Ruby Rising (20 page)

“You learn fast, just like He said you would.” Mikayla said, giving nothing away by her face or tone of voice. She was simply stating a fact.

I felt the shield dissipate, making me feel vulnerable again. I prayed to God that I would be able to do it again if I needed to.

“What element was that?” I sneered at her.

“You think this is all simply elemental still? There is more to this magic, yours and mine, than basic genetic elemental gifts!” Mikayla yelled.

I watched as Mikayla lifted her hands and flicked her fingers at me. I mimicked her action and forced her fire-ball back on her. It was suspended between us as each we both tried to force it closer the other. Like a weird version of tug of war, without the rope or the team mates.

I urged my will out of my body, pushing the ball away from me, forcing it towards the one person that filled me with hate. But soon I could feel the heat as it inched closer to me. I felt my own power slowing, my body wet with sweat from the energy and concentration this was taking.

I knew if I gave up, Mikayla would kill me, despite having orders to the contrary.

“Enough!” A loud voice boomed through the darkening sky. The fire ball disappeared and everyone in the circle around us fell to their knees.

From behind Mikayla stepped a tall man in a blood red robe. He hadn’t bothered with the hood, after all, I already knew who it was.

“Hello Ruby.” His eyes were black, even blacker than Mikayla’s although I hadn’t thought that possible until now. It wasn’t just the iris that was black, but his entire eye ball. With a snap of his fingers I fell to my knees as he walked towards me. “You might be able to put on a show for young Mikayla here, but as for me? You’re going to have to do a lot better than that.”

I was rigid, my arms stuck to my side, no matter what I did, I couldn’t move from the position I was in. On my knees. Completely at his mercy.

“Hello, father,” I spat the words at him, my eyes looking directly into his own and seeing nothing but darkness, hate and pain.

As he stood in front of me, he smiled, much like Mikayla did, with one corner of his mouth turned up slightly. I willed a shield, believed in it and even saw it in front of me, it made no difference to him. It simply wasn’t strong enough to protect me. I wished I had played around more so I was able to use these gifts properly. I wished I had more time to see what else I could do. He slapped me and before I could recover he slapped me again, and again. I was rigid and couldn’t fall to the ground even though I wanted to. I refused to cry, refused to let my tears fall down my face. I refused to give him the satisfaction even as the slaps grew in fierceness. With a final brutal blow with a closed fist I fell to the side, still in kneeling position with my arms still glued to my sides. I felt his hands on my face and a fog seeped into my head. I screamed and fought, but I couldn’t do anything to stop it, eventually everything went black.

CHAPTER 26

I kept my eyes closed when I realised I was in the back of a car, my hands were tied behind my back and my legs were tied as well. I also realised I was in my underwear.
At least I wasn’t naked
, I thought. My head swam for the agony threatening to split my skull open. Evidence of the brutality of the slapping I had received. It had been harsh and unrelenting. Proving his point that he could hit me if he wanted, that he could do so much more whenever he decided. I knew my lack of clothes was a lesson in humility, to degrade me, as his daughter and as a woman.

Nobody spoke but I knew Mikayla was in the car. I could feel her there. I kept my breathing even, trying to see if the ropes were even slightly loose at my wrists. It was tight, I knew I was already bleeding as even the slightest movement caused me significant pain. Robert, who I no longer saw as my father, enjoyed this, seeing me in pain. I realised he was a sadist, relishing in inflicting pain on others. I had called him Dad my entire life, but he didn’t deserve that title. He was the Devil himself, I knew that, but to me, he was just Robert. Nothing more, nothing less. Maybe if I could reduce his power over me it would help me to believe I could at least hurt him, if not kill him myself.

“Welcome back Ruby,” Mikayla said from the other rear passenger seat. “Hope it doesn’t hurt
too
much.”

I opened my eyes and turned my head to face her, quietly enjoying the fact that I could move of my own accord again. I stretched my neck to the side, trying to work out the kink that had settled in.

“Where are we going?” I asked quietly.

Mikayla lent in to me and using the tip of a finger she ran it leisurely down the side of my face. As gentle as the action was, it was more invasive than the slapping I had received from Robert.

“Somewhere private,” Mikayla’s lips were touching my ear as she whispered. “We’ve been waiting a very long time for you.”

Suddenly a thought occurred to me. “How old are you?”

Her laughter was hot on my neck, sending a shiver through me. “Not as old as
Him
of course, but only by a few hundred years or so.”

“How many people have you killed?  How many are inside you, like Scott?” My voice grew stronger with every word as anger raged inside me.

“Too many to keep a track of, but they are all stuck here, in me. No afterlife, no heaven and no hell. They all asked to become part of this you know. They all wanted something in return however. A small price to pay for their soul though.” Mikayla licked the injured side of my face, I pulled my head away grimacing in disgust but she grabbed my chin pulling it to her with a vice like grip. There would be finger prints to add to the damage already inflicted on my face in the morning, matching the imprints around my neck. “You know, as much as you like to think that you are different, you’re just the same as they were. Just a little more powerful. Imagine what your child will be like, His power, His hate, and His passion! All that combined with your powers and the magic that has ran through generations of your family?” She groaned against my face, it was a sexual sound making my heart thunder in my chest. The small blush that crept into her cheeks a giveaway of her arousal. “At least you have the decency to be scared now, I wondered what it would take to finally hear your screams as you writhe in agony beneath Him.”

“paulo unus, enough.” The deep voice was quiet but forceful, sending Mikayla to the other side of the car, still smiling. “You will get your explanations in time, Ruby. For now, however, you will sleep.”

“No!” I felt the fog come over me, even without him touching me. I would rather be awake, knowing what was happening then let them have such power over me. I was powerless and fought it as long as I could before falling into the darkness.

I heard yelling from another room, as I woke on the carpet of an empty room. A long window ran across the top of the wall, I couldn’t see out of it or reach it. I was no longer tied up and I rubbed my wrists. Each one bore bruises and sores about an inch wide around them, I reached for my ankles and saw they were the same. My head felt groggy like I was a little drunk. As I sat up I barely contained the urge to heave. Breathing in deeply through my nose and out through my mouth I concentrated on emptying the blackness, the darkness that had engulfed me, breathing in ‘good’ air and eliminating
him
from my body.

I couldn’t understand what was being said around me. They were speaking in a language I couldn’t even begin to understand. I knew the voices though, it was Robert and Mikayla, and it was definitely heated. A few minutes later I heard a pause in the conversation.

“She is awake,” Mikayla said.

“Do not forget your place,
paulo unus
, you might be my oldest child, but you are still not assured unlimited time here on earth. I can send you back to
infernum
with a single snap of my fingers.” There was a pause, “she is not to be raped. By you or anyone else. Her time will come on Friday night. If you let anyone in her before then, all this will have been for nothing and we will need to wait until the next Chosen One is born. And you know how much I despise waiting, unless you need a reminder?”

There was a short silence before he spoke again.

“Do you forget your place?” He was yelling at her now, his voice echoing around me. “You have served me well over the years, you have earned your place beside me. But don’t take me for a fool!”

“Yes
Stella Magna
, please forgive me.” Mikayla’s voice was barely a whisper.

“I do not forgive, we leave that up to their
Christus
.” He spat the last word.

I was trying to work out the words, there was something vaguely familiar about it. I rolled the word Christus around my mouth, until it clicked. It was Latin for Christ; I had heard it at my old school once. Our language teacher decided it would be good to teach us one of the ‘forgotten languages’ as she had called it, we had only learnt it for a semester.

I stood as I heard the door unlocking, Mikayla walked in first followed closely by Robert. He still wore his blood red robe; it looked ridiculous against the plain clothes Mikayla was wearing. Even as I stood before them still in my underwear I stifled a laugh, but it didn’t go unnoticed. Mikayla was on me in less than a second, her hands around my bruised neck, I fought for control, staring into her eyes. I put my hand across her face and pushed, forcing her head back. I felt a familiar swell urging through me. This one was a strong pulse, stronger than I had felt before. I willed it at Mikayla, full force. Suddenly light pulsed from my hands where I touched her face. She screamed at me but kept her hands locked around my throat, I was starting to black out, but fought the darkness that threatened to send me into oblivion once again. I forced everything I had at her. Brilliant white light filled the room blinding everyone. I felt her hands rip from my neck as she was forced backwards from its power. Opening my eyes I saw her hit the wall with a thud before landing back on her feet, ready to come at me again, except for the hand that she held to her face.

Robert stood in front of her, staring at me, no emotions on his face at all. As he walked towards me his features started to morph, like he was made of liquid. A new face flashed before me, it was a burgundy colour, his features distorted and horns grew from both sides of his forehead. His black hair, sleek and long, draped down his back like a silk sheet. Another flicker and he was human again, as he touched my face he went back to demon.

“You see me for what I am, do you not Ruby?” He put a mangled finger under my chin tilting it up so I was made to meet his eyes. “Can you see the true me?”

All I could do was nod, exhausted from the small fight I gave Mikayla and shocked and disgusted at what stood before me. My legs betrayed my silence, shaking in fear at the monster that had wiped tears from my face and kissed me goodnight.

“You are much stronger than I gave you credit for,” he began to walk in circles around me. Seeing an opening I ran for the door only to be brought to my knees before I came even close to it. “There is no point fighting me, you have been mine since before you were born. I have more strength and power than you could ever imagine.”

“I will kill you, or at least send you back to where you came from. Or I will die trying.” I spoke the words quietly and forcefully meaning every word.

“You will try, I would expect nothing less from you. After all you have your mother’s stubbornness, her eagerness to see the world as a happy place, and her need to try fix things.” Pushing me onto my stomach he forced my arms out to the side so I was resembled a cross. He pushed the back of my head so my face was pressed into the floor as he leant his full weight on top of me. I managed to turn my head to the side adding carpet burn to my growing list of injuries. I felt his anger growing as he forced my legs apart with his knees. My underwear was ripped from me in one ugly motion and my bra seemed to disintegrate into nothing at his touch.

Despite not wanting to scream I did, I fought him as he let my head go to control my loose arm. I felt him grow hard behind me and screamed again. Pulling my arms behind me he held them in place with one of his hands. My shoulders were on fire and at any moment one or both of them was going to dislocate.

“The world is not a happy place,
electus
, it is filled with hate, and pain and shame” as he pushed two fingers inside me I sobbed and screamed my tears pouring onto the floor. It seemed to only urge him on, his hardness grew as he pushed against my thigh. He pushed his fingers deeper until he found my resistance. It was agony. “You may be the Chosen One, the
electus
, but I can still hurt you, humiliate you, and shame you. Just as much as my Little One, my
paulo unus
, is my child, you will become the host for my earth child. A child created from me, from my power, you will bear me that child. There is no one else more worthy.”

He pulled his fingers out of me only to shove them back in again more forcefully than the first time. I screamed and cried the pain a cross between burning and stabbing and unlike anything I had ever felt. Despite my feelings of hate, I begged him to stop, over and over. He continued to reach into me tormenting my body and my soul at the same time. He continued to move his fingers viciously in me. I stopped fighting, hoping it would ease the pain, it only served to make him harder and more brutal. I continued to sob, and scream when the pain was at its most intense, and I felt the warmth of my own blood pooling between my legs.

Suddenly he was gone, his fingers removed from my body and stood in front of me. I didn’t move, unable to, the pain still so strong. I pulled my knees up into my chest in a desperate bid to cover myself up.

“You may fight me Ruby, but I
will
hurt you, scar your body and your soul. There is no part of you that I cannot reach that I will not take.” He licked the fingers on his right hand; I knew they were the ones that had been inside me. It was a foul motion, my body convulsed with revulsion as I held back the vomit that threatened to escape me.

As he turned to leave the room, I closed my eyes and said “You cannot have my faith.”

Without turning around he simply answered “and where is your God now?”

Mikayla followed him out of the room and I heard the door lock, only then did I scurry backwards on the floor into a corner of the room, looking down I saw a small amount of blood trickling down my leg. I was terrified of what Friday night would bring, if this was just the start. I was shaking so violently when I heard the lock turn again and Mikayla came in.

“Put this on,” she threw a white robe on the floor. “There will be repercussions if you refuse. I may not be able to fuck you but I can certainly hurt you.”

I hated myself for giving in so easily, as I crawled to where the robe lay on the floor and put it on. I hated myself for submitting to them without more of a fight. It was only Wednesday, and I still had to survive until Friday night.