Chapter Seven

As her gaze washed over the sheer number of people, many of which weren't even humanoid, she became quite aware that Jareth was probably very right. Her face went numb as she tried to stare at them in horror, only to have her legs follow Jareth, pulled as if by a string. She resented the fact that she was being controled, and wondered what, exactly, he could make her do-- as if there were limits. The fear that should have had her trembling in her slippers was not numbed from her mind, but it was a small comfort to know that there was no way for her to mess this up.

She knew she would have if he hadn't turned her into a puppet. She just didn't want to accept the fact.

"Friends!" He announced gaily as he stood behind what appeared to be a black iron podium, her arm still linked in his as mismatched eyes looked over the crowd, a hint of a grin touching his features as always. "Allies! And brothers! You have come here this day to see the woman who casts sunlight upon the Underground in this time of darkness! I present to you today, Lady Tara of Norwich!"

To the girls surprise, the crowd raised their variety of drinks up in a salute to her, exclaiming in unison, "Hail, Lady Tara of Norwich!" They, of course, pronounced the city of Connecticut wrong, a thing that would have amused her if she wasn't in such a despirate situation, but they couldn't be blamed.

She stopped fighting the faes influence as her eyes rested on a man he had clearly meant for her to see, who was staring at her with the strangest look she had ever seen in her life. His black hair hung over his pale face as bright green eyes stared at her the way a dog would stare at a piece of raw meat it did not have access to. As her mind worked past the ornate clothing of questionable origins, she realized a fact that would have made her gasp had she had the ability. It was her brother!

"What is he doing here!" She struggled to ask, but her mouth refused to move, merely curled in a false contented smile as her mind panicked behind the mask of calm. "Jareth!" She cried mentally as she felt the full force of not having control of herself. She began to push at his powers wildly, but it would not work. She knew not how to get him out of her head.

"Calm down, Tara!" His voice cut sharply through her head as he guided her away from the podium and toward the buffet of strange foods. "I will release you in time, but you must calm down!" In silence she headed his words, but calming down sounded easier than it was. She couldn't take the deep calming breaths that had worked so many times before, and even her mind was slipping from her grasp, and into Jareths, so she couldn't tell herself everything was alright. As she mechanically piled food onto her plate, she forced herself into submission. Not entirely a state of calm, but a state of stillness nonetheless.

As her mind stopped fighting against Jareths, the sense of euphoria overcame her again, calming the raging nerves that seeing her brother had stirred up. She lay, contented in her shell as she was sat down, and fed, his arm never leaving her as he fed her as if she were an infant.

Eventually the euphoria wore off, but she remained calm. She was allowed to look around at all the people, conversing with each other. She herself was, for the most part, ignored, regardless of the Goblin King sitting beside her on the soft, red velvet sofa he had her on.

"Think you can handle things from here?" He whispered in her ear, leaning over as if he were doing something far more intimate. Her body, accordingly, moaned quietly, eyes fluttering closed even though he was doing absolutely nothing to warrant the reaction. She nodded mentally to him, and he grinned, taking a nip at her ear while she still couldn't protest before removing himself entirely from her, thrusting her back into her body.

She took a deep breath as the shock hit her, and she stared in what could have been horror as Jareth strutted away. Had he really just done that? Her rage at not being able to control herself fled as she fumed. He had really just done that! And in public! And without drugging her first! Okay, so she was drugged, but...

"Hello." She looked up sharply as the figure of her brother stood over her, the candle light playing against his skin, almost as fair as hers now, and his strong jaw line. It was him, alright. There was no doubt about it. What she didn't understand, was why he was here.

"Hello..." She responded hesitantly, weighing her options as she stared into his eyes as deep a green as hers, suddenly realizing how handsom he really was. She shook herself mentally, wondering what the hell was wrong with her, that she was finding her brother-- who was twenty years older than her-- attractive. She decided it was a side effect of the mind control Jareth had used on her, and shifted into a more comfortable position on the couch.

"The king seems fond of you." He stated with no traces of recognition in his voice. Suddenly, she couldn't remember who she had recognized him as anymore. She tilted her head as she stared at him through squinted eyes of confusion, quite aware that something was wrong, but not sure what. Where was she? What had happened? The last thing she remembered was walking down the hall with Jareth...

"Does he?" She murmured insecurely as her emerald gaze fell away from his, and to the floor of tan and peach tiling. "I hadn't noticed..."

"Shall we dance?" He asked, offering a hand to her as she looked up. Her mind was reeling. He looked so familiar! Where had she seen him? Why did it feel so wrong for her to be reacting to him the way she was? Why did she feel repulsed, and drawn to him all at the same time?

She scrambled for an excuse to stay right where she was, wherever that happened to be. "I don't think my lord would think very highly of that." She stated unsurely, her gaze traveling back down to the black gloves adorning her thin arms. Carefully she tugged at the edge of one as if it had fallen out of place, doing anything to get her attention away from the man that was terrifying her so.

"I'm sure your lord will understand that a man of any species has no way of resisting your beauty." He hissed charmingly, his gaze coming to rest on the point of her motion. She took ahold of her hand, and lifted her gracefully off of the sofa by it. "Come, we will dance."

"I really don't think--" Before she could protest farther, Jareth was standing between them, eyes narrowed on the man who had made his prize so uncomfortable. Without really thinking about it, Tara clamped onto his arm, her memories coming back to her as he pulled her to his chest, holding her to him as he glared at the defiler.

"I think it would be best if you left, Gericht."

The man laughed at the contempt in the kings voice, and bowed mockingly. As he stood bent over, Tara stared in shock. His hair of black shifted into that of gold, and the bright eyes of emerald regained their bright blue. His ears pointed, and he looked up to grin sadistically at the king.

"You should have a better hold on your pets, Goblin king." He taunted, before vanishing into thin air.

Jareth shifted his glare to Tara, and she clung to him as she felt her world spin around her, glitter everywhere she looked except for when she stared into his shirt, so that's what she did. "Don't take over my mind again..." she pleaded as they too vanished from the party, "Please..."

Quite suddenly, he thrust her away from him, so that she almost toppled to the floor had she not caught herself against the dark, rough wall first. She looked around her in a panic, seeing that he had taken her to some back room of the castle. One that had been long abandoned, and left into disrepair. She doubted any goblin servant had been in here for decades-- centuries, even. She shuddered as her gaze went to him in horror.

"I warned you of him." He snarled, voice thick with rage as he approached her. She looked as if she wanted to crawl up the wall, and hide as he took another step forward. She knew that her beautiful dress was being soiled beyond repair as she pressed herself against the wall in terror.

"I'm sorry!" She cried, "He came the minute you left, and I--I couldn't think!" He raised a hand as if to strike her, and she turned her head in a wince before the hand ever came down, shaking.

She was shocked when a gentle touch guided her eyes back to him, and blinked as he stepped forward, effectively squishing her between him and the wall of soot and stone, and keeping her in place. She was forced to stare up into his mismatched eyes as he put one hand on either side of her face, though she was incredably distracted by the strange sensation in her womb that she recognized, but refused to admit, even to herself.

"I'm sorry..." She whimpered again for good measure, although now her breaths were coming deep, and fast for another reason.

"I know." He purred as he traced his finger tip down her face, and then over her neck. He eyed the soft, smooth flesh as her head tilted allowingly to the side, eyes fluttering closed in helpless submission. Something of lust overcame him as he felt her pulse beneath his fingertip, her body trembling ever so slightly in want, and terror.

He placed a light kiss on her bare shoulder, wrapping his arms securely around her waist, and feeling her shiver against him. He trailed his kisses to the place where he could feel her pulse the strongest on his lips, and her eyes opened, sensing that something had changed. She was aware that she should move, that she should escape, but she could not grasp the desire to, and besides: She was caught anyway. There was nothing she could do. What good would panicing serve her?

A moan birthed within her throat as he concentrated on the point, pressing her even closer to him, if it was possible, and squishing the sensitive rounds of her bust against his chest, sending a sharp sensation through her that she couldn't register as pain, but didn't automatically register as pleasure, either. She whimpered as her arms lay limply at her sides, and he worked his magic on her.

Suddenly, a wave of pleasure hit her as she felt his teeth, like two small needles, penetrate her skin. She took in a gasp, and tried to reach up to cling to him as he drank of the blood within her flesh, so slowly, throwing her into an oblivion that nothing short of this could send her. She squeezed her eyes closed as she tried to convince herself to fight this, it felt so... wrong, but she just couldn't. It wasn't long until she was overcome in the sensation, and locked in his arms as she watched his eyes glow, and his skin become vibrant with the essence of her.

The last thing she remembered of that night was the realization that she had given herself to a vampire, over a fey, and as crimson liquid touched her lips, she felt the heightened pleasure of giving all of herself, and taking it back. Over, and over, and over their blood flowed between them, until finally, the sharp pleasure won, and she passed out.


Authors Notes: Everyone knows the disclaimer thingy, so I'll just skip past that.

YAY! Chapter seven, and two reviews! Happy!

...Anyways. What does everyone think, hmmmmm? Jareth into a vampire good? Bad? I dunno... I'm obsessed with vampires, so I guess it was a given that vampirism would find it's way into this somehow. It was either this, or use the constant "Seduced by a vampire" thing, and everyones used that. Granted, a blood drinking Jareth isn't altogether new, either, but most people don't have him as a full vampire, so-- so-- yeah. I'll think up of an excuse!

...Tomorrow...