Her eyes blinked open and she flinched away from the scalding light before allowing her eyes to gradually adjust. This didn't look like her motel or even a motel, where on earth was she? She sat up slowly her head spinning as she tried to get her bearings. She was sitting in the middle of a plush four poster bed, yeah definitely not a motel. She bounced a moment and rebounded instantly and she giggled, it was nice and comfortable probably the most comfortable bed she had ever been in and certainly the fanciest. Her eyes then travelled around the room which was decorated in rich jewel tones, and other than the ostentatious four poster bed she was sitting in, there was an ornate dressing table and wardrobe, a large mirror and one of those old screens for dressing behind in the room. It wasn't exactly her taste but it was nice and certainly better than any of the motels she stayed in. Still no clue as to where she was though and certainly no evidence that any of her things were here. She felt strange too, kinda buzzy and disorientated as her brain looked for things to make sense of what had happened to her and then she remembered something, Carlos? Yes Carlos had been outside her motel, she focused on the image of him in her brain and the memory flashed through her mind in a rush and she felt sick. Carlos had bitten her, her stomach churned, if she was still alive-ish then Carlos had changed her. Oh god, her hands gripped her neck and all she felt was smooth skin but she knew with a sinking certainty that it was true. The memory was too vivid and had felt too real, she was a culebra. The thought flashed through her mind 'Seth will never want me now' followed quickly by 'Seth never wanted you any way'. She chastised herself for thinking of him at a time like this, still hating the way she wanted him, the way she loved him. She pushed the thoughts of him as far away as she could manage and turned her focus back to the situation at hand and to how stupid she had been. How had she allowed Carlos get so close to her? It wasn't like she could have stopped him and yet she still felt so completely stupid.
She pulled herself out of the bed and started walking around the pretty room. Her body felt strange to her now, so much like her old body but somehow fundamentally different, it was difficult to put words on the sensation. It was like her movements were almost too fluid now, the sensations against her skin too intense, everything just felt strange but nothing was out of place. She looked down as she felt cold air of the room seep in and realized she was wearing a short silk bathrobe. She discretely peered under it as if someone might be watching her do so and confirmed that she was as suspected, completely naked underneath. She was far too embarrassed to think about how exactly that had happened but found it strange that her cheeks didn't warm the way they once did at such embarrassment maybe being a culebra was not without benefit. She walked over to the full length mirror at the end of the room and there she was, her face looked strange, her skin now a flawless porcelain and her features somehow looked more prominent and striking. Her fingers traced the lines of her face and she wasn't sure how she felt about the way she looked now, it was her and not her all at once. She sighed and shrugged, she would get used to it, it's not like she had any other choice now.
"Beautiful" the voice at her ear murmured and she jumped a moment and felt his breath on her neck as his hands slid over her shoulder and down her arms and she flinched away from him. He disgusted her but it was interesting she no longer felt the same fear she had before. He was certainly no less dangerous to her, the man had survived centuries through cunning and malice and she had no doubt he would end her if it suited him. Then again, at least for now he needed her or so he had implied last night in his little speech.
"I didn't want this" she said biting down the anger she felt "Why would I do anything for you now?". He looked at her eyes in the mirror and placed a soft kiss on her shoulder and her stomach coiled and knotted.
"Because your people need you my love, just like Scott needs you" he whispered into her ear. Scott, of course he would use Scott against her, Scott was certainly one of her weaknesses just not her only one. She wondered if he knew about her other's weaknesses too, or had he just assumed their relationship as brother and sister was enough for him to be a weakness for her.
"Can I talk to him?" she asked.
"Not yet my Queen, first you must feed". Her nose curled up at the thought of drinking blood but nodded reluctantly. She knew enough to know how necessary it was to keep her thirst in check, she hated all of this already. Carlos walked over to the door and opened it and there stood a beautiful young woman.
"Come in" he said soothingly to the young woman taking her hand and walking her over to Kate "show her your neck". Kate watched in fascination as the woman complied easily and stretched her neck, giving Kate full access. She could smell the sweet tangy scent and she felt embarrassed and awkward as Carlos gently moved her into position to feed.
"You smell that?" he asked and she nodded "good, then let your instincts guide you and I will ensure you do not kill her little one". Kate swallowed and looked at him and he looked back at her sweetly, sincerely and it was as reassuring as it was terrifying. She felt her fangs extend and he held her firmly yet there was a gentleness to it she would never have guessed him capable of and she hated him for it. The moment her fangs pierced the woman's skin she felt the sweetest nectar flow easily onto her tongue and it tasted divine as it coated her tongue.
"Take four swallows it will be enough, I'm right here" he purred in her ear.
She counted it out in her head one swallow, two swallow, three swallow, four swallow and it took all her strength to pull back after that last swallow but she released it and pulled back and turned her head to Carlos who smiled at her gently "You are perfection". She smiled a brittle smile back at him and stepped back licking the last of the blood from her lips.
There was a part of her, the part of her that was still grieving her many losses that wanted desperately to lean in to his kindness as superficial as it may be, yet something held her back from it for now at least and for that she was grateful. She wanted, maybe needed to hate him right now. He had taken so much from her and now he wanted her to be his little puppet and for now at least it didn't seem she had much of a choice.
"You may go" Carlos said dismissing the young woman who took a small bow and left immediately and Carlos walked over to the wardrobe in the corner of the room and pulled out a long embellished red dress "Put this on, it will look exquisite on you". It was a beautiful dress but still her nose still turned up at his request but this was not the time or place to be irrational or to make a stand so she smiled a brittle smile and took it from him. He bowed his head genially and left her alone so that she could change. Was this her life now, being a little dress up doll for Carlos? She sighed and hurriedly pulled off her bathrobe and slipped into the dress, which was clearly expensive and she took the little bag that hung from the hanger and saw that it contained matching shoes. So she slipped them on too. She walked over to the mirror and moved her body from side to side, she did look good but following his orders as he called her his queen made her stomach churn. What ever else might he make her do she wondered and yet until she knew more, she guessed playing along was the simplest thing for her to do. She smiled at that thought as it reminded her of a better time with Seth eating dinner and drinking beers as he told her in painful detail about the importance of recon. The memory of his smile gave her hope, and once more she chastised herself for it. Carlos strolled back in a few minutes later with a bright smile as he looked her over like she was a snack "Let us go visit that brother of yours, he will be so pleased to see you".
