"And where have you been Mudblood?" I froze in the corridor, cursing my luck and turning to face Riddle. He was leaning against a gargoyle, and probably had been for some time, there was no other reason besides catching me to be waiting in this particular corridor.
"Walking," I tried to look him in the eye, instead mumbled at my thankfully shoed feet.
"Hmm," footsteps came closer and I tensed even more, he roughly lifted my chin with his fingers and looked me in the eye. Apparently sensing no lie, as I hadn't actually told one, he released my face. My skin ached where he had grabbed it, I would have even more bruises to explain away tomorrow. Thinking he was done with me, I edged to the side. "Where do you think you are going?"
"I—I thought you were done with me…"
Riddle smirked and moved in closer, his dark green eyes glinting with red. "Don't you know? I'll never be done with you." I shivered at the ominous words. "You won't be staying in the Hufflepuff dorm tonight."
I knew what that meant, I'd be in the heads dorm tonight, probably being crucio'd until I passed out. "They'll wonder where I am…"
"We both know they won't. After Parkinson's little stunt in Herbology, I am well aware you know she is pretending to be you." His eyes glinted dangerously, "If she knows what is good for her she will continue to do so without further complaint."
Slowly, as if he knew I would wet myself if he moved any faster, Riddle wrapped an arm around my waist and gently guided me away from the Hufflepuff dorms. His hand tightened around the dip in my side, squeezing for only a moment and so lightly that I barely noticed.
"And if you know what is good for you, you won't kick up a fuss tonight."
"What are you going to do?" He walked me past the entrance to the Great Hall; thankfully there were no students about.
"Test your abilities; I believe you have had enough time since our last interlude to recover from it." It was a statement not a question, so I couldn't even suggest the idea of putting this off for another night.
We walked silently, the paintings around us giggling to one another as they took in the sight of us. Probably wondering what the exalted Tom Riddle was doing with a lowly Mudblood, one of them actually asked the question as we walked, for some reason the boy guiding me ignored it rather than use the opportunity to taunt me more. Soon enough we came to the painting that guarded the head's dorm. I hadn't had an opportunity to study it before, so briefly admired the wide picture with its sweeping hills and (ironic) Nymph guardians. They giggled and fluttered about in a spring, lightly touching each other as they looked down at us.
"Password?" one with red hair queried, speaking to Riddle but eyes on me.
"Purity." The portrait immediately swung open. I wondered for a moment at the password, but then remembered that Head Girl was a Slytherin-Gena Irons- it only made sense they would have such a bias password.
The public part of the dorm was actually quite tasteful, it had a wide open feel to it with only two large black sofas near the fire. One of them was currently occupied by the Head Girl; she immediately stood up when we entered.
"My Lord," inclining her head at Riddle, she only glared at me and the arm around my waist.
"Leave us, stay in the Slytherin dorms tonight."
For a second I thought she might argue, but Irons left without a word, only bowing her head again.
The offending arm about my body finally left, I took a safe step away from Riddle. He hadn't yet brandished his wand at me so I figured he was in a good mood.
"Exactly how many people follow you?" it was a brave question, but I was curious.
Allowing my question, Riddle moved comfortably around the room, leaning against the fireplace like somebody from a Jane Austin novel.
"Depends on what country you are referring to. Currently I have a placement of Knights in Germany, England and of course… France." He delighted at seeing my face fall, stomach plummeting to the ground at the reminder of Jeremy's betrayal. "Now I wonder why you haven't deigned to enlighten your 'lover' and his sister about your newfound knowledge, both regarding yourself and the man in question?"
Mouth parched I searched for the right answer, "because I know what you'll do." An eyebrow was raised as if to challenge me for daring to know what the 'Dark Lord' would do. "You'll torture Jeremy for failing to keep me with him, even though you are the one who told me about hi—his using of me… and Jenny will be at risk, because if I break up with Jeremy and he tells her, then she will interrogate me. And I've never been much of a liar." Sinking down onto one of the comfy couches, I stared into the fire, trying not to curse myself for being so honest all the time.
"Hmmm. Good guesses, I will grant you that, but you are wrong." My attention was drawn back to Riddle; the firelight was glinting off his face in an even more unsettling way than usual. "I won't torture Mr Bones, I'll kill him. After all I can't have it known that one of my Knights failed in a simple mission like the one I gave him, and then I not kill him." He took in the utter horror on my face, teeth gleaming in the light. "And after I am done with him, I will move onto his sister, simply because we both know she wouldn't let her brother's death go."
"B—but I can't stay with him forever…"
Riddle smiled as if I had just unearthed his greatest plan yet. "That is the beauty of you Antoinette, you have such a kind and soft heart, a great weakness I intend to eventually rid you of, but for the moment it serves my purposes, as does your relationship with Mr Bones."
My fingers twisted together painfully in my lap, terrified of what he might say next. "What do you want from me?" We both knew that this was blackmail. Either I stay with Jeremy until the end of my days, or I break it off with him eventually and exchange something with Riddle to keep him and Jenny safe.
Riddle slipped something from his pocket, a vial of clear liquid. "I want you to drink this, right now, and I won't kill your darling friends. Even though I have no doubt that one of them is quite low on your pitiful friend list at the moment."
With shaky hands I grabbed the vial from his offered hand; it didn't look like any poison I knew. "What is it?" I already knew that I would be drinking it; I couldn't just let my friends die, even if one of them was somebody who probably deserved it.
"That would be spoiling the fun." Answered Riddle, eyes fixed to mine.
Shakily I uncorked the vial and sniffed it. It was scentless, a very clear indication of poison. But I didn't have a choice. Before I could change my mind, I tipped the potion up and into my mouth, swallowing the tasteless liquid.
The effects took a moment, one in which both Riddle and I seemed to hold our breath, then it hit me. Searing pain came up from my stomach and out of my mouth; I hardly noticed falling onto the ground in front of the fireplace and vomiting. Thick red blood splattered from my mouth and nose across the carpet, and it burned, burned like something was eating away at my skin and muscle from the inside.
Whimpering I clutched my body tight and sank to the side, praying this would kill me soon. This must have been Riddle's plan, watch me bleed out in agony at his feet.
Slowly though, I noticed something in the pain changing. For once it wasn't getting worse, it was getting better. Starting at my stomach and spreading upwards a warm sensation covered the places where the pain was, the blood ready to spray from my mouth seemed to reabsorb itself back into my body.
A quick scrungify from his wand cleaned up the remainder of my blood. "Fascinating, you should have vomited up your own stomach by now, but here you are alive." I didn't care to hear Riddle's words, but the image of my own stomach being flung from my mouth wouldn't disappear.
"Why?" It was painful to speak around the cuts in my throat, I sounded like a dog trying to bark and failing.
Riddle finally came into my vision; he was smiling down and me and didn't seem at all concerned that he was standing in my blood. Hunching down he ran a finger along my chin, collecting the blood and torn muscle that had been flung there. He flicked it away and repeated the process, cleaning my face as if he couldn't help himself. "You're immune, to any kind of poison. Quite extraordinary, your body must rapidly produce a cure before the substance can become fatal. Explains why you have always been able to withstand so many curses and hexes without long term effect." Apparently mental side-effects from bullying didn't count. "Makes me wonder what else you can do…"
Groaning I pulled myself into a sitting position, "stop, just stop." My throat felt like somebody had scraped off two layers of skin, which probably had happened. "I—I can't take any more pain." Sobbing softly I shifted away from Riddle, as if the distance would stop him from hurting me.
Instead of following me, or slapping me for daring to beg for mercy, Riddle just watched me with a small smile in the corner of his mouth.
"How many times have you begged me now?" A taunting question, "Think of how many times you will beg me in the future. Because I am never letting you go, little Nymph."
"How is she even still alive, she must have lot gallons of blood?" The curious voice of Malfoy broke through the tension; he must have walked in when I was dying…
Riddle looked up at his follower, seeming as surprised as I was to have him sneak up on us. "Another mystery… hold her up."
I didn't want to move, knew it would hurt, I knew my body hadn't healed yet. Ignoring my pleading look, the blond snake reached down and pulled me up. My legs cramped immediately, crying out I clung to his robes, knowing falling down would hurt more. Chucking under his breath, the Slytherin hoisted me up into his arms, bridal style.
Riddle's eye brow rose, "I didn't mean literally 'hold'."
Malfoy shrugged and smiled, "her legs wouldn't work. Might need some time before you test another theory on her; what is the next one my lord?" I hated that they spoke as though I were deaf and dumb.
Instead of answering Riddle held up a book, one I had seen before, 'Beasts and their Mates'. One that I had previously borrowed from the library and kept hidden under my pillow, the idea that I might have a specific mate to love me was fascinating and terrifying. I had taken to reading it in the dead of night these past few days, constantly re-reading what it said about Nymphs. As if he knew what I was thinking Riddle read out the section I knew my heart.
"Nymphs are notorious in Muggle literature for having multiple partners; they are often confused with their close relations the Succubi who require sexual release as a food source." I flushed read at hearing the Head Boy speak this aloud, it was off-putting to think of him ever using the word 'sexual' let alone doing anything of the like. "However ancient texts reveal that Nymphs did not have the notorious hunger of their cousins, quite the opposite is true; Nymphs were known to have little to no sex drive until they are fully matured. Once this happens they will often choose the strongest males or females available and initiate intercourse with each separate person until an ideal match is found. This 'true match' will be recognized through the Nymphs uncontrollable urge to bite their partner/partners. There is much speculation on what such a mark would look like, as there are no living Nymphs known in the world, it is likely that such knowledge will remain a mystery."
I was mortified, that idea that these two now knew those facts about my nature was too much to bear and coupled with the fact that I was obviously approaching the time of my maturity…
"Oh, don't look so upset my little Nymph. If I hadn't discovered the truth of your origin you would have eventually revealed yourself to me anyway." Riddle smirked, we could both picture how that might have happened. Probably with me throwing myself at his feet in the middle of the Great Hall, 'initiating' myself to him. "I am after all the most powerful wizard in this school, Malfoy is a close second. I wouldn't doubt that he would have been another you bow to."
"I wouldn't!" I could only see red as I looked at Riddle, "I would have locked myself away rather than willingly let you or any of your Knights touch me. I am more than an animal driven by instin—" I stopped short, a hand wrapping itself around my throat and halting the words.
"You are an animal, the only times you find the strength to answer back is when you let the creature side of you come out." Riddle hissed in my face, I didn't know how he had moved so fast. For a moment the tension between Riddle and I filled the room, blocking out Malfoy and destroying all reason. Then he calmed, a visible mask flickered over his face, disguising all thoughts.
"My Lord?" interrupted Malfoy, shifting me in his arms slightly. Perhaps my weight was finally getting to him.
"Pass her to me." Said Riddle, his cold gaze on me.
Eyes wide in shock I took a moment to digest his words, he wanted to carry me?! Even Malfoy seemed taken aback, his chest tensing and arms actually tightening for a moment.
"My Lord?"
Riddle narrowed his eyes, "I suggest you do not make me repeat myself…"
I was almost immediately handed over, except for one little problem, I didn't want to go. Hands that used to despise touching the Malfoy heir suddenly latched onto his robes.
"Come now little Nymph, I know I'm irresistible but surely you can resist," teased the blond bastard, clearly enjoying the fact that I was half in his Master's arms and half in his. We must have looked ridiculous, or I must have, desperately clinging onto one snake while the bigger one tried to take me away.
Riddle sighed in annoyance and squeezed my sides. Immediately my body jumped, they both seemed surprised with the force of my jolt. My hands un-clenched, but before I could grab a hold of him again, Malfoy slid out of my grasp. "Bit sensitive there Mudblood," he joked, leaning back against the stone wall.
"Unsurprising, she is after all a creature originally built for pleasure." The chest beneath me rumbled. I hadn't wanted to acknowledge that I was now in the arms of the 'Dark Lord', kind of impossible not to now. Riddle smirked down at me as I looked up; even from this angle he was disturbingly handsome.
Malfoy watched us stare at one another for a moment; however he was never one to be patient. "Forgive me my lord, but what is the point of this exercise?"
I knew the answer to that already. I had been tortured, touched and tormented by this young man, but never had I been held. Somehow beneath all the layers of his clothes and mine, I could feel something swirling around him; power, pure untapped magical power.
"I can feel it." I felt in a sort of daze, my body twitching.
"What do you feel, Antoinette?" Questioned the young man holding me, his hold on me never faltering.
The answer he was seeking was more for the curious Malfoy heir then for him, he already knew. "I can feel your magic, how?"
"I told you, you are a creature who seeks out the strongest 'protectors'. I happen to be the strongest." As he spoke that small part of me that was able to detect his magic went silent, it and I were exhausted and pained. Riddle must have felt me slump a little in his arms as they tightened to support me more. I couldn't understand why one second he was forcing poison down my throat, and the next he was holding me like I was actually something precious to him.
"She can't sense my magic then?" Malfoy sounded slightly rejected; it must be a rare thing for him to be totally overlooked in anything.
An arm shuffled my head a little so I was looking up; cold eyes bore down into mine. "She is too weak to." Riddle moved a little so he could sit down on the couch in the room, me still in his arms. Rather than sit next to us, Malfoy conjured up a chair and positioned it in front of us, calmly sitting like we were having a normal conversation. "I believe her Nymph side becomes weaker the more she uses particular talents. The Avidus potion probably used up most of her energy, when she is stronger you may test her ability to sense your power." He said it arrogantly, as if knowing it would be nowhere near the strength of his.
Sick of being ignored, I spoke up, "Can I go back to my dormitory now?" even saying that was tiring.
Riddle chuckled; the feeling of his body moving made me flinch away. I still hadn't adjusted to the fact that he was willingly holding me. "If you can walk there, then by all means." He opened his arms; the only thing holding me to him was gone.
Gingerly I pushed myself up, embarrassed to have to use his chest as a brace. Slightly fearful that he might curse me for my insolence in touching him, I breathed a sigh of relief when I was finally in a position to stand. Legs wobbly I braced them on the ground and stood; they collapsed out from under me with the slightest weight. Landing with a grunt on my side between the legs of the two men, I tried to raise myself up, only to fall again. Sobbing in frustration, with fingers clenching and releasing the soft carpet, I lay there waiting for one of them to make a cruel jibe. Instead they made nary a sound as Riddle picked me up again, this time he didn't sit on the couch, he walked over to the large bed and laid me down in the middle of it. Long hair obscuring my vision for a moment, I imagined that I was simply alone in this room, and not surrounded by enemies. A body settled to the left of me and gently brushed my hair away from my face, bringing Abraxus into view.
"I hate you," I ground out. He flinched and looked almost guilty for a moment, before it was swept away under his usual guise of arrogance. Riddle chuckled somewhere to my right, I didn't quite have the energy to move my head to look at him. I felt like I had turned my back on a King Cobra, and it was simply waiting to strike.
"Don't look so forlorn Malfoy; you can't have expected her to actually enjoy what we are doing to her." Gently long fingers tilted my head to the right, forcing me to look unobscured at Riddle. "She won't always hate us, one day she will crave us."
I wanted to scoff, I really did, but I could feel the urge to move closer to him. Having just a taste of him holding me, and feeling his power, made me crave more.
"Now tell me little Nymph, would you rather go to sleep now or have a bath. I am a generous Master, and you must be able to smell your own blood quite strongly."
My legs twitched, testing their own strength, it was getting a little better. "I—I'll have to wash off," nose picking up my own bloody scent and wrinkling in disgust. Slowly I pushed myself up; it took more effort than I care to show on my face. A hand pressed up against my lower back, holding me in place when I swayed a little too far to the right.
"You might require some assistance, Mudblood." Malfoy sounded far too pleased at the idea.
Still horribly embarrassed at the thought of them having already seen me naked, I shook my head, hair tumbled in-front of my eyes as the world spun a little from the sudden motion. Reaching up I held my head and somehow managed to ground out, "No."
As I should have already expected by now, they ignored me.
Hey readers, as you might have guessed there will be some serious SMUT in the next chapter. So here is the main warning, dub'consent! Please don't message me about how wrong it is to write smut or if I am writing it wrong, just close the page and move on if you don't like it
Xoxo
Future
