Warning: This story is very dark. It's rated for a reason. Some chapters will be fairly disturbing.

Nonetheless, you should still R&R.

Disclaimer: I am poor and I own nothing.

The pale, red headed girl was thrown down onto the cold and very hard stone floor. Her hands were bound with a tight cord that cut into her wrists painfully and her eyes were blindfolded. Terrified, she could do naught but lie there for a moment, her body rigid with fear.

"Ah, such a pretty one.." A cold, haunting voice drifted to her ears, a deep honey-baritone that made her cringe. He ripped the tape covering her mouth off in one swift motion, and Esther cried out as her skin was ripped at. "Who are you?" She whimpered softly, sounding pathetic and weak.

The voice laughed, sending chills down her spine. "That's nothing of your concern, pretty. But you may refer to me as Master." He removed the blindfold from her eyes. He was a cruelly handsom, brunette man, tan and slender. And from this angle on the floor, she felt very small. His hair ran just past his waist. And those eyes.. His violet eyes burned themselves a place in her memory. "I'll return later, to check up on you. Master doesn't want his pets to get cold." With that, he let out a menacing laughter and left her.

She took a look around. It was a completely depressing room. The stone walls, stained with a strange substance, seemed exhausted, as if they had seen too many horrific things in their lifetime. There were no windows, just a small hole to let in air up by the ceiling, and the door seemed invisible, as if it were just another piece of stone. A strong sense of clausterphobia washed over her; the room was terribly small. There were shackles, stained with the same substance that was on the walls, in a far corner. She crawled over to one of the walls, observing the substance closer.

Horrified, she scooted away from it to the middle of the room. It was blood. Old blood caked on to the walls, as if an insane painter created a piece of murderous art on the cool stone, having no specific idea where or what he was painting. A wave of nausea crashed through her stomach, and the bile was trying so hard to come up..

Where she was exactly, she had not the slightest clue, nor did she remember how she had gotten here. She hardly remembered anything, for that matter. only bits and pieces..

-FLASHBACK-

'Here it is!' Abel exclaimed with a huge arm-gesture. It was a small inn on the outskirts of Naples,painted white and surrounded by trees. It was an adorable little place. 'Beautiful, isn't it?' She nodded, letting a smile sweep over her soft pink lips.

'So, where are we supposed to meet..erm..this guy again?' Esther shivered. It was freezing. Abel turned to her, mouth agape. 'Esther! Don't talk that way about him! He is not just some guy, he is a very important witness, so please treat him with respect and call him by his name!' Esther giggled, still smiling, and looked up to him. 'Alright, alright, I'll be nice to 'the guy.' ' She stuck out her tongue at him, causing him to smile slightly.

They walked to the front desk, requesting a room. 'With two beds, please.' The innkeeper made a face. 'I'm so sorry sir, the only available room only has one bed. All the festival-goers came earlier to take the two-bedded ones.' Abel scratched the back of his head. 'Oh, ok then, just give us what you have.' The innkeeper smiled and nodded, handing them the key.

Abel turned to her, slightly blushing. She giggled as they walked up to the room. Not only did a two bedded room have two beds, it was larger as well, giving them more space. It seems, however, that she and Abel would be closer than expected.

'Alright. You take the bed and I'll..' He searched around the small room. 'I'll sleep on the floor, it seems.' He shivered.

Esther thought for a moment, a blush painting her cheeks a cherry red. 'Or maybe.. You could sleep in the... and I would too, but we wouldn't.. and it'd just be.. you know, warm and.. Uhm...' She stopped speaking. Whether what she had been trying to say even made sense in Abel's ears, she didn't know. He swallowed down a lump in his throat."Well.. since it's only because we only have one bed and it's frightfully cold.." He was just as red as she was.

And when the time came, they did sleep in the same bed.

They made it vital that they both face different ways.

But, compared to the cold, Abel's body heat felt pleasant against her back.

She shivered despite the blanket. The December chill cut through to the bone, even inside of the small inn's walls. Abel fell asleep soon, his soft snoring a light sound in the otherwise quiet room, however she just could not get a wink of sleep. She tried not thinking about the cold. That proved useless. She tried counting sheep, but she kept imagining them in little scarves and sweaters, which only made her giggle. Maybe if she just tried to relax...

Warmth flooded her body as Abel unconciously turned and pulled her closer to him, wrapping his arms around her waist tight. 'Esther..' He breathed. She reddened to an interesting shade of dark crimson. Is he.. dreaming of me? She tensed out of embarrassment, and nervousness, and possibly every other emotion known to man.

But, as flushed as she was, wrapped up in a blanket of Abel's warmth... It actually felt.. nice. And only a few moments later, she was relaxed and sleeping soundly.

However, she awoke to the feeling of someone picking her up. This person was cold, nothing like Abel.

Pain shot through her like claws through her back. Her eyes shot open. There were claws in her back. They imbedded themselves deep inside her and raked upward. She screeched as the claws were violently jerked out. Abel awoke quickly, all grogginess lost in his frantic awakening, and reached for his gun. He aimed it at the Methuselah. 'Unhand her this instant you foul demon!' The vampire laughed as blood oozed out of Esther's wound, trickling down her small back at a horrifying pace. And then, there were claws at her throat, his disturbing violet eyes dancing. 'And who is going to make me?'

Abel pulled the trigger; Nothing. He pulled it again, but the vampire had emptied his gun of ammo. He leaned forward as if he were going to leap on the Esther's captor. 'Move only if you wish her to die.' Abel stood statue still, afraid to hardly breath. Transforming into a Krusnik would jeopordize her life. Another Methuselah stalked in the room, grinning. 'It's all taken care of. Let's go.' Esther's captor backed away from Abel and out the door. He lunged for the vampire, ready to beat him down with his gun.

But the other one took out his gun.

He aimed precicely, wanting to strike vital muscles. He shot Abel through the chest once, and through his right leg. Abel hissed at the pain as he fell to his knees. The vampire kneeled down until he was face to face with Abel. 'Don't worry, priest.' He said in a mocking tone. 'We won't kill her. But we will most definately break her in. I hope it makes you feel better, knowing that you failed her.' Esther struggled in her captors grasp, tears flowing down her cheeks mercilessly. 'Abel!'

'Es...ther..'

And then she was blindfolded.

-END FLASHBACK-

She curled herself up into a ball, warm tears stinging her cerulean eyes. It was freezing down here. All she wanted was Abel's warmth to protect her. The pain in her back was overwhelming, as was the fear in her heart.

It grew dark in the room fast, a sign the sun was going down. The only light source was the small hole. At least she wouldn't suffocate.

And then the tears spilled over. She rocked back and forth, her small frame shaking violently as she sobbed. She didn't even know for sure if Abel was even alive. Was there any hope?

She jumped when she heard the painful and fear stricken screams of a woman who, she assumed, was in one of the rooms next to her. She was screaming out in what sounded like German.

What were they doing to that poor woman?

She swallowed hard, a large lump forming in her throat.

What will they do to me...?

After a few minutes of noise, the screams suddenly stopped, and a few minutes after that, the stone-like door creaked as it was pushed open. The violet eyed man grinned as she backed into a a bloody corner. "Now, now, pretty. Don't be afraid. I won't hurt you." His cruel laughter filled the room, echoing off the walls. He held a silver tray in his hands. He slowly walked up to her and placed it opn the floor. "Just something to eat. Master doesn't like hip bones stabbing him when he plays with his toys." He reached down to pet her head, but she flinched away. He grabbed a handful of red locks and pulled hard. "Master doesn't like it when his pets do things like that. Do not dare try to hide from him, for he will always catch you." He let go of her hair and stroked her face. "Now, eat before it get's cold." He stood back and folded his arms, watching her expectantly.

Reluctantly, she picked up the small spoon on the tray and dipped it in a bowl full of what apreared to be beef stew. She watched him carefully as she ate, afraid. When she finished she curled up into a ball, still watching him, her eyes puffy from the continuous stream of tears that had been falling since he arrived.

He smiled, as if satisfied, and picked up the tray. Suddenly, Esther began to feel drowsy. With all her will, she tried to fight it, but it felt as if she was being pulled hard into oblivion. The violet eyed man turned to watch her as he left the room, that satisfied smile still on his cruel face. "Sleep, pretty. Sleep for Master."

The world went black.

A/N: Push that happy button and show an author some love. :D