Chapter 10

Get a goldfish

Grace forced herself to stay as calm as possible when Kol carried her in his room and closed the door. She backed away as soon as he put her down. He was looking at her coldly.

"Let's make something clear right now", he started menacingly. "For now on you will do exactly what I say. And you will never use that tone with me again, especially in front of my brothers."

Grace couldn't help but stare at him. She was starting to understand what this was about. His brother's comment about him being henpecked... This was about his ego. Unbelievable. The big bad vampire, or what ever he was, was just as pathetic like all the other men. Before Grace could stop herself, she started to laugh. Kol looked stunned. But that didn't last long. He grabbed her and pushed her against the wall.

"You find this funny?" he asked icily.

Grace cleared her throat and tried to look serious.

"Sorry", she murmured. "It's nothing personal."

Kol stared at her clearly annoyed.

"Do you have any idea who you are dealing with, little human?"

"Well…you said that you're a vampire, right?"

"Yes and do you honesty think that it is wise to annoy a vampire?"

"No but if my presence annoys you why won't you just let me go?"

Kol grinned.

"Because my little human, I thought about what to do with you and I decided to keep you."

Grace's eyes widened.

"What?"

"Yes, I have always wanted a pet."

Grace couldn't believe what she was hearing. She could barely hide her anger. Who did he think he was?

"Then get a goldfish or something, I'm not a pet", she said tensely.

He looked at her that annoying, arrogant smile on his face.

"You know what sweetheart; you are exactly what I want you to be. And now I want you to be my pet."

Grace looked at him coldly.

"Meaning what? You want me to crawl on the floor and call you master?"

Kol looked amused.

"Maybe, we'll see. But first you will learn to obey me."

"And what if I don't?"

Kol smiled and touched her cheek.

"I have ways to teach you."

Grace couldn't hold back her anger anymore although she knew that making him angry was probably a suicide. In that moment she just didn't care.

"What are you going to do? Hit me? Rape me? Kill me? Go ahead, just do it, see if I care!"

His face turned blank again. She could feel his hand moving on her throat. She looked straight into his eyes. She wasn't afraid of death anymore. He leaned closer and touched her ear with his lips.

"You should be more careful what you wish for, my little human", he whispered. "You have no idea what I can do to you, believe me. I know how to make people suffer, I have centuries of experience. Would you like me to show you some of the tricks I learned back in the Middle Ages? Those people really knew how to torture someone."

Grace didn't say anything. She knew perfectly well that he meant every word. He wouldn't give her a quick and painless death. He looked at her for a moment before his lips curved into a smirk.

"I didn't think so. Now, let's start with the basic things. First of all, you will not leave this room or this house without my approval. And second…"

"No", Grace interrupted him. "I'm not going to stay in a same room with you."

He looked at her and started to laugh. It didn't sound like a happy laugh, though.

"Oh, I'm sorry; did you think that this is a negotiation? Well, I hate to break it to you sweetheart but it makes no difference to me what you want. You will simply obey me. Questions? Comments?"

"You're a jerk", Grace murmured.

Kol grinned.

"Thank you for your opinion. Now, where was I…Oh yes, the second rule…well, as I said, you will do what I say. Simple, isn't it?"

Grace scowled him.

"So what do you want me to do then…master?" she asked venomously.

Kol chuckled.

"That's more like it. Let's get you something to eat first. I don't want my little pet to be hungry."

"How noble of you."

"Loose the attitude sweetheart, it won't do you any good." He paused and touched her face with both of his hands.

"I can be good to you if you don't annoy me."

"Why are you doing this?" Grace asked desperately. "Why can't you just let me go?"

"Go where?" he asked coldly. "Back home to your brother? You know what; you should be thanking me for wanting to keep you. Or did you enjoy it?"

Grace slapped him as hard as she could. He looked surprised.

"You have no idea what you're talking about", she snapped and ran to the bathroom. He didn't try to stop her. She was shaking and she had to sit on the floor. Don't cry… Don't you dare cry…

She couldn't stop herself. Maybe it was best to let it all out. He could mock her if he wanted. He wasn't going to let her go. But the saddest thing was that he was right. Where would she go? Back to that house? She never called it home because it wasn't her home. It was her hell. Not that this place would be any better. It was just different kind of hell. It didn't really matter. She had never believed in heaven anyway.