Trapping the Gazelle

Chapter 7

"It's time to wake up pet." Kiera heard a familiar voice that sounded distance as if from the other end of a tunnel.

She felt tired and weak as she tried to raise her head, but her chin fell back on her chest. Even the act of opening her eyes drained her of any strength as she breathed heavily in exhaustion. When she opened her eyes an darkness greeted her vision. There was an odd metallic smell in the room mixed with dampness as a chill ran through her body.

"Ah," Spoke a male voice in an English accent, "Very good pet. You do listen to instructions."

'I know that voice.' Kiera thought as panic rose in her throat.

As her head cleared of the fog that clouded her mind, she flinched back from the voice, feeling cold sweat break out over her body. Her breathing quickened and she felt her heart beating hard against her breast. She tried to move, but something restrained her arms and legs. She yanked harder, crying out in frustration and fear.

'I can't free myself.' Kiera thought as she yanked hard hoping that she could free herself. The restrains seemed to tighten as she pulled at them.

"Calm down kitten," The voice of Raphael spoke again, and a hand pressed down on her shoulder, "We will begin shortly."

"I'm dreaming," said Kiera trying to breathe out slowly to calm herself down. "You're dead, I saw you die." Kiera moved her eyes from side to side trying to see past the darkness.

"Do you really think you are dreaming, pet?" Raphael chuckled as Kiera felt the hand squeeze her shoulder hard enough to make her cry out in pain.

Kiera then felt a hand brush by her face. She flinched as she felt something like a cloth removed from her face. Bright lights stabbed her in the eyes. She closed her eyes tightly grimacing in pain from the lights. Slowly she opened her eyes blinking to adjust to the bright lights.

Scanning the area, she discovered that she was in a cinderblock room with pipes running along the walls. Then it dawned on her. She was in the basement room at Victor's house.

'How is this possible?' Kiera thought breathing rapidly feeling panic rise up in her again, 'I have to be dreaming.'

Kiera tried to stand up, but she felt the restrains hold her down. Looking down, she saw her hands and legs tied to a metal chair. Scanning the room, she tried to see if she could find something to free herself. She froze in horror as her eyes fell upon the familiar body of Marcus. He was lying in a pool of blood grinning at her with large hole in the center of his forehead.

"He has to be dead." Kiera told herself loudly as bile rose up in her throat, "I must be dreaming."

"Still think you're dreaming, kitten." Raphael asked her. She heard his cooing voice from her right side.

Kiera tried to keep her head still, but for some reason it wanted to see who was to her right. As she turned, her mouth opened in silent terror and her eyes went wide with horror. Gazing down at her was Raphael. The man who had tortured her in this basement, not for answers, but also for fun of torturing someone. What caused her to scream in silent terror was the bullet size hole in the middle of his head where Sandra had shot him. Her whole body shook uncontrollably as she yanked at the restrains again.

"Like the new addition to my looks." Raphael laughed.

Kiera paled and felt sick as he stuck a finger in the bloody wound up to the second joint and moved it around while smiling. Kiera watched as he pulled out the finger and slowly wiped the bloody finger across her cheek. Kiera found her voice and screamed at the top of her lungs as she felt the finger wipe the hot sticky blood across her cheek.

"Wake up Kiera!" She saw Raphael say, but it was in Ryan's voice.

Slowly the basement room faded as if made of smoke. Her vision blurred and then came in to focus with Ryan leaning over her. She heard someone scream and realized it was her screaming. Her arms still felt restrained as she pulled against the bonds. Kiera moved to her side trying to break free. She felt the restrains loosen as she pulled herself free. Kiera quickly pushed away from Ryan who looked like Raphael. She sat up in bed and put her face in her hands and sobbed as tears streamed down her face. Oddly, she could still feel the blood against her cheek.

"Kiera," Ryan said soothingly and Kiera felt a hand light touch her on the shoulder where Raphael had touched her, "Are you alright?"

"Don't touch me!" Kiera shouted flinching away from his touch as if in pain. Kiera's body shook in fear as she continued to cry.

Suddenly she felt sick. She abruptly stood and dashed into the bathroom. Pulling the toilet seat, she vomited into the toilet. She heaved so hard she thought she might have broken a rib. Ryan pulled back her hair from her face as Kiera's stomach heaved again and pushed everything out of stomach.

"Kiera are..." Ryan tried to say, but Kiera cuts him off.

"Just...give...me a moment." Kiera said between shuttering breaths, "I just need a moment." As her stomach clenched and she dry heaves.

"Ok," She heard Ryan say quietly, "I'm right here for you."

Kiera closed her eyes, took deep breaths using meditation to calm her breathing and heart. 'It was just a nightmare. It was not real." Kiera repeated slowly.

She felt Ryan rubbing her back slowly. She coughed a few more times and her eyes when wide when she opened them. In the toilet mixed in with the vomit was blood. Kiera quickly reached up and flushed the toilet, hoping that Ryan did not see the blood.

'Maybe I cut the inside of my mouth?' Kiera thought, but knew that a cut lip would not leave that much blood.

Kiera slowly lifted her head and looked over at Ryan. She noticed him watching her with deep concern and his face pale. She turned as Ryan held out his arms. Exhausted, Kiera fell into them crying hard as his arms embraced her. She felt Ryan rocking her slowly and holding her tightly. She felt him run his fingers through her damp hair, which soothed her. She felt cold and shivered while kneeling on the cold tiled floor. Kiera realized that her nightgown was soaked through from her sweat.

After a moment, Ryan whispered into her ear, "Are you feeling better?" He kept his arms around her trying to keep her warm.

"I had a nightmare, but it felt so real." Kiera whispered as she kept her head against his chest.

"You don't need to talk about it." Ryan answered.

"No, I need to talk about it." Kiera said, "I was in the basement and that man who tortured me, Raphael was in the room." She felt Ryan arms tighten around her as Kiera sobbed, but she took a deep breath, swallowed and continued. "He had a hole in the center of his forehead, where Sandra had shot him." Kiera shuttered at the memory.

"How long have these nightmare been going on?" Ryan asked slowly.

"Ever since that day, when we were separated," Kiera answered letting out a deep breath, "I had them almost every night. I could only sleep for a few hours and then I was up the rest of the night. The doctors gave me sleeping pills, but I hate being on any kind of medication. I used to mediation to fight back the nightmares, but this one was different."

"What do you mean by different?" Ryan inquired.

"Beside having a hole in the center of his forehead, when he touched me on the cheek with a bloody finger." Kiera said shuttering, "It felt real, I can still feel it." She sobbed loudly again.

'Why was this one so real.' Kiera thought as she touched to cheek expecting to feel blood, but the only thing she felt was wet tears on her cheek, 'This is the worse one yet.'

Ryan rocked her again and soothed her. "Did you see someone about the nightmares?" Ryan asked as he kissed her damp forehead.

"At first I did, But it sometimes difficult for a psychologist to talk to another psychologist." Kiera sighed, "We can talk to each other, but we know in the end that we can only help ourselves."

"Why did you never tell me about the nightmares?" Ryan asked and Kiera heard a slight tone of hurt.

"I did not want to worry you and I thought they were over with.' Kiera said lamely.

"It scared the living hell out of me. I could only hold you down as you thrashed about. You stared at me in horror. I did not know what else to do." Ryan said with a scared tone.

"I'm sorry Ryan," Kiera snuggled against Ryan wanting to feel his warm body against hers cold body, "I really thought they were over with. I guess you want to leave me."

"Kiera," Ryan said abruptly and lifted her chin, so she could look into his serious eyes, "Don't you ever dare say such a thing. I will never leave you. I will wake up every night to comfort you through every nightmare. I will always be there for you Kiera."

Kiera moved up and kissed him hard as she cried. Ryan held her tightly and kissed her back. After a moment, Ryan pulled back from the kiss and grabbed a tissue.

"Your nose is bleeding," Ryan said with concern, "Are you feeling okay?"

"I get them sometimes," Kiera replied grabbing the tissue and holding it to her nose. "My doctor said it must be the climate change affecting me."

"Let's get you in the shower and warmed up. You feel ice cold." Ryan said changing the subject.

"That sounds great." Kiera said and stood as Ryan helped her up.

Kiera said she would be all right and started the shower.

Kiera awoke, turned her head to look at the clock. She felt dumbfounded seeing that the clock read ten o'clock. She never slept in this late. Turning her head, she saw that Ryan laid in bed awake as he watched her. Smiling she moved up close to him and lying her head on his chest as he folded his arms around her. She shuttered lightly and Ryan tightened his grip around her as she remembered the nightmare from last night.

After she felt in control of herself from last night, Kiera took a shower realizing how soaked her clothes felt. When she finished her shower, her heart skipped a beat in love form Ryan. Ryan had changed the sheets and placed a new nightgown with undergarments on the bed. Smiling she redressed and kissed him.

"How are you feeling?" Ryan asked yawning.

"Tired," Kiera replied and her eyes felt puffy, "and exhausted."

"Do you have any appointments today?" Ryan asked as the stretched.

"One," Kiera yawned, "Around 4 o'clock."

"Do you think you could cancel the appointment?" Ryan inquired, "You look really tired."

"I wish I could, but the patient really needs to talk to me." Kiera said stifling a yawn.

"Well you should rest for a while longer, while I get you some breakfast and coffee." Ryan replied.

"Mm," Kiera moaned lightly, "I'm really hungry and I could use some coffee."

"Your wish is my command, love." Ryan said.

"Good," Kiera replied closing her eyes, "Go now and bring me breakfast in bed." She giggled and smiled as she moved from Ryan chest to the pillow. She knew everything was going to be good.

She felt him sit up as the bed moved and heard him chuckle, but that is all she heard as she fell back to sleep.