20 The Dress From A Dragavei

Andrew brought me into a gigantic bathing area that reminded me of a eurpean style bath house. It was heated and steaming. One of the only things took well care of here. It was unique and old but maintained. Probably because the servants didn't want to bathe in a condition much like the rest of the castle. If I lived here... would I be as cold hearted as Lamia is? I bathed in privacy as Andrew promised to wait just outside. I washed off mud from my body and sticks from my hair. I could understand now- why Lamia might've been so disgusted with me. Enough to give me a bath before eating me alive. I sat in silence for a long time as I finished cleaning myself off. The heat from the bath was the warmest thing in this castle. I wanted to stay in it and wait for Brendon to come save me. But, Arwen quietly told me I needed to find a way to escape from the castle.

Andrew came in to bust my bubble. He held a beautiful luncana star sequined long sleeve layered mesh dress. It was beautiful. Designed with a faux sweatheart neckline layered over a star embrelished mesh and accented with velvet bows. It was- dazzeling. Defintely an A-line dress. An absolute flouncy silhoutte. Never in my life have I ever seen something that screamed... me.

"W-who told you?" I asked softly. "Who gave that to you for me to wear?" I asked in alarm.

He shrugged. "It was something master Dragavei handed me in the hall just now."

W-what?

"Y-you mean Lamia gave this to you? What..." I trailed off in confusion.

"No. I mean Master Eder. Her husband, the vampire king."

My heart pounded in alarm. He's not supposed to know I'm here. Who gives gifts like these... to strangers? Andrew hung up the dress and revealed a box under it. "What's in there?" I asked as I turned around completely and rested against the edge of the tub. He came over to me and knelt down before opening the box to reveal a matching pair of flats and some accessories. Was he thoughtful enough to- to figure out I should wear flats for the most comfortable result?

Could you imagine me- ME wearing heels in a dress as perfect as that thing hanging on the wall.

This man- is an expert in clothes. He sat the box to the side before pulling out a finger nail clipper and file as he picked up one of my hands and started to work. His eyes were focused.

He had a hidden meaning in what he was doing. This was a job now for him. Someone instructed him to do this. Was... it... no it's impossible. Wait... Is Andrew actually apart of Eder Dragavei's harem? Did he take pity on me and tattle on Lamia? Did he run into the master in the halls and beg him for some decent clothes for a damsel in distress?

"Andrew," I whispered softly. "You sly dog," I mumbled to the human boy. His teenager heart is easy to read now.

"You're too pretty to let Lamia devour you," he whispered to me.

Out of nowhere from behind Andrew's head I caught the image of Lamia walking up. You wouldn't hear her but I was aware she was now in the room. She stopped right behind him and leaned down to his height.

"Is that right, Andrew?" I heard her familiar voice that sent shivers down my spine. Oh fuc- I screamed as it happened so fast. Lamia before my eyes took the filer from Andrew's hand and sliced his neck open with the sharp tip. Andrew's blood pooled onto me as I trembled. I watched as Lamia stood behind him and grabbed a fist full of his hair and yanked it backwards. She bit down into her wrist and yanked away, letting the blood from her wrist fall over his open-cut. I swam away from them in fear as I watched his throat heal almost instantly. She still looked cold and void of any emotions. Swiftly she dunked his head into the bath and looked like she was purposly going to drown him but let him go entirely. His body plumbeted into the bath with me and his blood surrounded me.

I felt my breath catch as fear wrapped me like a thick blanket. I-is he going to be okay? He's going to drown... Lamia stared me down as a smirk curled into her lips. Is that amusement I spy in those dark eyes of hers? Now I truly know... He's Lamia's concubine. An unloved lover. A play toy she kept around to mentally destroy whenever she pleased. Andrew sprung out of the water, choking and gagging. His neck had a new scar on it but he looked completely healed.

So, like I've heard in rumors... Vampires have the powers to heal. Or- maybe a handful can but I just witnessed Lamia heal Andrew- after delivering a death blow to his throat. These monsters are... dangerous creatures. I thought I had rogues to worry about while away at school. But this maxed my nightmares. It's a cruel reality I want to run away from.

Andrew sent a glare at me but quickly turned his head and I could tell he meant it for her.

"Kill me," he begged as I heard him cry for the first time. "Why won't you kill me?"

Poor Andrew... How long has he been here?

"Let me make this perfectly clear, Andrew. I will suck the blood out of whoever I GOD damn please. The fact I have to waste my breath on this- is annoying. Shape up, Andrew. I didn't train you so you could slack off or bash my name. If I ever catch you in the act again... I will make every day for you a living nightmare like this," she said as she crossed her arms and looked down at the box of jewlery and the slippers. "What's this?" She asked. Her expresison of rage faded. Like a fish seeing a shinny lure.

"Master Eder's gift for her," Andrew huffed out as he rubbed his probably sore throat. I bet he was in agony from talking. She wrinkled up her nose as she quietly thought to herself.

"Very well... put it on her," she said as she looked at the dress hanging on the wall and walked over to it before looking back at me. "This too," she muttered. Why... would I wear the jewlery and not the dress? This woman.... What has she seen before? Her heels clicked on the tiles as she walked towards the door to leave. "Show her to my room when ready," she left a final instrution before disappearing through the doors. I didn't know Andrew well enough to comfort him but I watched as he crawled out of my bath and collapsed on the tile. I couldn't blame him as I watched the pain on his face growing. He showed his true self away from her- his hatred for being here was curled into his quivering lips. He was muttering quietly about ending it all.

I got out of the bath altogether. I barely felt the strength to walk but I found a towel. I used it to dry off. My mind rattling on the events I've been through since I woke up. I took my time putting on the dress and items that were given to go with it. I know he was still struggling to collect himself. He'd need time to face her again. I needed time to face her. I don't know what she wants from me. Why did I wake up on a chain only for her to take it off me? The stuff I tasted in my mouth... Maybe it was her blood? What if they overdosed me and brought me to her? Did she save my life and I just don't know it? Was that what happened? She might be cruel but so far she's unleashed and given me a bath. Her husband is providing me clothes and her servant feels for me. Andrew, doesn't want her to harm me. She's going to devour me.

Once Andrew dried off we were off for Lamia's room. Some part in me wanted it to be just a normal bedroom so I can be persuaded any of this was natrual here. But as I walked down the rotton wood floors... My hope faded with the rot around me. As a wolf, scent was strong to me. This was unbareable and disgusting. My heels dug into the wood and I felt it squish under my feet. It was like it didn't occur to anyone but me... this place was far gone from- I screamed as I lost my foot. I fell face first as I felt the wood give out from under me and my leg fell down the hole. I could hear the wood hit the floor under us. We're not even on ground floor. My heart pounded as I looked at Andrew in horror. He looked at me in slight alarm.

"Oh, that happens every now and again," he whispered to me and carefully walked to me with an extended hand to help me out of my situation.

"Are they broke?" I spat out.

"No," he chuckled out.

"Then why is the castle literally falling out from under me?" I asked as I guestured to my leg. I took his hand to get out of the hole. As he pulled me out I looked down at the dark hole. Whatever was below us was a long drop and impossible to see what was down there. So, this must be a 'ground' floor above some kind of basement beneath.

"She eats everyone that we hire to come in and do some construction," I heard a new voice speak up from behind me. "So nothing gets done and I'm stuck listening to people scream all day from the place's decay." I glanced over my shoulder as I felt Andrew bow respectfully towards the voice.

There he stood.

With the way Andrew was acting I could tell instantly I was meeting him.

It was earlier then expected.

His eyes lingered on my dress with admiration written all over his face. He DID pick the dress out. I could tell instantly my suspicions were correct. Andrew must be closer to him then I thought.

I didn't dare curtsy before him. He was not my king. He is nothing more then a sun-cursed monster to my eyes. The servants around us reminding me of that. They came as quickly as he had showed up. They were closing curtains to protect him from the sunlight. A few held books for him while another set was clearly stepping ahead to test the stucture of the floor. If I had them instead of Andrew's lazy strides we wouldn't be meeting like this. But the way these servants cared for this monster was strange. They could be free... Just burn him alive. I pitied them for caring so much for their owner's well being. Let's face it. No one could possibly be here of their own accord. I watched as he looked at the hole in the floor and looked sad from it. This is his home- falling apart from his wife. Maybe he's not as bad as a monster as Lamia... but he's still one of them.

To prove it to myself, I inhaled his scent. Just like the scent I caught when I entered the town below the castle. He smelled like a foul decaying corpse. Blood stained his scent of death. The danger I smelled under the scent made goosebumps grow on my skin. He's a predator. Lone from any emotions. Lone from anything a pack taught me growing up. I could smell the last kill he's fed off of, the feminine scent fresh to my powerful nose. I let out a shaky breath I didn't know I kept in. My mind triggering on sayinig anything.

"You must be her husband," I said quickly.

"And you must be her guest," he shot back and held back his smile to put on a good poker face.

"I'm Vivienne," I told him. "Have you seen my brother Nolan? He goes by Cole sometimes."

The thought of my brother being here had suddenly struck me as I asked the question unconsciously. He's alive still, right?

"He should be with his mate," he said and looked slighty surprised. "I'm Eder," he told me before looking at Andrew. "Andrew hang back a few steps. I'll escort the lovely lady to her brother," he decided before offering his elbow to me.

Eder Dragavei, a king of vampires certainly looked the part. But he was more delicate. His looks could only be compared to a star. He was kinder looking and more feeling. Like there might be a hint of humanity left in him. Something Lamia clearly didn't possess. He reminded me of an elf from Lord Of The Rings. He could nearly had been the inspiration for one. With platinum blonde hair that ran past his shoulders. I haven't seen a hairstyle quiet like it in person. It was shocking. His eyes were a sea green, most mysterious since I expected them to be as red and cold like Lamia's heart. Since his hair still had colour in it, I suspected he wasn't as old as Lamia is. Or maybe he dyed it and let it fade. Like all vampires, Eder was tall and flawless in features. Pale skin- the unatrual color. He didn't feed like Lamia did, his skin tone gave him away. This only meant he was more likely to kill before Lamia would. Which was now my biggest threat. Did he have a taste for my kind's blood like his wife? Besides his uncommon hairstyle, he was dressed in the latest men's fashion. Something you'd fine amongst the richest's family's wardobe collection. A designer tag brown and black coordinating outfit. He dressed like he was cold but it was probably from the servant's suggesting to cover up incase there were to be a light incident. SO thoughtful. I could run right now, into the sunlight and escape.

I could run...

right

now

and

escape.

Right

into

the

sunlight.

If it wasn't for my better judgement in the supernatrual. I'm sure there is someone capable of chasing me down. And then what? Lamia would do exactly as she warned me. I felt a chill run down my spine as I saw the look on Eder's eyes changing. Was he suspecting me of what I was thinking? As I stared further into his eyes it knocked down his calm stature. HE laughed as he looked at me. Right- Where were we? I glanced down at his hanging elbow and decided to pass it up before I found my throat cut. Lamia might be the jealous type and I'm trying to live for my future baby.

"Mr. Dragavei," I said sternly. "Your wife called for me in her room. I'm expected there. I don't think I'd be approved of going to see my brother before that." I shot at him coldly. How dare he laugh at me. I'm not being funny. This is very serious. His expression changed as he grew cold in the face. A faint pink hew grew on his cheeks but he looked away so I wouldn't see.

"Well... excuse me," he whispered before disappearing altogther out of thin air. I blinked a few times in amazment as I reached out and caressed the air he had just been in. It was empty. The servants that had just been around him looked annoyed then.

"I hate when he does that," one muttered to another as they roughly opened the windows back up.

"What just happened?" I asked quickly and looked back at Andrew. He smiled at me before gesturing to where he had been.

"He can teleport. At least that's what he calls it."

What a simple explaination.

He just vanished after finishing a sentence.

What a damn good way to travel.

RUNNING is out of question now.

If he can just teleport to me I'm sure others could do the same here.

"You shouldn't be so hard on him," Andrew suddenly scolded me. "He's only trying to help your situation," he told me. SO I can have my throat slashed too? Fuck that. Never in my life have I been so scared for my life. These vampires will kill me if I don't figure out a plan. What am I going to do? Making a run for it would be foolish. I don't know the area that well. Plus I'm pretty sure I can't out run a vampire. Arwen, now would be a good time for some advice... or any sign you're here amongst me.