Crucible of Cain

CHAPTER TWO

CHAPTER TWOABBY

TWO YEARS LATER

DAY ONE

Abby’s head was pounding. She raised her hand to her temple and rubbed. What had happened? She slowly slit her eyes open, expecting to see her bedroom. The sight that greeted her had her snapping her eyes wide and sitting bolt upright.

Her eyes darted around. She blinked, this can’t be right, she had to be dreaming.

She was in a large room. It had gray concrete walls, floor, ceiling, and around the walls, there were doors painted black. They looked like they were made of metal. She raised her hand to rub it over her face and then froze, she was almost naked! She was only wearing her black bra and panties. As her mind started to clear, she realized; This was no dream, this was very real.

She went to lunge forward, to run, to do anything. And came up short. Black mental bars bared her escape. Swinging her gaze frantically around, she saw she was in a cage. It seemed to sit up off the floor. Black bars surrounded her on the sides and top. And the floor of the cage seemed to be made of thick wood.

Panicked, she started to scream. “Help! Somebody, help me!”

A voice comes out of thin air, echoing around the room. “Ah, you are awake. Time for introductions.”

She gasped. Someone was here. “Please! Help me!”

The voice chuckled, then turned cold. “No. And Yes. No, I will not help you in the way you wish. But yes, I will give you some help. Stop screaming. Loud voices get them worked up. Heed that advice.”

Abby’s heart was hammering in her chest. And her skin grew cold and clammy as sweat erupted then cooled. What did the voice mean about them?

She jumped and shrieked as the doors surrounding the room slid open. There was a grinding metal on metal screech that melded into a heavy groan. For a few seconds, nothing happened. Her eyes darted from one door to the next. Each one led into pitch-black holes, she couldn’t see anything.

Then, her hand flew to her mouth, to hold back a scream. Men, large men, were stepping into the room. One coming through each door. They had a thick metal cuff around one wrist attached to a hefty chain that lead back through the doors. The chains made a clinking, scraping sound as they were dragged across the concrete floor. They were dressed only in black sweatpants; their chests and feet were bare.

She tried to jump away from them. But her back slammed into the bars of the cage. Then she realized there was no point. There was nowhere to go, they were coming in from all sides. Her breath came in pants, her heart painfully slamming into her breastbone. Her eyes darted from man to man. Some were yanking at their chains trying to get closer. But the chains were short, it had stopped them about ten feet from her cage. She trembled as they strained to get to her, snarling and growling. None were under 6 feet tall, and they were packed with a couple of hundred pounds of muscle. Scars crisscrossed their bodies. They were a terrifying sight.

But, there were two. Just two. That stood above the rest.

They were the biggest, at least 6’8, 6’9, and they were beyond massive, they were giants. Muscle layered upon muscle, each one defined and cut. Their skin, like the others, was covered in scars.

They were also the calmest.

The one to her right had black hair shaved close to his head, and his eyes were dark as night. He didn’t struggle or fight. He stood, head up, his eyes boring into hers. Then the side of his lip curled up, and his eyes shone with pure lust and malice.

To her left was the black-eyed man’s opposite. He stood with his hands at his side. As his fists clenched and unclenched, the muscles in his arms and shoulders rippled. His massive bare chest rose and fell as he took in deep steady breaths. He had golden blonde hair, shaved at the sides and longer on top. His head was lowered, but he looked at her through the hair that hung over his forehead. She gasped when she saw his eyes… Oh, those eyes! She had never seen anything quite like them. A pale, but vibrant blue, they locked onto her darker blue ones and held. Unwavering.

Her gaze jumped from the blonde to the other men. The others were not only smaller, but they were more animal than man. They snarled and lunged at the end of their chains. These two, they were beasts as well, but they seemed more intelligent. More… human.

Slowly, the chains started to retract, pulling them back toward the doors. The others fought, growling and digging in their feet. But not these two. The black-haired one took slow steps backward, holding the malice and lust filled smirk on his face. She turned her head to the blonde one and met his eyes again. His nostrils flared, and his jaw clenched, he took a step back, then another and another. The whole time he kept his eyes locked on hers.

Once they were back inside, the doors slid closed with a metallic screech and a final thud.

Then the voice was back. He chuckled. It was the evilest sound she had ever heard and raised goosebumps all over her clammy skin. “What is it about curvy little blondes that get’s their motor running?” Another chuckle. “Oh well, I prefer a raven-haired girl myself. But, each to their own.”

The voice sighed. “Well, you’re popular, I knew you would be. And it seems you have picked a Champion, good choice. Cain is an excellent fighter, and he doesn’t break his toys as often as the others do. You have a fair chance of survival with him.” Another chuckle. “Well, until he loses a fight, of course, can’t let him keep his toys if he doesn’t win. That’s bad training, that would reward bad behavior. Well, that was if he survived a loss.”

There was a sound, like he was drawing in deep on a cigarette or cigar and then slowly letting it out. “But, well, maybe he is not the one you want. Let me guess, it was those eyes of his. Yes, always so deceptive. But, if you ever get close enough, you will reconsider your choice.” He laughed. “Then again, if you get close enough, it will be too late for you to reconsider. It will be over for you. Ah, but what is the point in talking about choices anyway? You may have picked a Champion, but it is not you who decides. It is them. You will go to the winner, if Cain wins, you will go to him. If he loses, he will die, and you will go to the one that lives. I suspect who that will be, you have already met him, the black haired one. Demon.”

Abby’s mind spun. She squeezed her eyes tightly shut and took in a slow deep breath. She had to stay calm even if every instinct in her body was screaming in panic. The blonde was Cain, and the black haired one was Demon. And…. She would be given to the winner? Her eyes snapped open. The winner of what? She shouted out to the empty room. “Where am I? What do you mean, Give me to them? What do you want from me?!”

The voice came back. It was ice cold and sent a shudder through her body. She had detected a slight accent before, maybe Eastern European. But, when he spoke now it thickened and added more venom to his words. “First, you address me as Master. And don’t you ever forget that.”

She found herself nodding her head out of pure fear. That voice, it held all the evil that she could conceive of. If the devil had a voice, he sounded like this.

“And I want nothing. The fighters, however, want you as their toy, their mate, whatever you want to call it. As for where you are, it is an island a long way from anywhere. If you are thinking of escaping, I can assure you it will never happen. You are here, you are the prize, accept it as there is no way out. Well, until the winner breaks his toy, then I’ll have to discipline him, and replace you…”

A chuckle echoed around the room again like this was one huge joke. She bit the inside of her cheek until she tasted blood. She would not cry.

“Now, pay attention. The winner of each round gets a turn with you, it encourages them to fight harder. I suggest you be a good girl. They can get a little rough if you don’t play nice. And, once we have a Champion you are awarded to him permanently. The first round will be in seven days, so get comfortable. Demon won the last one and his toy is nearly worn out... I’m sure he will be fighting very hard to replace it.”

It sounded like he took a sip of something, then the same drawing and exhaling breath as before. Yes, he was smoking. An image came to mind and anger bubbled up in her. She pictured a vile man, sitting in an expensive chair, smoking a cigar and sipping on wine as he taunted her. She balled her fists in her lap.

“Are you paying attention, girl? You should be. It’s seven days before the first match. In that time, the fighters will train, and you will be living with them.”

She gasped, and her hand flew to her mouth. She shook her head, he couldn’t mean…

The voice…. Master… laughed. “No, they won’t be able to get to you. Well, unless I change my mind, that happens sometimes. You will be in your own cell. They will be able to see you, to smell you. I have found that to be an excellent way to get them fired up. Let them see what they are fighting for, what they are killing for.”

Another sip, another drawing breath. “Understand this. They are big, dumb, fighting dogs. They train, fight, kill, and die. And one more thing, they f**k. This is where you come in, you are motivation. They will tear each other apart and you will be the survivor's prize.”

She shook her head. No, she wouldn’t accept this, she had to get out of here.

“Now, is that finally clear? Or do I have to explain it again, or in another way for it to sink in? You are a prize, they will fight and kill to win you. Then, they will f**k you. Pretty simple.”

She kept shaking her head. No, no, NO!

He sighed. “I don’t think you are dumb, I think it is the shock. I hope you remember my words, I don’t like to repeat myself.”