by K A Young
Locaine reaches down and grasps my hoodie at chest level, quickly dragging me up onto my feet. My heart pounds with the fear that courses through me, my breathing uneven when I feel his hot breath fanning the side of my neck.
So that's it then?
He's going to kill me himself.
His warm tongue glides over the skin from the base of my neck, tracing over the slowly healing wound from the puncture marks left behind from Daren. My heart skips a beat when he gently sucks my blood into his mouth, feeling his muscles tense as he relishes in the taste.
What makes me curse myself further is the involuntary moan that manages to slip past my lips at his actions...
When Locaine lifts his head back, his black rose eyes locking with my own his voice leaves a haunting melody, "I'm done being gentle with you slave."
Chapter 10
-Annika
"Let go of me!" I screech at the top of my lungs for the tenth time, Locaine dragging me through the massive white double doors leading into his mansion.
No...
I never wanted to see those doors again.
Rynn and Michael are running ahead of Locaine and to the side of the entryway. They are quick to slam the black doors to the parlor shut, attempting to shield my lewd behavior from the rest of the coven, believing I am 'disturbing' them. I thrash my legs and feet, trying to kick away from the furious vampire king.
Unfortunately, he doesn't appear phased by my actions, his determination set on his face.
I cradle my broken wrist against the center of my chest, the pain still reminiscing through my body. With my free hand, I grasp for Locaine's hand that has an iron grip on the back of my hoodie, thinking as a last resort I might as well try to break free of his hold.
What a sight it is I must say...
...being dragged down one of the hallways on my back, my ass starting to hurt now as he never gave me a choice to walk.
My attention is drawn to my left as I catch a very brief glimpse of Carly and Emily down a separate hallway. Emily appears to be just as furious as the vampires she serves, while Carly looks only slightly upset...she's angry at their actions toward me. A whole new thought surfaces the second I see their skimpy outfits adorning their bodies once again where I quickly look down at the feeling of normality I'd received from the man who'd kindly given me real clothes.
No, I'm not wearing those clothes...
The sound of a door opening from behind me immediately snaps my attention back to what is about to happen.
"No, NO!" I scream out again, being pulled into the familiar dungeon room, my back colliding with the coolness of the stone floor. Locaine doesn't stop for a second, walking straight up to a cherry oak cabinet, throwing open the door with his free hand.
It's a few seconds of him searching that makes my heart beat faster.
He hasn't spoken a single word since we had left the train station.
The sudden sound of the door to the cabinet slamming shut makes me flinch, jolting under his hold. There is a brief pause, no movement, no sound...while I hold my breath in, it's soon released when I feel a pinch at the side of my neck. I squeal loudly, the head of the needle digging deeper into my skin and I know he's not even careful at this point like he once had. After a couple seconds of pressure later, the needle is roughly removed from my flesh. I hear the glass tubing being set on the wooden shelf of the cabinet.
Before I can say anything, I feel my back suddenly collide with the stone wall.
We're right back to the whole beating thing again?
This worked out so well for you the first time around...
My eyes focus in on Locaine, standing about ten feet from me. His features hardly change, his eyes continue to search me as though he's finding it hard within himself to not kill me.
If I am so much of a hassle and trouble for him, why does he just not kill me?
After I blink once more, I'm taken aback when he appears right in front of me, inches from my body. He harshly takes hold of the front of my hoodie, pulling me to him shortly, the air leaving my lungs a second later. His eyes pierce into my soul, my body going numb at the very look he gives me.
What surprises me more though, is the sudden force of his knee in my stomach electing a scream torn from my lungs, closing my eyes shut in pain. The pain hardly has a second to register with my mind though...
I can't recover as he backhands me across the face with only a fraction of his strength. My head hangs low as I attempt to clutch at the pulsing pain soaring through my face.
Locaine doesn't allow this...
He suddenly locks both of my wrists together in his free hand.
"Fuck!" I yelp as the bones in my hand slide around under the skin, a white-hot flash of pain searing up to the surface once again.
I have never experienced a broken bone before, and the fact he keeps touching it more and more is really beginning to hurt and piss me off.
Holding my wrists and the front of my hoodie, he lifts me over his shoulder, flipping me onto the icy stone ground. Waves of new pain shoot up through my muscles and bones, my eyes losing focus for a second before I finally can see straight.
I look up at Locaine as he straddles my waist, resting on his knees at either side of my hips. He is wearing dark clothes, a black trench coat covering most of them, reminding me of the day I'd first met him all those years ago. His snowy white hair stands out against all the black, reminding me that he is indeed a pureblood, something I should be terrified of...but the way he continues to preserve my life only gives me a fraction of courage.
At least his eyes are normal again...
...small consolation prize I have won.
He keeps a steady and firm grip on my wrists, but releases the front of my hoodie, his voice low when he questions, "Why did you think that was such a brilliant idea?"
"I wanted my freedom..." I whisper out, my heart beating fast.
"Ahh," Locaine smacks me across the face, the tears forming in my eyes while I clench my teeth together.
Locaine hisses darkly, "I know what you want."
I tilt my head back to him after the blow he'd delivered, watching as he slowly shakes his head at his own anger.
"I know very well that you never went through your rite of passage," Locaine glowers down at me, looking like he is about ready to hit me again, "with next to no training, why did you think it was a good idea to flee near night...your world is going to kneel before the vampire race very soon."
I flinch and snap my eyelids tight together. I steady my breathing as I inform him, "I didn't move to Florida to become a stronger hunter, or for any special training because of my blood magic."
He narrows his eyes at me, relieving some of the pressure off my wrists as I begin to unfold my tale to him...the truth.
"I ran away..." my voice trails off, the tears trickling down the corners of my eyes as I admit to myself. I know I'm weak...I know I'm nothing and I can't save anyone even if my life depends...not even my own life.
"You ran away?" He questions me, not entirely convinced as I note the undertone of sarcasm hinting to my bold face lying to him.
I spit angrily at him, "I ran away because your brother would have killed my sister. However, my father was forced to end both of their lives! I couldn't handle it...I'd never seen someone die, let alone my own family! I wanted to live a normal life and give up on being a hunter!" I can't even begin to stop the tears sliding down my cheeks like streams as I lay everything out to him.
Then again...
...how can I give up on the being I am? It makes sense to me now in retrospect that I should have just pushed everything down and moved on, learning from mistakes of others.
"I watched my brother die as well," Locaine's voice becomes dangerous, "I didn't run and hide like a sniveling coward...a child. I wanted revenge."
He suddenly jolts to his feet, dragging me to mine as well in the process. Locaine pulls me towards a steel table with two pairs of shackles, one pai
r at each end. I begin to panic, fear creeping into my bones at his primary threat he'd given me when I was once locked up to the chains in the ceiling above.
I attempt to struggle as hard as I can, to break free of his grasp, but I soon find myself flat on my back once again, this time on the bitter table. The sound of my body crashing against the metal leaves a dull pang in the room. He then begins to lock both of my wrists into place, moving down to the bottom of the table. I thrash my legs, trying to kick him and squirm away, but this doesn't work the way I wanted.
Once he has secured both of my ankles, he walks to come to stand by my right side. Locaine takes hold of my chin in his hand roughly and locks his eyes with my own, "You should have wanted revenge. You should have wanted to kill me. I wanted more of a fight from the offspring that slaughtered my brother. But I guess that is the difference between our species. You have a slight portion of humanity left in you. Fear."
He squeezes my jaw and tilts my head sideways, regarding me with complete disgust.
"You creatures make me sick," I hiss out, "you take what you want just because you are more powerful than everyone else!"
"Oh really?" Locaine's eyes shine with amusement. He lowers his face until it is merely inches from mine, "Humans have been obsessed with vampires for centuries. They just believed we didn't exist."
I spit in his face, glaring at him with the hate I harbor. When I remain silent for too long, he moves, and I flinch at what he's about to do, but nothing happens. Instead, he narrows his eyes at me, his hair falling slightly in front of his right eye.
"Do you know why humans are so fascinated by us?" His voice changes slightly as he begins to explain something to me. I hardly can pay attention though as I am being overtaken by an intoxicating pull, noticing the way he breathes in my scent.
"N-n-no..." I stammer, my heart skipping a beat.
Locaine pulls back and sighs, releasing my chin and taking a step back. He stares at me for a moment before he chuckles, "Vampires represent the things human society is afraid of danger, death, pure power, and sexual desires."
I close my eyes, not exactly sure why he is even bothering to explain this all to me.
I'm not a human.
I don't give a damn.
"You have experienced every one of those...except for the last one," the fascination in Locaine's voice sends chills across my body.
How the hell would he know that?
Yes, I have never been with anyone. But, that was my own choice because I don't trust anyone. Not in this world that we live in...
"You are more afraid of that than danger, death, and power," Locaine arches an eyebrow and asks, "now why is that exactly?"
Memories of Locaine trying to advance on me during our spat in the large ballroom comes instantly flooding back. I'm not afraid of sex, sure I haven't experienced it yet.
I was afraid that by having him claim me would mean my ultimate submission.
I won't give him that satisfaction.
"If you're going to beat me just do it," I sigh, irritation showing through with the twenty questions game, "I'm tired of your prodding."
Locaine smirks when my tone changes as he knows he's getting to me, "As you wish. I did promise you I was finished being gentle."
"Gentle?! Ha! Are you kidding me?!" I yell at him.
"Oh, my little hunter," His voice makes my skin crawl, "I will show you far more suffering then you could ever imagine. Let's start out small and work our way up, shall we?"
Locaine saunters to a hinge on the wall, his hand resting on it before his eyes spark with amusement, pulling it in a downward motion. I immediately clench every muscle in my body, snapping my eyes shut, waiting for the excruciating pain to follow from his actions.
"Huh?" My eyes flutter open as a small droplet of water hits me square in the center of my forehead. Ten seconds later, I feel another drop of water land on my forehead in the exact same manner.
"What the hell? Are you kidding me?!" I must hold back the laughter, almost releasing it at him.
"Please, feel free to be amused," Locaine crosses his arms in front of his chest as if he's already put me in my place, "I'm fascinated with the Chinese torture methods. They seem so civil at first, nothing you would think as barbaric," he smirks at me, his tone altering, "however...then the repetitiveness sets in."
Another splash on my forehead and I narrow my eyes at him, "Go to hell..."
Locaine shrugs his shoulders, showing defeat and that he hardly cares any further about explaining this to me, "Carly will bring you food at mealtimes, and a member of my coven will allow monitored restroom breaks as needed," he makes his way to the door, opening it slightly, "other than that, you will stay right there until I decided to let you go." He doesn't wait for a response, no rebuttal or anything before he slips out of the room. The thud of the door slamming shut behind him resonates off the cold stone walls.
"Really?" I glower as another drop hits my forehead.
He can't be serious...
I'm not sure how long it's been, but I'm drawn from my thoughts when a voice sounds...
"For what's it's worth," Carly's voice announces her presence. I couldn't hear the door open as I'm already becoming irritated by the constant water hitting my forehead, "I think it was brave of you to try and run."
"Damn it!" I yell, trying to turn my head to the side, only for water to flow directly into my ear.
Well, that isn't any better...
Carly's worried expression creeps across her face as she brings over a liquid on a tray. She pauses a moment before she releases a sigh full of pity meant for me as she asks, "If you can't escape, why do you not just give in? Is he hurting you worth your pride? If you serve them with your whole being, they really are quite gentle."
"What the hell is wrong with you?!" I begin to go off on her, "I would rather have my pride then become a senseless little fuck bunny like you and Emily are!"
Her eyes are full of hurt as she shamefully downcast her gaze to her feet, "It's not our fault...you know? We're only human, and they have such an effect on us..." her voice trails off as if that's supposed to be her foolproof excuse.
"You don't even put up a single struggle!" I growl with resentment, more water smacking my forehead.
Carly's eyes are full of tears, and she falters as she attempts to take a step in her heels, "You don't know what it's like! To not have the power to fight back..."
"Seri-" She cuts me off.
"I envy you!" Carly cries out, pointing at me, "You are a hunter! You can overcome their charm and power!"
"I-"
"You fight back against not just a vampire. Thee vampire king!" Carly sniffles and regains her composure, "But when will it be too much? When will your beaten body finally break and give in? When will you become almost as human as us? That's the question everyone is wondering."
I stare up at the ceiling, breathing in deeply and smelling the damp air, closing my eyes. I don't want to think about the day that might happen if I don't escape or before death takes me in its cold embrace. Not wanting to hear anything further from her, I whisper, "Go away. I don't want anything to eat."
Carly hesitates for a moment, contradicting her anger toward me when her tone changes, "Ple-"
"I said, leave me alone!" I yell back at her, my eyes still staring at the inside of the lids.
A water droplet hits my forehead once again.
"F-fine!" She turns on her heels and starts off toward the door. I hear the door shutting before the silence surrounds me.
All but for the clicking of water hitting my forehead, echoes in the distance.
**
-Locaine
"It's been almost a week," Darius' blue eyes meet with mine from across the parlor. At the sound of his voice, I close the book I had been reading and place it on the arm of the ebony chair I am sitting in. The air is still as the music from the speakers plays softly in the background.
The ambiance was very calming until Darius
had to bring up Annika...
"I'm well aware of that," I release a sigh, crossing my left leg over my right knee.
How could I forget?
My eyes involuntarily roll at that pure thought.
I'm not playing with my slave, I have her tied up in time out while I'd much rather see how far I can push her to submit to me.
This thought amuses me, withholding a chuckle from surpassing my lips.
Rynn's signature heels sound her presence as she enters the room, Henri following beside her. As I eye her, I note the lovely forest green floor length dress that hugs her curves just right, her eyes falling on me a second later. The color of the dress matches her radiant eyes.
"We can bring Ansley and Aldrich in at any time," Rynn's musical voice reaches my ears as she sits down on one of the couches, relieving the tension that had once been gripping my muscles at her announcement.
I narrow my eyes and question, "You located them then?"
"Of course," she offers me a sly look as if I ever doubted her in the first place. She states, "I'll be leading a group to collect them in the next few days."
I wonder the reason behind why they left their residence, but after their granddaughter didn't come home, I'm sure they either ran to her parents to inform them or went into hiding themselves.
Look at that, my little hunter is missing, and no one comes to save her. No one comes to look for the apparent failure in the family at her previous decision to run away from what she is.
"The recognized coven leaders?" Rynn arches a brow when the silence has carried on long enough. Her gaze flickers to mine, something is hidden deep within before she further asks, "Are you inviting them to your brother's memorial ball?"
With a quick shake of my head, I turn my gaze away from her and state, "No. The last thing I need is Annika embarrassing me in front of them and leaving me with the only option of killing her."
"You don't want to kill a hunter?" Darius arches a brow and chuckles at the way I respond.
A smirk crosses my face, and I further explain, "Not a hunter that belongs to me. Perhaps there are other uses for her aside from tracking her family down and executing them one by one..."
