Page 18 of Vulnerate

I call Val first and hold the phone to my ear with my shoulder while I pour a heavy hand of whatever I’ve picked up into an empty cup on the table beside me. Turning the bottle to see the label, it’s some fruit flavored vodka so it shouldn’t taste like acid. The call hasn’t even connected when the bitch squad come into the room and there’s two of Chelsea and Zoe stood in front of me. Both Zoe’s open their mouth and the sound is delayed.

“Your boyfriends aren’t here to protect you now.”

I’m laughing, I don’t know why but she said boyfriends.

Plural. I’ve never even had one.

My laugh is cut off when someone grabs my hair, pulling me forward and I try to keep hold of my drink. I don’t even want it, but my hand tightens around the cup, pushing the plastic in and my brain shakes when my head hits something hard. I’ve never had a fight before. My anger has lessened into sadness, and I can’t move as I’m knocked off balance. My drink spills causing my jeans to stick to my thigh as my other side takes the full impact of the floor. Curling into a ball, I protect my head and my tears fall, again.

It’s not because of the kicks, the point of a heel digging into my ribs doesn’t hurt but the pain that’s already sitting behind them does. Each kick helps and stops me thinking.

The anger comes back when they stop. Why the fuck did they stop? I was distracted. I clumsily jump to my feet, and grab whoever is in front of me. Chelsea’s scream tells me it’s her face I’m pulling down into my knee. Her hands whip out, her fingers threading into my hair to try to get me off, but it doesn’t work, and I laugh again.I understand why people fight now – it shuts everything off. All the pain, anger, and resentment find an outlet.

Something hits the back of my knee, making me fall and loosen my hold. It happens again against my spine and I crumple. My shoulder is next, and everything hurts but I’m smiling. What the fuck is wrong with me? Their curses are worse than their kicks and I can’t move as more feet and mouths join in.

“No wonder your parents killed themselves.”

“You should join them.”

“You’re pathetic.”

“Orphan Dani.”

“Stupid.”

“Die.”

It all trails off. They’re not saying anything different than what I’ve said to myself.No one can say anything worse than the voices in my head.

My head flies back as my arm is kicked into my face. Blood trickles from my nose, the sting is good, and it runs over my lip into my mouth as I find numbness. There are no curses, no taunts, and no emotions.My body is focused on absorbing the beating and they’re successfully pushing it all way.

Then it all stops. The taunts turn into screams and the last voice I expect is the deadly one directed at me.

“Daniela. Get the fuck up.”

My arm slowly moves like a curtain to uncover my face. There’s a mix of blood and tears flowing into my mouth as Vlad comes into view holding Zoe and Chelsea by their hair. He has one in each hand and the anger in his eyes is enough to freeze me in place as he directs it towards me. Both of them do the same, they don’t try to fight him despite Zoe opening her mouth and attempting to threaten the devil.

“I’ll tell my dad, I’m a minor and he’ll get you put in jail.”

It doesn’t have the intended effect as he drops his hold on Chelsea. She at least has self-preservation and scurries back, running out of the room. His inked hand comes up in a blur, wrapping around Zoe’s throat as he scrutinizes her features. The commotion has everyone’s attention, and the music disappears with everyone focusing on the murder that’s going to occur. I’ve seen Vlad smile before, he always does it when he gives me my birthday card, but this is different and there’s so much malice in it, I shrink into the cold tiled floor. His fingers tighten around her neck as he lifts her onto her toes and speaks so low and cold it causes me to shiver.

“Your father fucks the maid while he’s wearing your mother’s heels, think of a better threat.”

Light snickers move around the crowd watching on the other side of the threshold. Her face is turning red, and I don’t know if it’s due to a lack of air or embarrassment as he extends his voice.

“Aren’t you that little bitch who was fucking my brother for blow?”Laughing darkly, he holds her higher, ignoring the audience and demolishes her. “Yeah, he pissed in your mouth the last time, didn’t he?”

I’m laid on the floor, bloody and bruised, but no one looks in my direction as he continues, “Oh, you didn’t know? Some advice for your future clients; cum is white, piss is yellow. Maybe, spit some out before you swallow.”

He keeps her in place, stretched out and fighting for air as he turns his head to me. There’s no harsh words as he nods, gesturing for me to stand. I feel safer on the floor than with him, but I force my sore bodyto move. Swallowing around my fear, I keep my eyes forward and don’t look at Zoe as she falls to a heap on the floor. She’s a cunt but she didn’t deserve that humiliation. Even Valentin didn’t go that far, and Vlad has just confirmed the rumors about him pissing in her mouth.

Everyone moves out of the way, not wanting to piss off the devil as he walks out. I follow already knowing that’s what he wanted, and he doesn’t turn back to check. I’m afraid of him when he’s plating up my breakfast or giving me a gift, but that’s nothing compared to what I feel right now. I’m going to end up wetting myself if he looks at me.

I have the sense to go to my car. I’ll sleep on the backseat until I’m good enough to drive. My shoulders hunch forward at the rough bark behind me, and I jump forward.

“Daniela. Get in the car.”

I think I’ve already pissed myself just at his voice. I look at my feet and turn without lifting my head as I silently get in his car. The seatbelt gets stuck, and it takes me two attempts to clip it in as I avoid all the violence brewing beside me as he gets behind the wheel. Vlad doesn’t talk as he drives, there’s no music or background noise, just my final thoughts as he drives me towards death.Fuck, I don’t want to die. I want to have a life and I’d beg him if I could think of anything that could possibly convince him to let me live.

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