Over and over, the amnesia would hit after being dragged to that back room then tossed back into my cell only for remembrance days later to hit me like a ton of cobblestone.
How do some go years with being tortured when I'm here on the verge of breaking from the repetitive actions? They could do more to me but why bother? They seem satisfied with what they're doing now.
It had been about a fortnight since I was given any of the bitter poison Olufemi concocted and I was in the remembrance part of my torment.
"Please, let River and Faelen surface," I silently pleaded, missing my counterparts with equal measure as I missed the man I'm constantly forced to forget then forced to remember.
"River?"
Nothing.
"Faelen?"
Nothing.
"Guys... if you're still apart of me, please, please talk to me," I cried, my heart breaking further.
"Noi— we ar— stil— he—," River's voice glitched.
"Jus— wea—," Faelen then spoke.
I let out a joyous cry that caught the attention of Liam as I shot up, one hand on my heart and the other covering my mouth.
After awhile, their voices became clear and I explained everything that was happening while I could still could still remember and could hear, see and speak to them.
Both River and Faelen looked at each other before turning back to me. River laid down on her belly and whined while Faelen's ears dropped and her hanged her head low.
"You might not of been able to reach us due to the poisonous concoction they've been forcing on you but we have been here and in equal amounts of pain except our memory has never once been wiped...," Faelen softly said.
"Even when you forget, we remember...," River spoke between whines.
"We feel the pain of the spell itself but it doesn't affect us like it does you, in the sense of memory. It would have to be more powerful to do that."
"Just stay stro—," River was cut off by the sounds of the door that was at the dungeons entrance as it opened.
"Hell no," was all I heard from Faelen before she used what strength she had and pushed forward.
Once the transformation was complete, Faelen shook out her fur and slipped into the darkest shadows of the cell.
Before acknowledging the footsteps drawing closer, she looked at the cell across from us to see a pair of glowing green eyes staring back at her in the cell's obscurity.
"Right now, they will be your biggest allies, trust them," was all I heard before the guards approached the cell door.
Inching further back, Faelen was now fully consumed by the shadows but I'm sure the guards noticed her eyes.
As they approached my cage however, the lycan across from us crashed into his cell door, a clawed hand slipping through the bars as the door to my cell was opened, snatching the man closest to him.
Slamming the guard against his prison door, the lycan ran a clawed hand across the man's throat, killing him instantly and his muzzle protruded through the cell bars, snapping and growling at the guard that was now standing in the entrance of my cell.
"Grænn," River piped, sitting beside me, the fur running down her spine standing sharply on end as she stared at the man in the cell.
The man before Faelen was one of the guards I met the very first time I was brought here and looked the least bit phased at the demise of his partner.
"You knew better than to stand to close to the cell doors, Rodrick," he grumbled before looking in Faelen's direction.
Stepping further into the cage, the guard squinted and sighed.
"I know you're in here, little girl. Come out."
When Faelen didn't move, the guard back-stepped and picked up the torch 'Rodrick' had and re-entered the cell. When he held up the flame, his face paled.
Faelen was on all fours, ears flat against her fur as hot saliva dripped from her maw and her tongue flicked over her sharpened teeth.
Before the guard could even scream, Faelen launched herself at him, her massive jaws snapping over the man's face and neck repeatedly as her clawed hands shredded his chest and shoulders.
When she was done, Faelen released a throaty growl in the disfigured man's face before snapping her attention to Gænn.
Snorting, she moved towards the cell's entrance while kicking the mangled corpse to the side with her back paw.
Looking at Grænn, her ears perked and Faelen made her way to the front of his cell door, kicking 'Rodrick' out of the way before sticking her snout through the bars and began to sniff. When she made her way back up, she was met with a wet nose pressed against hers,
Grænn whined as he looked at Faelen and that's when River's ears shot up straight and she sat.
"What it is," I asked.
"He impr—," was all River said before footsteps could be heard from the entrance of the dungeon and Olufemi appeared.
He held out his hand. Pulsing from his fingertips came a bright light. Faelen watched it flicker, changing colors from amber, to ruby, then back to gold. She clenched her fist, her claws digging into her palms before whatever magic that she was witnessing, raced towards her.
This isn't supposed to happen.
The magic wrapped around Faelen like a mythical chain causing her to howl out in pain before dropping to the floor. The moment her massive body made contact, she involuntarily shifted, my human form replacing her massive lycan.
I'm not supposed to feel this.
I almost immediately sit up, only to double over. My mouth is filled with the coppery tang of blood and it feels like fire is rushing through my veins. I moan as my vision shifts and the world erupts with white.
At first, it hurt but then I suddenly feel nothing as I collapse, my lungs struggling to breathe in the now thick air.
A growl erupted from behind me as a paw hugged my waist, pressing me to the cell door before Olufemi did the same thing causing the Gænn to howl in pain and the paw was replaced with a weak arm.
"Take her away," was all I heard as the grip on my waist tightened lightly before it was ripped away and darkness consumed me.
Next thing I knew, as I woke, I was chained, naked and on the familiar table; looking around, all I saw was a half naked Calder in the room. When he approached me, he partially shifted and grabbed my chin.
"Tonight is a special night, mutt," he cooed, his voice dripping with venom.
I mustered up what strength I had and spat in his face causing him to growl and backhand me almost immediately before squeezing the sides of my face in the most painful manner. I though my jaw was going to pop.
"Since you wish to continue to be disrespectful, this will bring me further joy."
Panic flooded me as I fought against my restraints, noticing now it was only my wrists that were restrained above my head in cuffs that rotated while my legs were free.
The look in Calder's eyes told me everything I needed to know about what's to come.
I knew he hated it when I fell into unconsciousness too soon but I knew Calder felt like he had to punish me.
I was apparently dirty.
If I refused his "lesson", he cut or burned me. If I fought back, he sliced deeper. He felt was firm and fair; that I was whiny and without morals.
Strong hands pushed against me and further into the stone stable. It stung and sent swells of pain through my body.
Calder's chin eventually rested on my shoulder, breathing into my ear.
I tried to opened my mouth to scream at him, when lips clamped down on my ear. They were light at first and then he bit down hard.
I tried pushing against the table.
Calder's teeth turned to a tongue.
It slid over the shell of my ear and caused me to cry out before two hands slid down my sides and landed on my waist.
I didn't know what to do. I hoped that this was a nightmare but I knew better. Calder's lips moved down to my neck and nipped at the tender flesh.
He licked at my skin more before he moved his hand and fingers curled in my hair as he crawled on top of me, spreading my legs. I didn't even have time to protest as he slammed himself into me, launching my body forward.
Each thrust was painful as my bare back slid back and forth against rough stone.
Every time I closed my eyes and fought back, he bashed my head backward onto the stone table, demanding I open them and stop.
I didn't want to.
I closed my eyes over and over. Anything was better than watching his face light up with power and lust. Calder became more angry, his face less controlled, until finally blood ran from the back of my head onto the ground and my head lolled like a doll.
Calder, at this point, was finished. He snorted and whispered close to my ear, "Death isn't on your agenda today," then crawled off of me and started to leave without a backwards glance.
When Olufemi entered the room, all I heard was, "do it," before he vanished.
Like usual, Olufemi approached the table but I felt heavy and lifeless.
"I'm sorry, little Luna...," was all he said before he bagan but this time it was different, he only sliced my forehead. He put his hand on my chest before he began.
When I looked up at him, like all the times before, the warlock was watching me as his eyes began to bleed to black.
"Come ye as the spell is made.
Odin above and Hel below,
Fenrir of the night,
Lend your power unto the spell,
And work our will by magic rite.
By all the power of land and sea,
By all the might of moon and sun,
I call the earth to bind my spell,
Air to speed it well.
Bright as fire shall it glow,
Deep as tide of water flow,
Count the elements four fold,
In the fifth the spell shall hold,"
Olufemi's now eerie voice rang out as my body began to shake again, the chains of my demise rattling noisily against the stone table.
"I release you and I decree,
it's the best for you and he
Maní above who's bond was set,
Now is gone and so's the rest."
With that last word, my body lurched forward again as a fire burned through me as the agonizing pain branded my soul and released itself from my mouth, reverberating through the room.
Looking back at me, Olufemi didn't say a word as he placed a hand on my forehead.
"I purge ye mind of thoughts and sins,
of memories both bright and grim.
No longer dwell in your heart and head,
Begone all memories before this stead.
Not just of your mate but your friends as well,
may your pack join you in hell.
Twist and turn and bind the mind,
Powers and emotions hide,
A warlock's heart is where it hides,
Help her with her agony,
Bless her with false memory."
When the last word was spoken, my spine arched, my body writhed uncontrollably and my head fell back, my mouth releasing a scream is didn't even know I was capable of before my head was filled with searing pain and bright light then nothing.
When I awoke again, I was in a cage, covered in a rough blanket. Rolling over, I was met with mossy eyes.
"Liam."