22 + Valley of Kings +
When Luna opened her eyes, the first thing she saw was the muscled foreleg of an animal. The rhythmic bobbing motion told her she was on the back of a horse, being carried along at a steady pace.
Where am I? she thought frantically.
She tried to move but found her hands and feet were tightly bound, anchoring her to the horse. Pain pulsed in her head, as if a mallet had struck her multiple times. The presence of a gag in her mouth made her attempts to call out fruitless.
Jon.
A flash of memory ignited her fury.
With every ounce of strength, she writhed and thrashed, trying to free herself. The horse shifted beneath her, revealing a glimpse of a dense, looming forest.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you," came Jon's voice, deceptively casual, as if they were merely out for a leisurely stroll.
Luna stilled instantly.
"You're probably wondering where I'm taking you," Jon continued, sounding amused. "I'd tell you, but Fei has imposed certain...limitations on what I can reveal."
Frustrated tears streaked down Luna's face. She strained her neck, wanting to look him in the eyes, to find some semblance of reason or remorse. Instead, she was met with his smug grin.
He patted her cheek condescendingly. "You never wanted to be part of the Consortium, did you? Those women are nothing more than glorified courtesans. You always seemed... above that. More fit for a cave than a castle."
Luna's spirit deflated, and she let her head slump, resting her face against the warm flank of the horse. Nausea welled up; she'd eaten a heavy meal earlier, and the realization that if she vomited while gagged filled her with dread.
Dying like that? How undignified.
Focus, Luna. You need to think.
"Here we are," Jon announced.
She watched with trepidation as he gracefully dismounted, then reached for the ropes binding her, starting to undo the knots.
The moment the pressure around her legs released, Luna retaliated, lashing out with all her strength. Her foot connected with Jon's face, sending him reeling back, cursing under his breath.
Regaining his composure, he fixed her with a menacing glare. "You truly are a handful."
With the bindings no longer keeping her attached to the horse, Luna clumsily slid off, the ground jarring her as she landed. Before she could gather herself, Jon's muscular arm wrapped around her ribs, pulling and flipping her with surprising agility.
She looked up, her gaze colliding with his—handsome but now marred by her blow. The sight of blood on his face was satisfying, but it was a fleeting victory. His supernatural healing, typical of a powerful vampire, was already at work.
Though no longer tethered to the horse, Luna's wrists and ankles remained bound, leaving her with limited mobility. She managed to prop herself up into a seated position.
Jon, pulling a pristine, frilly handkerchief from his pocket, wiped the blood from his distinguished nose—a true picture of vampire elegance. "You can make this easy or difficult," he stated coolly. "Regardless, you're coming with me."
"Where?" Despite the gag still uncomfortably lodged in her mouth, Luna forced out the question.
Without uttering a word, Jon nodded towards a sight in front of them. Following his gesture, Luna's gaze settled on looming mountains, exuding an oppressive, ominous aura. They felt... cursed.
"Welcome to the Valley of Kings," Jon announced, leaving a stunned Luna as he guided the horse to a makeshift wooden corral nearby.
Spying an opportunity, Luna began to work on the knots binding her ankles. But the bindings were no ordinary ropes. Made of flexible metal, they were cruelly tight, causing her fingers to tingle and numb with the effort. The more she struggled, the deeper the metallic wires cut into her flesh.
The moment the pressure around her legs released, Luna retaliated, lashing out with all her strength. Her foot connected with Jon's face, sending him reeling back, cursing under his breath.
Regaining his composure, he fixed her with a menacing glare. "You truly are a handful."
With the bindings no longer keeping her attached to the horse, Luna clumsily slid off, the ground jarring her as she landed. Before she could gather herself, Jon's muscular arm wrapped around her ribs, pulling and flipping her with surprising agility.
She looked up, her gaze colliding with his—handsome but now marred by her blow. The sight of blood on his face was satisfying, but it was a fleeting victory. His supernatural healing, typical of a powerful vampire, was already at work.
Though no longer tethered to the horse, Luna's wrists and ankles remained bound, leaving her with limited mobility. She managed to prop herself up into a seated position.
Jon, pulling a pristine, frilly handkerchief from his pocket, wiped the blood from his distinguished nose—a true picture of vampire elegance. "You can make this easy or difficult," he stated coolly. "Regardless, you're coming with me."
"Where?" Despite the gag still uncomfortably lodged in her mouth, Luna forced out the question.
Without uttering a word, Jon nodded towards a sight in front of them. Following his gesture, Luna's gaze settled on looming mountains, exuding an oppressive, ominous aura. They felt... cursed.
"Welcome to the Valley of Kings," Jon announced, leaving a stunned Luna as he guided the horse to a makeshift wooden corral nearby.
Spying an opportunity, Luna began to work on the knots binding her ankles. But the bindings were no ordinary ropes. Made of flexible metal, they were cruelly tight, causing her fingers to tingle and numb with the effort. The more she struggled, the deeper the metallic wires cut into her flesh.
Jon spun around with a scowl. Swiftly, he released Luna's bound ankles, but then fastened the rope securely to just one. He set her wrists free, allowing them mobility.
"You need to swim," he explained tersely. "It's the sole route into the tunnels beneath the Valley of Kings." Without warning, he tore the bodice of her dress. Luna, panic evident in her eyes, tried to fend him off, fearing the worst intentions. However, he simply swatted her hands away in annoyance, his expression making it clear that harming her in that way wasn't his objective. "Rest assured, I was reminded repeatedly that your virtue must remain untouched."
"I demand answers, Jon. Where are you taking me?"
His response was a resolute shake of his head. "In due time, Luna."
Gripping the rope tied to her ankle, Jon dragged her to the pool's edge – a cold expanse of water situated at the rocky base. As they approached, Luna took a deep breath, filling her lungs in preparation.
Her life had been rooted in the mountains – a world of solid ground beneath her feet. This was foreign. The notion of being submerged, unaware of the unknown below, was terrifying. The water was a realm of uncertainty and potential danger.
Sensing her reluctance, Jon glanced back. "Forge ahead, High Priestess! Beyond these rocks, there's a cave. To enter, you'll need to dive about four strides deep and glide under the ledge. Understood?"
"I'm not a fool," Luna retorted, her voice strained. "I understand perfectly."
The rock felt slick and cold as Luna steadied herself. Just as she was readying another breath, the tug of the rope around her ankle yanked her underwater, indicating Jon's dive. With determination, she propelled herself forward, even though Jon's whereabouts were unclear. The onus was on her to locate the entrance; she was all too aware that Jon wouldn't come to her aid if she faltered.
Bubbles escaped Luna's lips, rising gracefully to the water's shimmering surface. An intense craving for air clawed at her lungs, and the underwater pressure caused her ears to ring in discomfort. Her heartbeat quickened, echoing the urgency as her oxygen supply dwindled.
The rocky bed beneath her vanished, casting her into disorienting darkness. Panic surged, but then Luna remembered Jon's words. She searched for the edge of the rock and, finding it, slipped underneath. For a brief moment, the water seemed to congeal, clutching her in its gel-like grasp.
Suddenly, she felt as though she stood atop a towering mountain. Lightning darted around her in a wild dance, illuminating the otherwise dark expanse. An abrupt pull on the rope twisted her world, flipping her upside-down. But then Jon's hands gripped her arms, and her head shot above the water's surface.
Gasping, Luna clutched a rock jutting from the water, its slick surface cold under her fingers. The cave's darkness enveloped them, its damp, musky scent mixing with the chill of the water and the sharp edges of the stones she held.
Jon approached, swimming with determined strokes. Luna, shivering from cold and fear, watched him intently. The silence between them was thick until Jon's voice, filled with a mixture of concern and urgency, broke through.
"Are you alright?"
With a mix of relief and anger, Luna managed a terse reply. "Damn you."
