Hmm…so I'm thinking that Will's POV didn't go down as well as I'd hoped. But in my defence it is my first time of doing his POV so maybe a bit more practice and it will be better, yes? Positive thinking is what I need right? Or is it a case of wishful thinking, lol? Anyway…

Chapter 7 –Preparation.

Chapter start.

Tessa POV.

I walked, although I do believe wobbled would be a better description, down the cold stone corridor before the demon showing me to my room took a sharp left and then a sharp right which led us to a flight of uninviting stone steps.

Scooping up what was left of my tattered ball gown I obediently trailed up the steps, my bare feet sore and freezing. The hard steps felt like ice against my bruised soles.

My room was large yet plain. It wasn't a home. It wouldn't ever be a home, let alone my home. A small bed was shoved in the corner of the sickly yellow room and a vanity table was shoved against the opposite wall.

A tiny bared window was positioned quite high up, easily over my head, smack bang in the middle of the wall opposite the faded wooden door.

Faded curtains hung pathetically at the window, and the floor was a grubby cream carpet with a frayed yellow rug in the middle.

The demon lashed his body round and grabbed my elbow, tugging me into the room and throwing me roughly onto the bed. I collapsed against it, my legs finally giving out and a sob like cough escaped my throat.

"Maid will be soon." It grunted, before leaving the room, dragging its overly long arms along the floor, like a bear drags its paws.

The door slammed shut with a deafening eerie sound before fading to silence, promising unhappiness and doom for the rest of the days I spent here.

Now I was alone I could finally break down. I buried my dirty face in a pillow that stank of a musty odour and dust and I sobbed. My body convulsed in harsh jerks and I could hardly breath from the force of the sobs leaving my body. I curled myself up into a protective ball and cried until I had no more tears.

It hurt. God, it hurt.

And it was unbelievable.

Every time I squeezed my eyes shut tightly and thought I had just about got a handle on my emotions I would see his beautiful face smirk at me and repeat those heart-shattering words.

"Needs must Tessa honey…"

He used me. I was just a tool to him.

Well I'll be damned if I didn't prove him wrong. I was going to show him that I was more than just a tool. More than just a worthless piece of machinery that could be used to achieve something and then discarded carelessly.

My arms were slick with tears by the time I looked up. I could feel my eyes all swollen and red. I scrubbed a hand furiously across my face.

Now that the sorrow and shock had been forced out of my body a blinding anger took its place.

A white-hot fire that blazed within my chest, burning and threatening.

It was malicious and hungry for destruction.

I would have preferred to tear Will's head off his shoulders but since I couldn't do that (right now anyway) I settled from destroying the room.

My teeth were pressed together so tightly a throbbing ache had began pounding in my jaw, but I was to angry to register the pain enough to care about it.

I jerked myself off the bed and I dived at the window, reaching and clawing my way up the wall like a mad woman, tearing at the ghastly curtains with my ragged nails.

They fluttered down from the pole, and I scrunched them up in my hand, swinging my hands round and letting them go. They flew to opposite ends of the room, landing hap-hazardly; one on the floor, the other half on, half off the bed.

Yes. I grinned bitterly at the seen. Now they look exactly like I feel; tossed away without a second thought.

Anger continued to control my body, and I remained blind to its possessive control until I finally punched the solid brick wall and I heard the sickening crunch as my knuckles snapped under the pressure.

It took me a moment to actually register what happened, and even then it took me another moment to stagger back into the vanity table and slowly sink to the floor.

I blinked a few times before letting a little squeak of pain strangle on my lips.

This hurt to. A lot.

But not as much as what Will was hurting me.

Nowhere near.

I clutched my hand to my stomach and curled my torso over it, deluding myself into thinking that this could stop the pain.

I drew my knees up to my chest and let my head drop to rest on top of them. My tangled curls tumbled down around the sides of my tear-streaked face, shielding me from the harsh reality that happened little over half hour ago.

More tears came. They slid silently down my cheeks, and I sat there in this cramped position undisturbed until I felt a soft touch on my bare shoulder.

I jerked out of my position and shuffled back on my bum until I hit the dresser. I was so startled. I hadn't even heard the door open in my emotional break down.

It could have been anything coming to get me.

This made me realise that I needed to remain calm and collected until got out of here.

Straighten up Tessa…get yourself together girl…

I drew my aching back up straight and stared evenly at the two old women before me.

They had hunched backs (yet it was obvious that one was shorter than the other) and withered old faces, both almost identical. Their coarse colourless hair was scraped back on top of their heads and they stared at me solemnly.

"Come along child." The one who was the shortest out of the two said.

I took a deep breath. "Who are you?" I asked I a voice thick from crying yet reasonably steady.

The woman who had spoke smiled a toothy grin and said, "I am Mrs Black and this is Mrs Dark. We are here to prepare you for Sir Douglas." She reached out a podgy withered hand towards me.

I eyed it dubiously.

Mrs Dark huffed impatiently. She was thin with defined cheekbones that seemed out of place on her ugly face. "Move now Miss Gray. We do not have time to waste. The master is not a patient man." She snatched my wrist in her surprisingly firm grip and yanked me to my feet.

I wobbled slightly, but then I took a step forward and managed to keep myself steady.

"We can sort your hand out for you to." Mrs Black assured me.

I nodded and followed them out of the room.

It was a brief journey to our new destination. It was a bathroom, a cold sterile bathroom with white tiled walls and white ceiling and white rugs but the hot bath in front of me had me forgetting all the harshness of the room and just wanting to get into the tub.

Mrs Dark disappeared, her stocking feet trudging tiredly out of the room.

Mrs Black turned her back to me as I eased myself out of my ruined dress. I kicked it away from and sunk into the warm water.

It felt wonderful.

Mrs Black crouched down by my head, and I had a momentary thought that she was going to try and drown me or stab me or something but then she started washing my hair and I melted into the land where no matter how hard reality was, it always seemed exaggerated in this lovely place called fantasy.

The tangles were teased out of my matted curls. The dirt was scrubbed from my fingernails. My sore feet were messaged. My swollen knuckles were gently cleansed and then wrapped in a firm bandaged.

In all honestly, I didn't want to leave the bath, but I stepped out and wrapped myself in warm white towels and followed the two old women into a room joined the bathroom.

A pale pink dress was hanging from a hook in the wall. It was all lace and ruffles and breathtakingly beautiful.

I stood in the doorway of the bathroom leading into the bedroom, and stared at the dress. My body was blocking some of the light from illuminating the dress but from what light managed to seep through the gaps it shone on the dress in an enhancing manner.

"Hurry up and dry off, we have to get you into this and do your hair." Mrs Dark snapped, still using that impatient, bored voice.

Mrs Black took my elbow and led me over to an inviting armchair that was set up in front of the mirror.

I smiled slightly as I thought of going to Cam wearing this dress, looking fresh and cute. It would certainly help my plan…

I relaxed enough to allow the women to sit me in the chair and set up bottles of perfume and elaborate hair brushes on the clean vanity table.

Its almost time Tessa…just keep it together for a bit longer…then you can prove yourself…to Will…Jem…all of them…

Chapter end.

So what do you guys think? I'm sorry it isn't that long but there isn't anything else that links with this chapter :) please review…tow chapters updated on two consecutive days. That's good right?

Xxx