Page 9 of Locked Souls

“I’m Snake. I knew your mother. We have a lot more in common than you might think,” he grumbles. “Get moving, or I’ll rethink how much you weigh and throw you over my shoulder like a sack of potatoes.”

“This doesn’t make any sense,” I say, beginning to feel overwhelmed. I’m too pregnant for this, and my emotions are running wild. I cried over burnt cookies last week and scared Jonas.

I want to ask him how he knew my mother, but there are too many thoughts racing through my mind. “Why aren’t I safe? I was perfectly fine living my life. I’m owed an explanation from someone higher up.”

Like my damn brother. I swear, if he made this happen and didn’t tell me, we are going to have some serious words.

“I can’t help you there. I’m just a lowly Society member. I do what I’m told,” he says with a shrug. “Now, I can show you where your room is, or I can leave you here alone to figure it out.”

Blowing out a breath of frustration, I follow him slowly. If he hasn’t killed me yet, he probably won’t. My baby and I will be safe. God, I need to stop watching Nightline late at night.

Slowly, I remember the parking lot and the way he drugged me. My memories are sluggish. I also feel a little dizzy from whatever he gave me, and the memory of being drugged makes me angry.

“I’m pregnant. Do you make it a habit to drug women?” I ask him, stopping a few steps up the staircase.

“I swear, you have so many questions. How does anyone put up with you?” Snake groans. “I’m fairly certain the drugs are fine for you and the baby. You won’t be able to stay awake for long, which is a good thing for me. You talk too damn much. Get moving.”

A huge yawn is forced out of me as I weave on my feet, and I glare at him. It’s like his words are making me this tired. Word demon.

“You don’t actually know if it’ll be safe though… Ouch!” I yell as he twists his body and picks me up into a fireman's lift. It puts a lot of pressure on my stomach, and it’s incredibly uncomfortable as I struggle against him.

“I’m not a good man, girlie. I’ll throw you down the stairs and tell them you fell. Stop fucking struggling,” he growls, making my blood run cold.

Whimpering, I go limp as he climbs the stairs, the baby showing me how much she hates this. As he puts me down, he shoves the door open and roughly pushes me inside the room.

“Wait!” I yell, recognizing that he’ll probably lock me in here. There’s a memory tormenting me and I can’t stand it anymore. I need to know.

“Another question, I’m sure,” Snake grumbles. “What now?”

“I heard a man speaking to you. I knew him once… Was it Ash?” I ask, goosebumps erupting over my arms as I shiver in anticipation.

“I don’t know anyone by that name,” he says. “Spider does some work for me, and that’s who you may have heard. Get some rest. I will have questions of my own when I get back.”

As he slams the door closed and locks it from the outside, I walk to the bed, that's covered with a flat sheet and a thin blanket, and sit down. I have more questions than when I started, and my cramps are getting more aggressive.

“Shit,” I hiss, apologizing to the baby as I grit my teeth.

I can feel the pull of the drug that's still in my system, trying to drag me back to oblivion, but it’s fighting with the pain I’m feeling. Curling up on my side, I wonder if Ash and Spider are the same person, and where the hell he’s been all of this time.

Closing my eyes, as I struggle with my breathing, I pray these aren’t real contractions. I’m not a vicious person, but I may consider throwing Snake’s damn ass down the stairs if he hurts my damn baby.

“Ow, ow,” I scream when something feels as if it’s ripping from inside of me. Water gushes between my legs as I start to cry, cursing my luck.

I don’t remember a lot of Angel’s birth, because of the way I was forced to have her. I don’t want to be scared to death and have yet another traumatic birth.

“I just want my baby!” I scream. “Snake! Help me!”

Silence is the only response I get as I sob.

The door unlocks and Snake walks into the room with a panicked gasp.

“You weren’t supposed to be due yet,” he whispers. “What happened?”

“Whatever you gave me… Ow, ow, God!” I scream. It feels like I’m being ripped apart, and he leaves to get something.

He leaves the door open, but there’s no way I’m making a run for it now. I’m stuck, in labor, and alone with a man I don’t know, who has familiar eyes that I can’t place. They’re wild, crazed, and evil. There’s no way I can trust him.

I wish I had any other choice.