Something Better Than Forever
by Skydancinghobbit
Chapter 18: Wrath Of Kings
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The thought of you, still, white, cold…to never see you blush scarlet again, to never see that flash of intuition in your eyes when you were though my pretenses...it would be unendurable." >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Bella uttered a soft moan, shifting a hair she carefully checked over her body, nothing seemed broken that was positive news, unfortunately that was as much as could be said for the good news tally of her day. Bound to a wall made of cool stone, the soft dripping sound of water leaking from a pipe, eternal darkness was all she’d known since waking up. Time had no measure here. At her best guess she had been held captive somewhere in the neighborhood of a week. Of three things she was absolutely certain, she knew that she had been hauled out of Italy without warning. Second that her captors where vampires and best of all, Aro was coming for her. Even at this great distance, she could feel the power of his wrath the promise of vengeance yet unclaimed.
Fuzzily she recalled the last few safe moments of freedom. Poor Baptista never saw what struck him down, his cold white form laying crumpled and broken on the ground had been her last sight before a cloth soaked in some nasty smelling substance had made the world go dark. Soft voices had greeted her on first regaining consciousness. Their sweet musical tones revealing what they where before she had any notion of anything else.
Vampires. female vampires to be exact, three; each purred soothingly as they ran ice cold fingers through her hair and over her skin as she sat blindfolded in what sounded like an plane. The roar of the engines being far too loud and ongoing for any other mode of transportation.
"Ah, the treasure is awake, easy fragile one, we'll not harm you"
"No, No we must not, Master would not be pleased"
"Poor lamb frightened in the dark, we'll help you find the light again"
The voices caused a chill to ghost down her spine, being equal parts, childlike and dangerous. Slowly the blindfold was removed and Bella found herself staring into three crimson pairs of eyes. Dressed in long white gowns and formal gloves they struck a link in her; harkening back to the pictures every vampire fan drew when a new movie hit the screen of vampire brides. Only now they raced her in all the beauty and lore of her storybooks in living color. One a pale blond beauty. One of Ebony and the other possessed a flaming head of red curls shifted like living fire every time she moved.
"Where am I?"
The purring intensified in volume, yet so different was it from the soothing rumble of Aro's purr that it set her teeth on edge rather like the feeling one gets when sharp nails suddenly gouge a chalkboard. Yet she viewed it as prudent to pretend to be soothed then rouse them to anger. Thus she forced her body to relax drawing in a few deep breath. Though nothing but a shell of her reaction when Aro soothed her; It seemed to placate them well enough. At length after choking down some coffee and weak soup broth they answered her. One, the blond who Bella learned was called Dulcinea happily fluffing a bed with soft pillows and blankets with glee glowing on every perfect feature.
"Home dear Lamb you will soon be home"
"Yes the Master will be pleased to see you lost lamb"
"Home to stay, never to stray again"
After that she had drifted again into the realm of dreams their singsong voices twisting into screams. Realizing too late her soup had been drugged. Stupid vampires they never played fair! When she had awoken again she was in chains held captive in the dungeon of a castle with nothing but her thoughts to occupy her. What had they meant by home? Italy was her home now, she had no fondness for this cold dark smelly place so far but her bonds were tight and very good at their job. Wriggle and squirm as she might they didn't give an inch.
“Aww, poor lamb likes not her cage, should we release her do you think?”
“Yes we shall, now that she no longer stinks of the Usurper”
Arora the ebony haired vampire was there leaning against the wall all in one moment; the still settling hairs dancing about her head the only sign she had only now appeared. Quickly joined by the redhead Victoria. Now she approached; key in hand and before she could blink Bella was free. Cold fingers closed around her wrists and gently pulled her from the rocky prison. A short walk, a hot shower, and a change of clothes later she sat baffled in a room that could have rivaled that of Aro's in Volterra. Her hair had brushed till it glowed, make up had been applied and she had been left alone before she could have uttered a word.
What was their game? Who was this Master they spoke of and most importantly, when would she get out of here? Just as she was musing on this last point, idly coming up with MacGyver inspired escape attempts for her own amusement. The door opened. Turning Bella expected to see one of three come to drag her off to another location when her breath caught, horror mixing with a dark interest. For there standing before her in all his immortal undead glory.
Was Vlad Dracula.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
The thought of you, still, white, cold…to never see you blush scarlet again, to never see that flash of intuition in your eyes when you were though my pretenses...it would be unendurable." >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Bella uttered a soft moan, shifting a hair she carefully checked over her body, nothing seemed broken that was positive news, unfortunately that was as much as could be said for the good news tally of her day. Bound to a wall made of cool stone, the soft dripping sound of water leaking from a pipe, eternal darkness was all she’d known since waking up. Time had no measure here. At her best guess she had been held captive somewhere in the neighborhood of a week. Of three things she was absolutely certain, she knew that she had been hauled out of Italy without warning. Second that her captors where vampires and best of all, Aro was coming for her. Even at this great distance, she could feel the power of his wrath the promise of vengeance yet unclaimed.
Fuzzily she recalled the last few safe moments of freedom. Poor Baptista never saw what struck him down, his cold white form laying crumpled and broken on the ground had been her last sight before a cloth soaked in some nasty smelling substance had made the world go dark. Soft voices had greeted her on first regaining consciousness. Their sweet musical tones revealing what they where before she had any notion of anything else.
Vampires. female vampires to be exact, three; each purred soothingly as they ran ice cold fingers through her hair and over her skin as she sat blindfolded in what sounded like an plane. The roar of the engines being far too loud and ongoing for any other mode of transportation.
"Ah, the treasure is awake, easy fragile one, we'll not harm you"
"No, No we must not, Master would not be pleased"
"Poor lamb frightened in the dark, we'll help you find the light again"
The voices caused a chill to ghost down her spine, being equal parts, childlike and dangerous. Slowly the blindfold was removed and Bella found herself staring into three crimson pairs of eyes. Dressed in long white gowns and formal gloves they struck a link in her; harkening back to the pictures every vampire fan drew when a new movie hit the screen of vampire brides. Only now they raced her in all the beauty and lore of her storybooks in living color. One a pale blond beauty. One of Ebony and the other possessed a flaming head of red curls shifted like living fire every time she moved.
"Where am I?"
The purring intensified in volume, yet so different was it from the soothing rumble of Aro's purr that it set her teeth on edge rather like the feeling one gets when sharp nails suddenly gouge a chalkboard. Yet she viewed it as prudent to pretend to be soothed then rouse them to anger. Thus she forced her body to relax drawing in a few deep breath. Though nothing but a shell of her reaction when Aro soothed her; It seemed to placate them well enough. At length after choking down some coffee and weak soup broth they answered her. One, the blond who Bella learned was called Dulcinea happily fluffing a bed with soft pillows and blankets with glee glowing on every perfect feature.
"Home dear Lamb you will soon be home"
"Yes the Master will be pleased to see you lost lamb"
"Home to stay, never to stray again"
After that she had drifted again into the realm of dreams their singsong voices twisting into screams. Realizing too late her soup had been drugged. Stupid vampires they never played fair! When she had awoken again she was in chains held captive in the dungeon of a castle with nothing but her thoughts to occupy her. What had they meant by home? Italy was her home now, she had no fondness for this cold dark smelly place so far but her bonds were tight and very good at their job. Wriggle and squirm as she might they didn't give an inch.
“Aww, poor lamb likes not her cage, should we release her do you think?”
“Yes we shall, now that she no longer stinks of the Usurper”
Arora the ebony haired vampire was there leaning against the wall all in one moment; the still settling hairs dancing about her head the only sign she had only now appeared. Quickly joined by the redhead Victoria. Now she approached; key in hand and before she could blink Bella was free. Cold fingers closed around her wrists and gently pulled her from the rocky prison. A short walk, a hot shower, and a change of clothes later she sat baffled in a room that could have rivaled that of Aro's in Volterra. Her hair had brushed till it glowed, make up had been applied and she had been left alone before she could have uttered a word.
What was their game? Who was this Master they spoke of and most importantly, when would she get out of here? Just as she was musing on this last point, idly coming up with MacGyver inspired escape attempts for her own amusement. The door opened. Turning Bella expected to see one of three come to drag her off to another location when her breath caught, horror mixing with a dark interest. For there standing before her in all his immortal undead glory.
Was Vlad Dracula.