The Falcon Ridge Series Book 4: Art of a Girl

(Chapter song ‘Shatter Me' by Lindsey Sterling)

SAMMY

"No." I whine and lower my head as the visions show me Bastian in the hands of my wolf. I raise my head, and suck back my tears as she makes me watch every hit and cut she gives him.

Still restrained, I desperately pull on the chains. “STOP! PLEASE!!” I cry out as she claws him again.

‘What are the codes!’ She demands then hits him again, splattering his blood across the floor.

He groans and it makes my throat close up. I sob as I stare at him hanging from the chains and hitch a breath. "BASTIAN!!!" I fall forward and my forehead hits the floor with my arms around my head.

The beast grabs his chin and shakes his head. ‘What are the codes?’

He fights consciousness. ‘Fuck...you.’ He mumbles.

She punches his face again with a loud angry growl and walks away. She spins around and places her bloody hands on her hips. ‘You realize I could kill her right?’

His head hanging off his shoulders. ‘No...’ His head shakes slowly.

‘Oh, yes.’ She takes big steps to him. ‘I can have her completely wiped from my mind. Erase her from existence. You'd never see her again.’

‘You...can't.’ He forces out.

She grabs his hair and places her face close to his. ‘I can, Bastian. I can make this body all my own. If you don't want me to erase your artist, then tell me. WHAT ARE THE CODES?!’

My heart shatters as she looks over his broken face. My pain rises and I slam my fists on the floor. The rattling chains echo through the void. I have to help him. I can't let her do this. I yank, pull and hit the chains over again. I grip them in my hands. “PLEASE!!!” I wail as I slam them again.

Bastian side eyes her and shakes his head no She raises her claws to his cheek and slices his skin open as he screams in agony.

"NOOOOO!" All my emotions rise at once as I raise my hands to the end of the chain and slam them down on the floor with a force so strong, the chains shatter into pieces and I fall back with a loud yelp. Through my tears filled eyes, I look down at my trembling hands. My mouth falls open and I turn to pink wall. The chains burst into pink shards of light.

I’m free?

‘THE CODES!!’

I look back down at my hands, then up to the glass wall. I scramble to my feet and run to the wall. "LEAVE HIM ALONE!" I punch the image several times as she continues her torture.

‘You don't have much left, Bastian. Eventually the blood loss will kill you. Maybe, I should just storm my army into Falcon Ridge and kill everyone in it. Forget about the prison.’ She licks Bastian's blood off her claws.

‘You'd...lose.’ He pants as his head hangs off his shoulders.

She leans her head on her knees. ‘Are you sure about that? My army is larger than you think.’

He struggles to lift his head and snarls. ‘Yeah...I'm sure."

‘You think Caledon and Falcon Ridge will survive an army of ten thousand?’ Her words sound gleeful.

‘You don't...’ His eyes widen as he fights to keep his head up.

She holds his chin in her fingertips and leans to him. She places her lips his blood covered ones and licks his blood off. He whines as he feels my skin on his. She pulls back and smiles. ‘Oh, but I do, Bastian. Ten thousand hungry Dragons stand at my command waiting for my order to kill you all.’ She mumbles on his lips.

She gives him small kisses and teases him until he bites her lip hard enough to break skin. She yelps and rears back as she holds her lip. I feel her anger as she checks for blood.

She lets out a demonic growl, back hands his face, then grabs him by the throat. Terror fills me when I see her claws digging into his skin. His brows go up and he chokes as she stares into his slit eyes. ‘Maybe I should just rip your throat out right now.’ She clenches.

"LET HIM GO!!" I scream and hit the wall. I whip my head to the glass. “No… I won’t let you.”

‘Fuck you, bitch.’ He grits.

His face turns redder as she increases the pressure and moves close to his trembling lips.

‘Should Sam watch you die, Alpha? Let's make her watch your life drain from your body.’ She squeezes harder. Her evil pink eyes bore holes into his eyes as they start to roll back.

He chokes and gasps for air and I run to the barrier. "BASTIAN!! LET HIM GO!!" I skid to a stop and don’t even hesitate to pound on it relentlessly. Blue and pink light spread like ripples from my fists as I increase the frequency of my hits. I quickly look back and see Bastian choking even more. I turn back and start to hit the glass harder.

“STOP IT!! I'LL KILL YOU!!” I scream as I start to kick and punch at the glass.

"Sam…" He says weakly as he starts to lose consciousness.

I look back and meet his eyes. Tears flow faster as rage and fear fill me. I look back at the glass and bite my top lip.

"NOOOO!!!"

I raise my shaking hands above my head and scream out everything so loud the barrier vibrates. I bring my fists down, and the second I do, a giant spider web of cracks spread out from hands across the glass wall. It explodes in large shards and splinters and I hit the floor. I scream and cover my head as the sharp pieces of glass shatter all around me.

‘AHHHH!’

I spin around to the vision and quickly wipe my eyes. My face fills with shock as I watch my wolf let go of Bastian and stumble back. Bastian coughs and gasps for air as she turns to a dirty glass cabinet that holds weapons.

Her reflection glares at me as she holds her head. ‘What are you doing?’ She grits.

I storm though the broken glass to the wall. “I’m stopping you, right now.”

‘A feeble attempt, Sam. You don’t have the power.’ She clenches as she deals with the pain I just dealt her.

“We'll just see about that.” I run to the door and slam into it to stop.

‘You can't get through. I'm too strong." She laughs as she continues to hold her head.

"Sammy..." Bastian says hoarsely.

"I'm stronger, you bitch!" I take a fighters stance and focus on the wood. I throw punch after punch with a tear stained, cold face. My rage is white hot and I’m taking it all out on this thing that’s keeping me in here.

‘Stop!’ The beast yells as she steps closer to her reflection.

‘Sammy! Fight her, Sam! Kick her ass out!’

I look back as Bastian cheers me on. He’s trying to smile and that gives me more fuel. I turn back and hit the door harder.

I scream out as my fists land on the door until I hear a crack. I stop and see several with light leaking through. My eyes light up, my heart pounds and I throw more punches. I feel alive! As my wolf suffers with every splinter, I gain more strength. The light grows in my eyes and I can feel reality on the other side.

"I'm coming, Bastian." I laugh as wood pieces fall at my feet. “I’m coming.”

‘He'll be dead before you get out.’ The beast growls.

I look behind me and she has his throat again. She digs her claws in deeper and his face is even redder.

‘Sa…m…’

His plea drives my anger for my wolf to new levels. "No." I spin back around and focus it all on my hands. The light starts to fill the black as I smash the door with everything I have.

‘You're Alpha is dead, Sam. It's no use.’ The beast cackles.

My lips curl into a snarl. I pull my fists back over my head and scream loud into the light as I bring them crashing into the door. Upon contact, it explodes into splinters.

The pieces fly into the reality side of my mind and stop in midflight like time just stopped all around the beast as she stands in the light. She looks like me in a fancy dress as she faces and her lips shrink. She was about to attack, but I rush her.

With a force I never knew I had, I run into the middle of all the pieces of the broken door, and grab my wolf by the hair and back. I lift her off her feet, and scream as I throw her back behind me through the air into the darkness of my mind.

The splinters start to move again, but backward. They follow the beast into the dark, but stop. They reassemble the door and it locks when the last splinter is in place.

As I stare at the door, my knees give out and I fall to the floor. My chest hurts from breathing so hard and I’m laughing through my tears. As the light surrounds me, I feel the relief of finally being free of her hell.

I stand and turn to the bright white light that's behind me. I shield my eyes as I walk into it to rejoin the outside world and take my body back.

My mind adjusts and I look down. My eyes widen and my fingers snap open as I remove my hand from Bastian's neck. I raise it to my eyes. There's no claws. Just nails.

He coughs hard as he catches his breath.

I look down at the bloodied, broken version of my Alpha and start to cry.

I fall to my knees and take his head in my hands. "I'm sorry." I sob. "I'm so sorry." He flinches as I wrap my arms around his neck.

"Sammy?" He whispers.

I nod. "Yeah." My breath hitches.

"How?" He asks.

I pull back and raise his head to see my eyes. "You. I had to save you. You gave me the strength to fight her." I whisper through tears and I give a tiny smile. "I'm saving you."

I lean forward and gently press my lips to his. He parts his lips and our tongues find each other. It was something I thought I would never feel again. His soft lips move with mine as his gentle tongue caresses my mouth.

I pull back and give tiny kisses.

"Sammy?" He mumbles on my lips.

"Yeah." I rub his face with my thumbs as I stare into his beautiful hazel eyes.

"You want to get me down?" He motions to the chains.

My brows go up. “Shoot! Right." I undo one arm and he slumps to the floor as he hangs by his other arm.

"Goddess?" I turn to see Chase is standing in the doorway. He looks at me and then Bastian. "What are you doing?"

"Uh..." I glance at Bastian. "He's has enough for today. He's no good to us dead." I say in a stern voice.

"Right." Chase stands tall. He looks out the door and crooks a finger. Two guards come in. "Take him and put him with the others." Chase orders.

I watch as they free Bastian's other arm and pick him up with both arms.

"Make sure he gets some medical attention." I say to the guards. I try to hide my fear and sound like the beast.

Chase arches a brow. "Medical attention?"

"Of course. I want him healed up so I can break him again." I say slyly.

"Right." He nods. "Did you get any codes from him?"

I shake my head. "No. I'll get him to talk."

Chase steps closer. "You sure you're really trying?"

"What do you mean?" I ask, folding my arms.

"I mean. We know your counterpart had feelings for this Alpha. Are you sure your heart is in the right place?" He tilts his head and raises a brow. “I could go in and make sure she’s not compromising…”

I snarl and grab him by the throat. He struggles and chokes against my strength. "Are you doubting my loyalty, Alpha?"

"No..." He chokes. "Of course not, Goddess."

I let him go. "Good. I'll be in my room. Let me know when he's ready for questioning."

I leave Chase there and head to my room. Once behind closed doors, I peel off my blood-soaked dress off, step into the shower and wash Bastian's blood off my body.

As the warm water cascades down my body, I can't help but breakdown. I'm consumed by guilt and filled with the horror of what happened. I want to run back there and crawl into Bastian’s arms, but I can’t. I’m free, but not out of the woods yet.

My wolf isn’t done yet, either. I can feel her slamming against the door. I don't know how long I can hold her back, but I will try for as long as I can.

After I shower, I sit in front of my small mirror. As the comb travels through my hair, I stare at my eyes. They’re still pink. I thought it was my wolf, but no. There's no brown in them at all.

She really did change my eye color.

‘I'll get out! You can't keep me in here! I'm the strong one!’ She yells in my head as she beats on the door.

I watch the teeth of the comb glide though my wet locks. “I know you now. I know your thoughts. I know you exist. There won’t be a next time. I'll keep my control or I'll kill us both." I whisper. I’m almost in a daze of confusion. This is a war for my body. I don’t understand any of this.

My chin trembles and I take a deep breath to hold it together. I need to figure out how to get everyone out of here.

‘They'll know it's not me.’ She warns. ‘They'll kill you and the others.’

I lock with my eyes. "I've been watching you for weeks. You are me. Just a terrible version of it."

‘I'll get a message out. You'll regret locking me up!’

"I regret not being stronger. I feared you, but not anymore. I'm the human. I have ultimate control. Not you. Now, shut up." I wave my hand in front of the mirror and my reflection flies into the depths of the mirror. She fades out of existence as I get up and quickly get dressed.

My plan, so far… Play the beast as best I can until I can get Bastian out. It should be easy right? She is me after all. I seemed to have convinced Chase. I can do this.

I collect myself, put on my most evil, smug face and head downstairs.

When I hit the foyer, I stop a guard. "Take me to the prisoner." I order with my chin held high.

The guard nods and leads me to a part of the castle I've never been in. He opens a door and instantly, I'm hit with the stench of death. I cover my nose to keep from puking.

We descend a stone staircase and I try not to touch the walls. The stone looks dirty and moldy and I’m sure there’s rats down here.

He stops at the bottom and points down a hallway. "Down there, Goddess."

I glare at him and point up the staircase. "Go." I demand.

"But you shouldn't be down here alone." He cautions.

"Go!" I demand louder.

He bows and climbs the stairs. I watch him carefully as he shuts the door. As soon as I hear the click, I turn and run down the hallway, looking around as I pass rooms.

The hallway opens up to a large room.

I catch my breath and look around at all the cells lining the room. A real live dungeon? Are you kidding me?

As I walk through and scan each cell, I see them sitting on the floor in a black iron cage.

I run to them and slam my body into the bars. "Bastian?" I huff.

I see Alpha Luke. He looks beaten and tired. Alexi was caring for him. "Alpha Jackson!"

Anna approached the bars. "Samantha?"

"Yes. It's me." I grab the bars in both hands and glance behind me. I turn to the woman. “I don't know how much time I have here. "Where's Bastian?"

"He's over there." She turns and motions to Bastian on the floor.

My heart pains when I see him passed out on his back. "Is he OK? Please tell me he’s ok.” Tears well in my eyes.

"He's healing." Anna supplies. "He's just sleeping."

"How about the rest of you? Are you ok?" I look at all the faces staring at me.

"We're fine, Sammy." Dylan pushes through from behind two twin Alphas.

"Dylan!" I cry reach for him through the bars and he reaches through to try and hold me. "You shouldn't be here."

"I couldn't leave you. You're my sister." He smiles as he hugs me.

"You know. This family reunion is great and everything, but how about you get us the fuck out of here." An impatient Luke stands up and walks toward the bars.

"I can't. Not yet. I'm still trying to figure out how without getting us all killed." I flick my head between Dylan and Luke.

A tall, light brown-haired man approaches the bars. He looks very scared and his words are rushed. "A Girl. Small, blonde. Big, gorgeous blue eyes. Have you seen her?"

I shake my head. "I'm sorry. I haven't. Was she with you?"

"She was. Her name is Sarah. She came here before us and we haven't seen her since." He leans his forehead on the bars.

"What's your name?" I ask.

"Jayson Duke." He swallows.

I nod. "I'll look for her. Try not to worry. I'm sure she's OK." I place my hand on his for comfort.

The red headed woman steps to the bars. "Hello, Samantha. I'm Alexi. Tell me. Have you heard what they're planning?"

"Only that she needs Bastian alive for some codes he knows. He hasn't told her them. She also has an army. It's massive." I look around at the faces lining the bars. "Ten thousand fighters. I have to stop it."

"No, Sammy." Anton steps forward. "Get us out and we'll stop it."

"No, Anton. I created this mess. I'm cleaning it up." I fold my arms.

"Sweetheart. No offense, but you're not a fighter." Luke tilts his head as his face fills with concern. "Get us out of here."

"I can't. It's too early. They'll kill us all." I float my eyes around them. "I have to convince them I am the beast, then I can figure out a way to get us out of here."

"Sam?"

A groan came from the corner of the cell.

"Bastian?" I move down the bars so I can see him.

He struggles to his feet. His long, blonde hair is caked in blood, dirt and water. He still has a lot of deep injuries and I hope he can heal them all. I feel just awful seeing him, but I'm so glad I still can.

"Bastian." I breathe as I reach through the bars for him.

He stumbles to me and I grab his arms as he reaches through the bars.

Tears fall as our lips connect in a kiss, then I reluctantly pull away. "Are you ok? Please say you're OK." I check his face which is healing. His perfect features are coated in dried blood.

"I feel like I have a wicked hangover, but I'm ok." He says weakly.

"Thank god." I sigh.

"So, what's the play here?" He looks at me.

"I play her, then try to get you out." I shrug.

"Baby, that's dangerous. Let us out and we'll take care of it." Bastian strokes my cheek. It's a feeling I've longed for, for so long.

"No. You're safer in here. Just… Don't give them what they want. It's keeping you alive." I gently smile as I cup his cheek.

I lock with his gaze a little longer, then step back. "I have to go. They'll notice I'm missing. I'm going to save us all. I promise you." I turn and run back down the hallway.

"Sammy!" Bastian calls behind me, but I don't turn back. I can't. I can't raise suspicion. Whatever skill Chase has, I don't want him using it on me.

I need to be smart. I need to be cunning. I need to survive to save my Alpha.