Captured by the Mafia by Ringwolf

The angry buzzing of flickering light was the first thing the blonde woman heard, her bleary eyes slowly fixating on the room around her. She shivered, the dank cold unrelenting on her uncovered arms. Her surroundings were dank, clearly not her room; a closer inspection showed it was a basement. Peaches’s tried to stomach the cloying aroma suffocating the air, her stomach flipping as she tried to make heads or tails of the situation. She didn’t remember how she got here, but her skull throbbed as a migraine began to surface. Well, this clearly wasn’t Peaches’s room. She tested her arms and then her legs, finding them both tied to a chair. Oh if this were any other situation, Peaches would be turned on. But the inexperienced binds and situation had dampened any arousal.

“Clearly this person hasn’t been to Venoxxis,” she grumbled to herself, attempting to move her arms. If she wiggled a little more, she could-- 

Tap-tap-tap…

Peaches’s heart stilled in her chest, caught in her throat as she found herself go rigid, too afraid to move. One might blame noisy pipes. But that person would be wrong, as pipes don’t slowly draw closer to you.

Tap-tap-tap…

It was agony waiting for the cause of noise to show itself, with Peaches’s sitting completely still as the hairs of the back of her neck bristled. A shadow peeked from behind a few stacked boxes, the flickering light above her casting light over the situation. With each tap, a cane held by a stout man drew closer to her. Another male, this twice larger and three times stronger, strolled beside him.

That scent… Peaches’s nose became overpowered by the suited stout man; it was the same cloying aroma that filled the room. “Well, well, well…” The man said, each ‘well’ drawing him closer and closer to Peaches, until he was but a few feet away from her. On instinct, she tried drawing her legs closer, feeling the stinging bite of ropes meeting flesh. “If it ain’t the little burglar’s pet. You comfy there?”

The space between them made her want to gag. But in this closeness, she could make out a few details of the man; by his ebony black fur, she realized he was a Wildren like herself, just more of a secretive, city-dwelling one. As he waited for her to speak, his ochre eyes raked over her, taking in the woman before him. She shifted uncomfortably, his eyes zeroing on her binds. Slowly making his way behind her, he tutted, taking the rope in one large hand.

Peaches felt her blood run cold as the rope tugged against her skin. She tried her hardest not to make a sound, not give in to the pain she felt, but her expression betrayed her.

“What, did you think you could get away that easily?” The man asked, his hand tightening around the ropes as he gave a sharp tug. Peaches tried to hold back her pained noise, she really did, but her raw arms ached. The statue still boar-ish man that had entered earlier suddenly sprung to life at the sound of the short man’s snap of fingers, easily tightening the ropes that hung around Peaches.

Panic filled Peaches, but with panic came clarity: there was a tip of tensing up when ropes were being tied so they wouldn’t be as tight when you relaxed. Even if this tip was false, Peaches was desperate to try anything at the moment. Relax, Peaches. She told herself, attempting to block out her deafening heartbeat. You’ve been captured countless times. And it always works out right in the end. The hope she held for herself helped her heart settle as she tried reeling in her emotions before she spoke.

“What do you want with me?”

“So she speaks!” The man spoke, eyes wide as he tried to shake off the unnerved sensation at her coolness. He clearly had the upper hand, he thought to himself, a wolfish grin slipping onto his lips. “We don’t anything with you,” he said with the same normalcy of asking for a cup of sugar. “We want him.”

Peaches’s felt her features scrunch, confusion on her face. She was still scared of this man and what he would do if she answered wrongly, but he wasn’t supposed to know that. “Him? I don’t know who you’re talking about.”

Suddenly, his calm act came crashing to the ground, as did his cane. The man watched the terrified girl scramble to get her legs away from the weapon in his hands. “Don’t you play dumb with us, girl,” he said with venom. The metal ferrule rested against her ankle, ready to shatter it if need be. “Come on, you know who we want,” his smile was kind, like the old shopkeeper who sells apples down your street; but his eyes were dangerous, like the type of old man who would poison said apples. “Now are you gonna be good? Or do we need to teach you a lesson?”

Peaches struggled to swallow as she stared up at the man. God, she was desperate to go home and get away from the maniac. She thought of her boyfriend coming home to find her missing; he’d lose his mind. If he’d only been home… but he’d been on a job and had been too busy to even talk to her. She wondered where he could--

Oh.

“I don’t know where he is,” she mumbled, once again trying to get her legs as far away as possible from the man. “Please, you have to believe me!” Her eyes welled with tears as she pleaded, at her breaking point. She might actually die from this encounter. There was so much she hadn’t done.

But tears meant nothing to this monster of a man, it seemed. It only made him grow even more agitated. “Do you think we’re stupid or something, chicky? We know he’s been stalking the museum!” He exploded, his voice rising to a roar. “Now tell us the truth!”

Peaches felt her tears flow freely, felt them drop onto her lap. Now, she was even more terrified for her life. “No, of course not! I’ve told you everything I know! Her chest rose and fell irregularly, her cheeks reddening as the tears flowed freely. “Please,” she pleaded, her voice cracking. Both men glanced at each other and back to her, hoping the other would step in and come to the rescue of this awkward situation. They’d dealt with crying before, of course, but most of their victims were male.

After what felt like a lifetime, the boar-like man fished out a handkerchief, attempting to dry her tears. On instinct, she attempted to avoid his hand, flinching at the touch. Shifting her tear-filled eyes to him, she batted her baby blues at him, leaning into his touch. She watched the man clear his throat awkwardly, a shame-filled expression on his face.

“Hey, uh... boss?”

“Yeah, Nev?”

“Can I talk with ya?” He asked, bobbing his head back towards where they came from. His boss paused for a moment, mumbling something under his breath as they strode away. Once Peaches heard the click of the door, she let out a shuddery breath and the tears stopped; sometimes all you need to make a man think twice was tears. It always came in clutch for certain situations, especially when that situation was two criminals who tied you to a chair so they could hurt your boyfriend.

She tried her restraints again, finding they were much tighter than before. But if she couldn’t get out of bondage, who was she? Sighing, she began to relax her body from her head to her toes. Yes! The ropes were beginning to go lax against her Of course, it wasn’t enough to escape, but it was a start

Maybe the guy went easy on her. She didn’t care too much, only focused on getting the hell out of this room in one piece. She started with her heels first, almost having a heart attack when she heard them bounce against the cement floor. She waited for bated breath, imagining them coming crashing through the door, hellbent on tormenting her further. When that didn’t come, she gave a sigh of relief, slowly starting on removing the binds around her ankles.

Success! The ropes slipped down her ankles, pooling on the floor. She stretched her legs as far as she could, relishing in the movement. But it was too early to celebrate; it’d mean nothing if she couldn’t untie her arms. She wasn’t about to go jumping around in the chair, bumping into everything in her path. Even though it was a small victory, it still gave her hope. With a newfound positivity, she began the task of shimmying from the rope. It was harder than it looked, but she was a pro at this. You just needed to not give up.

She kept glancing the way of the exit, expecting to hear the familiar tapping of the man’s cane. Her heart hung heavy in her chest with dread as she shimmied from the ropes, feeling them begin to shift with the movements. Rolling her shoulders once the ropes were off, she figured she’d have to thank her ex-partners and flings someday.

Chaska definitely owed her a massage after this.

Her legs were still wobbly from the hours she must’ve spent tied to the chair. Her well-manicured hand gripped the chair for support, wobbling to grab her heels. The room was still dark even with the light above, each shadow threatening her with wild thoughts of people standing in there. She crept, maneuvering around the boxes, desperate not to bump into anything. The door was so close and promising, she could already taste the sweet air--

WHAM!

Dread clutched her heart like the icy grip of death, her eyes going wide as she stared at the roughly opened door. Shit. Shit. Shit. She dove around a pile of crates, her heart pounding as she heard the door shut. This is it. They’re going to find me and murder me! 

Endless scenarios of death raced through her mind, ideas rushing with them. Why didn’t she run back and pretend to be captured? It wasn’t as if there were a lot of hiding spots! She was a sitting duck! She had to think of a plan, and fast. Each idea was struck down by another possibility. The only plan that seemed plausible was to attack the kidnapped and protect herself; she had the element of surprise and a weapon -- her heels. She didn’t want to resort to violence and stain her beautiful dress with blood, but she was also a fan of staying alive and trying on more cute clothes. Her thoughts were cut by footsteps growing closer, her fear replaced with determination. Peaches pressed close to the boxes, biding herself time before charging forward, heel poised perfectly in her hand. As she rose her arm in the air, the sharp heel pointed towards them, she almost felt sorry for them, dreading this confrontation.

But before she could attack, her wrist was grabbed by a hand. Unlike the men from before with their rough and rude hands, this person’s hand had a certain softness to them. “Peaches! What the hell are you doing?” Her (or so thought) assailant asked. Hearing the voice softened Peaches’s heart and eased her fears.

“Chaska… oh my god, Chaska!” She breathlessly mumbled, the adrenaline wearing off. She suddenly felt much more tired, nearly falling into her boyfriend as her arms flew around his neck. Burying her face against her lover’s well-toned was almost as good as falling into her super soft bed.

Quietly, his arms wrapped around her, pulling her into a tight embrace. He knew she heard his heart thudding. “Those bastards…” He hissed out, eyes focused on the top of her head. “So they really did capture you.” He mumbled, pulling away to get a look at her face. He noticed her tear-stained cheeks, using his thumb to lightly brush them. “Did they hurt you?"

“A little,” Peaches whimpered out, her sore and reddened wrists a reminder of the ropes. In truth, it didn’t hurt that much, and she knew Chasa would take care of her later. But right now, the only thing was getting out of this place. “I want to leave, Chaska,” she mumbled, pressing her pink lips into a pout.

With a chuckle, Chaska wrapped his arms tightly around her as he pulled her closer. “You got it, babygirl. Anything for you.” His lips swept against her hair, pressing a kiss to the crown of her head. “Now let’s get out of here,” he said, placing his arms strongly around her. She nodded faintly against his chest, feeling them both walk towards the exit. Her blue eyes focused in abject horror at her captors, unconscious on the cement floor. As wrong as it was, she felt guilty; they both showed her decency when she was crying.

As they walked through the hallway, Peaches thought back to what brought her there. Had Chaska finally found what he was looking for? Were they finally going to go home and fall back into their same routine? Oh, how Peaches dreamed of that. It would take days to wash away the smell of the basement and of that man…

“Wait,” Chaska said, stopping in front of what seemed to be the stairwell door. Peaches saw the concern in his blue-green eyes which shined even in the poorly lit hallway. “I’m going first.” He pressed forward, gingerly opening the door and peeked around the corner. He pulled his head back, motioning for Peaches to follow him. And follow she did, staying glued to his side through the whole ordeal. Halfway through, he grabbed her hand, and warmth flooded Peaches’s body. She’d missed this, even though he’d only been gone roughly a week.

“We’ve got a while to go. It’s on the fourth floor.” He said. Peaches realized they’d been walking quicker than she thought, the heels of her feet aching as they practically flew up the stairs. Normally, Peaches hated running; but in their situation, quickness was key. Every so often, she’d twist her body, careful not to bump into the metal railing. It felt like they were running for so long, but getting nowhere. Just as Peaches was about to complain, Chaska broke the silence.

“We’re here!” He announced with a grin, creeping the door open. Craning her neck, Peaches couldn’t make out anyone in the darkened exhibit room, but Chaska still remained guarded. “Stay close, babygirl,” he whispered as they slowly entered the room. Her grip on her lover’s arm was tight, finding support in both senses of the word. The darkened museum’s ambiance was ominous, the exhibits terrifying and monstrous in the dark.

There was a rush of adrenaline from their near escape. She had to check her breathing to make sure she wasn’t panting. Her eyes flitted over the room, half expecting their men to show. Each creak of the museum sent her heart reeling as she clung to Chaska’s arm. Even if she was cutting off circulation, he’d never let her know.

Chaska remained silent as he strode through the exhibit. He knew exactly what he was looking for. No cheesy ornaments were going to distract him. He wondered if his girl was alright, though. Her nails were digging into his skin, and he could hear her heart beating from her chest. At least they didn’t have long to go; it was easy in, easy out. “What do you think, Peaches?” He asked with a sly grin, masking any frayed nerves.

“I think I want to go home,” she replied, stiffer than he would have liked. But did he blame her? Nah. Even when he gets captured, he wishes he was home. Preferably with whatever treasure he was looking for.

“Only a little while longer.” He tells her, his voice confident. He turned his head, looking for a sign to tell them where to go. Bingo! He pulled forward, taking Peaches with him. He didn’t get far however, as a thudding noise sounded the way they just came. “Shit! Run!” He harshly whispered, nearly toppling the poor girl off her feet as they dashed in the direction of the exhibit.

Peaches can hardly keep up, her heels making it a challenge to run, but still, she managed to keep pace with her boyfriend. With her hand slick with worry, she felt her grip on him loosening. He kept pressing on, however, with a look of determination. He just wants his girl safe. “Stay there!” He warns her, and she watches as he darts, as agile as fox, into the room. She stills, listening for any warning sounds to send her skittering. But whatever it was had ceased. Instead, the adrenaline coursing through her began to wear off as she waited for Chaska for what felt like ages. Had he left her? Was the treasure really that important? Her lips twisted into a slight frown, her plush lips pouting.

Screw waiting around, she wanted to find an exit! With a huff, she turned tail, checking the doors around them. Behind the doors were long hallways and no sign of an exit. “Damn it Chaska,” she mumbled to herself, feeling left behind and unimportant. Of course she was important! Chaska was damn lucky to have her! He’d left her way too long; it might have been twenty minutes, but that was still too long for the woman.

Had she been paying more attention to her surroundings instead of damning her boyfriend, she may have noticed the figure creeping up behind her. The figure moved close behind her, extending their hand to cover Peaches’s mouth. She gave a muffled scream, thrashing her limbs in desperation to get away.

“Hey! Hey! Hey! It’s me!” Chaska said, one arm coming to hug around her. “M’sorry, I just didn’t want you screaming,” he said.

Fury reigned in Peaches’s eyes, but the fires soon softened. Peaches averted her eyes the moment Chaska sent an apologetic smile. “It’s fine. Just don’t leave me again. I thought you left me for that stupid treasure.” Sighing, she crossed her arms in front of her chest, leaning on her hip as she did a once over of her boyfriend.

Chaska chuckled faintly; Peaches was wondering where he found the humor in the situation. “Come on babygirl, did you really think I’d leave my most valuable treasure behind?” He asked, his slender forefinger perching underneath Peaches’s lips. He smiled handsomely as he closed in, his stunning blue eyes gazing deeply into her own. Peaches’s lips parted, a dark pink blush rested across her cheeks.

“You realize that was cheesy, right?” As she talked, her eyes betrayed her by drifting down to Chaska’s lips. God, she wanted to kiss him (even with that cheesy line) and she found herself falling forward, her head tilting up to graze against his lips. The last thing she saw before shutting her eyes was Chaska leaning into the kiss, his lips parting as well.

But life had other plans.

A sudden barrage of shouts broke the lovebirds’ concentration; they must have discovered the guards! Peaches panicked inside, pulling her boyfriend. But the fear of being caught didn’t deter him from stealing  kiss from her plump lips. Her brain momentarily shut down, trying to process what just happened; she didn’t have the chance to react however, as Chaska whisked her back from where he ‘let’ himself in from. It was a narrow air duct and he just knew Peaches would object to the idea, but he didn’t really have another escape route planned. The duo left hastily, creeping along the corridors that twisted and branched out.

“Chaska, wait!” Peaches whispered loudly, her heels stumbling and going off-kilter as she ran. Her boyfriend didn’t respond at first, just bobbed his head from left to right. Suddenly, he stilled at an intersection.

“Do you trust me?”

“What? Of course, I do!” She replied, watching as Chaska turned another corner. But this one, however, did not lead to any doors or windows. “A dead end?!” She groaned out.

“Looks can be deceiving, babygirl,” Chaska replied, sending a wink over his shoulder. Crouching down, he began to pull a large crate, seemingly left out in the open by some lazy janitor.

“What are you -- oh hell no,” she whispered, peering at an air duct with a few missing screws; it was a wonder the thing didn’t fall off! “I am not going in there.”

“Peaches, it’s not like we have a choice. I don’t think your pretty face would last long in prison.” Of course, other things were at play here, such as her level of comfort.

She stilled, her lips forming in a pout that Chaska knew too well. “Chaska,” she sighed out. “I’m not--” A sudden shout scared Peaches out of her speech. Looking over her shoulder, she weighed the decisions and decided on the more messy one. She’d never forgive Chaska. Or well, that’s what she would have said if she didn’t adore the man’s everything. Crouching low to the ground, she began crawling through the air duct, voicing her complaints all the way.

Chaska rolled his eyes, but his heart thudded happily. He adored her, he really did. With a final wave farewell at the people chasing them, he ducked down on all fours, hurrying through the duct.

It felt like hours until the duo escaped, both covered head to toe in grime. But they were safe, that’s all that mattered. Both parties took in the city air, letting their lungs expand; it was a blessing for Peaches.

“I can’t believe we made it.” Chaska exhaled, finding himself chuckling.

“Neither can I,” Peaches said, letting herself finally rest after the ordeal. She found herself smiling as she looked towards Chaska. “I’m never doing that again.”

“Never expected you to,” he replied, teasing the woman. He tossed the golden orb in his hands, inspecting his sought after treasure. Looking his way, Peaches examined it. All and all, it was a very beautiful object. Shiny and beautiful, all wrapped into one.

“What is it, anyway?” She asked, pulling herself closer to her lover. His strong arm wrapped around her shoulders, the free hand playing with the orb.

“Suppose to be a queen’s relic,” Chaska replied, delving into the history. He always made sure to investigate what exactly he was stealing to better respect it; even thieves had standards. “Long ago, her husband gave this to her, and she even died buried with it. It’s been passed through generations, and then those goons got it.”

Peaches gave a soft hum. Her eyelids fluttered as she pulled herself closer to Chaska’s warmth, having missed his embrace. She yelped out in surprise, feeling something cold pressed into her hands. Peaches gazed down at the bestowed object, her mouth hung open and eyes wide. “Why are you giving it to me?” She asked. Not that she’d object to it. It was shiny and she liked it.

“That guy gave it to his wife, right?” Chaska shrugged. “Babygirl, did you really forget it’s been a year since I met you?” Peaches said nothing, her mind searching at this revelation. With everything going on, she’d completely forgotten.

“Yeah…” She truthfully said, her small hand coming to cup Chaska’s cheek. “I guess it’s pretty…” She said, batting her lashes. Chaska grinned back at her, his eyelashes also batting. “Why don’t we get a place for the night and… I can give you your present.” She coyly said, leaning closer to Chaska’s lips. Chaska chuckled deeply, leaning forward, his hand brushing a lock of Peaches’s hair behind her ear.

“You know, I’d like that.” The pair leaned together, finally getting the proper kiss they were denied before.