Pleasurable Venom
Chapter 12: Yawn
The morning found me sprawled out on the floor of the bathroom, the steam having cooled and the light of day sneaking under the door and over the tiled floor. Blinking awake, I registered my surroundings, breathing out a small sigh of relief. When I first woke up, I was afraid the rough fabric under me was another bag of sorts but it comfortably turned out to be the small bed of towels I had put together before falling asleep.
A sharp but crisp knock sounded against the door and I jumped out of my skin. My pulse skipped a beat and I bit my lip from letting out a small peep. "Miss? Lady Belford?" The poison filled words spilt from the butler's mouth and drew a thin hiss from my mouth. He had no right to call me by name. Though it was accompanied by a formality, it still didn't change the fact that I didn't like him calling me by anything binding. A name was one of the most binding things any being could have. Creatures of myth cherished their given names and so did humans. We responded to the call of them no matter what. I swallowed down a second hiss. "Yes?" I managed to speak clearly given it was a little quiet. It was loud enough to be heard from the other side of the door, if not just a tad rough.
"Ah, for a moment I was beginning to get worried you had fallen and hit your head. My master has ordered me to assist you in your morning practices. If you are uncomfortable with being helped by a male, we do have a maid that could help you." He offered. It took my mind a moment to shift through the left over fog of sleep. That would include getting dressed. Breakfast more then likely, and maybe makeup. I didn't wear makeup, so no, not that. The thoughts came to me in sluggish strings. I blinked once then rubbed my eyes. So getting dressed and breakfast?
The light shuffle of fabric reminded me of the man awaiting a response. "I don't require anything. I will be out in just a moment, Master Butler." I hurried to respond and stand on unsteady legs. My skin stretched and peeled off other skin, in places my arms or legs were lying on each other. A light film of perspiration covered my forehead. A mix of my sweat and steam, I guessed. My hands went to pat down my slightly crunched dress, a small frown playing at my lips. I should have been more careful not to wrinkle it. Undertaker probably paid quite a lot for it. Undertakers light laughter and kind smile filled my head. A strong yearn to see him spilled through my veins, filing each nerve with miss. Yes, I have grown attached to the human male. Something I thought I would never do. He wasn't a mate, and he wasn't family. The confusion brushed away some of the miss but the undertones stayed.
I undid my braid and once again plaited it. The long strands felt soft in between my fingers. A large contrast from it looking like liquid metal.
My hand opened the door and showed the butler standing outside the door. I had briefly hoped he was gone after I told him I didn't need help. His face proved to be effective in blackening my mood and I couldn't muster up any effort to hide my displeased expression.
A small smirk crossed his lips and was quickly masked by the smile I hated, drawing a worse frown from myself. "Good morning, Miss Belford. This morning I have prepared a dish of poached eggs, sausage, buttered toast, if you would rather, I also have Manchester tarts, as well as apple porridge and Twining's tea. Is that to your liking?" I continued to glare at the master butler for a moment. The tarts were the only thing I found appetizing by the options but my stomach was a little less then half full and I didn't want to fill up on sweets when I could benefit by eating something healthier. I didn't really want to eat anything Sebastian made, but at the same time I didn't want to risk getting captured again and not having as full of a stomach as I could. The different sides of the argument in my head weighed each other. If I got to Undertaker's before I got kidnapped again, I would be able to eat my fill of food I trusted. If I didn't and somehow I got taken before I got there, then I would be closer to starving then I would be if I ate here. I had a feeling it wouldn't be put past Sebastian to get me somehow in trouble or otherwise in a bad situation on 'accident'. My gaze found a patch of carpet, and I zoned out in deep thought.
"I want to get to my home as soon as possible. I can eat there." I curtly snap at the butler. Something just grated at my defensiveness around the man. I hated him for no reason at all. Just that he gave me a really bad feeling. He seemed to not be bothered in the slightest that I nearly growled at him and simply bowed. "Yes, of course." I scowled openly at him as he straightened. Naturally, a predator bluffs off another predator by pretending to be stronger then what it was. I certainly was the smaller predator and by now I was more then likely found out by the larger one in the room.
"Right, this way." He turned and walked past me. I blankly noticed the space he left between us. Just about four feet. The back of the butler did nothing to calm my instincts but it eased my edgy nerves. If he wanted to attack me he would have to turn and attack, I would see him coming. I silently followed the tailcoat through twisting halls. My eyes never left the black outfit leading me, I was tense and moved with grace. Soon, we came to the front doors, they were more intimidating from the inside. They wanted me to stay, I didn't want to though. I found my brows drawn in a tight knot. This house was a den. I could tell if I made it out alive, I was a lucky woman. It did nothing more then get me to fidget with my fangs, running my tongue over them and biting at my lips. The butler opened a single door, bowing and once again gesturing for me to exit first. The common movement of a butler looked like a dare from this human. He knew he was bigger then me, stronger, faster, better.
I swallowed then kept my chin up as I walked across the threshold of the manor. Briefly I wondered where the head of the house was. Sleeping? No, it was far too late for that. I would put him in his study, it seemed like the type of place the Earl spent a lot of time in. I began down the steps once I heard the doors shut behind me, a small sense of hope filling me. I would be seeing the Undertaker soon. The Earl did not strike me as one who let people go often. Wasn't there supposed to be more questions? He was letting me walk out of the front doors, with the aid of his butler. I froze.
I just walked out of the front doors, with his butler behind me. Why would he let a witness, a hostage who has the potential to give him additional clues to his prey, just walk away? This didn't make sense. He hunted people. He needed me for something. He needed me to lead him to them. Why was he letting me go? My feet turned and I spun to face the manor with wide eyes. My vision scanned the building, searching the windows. This wasn't adding up. The butler was there, smiling, smirking. Perfect. It wasn't new but it rang a different tone in my head. Something was going on that I didn't know about, something that I was involved in and it was something that was allowing me to just walk away. Strings, where were the strings. I caught the swish of dark blue in one of the windows above me. The Earl stood observing me. Watching, learning. He was hunting, not me but something else. I bit my lip and growled to myself. Why couldn't I put it together?
Think….just think…
The Earl is a hunter, a person who preys on other people. He was clever, knew how to get to things he wanted to and get his hands on evidence he needed to back up himself. A guard dog of...what? What was he protecting? I will figure that out later. He didn't know me before I was found in the basement. Do you know where they are now? He had asked me if I knew where Adrian and Roanna were. They are his prey. He was looking for them. What did I have to deal with them? I answered honestly,...unless…..unless he assumed I was lying. If he thought I was lying, then I became his prey whether or not I had to deal with the people he was hunting. He wanted, needed more information. I crafted my features. Turning them into a mask. He wanted my captors. He needed me to lead me to them. To show him what he needed. I didn't have what he needed but, if he thought I did, then I did. To him I was the key. A very valuable key. If he needed information from me, he wouldn't hurt me. He couldn't until he got it. I was coated in a layer of immunization from him as long as he thought I had information he needed.
This complicated things...a lot. I could go with it. I could play him and the butler. That could end very badly though. No, I won't play that card. Not unless it was life or death. I turned back to the drive in. A carriage that I hadn't noticed before sat at the bottom of the stairs. The same one as last night. I took a breath and allowed Sebastian to brush past me. He opened the door to the cabin and helped me into it, this time there wasn't any hesitation to take his hand. I sat down in the same spot I had before. The pillows inside were arranged differently but that was expected.
I quietly listened as the door was shut and then a neigh from the horses. I hadn't heard sebastian climb into the driver's seat. He seemed impossibly weightless. Just like the stairs in my initial release from the basement. The carriage gave a weak jerk and we began the journey back into London.
Pushing aside the curtains, I watched as the manor disappeared slowly. I watched the Earl in the window for as long as possible and when the building faded from view, I returned the curtains to their places. I was in a dangerous situation. One I shouldn't be in. Where I should be is the Doctor's home. I didn't know where that was so instead I occasionally glanced out to windows for signs we were nearing Undertakers. I didn't say a word to either the Earl nor the butler about the shop the Undertaker lived in, so I didn't know how either of them would know where to go. I supposed I would have to alert Sebastian when we were near.
Taking another glance out the curtains, I spotted the market, Undertaker and I had shopped at before. The vendors were loaded with good and advertisements for services. I quickly hit at the top of the carriage roof. Abruptly, the horse drawn vehicle skirted to a stop and without a sound from the butler, the door was opened. "Yes Miss Belford?" As always his eyes smiled and perfection laced his actions. "I know where I am. I can manage getting home from here, butler." I informed him, not wanting him to know the exact location of my residence. The Earl was a dangerous man. I did not want to lead him to the Undertaker's doorstep. This was a mess I needed to deal with.
"I am more then capable of bringing you all the way there, Miss. Are you sure you want to walk to rest fo the way?" He pushed for me to stay. I nodded and he gave me a slight bow. "Very well." His gloved hand reached into the carraig to assist me in getting out and I gulped before taking it, for hopefully the last time. I stepped onto the cobblestone and breathed in new scents. Looking around for a moment I eyed a small street. A familiar one. I turned back to the master butler and nodded to him. "Send thanks to your master for allowing me to stay and providing a way back home, please." I thought of the little Earl. He was kind even if he didn't seem it, it didn't change the fact he was most certainly dangerous still but he had a gentler side. The butler nodded and I watched his tailcoat flutter as he stepped up onto the driver's seat. Without a glance, Sebastian whipped the reins and the carriage pulled away, back down the street and away from me.
I waited a moment and turned sharply towards the little empty street. My feet took off at a impressive speed, throwing me down the road and towards Undertakers. I couldn't wait any longer. I was so close. I couldn't. I needed to make sure he was okay. Gasping I stopped and fell to my knees. Coughs raked through my lungs, burning them. I counted a few seconds and as soon as I was able I stood again. My feet resuming their pace. I catch the newly painted coffin out front of the black wooden door. Tears sting my eyes. Undertaker….
I breathed out and almost slammed into the door in my rush to get in. The doorknob rattled but didn't open and I growled. I twisted it this way and that way, jerking it and shaking ti but it didn't let up under my movements. I bit my lip and slumped against the door. It was locked. Of course it was locked. Tears ran down my face, hot and angry. I should have come home earlier. I needed to see the mortician. How long had it been? One day at the Doctors, one, six felt about right for the basement, seven, then about a day at the Earl's, eight. Eight days, I had been gone for. That was an awfully long time.
Did Undertaker even care? Was he glad I was gone? Has he moved on from me? Each thought stung at me. I must not think like that. He was probably just out. Sighing, I curled up in front of the door, the most obvious and likely to be noticed place. I wasn't scared to be seen like this. Undertaker was a mortician. He dealt with the dead, and a body by his door shouldn't be surprising at all. I was wearing clothing, rich clothing at that, so maybe it might have looked weird but wit barely anyone around, I shouldn't have stood out at all. Yes, I would wait for Undertaker.