I woke up at around noon, I suppose. Really I did not care, for the moment that I came back into the waking world, the events of last night rushed up from my mind. I curled up into a ball and pulled the heavy blankets over me, fresh tears spilling down my cheeks. Pain coursed through my entire body; I did not want to move because the hurt was that great. All I wanted to do was die at that moment. I felt violated beyond all belief, cheapened and demeaned.
Like a whore, a voice inside my head spoke.
Only a whore had more pride at the moment then I did; they chose their profession and accepted what came with it; I was even less than a whore now.
Why hadn't Sebastian just killed me; why had I been allowed to live? I dimly wondered what was happening in the factory I had worked at. Were they talking about me, asking what had happened to poor little Ria? Perhaps they already thought I was dead. Perhaps my mother was worried and sick beyond all belief, asking anyone who came back from the factory if they had seen her only child.
Pulling the sheets down I looked for the first time in the room that Sebastian had let me sleep in. It was larger than my whole house, the floor darkly carpeted and the walls painted in a deep maroon colour. The door was directly opposite of me, carved from rich dark oak, and to my right was a massive wardrobe and night table along with a full length mirror, with a border carved from rare ivory by the looks of it. To my left was another doorway that I suppose led to the washroom, but I did not want to move off the bed. In fact it was one of the best beds I had slept in; fluffy pillows and soft sheets, and the mattress felt like heaven.
I ran one hand along the sheets, looking at the bandage on my wrist. That caused me to look at the bandages along my breasts and waist, and then felt the ones placed along my back. Why had Sebastian done that for me?
The door opened and I threw the covers back over me. Sebastian said last night that he would come back but I did not want to see him. I began to shake all over again and turned my head into the pillows to stifle my cries. Soft footsteps came up to the edge of the bed and I felt a hand touch my shoulder and shake me slightly. What I did not hear was the vampire's harsh and almost monotonous voice, but that of a middle aged woman, kind if a bit loud.
"Hey dear, are ye up yet?" I pulled the covers down enough to look at the woman. She was dressed in a simple blue outfit with an apron, her gray hair tied back into a severe bun with a cap over her head. Her face was plump and she smiled at me kindly enough; looking at her I felt almost relaxed in this place. "Ah yes, ye be up. I was wondering for a while if you ever would get up. Here, I have some food for you."
I pulled myself up slightly, biting my lower lip to not cry out with the pain flashing along my midriff. Leaning back against the headboard with the pillows around me, the woman servant turned away for a moment to grab a tray, then turned back around and placed it in front of me. "Lord Sebastian says you must eat, my dear. What is your name?"
"Ria," I spoke softly as I looked at the food in front of me. I hadn't the appetite to eat any of the food after she said that vampire's name. "And yours?"
"Lutee, ma'am. I am to be your servant while you are here, so do not worry about a thing."
Lutee, I thought silently, do you really know what your employer is, or have you in some way been silenced as I have?
If I were to tell you right now everything that has happened to me, what would you do?
No, you look like you do not know what has happened to me, you do not understand a thing. I would give anything to be as ignorantly blissfully as you are.
"Come child, you must eat up. You were lucky that Lord Sebastian found you when he did. Imagine, all those ruffians trying to hurt an innocent child such as yourself." Lutee sat down on the edge of the bed and looked at me with her kindly eyes, eyes that reminded me of my mother. "But he came along and managed to save you from them and brought you here. Poor Ria, you're safe now." She reached over and patted my hand, looking at the bandages.
I nearly choked on the piece of bread I was chewing. So I was right; Lutee was ignorant to what had just happened to me. Sebastian had indeed told her a lie, but she being nothing more than the servant, just nodded her head and accepted it as truth. And why shouldn't she? I suddenly wanted to scream at Lutee, to show her the extent of my wounds, to shriek the horrible truth at her. But I didn't. I didn't because…
…Because you are ashamed, the voice whispered inside my head.
Yes, I was ashamed. Ashamed of myself, ashamed in my inability to talk about what had happened the previous night. All I did was swallow my food, which tasted like ash in my mouth, and looked down at my hands. I would not cry in front of Lutee, even if she were kind and considerate to me. She did not need to know the truth; it would be kinder for her to live a in a lie in which I could no longer live in.
"You're not hungry, Ria?" Lutee pressed a cool hand to my forehead; I flinched at the contact and pulled away quickly. "You not be running a fever but then again with the attack on you last night I can imagine that would wouldn't be." The maid took the tray from me and placed it on a small table nearby. "I will run you a bath. You will feel better after that for as my dear old mother, now long dead, once told me 'A bath always makes you feel better.' Just wait here while I let the water run, Ria."
Lutee's voice faded off into the distance as I withdrew into my own world. As far as I knew Sebastian had kept me alive for some reason, and that he would return most likely come nightfall. I found myself dreading that meeting more than anything else. I had heard myths and folklore of vampires that they slept by day and walked around at night, but it made no sense to me for I remember that Sebastian use to walk around the factories with the Sarafan officials in broad daylight. I shivered, knowing he was right when he told me that he was indeed a powerful vampire. Scenes from last night kept on playing over and over again in my mind until I pressed my hands over my eyes to try and block them out. He had my silence, so why did he not just let me go? Why had he not killed me like those other people on that fateful night? So many questions raced through my confused mind but no answers came up.
"Come on, dear. Help old Lutee out, will ye?" The maid placed one arm around my shoulders and helped me gently out of the bed. I felt dizzy and weak, my legs feeling like they were being used for the first time. I gave a short yelp of pain as Lutee unintentionally touched the shoulder where Sebastian had bitten into me. "Sorry, my dear, I am sorry," she breathed quickly as she helped me over to the washroom. "Those ruffians paid for what they tried to do to you; Lord Sebastian must of ripped right into them and taught them a thing or two."
With more embarrassment that I had ever truly felt before Lutee helped me out of the tunic, took the bandages off of me and helped me into the bath. The warm water stung my wounds, which had begun to heal over. I was ashamed when Lutee looked at them and tisked, setting off into another tirade of how glad she was that those ruffians had gotten what they deserved. I found myself giving a bitter smile, the water reflecting my face back at me.
If only you knew the truth, Lutee. If only you knew the truth like I did, of what Lord Sebastian really is.
I bathed quickly, the soap stinging as it touched the cuts and wounds, the bruises not much better off. Once again with the maid's help I climbed out of the bathtub and dried off, then clenched my hands together and tried not to scream out in pain as she redid my bandages. I was given a fresh tunic and led back to bed, where I gratefully collapsed underneath the warm sheets and fell asleep. It was already midday but it felt as if I had been awake for a whole week.
~ ~ ~
Lutee only woke me up twice during the whole day, once to check on me to make sure that I did not have a fever and the other time to feed me. I found a strange comfort in her presence; she reminded me of home where hopefully I would return to soon. Mayhap Sebastian was just keeping me here until my wounds healed, and then he would send me along my way I silently tried to reason with myself. I know that I cried as I slept, for my pillow was soaked when Lutee had come in to check on me. I still felt cheap and demeaned, still felt less than a whore, but at least Lutee did not say anything. I believed that she was blissfully unaware of everything that was happening around her.
So I slept again, rolling in and out of consciousness until something did wake me from the ill dreams I was having.
The chamber was dark and silent; the curtains had been opened slightly and I could see the moon high in the sky. Silver shafts of moonlight spilled across the floor and reached out across the bed, touching me with their pale light. My heart began to pound as I remembered Sebastian's words and my breathing became quick; a slight pain filled my chest. Out of the corner of my eye I thought I saw movement; I turned quickly in the direction of the wardrobe.
Nothing was there.
"Stupid," I whispered to myself. "Calm down Ria, no one's here. No one is-" My words caught in my throat as Sebastian stepped out of the shadows, his pale and unemotional face looking into mine. "No," I moaned, "no, no. Just leave me alone." I pressed my face into the pillows as the tears began to fall again. I felt the vampire sit down beside me, felt his hand on my back.
I shuddered at his very touch.
"Little Ria," Sebastian hissed in my ear. "I said I would return and I have. I have come back." He took my head in his hands and turned me around so I would look at him. "I always keep my promises, Ria."