Rebellion

Chapter 16~ Mind Games

 
Chapter 16: Mind Games
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I knew I was dreaming, it was an odd sensation, but even the knowledge that none of this was real didn't stop my fear. This was a room I tried my best never to think about and I couldn't understand why it had taken shape in my dream.

At least I wasn't chained to the walls, bound and naked like I had been in real life. My blood stained the stone walls, I could smell my scent everywhere. The drip of water coming from the roof and the smell of damp was something that still haunted me.

"I thought it would be harder to get into your mind."

Spinning, pressing myself against the wall, I bared my fangs at the shimmering image of Airell. He was as beautiful as ever, his cat like green eyes piercing in the dark and his hair left to fall down to his shoulders. If it wasn't for the cruel twist to his lips, one might have thought him an angel.

It's just a dream, I reminded myself.

Squeezing my eyes shut, my hands covered my eyes, "Wake up."

Airell chuckled, the echo of his footsteps reaching my ears even as I mumbled for myself repeatedly to wake. A sharp blow to my stomach had me doubling over and unable to breath, my eyes brimming with tears.

Fingers tangled in my hair, yanking my head back so I was forced to see Airell's face. He was smirking, the finger of his free hand stroking along my cheek and down my neck. I shivered at his touch, bile rising until I was almost gagging.

"He won't keep you from me. He can't keep you safe. Can't you see that he's just using you, little bird? Come home to us." Airell spoke sweetly, the magic of the maker's bond wrapping around me, trying to lull me into its grasp, "Tell me where you are, let me come to take you home."

For a moment it worked, for a moment my body relaxed and fell into his touch until something stronger pulled me back to my senses. He'd sensed it, the soft features of his face hardening. His grip tightened painfully in my hair, the force of his rage red hot. I knew that look and I struggled to break free, my mind screaming with panic. I knew what he doled out when something sparked his anger.

"How has he done that?" Airell muttered to himself, his eyes searching until they fell to my neck.

A growl of fury roared from him and my head connected with the hard stone floor as he threw me back. I kicked up as his body came down on mine, but he pushed it away easily. The only thing left to do was give in, fighting would only cause me more pain. Yet something had me wanting to fight and I struggled beneath him until he easily pinned me to the ground.

The scream that left me as Airell's fangs pierced my neck tore at my throat, my veins turning to fire as he fed, his fangs tearing roughly at my skin so that blood flowed freely down my neck, pooling on the floor. This was all too real, every atom of my being felt what he was forcing from me but still I wriggled and bucked, unwilling to let him take freely what I had fought to gain back. His fangs sunk deeper still, piercing my artery and I sunk into darkness once more.

My eyes flew open and it was blue eyes instead of green that stared down at me with worry. Atanas' hand cupped my cheek and I flinched away, pushing myself further away from him on instinct. My body was reeling and my neck burned as if it had actually felt the touch of Airell's fangs. I didn't realise I was crying until a hot tear fell onto my arm.