Decayed

by Jessica Sutherland

  "We will soon be there. Try to hold your tongue until then, Georganna."

  I turned back to the window, focusing all my concentration of the shadowy objects outside.

  Four

  The limo arrived at a plantation house set amongst several others in a rich neighborhood somewhere on the outskirts of Atlanta. Roses and vines looked out at me from the yard and porch, and I felt the same discomfort I felt when visiting my wealthiest friends. I climbed out of the car after Lily, avoiding Cain as much as possible. The driver of the car remained inside, and I wondered if he was one of my captors. We stood inside the garage waiting until another girl, a bit older- looking than me, opened the side door.

  "Welcome back, sir," she said, nodding.

  I watched in fascination as she and Lily timidly skirted around Cain with their eyes cast to the ground. Just as I did. Anger swelled inside me.

  "So this is it?" I bellowed, my voice echoing in the garage. "I'm apart of some vampire harem now?"

  The two girls gaped. I stood my ground, my eyes now piercing Cain's. I watched him smile.

  "You are now apart of my life, Georganna. Apart of all their lives," he nodded toward Lily. "Don't worry, I always value the feisty ones. Friday was once quite feisty as well. Maybe I should introduce you to her now before supper."

  I wrinkled my nose. "I'd hate to see what you're having."

  "A five- year- old and some young men from the underground."

  My stomach dropped. "Are you serious?"

  Cain laughed, bending back to emphasize his amusement. "Oh, no, I'm just kidding about the child. Come on!"

  I screwed my face up in fury as I was led into the manor. The manor was large, and elaborate. Every part of it was exquisite in some fashion. Diamonds glittered down from chandeliers and candelbras. Portraits of various men and women hung from the walls, and statues stood in corners and on tables. A painting of Cain stood in the den, as well as a portrait of several young women. I recognized Lily in the dead center, holding a bouquet of flowers. I followed Lily across the hardwood floors and up a banister staircase, staring at the artwork that flourished the walls.

  "The master loves fine art," Lily said in a small voice, still carrying my suitcase.

  "I can carry that--"

  "No, it's fine." her dark eyes stayed transfixed ahead of us. "The master has said you will live on the third floor. You will be near Friday that way."

  "Is Friday good?"

  Lily's eyebrows rose, in confusion.

  "Nevermind," I said lamely. I followed her up the white and gold stairs, and we quickly reached the third floor. She showed me to a room with a simple, white door. I turned the round, golden knob and stepped inside. The room was delicious. Chocolate and black curtains, blankets, and rugs folded alongside cream sheets and drapes, covered the room. A black leather loveseat stood at one side of the room, with a tall bookshelf on either side. The bed was large, much to large for one person, and was covered with luxurious blankets and pillows. I tore my eyes away from the linens and found myself gaping at the art on the walls. Dark girls, vampires probably, stared out of their portraits with longing eyes. Their pale hands clenched roses or crosses, (which I noticed the manor lacked) and their dark or white dresses folded around them. They stood in graveyards or forests, or in houses like this one. I saw a picture of a girl with black hair, her lips perfect and of the darkest red.

  "That's Friday," Lily said.

  "What?" I turned my head to look at Lily and saw that she had been staring at me. I covered my mouth selfconsciously.

  "Friday lived here, but then she left it. That's why it's like this. You know, all weird and stuff."

  I blinked, remembering little Benthany on prom night. "It's not too weird. I mean, we're vampires. I think that garners more weirdness."

  Lily looked back down, making a noise. "Well, you know the way back down. You should go to the dining hall very soon. The Judge doesn't like to wait."

  I watched her leave. I hated myself for being here. I didn't want to be in that monster's house, much less his love nest. Sighing, and burying my head into my hands, I sank onto the rich, chocolate furs on the floor.

  The dining hall was huge. A mahagony table sat in the center, with mahagony and cream chairs placed around it. A diamond chandelier hung above us, and candles sat at each of our seats. I was the only one wearing jeans and a t-shirt. Lily sat on the left side of Cain, in her white and pink dress. Across from her, with a red candle, sat a black-haired woman with large, crystal hoop earrings. Her dress barely covered her chest, and her back was bare. The glittering garb was silver and white. She had on six inch, diamond covered heels and large bracelets. I couldn't help but stare at them. Beside Lily sat the girl that had held the door open. She had wavy, blond hair and very full lips. She wore little makeup, and wore a simple blue dress with ballerina flats. Across from her sat one of the most beautiful girls I had ever seen. Her skin was very dark and smooth, and her eyes glittered darkly under the diamonds. I watched her move gracefully in her golden, silk dress, which clung to her like a second skin. Her hair was short, but framed her face and curled under her chin. Between her and myself sat another girl. She wore a corset, with red and black panels, and had long, black hair. She had painted her face white, and her lips were rouge. She reminded me of the girls in the artwork in my room.

  "Time for dinner!" Cain said cheerfully. He sat staring ahead as the doors behind him opened, and two men were lead before us. An old man that I presumed was a butler had them on leashes.

  My jaw dropped at the site of the shirtless men, one of whom was crying. The bags around their heads hid their faces, but were high enough to obstruct the view of their throats.

  "Dinner is served," the old man announced, taking a silver knife and slicing the crying man's throat. The young man choked, falling to the floor, but was caught by the butler.

  I cringed as he was thrown upon the table, before Cain.

  As the man lay their dying, Cain rose with an empty glass. "Let us join in celebration to welcome the newest member of our house," he looked pointedly at me.

  Everyone raised their glass except me. I felt my stomach turn over as I watched the helpless man. "Don't kill anyone just to celebrate me!" I cried, unable to stop tears from welling up in my eyes.

  "Oh, dear," Cain chortled. "This isn't for you. I mean the toast was." He smile down at the dying man on the table. He held his glass up to the man's throat, waiting for the liquid to gather, before drinking it greedily.

  "Now, don't forget to share tonight, Freya." Cain pointed out the girl in the golden dress. "Rugh, if you don't mind."

  "Very well, sir."

  I watched in horror as the second man's throat was cut open and he was brought to the center of the table. Lily and the bare-backed woman stood first and approached him. I watched in awe and terror as they and Cain gathered pooling blood in their goblets.

  "By the way," Cain said through slurps of blood. I found him repulsive. "Everyone, say hello to Georganna and tell her your name."

  A few of the girls gave me scathing looks, Freya one of them.

  "I'm Lily, you know me," Lily skittishly said first.

  "I am Victorian," the silver-clad woman announced coldly.

  "Hello, Georganna," the ballerina said sofly. "I'm Hannah."

  Next was Freya, who glared at me and scorned, "You know who I am, child."

  The girl next to me turned, letting her dull, green eyes fall upon me blindly. "I am Friday."

  I felt myself falling as I stared into her eyes, and it took to long for me to come to my senses. By the time I had, she had turned away and Cain was chuckling. "This is my beatiful family of daughters and wives. You, my dear, have been chosen to be among that special group."

  My heart felt rotten as he announced it. I hated him, and I was sure every other girl here did too. I never noticed Friday turning to me, pointing to my goblet. "It's our turn, Georganna."

  I blinked, looking down at my silver gob
let. "N-no, I'm all right," I objected.

  "You must feed," Friday whispered, "you have no choice. You will need your strength."

  "Thanks, but no thanks."

  Friday's green eyes glittered for a second, before she took her own silver goblet and began gathering the man's blood. I watched her intricate fingers hold the cup steady, and then noticed something else. Mine and her's were the only silver goblets. Freya, Hannah, and Lily had golden ones with rubies. Victoria had a crystal one, and Cain had a marvelous goblet of black with intricate carvings and gemstones glittering from the base and top. I thought this an interesting observation, and wondered why we didn't all share the same goblets.

  I watched inpatiently as everyone drank their full of the men, until they were both long death. They eyed me curiously, probably wondering how long I would hold out. I held my breath the entire time, unwilling to be tempted by the smell of the blood. The site of it at first was almost too much, but I held through. Friday looked at me appraisingly. I wondered what I had done to impress her.

  After the bodies were dragged away, we were excused to our rooms. I scurried up the stairs, avoiding the angry stairs of Victoria and Freya as I did so. Friday followed me, a small smile playing on her lips.

  "Why aren't there any locks on the doors?" I asked before Friday could slip into her new room.

  "Why would there be?"

  My eyebrows rose, and I looked at her in confusion. "To keep people out, duh."

  Friday smiled sadly. "There's no keeping out unwanted visitors in this house."

  I watched her open her door, light the hallway with a red glow, and glide into her room closing the door. Maybe that meant I could go hide in her room if the boogeyman came.

  I trudged into my rich room and tore off my clothes, hopping into the shower again. I couldn't get clean enough. After scrubbing myself again, I dried off and pulled on an overlarge shirt and black panties. The bed was clean, and smelled nice. It seemed to swallow me as I sank into it, and allowed the covers to pool over me. My body ached with hunger, so much that my spine hurt, but I ignored it. I would not lower myself to that again. I hated it.

  I turned over and pushed my wet hair up above my head. It didn't take long for sleep to claim me.

  "You are so beautiful, Georganna."

  I awoke sharply in the darkness of my room. Cain stood over my bed, looking at me with yellow eyes.

  "Breathtaking."

  "I don't want you here." I snapped, watching him furl his brows and crawl upon the edge of the bed.

  "You think you can object to this? I made you."

  I watched him undress, slowly. He wanted me to suffer through it.

  "You won't break me. I won't fall for that easily."

  Cain laughed. "Of course you won't. That's why it'll be so much fun."

  He pulled his pants off and stood before me naked.

  "Am I supposed to be impressed?" I quipped.

  He chuckled, crawling over me under the covers. "You're supposed to be grateful."

  "I'm dead now. Thanks."

  Another dark chuckle pierced my ear as he moved his hands up my shirt, grasping my breasts and sucking my neck. I swallowed, closing my eyes, as he parted my legs. I gasped against my will as he began to solicit sounds from me, whimpers I hated myself for making. He moved his pale, long fingers across my entire body. My feet, my legs, the back of my neck-- were all molested by his greedy touch. My lips, scarred but healing, trembled as he breathed cold air onto them before gently brushing his own against them. I quivered, my heart unsteady, as he kissed every single inch of me, before diving down and breathing steady, cold breaths between my thighs. I waited in silence as he snaked his way across me, finally pulling me up and burying himself within me. I would have cried, but by this point he had all ready seen me cry from this too many times. I found that focusing on Friday's art helped. I imagined I were one of the dark princesses she had painted, and that a knight, Cole, would save me. Cain moved slowly against me, encouraging my own hips to move as well. They stayed firm and unyielding, unwilling to give him surrender.

  When he had come, he climbed off me and pointed to my silver and sapphire goblet. "Your drink, should you become hungry." and then he left.

  I watched the door close quietly. I wanted to kill myself, but I was too much of a coward to do it. I was too weak. Sex made me hungry, it did when I was a human, and the goblet became so tempting I could taste it from where it sat. I stared at it for a good hour, before giving in and drinking the blood hungrily. I wept when I was done, casting the goblet upon the floor. I was good as the devil reincarnate.

  I stayed in my room. I had no interest in chatting with anyone (except maybe Friday, but even she was scary). Abel did not creep into my room again, and three days passed before I ventured out into the hallway. It was three in the afternoon, so I assumed everyone was asleep or away. The manor was quiet. I strode through the third floor, looking at all the art and expensive furnishings. Leather and fur was predominant in this floor. I wondered what Amy, the animal rights activist, would've said. Her wide, pale eyes gaping at the strewn skins, and her face wet with tears. It was so odd how someone with such a caring heart could also be so hateful. But then again, it was high school.

  I found myself climbing an old staircase. The walls were decorated with cream colored wall paper, reflection-less mirrors, and candelbras. The staircase and its beams were black and ornamental. Angel heads were carved out of the top of the black banisters. The landing was hardwood, as was the hallway it led into. The corridor went on for several feet before turning to the left. Tables with various ancient-looking knick-knacks stood alongside the corridor, and a few ornamental rugs dotted alongside them. German memorabilia was heavy here, with a flag and paintings of German villages decorating the walls. At the end, an old painting hung alone. The woman in it was pale, with dark lips, and almond shaped eyes. She wore a gold nineteen-twenties style dress that hugged her body and fell to her feet. Her hair was long and blonde, curled around her face, and falling in waves. She looked flawless, except for her smile. It was fragile and broken, as if she had been sad the entire time the painting was being made.

  I moved on to the left, and met a door before another turn. I opened it, and found nothing. There was a bucket and some equipment for killing, knives and such. I saw some cleaning supplies and a mop. Other than that, it was just an ordinary closet. I moved on, to a door on the right. I stepped into a dusty, mold-filled room. I ventured forth, examining the old canopy bed. The dust here was so thick that I could barely make out the colors of pink and gold in the room. I found a particular armour though. It was large and pale pink, under the dust. I grasped the thick heart-shaped lock and tugged. It was all ready loose, as if someone had decided to explore it before.

  The doors fell open, and I found myself staring at four shelves filled with dolls. I freaked out, wondering if I had discovered something horrifically secret. Nausea overwhelmed me. I probably would be killed by Endelbrucht now.

  The dolls were amazing, but scary. They were pale and clothed in gorgeous dresses. Their hair was white or black, and their eyes were all red. I watched their tiny faces grimly smile at me through the glass panel. They held things like little purses, birds, and crosses. One of the white haired girls held a real, dead rose. I touched the panel curiously, staring at their crowns and jewels.

  "Georganna," a soft whisper floated to me.

  I jumped, slinging the doors shut.

  "Ssssh," Friday held a finger up to her lips. "Don't be so loud up here. You'll wake Abel's first wife."

  "Wasn't she downstairs?"

  "No," Friday shook her raven head. She had on a silver cincher today, with a black button-up and thick tulle skirts. I peeked down at her feet to see were bare. I thought that was odd, but didn't want to bring it up.

  "Who do these dolls belong to?" I asked curiously.

  Friday opened the pink doors and looked upon the sad dolls. "I think it was an old wife of Abel's . Somet
imes he takes in wives, but they die or betray him. Most of the time he has the room they had redone to erase them. We think he didn't want to forget this one."

  "Who is "we?"'

  Friday smiled, "The only ones that talk to me of course. Lily and Hannah."

  "You trust them?"

  "Am I not supposed to?"

  "You're in a harem against your will," I scornfully turned back to the dolls. "We all are."

  "No," Friday stated very slowly. She looked at me reproachfully. "There are some that want this."

  I felt my stomach curl. "How could you? I hate it!"

  "You can always kill yourself. Abel will just go find another young girl."

  I stared down at my toes sadly. "I want to. I want to with all my being. I'm just to much of a coward to do it."

  Friday patted my shoulder. "Close the doors and put the lock back. We'll go the garden and have some tea. I'm sure you won't argue against that?"

  I nodded approvingly. "Tea sounds good to me."

  We sat across from each other in the shadey garden surrounded by statues and roses.

  I stared down at the cup and saucer. "I thought you meant iced tea."

  "You don't like rose tea?" Friday asked.

  I grimaced, but took the hot cup anyway. "Here goes!" I relaxed as the sharp, rose flavored tea ran across my tongue. It was actually quite pleasant.

  "Not bad, huh?" Friday asked quietly.

  I nodded, "That's good actually."

  "I'm glad you like it."

  I drank quietly, trying to ignore Friday's penetrating stare. I finally looked up when it had become to much for me to ignore.

  "You would look good in a corset." she said evenly.

  I swallowed my cookie and raised my eyebrows. "A corset?"

  Friday smiled, a small laugh painting her face, and she stood. "Come with me. I want to see what you look like with one on."

  I swallowed my cookie and nodded, hurriedly setting down my saucer. "Okay," I nervously agreed.

  She lead me back to the third floor and into her red room. I squinted as my eyes adjusted to the rose hue of everything. I wondered how one could tell the difference between reds and pinks in such a room. Friday moved quickly to a black chest and pulled out a black corset. Deep ,purple vines sprawled across it, and rich, black cords tied up the back.