A/N: As usual, I would recommend putting the video on loop. 

Briefly, he closed his eyes from the pain coursing through his ankle and back. His left ankle pulsed, and he felt the fabric around the wound grow wetter. Green-hazel optics stared forward, and he noted someone seated up against the wall nearby him. Looking up, he spotted Deidre, and he noticed that she was breathing. Instantly, a mental sigh of relief washed over him at knowing that she actually wasn't dead, but that relief was short lived given the other situation occurring. At least, she was asleep and wouldn't have to witness it. Barely, his eyes shifted from her to the creature and (f/n). From his perspective, he couldn't see Nick anymore, but he could hear droplets of tears collide with the ground.

The creature, though, was grinning horrifically, and his hands were just above (f/n)'s chest. His left nails tapped against her chest and torso lightly, threatening to stab into her flesh there. Ren wished to get back up, but his body was spent, and another attempt might make his ankle wound bleed too much. Then again, death was a near certainty for them, but Chris was still alive. He had to stay around for her so that she could escape if she got captured even if the likelihood of him distracting the creature long enough for her to escape was minimal; he still had to try not only for Chris but for Nick and Deidre too. (F/n) ... She might be too difficult to rescue.

Mentally, a bitter laugh echoed in his mind. That was even if he would be able to distract the creature in the first place. Almost, his own tears formed. Things were looking utterly hopeless, and hearing Nick break down only amplified that. Ren rested the side of his head against his upper arm, and his eyelids felt heavier by the second from the pain and exhaustion, but he refused to fall asleep. He had to stay awake so that Nick wasn't the only one awake with the creature. Tiredly, his optics fell back on the creature, who was now tracing a few scars above her chest.

No enjoyment crossed the creature's expression; he only looked demented. The creature's actions purely were for tormenting Nick and nothing else. Nick's feet scraped across the ground again in a vain attempt to move closer, but he never could get a good grip. The older human male's wrists were bright red where the cables were from his constant struggling against them, and muffled cries continued to stream past his lips.

"You certainly are very noisy." The creature grinned more. "This really," he moved his hands down to her hips and rested his chin on her right shoulder, "must bother you." Callest only could tolerate his current actions since they were producing a cruel punishment for Nick. Otherwise, he would never submit himself to trailing his fingers across her skin in such a way. His thumbs pressed into two bruises on her skin there, and she shifted in her sleep, but she didn't wake.

"But all of these bruises and cuts, I've been re-administering them to her so that they don't heal completely. I've told her time and time again how disgusting she is, and she needs to see her punishment for that." His thumbs pressed more into the marks, and she groaned as her brows furrowed in pain. "She earned a few for calling me by my name when trash like her has no right to. She earned more for refusing to admit to her denial. She even earned some from simply making too much noise." The creature smirked to Nick, who wore a heavy glare. "And, I didn't offer her a gag like you." His left index finger pointed to him. "So, you should be grateful."

Some retort left Nick's lips, but it was undecipherable, and Ren didn't say a word even if he wanted to. He suspected that he would be knocked out if he did, and he wanted to remain awake for as long as he could. "I take it that you aren't. Well, I suppose that's fair since I'll be killing off your friends in the near future. Hmm ..." The creature trailed off before he smirked again. "That might actually get her to admit to her full feelings." Nick tried to speak understandably, but the creature ignored him. "But, we can get to that later. I haven't finished telling you everything yet."

Trailing his left nails against her left ribs, the creature teased cutting the skin there. Ren had to close his eyes, and Nick gave a violent jerk, which caused him to cry out in pain from his resisting wrists. "Her food consisted of nearly rotten apples and nearly expired canned meat." His right fingers touched her lips. "She even had to eat that with a rotting wolf's head at one point in her room, which was a small, maintenance room that never had been clean." The creature's eyes lit up but not in a happy or taunting manner; they simply were monstrous in their dreadfulness. "Almost, she had to lie upon maggots once when she wouldn't answer my questions. You remember the dead maggots, right?"

Nick would've been sick if his mind wasn't experiencing the worst emotional roller coaster of his life. He had hoped that (f/n) wouldn't be in the subway, and he was sure that she wasn't since it was another creature in the area, but she was right in front of him. Not even barely could he tolerate it; he wanted her out of those restraints and out of the creature's arms. Desperate, he used his tongue to try and move the cloth fabric out of his mouth; he utilized his teeth too, but he had no luck. It was too tight around his mouth, and the corners of his lips were chapped from the fabric rubbing harshly against them.

"And, she did end up answering two of my questions, but I'll tell you that soon. First, I have a few more facts for you." The creature moved his hands off of her, and an even worse pit formed in Nick's stomach. His left nails slid across her right bra strap, and he cut the fabric. Two strings fell, one around her back and the other her chest, but he didn't cut the other one, much to Nick and Ren's relief. "I put this on her." Left index finger pointed down. "Those too. I've seen every inch of her wretched body and even cleaned it before all of you stepped inside."

Blood drained from Nick's face, and he hurriedly attempted to free himself to separate the creature farther from (f/n). Ren felt sick, and he couldn't help but curl up. His mind played horrible images of his friends and him being tortured; it even displayed the image of Chris being stripped and ripped apart before his very eyes. He had to close his eyes and try to shut off the pictures as tears finally slipped down his cheeks.

Muffled shouts exited Nick, and the creature raised a brow. "Oh? You must be wondering about that." A disgusted expression crossed the creature's countenance. "No, I didn't force myself on her, nor would I ever. Sleeping with a human is beyond vile." He shoved her head away before it slumped forward again. Her body shifted, but she still didn't wake. Given the dark bruises around her neck, Nick wasn't surprised, and he did feel relieved that he hadn't touched her like that.

"But, I wonder if you want that." The creature grabbed a handful of her (h/c) hair roughly and lifted it up. "Have you ever seen her so exposed before? Does it make you feel anything?" Nick scowled and only wished to cover her. He desired to take off his jacket and wrap it around her form. "Huh, interesting. Maybe, she's too injured for you to think of anything other than helping her out of her captivity." Abruptly, he let go of her hair, and her head fell forward once more.

"Well, I still have more for you." Finally, the creature distanced himself from (f/n), and Nick mentally sighed in relief about that, but his expression didn't let up. Nick focused on the creature, who leaned on the wall across from the older human male. Ren watched the creature carefully too when he opened his eyes back up, having suppressed the awful images in his mind for the meantime.

"Concerning the questions she answered," the creature began, crossing his arms over his chest, "she did admit to being spoiled by Ether." Nick's expression didn't change. "And, she told me also that she made a mistake. She had the chance to kill the creature and stab him in the heart, but she chose not to." Now, Nick's eyes widened before his expression hardened from doubt. "Oh, it's true. Even if she's in denial about it all and continues to say that she can kill Ether, she's no longer capable of it. That's why she probably agreed to my deal so foolishly a couple of months ago."

Both Nick and Ren froze. "I had offered to kill Ether for her, and she would get to go home. We would never bother the other one again. Naturally," the creature smirked, "I was lying. But, she's been spoiled, and she trusted me." The creature tapped his left nails against his right arm. "And, here we are."

"She wouldn't ..." Ren began before the creature immediately snapped his head towards the younger human male. The creature's look of hatred kept Ren quiet, and the creature concentrated on Nick.

"She would. She was desperate to get the creature out of her life. If she couldn't do it, she would find another, and I happened to tick that box off. She just wanted Ether gone so that she never would have to submit to her inner thoughts." Nick gave a muffled response, and the creature responded, "You probably want to know what those are, or what they all pertain to."

Pushing himself off of the wall, the creature walked by Ren and kicked his head unexpectedly. Instantly, the auburn-haired male was knocked unconscious once more, and Nick cried out, but Nick's attention soon pinned itself on the creature, who was advancing towards him in an alarmingly steady manner. The creature stopped right in front of him. "It's that little secret I was keeping from you. It's what she's in denial about."

Tapping his left index nail over where Nick's heart was, the creature grinned maliciously. "And, it'll mean that she'll never return your feelings." The creature leaned his face in closer, and Nick leaned his head back, a glare plastered on his face. "Even if Ether dies, the secret is buried so deep within her that she won't be able to abandon it." With no warning, the creature gripped Nick's chin with his right hand, which caused the human male to wince a little bit from the tightness of the creature's hold. "You see; (f/n)," his lips moved over to Nick's right ear and continued to whisper, "misses Ether greatly; she may even ..." Nick didn't want to hear anymore, so he leaned his head back more before he brought it forward in a swift motion. His head impacted the creature's, and the creature barely reacted to the weak attempt. Rather, he frowned. "How annoying, rude and idiotic." The human had knocked himself out, but the creature had the reaction he wanted from Nick, and that was enough for the moment.