[Author note: Human/Dragon counterpart thoughts are indicated with {words}]
The silence in the lab was suffocating Fifth. She was glad Doctor Shou was gone. But, her instincts warned her that she was still in danger. Betty stared at her in a way that made her hair stand on end. It was a predatory gaze she associated with Doctor Shou right before a punishment fell upon her.
Her breathing sped up. Her sensitive senses revved up a notch to an almost unbearable level. She could even hear the thumping of Betty's heart. Fifth blinked, cautiously sniffing the air. This smell. She knew it well.
No, no, no! Her fear spiked. Excitement. That's what she smelled from Betty. The intern was going to hurt her! Did the universe hate her so much that it wanted her to do nothing but suffer? Was there no one to save her? She howled her despair into the void of her mind.
She flinched when Betty approached her from the left, a malicious grin spreading across her face.
"What's the matter, Fifth? Cat got your tongue," joked Betty, an evil chuckle leaving her mouth. Betty stopped by the bed and caressed Fifth's arm.
Fifth's breath hitched, her throat tightened with terror. That look. That hateful, scary look. She was about to suffer. She could see it and sense it from Betty. Betty wanted to be just like Doctor Shou. She craved attention and would do anything to earn the doctor's praise, even if it meant harming Fifth.
Fifth struggled against the restraints digging into her unprotected flesh. She could feel the blood flowing, but that was the least of her concerns. Betty's eyes were scanning the room, looking for something to use on her. That was bad, so bad.
Abruptly, Betty stopped touching her, causing Fifth even more panic. She tried to mentally brace herself for whatever the evil intern was about to do.
"This should do," murmured Betty as she walked away.
To Fifth's ears, Betty's soft tone was a scream of intent. She glanced sideways, and terror flooded her system. In Betty's hand was a medical saw. Betty was stroking the teeth on it as if it were a lover's body.
Betty turned fully around and sauntered over to Fifth. "Do you see this, you stupid mute? If you can't shift, then you don't need your limbs anymore, do you?"
Horror at Betty's words strangled Fifth's thoughts. She was going to die. She could sense it. Betty was fanatical and believed she was giving a gift to Doctor Shou. She didn't care if it cost Fifth her life.
Betty moved to Fifth's right hand. "Let's get rid of this offending limb, shall we?"
This was it. This was how her pitiful life ended. Fifth squeezed her eyes shut, not wanting to see the removal of her hand.
~It doesn't have to be that way. Fight!~
Startled, her eyes flew open. Who had spoken? She glared at Betty.
Betty giggled. "Oh my, is the stupid mute trying to get a backbone? It's too little, too late. Now, let's watch your blood flow." Betty placed the saw against Fifth's wrist.
Fifth howled her resentment and defeat into the void. Only this time, there was an answer.
Alistair and his knights were quickly approaching the basement. The sense of urgency that had gripped him before arriving at this hidden bunker was back and growing stronger. He was in a battle with his inner dragon. They rarely fought because they were usually harmonious in thought and soul.
This was the first time in a long time that Melchor, his dragon counterpart, had surfaced and was trying to take control.
{Mel, what has gotten into you? What's wrong? I need to concentrate. We're in the middle of a mission. Can't whatever is aggravating you wait?}
{No! Hurry up, Al, she is in danger!}
{Who?}
{She needs us. Move faster!} ordered Melchor as he boosted Alistair's energy and speed.
{Damnit, Mel! What the hell, you crazy dragon!}
~Your Highness, is something wrong?~ asked Enriq, the vice-captain of his brigade.
~Mel has his tail in a twist.~ retorted Alistair. ~Everyone, let's pick up the pace.~
The knights nodded and increased their speed. As they neared the lab, an intense burst of foreboding ripped through Alistair. He surged forward, his hands shifting to dragon claws from the force of Melchor rising up, merging the two of them into one lethal combo. His claws slammed into the junction of the automatic door, and Alistair yanked backward. He ignored the squeal of the protesting door.
Flinging it aside, Alistair entered with a draconic bellow. His glance of the room took in the situation in seconds: the human woman in a laboratory coat with a saw biting into a restrained person on the gurney. The human screamed in fear, dropped the saw, and ran toward the far wall.
His knights flowed into the room, making a beeline for the human. Alistair's gaze slid from her to the person on the gurney. The smell of blood danced in the air, and Melchor went wild inside his mind. He tried to push his dragon to the back of his mind so he could concentrate, but Melchor wasn't having it.
{Go to her!} demanded Melchor.
Alistair obeyed, then froze. The bleeding person on the table was indeed female. Her striking features stopped him. Beautiful olive skin, curly hair, and high cheekbones. What caught his attention most were her honey-gold eyes full of resignation and suffering. He had never seen eyes that color before. They were mesmerizing. He shook his head, forcing his rambling thoughts away.
"You're safe now," he murmured to the wide-eyed, frightened girl. "We're here to rescue you. Let me get you out of these restraints."
The girl tensed and trembled. Her distress hit his nose, and he winced. What had the rebels done to this poor girl?
{She's afraid. Afraid of us! We must punish those who hurt her. I don't want her to be scared of us,} growled Melchor.
Alistair couldn't understand what was up with Melchor's unusual behavior. It shouldn't matter whether or not a human was fearful of them. Most living things were frightened by a draconic aura. For her not to be afraid would be stranger. Right now, he needed to help this girl. Even if she were human, that didn't give the rebels the right to hurt her in such a horrible fashion.
"I'm going to do this slowly. I promise, I'll be as gentle as possible." Alistair kept his movements small and unhurried; the burn of the girl's intense stare heating his skin. Normally, if someone watched him like she was, Melchor and he would start a fight. Melchor, though, was hovering near the forefront of his mind, worrying about the bound girl's state.
This whole situation was crazy, Alistair decided. He would ponder it all later back home. He had a girl to rescue. He removed the restraints and waited for her to say something. Instead, the skittish girl continued to lie unmoving on the gurney, her eyes intently following him.
"You're free now. Can you get up?" Alistair waited for the girl to act. When she continued to stare and not get up, he got a little annoyed. Did she not understand that she wasn't bound anymore? And why hadn't she said anything?
~Your Highness, what would you like us to do with this human woman over here?~
Alistair turned his attention to Enriq. The human female cowered in the corner, unable to escape the knights surrounding her. He moved from the gurney and went to the group. He looked down at the trembling human. Melchor's ferocious growl escaped his lips, and Alistair grinned when the woman peed herself.
He wrinkled his nose at the smell. {Damnit, Mel. Why did you make her do that?}
{She deserves it. Her thoughts are pure evil. She enjoys hurting others. She is lucky that I am not in charge. I would torture her slowly so that she could feel the same pain as her victims.}
"Hmm," Alistair said aloud, poking the human with the toe of his boot. "You reek, girl," he growled.
"Filthy monsters! I know what you are," she hissed. Her fear was replaced by anger. "You're all going to die soon," she boldly declared.
"Oh? Do tell?" urged Alistair with a mocking grin. He had a hunch that this human was a braggart. He could get tons of information from her if he played his hand right.
"Did you think we humans would continue to put up with you disgusting interlopers? We will be taking back what you stole from us."
"Sir, this idiot is delusional," sneered Enriq.
The woman scrambled to her feet, a smirk replacing her quivering lip. "The delusional ones are you, dragons. You forgot that there are other predators besides you. Your secrets are becoming known. You won't be able to hide much longer."
"We'll see about that," retorted Enriq. He reached out to grab the woman, but she swatted his hand away.
"Don't touch me!" she snarled.
~Enough of this. Knock her out so we can go.~ Alistair ordered.
~Yes, Your Highness.~ Enriq bowed and, with a swift chop of his hand against the woman's neck, rendered her unconscious.
The closest knight caught her and carried her under his arm toward the door they entered from.
Alistair noticed that throughout the confrontation, the girl on the gurney hadn't budged. Was there some defect with the girl? Was that why she hadn't reacted to his words? He wasn't sure of anything until she was checked by one of the royal doctors.
Cautiously, he approached the gurney. The girl's head whipped to face him. Her honey-gold eyes fastened on him. He felt Melchor's pleasure at the girl's response. What the hell? His dragon had gone crazy for this mystery girl.
"You are coming with us, too," he gently told her.
She slowly sat up and tilted her head to the side. Her quizzical expression snagged his attention. He felt the urge to know more about her and have her eyes on him only. Yep, he needed to get checked by the royal doctors, too.
Alistair held his hand out toward her, not missing the girl's initial fearful flinch or wary gaze. He had a feeling that helping the girl to recover was going to be a long road. The girl would probably never truly trust another person. This was why he didn't understand humans. They liked to spout about their superiority, but then they did something like this. Why they liked to harm each other was beyond his understanding.
He reined in his raging thoughts. He needed to focus. The girl had gotten off the gurney while he was busy struggling with himself. She stood barefoot in the thin, ragged hospital gown, looking at him. She hesitated another second before reaching out to place her delicate hand in his.
She was shorter than he by about a foot. Up close, he could see her curly hair was matted and knotted. His visual perusal of her noted her gaunt look and various bruises on her arms. There would be an accounting of all her injuries later. Right now, it was time to go.
He gently squeezed her fingers. "Thank you for trusting me. Let's get you out of here."
Without another word, he led her from the lab and back upstairs to rendezvous with the rest of his knights.