ANNWYL
Slowly, consciousness returns to me. I hurt and I'm cold. I open my eyes and look around in confusion. Where in the hells am I? Why can't I move my arms? Trying to move once more as I realize I'm basically standing, even if the sudden pain in my wrists indicate it's not under my own power while I've been unconscious, my confusion quickly turns to rage as I realize that that damn filthy human stripped me and chained me up in my own dungeon. How dare he?! Who in all the hells does he think he is? When I get free, I will kill him, Zedd's begging be damned. Plus, getting that pet out of my way will make things easier for getting Zedd back.
Humiliating as it is, I holler for someone - anyone - to come and free me. Considering how many toys, pets and prisoners I have in my dungeons at any one time, there must be someone within shouting distance - or will be shortly.
Several minutes later, my throat is dry and sore and no one has showed up. Where is everyone? There's no way possible he could have killed all of guards and even if he had I have plenty of pets that know they're to come when called. It seems like a lifetime but I eventually hear a key in the lock. As the door swings open, I say, "Finally! Do you have any idea how long-" My voice trails off as I realize who comes in the door. "YOU!"
"Me" the human agrees calmly. He shuts the door and leans against the wall.
"You have some nerve daring to still be here. When I get free-"
"Yeah, you getting free, not going to happen. So I'm just going to stop you right there. Besides I didn't come down here to talk about you yet, I have more important matters at hand." The hell you do. "Now, you and I are going to have a conversation."
"Like hell we are! You, human, are going to let me go right now and maybe I'll let you live."
He smirks in the face of my threat. "I'm pretty sure you're in no position to be making demands. And I have a name."
"Your name is going to be etched on a tombstone once I get hold of you."
"You know threats, especially empty ones, aren't going to help you out here. You should really learn to control your temper. I mean Zedd has a temper and he manages to keep up polite behavior, at least in the presence of company. You could learn a thing or two from him. My name's Tommy by the way." This human is going to lecture me about etiquette?! Truly Zeddic has found himself a pet with more than a few screws loose.
"I don't care! You're nothing but a pet and you should learn your place!"
Suddenly, he's across the room and in my face. "My place is at my mate's side and you are interfering with that, again. Now, what have you injected Zedd with?"
I laugh. "Like I'd tell you."
His next words, however, stop me cold but only for a moment. "If you don't tell me, he's going to die."
"You expect me to believe that? That you'd kill your 'mate'?"
He shakes his head. "I'm not the one killing him, in case you didn't notice. I'm the one attempting to save him after you so stupidly tried to break him. Did you honestly think that would work by the way? Torturing him until he relented? This is Zedd we're talking about. Lord Zedd. I haven't known him but a few years and even I know how big a failure such a plan would be. Hell you admitted yourself he was too bullheaded to control as a child, you don't think he got even stronger at that growing into an adult? Moron."
"You know nothing of Zedd." But is that true? Zedd always was so stubborn, I'd hoped with age he'd come to learn to bend a bit, but as much as I despise this creature's assessment of the situation I can't argue that he's right to a degree. Zedd was no closer giving in before he was rescued then when I'd first gotten him.
"I know enough to know he will never relent or bow down to a coward like you. I also know that whatever you had him injected with is killing him."
I roll my eyes at the obvious lie. After all, the idea was only to make him sick enough to give in. Then, while he was ill enough to rely on me, I'd take care of him and he'd see how much I still love him…well torture and manipulation aside. "Human, you don't lie well."
"No, I don't. So, with that in mind, understand this. You are going to die. You have given me no choice but to kill you. However, it's up to you how much you suffer between now and then. And make no mistake, you will suffer - I'll see to it personally. I swore that if you came near my mate again, I'd make you wish I'd killed you then, and - much like Zedd - I don't make promises I don't intend to keep."
"Human, you don't have the courage."
He gives a short bark of laughter. "This from someone who's so cowardly he'll shoot someone in the back." A flick of his wrist and I catch a glimpse of metal before he brings his hand near my face. I can feel the cold of the blade he's now holding as he runs the flat of it along the underside of my eye.
I try to control the shaking of my voice. "You wouldn't dare."
"Oh, but I would." He continues in a conversational tone. "You see, Annwyl, recently I was taken over by a spell - an evil spell and I found out that, not only do I have a capacity for evil even greater than Zedd and the others, I liked it."
And now I'm starting to think that the human is unstable, bordering on insane. Again, leave it to Zeddic to know how to pick them. "Look, just let me go, get out of my castle and I'll leave you and Zedd alone."
Now the look he gives me is filled with pity and truthfully I don't know if I should be angry or actually fearful. "Oh Annwyl, you silly, silly, naive little pet. For one thing, we're not in your castle, we're in mine. For another, you still need to tell me what I want to know, and you're running out of time. If you tell me quickly and truthfully, I'll use the sharp, clean blade. Otherwise, I'll use the dull, tainted one."
I remain silent for another minute. "You're bluffing."
"You think so?" His voice changes again, to almost a sensual purr as he moves around me. "Back on Earth, before Zedd came for me, I was a scientist. Scorpina tells me that there are very few differences between humans and Eltarians, so I'm fairly certain that I know all the best ways to make you hurt without killing you right away. Even if I don't though, I'm certain I will have a fun time figuring it out."
I can feel the blood drain from my face even as I say defiantly, "You're all talk."
"Last chance. Tell me what you infected him with and maybe I won't hurt you tonight." He runs the cold metal along my most sensitive areas. He speaks again, almost to himself. "Oh, I could have so much fun with this. No wait, you and I will both have so much fun with this." As the edge of the blade is pressed into my thigh enough that I feel the bite of it now I know I'm for the moment trapped and if he's being truthful and we are in fact at Zedd's home not mine, then Zedd would be my only way out of this mess, as he seems to be the only one who has a leash on this damn creature's behavior.
"Wait." He pauses, studying me for a moment. "You said that it's killing him?"
He nods. "His fever has been rising steadily since we got home."
I can feel my mouth fall open. That can't be! "That's not possible!"
He fixes me with a stern look, reminding me of the sword master at the academy. "I believe we already agreed that I don't lie well."
Which means - that he's telling the truth. "But - that makes no sense! He shouldn't be getting that sick!"
His voice hardens. "Well he is, and according to Scorpina he doesn't have long left. Tell me, Annwyl. If you ever cared for him at all, tell me."
"Vesirokko. It's a childhood illness so it shouldn't be affecting him like this."
He thinks for a long moment. Softly, he says, "And what happens if someone doesn't get it as a child? What if they get it as an adult instead?"
My heart stops as I hadn't honestly considered that a possibility. "Then as far as I know, they're as good as dead" I answer flatly.
"Did you have it as a child?"
"As far as I know, everyone my age did. When one child would get it, other parents would bring their children over to get it so that it was over with."
His eyes narrow. "That's not an answer."
"Well it's the best I've got given the circumstances, human. I don't recall my entire medical history from birth to present, do you?"
Not seeming thrilled by this, he at least keeps focus on the bigger issue. "How would I know if Zedd's had it?"
"You'd have to ask him or hope that one of his other companions knows."
He pulls something out of his pocket and holds it up. It's a syringe filled with a dark red fluid. After a moment, I realize what it is. It's Zedd's blood. Does he realize that giving me Zedd's blood - if it's not compatible - even that small amount could kill me? And painfully? By the cruel smile he's now wearing, I think he does. And what if I'm wrong and I haven't had it either? "If it's anything other than Vesirokko, I don't know it. That's what I ordered used because, as far as I know, he's had it."
"Why even inject him with it then?"
"He's stubborn, as you yourself said. It takes a lot to take the edge off him however if he's anything now like when he was young he doesn't handle being ill with the utmost dignity. He can take a sword blade to the chest without a flinch, but becoming ill seems to make him believe he will perish before the day is out."
"Yeah, well in case you missed the memo, he will perish before the day is out if I can't find a vaccine." He slips the needle into my vein and I can feel the burn of the foreign liquid making its way through my system. "I'll be back later. If you've been a good boy and told me the truth, I'll bring you food and water then. If not…let's just say you better hope the rats get you first."
He heads for the door. "Wait!" He pauses but doesn't turn around. "I wasn't trying to kill him, I swear it."
"For your sake, you'd better hope he lives" he answers softly. "If he dies, I probably will too because of the bond and I'm the only one who knows you're down here."
"You really are bonded to him?" Zedd was telling the truth? The human doesn't answer me, just leaves, closing and locking the door behind him.
