Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Blood+ Characters.
To Be Loved Instead of Abused
Saya
"You disgusting brat! Look what you've done!" I feminine yet strong hand hit me right in the face.
I held my cheek as tears began to fill my eyes. "Please, Aunt Marie! I didn't−" Slap! This time it was the other cheek.
She grabbed a fistful of my hair. "You will not address me by my name! I have informed you of that the moment you set foot here in this house. Tainting it with your presence."
I cleared my throat, "Mistress, please, it wasn't me it was Di−" before I could finish she threw me to the ground.
She pointed a finger at me, "Don't you dare blame your faults on Diva," She said gesturing to my sister who was sitting on one of the chairs, legs crossed and an innocent smile on her face. It wasn't so innocent a few minutes ago.
While I was wiping the counters, she came in the room. She seemed relatively bored until she saw Aunt Marie's favorite vase perched on one of the stands near one of the plants. She took one look at me and sneered before walking towards it. Before I could stop her, with one flick of her wrist, the vase tumbled towards the ground. I tried to run and grab before it hit the ground, but in the last second she tripped me. As soon as I hit the ground, so did the vase.
My mouth was opening and closing like a fish at the broken glass pieces in front of me. Then the thundering steps of high heels came running towards the dinning room. In the next instant the door flew open and there stood my aunt. Her eyes widened in shock once she saw the remains of her vase on the ground. But that shock turned to anger once she saw me right next to it.
I had looked up at Diva and she was looking down at me with shock. "Sister, how could you?"
That was why I was being beaten…again.
"Why on earth would I believe a single word you say? When you show more of your human nature than vampire," She looked at Diva and smiled gently, "compared to Diva there, who is more open to her vampire nature."
I sobbed, "Please, Mistress, I would never dream of hurting something you care about."
She huffed and then Diva spoke up, "Saya, I saw what you did!" She said with fake innocence. "You looked at the vase with so much hatred. You didn't listen to my silent plea. I knew that you did this out of revenge." A glint appeared in her eyes, "For not receiving as much attention as I."
Aunt Marie kicked me in the ribs. "I knew it!"
I cried out and grabbed my stomach, "Ow, Mistress!"
She grabbed my hair again and pulled me up from the ground. "How dare you! After everything I did for you!" She slapped me again. "I could have left you in the streets!" Punch! "Instead, out of respect of my brother, I took you in, gave you bed to sleep in, a plate with food and clothes to wear!"
If my eyes weren't almost bruised shut, I'd roll them. By bed, she meant an air mattress in the basement only with two thin blankets. By food, she meant leftover scraps from the kitchen after meals. Very small scraps.
One time, when I was seven and we first came here, I had dared to ask her if I could have more on my plate. Surprisingly she agreed, but poisoned it. It didn't kill me. But I kept throwing up and couldn't stop for three days.
I should have known better though. Aunt Marie hated me the moment she saw me. Just like our human mother. But she adored Diva to no end. It always confused me at first. I always knew that she hated humans, so my half human heritage wasn't a very good start. But Diva had it too. But then I found out why. One day after I turned twelve I looked in the mirror and focused on my eyes. It was then that I noticed that our mother's eyes were staring right back at me. Auburn, almost red. I finally realized that since my eyes were identical to my mother's, Aunt Marie felt that I was more human than vampire. Diva had no problems because she had our father's big blue eyes. Making her more vampire.
So as you can probably tell, Aunt Marie ordered me around like a slave. Which is basically what I was. But the servants were living a five star life compared to mine. But they were vampires. Thus they deserved better.
I usually could hold better than this. But ever since I turned eighteen, I became weak. And weaker every passing night. It was because I had yet to feed on blood. Aunt Marie insisted that I didn't need it. Even though I begged her and was willing to feed from someone off the streets, she refused. Whenever I wasn't working I was trying to calm my aching body as I stayed in bed. I have been hoping that sleep would help. But I haven't had any in about a week.
With one last slap to the face she threw me down to the floor again. "After you clean up this mess, you are to go straight back to the basement." With on last look she stalked off towards the door. Before she left the room she said, "Don't expect any dinner tonight. That will be your punishment for your ungratefulness." And with that, she slammed the door shut.
There was a tsk tsk behind me and I looked up to see Diva grinning at me. "Oh, Sister, when will you learn?"
I glared at her. "Why did you do that, Diva? Why did you want her to hurt me?"
She stood up and slowly walked towards me. Her long blue dress trailing behind her. She always wore formal clothing. No matter what the occasion. And of course I wore the cheapest of the cheap clothes ever known to man.
Diva's smile was unpleasant as she stood above me, "I was bored." She said.
I sobbed. "But, Diva, we're sisters. We used to play together all the time." Tears left my eyes. "You used to love me. Why are you treating me this way now?"
She rolled her eyes, "You're pathetic, Big Sister. I'm treating you this way because you deserve it."
"For what!" I demanded clutching my side.
She chuckled. "You have more of our weak mother in you. As for me, I have more of father."
I gaped at her, "How could you say such a thing?"
She shrugged. "Being here with Aunt Marie has taught me many things. It has opened my eyes to my vampire blood." Her eyes began to glow. "By the way, Saya, have you fed yet?"
When she said 'fed' I knew she meant blood. I shook my head. "You know Mistress won't let me."
She clucked her tongue. "What a shame. Oh wait, not really!" She began to laugh evilly while still giving me her sneer. "I wonder how long you will last, Saya." And with that, she left the room.
I didn't waste any time to hurry with the mess. After I was done I limped to my room. But when I passed Aunt Marie's room I heard voices and I froze. Usually that wouldn't stop me, but whoever was with her was talking about me.
I pressed my ear next to the door to hear better. It was a man she was speaking with
"How much would you charge me to take her to my place as one of my new concubines?" Asked the man.
I heard Aunt Marie sigh. "I'd give her to you for free just to get her out of the house. But since she's young, I know she's worth a lot."
I covered my mouth. Worth? Did she plan to sell me?
The man chuckled and flipped what sounded like paper. "According to this, she's just barely out of her transition."
"A month exactly." Aunt Marie confirmed.
He laughed. "And from the description, it seems she looks as though she were sixteen."
Aunt Marie tapped her nails. "She does indeed. But so does her sister. Why they both look sixteen is a mystery to me. I guessed that it had to do with something about their half-breed heritage. That might be why. Also, I know how much men prefer younger looking girls."
The man coughed. "And it appears that you have refused to let the girl feed."
Aunt Marie huffed. "I need her weak. She has a strong will despite her half-human heritage. And I knew that if she fed, she would gather the strength and leave with no problems." I heard more paper being shuffled. "That's why I decided to put her on the market. That and I want her gone."
I stopped breathing. She put me on the market? She's selling my body?
It sounded like some paper was thrown on her desk. "I will pay this much for her."
My Aunt gasped. "This much? My goodness, you really want her don't you."
The man began to laugh loudly. "With no doubt,"
I heard the pen scrape across paper. "She will be yours by next month."
He chuckled again. "I look forward to it."
I didn't wait to hear what else they were talking about. I just ran down the stairs to the basement and slammed the door.
I ran to my bed and curled into a ball. Letting the pain of my new fate destroy me from the inside out. That's it! I thought crying harder. My life is over. I turned in my side and looked out the small window. I murmured in bitterness, "I never had a life to begin with."
I reached under my bad, searching for a piece of paper that I treasured always. Finally my fingers grasp it and I unfold it. It was a drawing of a man from my dreams. He had black wavy hair that reached just below his shoulders. His height was a good six-foot while I was only five-three. Blue eyes so intense yet so kind. Pale skin as white a sheet. A small curve of his lips that turned into a small smile. A small smile only for me.
Hagi.
That was the name he had given me in my dreams. And it felt right. I don't know how I managed to make such a perfect sketch of him. I had many more in my sketchbook. But this one I favored most. He arm was out towards me, like he was reaching for me. Trying to get me to go with him.
Oh how much I wanted that. He was the reason I was still sane. When I sleep I see him. And he comforts me when I need him.
I folded the paper back up, gave it a kiss then put it in my shirt close to my heart. I was glad that despite the pain and sickness, I could actually feel relaxed. Which meant I could sleep.
Oh, Hagi. Let me escape this world and go into the realm of dreams. Take me into your arms and hold me close. I believe that I have forgotten what the word love really means. I don't know if I will ever find it.
