Demons of Abyss - Retribution

Chapter 2

Elea

The sweat film on my skin just makes it more realistic. I hate my body for still reacting with fear to the memory and for every time I instinctively place my hand on the bulging rise above my ribs. The scar from a bullet that one of the guys fired at me when I was able to free myself. I almost died. Almost. That's why the scar reminds me that I can't let fear stop me. The only feeling I can allow is hatred. Hate keeps me alive. Hate makes me open my eyes every day. Hate keeps me waiting for revenge. Hate is all I have left. Hate and what's left of my family. And one part of that family is pounding on my room door right now. The muffled noise only makes my head buzz more. I shouldn't have gone to the club last night. But when I heard the demons were settling in Avondale on their way through, I couldn't help it. I was hoping it was the Denver chapter, but it was the men from Topeka. Although the chance was slim that the person I loathed so much would show up, I was still disappointed.Once again, Uncle Bear's voice roars through the old wooden door."Elea, if you're not done in ten minutes, I'll never train you again, do you understand?"

Shit. He wants to take away the second most important thing in my life. My training. The only meaningful occupation to achieve my goal.'Five minutes. 'I hurriedly jump out of the squeaky wooden bed. I take my hair band from my wrist and tie my long black hair into a braid. I reach for a white tank top and my black sweatpants, which are in my closet. Somehow, while I put on my socks and shoes, I manage to brush my teeth. Immediately after that, I tear open the door and make my way to the training room.Normally I would have enjoyed the view of the beautiful courtyard right in front of my room, but today I messed up and have to hurry.The huge house has a beautiful construction. It is rectangular, but in the middle, there is a large open space with a blooming oleander in every corner. Besides, I can see all the other doors from my room door. Especially my grandpa's, who always watches me suspiciously because he doesn't want me to train for that purpose. That's why he hasn't spoken to me in years. He's like a stranger to me.I walk along the long balcony, down the stairs and head towards the wide door. I couldn't bear it if Uncle Bear took away my training. I take a look at my black wristwatch. Just a minute. With verve, I open the door to the training room and am greeted with an annoyed hum of Bear. Next to him is Ben, my cousin. He's Bear's son, and he took me to the club yesterday. While I didn't touch any alcohol in there, he poured everything that was high-percented. Which is why I think it's unfair that he looks so fit and I feel like a run-over skunk. Ben's like a big brother to me. A brother, which I would have had if the demons hadn't taken everything from me fifteen years ago. At that thought, I clench my hands into fists. Bear seems to be able to interpret my feelings. He always has.

"Someone is in a worse mood than me."

I try to give him a mocking smile, but I am distracted by Ben's laughter. How can he be so happy? Yeah, I know, he didn't have to see what I saw when I was five. He didn't have to grow up with the constant feeling of having to do something. To kill someone. In the worst way, my mind will allow it. How many times in the last fifteen years have I imagined what it would be like when I finally got a chance at justice?I'm moving towards Bear and Ben. Ben, that i***t still smiles as I take a stand next to him. Bear makes his way to the big blue shelf, in which he keeps the training equipment. Ben uses that distance to whisper something in my ear."We're going to get in a lot of trouble. Bear knows we left yesterday. "Damn it, I knew I'd was risky. I was convinced that I was ready to sneak away without attention. But Bear is my teacher. He taught me everything. My martial arts. My skill. I learned practically everything from him, and he probably wouldn't be my teacher if he wasn't better than me. So I can imagine what's coming. This training is sure to be harder than usual. He's going to torture me until I'm about to throw up. Even if it is sick, I welcome it. Because it's the only way I'll be ready for my revenge. I need to be better. Faster. More ruthless. Cold. If I have to, I'll give my life, but not before I slit those monsters' throats.I nod to Ben, who has shaved his dark brown hair and try to get a cheerful smile. Somehow this day will pass.

"So, you night owls. If you're still hanging out this late, you can make ten rounds, can't you?"

Shit. I knew it. It's gonna be hell to get through ten rounds against Ben. But it's not impossible. I press my lips together and nod to avoid annoying Bear any more. Ben, that lunatic is shaking his head. If I were him, I'd rather not mess with a grim bear.

"Dad, she'll never make it through ten rounds against me."

All of a sudden, Bear's brown eyes are on Ben. A smile rests on his lips as he strokes his fingers over his three-day beard. I'm upset that Ben underestimates me. I'm fast. Because of my stature, which is athletic due to the training, I am more agile than Ben, who has more muscle mass.He's getting sluggish because of this muscle mass. Angry, I elbow him into his ribs, which coax him into a gasp.

"Nobody said Elea was going against you?"

Suddenly a loud bang catches our attention. The door of the training room is pushed open. I take a deep breath when I see the big guy coming towards us. His face is stony. I've never been able to judge him. He hardly talks. All I know is that he showed up here a few years ago and rented a room in the basement. But I've never seen him outside the training room. And from what I've seen, I'm sure he's practising his fighting technique outside. I heard rumours that Joe hired him to take out some ex-members for him. They wanted revenge on Joe and the rest of his family, including me, because they thought he destroyed the club. The Shadows, that was the name of the motorcycle club, of which my grandfather was the President, the boss. But everything went downhill after the incident. Especially my grandfather. Joe, as the others call him, dissolved the club after the death of my mother, his daughter. His few loyal followers have stayed with him and work in the auto repair shop a few miles away. Others, those who did not understand why my grandfather would do such a thing because of a loss, wanted revenge on him, which Kilian was rumoured to have prevented. The rest of the members have moved to a neighbouring town and try to continue the club life there. I've asked Joe many times why he did that, but I never got an answer, so I gave up. Just like he gave up trying to talk me out of my revenge. He tried so many times, but I couldn't stop thinking about what they did to my parents.Ben's voice next to me pulls me out of my mind and catapults me back. Right in front of Kilian's face, on which a scar stretches from his left eyebrow to the left corner of his mouth. His light blue eyes look at me curiously.

"f**k, Dad. You can't let her fight Kilian?"

Ben strokes his hand over the shaved head and looks down at me with his brown eyes worried. Now he's out of amusement.

"Ben, shut up and make sure my machine is ready in two hours. Get out of here."

Bear makes it clear to him that he shouldn't go too far. And Ben knows it. However, when he wants to protest again, I take him at his word.

"Ben, leave it alone."

I put my hand on his shoulder and press gently. I don't want him to get in trouble. I know he's just trying to protect me like a big brother would, but I don't need special treatment. I need to get tougher. I have to be able to endure pain.Reluctantly, he nods and gives Kilian a devastating look, who does not even wiggle an eyelid. Then Ben makes his way to the door. He turns around one more time before finally disappearing and closing the door behind him.All I hear is Bear's voice. If I'm not mistaken, there's a pain in it.

"Kilian, don't be considerate. She's not going to get any special treatment from the motherfuckers either. So do what those assholes would do."

Now I'm sure I'm not mistaken because on Bear's forehead, there's a deep crease of concern. I know, in his heart, he's a caring, loving man. But I begged him to train me. I begged him to make me strong. I was the one who wanted them to train me like a man. That they don't treat me like I'm a fragile thing. That's what I wanted. Just like the fights without gloves and other protective measures. Because if I face the murderers of my parents, I won't be able to fight with gloves and protection. My revenge will be bloody. For me and the motherfuckers. I know Bear's just trying to help me. He wants to make me strong so he doesn't have to worry. So I'm getting ready to fight Kilian. With the intention of not letting Bear down. I'm going to make those ten rounds. Even if I lay in bed injured and in pain for a week afterwards.I put myself in a fighting position, but I didn't see Kilian's first blow coming. He hits me on the chin and my head swings to the side. s**t, that hurts more than Ben's punches. Then I hear Bear yelling at me to watch my cover. So I'm concentrating. I manage to dodge Kilian's next two shots and land a hit with a kick in his side. A growl from my counterpart tells me that this punch has sat.Five minutes and two more strokes from Kilian later, Bear stops the first round. My lip is bleeding and my side aches, cause Kilian's Kicks are merciless. I run to the water pipe, rinse the blood off my lips and have a few sips before Bear summons me to the mat for the next round.This game is going on for another six rounds until I can barely breathe. But I can't give up. I've only got three more rounds to go. Not only do I have bruises all over my body, Kilian either doesn't look as fit as he did before our fight. That, and the fact that the demons won't be considerate, drives me. So I bumble back on the mat after wiping the blood off my face for the seventh time. My left eye is already so swollen that I can hardly see anything. But also in Kilian's face, there is a dark blue stain above his eyebrow, where I caught him earlier with my elbow.I put myself into battle again, but Bear comes to the mat and looks at me."I think that's enough, Elea." I see concern on his face, but I don't want to disappoint him. I don't want to disappoint myself. And I don't want to disappoint my parents either. So I shake my head and let him know I'm going to go through with it. I'm not giving up. Never.Bear slips his fingers through his black hair and leaves the mat, shaking his head. I still notice an angry hum when Kilian goes to the punch. I duck under his fist and take the opportunity to punch him in the ribs. He's staggering and I'm kicking sideways against his knee.

My punch knocks Killian to the ground. I quickly jump on him from behind and put my hands around his neck. With my feet, I clasp his waist to have more strength. I grab my elbow and squeeze as tight as I can. I hope he gives up. But he won't refuse. He gasps. He raises his hand and I think he's giving up, but he drops his full weight on me. The air is being squeezed out of my lungs. Due to the impact and its weight, I have no strength in my hands for a short time, which Kilian uses as an opportunity. He turns around and puts his hands around my neck. He hesitates, but then I see something in his eyes. He closes his eyelids for a moment and then that feeling is gone. Now he's got determination on his face. His fingers are squeezing and cutting off my breath. His weight is on me. I try to knock his hands off with a trick Bear showed me, but I can't. Kilian is too strong and I'm running out of strength. I gasp. I can still hear Bear yelling to "Give up", but I can't. I must be able to free myself. I wind myself under Kilian, trying to raise my back to give me more space and to put him out of balance for a moment. Whatever I can do. Then I try to slap my hands against his throat. But my hands are too short and Kilian reacts too fast. I still hear Uncle Bear yelling at me to turn down now, but I keep fighting. Until my gaze finally blurs and I am wrapped in darkness.