This chapter contains a short flashback and implied self-harm. It may be triggering for some readers. Please read wisely.


The next morning, I woke still in Aro's arms, a smile on his face gazing down at me when I glanced up at him. "Good morning, my dear," Aro whispered to me as I felt him place a soft kiss on my head. "You seem to have slept better like this, less tossing and turning. Do you feel rested?"

I began to sit up, and Aro let me, releasing me from his hold. He sat up as well, and I turned to look at him before nodding. "No bad dreams."

"That's good to hear." Aro stood and made his way to the door, which led into the study. "Why don't you get ready? Meet me out here when you're done."

Once Aro left, I got out of the bed and went to the armoire to find something to wear. After picking out a black, long sleeve shirt and a pair of dark denim, which Chelsea had reminded Aro was more modern and would be more comfortable for me to wear, I walked to the bathroom and went through the regular routine I had established: use the toilet, wash hands, brush teeth, wash face, get dressed, and brush through hair.

It didn't take long, and when I was done, I gave myself a closer look in the vanity mirror in the bedroom. I had gained weight and was beginning to look a lot better, even if I didn't feel it. I wasn't so pale anymore, my hair, as thin as it was, also began to look healthier and feel softer. I guess Aro had a point about adamant nutrition. On the other hand, and I wasn't complaining about it, my menstrual cycles had never returned. They had stopped well before the ordeal, but I had been on a path of destruction for a while.

I sighed. I didn't know when Aro planned to leave, but I did know two things would be happening today. Aro was going to drink my blood, and he was going to take me to Caius, whom I would stay with until he returned. I wasn't thrilled about either of them, but the blood-drinking, I could handle. Aro knew I was moving around the bedroom at this point, so he would be expecting me in the study sooner rather than later. It was best to face the inevitable and get it over with.

Opening the bedroom door, I saw Aro picking through one of the many shelves of books that lined the room. I waited against the door frame, keeping a safe distance away until he beckoned me over, which I knew he would eventually. He must have found what he was searching for because he took a book off of the shelf then glided over to gently lay the book on his desk next to some others. When he finally peered up at me, I had already thrown my gaze down to the floor.

"I've chosen a few plays that I would like you to go through while I'm away," he said to me. "I know you dislike reading, but I want you to try working your way through them. I've included a collection of William Shakespeare as well as the Oedipus Trilogy by Sophocles. For Shakespeare, I would like you to pick out two plays in the collection to read and discuss upon my return. You will read all three plays by Sophocles, and we will discuss them as well. Is this clear?"

I sighed but nodded. It wasn't that I disliked reading, as Aro put it, I struggled with reading. Every now and then, the words or letters would get flipped around. My comprehension was near non-existent. It was frustrating. I didn't read unless I had to, and even then, it would be audiobooks from the library if they had them available.

Aro walked over to where I was standing, and I met his eyes, which held the shade of red that appeared almost black. The look he had now, I knew what he wanted, whether he told me what he was about to do or not. Aro reached out, took my hair into one of his hands and pulled it aside, while at the same time, pulling me slightly closer to him. He was still a good five inches taller than me, so he leaned over just enough before I felt his teeth graze my throat.

"Wait…"

It came out shaky and as a whisper, but he heard. Aro pulled away enough to meet my gaze again. "What is it, little one?"

I swallowed. "Can I lay down?" Aro furrowed his brow, so I added, "It's just that I got really dizzy last time."

"Of course," Aro replied with a soft smile. "I don't plan on taking much, but whatever will make you more comfortable."

He led me over to the sofa, and I lied down on it, moving my hair away so he would have easier access to my throat. It was strange how I did it automatically. He hadn't fed from me very often since I arrived, and when he did, outside of the first time, he didn't drink very much, just enough to quench his thirst, I imagined. He said something about the human body needing to replenish red blood cells or whatever, but it had been enough times that I knew the routine.

I knew what it would feel like, I knew how he would hold me tightly against him, and if I struggled at all, his grip would crush me until I could barely breathe. He said it was a natural instinct that kicked in when I fought, but it wasn't as if I meant to. Sometimes the pain would be worse than others, and the initial contact would cause me to pull away before I realized what I had done. It was my own instinctual reaction to get away from whatever was causing it.

I had lied down on the sofa facing away from him, and I felt his hand as he literally petted my head. I never knew why he would sometimes delay it, toying with me, and maybe drinking in the fear that was ever-present each time this would occur. What if he couldn't stop and took much? It wasn't like I hadn't begged for death months and weeks before. Still, I didn't like it being out of my control.

Aro knelt on the ground, leaning over me again before I felt his teeth once more above my throat. He had wrapped one of his arms around my waist to help hold me still, and I tried to calm my breathing and relax. I felt him bite, and I tensed, forcing myself to stay as still as possible to not ignite this inner predator, which he had described to me as his vampiric instincts. I could feel the blood draining as he continued to drink ever so slowly. I closed my eyes when the nausea and dizziness began to hit, whimpering slightly.

I felt Aro take hold of my hand, which I had placed on my stomach, and a few seconds later, he let up. I remained lying there with my eyes closed as he carefully turned me, so I was lying on my back. Knowing what would come next, I opened my eyes and watched as he bit into his own wrist and placed it in front of my mouth, encouraging me to drink. Sighing, I parted my lips, and grabbed his wrist, holding it gently above my mouth and drunk his blood.

He continued to make me drink until I supposed he was satisfied with the disappearances of the bite marks on my neck, and then he removed his wrist, watching as his own bite sealed itself. Aro stood and straightened the cufflinks on the suit jacket he wore while I continued to lie there, letting the nausea and dizziness settle, which I knew would happen rather quickly after drinking from him.

"I see you've grown more accustomed to the taste of my blood. That's good," Aro commented gleefully, back to his usual demeanor after freshly drinking.

He helped me sit up, and I pulled my knees into my chest. "It's not that it tastes bad or anything. It's the idea of it," I replied quietly.

Aro hummed. "And what does it taste like to you, my pet?"

I shrugged. "It's really sweet, kind of like honey mixed with syrup, but it's still blood."

"It can't be all that bad then," Aro said, chuckling. "How are you feeling now?"

"Still kind of dizzy, but it'll go away." I glanced up to see him nod before he began to practically float over to his desk. "Can I ask you something?" He hummed again, so I continued, "What does my blood taste like?"

He looked back at me as he seemed to contemplate his response. "Your blood? It tastes similar to a very fine, and aged, sweet wine."

Having tried alcohol before and finding it disgusting, I stopped myself from crinkling my nose. "That doesn't sound very good."

"On the contrary, my dear, the scent and taste of your blood appeal to me very much. Non sei il mio cantante, but still, I must watch that I don't drink too much."

I wasn't sure what he said. I just knew at this point that he had spoken in Italian. I saw as he licked his bottom lip, watching me intently before he turned his attention back to the desk. He picked up two of the books, which I assumed to be the two he wanted me to read through before he returned, and then walked towards the main door, motioning for me to follow. "Are you about to leave?"

"Not until later this afternoon, but I would like you to acquaint yourself with Caius more before I leave you with him. He said he would be waiting for us in the library."

I followed Aro out of the room. My heart picked up its pace, and I knew he could hear every painful beat. We took the elevator, which opened up to the lobby where their newest secretary, sat at a mahogany desk. She greeted Aro and me, but Aro paid her little attention as we continued through into the next room where the grand library sat behind a massive gold embossed double door.

When Aro opened the door, I immediately saw Caius sitting at one of the tables, reading through a hefty tome. As we entered, his attention went to Aro and then settled on me, where I swallowed the anxiety that was making its way up my throat. "That is how you allow your pet to dress, Aro?" I heard him huff before looking away and going back to the tome in front of him.

"Dear Caius, all the young women dress this way nowadays. I don't see what her appearance has to do with anything," Aro amusingly chided the blonde in response as he set the two books he held on the same table Caius occupied. "But if you would prefer her to dress in something more resembling a chiton or peplos while she remains with you, I'm sure Ariana would not mind obliging, would you, little one?"

I wasn't sure what either of those two things were, but I looked up to Aro, eyes wide anyway. I had no qualms allowing Chelsea to dress me up for Aro every now and then, or more so for her own amusement as Aro never really commented anyway. Still, I had no wish to suddenly play dress up for this vampire simply because he didn't like what I was currently wearing. Was it not attractive or sexual enough to please him? That wasn't why I was here, was it? Aro wouldn't do that, would he?

My head spun, and I felt like I was going to faint. It felt like the floor dropped out from underneath as the room twisted, and I suddenly lost my balance. Aro caught me before I fell while Caius glanced over curiously. My vision swam, and suddenly all I could hear were voices then a scene in front of me. One of the men holding out some terrifying undergarments which he wanted me to put on. Another gripping me painfully tight as he forced my clothes off of me. I fought him, hitting and screaming as I felt someone else pulling at me.

"What's wrong with her?" I wasn't sure where the harsh voice had come from. I only knew it wasn't one that I liked. I struggled more, hands crawling everywhere across my skin, ants across my skin. I was going to be sick.

"Hush, Caius. You'll make it worse." There was a pause. "Ariana, listen to my voice. Follow it. You're safe." I listened to the soothing and deep tone. My vision was tunneled, and I struggled to stay afloat. I wanted it to stop, I wanted the hands to stop, I wanted the crawling and itchiness to stop.

Suddenly, I couldn't feel the hands anymore, but the itchiness was there, and I scratched it, trying to get it to go away until my hands were grabbed and held securely. "Ariana, I need you to come back to the room. It's going to be all right. Listen to me, little one. Breathe and stay with me."

The space began to clear, and I saw Aro's face near mine, my hands clasped in his. The tension I held throughout my body began to slowly dissipate as I focused on my breathing. When I finally looked down, I noticed what I had done and just why Aro held my hands away. My forearms were scratched up, one of the spots so raw that minuscule droplets of blood tried to peek their way through. Our eyes met, and I swallowed hard. "I'm sorry."

Aro reached out and wiped away the few tears that had fallen down my face before standing back up. I saw Caius behind him who had taken in the whole scene. It was hard to tell what he thought as his expression was unreadable. "I've discussed these happenings with Carlisle," Aro started, speaking directly to Caius. "He believes she's going through something called post-traumatic stress disorder, which he states is common after a traumatic experience."

"Carlisle has an answer for everything now, doesn't he?" Caius scoffed. "What should I do with this information while you're away?"

"Now brother, you were the one scheming to help me with her. I said you could borrow her for the time. Perhaps some of your methods could prove telling." I noted Aro studying the scratch marks on my arm, which were beginning to fade due to his blood being in my system. He must have been watching them to make sure they healed over, or at least I thought.

Caius grinned, the sort of grin I had seen on some faces prior to really bad things happening. "How far are you willing to let me go with this pet of yours, Aro?"

My heart turned in my chest as Aro answered. "I want her healthy and alive when I return, but other than that, you are free to entertain yourself how you see fit." Aro then turned to me. "Be good for Caius while I am away, and perhaps I will bring you something when I return. I need to see to a few things before I leave. Remain here, and I will see how you are getting along right before I go."

A second later, Aro was gone. I stood alone in the library with Caius observing my every move, making me wonder if he would heed Aro's "advice" or not and just what these methods were he had been referring to. As much as I found myself trusting what Aro said about him returning with me still alive, I had no way of knowing what I was in for next, but Caius appeared to have a plan, one that would include me as the unwillingly willing participant.


A/N: I released this much earlier than I had planned, considering nothing is going on right now due to COVID-19. Hopefully, this adds a bit of a break to your day. I am going back through and touching up past chapters. The story hasn't changed, but the writing has certainly improved. Thank you for continuing to read and review. Those reviews really make my day, and I always reply back. I cannot reply to guest accounts.