To Love a Stray Ch. 14

"This tastes like crap," Donovan mutters.

"More like cardboard but it's food," I say quietly.

"Micah and the warriors are so gonna kill these strays when they find them. They'll rip them apart and piss on them," Donovan mumbles.

"There are at least two of them they'll keep to kill slowly if they can," I tell him.

"What make an example out of some them? Show other strays not to mess with our clan?" Donovan asks.

"Revenge, payback, and justice -- whatever you want to call it. It's not the first time they've gone up against the Clan's warriors," I tell him softly.

"How do you know?" Donovan asks idly.

"Their smell, their scent. One scent was all over Mitchell and another all over Dwayne after they were ambushed when Alex was injured," I tell him.

"Which ones?" Donovan hisses angrily.

"You're too young. You don't have the experience; either one of them would shred you before you could blink." I tell him quietly.

"How well do you know these strays?" Donovan asks curiously as he chews on a warm potato chip.

"They've held me captive several times before but I've always managed to get away. There was only ever just myself to worry about. Vaygar won't stuff up and let us escape. Kendal might though," I say softly.

"Were they this nasty to you before?" Donovan asks.

"This and worse," I admit tightly. Donovan stirs his potato and gravy with a chip watching as he mixes the white of the potato through the gravy.

"Do Micah and the others know what the strays do to you?" he asks in a faint whisper.

"Remember how bad hurt I was when Sam, Mitchell, Dwayne and Alex first found me?" I remind him.

"Yeah and Micah made Alex ride home with Steven cause you were scared of him," Donovan says.

"Strays had me locked in a cage when they found me, and the guys could see what they'd been doing to me. I was so scared of them all," I mumble, "I even bit Mitchell."

"Why were you scared of them? They'd never hurt you," Donovan says seriously.

"I didn't know that then. All I did know was that every tomcat that ever got near me had hurt me or tried to maul me. I'd even come across strays that had been killed by clan cats. Out in the middle of nowhere with only other werecats to go there and find them, killed in horrible ways that terrified me. And there I was wounded badly, locked in a cage and surrounded by clan cats. I was sure I was about to be killed, or worse," I tell him flatly.

Donovan is silent for a while and I try eating my potato and gravy. There is no spoon and I have to use a chip to scoop it out of the small container.

"Do you think they'll feed us tonight?" Donovan asks.

"Now you know why I always eat every chance I get. It's scary not knowing if you'll be given food again soon isn't it?" I comment.

"You guard your food because strays used to take it off you after giving it to you didn't they." Donovan doesn't ask just states this. Whenever Terry comes calling with the food, the toms with him do it to us. It is an attempt to separate me from Donovan so that they can get their hands on him without facing my swift and desperate retaliation.

"I wish we were back at the compound so bad. I want to smell like Micah not strays. Hell I'd even let your father touch my belly if we were back home," I say wistfully as I stare at the line of slight brightness beneath the bottom of the door.

The room is dim; there are no windows and the only light that enters the room come from narrow slits in the brickwork high on the walls. Slits that do little to let the stifling heat out during the day and channel all the warmth out at night without letting the stars or moon be seen.

We fall silent as Donovan finishes his food and I close my container up. I lie down and curl up on my side to sleep knowing if I don't wake at the slightest sound Donovan will wake me up. We take it in turns to sleep, one of us always on guard.

* * * * *

I watch Wade as he enters the lounge room of the quarters. Lines of worry and grief are etched deeply around his eyes and his mouth, his step has been robbed of some of its lightness and he stops as he faces me.

"Micah." He gives me a respectful nod and I watch him silently.

I have little to say to anyone these last few days. Finding no trace of Rosy or Donny has been heartbreaking but hearing the description of the 'person' the salesman from the shop saw talking to them was beyond heartbreaking. Kendal Darnel, who to all clan warriors' knowledge travelled in the company of a stray called Terry -- infamous for his homosexual and cannibalistic tendencies.

"I want to hold a service for Donny," Wade says quietly. "Marissa needs some kind of closure. Hell all of us do."

I hear Jazzy start crying where she is curled up on the lounge in one of Donny's favourite jumpers. I glance her way to see Steven sitting down with her to comfort her while Timny turns his head to look her way from my recliner chair where he is resting. It is the first day Doc has allowed him to be out of bed after cutting him open to remove the wicked blade left in his chest. Blood loss and infection had nearly killed him in the first two days. If it were not for the assistance of Kurt Black's warrior, who was trained as a Saint John's Emergency Medical Technician, Doc would have been unable to save Timny's life.

"Donny's not dead! Rosy will fight to keep him alive! I know she will," Jazzy protests but her words lack conviction.

"I'm sure you're right Jazzy," Wade says softly as he walks to the lounge to look down at her. "But Rosy will be fighting to keep the strays off herself as well. She can't do both; self preservation will win out."

It is the first time I have heard my father sound so old and tired.

"We could hold a prayer evening for the both of them," Mitchell says as he walks into the lounge room followed by Sam, Dwayne and Mikkarl. They have been away for the last week searching for signs of the strays that were in town.

"Mitchell! Tell Daddy Donny isn't dead!" Jazzy demands as she jumps up off the lounge to fling herself into his arms and begins sobbing in earnest once again. Mitchell closes his eyes as he holds her close, burying his face in her hair.

"We didn't find any... there was no visible signs of anything," Mikkarl says gravely, stumbling over kind wording for Jazzy's sake. Despite the lack of any signs of violence, we all know it is no guarantee of anything if this Terry is involved. There simply might be nothing left to find.

"A prayer evening where we all pray Rosy and Donny ... we pray we find them soon," I say, my voice feeling gravely from all the tears I have shed in the privacy of my room.

* * * * *

Kendal's physical demands on me lessen and in their place comes the touching, the petting, as he tries to form some kind of closeness with me. Always his voice is there in my head, invading and forcing its way deeper into my mind. Often his sessions end with me having to allow him to scent mark me as his voice repeats 'mine' in my head. I grit my teeth each time and turn my face away from his as his body rubs against mine.

His touch is so different to the way the toms of the clan used to touch me while imparting comfort, company, and simple contact. None of these things are in Kendal's touch. I am only aware of his desire to possess me, to own me. There is no kindness or gentleness in him.

The other strays rarely come near us except to bring us food, though Vaygar visits every few days. He is interested in my pregnancy, using threats to gain the chance to put his hand on my stomach. Donovan is slowly being exposed to all the nasty little ways strays differ to clan cats. When my skirt becomes too small to comfortably fasten over my growing belly, it is Vaygar who brings me a length of material to wrap around myself and tie like a sarong so I can adjust it as time passes. A present I have to pay for by allowing his touch.

The weather cools down and soon Donovan and I curl up together at night for warmth as well as comfort. As weeks pass he is becoming more and more like his older brothers, no longer an over indulged teenager but a very compassionate young man. He rubs my back when it aches and holds my hair back when I am sick because the constant diet of take-away food doesn't agree with my pregnant body. I lose my suspicion of any of his actions as he takes care of me best he can while I keep Terry and one or two other toms from trying to grab hold of him. He holds me when I wake from my nightmares and curls around me draping a hand protectively over my stomach.

Then comes the day Vaygar comes into our room by himself; he paces back and forth silently, clearly upset. Tears sparkle in his eyes revealing he has more softness to him than his son has.

"I always thought it would be some mongrel clan cat that done it," Vaygar tells us harshly without pausing in his pacing.

"Vaygar?" I prompt softly as something rolls uncomfortably in my stomach as if I have eaten rancid food. A deep feeling of unease disturbed my sleep all night driving me to pacing the confines of the room for several hours in the middle of the night.

"Some stinking human bastard shot my boy!"

"Where is he?" I demand urgently. My first thought is that Kendal can't go to human medical facilities or he'd risk exposing us all.

"He's dead," Vaygar says flatly.

A corpse for humans to examine, our best chance for escaping gone ...

"Oh shit," I breathe softly.

Vaygar looks at me through narrowed eyes and I glance away uncomfortably. I don't know what to say to him. His son is dead and while I feel compassion for Vaygar I have no regret that Kendal is dead. Hopefully his voice will now be gone from my mind just like Jaspers.

"Kendal kept insisting he thought you were starting to come around ..." Vaygar murmurs and watches me through narrowed eyes.

"I am sorry your son has died," I mutter, because there went the best chance of escape and survival for my own child.

"I'm nearly inclined to believe you," Vaygar says suspiciously and I glance his way nervously. "Maybe I'll even let you come out while we bury him ..."

I turn watchful eyes on him and realise he is baiting me to see if I will take the chance to try to escape and I know that to do so while Vaygar is so upset would seal my own death.

I shake my head. "So one of your toms can sneak in and kill my friend? I don't think so. If you haven't noticed I need him to help me keep warm and to look after me when the crappy takeaway makes me sick," I say bitterly and turn away.

I can feel Vaygar watching me closely and the minutes stretch out until finally he decides to speak once again.

"You won't be needing him anymore. You will be my mate now," Vaygar says.

"No, no, I need him," I protest. I hear an eager chuckle from Terry who has appeared in the doorway and I swallow desperately knowing what Donovan's fate will be if I can't convince Vaygar. I take a deep breath as I force a smile onto my face. I know it's not very convincing but I keep it in place as I take a step towards Vaygar.

"You let him live and I promise I'll be nice to you," I say and hear my own voice shaking. "I won't fight you and I will do what ever you want."

"You have no choice but to do what I want," Vaygar says in a hard tone.

"You can force me to let you do as you want ... or I can accept what happens willingly. No fighting, no resisting ... anything," I say softly and take a couple more steps forward. "And when this kitt I carry is born if it is male he can take it back to its father. I won't try to stop you taking it from my breast."

Vaygar's eyes darken instantly and I know I have found a bargaining tool for Donovan's life.

"No!" Donovan yells. I hear him rush towards me and I move closer to Vaygar. Donovan's footsteps stop behind me and there is a half sob, half deep breath. "Rosy?"

"You know what I intend to do to you to bond you to me ..." Vaygar begins.

"I'll let you do it," I say softly. "I'll willingly accept you as a mate once my kitt is gone."

"No, it will be now. I will give you a day, two at most to think about it. Then I take what I want," Vaygar announces. He turns swiftly and leaves locking the door behind him leaving only Donovan and me inside.

"Why couldn't it have been Terry, he's a creep," Donovan mutters. There is silence between us for a while before Donovan looks my way.

"What is Vaygar going to do to you?" Donovan asks.

I don't reply, I look away from him and refuse to look back at him as horrible thoughts churn in my mind. I know Vaygar is going to mount me and force me to allow him to lock up inside me, and probably not just the once. He will most likely want to repeat the act several times.

Then he will be able to get into my mind whenever he wants.

I close my eyes and lower my head as I feel tears creep from beneath my lashes; Terry's taunts about being locked up in the room ring in my head. There is no sunlight, no breeze, and no fresh air. If it wasn't for Donovan's constant company I know I would be crazy by now. I shudder as I gasp for air as the walls begin to close in. I know it is only in my head but it happens more and more frequently as panic hits.

Bile rises in the back of my throat and I lean against the wall as I retch until there is nothing left to bring up. Finally it stops and I wrap my arms around my lower ribs as I hug myself in a vain attempt to find some kind of comfort.

I become aware of Donovan talking to me. I can't follow what he is saying but I listen to his soft voice. I move closer and cuddle into his side; it is the only comfort he can offer. His arm goes around my shoulders while his other hand rests against my rounded stomach. I feel the baby roll lazily and put my hand over his to guide it to where the baby is moving. He makes a soft sound in his throat and nudges against my neck to bury his face there.

I am asleep when the key turns in the lock. I rush to get to my feet but I am groggy from being woken up and I am clumsy from my advancing pregnancy. I am now getting close to five and a half months gestation. Terry is the first through the door and as two other toms follow him I realise they have come for Donovan. I am snarling as I pace back and forwards in front of Donovan where he has risen to stand with his back to the wall, and Terry laughs as he eyes me.

"You were never game to do more than scratch and run. Why should I believe you now?" He taunts me and heads for Donovan.

I hesitate but when he is level with me I launch my attack from the side. Terry roars with pain as I cling to him with my legs hooked around his waist, one arm around his neck in an attempt to choke him while I gouge at his eyes with my right hand. He yells and tries to pull my arm from around his neck and when this fails he punches over his shoulder at me blindly.

My throat is hurting and I realise I am shrieking with fury before I duck my head to sink my teeth into his ear. There are startled yells from the other two toms and yells of anger from Donovan but I am too busy trying to maintain my grip on Terry as he spins around frantically.

"Someone get this bitch off me," Terry screams and I feel the piece of his ear in my mouth tear apart from the rest of his ear. He screams and I spit out the piece in my mouth and go for another bite. I see stars as he slams backwards against a wall and my hold loosens; he jerks and twists wildly and my arms flail as I go flying into a corner.

White hot agony blossoms in my left elbow and then I am flinging myself at Terry before he can get near Donovan who is putting up one hell of a fight against one of the other toms. Terry meets me with a hard backhand to the side of my head, but I return to attack again and at last I see a flicker of doubt cross his face.

"What the hell is going on here?" I hear Vaygar roar as I am grabbed from behind and thrown away from the fight.

I land awkwardly on my left arm and scream with pain as I cradle it to my body. I look up to see Vaygar and several of his trusted toms breaking up the fight and Donovan manages to retreat and stand beside me where I sit against a wall. He keeps glancing down at me in concern but he is also aware of his own danger.

"What is going on here?" Vaygar demands angrily once again.

"You sent them after my friend," I accuse as I struggle to my feet cradling my arm. Vaygar glances at my arm with some concern before looking at Terry and the two toms beside him.

"Is that right? Did you come in here after the tom-kitt?" Vaygar asks evenly.

"Yeah, figured you'd want him out of the way so you can have her anytime you want her," Terry says with a leer.

Vaygar moves so fast I barely see the glint of the blade before Terry staggers and clamps both hands to his throat. The tom beside him also spouts a crimson fountain from his throat as Vaygar swings his arm a second time. The third tom steps back hastily but there is a slight move of Vaygar's arm and the blade arcs through the air to land in the centre of his chest. I watch stunned as massive amounts of blood pours between Terry's fingers and his knees give out.

Beside me Donovan gasps and I watch Vaygar, not daring to move; he turns his head slowly to regard us.

"Are either of you going to give me any trouble?" he asks as if making normal conversation.

"No, we'll behave," I say in a voice barely above a whisper as I glance to where the three toms are dying and look back at Vaygar hurriedly.

"It looks like we understand each other pretty well," Vaygar tells us. "How bad is your arm?"

"I think my elbow is dislocated," I say quietly.

"Mike go get my first aid kit," Vaygar orders and walks towards me.

I drop my gaze but stand my ground as he approaches me; I am trembling nervously as he takes hold of my left wrist and gasp as he moves my arm slightly as he studies it. Without warning he gives it a savage jerk and I scream with pain as my knees buckle. He lets go with a final little twist and I cradle my arm against my chest as I pant with the pain.

"I believe it is back in place now," Vaygar says smoothly and watches me for a few moments. "What? No thank you?"

"Thank you Vaygar," I say obediently between teeth gritted with pain.

"Now let me see to your young friend here," Vaygar says as he moves towards Donovan and I force myself to my feet hurriedly.

"I can do it, no need for you to bother with him," I say moving in front of Donovan.

"Suit yourself," Vaygar dismisses us and heads for the door. He stops to look at the three dead bodies and glances towards one of his toms.

"Dispose of the bodies. Take them somewhere and throw them in a hole and cover them over. But first stay here and help Mike to see to their injuries and no harming either one of them. Do I make myself clear?" Vaygar orders with a quick glance my way.

"Yes Boss, crystal clear," the tom replies.

I breathe easier when Vaygar leaves and I glance at Donovan to check how he is. He has a deep cut over his left eyebrow and will have a black eye as well as a bruise that is forming on the opposite side of his chin. He moves uncomfortably and I am guessing he has sore ribs by the way he moves carefully. I realise for the first time that he is now taller than me, and his shoulders although thin have an impressive width to them.

Mike returns with a cardboard box and hands me peroxide and some gauze. Donovan helps me soak the gauze with the peroxide before I clean the cut above his eyebrow. He winces but holds still under my ministrations; I give him a tight smile before turning and looking in the first aid supplies.

"I need a few butterfly clips or a piece of sticking plaster," I tell the tom guarding it. He grunts at me as if he'd like nothing better than to deny me what I ask for but he cuts three small pieces of plaster and I use them to hold the cut closed. I move back to where Donovan stands against the far wall and we watch as the bodies are dragged out of the room, the door closed and locked once more.