“I don’t have any.”
“Give me my fucking money, you dumb bitch.” His voice grows taut and dangerous.
I swallow hard, not letting his venom dig its claws into me. “You’re always under the impression that I’m some kind of a millionaire, Aaron! Look around, I work at a bar. I have a kid and Dad’s bills. I don’t have any extra cash lying around.”
I’m shouting, but I’m also making my way to the door, shifting my feet across the floor ever-so-slowly because I know he won’t simply leave. I can feel it.
If he went as far as he did last time, there’s no stopping him tonight.
There’sno onestopping him.
“And me? Who will think of me? Huh? You ruined my life, so you need to pay for it!”
“Aaron, you can’t keep blaming me for everything. It’s not fair! It’s not fair that you have the gene but it’s not my fault. I try to help as much as I can, but I’m barely surviving!”
Just as I assumed, Aaron’s eyes turn murderous, his jaw clenching hard. “Fine, you don’t want to do it the easy way, we’ll do it my way.” He lunges at me, but I’m faster and push the door open, stumbling into the pouring rain. Just like I did five years ago.
The piercing cold drops bury themselves underneath my skin as soon as I run out. Like a million tiny pinpricks. Almost as if mocking me, laughing at my stupidity for not heeding their warning once again.
Because Aaron isn’t running after me.
Because someone else has been waiting for me.
“Woof, so eager, I like it.” A new deep voice skitters across my quickly drenched clothes as two strong arms grab hold of my arms, pinning them to my body.
I gasp and try to rip out of the stranger’s hold amidst the rain. But he’s strong and his clothes looks to be a lot cleaner than my brother’s. However, the scent of the disease inside him can’t be washed away. One that consumes you whole. Dark and twisted like that smile on his lips as he devours me with his eyes.
A sickening tremor runs through my soul, and I start to fight because I know…I knowwhat comes next.
I know…and I can’t…I can’t. This can’t be happening. Another lightning bolt crosses the skies, drowning us in a deep purple hue of this stormy night and I let out a scream.
“Aaro—” But before I can finish calling out my brother’s name, another set of arms grabs me from the back, his hand shutting me up.
I keep trashing and fighting and screaming but the screams come out muffled over the man’s hand. My hair is sticking to my face and there’s not one dry spot of clothes on my body.
Something that the men have already noticed based on what I feel pressed behind me and the way the one in front, who smells like death, looks at my heaving chest.
Where is Aaron? Did he see them and run away? Scared for his own hide?
And that’s when the man in front of me asks, “I take it you do need the money then, Aaron?”
Just for one moment. One single moment. I stop fighting. I stop screaming and turn my eyes to my brother as he finally walks out of the empty pub behind me, hands in his pockets.
“Five hundred in product for a night with her, like you promised,” he says, not making eye contact with me, and a deadly shiver runs down my body. It’s got nothing to do with the nearly freezing temperatures or the loud thunder echoing through the endless night.
Somewhere deep inside, I always knew my brother was capable of this. I just always naively hoped he wouldn’t.
When will I finally learn to stop hoping?
A silent tear finally mingles with the rain on my cheek. And then another…and another.
I feel my body being dragged toward the end of the building.
The sour taste of betrayal floods my mouth as I hear the two men talking about me. About what they’re about to do to me. They’re talking to me. They even mention something about me enjoying it, but I’m not listening. My eyes are fixed on Aaron who’s trailing behind us without an ounce of remorse in his dead eyes.
That’s the price I pay for being born. At least, that’s the price my brother decided I owe him.
No. I won’t let anyone else take from me without a fight. I’ve fought my whole damn life and I won’t stop now.
