Page 17 of Claiming Charlotte

Each man held a look of shock on their faces as they realized who I was. The first man stepped forward, and I grinned, sticking Lacey’s knife into his stomach, driving the blade roughly upward; relishing the feel of his blood as it spilled onto my hands. Feeling every tear and cut through his chest cavity was riveting, and I pushed him roughly to the side as he sputtered, falling to the floor, clamping his hands around his open wound in a desperate attempt to hold his intestines in place.

Wrapping my hand around his throat. I picked him up effortlessly, watching as his insides made an appearance, dropping to the floor in squishes. I laughed as the dagger flipped around in my hand and landed right into his jugular. He had three minutes. If that.

The next man looked angry; perhaps I’d just killed his brother or best friend. I really didn’t care. He stepped up and took a swing at me which I promptly dodged before pushing him into the table behind him hard, and the clanking of instruments rang in my ears as they fell.

As he slid to the floor, I landed a few punches to his gut, taking his breath away so I could pummel his face in. I grabbed a hammer from the floor and blow after blow, his face became more unidentifiable. Finally, I heard a crack, and his head looked severely dented in at the forehead and nose, there was no face at all, bludgeoned in by the weapon. Yup he’s dead. Moving on.

I stood and faced the last man standing right beside Lottie.

‘Did you cut her? Or was it one of them?”

Fear gave him away as he dropped to his hands and knees. “Please, don’t kill me. I’m only doing what they made me do,” he begged.

“Stand up and take off your shirt.” I ordered calmly. Quickly, he obeyed, like it was going to save his life and I inspected his torso. There it was, sitting right on his left peck, the Walker crest. The difference between the shoulder and the upper chest was that one wanted this life, wanted to hurt people, and one had no choice.

I reached into my pocket and pulled out the length of rope I’d found earlier and tied his hands behind his back, pulling him to his feet, and shoving him so he fell over Charlotte. Stepping away for a moment, I left him quaking, wondering what was going to happen next.

When I returned to him, I yanked his head upward so he could look Charlotte in the eyes. What came next was a shock to them both.

“Wrong answer. Now say you're sorry.”

As the man bent over the table, face pressed into Charlotte's abdomen, I shoved the red-hot pole up his ass grinning as his inhuman shriek filled the room. I met Charlotte’s eyes and saw the fear in them. I never wanted her to see me like this, but right now it wasn't a choice. She’d never seen me this angry before and I didn’t blame her for being scared, but I wasn’t going to let these men get off easy for what they did to her.

He wasn’t dead, and I wanted to shove it so far up his ass that it came out of his mouth; time was precious though. I shoved him to the floor, not even bothering to give him the mercy of ripping the object out. Stepping over him, I loosened Charlotte’s binds, giving her a moment to rub some feeling back into her wrists. I was exhausted after taking care of those men, and the camera was still live. Walker would be furious when he saw the video, if he wasn't already watching.

“Charlotte, I’m so sorry you had to see that, but we have to go,” I said wearily. She didn’t move.

“Roe, I’m so tired and hurt. I’m not sure I can,” Charlotte whispered weakly.

“Lottie, I have to get you somewhere safe. They are still here, and Walker will be returning any minute. You have to try,” I encouraged. “I would carry you, but I’m dizzy and can’t breathe; I would never forgive myself if I dropped you and hurt you more.”

I helped her sit up, and she leaned heavily against me as we maneuvered slowly around the bodies lying on the floor. I peeked around the door and checked the hallway, keeping her close. My breath caught in my throat and I whipped around with my back to the wall, holding my bloodied hand over Lottie’s mouth to keep her quiet. His booming voice echoed through the halls and I silently hoped he wouldn’t come into this room before we had a chance to escape.

“Find them! Shoot him on site. I want her.”? If Walker caught us, it would be over.

Once I knew it was safe we ducked into another empty room, and I placed her between myself and the wall, keeping alert but taking a moment to hold her close. Her arms instantly wrapped around me, and a soft cry left her.

“Rowan, you reek of sweat and blood,” she whispered. I looked down at her and smiled half-heartedly.

“Right, I'll remember to shower before coming to save your ass next time.”

“It’s okay, I stink too.”

I felt bad for snapping at her and we didn’t say anything else after that. When the voices died down, I pulled Charlotte hastily out of there and made way for the stairs, which were not far off. Stairs were difficult for Lottie, but she tried with all her might to make her legs move.

“I’m so sorry, Rowan. I’m not being very helpful,” she choked.

“You can do it Lottie, we are almost there,” I encouraged.

As we reached the top of the stairwell, I pushed the door open roughly and prepared for an ambush. But the hall was empty, so I pulled her quickly toward the doors that led from her home. We passed room after room, and the hallway seemed to get longer the faster I moved, just like in a nightmare.

She begged for us to stop, and I had to give her that. She was fighting hard to stay upright, and I always kept myself between her and the wall, protecting her from this house.

I heard a soft clicking noise and felt the barrel of a gun press against the back of my head, I froze, locking eyes with her dazed ones. They’ll have to kill me if they want to take her, because she isn't going back. But then I heard the most soothing voice I’d likely ever heard in my life at that moment.

“Rowan?” Thomas asked, stepping out from the shadows of an open doorway.

He moved the gun away from my head and hugged me tightly. Taking one look at Charlotte, he shrugged out of his suit jacket, wrapping it tightly around her. His expression was one of pity, but it quickly turned into rage.

---