*Trigger warning. Themes of non-consent, extreme circumstances, and fantastical elements play out in this story.*
I sat there bruised black and blue, staring into his eyes. No longer because I had no choice to, but because shock overcame me. His eyes demanded my attention, his warmth demanded recognition, and the threat of his strength seared into my flesh. I could no longer look away. He in that moment, dismantled me. It was the love in his eyes. How could his cruelty hold love? Yet it was unmistakable. It was as if he truly believed this was the only way for me to see him. By breaking me. By ruining me, by torturing me, by threatening me. He wasn't doing this to me out of hate or revenge, he was doing it to prove his love. How odd. But it's oddness invoked something within me. I do not know if it was because of the shock and the lack of sleep, all the humiliation and the pressure of extreme consequences. I do not know but I felt within me a box struck open. Something within me made no sense, yet it pieced together my soul, it made it whole. I felt within me pain and devotion come and meet at hell's end, at death's curve, where there was nothing left. Yet in that nothingness, was not emptiness or loneliness, it was instead everything. Like everything all came together and became nothing in it's purest form, it all became one. As if this is how the world should actually feel. Till now I had only been experiencing bits and pieces of my consciousness, but now I felt it all at once and yet nothing at all.
Then questions silently began flooding my mind. How could he still be in love with me after all the time that's passed? Why would he think that this is how he'd get through to me? Why did he think this is the way I would see what I've always missed within me? Most importantly, how did he know to do this? To be this way for me?
I had been looking at this all wrong. My capture wasn't revenge or a mark of his cruelty to taint my soul, or simply to overthrow me for more power in his repertoire. It was instead to prove his love. But this doesn't look like love. This is cruel and brutal. Why does it then feel like it? Why does it then feel so real, so utterly and brutally marked in devotion? Not even devotion to himself as I would've presumed it be. No this is devotion...to me.
My mind's all messed up, I can't think about this anymore, it hurts my head and my heart. I'll think on this more once I can rest, only the Gods know when that will be. Considering he plans to give me even more brutality after these quickly fleeting moments. However, for now something within me relaxes, something slows down. Something warms through me, and my eyes become softer. Time begins to move slower. His eyes burn through me and I let them. I let him in through the windows of my soul. I do not know what I am feeling. What wickedness my own body and soul is craving to experience. My eyes wetting, clouding my vision, but I am here. I am more present than I have been in a long time, here in this moment.
Everything fades to black...
I open my eyes, the hunger floods me. Oh I am hungry, so damn voracious for blood. I jump, looking around to recognize what is happening. All the memories of what happened flood through me. All the events, the pain, the brokeness within me that now hurts somewhere with every breath. The realization dawns that I am no longer Queen. Last thing I remember is Drrahven telling me I belong to him, with eyes full of warmth..and love.
I look at my body, scanning my surroundings. It's dark here, so dark I can barely make out the shapes of my own arms and legs. I get up, beginning to walk and immediately feel myself sharply pulled back. Realizing the heaviness on my arms and legs wasn't due to simply my tiredness and beatings but rather the strength of metal chains holding me captive.
I take a breath, trying to devise a plan. I was trained for this, trained to get through, if ever the case occur, of being overthrown and captive. First though, I need to know where I am. I suspect these are my own palace dungeons. I hear steps and the quickness to them gives away "vampyre". Hmm wonder who that could be. A light flickers reflecting off the metal bars, revealing that I am indeed in my own palace dungeons.
I see his broad shoulders, he always had the build of a tyrant. The Vampyre Lord is back to torture the captive queen I suppose. I brush away the emotions bubbling to the surface. Emotions of what I experienced at his hands before I blacked out. Love or what ever it was. It had no place when the monster that was now entering the cell was just that. A monster.
I put on a straight face, ready to deal with whatever he brings to me next -whatever he puts me through next. I will remember this, I will imprint his cruelty into my mind. I will become justice, I will become karma.
He pulls on the metal chain attached to the heavy metal collar around my neck. Jerking me up. Pulling my face up to his. Those damn eyes, such gorgeous eyes. Fantasizing about my captor and torturer? Clearly I've lost my mind.
"Did you sleep well? hmm I didn't think you deserved your comforts anymore. Soft pillows, the aesthetics and all. I inspected your room, you've been spoiled rotten love. I much prefer you like this," He chuckled. Love? He called me what!? Keeping me tiptoed, he pulls me even closer to his lips. The monster brushes my cheek with his thumb and his eyes roaming my face, "So much more real, needy, sexy, and entirely open to whatever your Master graces you with. Such beauty and it all belongs to me to do with at whim whatever, whenever, however I want. So much better this way, Isn't that right my little bird?"
"How dare you in my hom-" I hear ringing in my ear, my face burning. He slapped me as I began to speak.
"Did I say you could speak little bird? Hmm?"
"I don't give a fucking damn what you thin-" He slapped me again, in the same spot but somehow harder. I feel my flesh rise, swelling at his assault.
