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Vampire Academy is not among my list of assets.
Rose POV
The first thing I notice as I slowly wake from slumber, is the warmth surrounding me. I reach my hand up and feel one of those heavy wool blankets that tend to be itchy to bare skin on top of me. Below me is a rather lumpy mattress and a deflated pillow, but they feel like heaven right now. The last thing I remember before falling asleep is being deathly cold and wet. And bitten. That son of a bitch fed off me! I remember trying to fight off his compulsion, but it was too strong. My fingers automatically find the marks on my neck and I shudder as I think about how weak I am. I feel like it's my fault because I couldn't fight him off. I'm Rose Fucking Hathaway for goodness sakes. I need to start acting like it if I'm ever going to get myself out of here.
I remove the blanket from my body as I swing my legs around to the side of the bed. I'm still so tired and hungry. No, not hungry, ravenous. I don't even remember the last time I ate. I also notice that I'm not nauseus, so Stephan must not be close by. Only then do I realize that there is some faint sunlight shining through the dirty window. I stand up on the bed and take a peak outside through the iron bars. The sun is setting, casting shadows on the grass field that is surrounded by forest. Isolated, of course. Looking at the brilliant oranges and pinks lighting up the sky makes me smile, something I don't think I'll be doing much of in the near future.
I don't know why it took me so long, but I finally look to see what I'm wearing. It's a blue long sleeve button up shirt, and that's all aside from my undergarments. At least the shirt is long and goes down to just above my knees. I look around the room and I find myself in an old cell, complete with iron bars, a cot, a rusty radiator and a toilet, which is rather disgusting. I go to the bars and start pulling on them, hoping to find a weakness that I can use to break free. Nope. The metal is still holding strong, even with the rust that is covering it. Crap! I give the bars one last frantic shake in frustration when I hear something fall from above. I look up and see a hole in the brick wall above the bars. The opening is pretty small, but I might be able to squeeze through if I can knock more rock out. I know I don't have much time before Stephan shows up again since the sun is almost done setting.
I put my bare foot on the first rung of horizontal bars on my cage and start climbing to the top. I push against the edges of the hole, trying to remove more pieces of brick to widen it. I manage to get it a little bigger, but not much. Well, here goes nothing. I poke my head through easily, but I know that's not going to be the problem. Next I reach my right arm through and place my hand on the bars on the outside and try to pull my shoulders through the tight opening. Ugh, this hurts. The jagged brick is scraping my right side, even through the cotton material. I grit my teeth to keep from making any noise and alerting my captor of my escape attempt. Finally, my upper body is through and I rest for a second. I grip the bars tight as I try to pull my hips out of the hole. I have to wiggle through, brick cutting into my skin. I ignore the pain searing in my hips and thighs as I free myself. I roll out and land on my feet, back to the bars. I look down and see blood running down my legs from the cuts and scrapes my body received, but I don't have time to worry about that right now. I look down the corridors on either side of me, wondering which way to go. I guess it doesn't really matter, so I just start running down one. The sun has just dipped under the horizon, leaving the building dark and creepy. The floor is covered in dirt and paint chips that have fallen off the wall and the cobwebs everywhere seem to cling to me as I run past. I pass cell after cell until I get to a big iron door at the end of the hall. I pull on the handle and am happily surprised to find it unlocked. Score!
On the other side of the door is a stairwell landing. Now I have to choose to go up or down. Well, since I want to get out, down would be the better option. I fly down the stairs, hit the landing, and go down the next flight. I only stop when I see a blue payphone on the wall. Oh thank god! I run to it and pick up the receiver only to see that it's not even connected to the phone anymore. Nice. I slam the receiver back up and look at the phone more closely and notice the phone number on it, (814) 867-5309. I repeat it over and over to myself so that if I get in contact with Adrian again, hopefully they can track it down and find me. At least I know I'm still in the US since it has a Ma Bell label on it.
I continue to go down the stairs when my Stirgoi alarm goes off. Shit! I stop where I am and turn back around to go back up the stairs. I tip toe as quietly as I can so he, or they, don't hear me, but quickly too. As I go higher and higher, I check any door I see to find an escape or hiding space, but nothing. The nausea is lessening the higher I go, which is a relief, until I get back to the floor I originally started at. I peek through the little window in the big iron door to see if anyone's come to visit me yet and I see two Strigoi, a male and female arguing in front of my cell. I think someone's got some explaining to do to Stephan when he finds hears I got out. I don't intend on going back in there, so I hightail it up the stairs, hopefully to a way out of this place. I find another door unlocked that leads to the roof. Once on the roof, I run around looking for something, anything that will get me out of here. I was hoping for a fully fueled airplane, complete with pilot, waiting for me, but no such luck. All that is up here is an old water tower and a few sky lights. Well, that's not going to help. I walk over to the edge and look down. I must be up at least fifteen stories. I grasp the ledge tightly, feeling a little light headed as I comprehend the distance between me and the ground. Falling from this high might hurt a bit. I take a trip around the edge, looking for a fire escape to take me down.
When I finally see the hand rails to the ladder, I get so excited I let out a squeal as I run toward it. My happiness at my discovery soon fades when I find that the ladder is only about six feet long. That's not going to help. I can't believe this. So close, yet so far away. I sit on the ledge and hold my head in my hands as I try to figure a way out of here. I can't go back down the stairs because I'm sure there are at least two Strigoi looking for me. I can't get off the roof unless I want to fall to my death. What is a girl to do? Maybe I'll just have to hide in the water tower until daylight and try to sneak out again.
I get up to walk over to the tower when I hear the door that leads back into the building open up. Well hell, I can't get to the tower without being seen. Now what? I look back at the ladder and figure it's that or nothing. I climb down as far as I can and sqeeze myself between the building and the ladder, hiding myself a little better. I lay my forehead on a rung and close my eyes as I focus on keeping my breathing even and quiet. Oh Adrian, how I wish I was with you, cuddled up on my couch watching some cheesy movie together. I can hear footsteps getting closer and closer. My heartbeat increases as the distance between them and me gets shorter.
"I know she's up here somewhere. I can smell her blood." the male says. I take a peek at my legs and see blood running down from the scrapes I suffered crawling through the hole in the wall.
"Go check the water tower. I'll bet she's stupid enough to trap herself in there." I can sense the amusement in the females voice as she orders the other to investigate. Now I'm glad I didn't go with that plan, not that this is much better. I stay as still as possible for what seems like hours when the male shouts from inside the old tank.
"She's not here. Where could she have gone?" He sounds like his patients is wearing thin, not that Strigoi are known for having much anyway.
"Maybe she wised up and figured out that the only way she's getting out of here is death. Check the ground below for her body." Oh shit! They're surely going to see me if they look over the edge. There's nothing else for me to do but wait until my hiding spot is discovered. I wonder what they'll do to me when they find me. Maybe I shouldn't think about that right now. I can feel the sweat running down the side of my face, which is odd since it's actually very cool out.
"I know you didn't throw yourself off the building guardian. I can smell your fear. You should be afraid." the male taunts. "Come out now and we won't tell Stephan you escaped. You don't want to anger him. It'll just be more painful to you in the end." It sounds like he's trying to save his own ass more than mine. Besides, I don't think Stephan plans on going easy on me no matter what I do. So I stay still and wait for them to find me themselves. Maybe I'll get lucky and they'll pass right on by, not seeing me.
"Well, well, well." the female sings right above me. I look up and see her looking down, her blond curls hanging by the sides of her smiling face. "Looky what we have here. Thought you could get away, huh? Now, get your ass back up here." Yeah, like I'm going to listen to you.
"Screw you! You want me, you can come get me." I figure I'm either going to fall to my death, or be tortured to death. And there's no way in hell I'm going to be Stephan's bloodwhore. I hear her growl in frustration as she paces back and forth on the roof. The door to the roof opens and more footsteps join the others.
"Why is it that when I go to visit my guest, I find her cell empty?" Ooh, he sounds pissed. While those two try to explain themselves to Stephan, I look down and see that the rung below my feet is broken, half of it still hanging on. I use my foot to see if I can loosen it up so that maybe I can break it off and use it as a weapon. I put as much weight as I can on it, and I feel it give way. Now I just have to get myself closer so I can grab it, and I'm already wedged in here as it is. So I squeeze myself back to the outside of the ladder so I can squat down and pull it the rest of the way off. Yes, it worked! The end is pretty sharp and ragged, not a nice point like a stake, but it'll work. I'm not being too quiet since they already know where I am, but I don't want to get their attention back just yet. I get back into my original position, bar in hand, and wait.
The ladder starts to vibrate and I look up to see the male climbing down the ladder. He gets down level to me and gives me an evil smile. "Times up. You've had your fun, but now..." I stop him from finishing his sentence with a sharp metal rod stabbed in his heart. I know it won't kill him since it's not silver, but it will get him off the ladder. I watch as his eyes close and his body goes limp and releases it's hold on the ladder. His body takes only few seconds to hit the ground below. It lands with a sickening thud, causing me to grip the rungs tighter. Now what I'm I going to do? I just lost my only weapon and there are still at least two Strigoi left up there.
"Oh Rose, must you kill all my followers? Do you know how hard it is to find good help these days?" Stephan asks irritated from up above.
"Well, stop sending them after me and I'll stop killing them." What the hell does he expect me to do?
"What are you going to do now Rose? You can't hide on this ladder forever. Eventually you'll need to get off and come back up, and when you do, you'll be mine again." He has a point, not that I'll ever admit that to him.
"Well, I figure you can't stay on the roof forever either. The sun will come out tomorrow. Bet your bottom dollar that tomorrow, there'll be sun." I sing. I hear him growl up above. I guess he doesn't like my singing. The ladder shakes again and I look up expecting the female to be making her attempt, but it's Stephan. I guess his patients wore out. I try to kick and push him off the ladder, but his grip is too strong. He grabs my arm so hard, I'm think the bone is on the verge of breaking. He pulls me closer to him and looks right in my eyes. Oh no. He's using compulssion again. I put up my walls, but again, they don't seem to be able to keep him out. He's just too old and powerful for me to defend against right now.
"Rose, you're going to climb back up the ladder where it is safe." he says calmly.
"Yes, that sounds like a good idea." I hear myself say. He climbs back up with me following. He extends his hand when I get to the top and he helps me up and over the ledge. As soon as I am back on the roof top, realization of what he did comes over me. "Damn it!" I really need to stop letting him do that to me. I look around and see that Stephan didn't come up alone. There are about ten Strigoi standing around watching me. Stephan looks back over his shoulder and two really big ones come over and each grab an arm. I struggle to get out of their grip, but it doesn't seem to be helping.
"Stop fighting my Pretty Dhampir, it'll do you no good. Take her back and chain her up." he orders. That doesn't sound good. My two handlers drag me to another cell and lock my wrists and ankles in shackles chained to the wall. This room has no window. The only light is coming from a few candles flickering on the floor. I am able to move my arms and legs, but not much. Stephan follows us in the cell once my restraints are in place and stands in front of me, smirk on his face. "I knew you'd be a handful, and you don't disappoint. You're like a wild horse that needs to be broken, and I will break you." Who the hell does he think he is? The Rose whisperer?
"Many have tried, all have failed." I say even though that's not entirely true. Dimitri had a huge effect on my behavior, but he doesn't need to know about that. Stephan chuckles at my response.
"Oh, don't worry, you'll come around to my way of thinking soon enough. You just need a few days to think about it. A few days without sleep will give you plenty of time to ponder your current situation and see reason." He turns and walks away with most of the Strigoi following. One remains to watch over me. I guess after last time, they don't trust that I won't find a way to escape. I try to wiggle my wrists out of the bindings, but I just end up shredding up the skin more. If I can't fall asleep, how am I going to talk to Adrian? Of all the punishments he could come up with, this is the worst.
I stand chained to the wall all night long. The only reprieve I get is when I'm unlocked for a potty break, which is really embarrassing. My eyelids are starting to get so heavy and my body is starting to ache with exhaustion. I feel my head drop in sleep but a punch to my gut brings me back around. I wake up and start coughing. That hurt. I open my eyes to see the Strigoi that sucker punched me walk back over to the opposite wall and lean up against it. He takes out a cigarette and lights it up. This act brings back thousands of memories of Adrian. A tear flows down my cheek as I think of him. I've got to fall asleep just long enough to give him the phone number so they can come get me out of here. "Hey, you know those aren't good for you. You can get lung cancer smoking those things." I tell my watcher. He lets out a small laugh as he takes a long drag.
"I don't think that in my condition I need to worry about cancer." he says. "It's nice to know you care, though." He reminds me so much of Adrian, it's scarry. Maybe I just need to deal with him like I would Adrian.
"You don't strike me as the follower type. You seem more like a leader to me." He eyes me intently, probably trying to figure out what I'm up to. "It's a shame Stephan's in your way. I'll tell you what I'll do for you. You help me out and I won't kill you when I escape. Then you can be in charge of your little group here." He laughs as he walks up closer to me. He takes another drag of his cigarette and blows the smoke in my face. Asshole!
"Really. What is it you want me to do to help you out? Unlock you and show you to the front door?" he sounds amused.
"No, nothing that direct. I just need to get a little nap, say ten minutes. Surely you can look the other way for a bit." I give him my best smile as he thinks it over.
"And what do I get in return?" he asks looking me up and down. His eyes on me like that makes my skin crawl, but I do my best not to show it.
"I already told you. I'll let you live when I get out of here." Apparently he doesn't have faith that I'll be leaving on my own accord anytime soon.
"That means nothing to me. I want something more. Something...sweeter." he says as he runs his fingers over my neck. Oh yuck. Considering all my options, I don't really have a choice.
"Fine, but just a taste. If you kill me, Stephan will be torturing you in my place. And if you don't abide to your end of the deal, I'll make sure Stephan knows exactly what you did. I don't think he'll take too kindly to you drinking from his well." The Strigoi ponders this for a second, and then moves my hair out of the way. I close my eyes and wait. The pain from his bite shoots through me, followed by the bliss of the endorphins. The next thing I know, I'm in Adrian's Grandmother's garden. I know I don't have much time so I start shouting for him to show himself.
"Rose!" he shouts behind me. He runs up and tackles me in a huge embrace. He pulls away and attacks my lips with such intensity, I can feel his worry and anxiety through the kiss. I pull away since I don't have much time to relay my message.
"No time. I have some information to help find me." I see him eyeing the bites on my neck and he looks pissed. I put my hand on the side of his face and make him look me in the eyes. "Don't worry about that. I'm fine." I can feel the dream start to fade already and I know I'm being woken up. "Adrian. 8148675309." I yell as I fade away. I just hope he got it all and can figure out what it means.
I wonder if Adrian got the entire message. Does the phone number sound familiar? If you know where I got it, review and let me know. Review anyway and let me know how you think the story is progressing so far. Thanks for reading.