To Love a Stray Ch. 14

"He told me he's going to slit my throat," Donovan whimpers in fear and I turn to wrap my arms around his young body. He slips his arms around my ribs and buries his face in the crook of my neck as he begins crying in earnest.

"Looks like Alley has a soft spot for the young tom," Kendal says in the front of the van and I growl savagely.

"You keep Terry away from him," I warn angrily.

"You might want to think about the way you behave and how much co-operation you give us," Kendal warns and turns on the radio turning it up so it covers any noise in the rear of the vehicle. Strong hands pull Donovan and me apart. He is left to huddle against the wall but I am pulled into the centre of the floor and hands reach eagerly beneath my knee length skirt even as I kick out wildly.

"You be a nice little she and open those legs of yours so I can get reacquainted with that sweet cunny of yours and I'll leave the tom alone," a husky voice says near my ear as rancid breath flows over my face.

Strong fingers reach between my clamped thighs and rip at my undies and I have no option but to allow the vile actions as my legs are forced apart. Terry staggers and falls onto me heavily as someone bumps against him, he curses and slams his elbow back hard.

Donovan gives a cry of pain as I crawl from beneath several struggling bodies. I try to scurry out of the way only to throw myself onto the back of some stray as he tries to hold Donovan for Terry to hit freely. I feel my fingernails gorging into his face and he releases Donovan as he tries to remove me from his back. I hit the floor of the vehicle hard and find myself wishing there were windows instead of solid panels in the cargo area of the van.

"Get the fuck away from both of them!" Kendal growls savagely. His voice has taken on a harsh gravely quality and I know from painful experience his cat it not too far away. I hear the stray toms move to near the door of the van and I crouch where I am as I hear Donovan moving away from them.

I crawl over to huddle beside Donovan and lean my head against the side of the van with my eyes closed tightly. I hear Donovan move slightly but I don't open my eyes as I concentrate on checking for any signs that my baby's existence has been endangered. I feel his damp cheek rest against my shoulder and take comfort in the slight gesture.

I open my eyes to find Terry watching me with hooded eyes and I glare back at him silently. He glances at Donovan assessingly and I move fast to punch him in the face when his eyes leave me.

"You bitch! You piece of rotten dog shit," Terry screams and launches his own attack of furious slaps and punches to my head and shoulders. I kick, scratch and punch furiously in self defence, then Terry is being dragged away from me where I huddle whimpering with pain.

"What the hell was that about," Kendal demands angrily from the driver's seat as the vehicle slows and comes to a halt on the shoulder of the road.

I want to get up to try to look out the windscreen or the windows on the rear doors but the looks I catch from the stray near Terry, as well as the stray at the rear door, stops me.

"The bitch hit me," Terry yells and I hear the sound of a hard slap.

"Sorry Kendal but she attacked me for no reason," Terry whines.

"In all the years I've known her she has never once attacked. Defended herself, yes, but stage an attack? Never. What did you do?" Kendal demands tightly.

"I was only looking at the tom-kitt," Terry whines and I hear Kendal chuckle.

"Looks like we found a way to control Alley Cat," Kendal says quietly and I feel a shiver of fear.

* * * * *

"The petition I put to the board to have my maternal clan's territory reinstated with Rosy as the female heir has been granted on several conditions," Kurt Black says as he glances between Mitchell, Sam and myself. " Firstly, Rosy is to be married before the birth of the kitt she carries now. Not just a token marriage but in a marriage that is functioning and she is happy in. Secondly, Rosy has to prove herself a competent mother and devoted wife because of Jeddah's desertion of her sons and Ray. Some of the Board members fear that with her unorthodox upbringing she may be inclined to follow in her mother's footsteps."

"Some on the Board think Rosy could run off leaving any kitts she has behind?" Mitchell asks with a frown. "Rosy seems to want this kitt, as much as any other expectant female werecat I'll heard of."

"Apparently during the last meeting Wade advised against returning Black territory to Rosy as the Black Heir until she has proven she will be present all the time," Kurt says tightly. "He presented a history of her running away from the Williamson Clan."

"I never heard of Wade discussing Black territory on the meeting's agenda," Sam snarls in angrily.

"Wade had a report already typed up to present to several key Board members. The subject was not officially raised at the meeting. He did it all through back doors which prevented me speaking on behalf of my niece," Kurt says darkly.

There is silence for several seconds as we all take in how carefully Wade planned his attempt to keep control of territory placed under his care until either Sam or Mitchell sired a daughter.

"I have also relayed to the Board the fact Jasmine seems to be recovered to full health after her recent illness, which may make the Board reconsider her future as a possible Matriarch," Kurt states levelly.

"Why the support for Jasmine?" I ask curiously.

My mobile shrills a demand for attention and I get out of my chair and move away from the table as I open my phone and put it to my ear.

"Micah, we got strays -- a number of them here in town," Dwayne says immediately in a worried voice before I even speak.

"Get Rosy, Jazzy and Donny to a very public place. You, Malcolm and Kirby stay with them while Timny and Chris do a cautious scout around to see if they can determine how many there ..." The other end of the line goes dead and I frown as I look at my phone in worry. I close the phone to end the call, reopen it and press the button to speed dial Dwayne's mobile.

"Get all the warriors together," I order. "Strays in town," I say as the conversation at the table halts, I look at Sam intently as I listen to Dwayne's phone ring out. I press redial as I begin pacing.

Sam and Mitchell are on their feet almost instantly while Kurt gets to his feet and turns to head outside.

"I'll get my team ready to be at your disposal," Kurt says as he leaves the room.

Dwayne's phone rings out and I hit redial again, I am just about to punch the wall in frustration when the other end of the phone connection clicks.

"Dwayne I ..." I begin on an angry growl.

"It's Malcolm," Malcolm says even as I recognise his voice. I can hear a lot of indistinct voices in the background as he speaks and then takes a deep breath.

"We need Doc ASAP and search teams," Malcolm says in a clear but rushed voice.

"We'll be ready to leave to meet you in two minutes," I say with confidence.

The voices in the back ground rise and I can hear Jazzy's voice but I can't understand what she is saying her words are so slurred. One thing I do understand is the near hysterical tone of her voice.

"Shut Jazzy up, shut her up!" Malcolm snaps and I growl vowing to make him pay for that order when I see him next.

"We're holed up in a back lane at present ..." Malcolm starts.

"I said get to a very public place," I snap in fury.

"Shut up and listen! We are behind the computer shop in that quiet lane with the bricked off dead end," Malcolm says and takes a deep breath. "I'll be doing recon in the Monaro, searching. Get here fast, Timny has a blade snapped off up under his ribs and we're pretty sure the strays have Rosy and Donny."

"No!" The word leaves me in a shout of rage and pain. Nightmarish images run through my head, the state Rosy was in when she was first found. The horrible corpses left behind when rogue strays managed to get a clan cat by themselves. "No!"

I hear running footsteps enter through the screen door and then Steven is in the lounge room, slowing to a walk. His eyes are searching my face and I turn away as I realise my eyes are burning with tears.

"How...?" I manage.

"Timny was with them, Donny wanted to look at the latest games," Malcolm says and I can hear the stress in his voice. "Strays managed to separate them and ambush Timny in public, in the store. That's all he managed to tell me before he passed out. Jazzy is hysterical, Dwayne is managing okay at the moment. I don't think he has allowed it to sink in. Give me a sec."

There are muted voices on the other end of the phone as I struggle against the pain, terror and panic that threaten to overtake me. I hear the sound of Malcolm's Monaro and I grit my teeth, as all voices are lost beneath the noise before the engine stops.

"I'm going searching for any sign of them now. Just get here as fast as possible," Malcolm orders.

I hear the phone being passed to someone else and then the Monaro starts and soon moves away. I hear someone breathing on the other end of the line and take a deep breath myself.

"I need to go so I can call Doc," I force myself to say.

"I'll make sure someone coherent is always on hand," Kirby says quietly. "Chris or me by the looks of things."

"I got to go," I repeat myself and close the phone.

"Who did we loose and who is injured?" Sam asks quietly and I tense as I realise what I have to tell everyone.

"Someone go get Wade," I manage between clenched teeth. "Someone call Doc. Timny has a stab wound with the blade still inside."

"Anyone else injured?" Justin demands and I turn to face the lounge room as I shake my head.

"Malcolm said ... said they think the strays have Rosy and Donny," I manage around the lump in my chest.

"Donny? What would strays want with Donny? He's just a kid, he's not ..." Justin's voice trails off and his eyes go huge as he gasps for air. "NO! No! They'll kill him!"

Justin turns to run for the door but Mikkarl grabs him, wrapping his arms around the younger tom and holds him. Steven is pale as he steps forward but I shake my head at him, the pain and terror is too intense for contact at the moment.

"Oh God," Sam mumbles as tears run down his face. "Rosy, Donny."

"Pull yourselves together!" Mitchell snaps and I take a deep breath as I step forward as well. I can see pain and fear in his eyes that match the emotions churning inside me.

"We need to get moving! Steven call Doc," I say as I meet Mitchell's eyes.

"I'll go speak to Wade," Kurt offers and heads outside leaving a team of four warriors behind.

"I'm guessing this is an organised attack, not a freak occurrence. Malcolm said there were several strays," I say as I look around those in the room. "First off we need to get our wounded and vulnerable back here to safety."

"Then we go after the strays, kill the bastards and bring home whatever they've left of Rosy and Donovan for us," Mitchell says in an ice-cold voice.

I give a curt nod and turn away as I close my eyes and feel inside myself for any semblance of Rosy's presence. All I find is the void left behind when she lost control.

* * * * *

I sit with my back against the wall furthest away from the door and stare at the wall opposite me silently. Donovan is curled up asleep on the few threadbare blankets that have been given to us; he twitches and moans in his sleep and I turn my face away.

We have been captives of Kendal Darnel, his father Vaygar and their gang of stray toms for a week now. Donovan's childhood innocence has not been stripped from him totally, but he has seen too much done to me to be ever the same again.

I quickly made a deal with Kendal exchanging my lack of fighting his every touch for protection of Donovan from any who wished to harm him. One benefit of not fighting every whim of Kendal's is that food is delivered twice a day. While it is generally cold and unappealing there has been enough for one normal meal each time. Donovan no longer tries to make me take the biggest half of the food because he has finally met with real hunger and eats his share without protesting.

The sound of footsteps outside the small dingy room has me shaking Donovan's shoulder roughly before standing to watch the door warily. Donovan wakes quickly, gets to his feet hurriedly. He moves closer to me but makes no sound as we watch the door. A key turns noisily and the heavy door creaks as it is pushed open to allow Kendal to walk in followed closely by an older grey haired version of him.

I am relieved it is not Terry with his taunts about us being locked up in this room never to see the outside world again.

"Well well well, I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't seen you with my own eyes," Vaygar Darnel drawls as he walks in and paces from side to side as he studies me. "Kendal has been telling me you're quite fond of this tom-kitt here."

I make no reply and Vaygar doesn't seem to need one. He approaches me slowly and when he is getting too close for my comfort I growl low in my throat at him. He stops and slowly runs his eyes over me before turning his head to study Donovan.

"Ahhh, now it's beginning to make sense. Found a couple of toms you actually like haven't you?" Vaygar asks with a friendly smile. "Unless I'm mistaken, you've gotten more than a little friendly with one of them."

He raises an eyebrow as his eyes slowly travel down my body, stopping on my breasts and hips for a few moments before moving on. I realise with a start he has recognised my fuller breasts and the slight fullness below my navel as a sign of early pregnancy.

"Kendal, when was the last time they were given food?" Vaygar asks.

"They were given a few scraps this morning. Not a lot, but I'm not wasting good food on the tom there. Although Alley is easier to handle with him around," Kendal tells his father.

"You mean I don't fight when you rape me," I snarl at him. Kendal raises his hand and steps forward as if he is about to backhand me but Vaygar casually raises a hand and shakes his head.

"I don't think you want to be doing that and you might want to ease up on your use of her from now on," Vaygar tells him.

"It won't be long before I've bred her," Kendal says with a glare at me.

"Another tom has beaten you to it by the looks of things. Well never mind, you can either sell the kitt or drown it before it draws a proper breath. Unless of course it's a she - then we keep it and breed it when it's big enough," Vaygar says without emotion.

"No," I scream and lunge for Vaygar with my hands curved into claws for scratching and grabbing. He is expecting this move and backhands me so hard I hit the wall behind me almost knocking myself out. I feel Donovan's arms around me restraining me when I would have attacked again and I struggle briefly, but even he is too strong for me, stunned by my collision with the wall.

"Don't, don't," Donovan pleads when I try to regain my feet from where I have ended up sitting on a lean against the wall. Common sense slowly seeps into my mind and I content myself with a hiss when Vaygar looks my way.

"You'll do well to listen to the tom or we can just beat the kitt out of you here and now," Kendal tells me cruelly. Commonsense returns and I turn my face away from him not wanting to give him any further cause to hit me.

"Are you married to the tom that served you by any chance?" Vaygar asks in a friendly tone that makes me feel uneasy.

"My brother loves Rosy, and they're gonna be married real soon," Donovan spits hurriedly in his anger.

Vaygar laughs softly and shakes his head as he eyes me with a calculating look on his face.

"So, he's so eager to gain control of the land that is rightfully yours, that he bred you before he wed you did he?" Vaygar asks evenly.

I place a hand on my stomach protectively at the glitter in Kendal's eyes as he curls his top lip. The idea that there is land connected to me swirls uneasily in my mind along with the knowledge that Wade planned the kitt I carry. I fold both arms over my lower ribs as I hug myself in an effort to calm the fear that begins to take form in my mind.

I become aware of Vaygar still watching me closely and I turn my face away rather than allow him to see that what he said is getting to me. I listen as the two leave the room locking the door behind them, and I feel Donovan begin shaking behind me.

"We have to do something. We have to escape so we're not here when the kitt is born," Donovan whispers hoarsely.

A part of me feels relief that Donovan doesn't seem to realise what Vaygar said. I don't think I would be able to handle the questions he would be sure to ask. Or maybe I would be forced to listen to all his claims contrary to Vaygar's assumption, and I know I couldn't handle that either.

"We can't. You can't outrun mature toms in either form. We try to escape, and fail, and they'll kill you outright and they'll beat me so bad I loose the baby. That's if they don't beat me to death doing it," I say dully. I feel Donovan begin shaking again and I hear the little sounds that come from him as he cries.

"If it's a she, I'll kill her myself before I let them take her from me," I vow softly as I remember how I was treated the first time they held me captive.

"You can't," Donovan cries horrified.

"What? Let them raise her and have some tom on her, rutting, trying to breed her before she's even physically mature?" I hiss angrily. I move away from him uncomfortably and he shakes his head as tears pour down his face.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," Donovan mumbles and I allow him to approach me. I feel Donovan bury his face against the back of my shoulder and sob brokenly. My head aches and Donovan looks terrible when he finally cries himself out. He moves to sit beside me and we both lean back against the wall too worn out emotionally to talk or try to imagine if and when we'll be rescued. I grow tired in the heat of the middle of the day and I am half asleep when I hear a key turn in the lock on the door. I jump to my feet only to nearly fall over immediately and realise I must have a concussion, judging by the dizziness that grips me.

"Looks like you two are to start getting the royal treatment," the larger of the two stray toms in the doorway tells us as he tosses a plastic bag containing take away boxes on the floor near the middle of the room before carefully dropping a bag of drinks just inside the door. Both toms retreat backwards and shut the door locking it behind them. I glance sideways at Donovan before pushing away from the wall.

"I can get it," he protests but I growl a low warning and he remains where he is. I have drilled it into him time and time again not to get where any of the toms can get a hold on him and drag him out the door before I can get hold of him. He knows I tell the truth when I say they'll kill him if they can separate us, but what he hasn't learnt yet is what Terry likes doing with young boys of both the cat and human varieties.

I brace a hand against the door warily as I bend down to lift the bag of water bottles before moving sideways away from the door and back towards Donovan and the food. He meets me at the food and picks it up before grabbing hold of my arm to help me back to the rear wall. I slide down the wall thankful to sit down once again and allow Donovan to open the boxes of food.

"There's two pieces of chicken in one and three in the other. Chips, mashed potatoes and gravy, two bread rolls in each box ..." he tells me with growing excitement. Until now we have only been getting one meal to share between us.

"You take the three; I'll be lucky if I can eat the two and keep it down," I say tiredly.

"Eat what you can and we'll keep the rest for when you feel better," Donovan tells me and tears fill my eyes at the way he sounds so much like Micah. I pick at one of the pieces of chicken only to find it is rather bland and tasteless as I chew at it slowly. I eat the meat from one piece before I close the box and lean back with my eyes closed.