then pulls away cackling.

"Let's face it boys, the only ones who wear the balls around here are us women. When we meet you, you all tend to castrate yourselves and hand them right over"

Every woman in the room howled in laughter as the men's jaws went slack.

"Oh you're all dead. Boys I think it's time to throw them in the pool"

My eyes widened as all the men got up. We backed out of the room slowly and as soon as the door opened we ran like f**k with them all chasing us. Most of them were caught straight away but as some of the boys cornered me and aspen I froze.

Thea

Didn't think this one threw did we?

Me

Nope.

Just then Sophie came screaming across the lawn and leaped on Noah knocking him to the ground

"RUN"

We took off running grabbing Sophie on the way and the boys started to round us up like sheep. Each step pushed us closer and closer to the pool. As we got to the edge and they zeroed in I had an idea. It was bad and I really shouldn't do it but there were a lot of us girls and we were all about to get really wet. I turned to them all and winked at them and they gave me a sly sideways look.

Just as the boys reached for us, Arden had me in his arms and I started to scream and thrash like I was having a flashback shocking everyone to a halt giving all the ladies including myself time to move and push them all in the pool.

I started to snort and laugh with the girls as Arden looked pissed!

"Fay you can not yous a damn flashback to win a war!"

"I really am so sorry but somebody had to save them all and I am there queen after all"

I smirked and winked at him then took aspen by the arm and skipped back inside with the rest of the woman. The men all laughed and I hoped they would forgive me for using my problem to win a prank war.

I felt like a different person. Like I was invincible and I felt more like the person I was before all of the abuse, and even before dad was sick only now on top of it I also felt safe.