“No, no, you misunderstand my words. Eunuch, it means he has no use of his... um, how do I say this? He cannot make his manhood work,” he said, with his eyes widening, as he tilted his head in a downward direction.
“Oh,” I said in recognition, my eyes widening as well. “Then, why...”
“He brings her to us this night. We take her for your comfort, but you mustn’t say a word,” he explained, looking around nervously, tapping the side of his head lightly. “They think he is sick in other ways.”
We walked up the stairs, and I was still unsure if I could trust what he told me or not. After all, these people weren’t the most reliable in my book. I looked behind us before we entered our room, and my mind was completely set at ease. Coming up the stairs was the body guard, cradling Tanda in his arms like an infant. She had a smile from ear to ear.
“That little turkey,” I said, smiling, turning to Isa. “She knew all along, didn’t she?” He didn’t have to answer. The smile that was already plastered on his face told me that she did.
When they got to the door, we all entered the enormous room together. The ceiling was at least fifteen feet high, and the fireplace was big enough to walk in. Large rugs adorned the massive floor. Round ones, square ones, oblong ones, all bordered in dangling fringe. There was a square table on one of the rugs, and it couldn’t have stood more than twelve inches off the ground. It was surrounded by pillows, one for each color of the rainbow and more.
“Please, sit,” Isa said, gesturing to the table. “My man will bring us something to drink.”
“But I thought we couldn’t put anything but blood in our bodies?” I asked, confused. Isa just laughed. “What? I’m serious.”
“I now know why after almost one hundred and fifty years of freedom, he chose you to live with for eternity. You become more charming by the minute,” he said.
About that time, the big man returned with a tray and set it on the table. The drinks he had referred to were indeed blood. I lowered my head, embarrassed by my naivety. Of course, its blood, I thought to myself. What else would it be, stupid? Then, a question I hadn’t really given much thought to cross my mind. Since this man seemed to be different from the others, I decided to ask him.
“I don’t mean to sound ungrateful after you have been so kind to me, but can I ask you a question?”
“You may ask whatever you wish,” he replied.
“It’s the blood. Not just this, but also what they feed us,” I cleared my throat. “It’s always in a container of some kind... where does it come from? Do they have, like normals standing by or something?”
“That is a very good question, one that not many would think to ask,” he began. “Blood is blood. Normals, I must say, taste the best, though it may only be a state of mind. However, if we were to feed strictly on normals, our kind would be known, and subsequently, hunted like in the days of old. That is why we use pig blood. Their systems are very much like our own. Is that what you wished to know?”
I only nodded, because I was too overcome with relief to speak. I knew that Rebecca was giving me the blood of goats, but after seeing the Brown boy from back home, chained up in the dungeon, yet still human, I had been thinking the worst.
“There are those who are careless and chose to feed only from the living. Your Mistress is one that refuses to go for too long without her special stock.”
“Yeah, I was already pretty sure about that.”
Isa and I reclined back on the pillows, drinking the blood that had been provided, and watched as Tanda and the giant played some kind of card game. She looked truly happy for the first time since I met her. My thoughts drifted once again to all that she must have endured over all these years, and my heart sank.
“You look very sad, Lady Renee,” Isa said. I had been so deep in thought, that I hadn’t even noticed he was looking at me. “Tell me what are you thinking?”
“I was thinking how hard it has been for that young girl,” I said motioning to Tanda. “I’m already to the point where I think I can’t take any more of this place, and she has fifty years on me. My heart breaks for her.”
“I came here shortly after she was brought here,” he said. I must have been glaring at him, because he quickly said, “I never harmed her, so there is no need to stare at me with such hatred.”
“I’m sorry. It’s just that I don’t understand why you would come to a place like this if you are so honorable,” I said, and it was obvious from his facial expression that I had hurt his pride. “Look, I didn’t mean to upset you, but I haven’t come across too many good folks in my little stay here.”
“You are correct. How could you think any different? I will tell you why I come.”
“No, you don’t have to. I was rude, and I apologize.” Truthfully, I was just afraid of what the answer might be.
“I come to buy slaves, that much is true. We take them to our country, where they work and live in our home.” He held his hand toward his body guard. “Najja, I found in Africa. He was made to do hard labor, with a whip on his back daily. He has been by my side since the day I found him.” Now the giant had a name, and a past like the rest of us, maybe even worse.
“Then why not buy Tanda? She was only sixteen when she was turned, and she’s so sweet and caring. She doesn’t belong here,” I said.
“I agree, but they will not sell her. Even if they would, she would not survive without her brother.”
“Why not take them both?” I asked.
“Because Mistress Yvette knows how I treat my slaves, and finds it appalling. She once told me she would make more money renting them out, even after I offered her top price and then some,” Isa said. “If she thinks any joy would come to her slaves, she refuses. She is a demon, and very much enjoys what she does.”
Isa and I talked for a while longer, about how he buys time with Tanda, just to know she is safe, and that he comes every couple of months or so just to spend time with her. He told me that he thinks of Tanda very much like a daughter, and that he wishes he could save her from this place as much if not more than I do.
“I know you wish to escape.” Isa blurted out.
I was shocked. My mouth hit the floor. The statement had come out of nowhere, and the fear it brought with it reached my very core.
“Please don’t tell Yvette! I was... I was only thinking about... Oh, God, please. I won’t ever bring it up again,” I stammered. He held a hand up, and with a smile shook his head.
“I wish to help you in any way I can,” he said.
His words hit my heart, and I prayed that what I had just heard was true. Tears of joy streamed down my face, and I could hardly gather myself together to speak.
“Seriously, you mean it?”
“I am always serious about such important matters,” he replied handing me a tissue. “I owe Martin a favor. He once saved my life, and I will repay that debt by helping to save his bride.”
In the excitement, I decided to let the bride comment slide, but I couldn’t control the tears. Tanda came and kneeled by my side. She took me in her arms, and said ever so softly, “Now you really can go find help.”
“And you know I will come back for you and Garvin, just as soon as I can.”
“See, I told you she was different. She really cares about us.”
“So I see,” Isa said pointedly.
For the next two hours, we went over the plans for my escape. Isa explained how Najja would leave a bag at my exit, and how I would have to make Annabel angry enough to place me back in the hole.
“Are you prepared to go through the pain they will cause you?” Isa asked. “It may be days or weeks, before you are able to start your journey.”
“Well, it’s not like I haven’t been through it before,” I said, trying to sound upbeat.
In reality, the thought of yet another torture at the hands of Annabel was almost enough to make me want to think twice… almost.
“How will I know the way to the ocean when I get
out?”
“There is a drain for sewage in the lowest level. That is where Garvin will lead you. It will not be pleasant, but the drain goes directly to the ocean. The bag you need will be up on the bank, at the left side of the drain,” Isa explained.
We talked awhile longer, but our night was drawing close to its end. Before leaving, Isa reminded me to act as if I had a terrible time in his care. Tanda and I both changed into the night wear he laid out, and let down our hair.
“Have you put much thought into how you will anger your captors?” Isa asked.
“I don’t know,” I shrugged. “Can’t you just say I was a pain, and I wouldn’t listen? You could hit me or something ya know?”
“I am afraid I would hurt you. Besides, that would be out of character for me. In almost two hundred years of knowing the fair Mistress, I have never once laid a hand on any woman.” Tanda nodded as he spoke. “They also know I have a way with women. There would be no way you could resist me.” Then he smiled from ear to ear.
I smiled back, but I knew that all joking aside, I had to come up with something. Time was running out.
“One more thing, Renee,” Isa said. “The boat that brought you here will be back with a delivery at the end of next week. You must be prepared. It is the only boat that can take you back to the states, and it does not come ashore often.”
“How can I ever repay you?”
“Come back for the child I call daughter. Then, we will be even.”
“If I make it out, you can count on it. I couldn’t live with myself knowing that this continued to go on. You have my word.”
“Good enough. You both must get ready to leave, they will be coming for you soon,” he said. No more than he had gotten out the sentence, someone pounded on the door. He looked at me and whispered, “Are you ready?”
“As much as I ever will be.” I gave him a quick hug, and whispered in his ear, “You are a good man. Thank you.”
The pounding on the door resumed, only this time the sound on grew louder with each knock.
“Enter,” Isa said firmly.
Annabel threw the door open so hard that it slammed into the wall, and as always, her lap dog Enrique followed close behind. Oh, hell, here we go, I thought to myself.
“Enrique, collect the girls and wait for me outside,” Annabel told him.
He came over to us with a demeanor I had not yet seen. With a slight bow, he held his hand out to Tanda and I. “Ladies shall we?” he asked politely.
I took Tanda’s hand in mine, refusing his. We three walked out of the room, and Enrique closed the door behind us. When the door was closed, Enrique looked at me and said, “I hope the report Annabel receives about you is awful. I can’t remember a time when I enjoyed a whore like you screaming in pain.”
“I’m pleased I can bring joy to a eunuch of a man, such as you,” I said, smiling at the use of my newly learned word.
“I’ll beat you senseless!” He raised his fist, and had the door not opened, I am sure he would have made good on his promise.
“You have done well this night, both of you. I have always known Tanda was a good little money maker, but you have surprised me tonight Renee,” she said, before she started leading us back to the lower pits of this hell. “I thought you would have been harder to break”
She walked over to me, getting so close that I thought I was going to be kissed, and without warning, she ran her hand up under my gown and grabbed my privates. I jumped and tried to back away, but Enrique had butted up against my back, assuring that I stayed in place. I closed my eyes, and turned my face away in humiliation. She released me as quickly as she had grabbed, and held her hand up close to her face.
“I knew it. You have not yet laid with any man, yet you pleased Isa greatly. Tell me, was it the first time you took a man into that pretty little mouth of yours?” she asked with a smirk. She and Enrique started laughing uncontrollably. I was naive, but I didn’t have to think hard to know what she meant, and I was suddenly given my way back to the hole.
Annabel wiped her hand on the front of my gown, and I grabbed it. I jerked it backwards in a flash, feeling the bones snap in my grip. She screamed and tried to pull away, but I held fast. I felt a burst of adrenaline, and before I knew it, I had lost my mind. Next thing I knew, I was on her. She tripped backwards and we both went down. I landed on top of her, and began beating her face with my fist.
“You sick... nasty.... bitch... die... die...DIE!” With each word, I delivered another punch. I felt myself being pulled off of her, and resisted. “No,” I screamed. I tried to swing out again, but my arms were pinned to my sides. I took advantage of my feet, and made contact with several kicks before Enrique lifted me up to his six foot level, and chucked me down the hallway we had just exited. I bounced not once, but twice, before landing in a heap. I looked back to see Annabel lying there, bleeding, and damn sure not moving. Now it was my turn to smirk. Oh, God, I hope she’s dead, I thought to myself, but there was no such luck. She curled up onto her side in the fetal position, groaning.
Enrique crouched down beside her, and looked back to me. “What the fuck were you thinking? You almost crushed her face, you’re lucky she lives.” He turned back to her, and I slowly got to my feet, spitting my own blood to the floor. It wasn’t until then that I realized just how hard I had landed. I had to use the wall to balance my first few steps, but soon was walking normally. I was almost to them before I spoke.
“If I ever get the chance, it will be her luck that runs out,” I said.
Enrique stood so fast that I almost didn’t see it, and came at me with the same speed, his face distorted from rage. I tried to back up, but didn’t get two steps, before he had me. He picked me up, and threw me over his shoulder.
“Take care of your mistress, Now,” he yelled at Tanda. “I’ll take care of this one myself.” He stormed away, with me in tow, but I wasn’t going to go quietly. I hit, kicked, and scratched, whatever I could do to cause some damage. He didn’t even slow down. The only indicator that I was causing harm was his shirt. It was now soaked in his blood, the color going from the original bright blue to a scarlet-black.
“Keep it up,” he said, as he continued to tromp down the corridor. “It just makes me want to slam you in the hole even more.” I dug into him like a wild animal, inaudible sounds escaping my lips. I was going to give this bastard something to remember me by.
He passed the cages, going straight to the door that led to the hole. I paused out of pure disbelief that he wasn’t taking me to the torture room. I knew I had to keep up the show, afraid if I didn’t, they would suspect I was up to something.
“No! I won’t go back down there, I would rather die,” I screamed.
“Oh, you’ll go back, but when you come out, you’ll be a new woman,” he said.
He opened the large iron door, and at that point, I wasn’t sure if I was purely acting, or if I truly didn’t want to go back down to that foul place. I decided to get my point across one way or another so I bit down, digging my fangs into his muscular back. He let out a scream, and slammed my head and upper body against the heavy metal door, knocking me unconscious.
*****
I must have been unconscious for a while, because when I opened my eyes, I was lying just outside the door to the hole that had been my home for six long weeks. My ears were ringing, and when my vision finally adjusted, I saw Enrique towering over me.
“I wanted you to keep this little gift in your heart forever, so I waited for you to come around,” he said, as he started undoing his pants. Oh, God, no, not that, I thought. I tried to crawl away, pushing back with my hands and heels, but my head pounded with such ferocity that I could barely move.
“Enrique, please, no,” I pleaded. “The Mistress will be mad if you do this, you know that.”
“Really…is that what you think? Well, I know for a fact that the Mistress thinks you slept with Isa.”
“No, you’re lying,” My mind was scrambling
. “I swear, she’ll know. I’ll tell her everything.”
“Go ahead,” he spat. “I’ll dispute it. I’ll tell her you’re mad because I stuck you down here. Now, who do you think she’ll believe?”
“Please don’t do this,” I begged as tears began to fall.
He got to the floor, and crawled toward me. I tried to kick him, but he must have seen it coming. He grabbed my leg, mid-thigh, and pulled me closer. I began slapping, punching, doing anything I could to keep him off me. He pinned down my lower body with his, and reached for my arm. Before he could grab it, I raked my nails down the entire length of his face, leaving bloody scrawls in their wake. He growled as he took hold of my arm, and snapped it forcefully backwards at the elbow. I cried out, not only from the pain, but more from the fear. He held my other arm firm with one hand, and began to lower his pants.
“No, No, No,” I cried, over and over. Then he took me. I screamed as he crammed himself into me. I could feel my insides rip with each of his thrusts, and it felt as if I were being stabbed internally with a branding iron. This seemed to go on for what felt like an eternity before he was finished. He pushed his upper body off of me, and spit in my face.
“You’re as sorry a piece of ass, as that little whore you seem to care so much about.”
He pulled himself up off of me, and before redressing, wiped himself on my soiled gown. I curled into myself as much as I could, forming a tight little ball on the floor. Enrique walked over and opened the door to the hole.
“Get in your place, you piece of shit,” he said, kicking me square in the back. “That’s for ruining my shirt.”
I didn’t even cry out. There was nothing left in me. He had taken my body, and might as well have taken my life. I pulled my way into what could easily have been my death chamber. Just to think, my only sanctuary was to lie in the decay of those who had gone through this same nightmare. How many had he done this too, and how many would follow in my place.
He slammed the door as soon as my feet cleared its frame. I heard him laugh as he disappeared down the hall, the remaining light disappearing with him. I lay on the inhuman floor and wept. I could feel the decay attaching itself to my body, and yet I didn’t care. I didn’t care about anything. I wanted to lie here in this filth and die, and rot along with it. Then a resounding voice began to echo in my head. “You’re as sorry a piece of ass as that little whore you seem to care so much about.” How could I have forgotten? That bastard did the same thing to that beautiful little girl, when she was only sixteen years old. How can I, ten years her senior, lay here and wallow in my own self-pity, while she is still out there, going through God knows what? Who knows how many times he has taken her, how many more times he will take her? As many times as he wants, if you don’t pull yourself together, I told myself. You are the only one that will do something about it. You just have to make it long enough to get out of here. Then he’ll pay. They’ll all pay.
Living in Darkness (Bloodbreeders) Page 17
