Innocence Broken

Chapter 3: Betrayal

Matt could feel someone shaking him. He felt like he was floating or swimming, his body was strangely light and lethargic. He stirred more at someone calling his name, but he didn’t care, he just wanted to sleep.

He was covered in an uncomfortable cold sweat that was making his tight clothes stick to him. The hands shaking him forced him into a sitting position. The sudden movement caused Matt to gag and cling onto the person holding him, his body ached and his head pounded. Matt forced his eyes open; he noticed first that he was in darkened room. Heavy red velvet drapes hung on iron poles above the windows, making the room cold and dark except for the candles that danced and thrashed around. The bed was made of iron and was covered in black silk sheets. He tried to remember this room, but he mind was blank. Bile rose into his throat and he didn’t know how he had gotten here.

Finally, Matt looked at the person holding him. The person was pale and the shadows seemed to give the person a haunting look. Matt forced his mind to focus, to recall the face. A small thin smile moved across his lips as the face came into focus, a feeling of calm relief washed over him.

‘Jason?’ Matt’s voice rasped out of him, his throat dry. He tried to swallow but it hurt too much. Jason smiled, ‘Yeah, Matty, it’s me. Come on, time to get up.’ Jason pulled Matt to his feet but his legs wouldn’t hold him and both men crashed to the floor. The air rushed out of Matt in a whoosh. Matt felt the world around him tilt and turn, feeling like a truck had hit him his head pounded and he felt so tired. Suddenly last night’s escapades crashed over him. The Doll’s House, the man with the ice blue eyes, the bite...

Matt’s hand flew up to this throat; his neck was raw and tender to touch. Gently, he ran his finger over the skin until he found the two small punctures. He turned, his eyes wild, gripping Jason’s arms, ‘Jason, where’d he go? The guy… blue eyes… he attacked...Bite me, I tried to stop but…so strong’. He knew he was rambling but he couldn’t seem to stop. Seeing the confused look on Jason’s face, Matt forced himself to take a deep breath. His mind snapped back to the room, ‘where the hell are we?’ Jason was now standing and held a hand out to Matt, ‘don’t worry about that stuff.’ Matt had started to take his hand but stopped and pulled back, don’t worry? How could Jason tell him not to worry about some guy who just snacked on his neck? ’How the fuck can you tell me not to worry? That bastard bit me! He drank my blood!’

Jason turned his face away and let his hand fall at his side. He looked as if he had just been caught with his hand in the cookie jar. Realisation dawned on Matt; Jason had told him about the club, Jason had taken him there, and Jason was his backup, Jason... Matt felt the nausea build up again and a burning sensation pricked behind his eyes. He had to be wrong. Jason was his friend, his partner, he trusted him with his life and he was a fellow cop, he couldn’t...

‘Jason, what happened? What are you hiding?’

Jason didn’t look at Matt; instead he turned away and walked towards the door. He started to open it, before turning back to Matt and smiling sadly, ‘officially you’ve gone AWOL and taken off. The case was too much for you and you needed a break. You sent a letter to your parents telling them you’re fine, you just need some time alone.’ Matt stared at him in disbelief; this couldn’t be real. ‘Unofficially, you’ve been bought.’
Matt’s head snapped up at that, bought? What the fuck? By who, how, why? Anger began to replace the confusion; he pushed himself up onto unsteady legs and staggered towards Jason.

‘What the fuck are you talking about? People aren’t for sale! You can’t sell someone! Who did it?’ Matt’s voice rose. He now stood about a foot away from Jason who just turned his face away from him. ‘Matt, I did it... I sold you to...that man. You belong to Ezra.’

Matt didn’t even know he was moving until his fist struck Jason on the jaw, making the older man fall against the door. Matt stepped closer and stared down at him. Jason suddenly looked much older, almost fragile as he stared back up at Matt with fearful eyes. One of his arms was raised to guard his face from another suspected blow. His jacket and shirt where rumpled. Matt tried to calm down, his chest heaved and his lungs burned with an incontrollable rage.

‘Matt. Matty... my boy, I didn’t have a choice! I had to do this! It was an accident! I didn’t mean to... I just,’ Jason slowly pushed himself to his feet holding his arms up in surrender. ‘Bumping into someone’s an accident, not fucking selling them! You! What about the other boys? The murders… did you know?’ Jason didn’t answer. Matt grabbed hold of the older man’s shirt, ‘Why damn it! Why?’

‘I ordered him to do it, beloved.’

Matt spun around, letting go of Jason to see the man who had attacked him last night. He was breathtaking. The candle light flitted across his hair making it shimmer. The man stepped forward and pulled Matt into his cool firm body, a hand gently turned his face upwards. ‘We did not get to introduce ourselves properly. I am Ezra.’
Matt couldn’t speak. His mind was full and spinning from everything. Jason had sold him, had probably sold those other boys, to this man... no… this creature and then this thing had killed them and Jason turned his back to it...Helped it happen. A hollow reality washed over Matt, the world around him seemed to dim and he felt himself go numb. Jason had sold him to a murderer; Jason had sold him knowing he would die.

Matt tried to push away from Ezra, ‘YOU BASTARD! You fucking bastard!’ He tried to lunge at Jason but Ezra held him close and chuckled, ‘he is a passionate one, you did well Jason. I am pleased. You will leave us now.’
Matt turned his head, still fighting the strong arms that encased him, and watched as Jason left. Just before he closed the door his eyes locked on Matt’s, pain clear on the older man’s face. He mouthed something that looked like forgive me. When the door closed, the arms released him causing him to fall backwards onto the floor, scrapping his hands. Pain shot up through his spine from the impact.

Ezra’s deep chuckle pulled Matt’s attention back to the man. Ezra was watching Matt like a hawk with a dark, passionate look gleaming in his blue eyes. Matt shivered. Ezra seemed to enjoy seeing the discomfort he was making Matt feel. Stepping closer, he lowered himself so that he was eye to eye with Matt.

‘You are so beautiful when you are scared beloved. I can’t wait to feel you shiver underneath me.’ Matt’s anger flared again and before he could think, his hand lashed out catching Ezra across the face. He pushed himself off the floor, grabbing hold of the door handle. An arm shot out from behind him, slamming the door shut, Ezra pushed Matt against the cold hard surface of the door and pinned him with his body. Matt started to fight; he pushed against the door, trying to slam his weight into the other, and an animalist growl emitted low in his throat.

Matt froze as Ezra’s tongue flicked out over the shell of his ear and he pressed his hardening erection against Matt. Ezra took the opportunity of Matt’s stillness and spun the boy around, crashing their lips together. Matt felt Ezra’s hand begin to undo the button of his jeans. He turned his head away from the kiss, trying to speak, but Ezra recaptured his lips and forced his tongue into Matt’s mouth. A tear escaped from Matt’s eye as he felt his jeans and pants fall to the floor, and Ezra’s hand slide up the inside of his leg. Ezra’s lips brushed Matt’s ear, ‘Do not cry my pet, my beloved. You have my promise, you will enjoy this...’