Human

Seven

We're sat watching something. She often likes spending time in this room, there's plenty of people here. She is a people person after all. We're sat so close to each other our thighs are touching, in fact, she's partly sitting on me. But I don't mind. I never do. Even as the film continues, and she starts to press the small high heel of her black shoe onto my bare foot, increasing the pressure ever so slightly, so subtle, I don't move my foot. I stay still, as if she's a baby deer that I don't want to scare away. I think she enjoys knowing that I will sit there quietly, tolerating it, that she can hurt me and I won't say a word, I won't even pull away.

I was curled up in the basement, I don't know how long I'd been here for. I wasn't even chained up, I just took myself down here. Everything was too much, the fear, all these conflicting emotions. I just wanted to stay in this cold, damp, darkness. It's what I deserve.

I haven't seen Hecate since Laz pulled me from the tank, at least I think he did. She wasn't there as I recovered, and I don't know if I could bear to be around her anymore. She was going to kill me. I wanted to go back to the Queen, she'd understand. Yes I'd be punished, but being so low down in the hierarchy, with so many high-ranking demons around.. being the Queen's pet was safety.. almost.

I'm afraid of Hecate, and I know how angry she'll be. Back in the day, all it took was a simple gift to earn her forgiveness, but back then she'd be angry over something I'd said, not total disobedience and trying to run away. Worst of all was the thought that the girl, or should I say demon, I loved with all my heart, had tried to drown me. I closed my eyes, I would stay down here until the time came for me to be punished or sent back.

"Do you have any gothic necklaces?" 

"Yeah, I have a couple of chokers. What about this one?" I searched amongst my meagre possessions for a black velvet choker. It had a purple jewel, surrounded by a silver creature with wings. I thought it would look gorgeous on her with that short black lace dress. 

I presented it to her, and she took it from my hands impatiently, but not unkindly. She was almost always pleasant when she wanted something.

She placed it round her neck.

"Do it up." 

I fastened it gently, allowing myself to take my time a little bit. 

Once it was secured, she took a moment to regard it carefully in the mirror, assessing how it looked on her. I thought it looked gorgeous. Then again, everything did on her. 

"No. Undo it." 

Obediently, I unfastened the small latch. The choker slipped back into her hands and she wrapped it around my neck, clipping it at the back.

"It looks nice on you." 

I felt my heart thumping in my chest, when she looked at me, when she spoke to me like that, it was like I was the only person in the world.

Her hand reached out and gently touched my neck, near the choker, with the back of her hand. I practically stopped breathing. 

"It didn't look good on me." Her voice was like a drug. I watched her eyes fall down to my neck and then trail back up to my eyes. 

"Because it's like a dog collar." 

There was a surge of light from the door leading down to the basement. I heard steps making their way down and I knew it was her before she's even reached the bottom. I know the way she carries herself, that presence.