-x-...My Bloody Rose...-x-
-x-...Chapter 2...-x-
-x-...Faceless...-x-
April 24, 2:30 a.m. - Hotel room.
Rough fabric greeted the woman's skin in irritation and dust in her nose and eyes left her throat dry. Her eyes lingered half open and she gazed at her hand which lay beside her head. She was lying on a couch, submerged in a strange feeling and noticed the room's only source of light were a few lit candles propped on the coffee table in front of her. She sat up instantly, her vision clouded black from the blood rushing from her head. Her breathing was shallow and heavy and she was shivering in a cold sweat. The room began to spin as she remembered the flooding events from before.
Vampire? She slapped a hand to her mouth trying to hold back a scream. He had to be here somewhere, so she didn't dare make a sound. Jumping slightly from the roar of thunder outside her eyes searched the room.
The walls were equipped with an ugly spread of color-faded and worn-out wallpaper. The floor was matted with dusty dark brown wood, and ugly dusty rugs that proved to be trying to contribute to a bad sneeze attack. There was hardly any furniture, and whatever was in the room looked like it hadn't been washed (or fabreezed at least) in decades. The layout reminded her of a hotel room, complete with a queen size bed, a mini refrigerator, a tiny closet, a small television, and a certain moldy smell. The only bonus in the room was the small sofa and table in the middle. But besides that, hewasn't in the picture to her luck. She noticed steam subtly pooling along the edges of the door right beside the entrance and the sound of running water.
This was her chance.
Hastily but as silently as she could she stumbled to the door and fumbled with its numerous locks until she finally got all of them undone. She peered over her shoulder before curling her fingers on the knob, making sure hewas still in the bathroom. It was clear. So she unsealed the door, heart pounding in anticipation of escape, and began to sprint for it.
That is, she tried to.
Thunder and lightning added to the ferociousness of the pale hand that slammed the door shut from behind her. Out of reflex, she jumped back a step into him, finding him to be quite wet.
"Where do you think you're going?" He breathed the words down her neck, she shuddered but she was too rooted to move. She opened her mouth to speak, to say something, anything, but all that came out was her shaky breath.
"Look at me." Hedemanded. But she couldn't, she wouldn't. She was sure she'd crumble from his hungry red eyes again. With one of his hands he grabbed her elbow and forcefully spun her around.
"Don't-" The word escaped from her lips before she could hold it in. She refused to look at him, rather, she focused on the floor; anything was better than looking at his demonic face.
"Don't?" The question sounded like a threat to her small delicate ears. She choked down the urge to flinch at his stale voice.
"Don't touch me." She finished. She wished her voice was as firm as she wanted it to be; it quivered instead.
"Fine, I won't." He dropped his hand that still held her elbow but left his other against the door behind her head. This surprised her; what kind of game was he playing? Her eyes flashed up to the man's and she took in his coal-like eyes, and how empty they looked. Unintentionally she noticed the hint of pain that barely struck his features, features that were quite handsome, strong, masculine, but childlike all at once. Even with his eyes, hallow and unwelcoming as they were, they narrowed at her, promising her something; heart break, and so much more. There was something in his eyes that she just couldn't put a finger on, but it was there, and she was sure of it.
"I can't let you leave though." The man finally removed himself from her space, taking his attachable scent with him. He adjusted the towel slipping off of his waist, breaking their eye contact. His skin was flushed from the hot-watered shower and there were still spots of soap that clung to his skin like the water in his hair and the little droplets that leaked down his torso. He almost looked unreal.
"You...you're...you're a... a-" She tugged at the side of her neck that he had violated.
"Vampire?" He said the word with such disgust, hatred, and just plain masked pain. And the worst part of it was he could sense that she saw right through that mask he so excellently portrayed. No one was able to do that, only one person has, and that was his brother. Not even his ex best friend could, he tried, and sometimes he could, but that's because he knew him so well. But her? This stranger who hadn't known any single thing about him? It made him feel all too vulnerable, and he did not like it.
He noticed her begin to shake and her stupid engaging eyes begin to water. Great. The last thing he wanted to deal with was this stupid girl's emotional breakdown.
"Look, I won't hurt you, but I can't let you leave." He said while running a hand through his damp hair.
"Why?" Her voice was only vehement enough to project as a whisper.
"Because you know what I am." The manheld a hand to his face covering his right eye after he'd finish tousling his hair. The gesture looked as if he wanted to peel his face off, like he'd rather be faceless than be able to look at himself in the mirror every day. His visible eye however defied that theory as it played completely emotionless.
"I'm going to finish my shower. Don't even think about leaving again." As he turned around to walk to the bathroom, he stopped suddenly - like he was caught off guard by something – his expression faced away from her, hidden. They only thing she could visibly see was the way his hands suddenly crunched into fists. He murmured something almost like a curse that was inaudible to her ears and continued his way to the bath. Once he moved, she saw what he was looking at; it was a single rose on the coffee table.
Before he closed the door behind him, not caring to look at her while he spoke, he gave another warning.
"If you know what's good for you, you will not touch the rose." And with that, he slammed the door shut. She stayed completely still for a while, the only sound coming to her ears was the harsh weather outside and the sound of the shower head turning back on to her left. She leaned against the door and wrapped her arms around herself, her gaze settled on the flower. Her bones felt rigid and brittle like if she were to move she might snap herself in half.
What have you gotten yourself into Sakura? He's gonna- He's a-! … Okay. Calm down Sakura, you're okay. There's a way out of this. Just stay calm. She ran her fingers through her hair. There was something odd about the rose...
By some miracle she managed to place her mind at ease using her experience in the medical field. She shuffled her way to the dusty couch, sneezing as she sat, and brought her knees to her chest, hugging them close. Her eyes never left the plant in front of her. Whyhad he seemed so concerned over it, so possessive about it, and so aggressive towards it?
Sakura took a better look at the rose on the small table. Her eyes widened when she realized it was floating. She rubbed her eyes concluding obviously her blood loss was making her hallucinate. She looked again and literally, the rose was hovering inside a narrow glass case she hadn't noticed before. She moved one of the candles closer to the bizarre object for more light but still, there lying horizontally, the flower wasn't touching the insides of the glass. She leaned in closer, curiosity getting the better. Was it in some kind of preservative fluid?
The rose was sort of glowing too she realized. It was black at its base, navy like midnight in the middle, and baby blue at its curling and flaring out tips. Its thorns were a shade of lavender and sharper looking than normal. It was unlike any rose she'd ever seen aside from its impossible color. It was just so rich, and full of life, such pure life, and it didn't shy away from its breathtaking sight. It illuminated itself with the tiny shreds of sparkles embedded within each of its petals; petals that seemed immortal and nonexistent. Not a single part of its body was scathed or withering despite being cut at the stem, like most roses she had come across. It was the most magnificent rose she had ever seen.
Sakura knew hehad warned her about touching it, but she couldn't help it, she had to find out if the rose itself seemed to be shedding that impossibly attractive and eerie lavender light. Was it even real? Cautiously she reached to pick up the seamless glass of the rose's cage, but as soon as she ever so slightly brushed it with her fingertips, a savage string of needles rippled throughout her arm like an ice cold lightning. Her arm snapped back, frying with a sharp searing and burning pain under her skin. She clung her limb to her side, biting her lip hard to subdue her cry of pain.
Sharp thorn baring vines entangled themselves around the glass, growing right out of the rose's see-through cage. She blinked a couple times leaning closer to it in astonishment, the hurt in her arm completely vanished. Suddenly, the rounded glass faded like a snowstorm into a mirror so she couldn't even regard the rose, but only her own green eyes staring back at her.
What the... As if she wasn't jumbled enough, a hard knocking sounded itself upon the room's entrance. "Sasuke, you in there?" A calm yet worry dipped voice protruded through the dark wood of the door.
Her heart jumped through her mouth when she heard her kidnappercall out from in the shower, his voice as emotionless as an inanimate object. "Come in."
Heart thundering, her mind raced through a series of thoughts in only a matter of seconds. 'If they know each other than that means...' The door knob began to turn and without thinking she dove under the bed with her belly against the floor. She held a hand over her nose and mouth.
Black dress shoes slowly stepped in and the door swung closed behind him. Her heart beat raced against her ears, thundered in her chest, and throbbed throughout her neck. The man's feet hesitantly approached the couch and set a small sized duffle bag beside it on the floor. Not being able to steady her breathing, she opted to hold it.
"Jeez, you couldn't have picked an even more rotten hotel then this? It's not nearly as filthy as I hoped." The man sarcastically spoke out loud. He snickered to himself as his shoes turned to face the coffee table. "I told you you'd never be able to get rid of this thing. It'd be better if you learned to take it with you, these things can appear in the oddest places, and sometimes it can turn out really bad. I learned that the hard way." As the man spoke he casually moved to sit upon the couch. "But why does yours have to be so defensive all the time..." The last sentence was mumbled and he sighed out, making the small old sofa creak as he shifted positions. Was he talking about the rose? She thought.
"When are you going to come out of there?" The question sounded like it had been aimed for him, but it wasn't. "I can hear your heart beat."
With that fear raged throughout every nerve of her body, filling her with frozen adrenaline. "No wonder Sasuke couldn't control himself, you're...different, special." There was a small pause in his deep voice. "Come out of there. I won't hurt you, I give you my word." Sakura suddenly felt stupid for going under there in the first place. Did she really think they wouldn't notice? She didn't even think about disobeying him in fear he'd come under the bed and yank her out himself.
Quietly she slipped out and stood up, dusting her maroon colored sweater, and black mid-thigh skirt- nothing special.
"Tell me, what is your name?" The man on the couch asked still facing away from her. He had the same hair as him, but this guy's was longer and it was held together in a low tie. She stayed quiet, not wanting to speak, not being able to speak.
"Come sit next to me." Finally he turned to look at her with warm eyes, almost the complete opposite of Sasukebut at the same time, identical. His lips were spread in a slight smile, one that weirdly still met his eyes- which had a few wrinkles. The spaces under them were dark too, suggesting exhaustion or lack of sleep. His odd but genuine smile, greeted her, it was almost warming but not quite.
When Sakura still didn't move, the man asked a bit harsher, his sweet smile still intact. "Sit." Slowly she heeded his words and took her seat farthest away from the strange man.
"Now tell me, what is your name?" He crossed his legs and spread his arms out along the sofa top. She sat far enough from him that his outstretched arms didn't invade her space, but stayed mute however.
"It's fine, you don't have to say. I know how you must feel and I don't blame you. I'd feel the same way." He reached for her, offering his hand for a shake. "I'm Itachi, though, in case you want to open up. I'm Sasuke's brother, you know the emo in the shower?" He laughed softly at his own joke, "It's very nice to meet you." When she didn't respond to his humor or hand's invite, he took it back, the warmth of his expression never leaving his twinkling dark eyes. She didn't know why she felt so...unafraid around this guy. He was related to her kidnapper, he was a stranger, and he was dangerous and bad news. So why?
"You don't have to be afraid of Sasuke, he will never hurt you from this point on. Even though at times he may seem heartless..." Itachi paused to think out his words carefully. "Well actually, he seems heartless all the time but he really isn't." For once the smile on Itachi's face dimmed, and he was serious as he studied her features. "You...are very interesting. I can sense something about you." His smile instantly lightened again like he had just figured something out. "You-"
The door to the bathroom opened suddenly and she looked up, retreating further into the corner of the couch more so than she already was. "Itachi," Sasuke's voice was rough and dead. "What are you saying?" He buttoned up his black collared dress shirt and shot his brother a dirty look, one that was emotionless all the same.
Itachi didn't speak; instead he responded with a shy smirk.
"You," Sasuke pointed at Sakura, making her jump, "get in bed." The phrase caught her off guard and her mind immediately arrived at the worst possible scenario related to his command. "Relax." Sasuke shot her a hard glare as if he knew what she was thinking. She glanced at Itachi who winked playfully at her; an enormous grin grew to his face. He must have thought her what-the-hell face was funny.
Feeling completely out of place and fearful- feelings of fury began to make themselves present- Sakura reluctantly complied. It was probably beneficial to her if she didn't anger the monsters. She climbed on the mattress and lay on her side facing away from the two men. She decided that if they were going to finish her, she didn't want their faces to be the last thing she saw.
What felt like hours passed by before one of them spoke again; either aware or unaware that she was awake.
"You want her."
Oh shnap!
It's hard trying to keep them all in character. O: I just want to all of sudden make Sasuke using MUTHA F**kN AMATERASU SHARINGAN NO JUTSU. But this is a vampire fanfic... Nugh, keep it together bea...
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