Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Sanctuary characters.
She was awash in a sea of pain and didn't know how to make it stop. Chills and fever raged through her, yet Lilith was powerless, unable to gain control of her body.
Distantly, she could hear John's concerned voice but the words were jumbled. She was doubled over in the cart as John drove them back to the tent she shared with her master.
She didn't even feel John's arms beneath her when he scooped her up and carried her inside. He placed her on the bed and a vicious knife-like cramp made her scream and curl into a ball.
"Lilith, it'll be alright. I promise."
She moaned, unable to put into words how much she was suffering. She closed her eyes and prayed for death. At least that way she would be freed from her miserable existence.
Something cool was pressed against her forehead and she managed to force her eyes open and look at John. He was very worried, his forehead wrinkled into creases with it.
"S'okay," she managed to get out, though the effort caused more pain in her abdomen.
"Shh, Lass. No more talking. Just rest." John stroked her cheek and repositioned the cold washcloth on her head.
"It hurts a lot, John. Please, make it stop," she whimpered.
"The doctor will be here in a few minutes. You have to bear with it."
She didn't think she could bear with it. The pain was excruciating. She wanted it to be gone. She wanted to forget tonight and everything that had happened.
She heard the rustling of the tent and the familiar chill of her master's arrival washed over her. Normally she'd cower. Tonight she welcome the cold that eased the heat raging in her body.
"Lord Haddock, welcome back."
"Get out."
"My Lord?"
"Get out, John."
"My Lord, the doctor is on the way and I would like to humbly request that I stay and be of assistance to you and Lilith."
"Denied. Leave and tell the doctor her services are not needed."
Lilith moaned her fear and pain. No doctor? Was Master Haddock's fury at her so great that he would deny her help?
John hesitated but hastily fled when Haddock bared his fangs. Lilith watched his retreat and struggled to uncurl her hurting body. She wouldn't be able to survive whatever was wrong with her body and her master's wrath.
When Master Haddock turned and his furious gaze settled on Lilith, she knew she was in deep shit. Unfortunately, her body wasn't cooperating. This was going to be the worst, she could sense it.
She tried to sit up and failed miserably. Haddock stalked toward her. In desperation she tried begging.
Tears rolled her face as she spoke. "Master, please, I beg of you. Forgive me for my failure. I'm sorry. Please!"
He stopped, his gaze raking her from head to toe. He sneered at her and Lilith knew she had failed.
Haddock didn't speak. He simply came around the bed, grabbed her right arm and yanked her off the bed. She hit the floor with a thud and scream while pinpricks of hot pain washed over her.
"Stop your whining." Haddock hauled her to her feet and delivered six backhands to her face.
Lilith saw stars and only whimpers made it passed her bleeding lips. She staggered back a step but was brought up short by Haddock's steel grip on her wrist.
"Where are you going, Pet?"
He jerked hard and Lilith was sent tumbling to the ground, face first. She tried to crawl away from him, his words taunting her.
"Sometimes I think you're a waste of an investment. I mean, really, Pet, you only are good for two things. Singing and a good fuck. And lately, you've sucked at both of them."
She wanted him to disappear. Or she wanted to die. Either option would be better. Between the throbbing in her face and the cramps in her stomach she was in torment.
"Useless."
That one word was her only warning. Haddock grabbed her ankle and pulled her to him. He let go and before she could crawl away, he stomped hard on her left ankle. She heard the crack and then the burning agony of the broken bone rocked her already overloaded body.
"Mercy!" she howled.
"Mercy? Ha! You really are funny, Pet. I'm going to go eat. You stay here and think of a suitable punishment for your abysmal performance tonight. If I don't like what you come up with, I'll get creative."
Through tear-filled eyes, she watched him smirk before leaving the tent. Sobs filled the air as Lilith slowly crawled to the dresser and used it to pull herself upright.
She hopped on one leg to the bed and collapsed on it. A vicious cramp hit and she turned her head and vomited on the floor, barely avoiding getting it on the bed. It was like that was a trigger as several more cramps came, forcing her to vomit each and every time.
Finally, they stopped and she fainted, unable to take the stress any longer.
"Wakey, wakey, Pet."
With a groan, Lilith opened her eyes and froze in terror. Straddling her was her Master.
Unthinkingly, she tried to push him off. He laughed, captured her wrists and squeezed until she yelped.
"Bad Pet. You don't attack your master."
She flinched at the knowing look he gave her. He was going to take her. Inside she screamed her hopelessness to the universe. She was in hell.
"I guess I need to retrain you. No time like the present."
He shifted his hold on her so that his one hand pinned her wrists above her head. She recoiled from his nearness and cried when he ripped her dress, baring her body to the cool evening air.
He trailed a finger from her throat down to her breasts. "You are a mess, Pet. That's alright, I've got the cure to fix you right up. Who needs a doctor when you have your master."
Bile rose in her throat and for one moment she entertained the idea of throwing up on her fastidious master. That would be the only way he'd get off her. Or not.
Haddock leaned down and ground his mouth against hers while painfully squeezing a breast. It hurt! She bucked, trying to get him off her. He simply broke the kiss and chuckled.
"You still have energy to resist me? Well, let's do something about that." He put his face right in hers. "Lilith, I'm going to make you scream. You won't enjoy it, but I will."
Her eyes widened in fear and then she squeezed them closed as Haddock's hand traveled lower. She shut down her mind as the howling began in her head as she retreated from her reality.