Weeks had past but nothing had changed. Voldemort only spoke to her if he had orders for her. Otherwise it was as if he forgot she was in the house. It was sad and depressing. It was late and the fire was close to going out. Carmen would head to bed when it finally died. As it was, she sat in one of the old wore leather high back chairs and and read. When she had arrived here, there really was not much that interested her in this room though she did love to read. Carmen had all the lights in this room dimmed except for the lamp on the table to her left.
She sat with her legs tucked under her and leaning to the side. She was dressed in a white sleeveless summer dress. It was just warm enough in the manor for her to be comfortable. She could hear The Dark Lord moving around upstairs so she knew her was home and Suri had just brought her a hot tea. That thought did hurt her but really, what could she expect? There were more important matters on his mind. She sighed now and tried to go back to her book. She was reading a new novel by a upcoming witch in the wizarding world. She had already read it twice. She now slapped the book shut with a bored groan. She stood and then stretched before moving slowly across the room and then along the hallway to the front door. She paused with one hand on the door nob and listened. It was silent upstairs for now.
Her hair had been down and now Carmen took her wand and with a few words, her hair was up out of her face and piled on the back of her head.
Carmen opened the door and gasped to see someone standing on the porch before her. Carmen regained her posture and then looked up at him. Another Deatheater she assumed. She excused herself and then stepped past him and onto the porch. She did not know what he had wanted but he could enter if he was looking for Voldemort or if he fancied a smoke, he could join her. She glanced at him again as she lit the cigarette with her wand tip. Cute for sure. She would not say as much however. Not here at least. She stepped around him and inhaled from her cigarette as she leaned against the railing. Carmen watched him but tried to hide the fact. He was handsome. Tall with long dark brown hair that hung halfway to his shoulders in slight waves. It was clear even with his robes that he was built. Carmen could just make out his eyes in the night.
" Have a light?", he he asked her in a Scottish raspy tone, looking at her mesmerizing face as he took out one of his own cigarettes from his silver case."She is gorgeous" he thought to himself. He couldn't help but make a bit of small talk. Carmen lit the end of her wand an watched as he leaned closer to use the flame. "Why are you out here so late this time of night" he asked her while he took a puff of his cigarette.
Carmen shrugged silently and then after a moment she said "I'm smoking." She gave a small grin. Carmen brought her cigarette to her lips and inhaled deeply. "I was alone and bored. I should be in bed but I am just not tired yet." She shrugged now. "So why are you here?" She neglected to tell him that she was very rarely permitted to leave the grounds. Carmen was getting to the point that she wanted to get away. She wanted out of his clutches. Yet she had no way to do that. Where could she go?
He looked at her while taking another drag of his cigarette," I have a private meeting with The Dark Lord, he wanted to talk to me about something". He looked down at the ground as he was talking to her and looked back up again at her pretty face. "Do you like to read?" he asked her. "A good book can sometimes make me groggy and a nice stiff drink of brandy, then I'm out like a light", he laughed a bit. Carmen grinned a little herself but did not reply. "I have to go in and talk to The Dark Lord now." He told her as he threw his cigarette on the ground and stepped on the butt. "Where are you going to be in about a half an hour" he asked. Carmen frowned a little. "Around." She replied softly. " I would like to speak more with you.." He continued. There was a noise and it woke Eric up for a second. "I better get in there", he said to her. "If your out here when I'm done great, but if your not ..then another time then?" Carmen nodded and then looked down softly as he started to enter the house.
Two days later found Carmen sitting in The Leaky Cauldron. She was alone. At one of the square tables. Carmen was dressed casually in jeans and a grey tight t-shirt. He hair was up in a ponytail and she was leaning back in her chair relaxing. The waiter had just arrived and taken away her menu. Carmen had come here to just relax. Not many other death eaters came here. She felt that she could relax here. No one payed her much mind as no one outside of the deatheaters knew who she was. Carmen had ordered an ale. It was a common drink but Carmen enjoyed it. She was on her second glass and her food, a large half chicken and chips, was placed on that table in front of her. That was when her she was joined by someone else. Carmen had just placed a chip in her mouth smothered in ketchup. She looked up as Eric sat in the chair on the other side of the table.
At his sly smile, Carmen could not help her own grin. "Hi." He said now a Carmen's grin widened. "Hi yourself." She replied. "Mind if I join you?' Erin asked. Carmen shrugged. He flagged down for the waiter and got another menu. So they ate. Eric ordered a steak it was so rare it still bled. It was bit disgusting but Carmen said nothing. There was little conversation during the meal but both glanced at each other numerous times.
Afterwards, Eric cleared his throat and Carmen looked up at him expectantly. "I would like to take you out and show you something." Eric told her now. Carmen blinked but she did not speak right away. The main thing on her mind of course was Voldemort. Even if this a simple friendly outing. Carmen knew that he would not approve. But then again... she could not live her life like this. This was not what she had expected. she never expected him to love her, no. But at least to throw her a bone every now and then. She was bound to serve him but that did not mean she could not enjoy her life at some point. Still it was risky. Carmen was torn.
Eric was sitting there watching her as if he knew what she was thinking and of course he did. He knew that she was with the Dark Lord. Eric knew that he could be tying his own noose so to speak. "If your interested of course." He added now. She took a deep breath. "We''ll have to be careful but what were your plans?" She asked him as she finished her ale. She was frightened and excited about being able to go out somewhere. "Where did you want to go?" Eric stood, and then placing coins on the table, motioned for her to follow. He led her outside into the small court yard between the pub and the wall to Diagon Alley. 'Ready?" He asked and then her put one arm around her waist and they were gone. As soon as their feet touched down, he released her. They were in a alley way. music and laughter filled the air.
"Where are we?" Carmen asked in the darkness. "Blantyre, Scotland." Eric replied leading her forward.
This place was a hotspot. There were people outside laughing and cheering and smashing their glasses together and singing. It was a wonderful and happy atmosphere. As they neared the entrance to one of the establishment here, Carmen took in the drunken happy people with a smile. Eric stepped in front of her holding her around the waist and opened the door, and looked back at her " After you, my lady" he said in his raspy Scottish accent. The music was catchy, and people were dancing and carrying on. It brought a smile on his face as he entered into this familiar place. "Let's get a drink shall we?" he asked her as he steered her over to the bar. She liked it here right from the start. Carmen was almost instantly noticed by the men here of course. She grinned softly. No matter what she wore, Carmen got attention. She reached up to release her hair from behind her head so that it fell over her shoulders softly. What with her long legs made even longer by the heeled boots and her nature. She was sexy...she knew it.
Carmen let herself be brought to the bar where the men already there stepped aside to let her in. The bartender did not take long to move towards the two and Carmen ordered a fire whiskey. She took the drink and then sipped at it. She turned to Eric when he had ordered as well and smiled up at him. "Good choice." she told him. " Thanks" Eric replied "Do you like brandy?" he asked her. He noticed that she was getting more comfortable as she was taking her hair down and noticing all the men there looking at her. She was very beautiful, any man in their right mind would stare at her a bit...well a lot. She stared to shake her head but did not have a chance to reply before Eric had taken a hold of her hand softly. Carmen looked up at him. " Would you like to dance Carmen?" as he bowed to her and then looked back up at her. "I'm a pretty good dancer." Carmen's smile was radiating. She loved to dance. It was something she had done all of her life when she had the chance. She blushed when he bowed to her and the giggled like a young girl. She walked with him onto the dance floor with out even having a chance to put down her drink. Holding her drink carefully, Carmen moved with him amongst the other people who had had the same idea.
She was having fun for the first time in a while she felt liberated. Carmen smiled and then laughed slightly. Her free hand moved to run gently over his chest. That is when they were interrupted. Carmen frowned as they stopped dancing. AN obviously drunk man had almost pushed his way between them. The man looked at Eric. "May I take the lady for a spin" Carmen raised one eyebrow. Did people really walk up to someone and ask that anymore? She glanced coolly at the drunk man and when Eric nodded to him she looked surprised.
Carmen watched Eric walk away and was a little miffed. he leaned up against the bar. Carmen had made up her mind right then and there to leave. She would not be treated like a common whore. The drunk man stepped up to her however with a lopsided grin. He put his arms around her and Carmen cringed slightly. The man smelt of alcohol and stale smoke. She stood as far away from him as she could until the man yanked her forward and against him. The movement was so sudden that Carmen's drink sloshed out of the glass and onto the floor. She stared to curse and her eyes narrowed.
That was when his hands clamped down on her rear. His grip was tight and Carmen yelped slightly. Her free hand tried to push him away but the man lowered his face towards her and she arched her neck back and her head away from him. There were people who paused their own dancing to watch. "Get off me." Carmen growled.
Carmen did not have time to say anymore. Suddenly Eric was there. She looked up at him and jumped in shock. But now it was about Eric. It was not his anger but his face. Carmen took in the red eyes and the teeth. What was he? "You had better remove those hands from my girl's ass" He told the drunk and even through her shock, her mind registered his words. His girl? When did that happen and where had she been? But at the same time it made her heart beat a little faster. That thought was gone however when the man was torn from her knocking Carmen a little off balance. Eric had grabbed the man and threw him against the pub walls. The glass was knocked from her hand now and it shattered on the floor. Carmen stumbled a bit and then surprised at his strength, took a step away from Eric as he turned to her. Eric hadn't realized that before he went on this journey that he forgot to look into the full moon aspect in the Scotland area. Not only did his anger bring the werewolf out of him...but there was now a full moon approaching in Blantyre. Carmen was breathing heavily and she trembled slightly. She was afraid that he would turn his anger on her.
Eric had to gain control of himself and quick. He still has a hard time controlling his transformations, especially when he is upset or angry. the drunk man looked unconscious. He knew in his mind that this was going to be trouble. He looked at Carmen, while his eyes still red and fangs slightly showing, seeing her fear. He growled in a low tone at her " We need to go". He was breathing so heavy. Yet,Carmen was frozen to the spot. He could feel this curse coursing through his veins and nothing was stopping it. He knew it was time to leave because if he didn't it was going to be nothing but a bloodbath in here...even Carmen would be in great danger.
"Carmen Now!" Eric snarled at her and Carmen jumped slightly. Then he was gone. Carmen could not believe that he had just Apparated in the middle of a muggle pub... Carmen could not believe that he had actually left her here in a country she had never even been in before... Carmen looked around slowly in shock... What had just happened here? Carmen came to her sense fairly quickly and then hurried from the pub. She kept her eyes down and tried to avoid the muggles. Carmen was breathing heavily with her embarrassment and hot tears prickled her eyes and she hurried to the alleyway.
His nails were growing larger, his hair was growing longer and his face was slightly changing to a wolf's like appearance. He looked at her once, he had to go now, there was just no more time. He than in a blink of an eye dissaparated himself back to in front of the manor...with no Carmen.
He crouched to the ground trying desperately not to change. He hated it...he loathed it. He was almost rolling with pain, and then his face started going back to normal shape, his eyes were changing back to their normal color and his growling and heavy breathing slowed right down to normal. He was away from the situation...away from the anger. He lied there crouched in the fetal position for about 5 min. It was late and no one was in sight. He slowly got up and took a look around and noticed Carmen was no where to be seen. He had forgotten that he left her there. "Carmen!", he shouted as he turned his head around in a complete circle, not believing what he had done...left a poor woman there on her own". Eric was completely drained...so drained that he didn't have the energy to return back to the pub and bring her back. He had had no choice but to do what he had. If he hadn't then there would have been quite a few deaths. She would never forgive him for that. It was the lowest action any man could do to a woman. He knew that he would have to live with this for the rest of his life, and how much it would be left the manor to return home and lick his wounds so to speak.
Within minutes, she was back at the manor. Carmen looked around the empty grounds and then slowly walked inside. As she entered, she heard footsteps above her. Carmen paused and then shook her head. That was it! She was done. Done with Voldemort, done with Eric, done with men and love... They were scum they cared about nothing. Carmen was moving out. She was getting her own place and she would never look back. Carmen had moved on.