Thank you so much for all the reviews everyone! This chapter is a short one, but the next is really long, and one of my favourites of the story so far!
Twenty-Four
Rose
I could barely see through the darkness when I came around. My head throbbed, and I went to press a hand to it, only to find my wrists were bound above my head. My body was pulled taut and I groaned, everything aching.
Then the panic began to set in. I had no idea where I was, but I knew exactly what must have happened. I'd been taken. Blinking rapidly to try and let my eyes adjust to the dark place I'd found myself, I saw a series of cages around the room. No, not a room, a cave. Wherever we were, the Strigoi had scouted it out long before the battle and made it good for keeping prisoners in.
I was the only one strung out in the centre, though. Everyone else was in cages.
I struggled against my binds, but there was no wiggle room.
I tried to see the faces in the cages, but it was too dark. Stan Alto was the only person I recognised. Most of them were Moroi, probably from the younger years.
Strigoi lined the wall in the low light, too, and I realised that all of them were watching me.
I was strung up like a piece of meat, and to them, that was probably all I was.
I shuddered, holding in another groan, but it was too late. They knew I was awake, and suddenly Moira Ozera was stood in front of me.
She looked like Christian; had those same deep blue eyes and high cheekbones. I swallowed, and she grinned. It was malicious. Christian would never be able to pull that expression off.
"Finally awake," she said, circling me. A shiver of dread worked its way up my spine, and I struggled to keep a straight face. "I'm surprised you're what my son has chosen. I thought he had more class than to go after a blood whore."
"I don't know what you're talking about," I ground out.
"I mean, really, he has the last Dragomir wrapped around his little finger and he lets her go for you?" I gasped when she was suddenly back at my front, taking my chin in her hand. Her grip was so strong that I couldn't move a muscle. "You're pretty enough, I suppose, but he could have just had you on the side. He could have ruled the Vampire World with Vasilisa on his arm."
I couldn't muster up words. At least all this mean that Christian was safe. She'd managed to get me, but Christian was okay. That was all that mattered. My body almost sagged with relief.
"Yes, he's safe," Moira agreed, tapping her finger against my chin. "For now. But you didn't see his face when I carried you off. He's going to come after you. Capturing you is as good as capturing him. You're lucky, it means you get to stay alive for a few days longer than the rest of them." She gestured around at the cowering figures in the cages. "But that doesn't mean I can't have a bit of fun with you, though."
She pushed my chin back with her hand and exposed my neck, her other hand coming up to run a long nail down it.
I couldn't stop my intake of breath, and her eyes flashed. "Oh, you've been bitten before." She seemed pleased with that knowledge. "Tell me, was it my son? Did you let him bite you? Maybe I didn't give him enough credit. Maybe he's more like me than I always thought."
"You're wrong," I hissed, unable to stop the shiver of anticipation as she brought her fangs to my neck, barely brushing them against the skin. "He's nothing like you."
She bit me then, and all my thoughts turned to mush. A low moan escaped my mouth as endorphins took over, and it was impossible to feel anything but bliss. My body hung limp against the restraints, and it was over far too quickly.
She wiped her mouth, grinning at me with bloody fangs. "I'll be back to play with you later."
