Chapter 1

Wake up, Faina wake up. Get up, this isn't time to sleep anymore. Rise and shine.

Faina awoke with a start, half expecting someone to be over her, calling her name, only be to greeted by no one. She was alone in her room, a slight breeze blowing in from the broken window caused her to shiver slightly. Standing up, she took in her surroundings for the first time without panic in her eyes. The room was rather large, the walls made covered in a cream like coating and deeply polished wooden ceiling. A queen sized bed war to one wall, accessible from either the left or right and flanked by ornate night stands. A light blue veil hanged from the pools of the bed frame, adding a nice contrast to the dark brown wood.

A dresser complete with a mirror and seat stood to the left of the doorway to what she presumed lead out of her room as the night before she could not open it. To the opposite was a large oak wardrobe, the letter M was engraved in both doors of the wardrobe and as she soon discovered upon closer inspection of the other furniture was true for everything else. Looking at the floor she saw the most detailed example of the insignia that was a repeating theme in her room.

Opening the drawers she found some clothing to change out of her night gown. Though the thought that these were most likely not hers did enter her mind, she couldn't really make an escape wearing something meant to just keep her decent looking and comfortable. Faina pulled out, surprisingly, military fatigues, and a green t-shirt from the drawers, a quick search of the wardrobe yielded military boots. She quickly changed, as she pulled off her night gown she caught sight of some discoloration along her side, go around to her back. Turning around and eyeballing the mirror revealed a large, highly detailed tattoo of a dragon taking up most of her back. "What the hell..."

Pushing the question of how and why she had such a thing covering her back she returned to dressing herself, the tattoo could wait until she was out of this place. Lacing up her boots she gave herself a quick once over in the mirror. The cloths did little to compliment her figure, and she noticed the same symbol on the right side of the shirt. Maybe she could use this as a disguise to fool anyone who was here.

Finally she turned to the door. Resting her hand on the cold knob she took a moment to breathe, already the flow of adrenaline was entering her system. Could she be in for a fight? She hoped not. Choke the knob and pull it to the left.

Without realizing it she did as the thought recommended, the door hesitated for a moment before submitting and opening with a moan for her. Hoping no one was around to hear that, she slowly poked her head out into the hallway, the same theme as her room was present in the hallway, to the immediate left of the door were two chairs with some ornate looking device between the two. Even from the doorway she could smell the opium that was used recently in the device.

Stepping into the hallway for the first time she was presented with a choice, to either go straight or go left. Neither presented a good, or bad, reason to choose it over the other. Go straight.

Without thinking she again yielded to the voice in her head and went straight. Before she made thirty feet from her room she stopped cold as a transparent form of a man rose from the floor before her. It floated in the air for but a moment before becoming solid. What stood before her was a man dressed in pure white, his hair, in dread locks, bleached white as well. "Now where do you think your going?"

"Why I think she is trying to escape brother." Another voice, behind her said, causing her to jump as she turned to look behind her. There, blocking the path she had just taken was a man looking exactly like the first. Twins?

"That's rude of her."

"Yes it is. Perhaps she should be punished."

Oh that sounds like fun though maybe you might want to opt for say, running! Faina didn't have to be told twice, jumping into the air she managed to kick the man in white that was blocking her way back to her room along the side of his head, sending him into the wall.

"How in the hell!" Faina shouted as she landed back on her feet. No time to ask questions unless you want to know what they mean by being punished.

Jumping over the man she ran down the hallway, fast, faster then she thought she could... about as fast she was in her dream.

"That was rude of her." The man said as he got up. "Yes she was, we should catch her brother."

"Yes we should." The other said as both quickly gave chase.

–TFH–

Faina turned down the hall, running. Every time she could, she made a random turn in what soon became an obvious maze of corridors. As she ran, her mind still fought with the idea of "ghost" men chasing her. All she knew though, was that she -had- to run. That her mind, or something, told her to flee and that was frankly good enough for her.

Do you even know where you are going girl? A voice rang out in her head. Have you been here? Do you know the endless hallways here or are you just running around in circles? Like a chicken with its head cut off.

Faina stopped and considered the thought. Where -exactly- was she going? She sure didn't know where she was or what she where an exit could be. And what of this voice in her head that kept giving her advice?

What about the voice in your head? Faina brushed it off, thinking it was just her mind under stress playing tricks on her. Looking back, she didn't hear anyone running to follow her and she considered that continuing to run would draw attention, and would eventually tire her out, she opted for calmly walking while she searched for her exit.

You know, I don't like being ignored or attributed to some mental stress, not after I told you to run from those two. It's considered rather rude in case your mother never taught you manners. Faina rubbed her left temple, trying to block out the persistently annoying voice in her mind. "God did they drug me or something to affect my head like this?"

Oh that's really kind of you, attribute me to a drug side affect. Yep, a drug, makes perfect sense now... and you were always an Olympic runner to boot, nothing wrong with that department. Just as Faina was about to respond to that, in some form, she heard, something, like the static of an old 56K modem. She turned just in time to one of the ghost men come out of the wall and solidify, blocking her path.

"You have been naughty." The man in white said as he pulled out a slip of metal, a flick of the wrist caused the old barber razor. Faina turned, intent on running, only to see the other ghost man blocking her path, a barber razor in his hands as well. "Yes, very naughty."

Faina tried to think of something, anything, she could do to escape these, these monsters, nothing came to mind.

Maybe they will be gentle. The voice in her laugh laughed at his own comment, but it only served to anger Faina. Not this time girl, you don't get my help this time...

The voice finally faded away, only to leave her at the mercy of these two, things. All she could do was stare at the one in front of her, fully aware that any move she makes would cause both of them to attack her. She could see the ghost man ahead of her smile a bit, as if looking forward to what he knew was about to happen.

"Doesn't my husband let you two out more or do you really need to torment the pour girl?" A voice, a female voice with French accent spoke, breaking the silence. Both men turned to look at the sultry woman at the far end of the hallway, she was wearing a red dress, her hair was jet black. Her face had a smile as if she caught her two young boys playing with something in the vineyards but her eyes had a sadness to them. Immediately the two men, acting as if they were children with their hands caught in the cookie jar lowered their heads slightly and brought their razors to their sides.

"Yes, mistress." The two said in unison, the tone in their voice reinforcing the thought of two boys caught and saying that they knew better as they had a thousand times over. The woman, Faina's "savior" approached the trio. Every step and move a signal to every man to look at her, to want to bed her but at the same time the confidence in her stride warned that any man who did dare to do more then just steal a fleeting glance at her would suffer the wrath of the one she called husband.

"I am sorry, amour, for how the boys acted. They can be a bit, enthusiastic at times." The woman in the red dressed looked at the two men, who were both now standing to the side, their faces betraying that they wanted the moment to be over, fast, so they could get out of their mistresses presence. "Well, what are you two doing? Run along to my husbands table. I will take her myself to him."

The Twins look as if they were about to protest leaving Faina in her care, as if they knew something, most likely instigated by her, would infuriate their master. A quick look from the woman in red discouraged anything other then compliance from the two. "Yes, mistress..."

With that, the two men turned and left, a bit of speed in their steps as they went down the hallway, turned, and left the sight of both Faina and the sultry woman. A moment after watching the hallway, as if to satisfy to herself neither of them were coming back, Faina turned to her rescuer. "Thank you..."

"You may call me Persephone, amore." the woman, Persephone said, sensing Faina trying to hint her name.

"Thank you, Persephone. My name is Faina Alekseeva." Faina said. Persephone looked her over in such a way that the twins were right to protest her being left with Persephone alone. "Your quite lovely Faina."

Faina now was sure the twins were right in their protest. "Thank you Miss. I'm sorry to ask, but where am I? I've never seen such a place like this before." That seemed to snap Persephone out of whatever she was thinking at the moment. For a moment Persephone's face displayed a frown, as if she was surprised her charms had no affect, Faina suspected Persephone had tried before and had not failed...

"Your in the castle of my husband dear Faina. If you please, follow me and I will take you to him." Persephone said. Turning she began to walk down the hallway. "What if, what if I don't follow you?"

Persephone turned to look at her and smiled. "Amore there are worse things in these halls then those two." With that, she began to walk away again.

Faina thought over this for a moment, her mind running wild with potential "worse things" before running to catch up to Persephone. For a few minutes, the two walked in silence, Persephone leading Faina to her husband who hopefully held the answers to her questions. "Has he spoken to you yet amour?"

"Who?" Faina asked wondering if perhaps she meant Persephone's husband.

"Hmm, then I will let my husband explain it. This way." The duo entered a grand entrance way, weapons of another time and different parts of the world adorned the wall. Two flights of stairs, one on either wall snaked down to the main floor which was adorned by yet another giant M, not unlike the ones in her room. As they walked down the stairs Faina wondered if it would be wise to grab for one of them, flee Persephone and try to resume her escape, she decided against it. Such a thing in this place, a place she was still suspecting that she was dreaming, would be foolhardy.

Approaching the door way she noticed Persephone rummage in her purse, eventually retrieving a key. With a quick insert and turn of the key she opened the door, revealing a busy kitchen. Faina's only response was "wha".

Faina was surprised to see such strange building design, that a kitchen would be the exit of a grand stair case. Now so more then ever she wondered if she was merely asleep, that this was all a bad dream, if perhaps this was crazy building planning, or if something else was at work here.

Dodging a few cooks busying themselves if preparing varous dishes of food, Persephone and Faina eventually found the door to the dining hall. Faina first impression was that of recognizing the high class the restaurants dining hall had. Several round tables made up the majority of the dining area, several seats were situated at the windows, the twins in white did not escape Faina's sight, Finally, at the front of the room was a long table with several places set. A man sat at the center seat of the table, a glass of wine in hand. Upon noticing the two he stood and greeted them. "Ah my darling Persephone it is so good to see you again, and I see the young lady is intact and cloths are not wet with perspiration."

Persephone smiled at the man, the type of hollow only for looks smile that a wife who knows their husbands activities. "Of course my husband." She said, as she took her place at his side, leaving Faina in front of both of them now.

Taking his seat again, he looked Faina over, noting her red hair, ice cold blue eyes and the rest of her figure. Finally, he spoke. "So, this is Faina yes? The one I ordered the little reaper implanted in so we can finally make use of his talents? Please my dear take a seat."

Faina hesitated at first before she noticed the twins start to look at if they would get up before she took her seat. "May I offer you something to eat? Drink? Some wine perhaps? No?"

"How about you just tell me where I am?" Faina replied, she already didn't like this man.

"Ah to the point, no chit chat, no indulgence in the many pleasures of life. Of course now for you your pleasure will be in serving me. Hmm, yes you will learn to love what I will set you to do."

"And that would be..."

The man reached for his glass and took another sip before continuing. "Before you awoke my dear, we added a unique, thing, to your body my dear."

"What."

"Im sure he's taunted you at some point between now and waking, no? The voice in the back of your head?"

"The voice?"

"Yes, he goes by the name of Marrith. He is what is in your tattoos now. You are more than just a mere human woman now."

Faina looked at him for a moment... before breaking out in laughter. "Your kidding right? You expect me to believe that?"

The man put his glass down, looked at her for a moment or two. "I see you need to truly grasp your situation, perhaps a bit of training will help you understand." With a snap of his fingers, the twins in white were behind Faina, their hands firmly on each of her shoulders.

"These two will take you to your trainer. Don't disappoint me my dear."