Bound By Vows, Torn By Hate

The

Chapter 4

“I… I will never go back on my words,” Sebastian growled through clenched teeth while trying to bear the intense pain that was coming from his stomach and likewise the bruise from his body.

James scuffed as he caressed the sharp edge of the axe while staring down at Sebastian with a predatory intensity. “You chose your own fate,” James hissed, his lips curling into a malicious grin as he took hold of Sebastian’s leg.

With a single, fluid motion, he hauled Sebastian aloft leg, raising it upwards as he also raised the axe to the sky.

Aggressively, he launched the axe towards Sebastian's toes, but then, a scream erupted from Charlotte's mouth.

“Noooooo!” Charlotte screamed in terror, unable to properly compose herself.

With a swift motion, they all turned their gaze around, staring at Charlotte whose scream happened to draw the attention of the young men with armed weapons.

Without asking any questions, they lunched towards Charlotte, stepping out of the woods and approaching her with a predatory intensity.

“I… I didn’t mean to…”

Before Charlotte could complete the stuttering words that had rolled out of her mouth, James all of a sudden cut her off. “Why are you here?” He questioned with his voice as cold as the winter snow.

Charlotte gulped down a mouthful of saliva as she continued to take little steps backwards. “I… I just happened to be passing by,” she squeaked, her voice raw with fear while stream of tears coursed down her cheeks.

Despite the fact that the men haven’t hurt Charlotte and neither did they try to threaten her, she still felt scared by their cold gaze.

James scoffed. “How long have you been standing here?” He inquired with an arched brow and the light from the street lights made his face visible to that of Charlotte.

The man seemed to be in his mid-twenties and he was on a black trouser and a black long sleeve while beneath his feet was a black shoe.

He also has a crew cut hair but his entire clothes were drenched with water which was a result of the heavy rainfall.

“I… I just arrived here,” Charlotte stammered, more beads of tears streaming down from her eyes as they wet her cheeks.

James companion scoffed, gently slamming the gun on his palm. “Do you know who we are?”

Quickly, Charlotte began to shake her head sideways, almost as if she was compelled to give a quick response.

Pfft!

James sighed, diving his left hand deep inside his trouser pocket as continued to firmly hold the axe in his right hand.

The man with James wore a pair of black trousers, now splattered with mud and blood, and a white shirt also stained with blood from the brutality of his work.

He has bald hair and he carries a more dangerous aura than that of James.

“You interrupted our fun,” the man sneered, his voice oozing contempt. “The only way that we are going to let you live is by having s*x with you.” He spat coldly, his icy gaze raked over Charlotte’s form, lingering on her curves with a predatory gaze before he flicked his eyes toward James, a silent command for him to seize her.

Charlotte immediately felt the ground opening, almost as if it would swallow her whole.

Within a minute, she felt confused, scared, dumbfounded, suffocated and even lifeless.

James began to walk towards her as his companion stood still, prompting Charlotte's heart to literally beat ten thousand times per second. “Please…please don’t kill me,” Charlotte sobbed, her hand outstretched in a pleading gesture.

James smirk. “You seem like a girl who is going to taste so good while I ride her,” James said in delight.

Charlotte whose chest was rising and falling in fright decided that the only way for her to survive was to turn around and run with full speed.

Charlotte sniffed, swiftly pulling her hands back and using them to swipe away the tears that now mingled with raindrops on her cheeks.

Her breath came in harsh, frantic gasps, her heart thundering in her chest.

“Oh dear, I promise we won’t hurt you.” James cooed, his voice honeyed with deceit.

As he closed in, he stretched out his hand towards her, but Charlotte swiftly turned around with full force, as she began to run.

*Bang!*

The loud sound of a gun suddenly shot the head of one of the men.

The shot rang out, a sharp crack that echoed through the alley. James didn’t hear it.

One moment he was striding confidently towards Charlotte, oblivious to the danger, the next, his head snapped forward, his body crumpling onto the ground.

James immediately became lifeless.

Charlotte spun around at the sound of the gunshot, her eyes wide with shock.

Her heart was pounding so hard she could barely hear anything else. She stared at the scene, frozen in horror.

“Who the hell did you…”

The companion of James turned his gaze around to glance at where the gunshot came from, but before he could complete his phrase, a bullet was being pulled to his middle head.

‘Boom!’

“Arrrrrghhhh!”

Charlotte screamed out in fear as she quivered while jolting from her rooted position.

She immediately felt immobile as she watched the man from the woods sluggishly make his way towards her.

The man was wearing a white shirt and a black trousers which had been stained with blood.

As he walked beneath the streetlight, he tossed the gun on his grips over to the woods while stretching his hands towards Charlotte, trying to calm her down.

“I…. I won’t hurt you.” He purred, taking small measured steps toward Charlotte. “I promise not to hurt you.” He added with a calm voice.

Charlotte gulped down a mouthful of saliva as she nodded her head.

Despite the trauma of the moment, Charlotte didn’t see the man as a threat. He was no longer carrying any weapon and his appearance seemed trustworthy.

In her mind, he wasn’t someone who would harm her.

Besides, he had gone through a lot in the hands of James and his companion.

Trembling, Charlotte remained still as he closed the distance between the both of them.

“I promise not to hurt you.” He whispered in a calm and reassuring voice.

Without hesitation, Charlotte nodded her head, as if compelled by some unseen force.

With a disarming smile, he clasped Charlotte’s wrist, giving it a reassuring squeeze. “Don’t be scared,” he soothed.

But just as quickly, his demeanor changed, his grip tightening painfully on her wrist as he wrenched her arm, taking her by surprise and pulling her over to the woods.