Jeremiah finally stopped yelling for them to come back. He had played his last hand and had lost. He could only imagine what David Sheffield would do to him and consoled himself that he wouldn't be abused sexually. It was one thing to be treated that way by a woman but to be touched sexually by a man was another thing altogether. But then again, it would be the ultimate humiliation. However, he just couldn't see David touching him like that. He sat on his cot, placed his head in his hands and began to tremble. He could honestly now say that he was afraid. A soft snarl reminded him to pull himself together. The guard that had snarled at him was new and under the guidance of a much older vampire. Who happened to be out of the room.
Jeremiah took a quick look around and allowed his fear to come forth. His death would be painful but it would be quick. The vampire approached the cell transfixed by the smell of Jeremiah's fear. His dark eyes never left Jeremiah's as he approached the cell.
"Hurry up!" Jeremiah wanted to scream but didn't. He could see that the vampire was struggling for control but he lacked the experience. The vampire was to the door of the cell and was about to open it when his mentor came back.
"What in the fuck are you doing?" he screamed at the young vampire. "Stand down NOW!"
The young vampire shook his head as if trying to wake up from a deep sleep.
"I... he..." he stammered.
"Go out and get control of yourself." The older vampire said quietly.
When he was gone, the older vampire approached the cell. His nostrils flared at the smell of Jeremiah's fear.
"You do smell good but not good enough to die for." The vampire said. "The Queen Mother scares you but her mate scares you even more. I guess you now understand how all of those women felt. It doesn't feel so good now does it?" he asked with an angry smirk on his face.
Jeremiah didn't reply. He wasn't expected to.
"I think that we're going to have to make other arrangements, we can't have someone accidentally killing you now can we?"
"What are you going to do to me?" Jeremiah whispered.
"Nothing but the queen has ordered a cell mate for you." The guard replied.
"A cell mate? Who is it?" David asked.
"Not who but what." The guard said with a smile. "He's behind you."
Jeremiah turned to see Buddy sitting on his cot. Buddy looked at Jeremiah with cold yellow eyes and stretched out on the cot.
"Oh fuck no!" Jeremiah said. "Get that mangy piece of shit out of here!"
Buddy slowly rose with his eyes fastened on Jeremiah's face and growled a warning.
"I don't give a fuck!" Jeremiah screamed, "GET THE HELL OUT!"
Buddy looked at him and laughed, at least Jeremiah thought that he was laughing and lay back down on the cot. Jeremiah stood in the middle of the cell for more than an hour before he realized that the dog did not intend to give up the cot. He knew from previous experience that the dog couldn't be budged unless he wanted to move.
"Fuck you." Jeremiah muttered as he went to a corner of the cell and sat down. He thought about going for his pillow but thought better of it when Buddy looked at him as if daring him to move. Jeremiah settled in for a long and uncomfortable day. Every time he opened his eyes, Buddy's yellow ones were on him. At that moment, Jeremiah hated Buddy more than he hated Justine.
As if to tell him that the feeling was mutual, Buddy stood up, squatted and left a pile of shit in the middle of the cot before vanishing. Jeremiah's eyes watered as the stench hit his nostrils. He turned when he heard someone chuckling behind him. It was the older guard from the evening before.
"I would suggest that if you don't want the Queen's familiar in the cell with you that you stop trying to get yourself killed."
He appeared in the cell with an armful of clean linens and cleaning supplies.
"There's a laundry bag in there, you can put your dirty linens in there."
"You don't expect me to clean that up!" Jeremiah exclaimed.
"I could care less." The vampire replied. "Sleep in a shitty bed for all I care." he said as he dropped the armload of supplies on the floor and disappeared.
Jeremiah couldn't decide if his treatment had gotten worse or if it was his imagination. He decided that it was a combination of the two and wondered what it meant. He stood up, grabbed the linen bag and held his breath as he quickly stripped the cot hoping that the odor hadn't seeped through to the thin mattress. If it had, he doubted that they would honor his request for another one.
By the time he had the bed stripped, he was gagging with tears stinging his eyes. As soon as the dirty linen was in the bag, Jeremiah sat it by the cell door hoping that it would be taken away sooner rather than later. He looked at the cot with distaste and decided to take a chance and ask for another mattress. To his advantage, the vampire that brought him the clean linen was gone.
"Is there any chance that I could get a different mattress?"
"What's wrong with that one?" the guard asked.
"You don't smell anything?" Jeremiah asked.
The guard inhaled deeply and shook his head.
"I don't smell anything." he replied.
"You don't smell dog shit?" Jeremiah asked confused, his eyes were still burning.
The guard shrugged, "I don't smell anything but I'll see about another mattress."
"Thank you, I appreciate it." Jeremiah replied touched by the small show of kindness
The guard came back several minutes later with another mattress.
"You're in luck, it's a brand new one." the guard said as he put the new mattress on the floor and took the old one off the bed.
"I don't know how to thank you." Jeremiah said softly.
He wanted to know why the vampire was being so kind to him and decided to tempt fate by asking.
The vampire looked at him, started to say something and changed his mind. On his way out of the cell, he picked up the bag of dirty linen and walked away without looking back.
Jeremiah put the new mattress on the frame, made up the cot and laid down. Although he was worried about what David had in mind for him, and if it would set a precedent, he slept. Pam kicking at his feet awakened him a few hours later.
"What is it now?" Jeremiah asked wearily.
"Can't a girl say hello to a friend?" Pam asked feigning hurt.
Jeremiah didn't answer but looked at her and waited for her to continue.
"You have a dinner invitation." She said after several minutes.
The first thing that came to his mind was Mimi. His balls ached and his bowels clenched at the memory of those three days. He knew that Pam was watching him and knew what he was thinking. He could see the gleam of satisfaction in her eyes.
"Who am I having dinner with?" he asked his mouth dry.
