Why wasn’t Daddy coming? Why was I here alone?
I wrapped my arms around my legs, crying softly into my knees.
Mama… please come, Mama… I don’t want to be here…
The sound of the key scraping in the lock made my heart thunder with fear.
Please go away.
The screech of the metal door swinging open followed. I clamped my hands over my mouth, trying my best not to cry. I didn’t want them to get angry like earlier when I started crying. Tears blurred my vision as a tall man with a dangerous feeling coming from him, stepped into view.
I’m scared, Mama… Daddy…
His footsteps echoed on the metal steps, ringing in the room as I began to tremble. This man was more bad than the other one from earlier, I could sense it from him. He was very tall, maybe taller than Daddy… he was really big, too. He fixed his suit jacket, and just that move made me whimper. He was going to hurt me…
I quickly got to my feet, looking up at him. His cold reddish-brown eyes stared down at me as if he was looking at something filthy. I pressed my lips together, being brave just like Skyla and Dante. His face was scary; more than half of it was burned.I’m scared... The man was important, I knew that much.
“Sir, may I go home?” I whispered, my voice shaking despite trying my best to speak politely. He tilted his head, looking me over.
“They got the wrong fucking one…” he hissed. His voice was scary, too, and I whimpered in fear, backing away.
He walked towards me, and I flinched the moment his gloved hand twisted into my hair. It was hurting. Tears began tumbling down my cheeks as he scoffed.
“A fucking useless pup,” he hissed. He talked a bit differently, too. Was he from somewhere far away?
“I’m sorry,” I whispered as he pushed me to the ground.
“Fuck this! I don’t need this! She doesn’t even have anything special!”
I rolled up into a ball, protecting my head as he kicked me once more before he turned and stormed up the stairs, leaving me alone in the dark room. I sobbed quietly, daring not to move from my position.
Will you find me, Daddy?
The Witches
Kiara
Ihadn’t been able to sleep properly. Both Alejandro and I had tossed and turned. The sun hadn’t even risen, but I sat up, picking up the pad and forcing myself to write the second message. I was halfway through it when Alejandro woke up. We had barely slept, although we had been trying to for the last four hours. How could we sleep when our baby girl was somewhere? All alone. I knew he wanted to get back out there to look for our pup.
His arm was around me, his hand over mine as I wrote the words, painstakingly slow. The sparks of his touch were like the comfort of warmth on a winter day. He didn’t speak, simply placing a few comforting kisses on my neck and shoulder.
A debt must always be repaid by blood or by life.I had done it!
I gasped, dropping the pen. Alejandro instantly grabbed some napkins from the tray of left-over food from last night and dabbed them gently over my bleeding hand, then over the paper that was smeared with blood.
“This person’s got some fucking problem with me…”
“A debt? What are they going on about?” I closed my eyes, leaning against his shoulder. My intuition was doing nothing to help. I hated this.
“I don’t know, but it could be fucking decades old. The witches should be here soon, and I need to make the recording to put out there for the kidnappers’ demands before they get here,” he said quietly.
I nodded and he gave me a deep kiss before we both got up, ready to face the day and find answers. He left first after washing and dressing. I washed my face and brushed my teeth before rummaging through the suitcaseI had grabbed from the other room last night and pulled on some shorts and an oversized top. I didn’t want to wear any of that colourful crap, but it was all I had brought along. Who would have thought our family trip for the girls’ birthday would end like this?
How had Kataleya spent the night? My stomach twisted and I felt sick with worry. She was out there…
I had just left the room, carrying the tray of leftovers from last night, when Mom stepped out of Skyla’s room, although it wasn’t even dawn yet. It seemed I wasn’t the only one who couldn’t sleep.
“Kia.” She smiled softly at me and came over, running her fingers through my hair. Oh, yeah… I hadn’t combed it… “We are going to find her,” she said, determination blazing in her sage green eyes. I nodded as she took the tray from me.
