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She gulped, clenching her fists and staring ahead at the large compound several meters away. She didn't know why she was doing this. It was asinine for her to feel this way, but her last encounter here was one she wouldn't forget. Her heart was racing. It felt similar to the adrenaline she had during Jacob's trials, only this time it was by her own doing.
She took a deep breath, slowly letting it out as she adjusted the strap of her AR slung across her chest and felt for the holster for her sidearm on her thigh. She was prepared for the familiar tune of "Only You" blaring over the loudspeaker. Prepared for the light-headedness before everything turns red and eventually fades to black. She knew this would happen if she got any closer, but despite it all, she moved forward to the large gates of St. Francis Veterans Center.
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The throbbing in her head when she came to was just as it always is - unbearable. All she could hear was the ringing in her ears and her slow breath against the cold, tiled floor she laid face-down upon. She could feel her guns were no longer on her. No surprise they would be confiscated.
Even still, she wasn't prepared for that.
She tried to lift herself up with great difficulty, but was unsuccessful as she'd been drained of all her energy. She could prepare herself for the beginning of conditioning, but the aftermath never got any easier.
With a slight heave, she managed to roll over to her side where she could get a better look at her surroundings. It looked like it may have been a medical director's office. There was an open door nearby and she could see a balcony that overlooked the courtyard in front of the building.
She winced, pressing her palm against her temple and clenched her eyes shut. She knew she was somewhere inside St. Francis.
She laid there for what felt like hours before she heard footsteps growing closer from a direction she didn't know, but she immediately recognized the voice as soon as a man spoke when he kneeled down by her body.
" Stevie? J-Jesus Christ, what the fuck are you doing here? Are you out of your fucking mind?"
She groaned, still too weak to move from her lame position on the floor.
"Stevie." she thought, replaying the man’s oddly comforting voice in her head. Only two people called her Stevie so casually, and one of them was a woman.
"Staci," is all she could muster, looking up at him through her heavy eyelids.
Her stomach dropped at the sight of his bruised and slightly bloodied face and arms. It was clear he was beaten, or maybe he suffered worse injuries than she did during Jacob's trials. It could go either way.
He was scowling at her. "I heard them talking. You came here yourself."
She didn't - couldn't deny it. Staci isn't stupid, even in his new constantly frenzied state of mind. Then again, what could she say? He wouldn't believe she was attempting to help him escape again. Not after the last time when she got caught and she and Jacob…
Right . No one except Shea knows what actually happened that night. For all anyone else knew, Stevie was tortured, scared shitless out of ever trying it again. Except she did, and she already looked foolish having brought herself back for seconds .
Stevie let out a sigh. "Can you help me sit up?" She asked, weakly holding her hand up to him.
He pulled her up enough that he could drag her to lean against the nearest wall. Laying flat on the floor was almost more comfortable but she needed to get her blood flowing from her throbbing head.
"I helped you get out of here once, Steve. I don't know if I can do it again. Especially this time." Staci's voice was panicked. She knew he would be punished again if he was seen talking to her without Jacob's orders. "He wanted you in here."
"You don't have to break me out. I know what I'm doing," Stevie insisted. She knew she didn't, though. She didn't have a clue what she was going to do next and Staci being the one to find her here didn't help her train of thought in the situation.
"'Doesn't look that way to me." Concern flooded over his face, his hurt eyes fixated on her. "...You want to be here, don't you?"
Stevie didn't answer. All she could manage was a deep gulp and Staci breathed out an incredulous laugh while rubbing his face with his hands, realizing what was going on.
"Jacob fucking Seed, huh, Stevie ?" Staci sneered through his laughter. He kneeled beside her again and she was frozen. "He already has you, you know? The song? It does the same thing to both of us. All we are are weapons to him. His soldiers . He doesn't give a shit about-"
Staci cut himself off as both Deputies heard more footsteps and several different voices approaching down the nearby hallway. Staci's face was somehow capable of displaying even more terror as he rose to his feet.
" You're supposed to be the strong one!" Staci hissed, pacing back and forth in front of her. " You're the only one who can get us out of here."
Stevie had never seen him look so hurt - not even when they made the mutual decision to break up so work didn't get complicated. Except it had, and it was. She felt so helpless watching and listening to him, but unable to say anything in return.
"I-I can't stay, Stevie. I have to go before he finds me here."
"I'll get you outta here, Staci," she breathed, watching him turn to leave.
"We'll see." He doubted her, but she couldn't blame him.
She closed her eyes and she could hear Staci take off, his footsteps quickly disappearing out of the room. Shortly after, the other, new footsteps entered the room and stopped in front of her. When she opened her eyes again, her tortured colleague was nowhere to be seen, and looming in front of her was none other than the man she came here for.
"Go find this one's friend . Make sure he isn't causin' any trouble."
His voice was gruff. It drove her absolutely mad.
Stevie watched as the two Chosen Jacob had in tow left the room to search for Staci. She worried for him. He couldn't have gotten very far and who knows what else they would do to him.
She tried to compose herself, straightening up to sit taller, holding her head high, but all it did was make her realize the new aches and bruises she had.
How pathetic she must have looked.
"Well, well, look who came crawling back," Jacob said, lightly kicking her foot. He sounded so perfect, even when he was being condescending. She hated it, yet she still yearned to hear his voice.
"I didn't crawl, asshole," Stevie grunted as she attempted to pull herself to her feet.
Jacob only watched and she could swear she saw a glimpse of amusement in his eyes. Of course, he enjoys watching her struggle. She was really starting to feel foolish now that he was standing right in front of her, but she had to own her decision to come here.
He took one step toward her, gripping the collar of her shirt, which, despite how threatening it was, made it easier for her to stay on her feet.
Jacob pulled Stevie closer, narrowing the distance between them, his 6'1" stature towering over her. All she could do was pathetically glare at him, not that it meant anything. Anyone who isn't a believer of Eden's Gate was at this man's mercy, and his idea of mercy was not very conventional.
He leaned close to her face and she could smell the clean musk of his cologne, immediately raising her blood pressure. "Come to try an' break your boyfriend out again, Angel?" he growled.
Her breath hitched in her throat, making it difficult to swallow. Despite the embarrassment she felt, she still held her gaze on him. "I wanted to see you," she managed to hiss through her teeth. "I… was thinking about last time."
"Mmm, 'course you were," he purred so dangerously close to her ear. Stevie melted into him, despite her disadvantage in the situation. Jacob's cold, blue eyes met her gaze briefly before slowly moving to the poorly-healed scar that read "Wrath" on her chest. "You're hungry for more aren't you, darlin'? Maybe John should have branded you with "Gluttony" instead. Then again, he doesn't know you like I do."
Stevie could feel his hot breath on her neck, sending a shiver down her spine. Without warning, he gave her earlobe a small nibble, causing her to give a light gasp in response. She lost her composure and reached forward to hold onto the lapels of Jacob's fatigues. Jacob released his grip on her shirt, moving back slightly to lean against a desk nearby. He placed his hand on her hip with the slightest hint of a smile playing at the corner of his lips.
"This what you came here for?" he continued, gently brushing her hair off her face and running his fingers through the soft, light brown length.
She felt his hand squeeze her hip. Her cheeks flushed and she felt slightly dizzy, unsure if it was from her headache or the effect this man had on her.
"Don't play stupid, Jacob," Stevie said, pulling on his jacket as best as she could to bring him closer. She raised a hand to gently trace her fingers across his neck and down to his chest, in which she heard a slightly larger breath drawn and released from him. She stood on her toes and tilted her head back so she could meet his eyes again, putting herself just inches from his face. "You know exactly what I want."
Jacob slowly wrapped his arm around the small of her waist, now pulling her against him, his expression still cold. "Oh, honey, I think you're forgettin' who's in control here," he almost whispered, gently holding her chin in his free hand.
Stevie very-well knew he wasn't talking about the music box.
She smirked, releasing her grip on his jacket, then wrapped her arms around his neck. "Then why aren't I outside in a cage?"
Jacob chuckled. "Because now I know you're not goin' to run away."