Hide me (The Forced Diaries)

Chapter four

Chapter four.

An irritating noise wakes me up, feeling hungover I roll over to turn the alarm off, only for my hand to hit something soft and hairy, I open my eyes slowly to see two little black eyes staring at me. Heart in my throat I scramble to my feet as the rat squeals and scampers off into the corner where Alex is huddled up. "It's nice to see you awake Amira," Aragorn says from behind me I turn and see him through the bars, he looks fresh as a daisy. "How long was I out?" I ask quietly as not wanting to wake up the vampire in the corner. I pull the band out of my hair and comb it with my fingers, wincing every couple of seconds as I hit knots. "You've been asleep for three days, I brought you some water back from the mess hall." he crouches and rolls me a bottle of water across the hallway between us. "Thank you," I tell him while reaching through the bars of the cell and grab the drink. Pulling my arm back through the bars, the back of my hand touches the metal and instantly burns, I drop the bottle, thankfully on my side of the cell. I blow onto the back of my hand where blisters are already forming. f**k that hurt. "Mother f*****g shit." Alex's cursing has me turning to watch him trying to stamp on the rat, but it escapes through a crack in the wall. I giggle as he dusts his overalls off and he visibly shakes. "What? Those fuckers give me the creeps," my giggle turns into a full-blown laugh, he's so much bigger and stronger than that rat I always thought that vampires didn't have any fears. He watches me fascinated as I laugh, a slight smirk twitches the edge of his lips. I bend down and pick up the bottle and take a sip, I don't want to drink it too quickly as it will come straight back up, I can't remember the last time I had anything to drink.

"I saw what you did to Lee, good job," Aragorn tells me. I shrug, it was nothing apart from what he had coming to him, I wish I could have done more. "It was rather satisfying hearing the crunch of his nose, just wish I could have done a whole lot more than just a busted nose," I answer honestly. The way he picked me up as I was nothing, no I didn't like that, I didn't like that at all.

"What did they do to you in there?" Alex asks taking a step towards me, something crosses his features, a warning? Flashes of being on that chair cross my mind, Dr Emerald coming towards me with the needle and the pain.... breath in and out, don't panic. "I don't know" I shake my head. He places some fabric in my hands, I open it up and it is the same jumpsuit as theirs. "Roger one of the guards told me to tell you to put that on. He brought it last night while you slept, you're going to need to change before we go to the mess hall." nodding I walk into the darkened corner and begin to undress, looking over my shoulder I see that Alex has turned his back to me to give me some privacy. "Did this Roger decide to bring me any underwear?" I ask him, his shoulders tense up. Clearing his throat he replies, "No." I think for a minute and decide to go without, but I leave on the bra.

After getting dressed Lee came and took the whole row of cells consisting of thirty other prisoners with Alex, Aragorn and myself. They look malnourished, I know that supernatural beings burn through food faster than we can but if they are only giving a human-sized meal a day it does not surprise me that they don't look like they have eaten in weeks possibly months. Vampires on the other hand can last quite a while without blood until the hunger takes over and they become insane, but they can eat ordinary food, even to my dismay when I found out from Henry. We enter the mess hall through a doubled door that has heavy locks on it, the room is large. Up above is a ledge running against the side of the room, where the guards can walk along and keep an eye on us. The guards are all stationed with different weaponry in hand, their boots echoing above us as they walk in a co-ordinated fashion. I walk forward and join the cue for the food, my stomach rumbling softly.

I wonder what Zeke is doing right now, probably fighting tooth and nail to find me, God, I miss him. I miss the banter, the smiles, the constant comfort of knowing that your twin is always going to be there for you. Sadness envelopes me like a cloud. "What's got that sad look on your face?" I turn to find a man stood in front of me in the line for food. The mess hall consists of metal tables and stools that are bolted into the floor, cracked cement walls, and a whole lot of faces staring at me. Their necks are adorned with the same collar just in variant colours.

Gulping I turn back to the brown-eyed man in front of me, his hair is curly touching his shoulders and a beard that looks like it could do with a comb. "Just reminiscing," I reply while picking up a plastic bowl and spoon. "The names Lennox." the brown-eyed man says in front of me, nodding I reply "Amira." Alex nudges me forward with his hand across my lower back, Aragorn and Alex made me go in front of them in the cue they said something like 'being mortal and not having anything to eat the last few days is a means to worry' and shoved me in front of them. I would like to say that his hand on my back doesn't feel any different from somebody else doing it but it would be a lie, tingles run up and down my spine. The hairs on the back of my neck stand up as it feels like I'm being watched, I look over my shoulder and sure enough, everyone is still staring at me. "Ignore them beautiful, they are just trying to figure you out and intimidate you," Lennox tells me while going to the grated hole in the wall and places his bowl down, a troll runs the cook station. His spiky hair a bright red that glistens under the light as if a glitter bomb was thrown at him. The Troll looks down from his high stool picks up a ladle and pours something that resembles a lumpy soup into Lennox's bowl. My insides quiver at the thought of putting that in my mouth. I hesitate for a second to decide if the soup would be even worth it. I place my bowl down after Lennox goes and grabs a bread roll and a bottle of water.

"You're new." the troll says, his voice sounding like rocks rubbing together. "Leave her be, Toran." the troll opens his mouth to say something to Aragorn, his eyes widen in fright and he clamps his mouth shut. He quickly drops some soup into my bowl and shoves it toward me. What the hell was that about?

I take a step back from Toran the Troll, Lennox passes me a bottle of water and a bread roll to go with my very appetising lumpy soup, can you hear the sarcasm? "Come and sit with us," Aragorn says while walking past, his cone-shaped back bunching up in his jumpsuit. Alex waits for me to start walking and Alex and Lennox walk behind me with Aragorn in front like we had rehearsed this. I follow Aragorn past row after row of tables all sorts of supernatural's already digging into their food, some are more obvious unlike the others, some little fairies are fluttering around, and there's a table in the corner that has some type of bull demon with horns, I wouldn't like to get on their bad side, centaurs sat on the floor as they are too big to get in between the rows of tables. Also, chubby little goblins that have long ears and noses, they are sat at a table next to the one we are heading to, even with all these supernaturals here, do you know what they all have in common? They are powerless. The person who invented these collars are either smart or completely stupid, once they get the collars off, I know they will not give up until they are all destroyed.

We finally reach the table in the middle of the hall, Lennox on my right, Alex on my left and Aragorn across from me. "I think people were smelling me. I don't smell bad right?" I tell them, they look at one another and face me at the same time. "No, you don't smell bad, you just hardly have a scent," Lennox tells me with a slight smirk on his face. That would be due to the pill that the Allegiant make us take before we go on a mission, it masks our scent so we cannot be followed, only lasts a week max, but apparently, some supernaturals can smell through it if their senses are strong enough. I open my mouth to reply when the whole hall goes into silence, all three of the males at my table snap their heads around I look around Alex to see what is going on. Coming in through the door is a mountain of a man that has to duck his head to get in here, he's easily got to be 6,7" the guy would have over a foot on me, I would probably reach his ribs or something. His strong jaw covered with a beard; his hair is all tangled like he has been here for years. Golden eyes scan the room taking every single little detail in, like an animal searching for any weaknesses, or he's simply looking for prey. The difference between him and everyone else in here, he is wearing one collar and two bracelets, with chains attached to his wrists and feet, a guard behind him holding on to a chain on the back like a leash. The rattle of the chain's echoes around the room. Once he reaches Toran to get something to eat, the whisper of conversation starts up.

"What's Hunter doing here?" Alex says across the table to Aragorn, he shakes his head and replies, "I don't know. But I'm glad to see him." Are they all friends? A Strange group of supernatural's, usually they don't stray far from their own. I drink some water and listen to their conversation."They put him in solitary confinement, I am surprised these d***s decided to let him out," Lennox adds. I wonder where that is, I hope that solitary confinement isn't any worse than our conditions, actually, it most likely is. "Where is the solitary confinement?" I ask them. They look at me like they forgot I was here; Aragorn slightly blushes, which is cute. "It's on the fifth floor, not that many people get out once they go in there. The fifth floor is the lowest we know of in this place." Aragorn informs me. A bowl hits the table and makes me jump, I look up and up, at the never-ending sight of a man. The golden eyes of their friend meet's mine while he sits next to Aragorn on the other side of the table a smoky woodsy scent hits my nose. "How did you get out?" Alex distracts him from me, until his eyes are running all over me, not in he's checking me out. But more of what the hell I am, if I'm a threat. He looks at Alex again. "I went a little crazy the last few days," he says his voice a slight rumble with a Scottish accent and looks at me again. "Do I have something on my face?" I snap at him; he shakes his head and slightly growls in a warning.

"Oh, shut it wolf boy I've had enough of people looking at me like I'm a puzzle, just like Dr Dickhead." I exhale and drink some more water. "How did you know I was a wolf, human?" Am I delirious, did I smell the woods come off of him? My temples start to pound with my pulse, a headache brewing. "Amira you should eat, you haven't eaten in days," Aragorn tells me while keeping my eyes captive. I slowly nod and fill my spoon, I hesitate before I quickly put it in my mouth, it's not as bad as I thought it would be but my stomach sours and I feel like I am on the verge of being sick. I munch on the bread roll instead and push the bowl of soup towards the wolf. "Peace offering?" he looks from me to the bowl. "Also, my name is Amira not human" I add with my eyebrow c****d. "You should eat," he replies. I shake my head. "I'm not feeling so well, but honestly eat it don't let it go to waste." Lennox places a hand over his heart, grabbing my attention, "A woman after my own heart, maybe we should get married now and call our babies Hojo and Bobo" I grin at him shaking my head. I turn and keep watch of the guards around the room, twenty-six in total, each one changes their positions every three minutes. "Ha, dream on, my twin will kill you," I reply without looking at him still focusing on the guards, there is something not right with their movements, seems too coordinated and too on time, even for supernaturals. How am I supposed to get the tracker up another two floors? I turn to Alex, meeting his apple green eyes. "Please tell me you have that thing I gave you?" I whisper trying not to be overheard. He nods while pushing his empty bowl away, "I'll show you later." Lennox nudges me with his elbow gaining my attention,

"So," he says, cupping his chin in his palm as he rests his elbow on the table and leans forward. "Is this twin as hot as you?" he asks while wagging his eyebrows at me. The guards stationed around the room begin to shout at us to get into line to go back to our cells. I lean towards Lennox and the scent of lemons hit my nose. "Well, if you are into the whole sausage variety, then go for it," I tell him and tap his cheek twice before I stand up and get in line to go to my cell, Aragorn's and Alex's laughter following me. I can feel a heated gaze on my back but I ignore it.

I think today is my seventh day in this place, I've had four meals, and I was knocked out from that concoction the Doc injected me with, for three. That is if my calculations are correct, I don't know the travel time to get here, not even how long I was knocked out for. I have a lot of questions that need answering but I have to play it smart otherwise they will know that I am planning to get out of here, hopefully by the help from my brother, but I am not putting all of my eggs into one basket. The mess hall has had the same atmosphere every time I have gone in there, everyone still stares at me, I know my scent is becoming stronger and stronger and they are now finding out that I am a human. It doesn’t ease my mind one little bit, I am of the weaker race, physically at least. I just hope it doesn’t put a target on my back.

I sit on the cell floor once again, the dirt has even stuck under my nails now, I'm even immune to the smell. Sighing I try to clean my nails for the hundredth time. Even if Zeke did find me, would he have the manpower? Would he have the weapons? I huff to myself, of course they do, the Allegiant has all sorts of weapons, plenty of ammunition too. Alex had shown me that he had hidden the tracker in a crack in the wall, you can't even see it unless you know that it's there, I've kept it in the same spot for the time being until I know a solid plan to get closer to the surface. A guard who I have come to know as Roger is quite pleasant to be around, he's not like the others. He has soft eyes and a constant straight mouth like he doesn't even like doing his job. Roger bangs on the cell with the keys."Alex, come on. You've got to go and see the shrink." Who would have thought that they are worried about the well-being of the prisoners? Not me that's for sure. Alex walks towards the door oozing confidence."See you in a few," Alex says to me and walks down the corridor with Roger following him. It seems a little strange but Alex and I have come to an understanding, we keep our distance from one another, but every time we go to the mess hall, he always has his hand on my back. I'm starting to think he is losing it against his instincts, that deep down he wants to sink his fangs into my neck and drink until I run dry. He seems to be fighting some internal battle that I am unaware of; the scorch of his eyes has my hair sticking up on end, the intensity of them green globes, has me holding my breath. There is a hunger to them, either he wants to drink me dry, f**k me or both, but we are keeping our distance from each other.

"Just you and I now love, what's got your mind in a twist?" I look at Aragorn, both of our backs touching the wall facing each other his arms resting on his knees with his feet planted on the floor I on the other hand am sat cross-legged. "Just trying to figure out a plan to get out of here," I tell him honestly. I continue cleaning my nails, watching a guard walk past that I have never met before, there have been a lot of new guards lately, they all seem to be in a zombie-like state, apart from a select few. "I have a question for you Aragorn." I look him in the eye, the distance doing nothing to distract me from how beautiful they are. "Go ahead, ask. I'm a Fae, we cannot lie" sitting forward I rest my chin in the palm of my hand and elbow digging into my knee. "No, but you can twist the truth.” I smile, “It has slightly been bugging me, the day we met you told me I had a great imagination, did you read my mind?" I ask, he smiles softly in return. I hold my breath and wait for him to answer. I didn't think anything that would put a target on my back, did I? "Yes, I can." he replies my eyes snapping to his. "Is there anything I can do to stop that? Wait! you have a collar on, how can you read minds with that on?" I ask curiously. Is his faulty? Do any of them work? They have got to; I doubt any sane person or supernatural would let this continue.

"I can teach you, close your eyes and find a safe place that makes you happy, a place where you don't have to hide anything or who you are." I close my eyes and picture the gym with Zeke, his face comes into view, his wide-set shoulders and blue eyes meet mine, a tear slides down my cheek. "Very good, I'm impressed for your first time." Aragorn's voice from next to me has me jumping in surprise. He's no longer wearing his prison jumpsuit, he's wearing an all-in-one outfit, a Fae warriors' outfit, it's beautiful, with what looks like intricate designs on the inner arms and across his ribs. His topknot done without a hair out of place, his cheekbones and jawline are angled to well, ethereal. I however am wearing gym leggings and a sports bra, with my hair in a high ponytail. "For your previous question, they don't know I can read minds, they only know that I am Fae so the collar does not keep me from doing it. Each collar you see are different colours representing the magic they are muting. The silver is strength and speed, purple is for the witches, green is for the wolves, blue is for the Fae like myself, and blacks are for the demons, you won't see much of them here, most are either in the solitary confinement or they didn't get captured. Fae have always been secretive creatures, we can read minds but we don't tell anyone, which this secret has kept us safe for thousands of years. " I nod in understanding.

A golden dagger appears in his hand and he advances toward me, I take a step back for every one he takes towards me. " I would like you to do an oath with me, not to share my secret, all I ask is a few drops of blood from the tip of your finger." just a couple of drops of blood, my heart hammering I nod and step towards him. "Ok" I place my hand in his and a tingle runs up my arm, his skin is rather smooth but his fingertips are calloused. He pricks the end of my finger with his golden dagger and a bead of blood escapes, before I can pull my hand away, he puts the bleeding finger into his mouth. His eyes go vibrant for a couple of seconds, and then he pulls my finger away from his soft lips. "When you want to keep your mind blank, all you have to do is think of this place and strengthen the memory, that will stop unwanted guests from finding out all of your secrets," he tells me standing about eight inches taller than me. His eyes look into mine, maybe my soul with the intensity of it. I pull my eyes away from his but not before getting a good glimpse of his lips. Gulping I look at my brother, the memory image is uncanny, without any thought I walk over to him and wrap my arms around his stomach. I take in his scent of honey. Another tear slips down my cheek, arms wrap around my back comfort that I didn't know I needed had me sinking into him a little further, I look up to find Zeke staring me in the eyes. His hand lands on my cheek. "I will find you Maz, do not doubt that. I love you; I am so sorry for not answering your call." I turn my head to look at Aragorn. "Is this real? Or am I hallucinating?" I squeeze Zeke harder not wanting to let go. "Surprisingly this is real, maybe it is the connection you siblings have as twins." I exhale and look back at Zeke, putting my emotions to the side. "Ok, listen to me, we have been imprisoned in a supernatural prison, they captured me after that mission with Stone, do not trust anyone apart from Henry. We were set up from the get-go. I will somehow get the tracker to the surface as we are underground. Believe the tracker when you see it but only trust the soldiers that you can put your life on. Trust me Zeke you will see me again, I am too stubborn." I tell him. I am suddenly yanked out of my head as there is a loud bang calling me back like a warning bell. The bars to my cell are hit with something. Lee stands on the other side, "Do you sleep with your eyes open?" he says while scowling at me. "I don't know, I thought I would catch a look at that beautiful face before I get pushed again." I snap at him. He slightly growls at me from the back of his throat, "Doc wants to see you." he tells me before he grabs me by the back of the neck and shoves me out of the cell and handcuffs me.

"And here he goes pushing me again!" I say rolling my eyes, I can't wait for this guy to get what is coming to him.

I am once again led into Dr Emerald's office, the sterile smell irritates my nose and my gums itch for some odd reason. Lee once again lifts me and straps me in the chair in the middle of the room. "Why do you keep doing this to me?" I shout at the Doc; she walks forward and takes a sample of my blood. Today she is wearing a red blouse, black trousers and block-heeled boots. She places the blood into some equipment and then goes over to the computer in the corner of the room.

After a couple of minutes, she comes to stand at my side of me. "Your vitals are good, we can proceed," she says the last bit to the mirror in the room as if someone is stood on the other side. I don't think I noticed it the last time I was here, I need to be more aware of what is going on around me. Lee is stood in the corner of the room this time with his arms crossed looking bored.

Dr Emerald walks towards me, this time holding a syringe filled with green liquid, my heart pounds in my chest. My gums begin to itch and the uselessness that washes over me makes the anger burn in my chest, with my arms and ankles strapped to the chair I cannot do anything.

“Try not to pass out this time,” she tells me and injects the needle into my thigh, acid begins to spread up and down my leg, I clench my teeth as limb by limb they begin to ache. The Doc finally pulls the needle out once it is empty, heat spreads throughout my chest and my heart doubles its pace, my whole body feels like it's been set alight, and they have left me to die. My eyesight blackens at the edges as the heat spreads across my face and neck, burning every nerve ending and firing off new ones I never knew existed. I pull against the restraints screaming as my bones feel like they have been hit with a sledgehammer, my scream echoes around the room rebounding back to me the sound unfamiliar.

My right arm releases from its restraint, "Secure her!" the Doc shouts at Lee, he moves forward quickly and pushes me down by my shoulders, I pull my arm back and throw a punch as hard as I can while my back is to the chair, it connects to the left side of his face, his body collides into the wall and smashes glass shelves covered in beakers and vials. No way that was me, I look at my hand to confirm but there is no obvious answer apart from the blood. The Doc was stood at her desk looking at something on her computer now walks towards me and injects me with another needle, my head feels like its exploding, my skull feels cracked open. The pounding in my ears becomes unbearable, I hold my head with me free hand. “Motherfuckers couldn't have just left me alone!” I grunt at them through the pain. I’m airborne the next moment and placed over yet another shoulder, Lee I assume as the smell of cigars hits my nose and makes me cringe in disgust. “Get off me Dickhead!” I try to shout but my voice sounds hoarse from screaming. The echo of doors opening and closing around me, has me squinting to try and see what is happening.

The rumble of Lee’s chest shook my stomach on his shoulder. “you're going to solitary; I hope they teach you a lesson” Lee snaps at me. His voice like knifes to my ears, making my head throb harder. In better words, I feel like s**t.

“What have we got?” A male voice wakes me up, I must have drifted off due to the pain in my head. I look around the side of Lee’s back to see the talker. His chest and shoulders are huge, the top he is wearing is holding on by a thread. I can't see his face due to the angle I am dangling from. His uniform is different from the ones I have seen so far, theirs is all black instead of blue, is that to hide the blood? Or to not be seen in the shadows? The talker looks around Lee and his red-tinged eyes meet my blues, once I meet his eyes, I regret it. I know him. He works in the Allegiant; he earned the nickname Tank because he bulldozed through everything, he is or is supposed to be best friends with my brother. How could he betray us like this?