Taken By a Dragonlord (first draft)

Which to Trust?

"But what if I fall?
Oh but my darling, what if you fly?"
-unknown

(Unedited)

I quietly pick at my dinner, the bland chicken and beans don't look so appetizing at the moment.
Every time I look up, WhiteRain is staring at Atlas. He told me it's nothing to worry about, um yeah Atlas, it's something to worry about.
I catch eyes with her and I tell her with my eyes to back off. She just twirls her hair around her finger once again and visibly turns her gaze to Atlas, smirking. God, her smirk is not Atlas', there is nothing in that smirk except lust and greed. I'd rather see Atlas'.
The Lords are putting together a ball in our honor tonite.
I frown.
A ball? For us? After what we did?
I glance at RoyalWhisper and her Rider, Derek. They are sitting together and are looking happy, the other Riders have moved closer down the table, only a few seats away. The DragonLords aren't giving them glares or hardships.
Atlas follows my gaze.
I think we did pretty good.
I smile at that. Atlas reaches for my hand under the table, once he finds it, he squeezes and doesn't let go.

----

I gaze into the mirror at myself, my new black ivory dress flows down to the floor, a heart neckline is decorated with a large black-silver necklace in the shape of a dove. My hair is done up in curls in an elegant bun. diamond studs deem my ears and heels adorn my small feet.
I smile at myself in the mirror, this will be a good night, right?
I turn at a knock on the door, Atlas walks in before I answer it. I openly glare at his handsome face. He smirks that smirk and I know what's coming.
His hands find my shoulders and his lips search mine. Nothing more. It is perfect.
He pulls back and looks into my eyes, "Are you ready?"
I silently nod and take his crooked elbow. he leads my down the curving staircase to the ballroom. I heard that the DragonLords were inviting people but I had no idea what looked like thousands were occupying the not-so-gigantic-looking-anymore room.
Dancers with dresses and suits of every color waft through the room, a sea of people. I can feel myself shaking and quivering, I tighten my hold on Atlas' arm as the Lords all turn their heads to look at me RoyalWhisper grins at me, I shakingly return it.
RoyalWhisper wears a simple but flattering burgundy floor length gown with a bust neckline. Her brown hair is down and flowing. Derek spins her around the floor to the music, her giddy laughter fills the room, lightening the mood.
ScarredQuake awkwardly dances with Alice, sporting a soft pink frilly dress. He focuses on their feet, visibly trying to not step on her petite feet. She laughs as he fails and proceeds to show him again.
JayShade dances with ease with Mia her navy dress flows along with her as he spins her round and round.
SkyFall watches his Rider, Sara, dance with WhiteRain's Rider, William. He watches her with something that I cannot place in his eyes, looking hesitant. WhiteRain doesn't notice me as she holds a glass of deep red wine in one hand. She watches the dancers intently.
Atlas turns to me.
"Shall we?"
"We shall" I say all formal like.
Atlas leads me down the last few steps and onto the floor.
Atlas, I can do this. I don't know how.
Then I will show you.
He proceeds to patiently teach me the steps and doesn't complain when I step on his toes, dozens of times. I wince again as I step on them again.
Sorry.
He laughs and spins me again.
Then someone plows into me.
WhiteRain. Drunk.
"Oh my Karliah! You look absolutely beautiful tonite! oooooh! Karliah! You must accompany me to the powder room to fix my hair!"
She tugs on my free hand, bouncing on the balls of her feet. I almost fall on my face as she yanks on my arm, She gives a giddy, drunken laugh and keeping tugging on my arm. I cast a glance back at Atlas to see him trying hard not to laugh.
Atlas! help me!
He turns his back on me, laughing. I can tell by the shaking of his shoulders.
WhiteRain drags me into the nearby powder room. Laughing and stumbling the whole way.
Then the next thing I know, something hits me on the back of my skull and I crumple to the ground, menacing laughter fills my darkening brain. Until everything goes black.

-----

I wake up in darkness, breathing comes from a few feet away.
"Who's there?"
"Karliah?"
"Derek?"
"She put us in here, WhiteRain. Said that we are getting what we deserve."
A door flies open, a bright light fills the room, I move to shield my eyes only to find my hands bond with a rope.
WhiteRain fills the doorway.
"You."
"Me," she cackles, bending down to lift my chin up to haze at her with one of her slender fingers.
Her blue eyes meet mine. and they
change.
They loose their clot till they are grey, her hair whitens, her cheek bones raise up. Her lips shrink.
and in a matter of minutes, an exact replica, clothes and all, states right back at me.
She looks down at herself, "Cute."
My voice comes from her lips.
"Boys, you know what to do."
Two large men slide into the room.
"Proceed."
And WhiteRain slips from the room, her laughter fades away. And the door slams shut with a swift kick from one of the men.
Then a fist connects with my jaw. A foot makes contact with my ribs. My eye suffers the same treatment. As does the rest of my body.
Derek screams from beside me, suffering the same treatment. Blood rushes out of my mouth and my nose.
Five minutes later of brutal beatings and screaming, two heavy weights fall to the ground.
"Derek?"
I look at him In the dim light of the now ablaze torch mounted on the wall.
He sits looking at the bodies with glazed eyes.
"I killed them."
What.
"How?"
"My power."
He looks at me.
"Stopping heartbeats."

-----

I stagger down the hall in jerky steps, a thick blood trail lies in my wake, a slash on my knee contributes and a rib poking through my stomach helps.
I turn the corner, for some reason I can't contact Atlas, I must be too worked up and In pain. Hand clutching my side, I use my blood slicked one to try and open the bedroom door. Not locked.
It takes a few times of silent trying till I can Get into the room.
The sight breaks my already fractured heart.
WhiteRain, in my form, is kissing Atlas. My Atlas.
On the bed intently, though no clothes are in the ground. Yet.
Atlas jerks from kissing who he thinks is me, and glances at me. shock fills his gaze and freezes on place.
"What?" he looks down at WhiteRain, still in my form.
He jumps off of her and turns to me. His eyes search me and go wide as he looks back and forth between me and my copy.
Blood pools at my feet, j can't hold it anymore.
"Atlas!" I manage to scream before falling face first into the ground. I don't even feel the other two ribs breaking from the impact, or my nose shattering as if it were glass.
Instead of darkness claiming me, the memory of Atlas obliviously kissing WhiteRain fills my mind and I scream in my mind.
Over and Over

Dedicated to @imtaterchip
For, again, pushing me to get over my writers block and finish this part!