Page 57 of Treasured Secrets
He reached over and grabbed me by the waist and threw me over his shoulder very forcefully before carrying me away. I pounded his back ineffectively. He didn't even flinch.
I was looking for Aster to save me, but she didn't. Finally, I spotted her. She was on the ground, holding her stomach, eyes squeezed shut in pain. I didn't know what just happened.
I struggled to get free, but he was too strong and he wasn't letting me go.
He finally dropped me to the ground. My knees hit first and I felt them bust open against the pavement. I could feel shooting pain as someone kicked me in the stomach. They seemed possessed as they showed no mercy, but their strikes were mortal. What the hell was going on?
A voice taunted me with no compassion. "How hot are you now. smartass?"
I tried to get up, but my knees hurt too badly. They burned like they were on fire. I could feel the blood running down my legs. One of them grabbed me by my hair and slung me into the side of a dumpster.
I felt my lip split open, my breaths grow coarser, and my eye swell. I could taste blood now.
They just laughed as they passed around a bottle of liquor. Then one of them sucked on something that resembled a pipe. They were deranged and sadistic as they took pleasure in beating me to a pulp.
With every new blow, I worried about what would be next. I worried that despite the immortal attack I had survived, I was going to be killed by strung-out, alcoholic mortals.
I heard someone talking, though the sound seemed echoed and distant. I struggled to move, and my breaths were painful.
"Yo man. We're just teaching her some manners. Rich girls think they own this town. This ain't got nothin' to do with you. Just walk away before you get hurt."
The next thing I knew, there was a guy sailing through the air, slamming into the dumpster right beside me. Then I heard the greatest sound in the world ring out - Tallis's voice.
"Really? Six guys beating the hell out of one girl?" A string of curse words flew from his mouth as he lost control, breaking anything he touched.
The guys were running and screaming, but Tallis was bringing them back. Each one of them was lucky they only looked as bad as I did. Tallis showed restraint not killing them. I'm sure he wanted to.
When he finished, my attackers were all lying on the ground, unconscious, but still breathing. Tallis turned to me with tears in his eyes. He picked me up and started carrying me away from the disaster zone. I stifled the wince that begged to be freed. It hurt... everywhere.
"I'm so sorry," he murmured through a strained, agonized tone.
I summoned all the strength I could to keep from showing him how much pain I was in.
"It's not your fault. I'm the one who antagonized them. I thought Aster would stop them, but something happened to her. Is she okay?" My voice was shaky, and weak, not aiding me in convincing him I was okay.
He grimaced upon hearing the painful sound in my voice. "Nothing you could have said would justify anyone ever doing this to you. You have no idea how bad I wanted to snap their necks in half," he hissed through gritted teeth.
I asked my question again, in an attempt to shift the conversation. I worried that he might actually go back to finish the job. "What about Aster?"
He answered while still assessing the damage done to my body. "She'll be fine. Chris took her to the house to see Anesta. I'm sure it's nothing."
He sounded convincing, but I was still worried.
He set me in the car, and I cringed with pain as my knee scraped the side of the door. "Ow, ow, ow, ow," I squealed through one rapid breath.
My hands were skinned pretty badly from being drug on the pavement. My lip felt twice the size it should. My face throbbed with pain, and the unwelcome taste of blood invaded my mouth even more.
Tallis's face was unnervingly furious and miserable at the same time. He leaned away like he was going to go back, but I grabbed his hand.
"Let's go check on Aster. I'm worried."
He nodded somewhat reluctantly and climbed in the car. He slammed his door so hard I was surprised it didn't break. Before I knew it, we were going a hundred-and-twenty down the old highway. I just dropped my head back, hoping the pain would cease or at least decrease. It only seemed to worsen though. Everything on me was throbbing with pain. Then I felt Tallis touch the side of my cheek with the back of his hand in a caressing motion. I looked at him and tried to make light of the situation.
"Well, I was trying so hard to look sexy tonight. I think this just put me over the top."
My attempt at humor was in vain. He didn't smile. He just stared at the road, silently brooding for several minutes.
"No one will ever hurt you again as long as I'm alive."
