Bound

Chapter Twenty Eight

When the door swung open, admitting him, Brianna dropped her eyes to the floor.   Danger seemed imminent , although she didn't know why.   Her senses, dulled by days locked in this cramped room sharpened and she forced herself to stand her ground.   Gareth took her chin in his icy cold hand, tipping her face up so she could meet his dark eyes, burning in their desire.  

"Brianna my dear, I feel that it is time for you," he purred smoothly, fingers gripping her face.  Shuddering in terror, she barely managed  her reply.  "Have I displeased you in some way, Master?  I beg of you not to kill me, please please, I'll do better, I'll try harder"  The desperation in her tone as she stared at his face, so beautiful, but so obviously supernatural now to her.  She had truly seen him now for a long while,  couldn't believe she'd ever been so foolish as to think he was a mere man.  

His smile, the sharpness of those unnatural teeth caused the tremors of fear to increase, until she was shaking violently.  No smile could have been more diabolical, she thought, as he leaned closer to her, that earthy aroma encapsulating her senses again.  With alarm she realized that whatever  scent he possessed, it had a tranquilizing effect on her.    Struggling to maintain mental clarity she let the tears slide down her cheeks, her pale face bursting into color as she fought for sanity around this monster. 

That look was back, the look he'd had right before  he'd bitten her, that night so long ago.  She couldn't take that again, simply couldn't.   Before he could get any closer she sank into darkness, collapsing wordlessly.   Gareth looked down on the form of the girl on the floor, shook his head.    "So young and silly"  He said, bending down and scooping her up in his arms.   As light as a feather  he carried her from her cell, and up several sets of stairs.  Into the master bedroom he moved, placing her carefully on the thick silken comforter.  

As she lay there, golden hair spread about her angelic face he stood thinking.   She looked truly like an angel, although the stress of her ordeal showed in the thin shape of her face, the worry still etched on her countenance, even in this state.  From the bedside table he took a small golden bracelet,  adorned in rubies of the deepest blood red.   Her gift from him, he mused.   It would be an adjustment, and it was best he start now.  The fear would be replaced in her, and he would have a pupil he could mold, finally.   He sat by her on the bed, lifted her limp wrist.  He felt the strong thud of her pulse , could hear the pounding of her heart.  "If only you understood, dear Brianna, if only you knew who you are going to become.  You would not fear the darkness, only embrace it." he spoke to the silence of the room.  

When his lips touched her skin his eyes dilated completely, before he'd even broken the skin he was ravenous for her taste again.  Frowning, he pulled back again.   If he couldn't control his urge there was no way he could safely transform her.   Even sated with a meal he desired her more than any human he had ever wanted.   Her blood was a siren call to him, one of the highest call.  How he'd stopped that night was beyond him as he dropped her wrist and rose to pace the room. 

The darkness inside him craved her entirely, craved every drop of lifeblood she possessed.   If he gave into the call this would have all been for naught.  Viciously angry at his own lack of control he lashed out, his hand blasting a hole in the wall above the bed with a mere flick.  It was at that moment Brianna stirred and opened her eyes to see him above her, raging mad, steel muscles standing out, bits of plaster falling about from his punch.  

Cowering back on the bed she never took her eyes off of him.    He was terrible and beautiful in his fury, eyes flashing with what she could only describe as a bloodlust.   For some reason he wasn't mindlessly attacking her, but his anger struck fresh terror in her heart.    Summoning courage she didn't know she could possess she asked in a voice that trembled "Why....why did you stop....why don't you kill me already and get it over with!"

She saw the effect her words had on him.  He stilled completely, just his maddened eyes moving to rest upon her.    He sank back to the bed, leaned over her and placed a hand on each side of her against the headboard.  Keeping his voice level and fighting the turbulent emotions he said in a deadly whisper, " I won't kill you.....I will bind you to me, forever......."

With that he made his decision, covering her body with his own.  He pinned her to the bed beneath him, held her so she couldn't move or fight.   He read the horror in her eyes as he dipped his head to her neck, nipping almost playfully at her.   "Tonight is the start of your real life my darling....."

Brianna shook under his weight, struggled against him as she felt his teeth sink into her neck.  Her screams fell on deaf ears as her vision blurred and she surrendered to the darkness rising to claim her once more.........