The Cost Of Finding His Luna

CHAPTER 2

Having been bruised and battered into oblivion the night before, Vanessa waved back into consciousness as pain gripped her ribs. Her midnight black hair was all dry and frizzy and her sleepy and hazel blue eyes glistened in the hazy room. She raised her head and scanned her surroundings. It was all gloomy as the tiny source of light poured down from the high window of the high-ceiling room she found herself in.

She could feel the burning sensation coming from her body as it was all heated up due to the high temperature of the room she was in. She could feel the stimulation of the twitch that came from her arm as she tried raising it, but it wasn't responding, until she realized her hands were tied behind her back. She tried to loose the hard rope to free herself from the discomforts but all her efforts were in vain as the rope was too strong for her.

Furthermore, She adjusted her legs and switched her sitting position, to numb the pain she felt from sitting on the floor for too long.

She couldn't bear the pain any longer as she forcefully tried to free her arm from the hard rope again and again, but all to no avail.

Then, it dawned on her.

She had been kidnapped.

She scowled, trying to figure out how she got there and how she was going to find a way to get out of the place. Suddenly, her attention was drawn to the dusty, gigantic chandelier that beamed white lights, her heart gripped with fear as her hazel eyes adjusted to the new extremely bright beams.

Then she heard voices coming from a direction, one that made a sudden chill run through her, sending shivers down her spine. She could feel her body shivering like the winter leaf as the voices became louder as she hinted that they were approaching her direction.

Suddenly, the fragile door was badged open as a huge figure scanned through the room before settling on her.

“Finally, you are awake, Ms Arcadia, nice to meet you,” A masculine voice said loudly and sarcastically.

She flinched her head trying to get a clear view of the figure who had mentioned her last name, but her gaze was blocked by her dry and frizzy dark wavy hair that spread on her face to her shoulders serving as a barrier blocking her view. She couldn't make use of her hands to adjust her hair since it was tied behind her, so she shook her head which waved off the hair to a side as she got the view she wanted.

She gazed directly at the figure, which she was convinced was male, as he announced his presence, her gaze fled up as she stared at the group of men behind him, she noticed they were armed with rifles which spread a new wave of fear, as she realized she was their target.

The figure had short black hair and strong visible cheekbones, he was all dressed in black with a ribbon tied to his arm and so was the rest of the men behind him.

The figure approached her direction and went down, low enough to her level as she tilted her head to the side to avoid his gaze. She could perceive the smell of cigarette coming from his body as it went straight into her nostrils.

Suddenly, the figure violently gripped her neck, so tight, that it pressured her larynx and windpipe to fail.

She ceased, her throat hurt, making her break into a cough. He immediately released his hands the moment he realized it was becoming unbearable for her.

He gazed at her face with a look of disgust. “I know that look of distress when an entity meets a higher power,” the voice said as he laughed hysterically.

She skimmed her memory trying to figure out who he was and why he had kidnapped her but nothing was adding up. But she could tell he was the one who had ordered the men behind him to kidnap her the previous evening.

“Why am I here???” Vanessa asked, her voice trembling.

The figure’s face darkened with anger as she watched him rise. “She wants to know why she's here?” the voice replied sarcastically as he looked straight at her face “Well, that's a good way to start, now that you are awake, we can finally know why.” he continued.

“You are such a beautiful woman, so young, and filled with the abundance of life, with each passing day I grow hungry for vengeance, for what your father did to me,” he said as he wheeled in a smirk

She was gawked in bewilderment as she skimmed her brain to pick the words that were pouring out of his mouth, but she didn't seem to get any related memory of what he was talking about. It only brought more aches like a puzzle yet to be solved.

She trembled as she raised her head watching the figure go down to her level again. From what she had seen, she was certain that he was the leader of the gang, his rumpled face and visible circles rounding his eyes indicates that he was in his late forties or was probably above it.

“What do you wh… ” Her voice ceased once more as she broke into a cough again— one that only made her captor even angrier this time.

“Ooh, she looks exhausted, not in the right frame to give her the information she longs for..” She watched as the figure stood, centered in the middle of his men.

One of his men approached her as he battered her with a cold bucket of water which made her shiver as she wobbled in fear. Her clothes were worn out as the water wet her curly hair.

“You look thirsty, Do you want some water? The man said as he laughed hysterically. He opened her lips voluntarily and forcefully poured the remaining water down her throat, with the rest of them joined in laughing.

“Now back to where we started,” the leader said, gritting his teeth as his brows quivered, his expression showing that of anger. He grabbed her by the neck again, he squeezed it strongly this time as she coughed, her breath coming in a shallow gasp.

“STAY OFF ME, I'VE DONE ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO YOU” She thundered, as the water seemed to have given her some strength and energy.

“You shouldn't be here if your father hadn't taken what belonged to me. He killed my son and you are about to pay the wage of his sins.” The voice uttered.

“My father? I don't know him, he wasn't part of a huge chunk of my life” Vanessa exclaimed. “Who are you?” she asked, her voice trembling.

“Hmmm… you wanna know who am I?” The voice laughed hysterically, “Does the name Rufus the Menace ring a bell? he asked.

Vanessa raised her head in shock as it dawned on her that she was in the presence and captivity of the most notorious mafia kingpin in the whole of North America.

“You have to free me, I haven't done anything to you!” Vanessa yelled in annoyance.

“If I can't find your father then you will be the one to pay for his sins” his voice chainsawed through the silence.

“I told you, I know nothing, this is already hell for me” Vanessa yelled as tears dripped down her cheeks. “Just…. Let me go!”

Rufus' expression darkened as he rasped, “Hell? It's not hell yet until I squeeze the daylight out of you. When I am finally done with you, you will wish for death” he mused with a devilish grin broadly visible on his face.

“Not again??” Vanessa exclaimed, shocked, as her fears awoke from their deep slumbers.

“Boys! You know what to do, right?” He said, a wildfire burning in him, Rufus commanded his group of men to torture the life out of her. She cried out in pain, as the group of men descended on her.

She was beaten again, her eyes were heavy as storms of veins struck at a part of her head, her body was sour and weak and her energy was running out rapidly, as she had no means of defending herself. The pain was now in waves as the kicking and punching traveled on every part of her body.

She couldn't bear it anymore she collapsed to the side of the floor with her hands still tied behind her. The kicking and smacking had weakened her so badly that tears trickled down her cheeks endlessly. Her consciousness waned slowly as her leads crashed down.

When was she going to be free from the hands

of this men??

When would a savior she had prayed for come to her rescue??

When??