Well, well, well… Hello Fannibals… *grins mischievously*
I hope you liked the last chapter ;) things are about to get really interesting, aren't they?
I would like to thank everyone for following, favoriting and reviewing! At this point, I have 18 followers, 10 favorites, 11 reviews and almost 2000 views! THANK YOU!
To give you a heads up, I am thinking about changing the rating to M in a few chapters… Not entirely sure yet, but it is definitely an option… Hehe ;)
Also, I want to thank my lovely beta DoeEyedDarling for beta-ing and sticking with this story, THANK YOU SWEETIE :)
WARNING: things will get… dark… in this chapter…
And now, onward with the story!
Song I think matches this chapter: Of Mice & Men – Feels Like Forever
Chapter 12: Feels Like Forever
Blinking my eyes, feeling nauseous, I tried to accustom to the fact I was awake again. I tried to sit up, but let myself fall back on the bed on which I was laying, feeling dizzy. I closed my eyes again, and fell back asleep, still feeling the effect of the chloroform.
When I woke up again, the dizziness and the nausea were gone and I was able to sit up without feeling the urge to throw up. I took in my surroundings. I was sitting on a double bed, covered with ocean-blue silk sheets, in a large bedroom with a closet, a desk, and a chair, and the windows were half-covered by dark blue curtains. There also was a door, which I assumed led to a bathroom.
I slowly stood up from the bed, walked to the door, and opened it. Bathroom, indeed. I closed it again and walked over to the other door, the way out. I tried that door, but it was locked. I growled in frustration. Then I remembered the events that had happened before and realized: I was in Hannibal's house. He had taken me...what, yesterday? Or maybe only a few hours before? I had no idea how long I had been asleep. The light shining through the windows was slowly darkening, so I guessed it was nearly evening.
I started pacing the room, annoyed, both frustrated and a little bit scared.
A "little bit" scared? Okay, that's a lie. I'm scared as hell.
Ugh. Why couldn't he just leave me alone? Why take me?
You know why. He knows you know. He's not going to let you walk free and take the risk you might go to the police now, is he?
Wow, talking to myself? Good job, Tori. You're losing it.
My head jerked towards the door when I heard a key in the lock. My pulse quickened and I backed away from the door when it opened, Hannibal walking through it. He locked the door again behind him so that I couldn't escape.
At first, he just regarded me with a strange look in his eyes. I stared back at him, trembling with fear, and I mentally cursed myself for being this afraid of him again. But he kidnapped me. Isn't fear a normal response?
He straightened himself, cleared his face of any emotion, and said, "I'd figured you'd be awake by now. You've been unconscious for the past two days."
Two days? I've been here for two days already? Poor Will…he must me so worried about me.
"Please, let me go," I said softly, my voice shaking slightly.
A soft, sad expression filled his face. He took a few steps towards me and I backed away some more. When my legs hit the bed, I crawled onto it, my back against the headboard, my knees pulled up to my chest. He hesitated a bit, but then he came to sit at the edge of the bed, close to my feet. He raised his hand to lay it down on my knee, but, despite my fear, I managed to hiss at him, "Don't touch me!"
He sighed and pulled his hand back, but he remained sitting on the bed.
"Tori, I'm sorry. I can't let you go, not now you remember what I am. I can't risk it, you might go to the police," he said, soft but determined.
"But...I-I've known about that phone call to the Hobbs house for weeks, I've known about you being…what you are, for over a week, too, and I haven't gone to the police. And I doubt I ever will either," I said. My cheeks felt wet all of a sudden, and I realized I had been crying. I angrily wiped them away.
If he was surprised by my words, he hid it well. "I just can't risk it. One day you might decide to go to the police, after all."
I shook my head quickly. "No, I won't, I promise! Please! I won't tell anybody about this either, but please, please let me go, I will do anything if you just-" I rambled, before he suddenly interrupted me.
"No. I can't risk it!" he snapped. "You are to stay here, and that's it. Discussion closed." After that, he exited the room, slamming the door shut behind him before locking it again.
I lay down on the bed, curled up in a ball, and let my tears run free, sobbing noisily.
It took a while before I calmed down enough to stop crying. Wanting to freshen up a bit, I stood up from the bed and walked to the bathroom. It was fancy, of course, with a huge shower that looked heavenly, to be honest.
I looked down on myself and noticed I was still wearing the pajamas from the morning he had taken me. I walked over to the closet, in the hope of finding something to wear. I opened the closet doors and looked at what clothes were inside. There were some shirts from his suits and some ties on the left side of the closet, but what I saw on the right side startled me. It were woman's clothing...and they appeared to be my size, as well. Then I realized: they were mine. This room had been mine...
When I moved in with him, in his huge mansion, I found this room the most relaxing, with all the blue accents. He said this could be my room, as he had his own, but whenever we went to sleep, or didn't go to sleep, if you understand what I mean, it was here, in this room, on this bed.
I really didn't know how to feel about that, so I ignored it for the moment. Rummaging through the clothing, I took out a pair of grey sweatpants, a blue tank top, and a black and blue plaid shirt. Also some underwear, of course.
I went back inside the bathroom, took my clothes off and entered the shower. I had to admit, this shower was heaven. I stretched it out long enough to forget about this hell, for just a little while.
Unfortunately, I couldn't stay in the shower forever. I got out, dried myself and pulled on my clothes. I walked over to the sink and noticed there were still a toothbrush and toothpaste from when I had last been here. I shrugged and brushed my teeth. When I walked out of the bathroom, Hannibal was sitting on the edge of the bed. I froze in the doorway when he looked up to me. His face was filled with sadness and...regret?
He patted the spot beside him. "Tori, please sit down."
Still fearing what he might do, I decided to just obey him, but in my own way. So I did sit down on the bed, but in a way similar as before, with my back against the headboard.
He sighed but let it go. He looked me straight in the eyes and said, "Tori, I apologize."
My expression turned into one of confusion; why was he apologizing? I mean, he had enough to apologize for, of course, but what was he currently apologizing for? He noticed my expression, and he apparently understood it. "For everything," he said.
I opened my mouth to tell him what he could do with his apology, but he raised his finger, interrupting me before I had even spoken.
"Please, let me say this. I truly am sorry for everything you've been through with me. But this is simply who I am, I cannot change it any more than you can change your temper." His expression softened at this last bit, before clouding over with sadness. "I assume you hate me, which I completely understand. I should have been honest with you, but you must think of something. If I had told you the truth about me, would you have stayed?" he asked me, his eyes piercing into mine.
I thought about it for a while and slowly shook my head. No, I wouldn't have stayed. I would have been just as disgusted as I had been when I coincidentally found out.
He gave me a sad smile. "See, that is why I never told you. Tori, I loved you, and I still do. I just didn't want to lose you." He sighed, and turned his gaze away from me. "But I lost you anyway," he whispered.
When he looked back up at me, I was shocked to see a tear rolling down his cheek. Dammit. I hated it to see other people cry, even cannib...even people like him. Then again, I haven't exactly met many people like him before...have I?
I saw his gaze dropping. I followed it and saw he was looking at my hand, which I had reached out halfway to him, without me even realizing it. I quickly pulled my hand back and my cheeks turned slightly red. What was I thinking? He had kidnapped me! There's no reason for me to comfort him. He swallowed, and the hopeful look that had appeared in his eyes vanished, turning into disappointment when he saw me pul back my hand.
"Tori, may I ask you something?" I didn't answer him, but he continued anyway. "Why didn't you go to the police?"
I hesitated, trying to find the right words. "You tell me. I don't know why I keep protecting you, you certainly don't deserve it, but I do it anyway. I just...I don't know why."
He swallowed again, licking his lips. "Could it be because you still love me?" he whispered, and I could see that spark of hope return to his eyes.
And then it hit me. The way to get out of here.
He had to trust me.
I would have to act as though I cared for him still, loved him, even. Not too fast in the beginning, go slow. Letting my voice tremble a bit, I whispered, "I don't know. I really don't know. And I don't understand how I can't know that. Maybe deep down, I still do, but I just can't be sure about that, you know? You hurt me so much…" Tears started to roll down my cheeks and I tensed up a bit when he reached out and wiped them away.
"Oh Tori," he said softly, and he tenderly pulled me against him and hugged me, one hand on my head, the other one stroking my back. I froze at first, but then I put my arms around him as well. He smells nice. Wait, where did that come from? Keep it together Tori, you're acting!
After a while, I stopped my tears and acted like I was fine again. He pulled back, but kept his hand on the back of my head, stroking my hair. "Let's find out, all right?" he said softly, and I nodded my head. He brought his face closer to mine and I realized he was about to kiss me. I placed my hand on his chest, gently pushing him back.
"Not yet," I said. "You'll have to be patient with me. Go slow."
He nodded in understanding. He got up, and he walked over to the door. "I'll bring you something to eat," he said before exiting the room. As soon as the door was locked and I heard his footsteps walk away, I slowly let my breath escape.
He returned an hour later, with a plate in his hand. He put it down on the desk and looked at me expectantly.
I got up and walked to the desk, sitting down on the chair. I eyed the plate and what was on it. I had to admit, it looked and smelled delicious. Roasted potatoes, baby carrots and pudding for dessert. But it was the piece of meat that made my stomach turn. It looked like steak, but was it really?
He must have noticed my hesitation, because he asked me, "Is something the matter?"
I swallowed and looked up at him nervously. "Is it okay if I don't eat the meat?"
His eyes narrowed a bit, before he softened his expression. "Of course…I can't force you to eat it…but I hope that in time, you will learn to appreciate it again. You ate it before you knew what it was, and you enjoyed eating it. You're only not wanting to eat it right now out of principle, which I understand, but it is rather rude."
I nodded my head and started eating, thinking about what he had said. He had a point, if I had to be honest. It was the same when people said they don't want to eat rabbit, or deer, but when they unknowingly ate it, they like it. It's kind of hypocritical, I had to admit. But still, that counts for animals, not humans…
I had finished the potatoes and the carrots, the only thing left on the plate was the piece of meat. I was staring at it, still feeling hungry. My stomach rumbled loudly, and Hannibal, who had decided to sit down on the edge of the bed, said, "Don't think about it, just eat. Think of it as just a regular steak, made of cow."
I swallowed and cut a little piece of meat, placing it on my fork. It trembled in my shaking hand. I slowly brought it to my mouth. Once in my mouth, I was surprised at the amount of flavor it had. It felt sick, but so good at the same time. It didn't take long for me to eat up the whole steak.
When I was done, I realized what I had just done. I had consciously eaten human meat, and I had liked it.
Wow. That was a dark kind of hunger… (*)
I suddenly felt a hand on my shoulder and looked up to see Hannibal staring down at me with a smile I could only call proud. He kissed me on my temple, picked up the plate and walked out of the room.
I stayed seated in the chair, staring at nothing in particular, feeling numb. I should feel something. I should feel disgusted, horrified, guilty…something. But, strangely enough, I felt nothing. If anything, I felt...peaceful. Suddenly exhausted, I dropped my head on my arms on the desk and decided to take a little nap.
Half asleep, I felt a pair of strong arms slip around me, carry me to the bed, bridal style. He slowly laid me down, and the last thing I felt before I fully fell asleep was the sensation of his lips on my forehead.
(*)A/N: see what I did there? ;)