Brace myself? What kind of warning is that. I consider trying to pull out of Serge's grip on my elbow and making a break for the stairs but with how many guys there are upstairs just outside the basement door it seems futile, so I stay still as he reaches for the door before us.
I expect Serge to open the door and walk through immediately but instead he knocks waiting for something.
"Come in," A deep voice commands from inside and Serge opens the door pulling me inside with him.
Time freezes as I take in the room. I understand why Serge told me to brace myself. The left side of the room is coated in blood. A female body hangs from the celling toes just touching the pooling blood that is still dripping out of it. I can't help but stare in horror. Is this what they are going to do to me? Did they leave the body of the previous captive as a threat. I tear my eyes away desperately trying to look anywhere else. In the far-right corner, I catch a glimpse of a man standing in the shadows but before I can attempt to get a better look my attention is brought back to the girl by a faint rattling of chains.
"Oh," I hear her voice on as though it is a whisper on the wind.
Looking at her now, she still looks as pale and dead as she did a moment ago except now her head is raised and her eyes are locked onto me. Her very familiar brown eyes.
"Anna?" I question
It is as though my voice restarts time. Serge yanks me over to the right side of the room but instead of chaining me to hang in the center like Anna, he kicks me to sit against the wall and hooks my hands above my head. I am efficiently trapped in my sitting position unable to move without injuring myself but better able to protect my vitals with my legs if the need arises. I don't understand why Anna is here though. Why is she strung up and I am restrained? What do they want? They must want something from me. Anna is just my wife. She stays home most of the time... Except does she... there have been all those trips... her disappearing act lately... Anna couldn't be involved in anything shady though she isn't that kind of girl.
I expect the man in the corner to turn his attention on me expecting that this show has been staged for me...
"Anna huh?" His laugh echoes through the concrete room low and menacing. "Dismissed." he barely glances in my direction to give the order to Serge who was still hovering near me before returning his attention to my wife.
The man waits for Serge's exit prowling towards my Anna, and I watch as Serge rushes to the door the click of the latching behind him sounding very final.
"Anna," The man says again but there is silence in response. "You responded to that profane you will respond to me." He snarls pacing at the edge of the pool of blood.
Anna doesn't even acknowledge that he has spoken with a look. She remains silent once again hanging so deathly still I wonder if I imagined her movement earlier.
"Where is THE Demon Witch, you demon spawn," The man snarls again.
The sharp voice echoes through the room. I am not sure this is my Anna anymore. My Anna cannot stand raised voices. Even if I get loud in excitement she will flinch away. This girl just hangs. She doesn't respond or even react as though she has heard him speak.
"Fine," he spits and suddenly his voice is calm causing a chill to crawl up my back.
He turns and for the first time his gaze rests on me.
"Fine Anna you want to play the like this we can return to the old rules." His steps are bringing him closer to me, "Just remember I tried to remain civil." He calls over his shoulder to her as he is now standing in front of me.
"Well Profane why don't I give you a choice of how the next round will go?" He lowers himself to a squat meeting my eyes a smile on his face, "I can give Anna over there another round of cuts or you can take the next round. Which will you choose?"
As soon as he threatened to give Anna more cuts "No" began rising up wanting to be spoken but then at the threat of taking the cuts myself the word sticks in my throat. I am not even sure anymore she is Anna why should I take some random girl's punishment...
"Tick tock little hero," the man taunts me pulling out a knife, "What shall it be? You or her?"
I glance over his shoulder; the girl still hasn't moved she is probably already dead I should just pick her.
"Me," I hear myself say. I don't remember deciding but there is no question in my voice. "I will take the cuts."
Anna's head lifts at this surprise in her sapphire blue eyes... No that isn't right my Anna has warm chocolate brown eyes...
"Bad choice Profane," The man's laugh ricochets through the room once more he turns his back on me, "How do you witches do this to men? They are so pitifully loyal." He spits the words as though they are painful to speak, "They are even willing to bleed for you demons."
Anna remains silent but it's obvious now that she isn't quite as close to death as I originally assumed. Her eyes have returned to brown... have always been brown I correct my own thoughts I must have been seeing things. Her brown eyes don't waver for a moment away from me as he stalks back towards her.
"So little demon witch what is it going to be? Give up THE Demon Witch or show this little former Human you turned Profane that its loyalty only goes one way?" he snarls at her practically spitting out the word human.