I own nothing, sadly :(
Time had all but stopped, each second becoming lengthier than the first. What should have been a swift turn now seemed lethargic, weighed down by an emotion I could not yet pinpoint.
When, at last, I faced the man who had spoken, indolence loosened its grip on me.
"Hello, Violet."
These words, soft in their tone but alarming in their informality, fell easily from a pair of dark lips. They stretched into a smile the instant I laid eyes on them, brightening their owner's features a great deal. Like the others, his skin displayed a solid, alabaster quality, yet it was different, somehow- more…delicate. It stood in direct contrast to his raven locks, which hung just a little below his shoulders.
None of these things, however, managed to capture my attention as effectively as his eyes. A piercing crimson, their intensity was dulled by some sort of cloudy haze. I wondered briefly if others found it as unnerving as I did at this very moment. His gaze never broke from mine, appearing almost expectant.
It occurred to me then that he had greeted me not once, but two times- the second had been in English. In both instances, however, he had referred to me by name. I was certain that it hadn't been revealed during my encounter at the morgue, nor had I said anything that could have indicated my identity. Had they been following me? From what I could tell, it was highly possible. This man obviously knew a bit about me, only speaking languages of which I was familiar.
Then again, there was a slight possibility that his knowledge of my own was completely accidental. After all, my location had yet to be discovered; there was a- granted, quite slim -chance that I remained in France. I would not stake much on this, however.
That left me to assume the worst.
"Pourquoi vous m'avez amené ici (A/N: "Why have you brought me here?")?" I hissed. Such creatures did not deserve formality.
His response was a quiet laugh. I frowned at his attitude, growing- if possible -more agitated.
"Mon cher, savez-vous où est 'ici' (A/N: "My dear, do you know where 'here' is?")?" he asked, gesturing around the room with a single, pasty hand. My eyes narrowed, sparing our surroundings a brief glance. They lay beneath a shroud of golden light, which emanated from an ornate chandelier that hung a short distance away. Its reflection stared up at me from the dark surface of the tabletop, which screamed elegance and refinement.
While they indicated a man of higher social standing, none of these items gave away the slightest hint of my location. I quickly eyed the remainder of the room, spotting only a few additional pieces of tasteful furniture. Several assorted portraits adorned the walls, as well, each depicting an unknown individual. I nearly growled in frustration; how on Earth was I to know where these…insects had taken me?
"Master, if she hasn't figured it out by now-" the large, bulky guard sighed impatiently. A glance from the raven-haired man effectively silenced him.
Feigning disinterest at his use of a language that I would claim- for now -as unknown to me, I continued to scan the large space. The furniture had proven useless thus far, bearing no words or manufacturing dates. In fact, nothing contained even a shadow of text, displaying only my captors' annoyingly exquisite taste. Even the doors had been intricately carved, betraying nothing other than an aesthetically pleasing floral design to a curious onlooker.
Wait.
Perhaps…?
No. Impossible.
You see, between these two suddenly very helpful doors, lay a thin crack. A small, ethereal glow shone brightly behind it- my first indication of an outside world. Upon closer inspection, this 'world' revealed itself to be a hallway.
Surely, it would not be this easy. I reasoned, almost hesitant to explore said area further. After all, it wasn't beyond these creatures to incapacitate me in the midst of my concentration. Would I be willing to take such a risk?
If it meant escape, yes.
Thus, I resumed my examination of the hallway. Torches lined the side opposite mine, flames dancing to a noiseless tune. Another set of doors stood between them, completely oblivious to the danger on either side of their dark frame. They appeared to be identical to the set before me, and thankfully so- a small sliver of light was nestled in the thread-thin gap between them, as well. This one, I soon discovered, belonged to that of a kitchen. The furniture in this room, as before, did not aid me in my quest to learn of my location. I skimmed over the small table and raised island, searching for any sort of label. Assorted fruits, vegetables, and other mouthwatering foods rested on a marble counter near the far wall. None were wrapped, however, which somewhat disheartened me.
Moments later, what could only be described as a miracle occurred.
Precisely twelve inches from the unhelpful fruits and vegetables, sat two bottles of glorious, expensive-looking wine. Their contents mattered not, for it was the pale labels adorning their fronts which had me so intrigued. Brunello di Montalcino, a set of bold letters proclaimed. I had an idea of the language, one that was confirmed as my eyes slid downward.
Italia.
This was where I had been taken? In all honesty, I hadn't expected to be such a short distance from my home- a fact that both frightened and enlivened me. These beings had been so close, able to ambush me at will for what I imagined to be a very long time. In spite of this, they had refrained from doing so, though I had no idea as to why. Perhaps they had waited for the opportune moment to strike, to finally claim their prey as it became necessary. If so, what need should they require me to satisfy?
I dreaded the answer to that one.
Still, the minute possibility of their ignorance to my existence remained. Given their hasty actions during my abduction, it was conceivable that they had not dealt with someone of my nature before. Likewise, I had certainly never encountered one of their kind before.
Could this lack of knowledge on both parties prove to be an advantage?
I sincerely hoped so, for an image of my current home had already begun to form before my mind's eye.
The idea for escape had hit me rather suddenly; I cursed myself for not having thought of it sooner. Perhaps, if I had not been so willing to drown in an ignorant abyss, my location would be elsewhere by now.
No use in dwelling on that mistake. I reminded myself, allowing a barrage of colors, shapes, and ever-shifting wind to overtake me. A small part of me wished to see the expressions on my captors' faces as I departed. Perhaps that miniscule bit of satisfaction would lighten my mood. Although, I doubted anything had such an ability.
Just a breath away from freedom, I closed my eyes…
…Only to regret it a moment later.
An icy set of fingers found my throat in one swift, deadly movement. I hardly had time to recover before being slammed against an equally solid chest, every hope of escape dissolving with the wind around my form.
"I don't think so." a silky voice purred, familiar and annoying. I growled, eyes snapping open once more. Those of the raven-haired man met mine, disappointment flashing across his clouded irises.
"Demetri," he addressed the man clutching my throat while holding my gaze. "Why have you restrained our guest?"
From the corner of my eye, I noticed one of Demetri's statuesque hands reaching toward him. I growled again as the other tightened its grip on me.
Still, it was difficult not to be intrigued by the peculiar scene unfolding in front of me.
The raven-haired man had taken Demetri's offered hand, touching it briefly before allowing it to resume its grip on my arm. I had not missed the distant expression that momentarily occupied the former's countenance during this exchange.
"I see." he eventually spoke, eyeing me once more. I nearly shivered under the intensity of his gaze. "Violet, is it true that you wish to leave us?"
It was difficult to refrain from scoffing at such a question. Of course I wished to leave- was it not obvious enough? Maintaining my façade, however, I merely squinted in confusion at his words.
Yet, this did not deter him in the slightest. In fact, a smile tugged at his lips as he asked his next question. "Parlez-vous anglais, ma chère (A/N: "Do you speak English, my dear?")?"
"Non." I all but spat, discreetly attempting to free myself from Demetri's grasp. It felt as though my arm were about to break, a low growl escaping my lips as his grip tightened still. Unfortunately, this left me in need of air- a necessity of which he seemed intent to deprive me. His companion, irritatingly silent throughout the entire ordeal, chuckled at the scene as though it were the most entertaining thing in the world. I, on the other hand, had gradually begun to realize that the fate I had so willingly avoided centuries ago was not far on the horizon.
"Demetri, release her." the quiet voice of the raven-haired man demanded, more sternly than I would have thought possible. No sooner had he finished speaking than air filled my lungs once more, whirling around my now pounding skull. I realized a second too late that my legs had failed to support me, leaving my limp form at the ground's mercy.
By this point, I had all but given up; the jumbled mess my mind had been reduced to was unable to provide any defense against these enemies. A part of me, straining against the thirst and exhaustion, ordered that I continue to fight, to escape them at any cost. I could not comply, and simply awaited the hard, unforgiving slap of the stone floor.
I certainly hadn't expected to be spared from it.
My savior arrived in the form of two stony arms, each clad in the cool fabric of a well tailored suit. This did little to nothing in cushioning the blow I received to my cheek, though I imagined it was favorable to that of the floor.
What does it matter? My thoughts hissed, snatching the notion away. You are practically in death's grip, and yet all that concerns you is an insignificant bruise.
In the same instant, I was lifted, shifted more comfortably into the arms of my unknown rescuer.
He would not remain that way for long.
"Leave us." came the voice of the raven-haired man. It was soothing- a fact I found most infuriating. How dare I find this wretched man to be a source of comfort!
As if just awakening from a long period of sleep, several objects around the room shifted.
"Master-" a voice protested quietly. I could only assume it belonged to the hulking guard.
The silence that followed indicated that he had lost the argument.
A slight chill met my frame only moments later, slowly reviving the previously defeated determination resting inside me. I hesitated to embrace it, recognizing the soft, fragrant fabric of a pillow that had just appeared behind my head. Likewise, the remainder of my form now rested upon a more comfortable surface. It was nearly too enticing, too wonderful to resist.
And yet, I forced myself to do so.
"Qui êtes-vous? (A/N: Who are you?)" I asked, as harshly as possible. Given my weakened state, however, the resulting phrase resembled more of a croak. Opening my eyes a fraction, I found myself staring at a darkened ceiling. We sat in a different room, though I was clueless as to its purpose.
Movement to my right allowed me to focus on the one for which the question was intended.
The raven-haired man's lips curved into an amused smile, clearly anticipating my question. With some reluctancy, I abandoned the soft pillow for a sitting position. A small table sat level with my knees, placed between he and I. Normally, I would've paid it little to no attention.
That is, if a crystal glass, filled with the most delectable smelling substance I had ever encountered, did not sit atop it.
A predatory growl rumbled through my chest, fangs extending painfully. They dripped with venom, yearning for even the slightest taste of the crimson liquid. I attempted to resist, clutching the edge of my seat tightly. This man was not to be trusted- I would not accept anything from him.
Meanwhile, the previously shifting objects had begun to tremble violently.
"Sept mois sans nourriture, je peu malsain. Ne croyez-vous pas? (A/N: Seven months without sustenance; a bit unhealthy. Do you not agree?) "
"Comme opposé à enlever un inconnu?" I shot back, raising a brow. "Cela ne semble pas malsain à vous? (A/N: As opposed to kidnapping a stranger? Does that not seem unhealthy to you?)"
The raven-haired man's lips threatened to turn into a smile. "It would," he nodded in agreement, shifting in his seat. I tensed. "If our intentions were to harm you."
I nearly scoffed, before remembering my façade. Had he not witnessed one of his servants attempting to choke me just a few moments ago? Nonetheless, a mask of confusion settled over my features as I squinted suspiciously at him. He smirked, clearly not convinced. The thought brought about the urge to grind my teeth in frustration. I fought to restrain it, unwilling to give him the satisfaction.
At my silence, he continued. "Violet, we can be trusted. I realize that past experiences have made this difficult, but can you, at the very least, try?"
It was too tempting to believe him. After all, he sounded so sincere. And yet, I knew better. For instance, how could he possibly know what had happened to me? The answer was obvious: he couldn't. This was, most likely, a pitiful attempt to draw information from me. I would not allow it.
Fixing my gaze on the floor, I acted as though I hadn't heard him.
"Won't you stop pretending? I know that you've understood everything I've said." he insisted, albeit gently. "Tristan taught you to speak English, did he not?"
CRASH!
Various items around the room shattered, sending bits of glass and wood in all directions. A few came in contact with my skin, the wounds healing before I could sense their presence. I shot upward from my seat, a growl rumbling in my chest.
I glared at the raven-haired man, words tumbling from my lips before I could stop them. "How did you know that?"
Hello again, my amazing readers! I apologize for the wait, but writing this chapter was exceptionally difficult. I'm always worried about whether I've kept certain characters - *cough* Aro *cough* - in character. By the way, thank you to the one anonymous user who reviewed the last chapter :)
Did you like it? Hate it? If you would be so kind as to leave a review, it would mean so much. Thank you all for reading!