Chapter 18: Red House

I screamed as he lunged at me. I dodged such that he missed me by inches, but I knew it was only because that was the way he wanted it.

"I'll say it again," he said, "Smart girl. Still, it won't do you any good here."

I began to back up again, though the fear of taking my eyes off him kept me from seeing where I was going. He followed me nonchalantly, eyes flashing as he rid himself of his shirt. My stomach was somewhere around my toes at this point.

It took less than a second for him to grab me – he pulled me up against his chest and then spun me around, an iron arm around my waist. He pulled my hair to the side and ran his cold fingers up my neck. I shivered…this couldn't be happening! How did I get myself into this? All rational thought had been replaced by deep primal fear.

He leaned over my shoulder, brushing my bare neck with nose and ice cold lips. I had become the mouse. And he was toying with me. I could barely give out a murmur of "Stop…"

He simply laughed. Then before I could even think to react he had pushed up the sleeve of my t-shirt and torn into the flesh of my shoulder with his fangs. I cried out, tears of pain streaming down my face. He pulled back and I could feel the warmth of the blood that still poured from the wound snaking down my arm. He ran his tongue back to my shoulder like Brutus had done with my palm. Revolted, I had to turn my head away; even if it did leave my neck open for attack.

Then he did something I never would have expected. He began to call other vampires into the room.

The lock clicked open again and a line of them came through the door. Holding me firmly in place he beckoned them forward. They bared their fangs in anticipation. My brain must have shut down, or maybe it was the loss of blood; I was entering a dream-like state. They came one at a time, handling my arms as though they were looking for the choicest place to bite. I cried out with every one, making them laugh sinisterly. Soon both my arms were covered wrist to shoulder in puncture wounds. I felt so weak, the man wasn't holding me back so much as he was holding me up.

After the last vampire had finished and left the lock clicked again. The man carried me to a chaise and laid me down.

Still crying and head swimming, I managed to ask again, "Why are you doing this to me?"

I must have sounded so very pathetic; he looked at me with something akin to pity.

"I'm not doing this to you," he said, that same mock innocence Lestat liked to use in his eyes. "It is your friend Lestat that has done this to you."

"No," I insisted in my delirium, "He wouldn't do that."

"Oh, but he has. He knew we would come for you, but he did nothing to protect you."

"No," I said again, sounding more and more childish. My fear, my anguish, my pain were all making me revert to a child-like state.

"Let go, my dear, forget him. Hate him." He was stroking my hair; I couldn't even gather the energy to turn my head away. I just wanted to disappear; I was disgusted, with myself, with Lestat, with the man sitting before me. But he hadn't finished with me yet.

He undressed me and I had no power to stop him. He carried me to the bed and I couldn't even struggle. He raped me and all I could do was shut my eyes as tightly as possible and wish for it all to end. When he was finally done I was covered with bite marks from head to toe. I passed out with him still looming over me.

When I regained consciousness the room was dark. It took a few minutes for my eyes to adjust. I was still sprawled out on the bed; I almost screamed when I felt a hand on my stomach and realized it was him. I tried to sit up a little but my body was still weak. I rolled over slowly, praying he wouldn't wake up. Somehow I managed to make it off the bed and into the corner of the room. Everything hurt. I let the tears flow anew and pulled my knees to my chest feeling as though I would never be clean again.

I'd fallen into another sort of stupor when the door opened. I didn't move. I didn't care what happened anymore. I closed my eyes and felt a sheet fall over my naked body. I lost consciousness again as someone lifted me into their arms and carried me out of the room.