Chapter 10
Inga did not know how long she remained outside in the snow, but she did not care. All she knew was that when he woke up, she was surrounded by vampires, and then there was darkness once more. She could barely open her eyes, and her exposed skin was numb, but she could slightly feel what was happening to her, and she always managed an abortion spell somehow.
The snow was finally melting and the spring rains were coming in. The air was warm enough that she could feel some things now, and she felt the rain his her body, sometimes soft as wet kisses, and other times like pellets. She had no strength to move now, and she was always left to lie in the position she was last left in, which was usually on her back.
One day though, the clouds thundered and she heard the rain splash around her, she heard a voice that she remembered.
"Oh, my God," the voice said, deeply concerned and in unbelievable shock by the sound.
Inga tried to open her eyes, but her lids would not respond. She knew this voice, but ho was it? She could not remember.
"What did they do to you?" the voice cried, and she felt someone drop to their knees.
*Who is it? I can't remember.*
"I never thought they would do this," the voice continued and became louder as its owner came closer. "This is too far. I can't believe they didn't kill you. If I had known, I wouldn't have been gone for so long."
*I think I remember. . .*
"I had to make sure she would be fine," the voice said.
Inga felt the warmth of body head next to her. She had to see if she was right, but she could not see. Her eyes would not open. She felt warm, strong arms wrap around her frail body and pull her close. It all felt so familiar.
"D?" she barely whispered. "Is it," she gasped for air, "you?" she finally finished. Her eyes would not open.
"It's not D," the voice replied, stained with tears. "It won't be D for a long time."
*I was wrong. Des that mean I'm all alone? I no longer know the voice that I thought was so dear? Why am I so sad now? Why does it hurt so much to know I won't see him for a long time? It's been so long, yet why do I hope?*
"It's Alexi. I've come back."
*Alexi. . .a dunpeal who loves a woman who is bearing his child. Why am I so sad about this? Why does t make me feel so, undutiful? I don't understand! Why can't I understand? Why do I want to cry? Why can't I cry?*
"It's going to be fine. You'll see D again, I know you will. Just hold on a bit longer."
*I live for him, yet why does this feeling in my heart bother me? Why do I feel I will never see him again?*
"If you can't live for him any more, then live to protect me and Leila. We need your help. Please."
"I will live," Inga whispered brokenly, "for you and Leila, and the sad hope of seeing D before I die. . ."
"Thank you," Alexi whispered in reply though the tears. "Sleep now. I'll take you inside."
Inga felt herself be lifted by Alexi and carried elsewhere. A couple minutes later, she could no longer feel the rain on her skin. The air was a bit warmer as well, and she figured that she was inside now.
"I have to chain you," Alexi told her, and she nodded slightly in reply.
Alexi supported Inga on his shoulder as he chained her wrists. Those chains held up her weak body as he chained her ankles. However, Alexi changed his mind and unchained her. He lifted her in his arms once more and carried her out of the dungeon. Inga did not know where she was going, but it did not matter now, nor did she care. It was warm and dry here.
After a little, she heard a voice that was not Alexi's.
"Where are you taking the toy?"
"She needs a warm bath," Alexi replied.
"Your turn to have fun with her? You've been gone a while, so I don't blame you. Mind if I watch?"
"She can't even open her eyes. What fun can there be if you can't know whether she's awake or sleeping? Besides, she smells anyway."
"You've got a point. She's been outside for the past two months."
"What did Carmen say to that?"
"He's out. Said something about talking to the Barbaroy and finding a pretty mortal to play with since this one's being so stubborn."
"That explains it."
"Did you grab the human?"
"She managed to get away. This one was most likely helping to hide her."
The strange vampire laughed, and Alexi laughed with him.
"Have fun bathing," the vampire yelled to Alexi as he walked away.
"Always do," Alexi replied in the same manner.
Inga felt her body being transported once more. A short time later, she heard the soft sound of running water.
"Here we are," Alexi said. "Time for a nice, warm bath."
Inga waited as Alexi gently set her down in the warm tub. The head of the water stung slightly, but it then subsided and loosened up her tight muscles. Eventually, the water feels so nice and soothing, and Inga slowly became reanimated.
*This feels so familiar Where have I felt this before? I remember being with someone like this.*
Alexi let Inga's head rest on his arm as her body soaked up the warmth from the tub. He could not believe the vampires would do this to her. This price was far too high for him and Leila to be safe. He would not tell Leila about this next time he saw her. She would never forgive herself.
*Who was it? Why do I feel so sad about it? I'm so lost. If it is a happy memory, then why am I so sad?*
Inga opened her eyes and looked around. She was in a bathing room, alone with Alexi. Her head was resting against something soft, and she looked for it's source, and saw Alexi. This was not the person from her memory. That person was gone.
"You're waking up," Alexi observed aloud and he was relieved.
Tears stained with blood trickled down Inga's cheeks as she looked up at him.
"Where is D?" she asked in a child-like manner. "D is supposed to be here, not you."
"He won't be here for a little," Alexi replied softly. He was amazed that Inga had her voice back.
"You're lying," Inga accused back. "D is never coming back. He's gone. He's never going to come and save me. He's forgotten! I'm by myself now! Don't lie to me!"
Alexi could not reply to the accusation. She was probably right. She was alone now.
"I have to think that way," Inga continued. "I can't put such a large burden on D. I can't depend on him to save my mind and human self. He's gone now, moved on. It's been over sixty years. I must move on. D would have wanted me to move on.
"No, I'm still carrying my hope! I have to stop! D is gone, he's gone!"
Inga cried harder than she ever had before. Alexi wrapped his other arm around her and held her in a friendly embrace. He knew she was forcing herself to forget, but no matter how hard she tried, she would never be able to. He wondered what would happen if D ever did come back.
"Don't cry," Alexi whispered. "There's no point in crying for no one. He won't be around to see them and to comfort you. Besides, you're alone now. There's no one to cry over."
Inga could not stop crying. It hurt too much, and it always would. D would always haunt her mind. She would never be able to scream his name for help again. . .
Inga did not know how long she remained outside in the snow, but she did not care. All she knew was that when he woke up, she was surrounded by vampires, and then there was darkness once more. She could barely open her eyes, and her exposed skin was numb, but she could slightly feel what was happening to her, and she always managed an abortion spell somehow.
The snow was finally melting and the spring rains were coming in. The air was warm enough that she could feel some things now, and she felt the rain his her body, sometimes soft as wet kisses, and other times like pellets. She had no strength to move now, and she was always left to lie in the position she was last left in, which was usually on her back.
One day though, the clouds thundered and she heard the rain splash around her, she heard a voice that she remembered.
"Oh, my God," the voice said, deeply concerned and in unbelievable shock by the sound.
Inga tried to open her eyes, but her lids would not respond. She knew this voice, but ho was it? She could not remember.
"What did they do to you?" the voice cried, and she felt someone drop to their knees.
*Who is it? I can't remember.*
"I never thought they would do this," the voice continued and became louder as its owner came closer. "This is too far. I can't believe they didn't kill you. If I had known, I wouldn't have been gone for so long."
*I think I remember. . .*
"I had to make sure she would be fine," the voice said.
Inga felt the warmth of body head next to her. She had to see if she was right, but she could not see. Her eyes would not open. She felt warm, strong arms wrap around her frail body and pull her close. It all felt so familiar.
"D?" she barely whispered. "Is it," she gasped for air, "you?" she finally finished. Her eyes would not open.
"It's not D," the voice replied, stained with tears. "It won't be D for a long time."
*I was wrong. Des that mean I'm all alone? I no longer know the voice that I thought was so dear? Why am I so sad now? Why does it hurt so much to know I won't see him for a long time? It's been so long, yet why do I hope?*
"It's Alexi. I've come back."
*Alexi. . .a dunpeal who loves a woman who is bearing his child. Why am I so sad about this? Why does t make me feel so, undutiful? I don't understand! Why can't I understand? Why do I want to cry? Why can't I cry?*
"It's going to be fine. You'll see D again, I know you will. Just hold on a bit longer."
*I live for him, yet why does this feeling in my heart bother me? Why do I feel I will never see him again?*
"If you can't live for him any more, then live to protect me and Leila. We need your help. Please."
"I will live," Inga whispered brokenly, "for you and Leila, and the sad hope of seeing D before I die. . ."
"Thank you," Alexi whispered in reply though the tears. "Sleep now. I'll take you inside."
Inga felt herself be lifted by Alexi and carried elsewhere. A couple minutes later, she could no longer feel the rain on her skin. The air was a bit warmer as well, and she figured that she was inside now.
"I have to chain you," Alexi told her, and she nodded slightly in reply.
Alexi supported Inga on his shoulder as he chained her wrists. Those chains held up her weak body as he chained her ankles. However, Alexi changed his mind and unchained her. He lifted her in his arms once more and carried her out of the dungeon. Inga did not know where she was going, but it did not matter now, nor did she care. It was warm and dry here.
After a little, she heard a voice that was not Alexi's.
"Where are you taking the toy?"
"She needs a warm bath," Alexi replied.
"Your turn to have fun with her? You've been gone a while, so I don't blame you. Mind if I watch?"
"She can't even open her eyes. What fun can there be if you can't know whether she's awake or sleeping? Besides, she smells anyway."
"You've got a point. She's been outside for the past two months."
"What did Carmen say to that?"
"He's out. Said something about talking to the Barbaroy and finding a pretty mortal to play with since this one's being so stubborn."
"That explains it."
"Did you grab the human?"
"She managed to get away. This one was most likely helping to hide her."
The strange vampire laughed, and Alexi laughed with him.
"Have fun bathing," the vampire yelled to Alexi as he walked away.
"Always do," Alexi replied in the same manner.
Inga felt her body being transported once more. A short time later, she heard the soft sound of running water.
"Here we are," Alexi said. "Time for a nice, warm bath."
Inga waited as Alexi gently set her down in the warm tub. The head of the water stung slightly, but it then subsided and loosened up her tight muscles. Eventually, the water feels so nice and soothing, and Inga slowly became reanimated.
*This feels so familiar Where have I felt this before? I remember being with someone like this.*
Alexi let Inga's head rest on his arm as her body soaked up the warmth from the tub. He could not believe the vampires would do this to her. This price was far too high for him and Leila to be safe. He would not tell Leila about this next time he saw her. She would never forgive herself.
*Who was it? Why do I feel so sad about it? I'm so lost. If it is a happy memory, then why am I so sad?*
Inga opened her eyes and looked around. She was in a bathing room, alone with Alexi. Her head was resting against something soft, and she looked for it's source, and saw Alexi. This was not the person from her memory. That person was gone.
"You're waking up," Alexi observed aloud and he was relieved.
Tears stained with blood trickled down Inga's cheeks as she looked up at him.
"Where is D?" she asked in a child-like manner. "D is supposed to be here, not you."
"He won't be here for a little," Alexi replied softly. He was amazed that Inga had her voice back.
"You're lying," Inga accused back. "D is never coming back. He's gone. He's never going to come and save me. He's forgotten! I'm by myself now! Don't lie to me!"
Alexi could not reply to the accusation. She was probably right. She was alone now.
"I have to think that way," Inga continued. "I can't put such a large burden on D. I can't depend on him to save my mind and human self. He's gone now, moved on. It's been over sixty years. I must move on. D would have wanted me to move on.
"No, I'm still carrying my hope! I have to stop! D is gone, he's gone!"
Inga cried harder than she ever had before. Alexi wrapped his other arm around her and held her in a friendly embrace. He knew she was forcing herself to forget, but no matter how hard she tried, she would never be able to. He wondered what would happen if D ever did come back.
"Don't cry," Alexi whispered. "There's no point in crying for no one. He won't be around to see them and to comfort you. Besides, you're alone now. There's no one to cry over."
Inga could not stop crying. It hurt too much, and it always would. D would always haunt her mind. She would never be able to scream his name for help again. . .
