Don't Shoot the "Messenger", Ch. 45

Mitch was patient, he had gathered everything he would need.  Knowing the trail, through the woods that he had been walking on, was not that well used.  He was pretty sure Todd’s family wasn’t even aware of it.  He found the location that would be perfect for what he had in mind for Blair.  It was deep in the woods, which would keep prying eyes away.  He surveyed his supplies: rope, bungee cords, knife, duct tape, dog treats, whistle, and last, but not least, his lovely nylon cord. He stowed everything out of sight until they were needed. Then, it was simply a matter of watching the routine the family set up regarding the mangy dog.  He had been delighted to see that everyone including The Missus had seemed to be taking turns.  Blair’s were usually the walks shortly after dinner.  He now stood waiting, keeping an eye out for her, knowing it was nearing the time for her evening walk with the puppy.  Tonight was the night. He was going to have his own personal bachelor party, very exclusive, just he and Blair.  Like every other night, since he had started watching, they came outside like clockwork.  Let the Party begin.  He raised the whistle to his mouth and watched the puppy take off scampering toward him.  Mitch’s eyes lit up and an evil grin settled on his face as he looked at his prey.


The puppy had gotten a considerable distance from Blair before she realized it was about to enter the treeline. “Rascal, come here.”  She saw the puppy stop and look at her and then head into the woods.  “You little imp, get back here.” Blair couldn’t believe it.  She was going to have to follow the puppy into the woods and catch the little guy. Blair looked with disgust at her three-inch spikes.  Great Blair, now you have to chase a puppy in heels.  When are you going to learn to change shoes when you get home?  She headed across the grass, cursing every time the heels sunk in.  Nearing the treeline she noted the waning light. “Puppy where are you? It’s getting dark.” As she got deeper into the woods she realized she was on a path of sorts and could hear the puppy somewhere ahead of her. She finally spotted the puppy. He was stopped and appeared to be eating something. “Oh no you don’t.  Bad puppy, you’re going to get a tummy ache.” She started to walk forward to get him when she was grabbed from behind. Her heart jumped,  “Todd, stop that. You scared the living daylights out of me.” She froze at the next words she heard.


“My dear Blair, lovely as usual, and as usual wrong.” Mitch gripped her arms tighter pulling her closer.


Blair had turned her head, her eyes widening in horror at the sight of Mitch’s smug grin and his piercing eyes. She struggled to get free, but his hands were like vises on her upper arms and he was holding her too close. She knew from experience she would have bruises on her upper arms from his grip. “Mitch, please let go, what do you want?”


“Why you, Darlin’. We have some unfinished business from the theater, and I’m here to collect.” He licked her neck and relished her response. She was scared and he tasted that fear.


Blair thought she was going to be sick when his tongue touched her. It was disgusting, and she felt like she had been licked by some giant lizard, checking his food. Memories flooded back of the time he threatened to rape her if Todd didn’t bring Natalie to him. Oh God! That’s exactly what he wants!  Her legs felt rubbery for a moment and she almost dropped in his arms.  Then the baby kicked.  Blair think!  Right now he’s just holding you. You just have to make him let go.  She started to try and kick him but was ineffective, due to the fact he was holding her so close.  Suddenly she remembered the spikes, she brought her heel down on his instep.


Mitch roared in anger as the pain went through his foot.  It took him a moment to realize he had released her. “You bitch, you’ll pay for that.”


Blair began to run as soon as his hands let go, but there, deep in the shadows, she couldn’t see where she was going. Her foot caught in a root and she felt herself falling, she immediately turned her body so she would land on her side. She hoped her hip and arm would cushion the fall and the baby would not be hurt. Her head impacted a tree trunk on the way down and Blair was momentarily stunned, but all her thoughts were for her baby. God, don’t let him hurt the baby!


Trying to get her wits about her, she felt his hands on her again. Everything was blurry, but she fought him. “Leave me alone!” Striking out at him, she used her arms and hands trying to inflict whatever damage she could.  Unable to get him into focus, his angry hiss told her she had connected, and she kept fighting.  Determined to stop him, she was kicking and trying to regain her footing when he pulled her feet causing her head to snap back and impact the ground again.  With the second blow to her head, she almost lost consciousness and couldn’t get her limbs to cooperate.  Then, he was on top of her.


Mitch straddled her legs effectively pinning her to the ground. Her fighting and struggles had succeeded in turning him on. His adrenaline was pumping and he was already getting aroused. “Why Blair, you’re quite the wildcat. I’m going to enjoy teaching you who’s master.” She was still trying to fend him off, but her blows seemed weaker. He grinned as he saw her looking at him. “When I’m finished with you, he’ll never be enough for you ever again.” At that, he stroked her belly.


The moment he touched her baby, Blair’s eyes focused and she struck at his gloating face with her nails. She watched as four grooves appeared on his cheek. “Nothing you do to me will ever compare to him,” she said.


In a rage, Mitch backhanded her and knocked her out, then he went to work. Taking out the tape he had stashed, he proceeded to gag her and tie her hands. Then he took a length of rope and tying her hands to one end he threw the other end over a branch and hauled her up until she was in a kneeling position. He tied the rope off and then he woke her up. “Blair, wake up. That’s it.” She began to come around. “You were very bad.  You struck your master and now you must be punished.”  He ripped her blouse down her back and cut her bra free. Then with a couple more cuts from his knife the blouse and bra dropped to the ground and he pulled out his nylon rope.


Blair found herself hanging from a tree, her knees just barely touching the ground. she couldn’t scream because he had gagged her. A chill went through as she heard his words and felt her blouse rip. She felt the cold knife touch her flesh as he cut away the rest of her blouse, but was powerless to stop him with her hands tied above her head. He stood behind her and she could hear him moving. What did he mean, punish? Then he began hitting her. She cried out at the first blow but no one could hear her. After the tenth blow, her back was aflame and she prayed for him to stop. She stopped counting after his fifteenth strike, and was unable to elicit much more than an anguished moan. Her baby’s movements had stilled and her head was also pounding from the hits it had received. She would have already fallen to the ground, except for the fact that his rope was holding her upright. Her hands had long since lost any feeling and her arm muscles simply felt like they were stretched to capacity and burning.


Mitch looked at his handiwork, he had been deliberate where he had been striking her, and now as he stood back the “L” was definitely becoming clearer. With a few more choice strokes he had the effect he wanted. Blair had stopped screaming and her head was bowed, small moans coming from her as she knelt in front of him.


Unable to hold her head up any longer, she became aware that he had stopped beating her. The silence was deafening. She couldn’t see him in the dark, but she could hear his heavy breathing. She wanted to scream when he came up behind her and touched her shoulder. A pain so raw lanced through her body at his touch but the only sound that came out was a pitiful mewl.


“What’s that my dear Blair? Would you like me to stop?” he asked rubbing his hand down her back and watching her arch in pain. Grabbing her hair, he lifted her head and looked into her glassy eyes. “I can give you pleasure, too. Do you want that Blair?”

She tried to focus when he lifted her head. His hand in her hair made the pain in her head throb even more. Sweat was running down her face and into her eyes, but there was no mistaking the wild look of sexual excitement playing across his face.  He wanted her.  Even in her pain, she knew he was trying to get her to give consent. Hell no! Headache or not, she mustered up the strength and violently shook her head no. Pain or no pain, she would never willingly give him sex.

Mitch was angry, even Natalie had begged for it, but Blair refused. He pushed her head back down. “Very well, we’ll do it your way.” He pulled the rope higher, hearing her muffled cry of pain as her back and shoulders took the strain. Now he had her on her feet. As she hung there, he used his knife to cut her slacks off, and she again attempted to kick him, but to no avail.  With the first kick, he slapped her raw back and looped his bloody nylon cord around her neck.  “One more attempt like that and I’ll snap your neck.” To prove he meant it, Mitch pulled it tightly, shutting off her air briefly, and letting her feel the rope at the back of her neck.  "Now, spread your legs."

Blair realized he would kill her if she didn’t stop, so she did as he told her and spread her legs. He then secured her ankles with cords to several different tree roots.  Now he had her bound and fully at his mercy. She was all his for the taking and he walked around slowly, looking her up and down.  He removed his shirt and folded it, laying it out of the way.  

Blair watched him warily.  She noted the scars on his chest where Natalie and John shot him.  She couldn't understand it, but he seemed younger and more alive than the last time she had seen him.  Just what had Kipling done?

"Blair you're a remarkable woman for your age," he began to stroke her as he made his way to her back.  "Fine, firm, legs" he reached down and ran his hand up her leg stopping to palm her panties.   Unable to stop him, she endured his hands as they ripped off her underwear and he moved up behind her.   He began to knead her bottom, and she was mortified as she felt moisture between her legs.   He cruelly fondled her breasts. Then Blair felt anger kicking in, as he started to touch her baby again.  I can do this. He’s a monster, but he won’t get the better of me.  She felt the baby kicking and knew from the activity, the baby sensed something was wrong. She glared at him, pulling free from his touch.  She didn't have much room to move but she stepped forward the little bit she did have.


Mitch frowned and angrily grabbed her hair, hauling her back to him.  "You're not going anywhere. If I want to touch you I will, and that includes your heathen's baby."


Tears stung as he let go of her hair, and she once more stood captive to whatever he had in mind.  She couldn’t see what he was doing behind her, but she heard the lowering of his zipper.  She didn't want to imagine what his next move would be, so she just kept her thoughts on the child growing within her.  In the distance, she heard her name being called and knew they had begun to look for her.  Now he was directly behind her and rubbing himself against her. He toyed with her.  His hands kneading and massaging her inner thighs. Then he positioned himself and prepared for entry.   Blair cringed at the feel of him, realizing at the last minute what he intended to do, and shuddered.  He held her hips in place as he forced his way in.  Her throat raw from screaming, she began to whimper from the pain, as he forcibly took her.

Mitch, too, heard the voices. With adrenaline pumping and fully aroused, he drove deep into her behind, hard and fast, pummeling inside her viciously.  He gripped her breasts roughly as he came, and knowing she hated it, patted her belly.  When he finished violating her, he withdrew and used her torn blouse to wipe the blood from her back, off his chest. The voices didn’t worry him. In fact, knowing they were there had just added to his excitement.  He wasn’t worried about them discovering Blair too quickly; he had led her and the puppy deep into the woods. Mitch grabbed and buttoned his shirt up slowly and stroked her repeatedly.  It amused him that she tried to avoid his touch but was unable to.  Calmly straightening his shirt and tucking it into his slacks, he walked around to face Blair. “One last thing to remember me by.” He ripped off the tape across her mouth and punishingly kissed her. Then before she could scream, he put the tape back in place. “When I marked your husband, I told him he would always have a remembrance of me, now he’ll know you belong to me, too.”  Mitch walked away into the darkness, leaving Blair hanging, completely exposed.

***

Todd had been coming down from playing a game with Sam and Jack when he heard the scratching at the terrace door. He went to find Rascal outside all by himself. The puppy was covered in dry leaves and dirt. “Where have you been, boy? Starr, Cole? Who put the puppy out by himself?” He looked at the two of them cuddling on the couch.


Starr glanced up and said. “We didn’t. I thought Mom took him out a half an hour ago.”


At Starr’s words, a chill ran down Todd’s spine. “Have you seen your mom since then?”


“No, but we were upstairs getting Hope ready for bed and just came back down.”


Todd walked into the kitchen and saw the dinner dishes still stuck in the sink. Blair usually loaded the dishwasher before going upstairs. He bounded up the back stairs and down the hall to their suite. Please be there, Blair. He opened the door, and his heart sank. He rushed over to the boys' room, on the off chance that she had gone upstairs while he had been coming down. Looking in, he found Sam and Jack engrossed in their game, but no sign of Blair.  After searching the remaining rooms upstairs, it was obvious she wasn't on that level. Todd walked slowly down the front stairs.


Starr looked over as her father entered the room. One look at his face and she knew there was a problem. “Dad, did you find Mom?”    v


Todd didn’t answer her.   He turned and searched the rest of the rooms on the lower level even though he was pretty sure Blair wasn't in the house.  Then he headed outside on the terrace and started looking around. “BLAIR!” he yelled and got no response.  After walking the perimeter of the house, it was clear that Blair wasn't on the grounds and Todd noted her car still parked alongside his by the garage, so she hadn't left anywhere. The puppy had been covered in leaves and brush.  Had he wandered into the forest?  Blair, did you go off and get yourself lost in the woods?  Todd decided to go check out the woods and walked back in to get a flashlight.  Night had fallen, the woods would be downright dark because of all the trees blocking any ambient light.


 Before he could get back outside Starr stopped him. “Dad, where’s Mom?”


“I wish I knew. The puppy is filthy. It’s possible your mom had to follow the puppy into the woods.  I’m wondering if she got lost in there?”


“Wait, we’ll go with you.” Starr grabbed a flashlight and handed one to Cole.


“No, Starr, you stay here. Someone needs to stay with the kids. Cole, go get Williams and you two can hit the woods with me. It’s dark outside and it will be slow going in those woods. If Blair is in there, I hope she stays put in one place. I don’t want her walking off the mountain. I’m also concerned because she’s not yelling or crying out. I hope she isn’t hurt.”


“You don't really think she got hurt.  Dad, I'm sure Mom and the baby are alright.  She probably is lost.  Mom's not really a nature girl.  I’ll stay with the kids, but if Mom is lost in the woods, you’re going to need more than just you, Williams, and Cole. If you’re not back in half an hour. I’ll call John and get more help up here. And for god’s sake don’t get lost in there yourselves.” Starr handed her flashlight to Cole.


“Believe me, Starr, if we don’t find your mother in the next half hour, you tell John I want a full out search party up here.” Todd nodded to Cole and they left out the terrace door.   As Cole peeled off to go get Williams, Todd headed for the tree line. The only thing going for them was the full moon that had now come out. At least it was beaming in small shafts of light when the trees thinned. The moment he entered the trees, he began yelling her name and then waiting for some kind of reply.  As he went deeper in, the going was exceedingly rough.  If he was having so much trouble keeping his footing, he could imagine the trouble Blair could have encountered. He continued to call her name, but she still hadn't responded.  The further he got into the woods, the more worried he became. Surely, if she was lost, she’d be yelling for help, the fact that she wasn’t answering scared him. He spotted Cole’s and Williams’ flashlights working their way in a little to his right, but they too had gotten no response to their calls either.


***


He had just walked off and left her. Blair had started crying with relief as soon as he was gone. She had been sure he would have done so much more if Todd and the others hadn't started calling. She could hear Todd but had no way to tell him where she was. Her back had become immensely painful and every time she moved she felt a new trickle of something wet run down her back.  The wounds were still weeping and she knew that meant some of them must be pretty deep, she could also feel fluid running down her leg. She was sure something had torn when he had forced his way in. Her arm and leg muscles were seizing and cramping adding even more pain to her overloaded nerves. The temperatures had fallen in the woods and she felt cold one minute and hot the next as her body coped with the shocks of the last hour or so.  Blair shook her head slowly trying to clear her thoughts. She was naked and hung like a puppet in the middle of the forest.  She blocked the picture that popped up in her mind.  Now was not the time to give in to despair.  Baby, please tell me you're alright. Almost as if her child heard her, she felt the flutter in her belly that gave her hope the child was going to be okay. 


 Knowing Todd was so close spurred her to try and get free.  Although she had no feeling in her hands, she attempted to grip the rope above her and held herself as still as possible while she slipped her left foot out of her shoe. With the shoe gone, she wriggled her foot and felt the cord holding it drop off. The relief she felt to be able to bring her leg back in close to the other was unbelievable. Standing on tiptoe and still holding the rope above, she was able to free up the second foot. There was one problem with it though, she dropped three inches and the pain across her shoulders almost made her blackout. Gritting her teeth behind the tape, she found the right shoe and slipped back into it then reached again with her left and put the left shoe back on. With both shoes on and the legs together, Blair felt some slack in the rope above her.  She was encouraged and she started rubbing her mouth against her shoulder.  If she could get the tape off, she could begin yelling.


***


Todd looked at his watch and realized Blair had now been missing more than an hour. Using his cell, he had called Starr and told her to reach John.  His heart had started beating faster the deeper he had gotten into the forest. Had he just been wasting time looking? What if she wasn’t even in the woods? What if someone had taken her? No, I don’t want to go there. He’s long gone, he wouldn’t still be in the area with all the searching that’s been going on. Todd’s legs gave a little bit and he paused to lean against a tree, raising a shaking hand to wipe the sweat off his forehead. God, he didn’t want to dwell on Mitch right now.  He needed to find Blair.  Pushing away from the tree, he yelled her name again and still there was no response.  Frustration building, he slammed his fist into a tree trunk and then cursed as he had once again managed to break the skin and was bleeding. “Damn it, Blair. Answer me Babe?” he stood there a moment wrapping his handkerchief around his hand and then he heard her.   It was so faint, but he was certain he heard his name.

Blair finally succeeded in getting the tape free, but she was exhausted. He had sounded so close that last cry. “Todd. Todd help!” She tried to yell. It was barely audible. She had to get louder or he would never hear her. With every ounce of energy she had left, she yelled. “Todd!” Then she hung there praying it had been loud enough. She could feel herself blacking out. Please Todd, find us. We need you.  She lost consciousness.