Chapter 1
Chapter One.
Aiden Arrowood.
Six weeks ago the vampires and werewolves came to a peace agreement with the assistants of the Elders, to end the war between our races once and for all. Part of the agreement is the offering ceremony where the Masters of each clan will give their youngest turned vampire to the pack Alphas. So here we are. A forest clearing in the middle of nowhere surrounded by our sworn enemies.
The air shifted and transformed, thickening with my Alpha magic as I looked around the clearing, a large bonfire was lit on the far side, the Elders and offerings standing to the left of it, the females quivering with fear. Torches were placed evenly around the clearing, spitting out soft fire light and casting shadows in the dark forest beyond as if they themselves were here to witness the forging of the accord. Many of the Alpha's were broken off into small groups speaking amongst themselves, just as the vampires were to their own kind, making unease shift through the clearing around them. Returning my gaze to the offerings next to the center bonfire, I realized how truly pathetic they all looked. Each one of the girls bruised and starved, all sickly pale and worn down like the will to live simply got up and left them. Their master’s having turned them to be plaything as they grew bored with their sickening lives, just as they did with the ones that came before them.
My eyes landed on the third to last offered woman, the fire light dancing across her fair skin like waves of orange caressing her body, her long dark brown hair descending to her lower back in a wavy cascade, the red silk dress she wore hugged her body perfectly and dipped to show her breasts before continuing to flow down to pool on the forest floor beneath her feet as if it were worshiping her the way everything inside of me was longing to do at this moment. Causing an image of me running my hands over her unblemished porcelain skin to pass through my mind. Even though I knew she was scared she held her head high and refused to show fear to the men in the clearing, both vampire and werewolves alike.
She’s the offering I will accept, no one else is worthy of this goddess , no one else will touch her perfect skin or I'll rip their fucking hands off.
My wolf gave me his approval making my skin feel like it was buzzing with electricity, but nothing could have prepared me for the moment her eyes shifted and met mine. The wolf within me surged forward fighting my restraint while the world shattered around me in a kaleidoscope of green, stopping time and realigning my life to center around this woman with emerald eyes before me who held a bravery unmatched by her peers, and many of the men I have come to know in my long life.
Sorrow Brunswick
My Master had been furious when the Elders had come for me, his words still echoing through my head.
"Such a pity to give away a new toy before it has even properly been broken, and to dog’s no less. Tis such a waste.’’ tisk tisk tisk.
I hoped I was finally free from the nightmare my life has become since the night my Master had turned me, but now looking into the lust filled faces of the many Alpha’s in this clearing, I'm beginning to wonder if I'm not going from a demon to a devil in nature. The other girls had spoken of the many rumors surrounding the wolf Alphas, their tempers and appetites alike, whether the rumors were only based in truth or complete lies they were enough to have these women trembling in fear. The Master's were all standing around bragging about what good slaves there offering would be, some even mentioning the 'tricks' they taught the girls to do in private and how good they are at them. The girls around me were all crying unable to hide their fear over not knowing what their lives were about to become. I refused to show that weakness and held my head high knowing all too well that to show weakness draws weakness to you, the weak can only dominate those who are weaker than them. Alard taught me not only that lesson during the last three years of my life, or maybe it was the first three years of my new life, whatever way you decided to say it.
Looking around the clearing wondering which one of these men will take me as their own, my eyes landing on a man shrouded in shadows at the edge of the clearing. His tall muscular frame towering over the men around him, dominance rolling off him in waves insuring that none of the other men got to close as he stepped further into the heart of the clearing. Short black hair framed his handsome face, crystal blue eyes seeming to glow and burn his image into my soul. His feet drawing him closer to me with every thump of my slow beating heart, his blue eyes burning into me like lava slowly flowing into my veins. My body leaning towards the man of its own accord like he was a magnet drawing me to him before a vice like skeletal grip covered in pasty paper like skin wrapped around my upper arm causing me to wince,
" Move again and the consequences will be dire child.’’ The Elders voice coming out in a breathless dusty husk.
Even my Traitorous body knew better than to disobey an Elder, they made Alard look like a fuzzy bunny, well a bunny that could kill you with a flick of his fingers that is. Using everything inside me I fought the pull to return my gaze to the blue eyed man who had transfixed me, knowing in my soul that if another wolf chose to have me I would surely die.
Aiden Arrowood
"Boss ya wanna wreck this whole peace thing before it's gotta chance to kick off?’’ Nicks words helping me to regain control over my anger, no matter how angry I am attacking an Elder is not the way to fix it, even if my wolf was demanding that we do just that.
" Attention please, if you could all give me your attention…’’ a sickly Elder spoke, his pasty skin stretched so tightly over his bones he looked like a skeleton in the deep red hooded robe that hung off him, making you wonder how skeletal he truly was underneath. With all eyes rested on him and silence falling over the clearing he continued in the same breathless dusty voice.
"This war between your races has gone on for centuries now, yet none among you can recall how or why it began. So on this night you shall pledge your oaths to the dawn of peace by giving your blood to this fire.’’ As the Elder finished he cut his wrist and let his tar like blood fall into the fire before him as the other fourteen followed his lead by doing the same their mixing blood turning the flames a bright green and yellow, when all the Elders had finished he began again, "There shall be no turning, killing, or feeding from healthy humans, since feeding must be done it is only allowed on the sick and dying. The Master's shall offer their youngest female to the Alphas of each pack as a pledge of peace, said offerings,’’ sweeping his hand towards the girls behind him who were still quivering with fear. "Shall serve their new Masters as they are requested to in any manner they deem fit or they shall be put down as any other who breaks the new laws will. The vampires shall be policed by the wolves under our supervision as many other races are already. The wolves shall act as jury, and executioner. Any breach of peace will be punished with death. Offerers bring forth your offerings…’’
Girl after girl was brought before us, my eyes never leaving the small beauty in the silk gown. Her emerald eyes jumping from one Alpha to the next, the fear inside her finally showing more and more as her time drew closer with each girl that was chosen. A few of my fellow Alpha's turned hungry gazes to the curves of her perfect body. Her time having finally come, her Master led her to stand in front of the fire, her panic filled eyes landed on mine as it was finally time for me to claim my enchantress in the name of peace and for my pack. But mostly because I know my life will no longer have meaning without her in it.
Sorrow Brunswick
“ Are you prepared Myn Lykyng? I know you shall miss me so. But the Elders have spoken, have they not?” Alard said chuckling to himself like I was missing some inside joke, the feel of his skin on my bare arm making me sick.
“ Alard Anselment Master of your clan, who is it that you offer?” the Elder asked his voice breathless.
“ I Alard Anselment Master of my clan hereby offer our youngest Sorrow Brunswick in the name of peace. With but three short years in her new life I offer her as my vow to hold our new laws from this day to my last, my blood be witness.”
With a deep slice to his left wrist he allowed his blood to drip into the fire sealing my fate, the sadistic smile never leaving his face as he did it.
“ Sorrow step forward to be claimed.” The Elder said drawing me forward to stand next to him. “ Who among you shall take this offering?”
Three hands rose in the crowd, one belonging to a red haired fierce looking viking of a man with a very strong jaw and broad nose, the second was a short man with sandy blonde hair and dirt brown eyes. He looked more like a scrawny rat then a wolf, and the last belonging to the blue eyed mystery from before. Mystery man turned to the viking who dropped his hand and eyes, before the crowd parted as the two other men came to stand before the Elder and myself.
“ Only one can claim this offering how will you settle who shall own her?”
“Should we not allow her to decide sir? It is her life is it not?” Mystery man said turning his eyes from mine to the Elder next to me with his hands clenched at his sides.
“ Do you agree Alpha?” the Elder asked the sandy rat,
“ Nope, I say we do a good old fashioned fight, and the winner takes her. We're here for slaves not women's rights.” Sandy replied devouring me with a smile like he had already won me, and was thinking of all the disturbing things he was going to do to me.
“ Since you do not agree, the ruling shall fall upon the slaves former Master. Alard, what do you choose.’’
“ Let's have a duel shall we gentlemen? It is only fitting to win such a fair maiden that way, is it not?” The last of his words dropping in sarcasm and rubbing his hands together in anticipation as he said it. I hate you. I thought as I glared at him, and him fully knowing this would be the last thing I would want.
The two Alphas faced each other in the open space between the fire I stood next to and the other men in the clearing. Mystery man's anger radiating from him as Sandy still held his knowing smile. It started when Sandy sucker punched the other Alpha in the jaw with a right hook and a fast jab to the ribs before darting away. Mystery man followed his retreat and hit sandy twice in the jaw before getting hit in the gut. Not being able to watch my fate be decided by violence, I closed my eyes. With every sound of flesh hitting flesh my heart dropped, terror gripped me as I smelled the coppery tang of their blood, so afraid that Sandy would win and I will belong to him and fighting my own desire to taste the blood I was smelling. It would be a fate worse than death im only to sure from the way Sandy was looking at me.
“ This duel is between the Alphas only, back away now.” the Elder beside me spoke.
As my eyes shot open to see two men holding the Alpha as Sandy beat on him with everything he had. It was clear Sandy has been on the losing side before the other wolves stepped in, his face bloody and already bruising, his too long nose clearly broken and would never straighten as it was before. Alard smiled and threw a knife on the ground behind Sandy causing him to turn and smile as he retrieved it. You never could fight fair could you Alard, disgusting. The Mystery man glared unafraid of what was about to happen to him, with the Elders doing nothing to stop it and him refusing help from his pack I had no choice but to try. Stepping in front of Sandy stopping his approach with my arms out I pleaded,
“ Please do not do this, walk away and I am yours.” my voice cracking right before Sandy threw me to the side causing me to fall and smash my head on a boulder. Pain receptors screaming before the most animalistic roar anything on heaven earth or hell could make echoed through the clearing as the last sound I heard before everything went black.
Aiden Arrowood.
I made peace with my fate as Tanner, the Nevada Alpha, approached me, my heart aching for the poor vampire knowing what this pathetic Alpha would do to her after I was dead. There had been too many rumors about how he treats his pack to think he could be anything close to kind to her.
I just wish I could have heard her voice one time. I thought as I prayed to whoever was listening to keep her safe,
“ Please do not do this, walk away and I am yours.” her voice as soft and silky as water slowly flowing in a creek made me open my eyes.
Tanner threw her to the ground, her head smashing into a boulder as she went. My wolf let out a roar of hell fire and fury as I ripped free of his henchmen's hold and jumped on Tanner taking him to the ground, pounding my fist into him, every crack of bone easing my rage only to be replaced by worry for the small vampire who tried to save my life by stepping between me and an Alpha hell bent on my death. With one final crack that sent his head bouncing off the rocky forest floor I stood and walked over to the small women on the ground, I crouched turning her head and softly caressed her temple, which was now purple, as a small sigh left her perfectly plump lips and her beautiful emerald eyes fluttered open. Her skin is as soft as I imagined.
“ Come on princess, we're holding up the show.” Helping her to stand on shaky legs I wrapped my arm around her to keep her from falling and waited for the Elder to speak.
“ Sorrow Brunswick you shall serve your new Master as you did your old fulfilling whatever needs he sees fit, Alpha step forward and allow your blood to be witness to your vow of peace.” Staring at her former Master as I let my blood drip into the flames before me, his anger showing clearly, I smiled thinking, good try asshole but she's mine now. The last two girls were given by their Masters and received by the Alphas remaining. But none of that mattered. All I could focus on was my arm around the small woman next to me and the perfect flowery scent coming off her skin.
“ With the offerings and the blood oaths completed, there is nothing left but peace.” As the Elders last word left his lips the fire and torches snuffed out and the Elders vanished. The vampires and wolves faded into the dark forest as the clearing filled with thin trails of smoke coming off the extinguished flames. Me, Sorrow, and two other men stood alone in the clearing.
“ Ya had Wally worried there for a minute Boss, I knew you had’em right where ya wanted him though.” Nick said while punching Wallace in the arm. As the two of them approached us, Sorrow slowly inched behind me until she was completely hidden from the guys before me by my body.
“ Aiden we should go, the leeches could still be close by.” Disgust showed on Wallace's face as he said it.
His comment sent venom through my veins, with Sorrow trembling behind my back I was prepared to strike. Nick, a blonde haired, good natured, extremely large wolf, who happens to be my best friend realized I was ready to pounce on Wallace, but intervened by slapping him on the back of the head and saying,
“Watch your mouth Wally, if ya haven't noticed we have a vampire in the family now and a peace agreement so shut the hell up ya dumbass.” Wallace rubbed the back of his buzz cut head as his deep brown eyes glared at Nick.
“Oh come the hell on Nick what do you think Fletch is going to say when we bring that filthy blood whore into our hou…”
My fist flew connecting with Wallace's nose knocking him to the ground, his blood dripping through the hand covering it as I knelt in front of him and looked him in the eye.
“ Say one more word about her and I will break something else Wallace. She is pack now, family Wally, so either get up and leave or shut up and learn to accept it. You will not say one more bad thing about her or her kind, and as far as Fletcher goes I will deal with him. Do you understand me?” Anger dripped from every word I spoke.
Wally nodded his understanding as I stood, while a laughing Nick gave him a hand in getting up. I turned to find Sorrow trembling in fear and staring at the hand I had just struck Wallace with. Shit. Realizing my mistake just a little too late. This was the second time tonight she had seen me physically attack someone she must think I'm as volatile as Alard. I can't really blame her for that. I stretched out my arms palms up like you would when approaching an animal trying to show I meant no harm as I stepped forward slowly. She stumbled backwards so fast she fell flat on her butt and began to scoot away from me, cutting her delicate palms on the rocky dirt beneath her and tearing her dress. I stepped forward again wanting to close the distance between us but at the same time not wanting her to hurt herself anymore.
“ Please.” she held up her hand to ward me off. “ Please stay back Master. I don't want to hurt you, just please stay away from me.”
Nick and Wallace exchanged a puzzled look, all of us confused by her desperate plea for our safety.
“ Why are you worried about hurting me Sorrow?” I asked her in a gentle voice. Shame on her face as she said,
“ The blood. Alard liked to punish me, or ‘train me’ as he called it, I haven't had blood in three weeks and even from here it's taking everything in me not to attack you, please forgive me.” Her head hung in shame as she finished speaking. My heart ached for the woman before me, how could anyone be ashamed for being starving after being starved? Vampires need blood at least every week and a half, and even that's pushing it. She must be in horrible pain from the lack of blood, some how some way I will make Alard pay, I will find a way to make him suffer as he has made Sorrow. I vowed to myself as Wallace, who hated vampires just as most wolves do after centuries of war, couldn't even hide his shock. This beautiful creature before me wasn't scared of me or the two men behind me. She was scared of herself and what she would do if she lost control over the hunger burning inside her.
“Three weeks with nothin? Dang girl no wonder you're so damn skinny.” Nick said, shaking his blonde head.
“ Why were you being punished so harshly?” Wallace asked her coldly, his face a mask of distrust.
Her eyes pleading with me silently as if begging me not to make her voice and relive what had brought on her punishment. But for some reason I knew we needed to know, I needed to know what would make even a vampire treat her this way. So with knots in my stomach I nodded and waited for her to speak.
Four Weeks Ago Sorrow Brunswick.
My chamber door opened and Alard stepped in a telling smile on his face, dear God what sort of disgusting plan have you decided upon today? I asked silently before he started to speak.
“ Myn Lykyng why do you delight in scorning me? I go to such great lengths to insure you receive the best cattle and yet you take so little of what you need from them, a bird would eat more than you do Sorrow,” he tisked shaking his head as if I was a child caught feeding my food to the dog underneath the table. “ Sweet Sorrow I know the fire of hunger is still burning your throat, why do you do this to yourself? Is it truly just to displease me? Because in truth I grow weary of your disobedience. I do so much in the hopes of bringing you even the slightest bit of happiness and yet you still withhold your affections from me, and refuse the gifts I bring for you. Do you not see that it wounds me Sorrow? Or is it that you just do not care that it does? What can I do to get you to love me as I love you?” he sighed pinching the bridge of his nose. Take your own heart out and stuff it down your throat Alard, that's the only thing you can do to make me happy.
The chamber door opened again a young boy no more than sixteen was dragged in by two vampires and dropped at my feet. His light brown hair stained with his own blood,three of his fingers snapped and sticking straight up like they were trying to rest on the back of his hand, and with so many more injuries that I knew where there but couldn't see. As the vampires walked back out of the room and shut the door, Alard walked behind me wrapping his arms around me in a lovers embrace as he whispered in my ear,
“ I went out and picked him just for you, Myn Lykyng, I hurt him enough so that he will die either way. However it will be a slow death Sorrow, this way there will be no guilt bestowed on you when you take what you need from him. You will be simply easing his passing, a mercy really Sorrow. Just give into your hunger My Love.” Pulling me tighter against him he trailed his nose from my ear down my neck to my shoulder where he planted a gentle kiss. “ Give into your desires Sorrow, and then we shall be together, as we are meant to be. You will be my queen Sorrow. I shall return when the sun leaves the sky.”
Alard released me and walked to the door, his hand pausing on the knob as he turned,
“ I love you so much Sorrow but do not disappoint me again. I do grow tired of waiting for you.”
As he shut and locked the door I went to the boy and laid his head in my lap humming a gentle tune while stroking his bloody hair. My fangs poking my bottom lip as my sight tinted red with hunger,
“ I am so sorry this is all my fault.” I whispered to the boy.
The room felt too big as I sat on the floor at the foot of my large canopy bed, the grey stone walls seemed to grey, the wardrobe my clothes were put away in cast shadows on the floor beside it as the mirror over my vanity desk showed the monster my hunger had made me to be looking back at me with a child dying in my lap. I will die before I truly become this monster, I swear it. The boy never woke up, he never moved, the only sign of life was the ragged breath escaping from his lungs but even that stopped eventually. I continued to comfort his still body even as the door opened and Alard stepped into my chambers. His eyes taking in my hand stroking the boys hair and the tears streaming down my face. With the signs of my hunger still showing his smile transformed into a mask of demonic furry.
“You would not just disobey me Sorrow but show cattle affections you withhold from me!” His words thrown at me as an accusation, almost as if I had been caught doing the dirtiest deed imaginable. In an instant he was across the room the boy’s lifeless body ripped from me and tossed as if he was a rag doll left to lay where it fell when the child was done playing with it. Alards hands wrapped around my throat his fingers biting onto my flesh, my head slamming into the ground when he landed on top of me making my ears ring. Clawing at the hands around my throat as my legs kicked at nothing. Alards face just a hair's breath from mine his eyes wild with fury and his teeth bared as he chocked the life from me. My hands and legs began to slow growing weaker as the edges of my vision began to fade into blackness and a numb like cold set into my body. On a rage filled scream Alards hands released their hold and he buried his head in my shoulder as I gasped for air like I had just surfaced after fighting a raging sea, while the black edges of my vision retreated. His body shaking with anger as I laid perfectly still.
“ Why do you torment me Sorrow, why do you enjoy making me hurt you? Do you not know that it pains me so much worse than you, to have to do these things? I do not desire to punish you anymore Myn Lykyng. I do not wish to mark your beautiful skin with bruises to remind me of our row. Why can you not just behave in a way that pleases me so I no longer need to teach you these lessons. Can you not just bless me with even the slightest of affections Sorrow?”
I didn't dare to move or speak as he turned his face and violently kissed me causing my stomach to turn as he finally lifted off of me and stood.
“Very well Sorrow, you leave me no other choice. You will starve until you can be more reasonable and learn to appreciate the efforts I go to in order to try and please you.” he turned on his heels and walked out the lock clicking in place as my emotions crashed into me stealing my breath once again.
Aiden Arrowood.
After a few moments she finally began to speak her voice raw with emotion,
“ He wanted me to drain a child he tortured. I refused so he decided I needed to go hungry until I learned to appreciate his 'gifts.’ Three weeks passed of being locked in my chambers with the kids decomposing body before the Elders came and took me, God only knows how long he would have left me like that.” She shrugged trying to pretend it was okay.
We could all smell the slight hint of emotions that told us more than she was willing to.
“ Was everyone treated this way?” Nick asked quietly as he looked down.
She shook her head and let out a mix of a laugh and a scoff “ No Alard was.. especially fond of me. He called me ‘Myn Lykyn' it means ‘ the one I delight in’ or something like that. He kept me locked in my chambers at all times so I wouldn't be ‘soiled’ as he liked to say”. The word soild was said with disgust revealing more than she spoke.
Wallace walked over to her and knelt before her,
“ I judged you by those who made you, that was wrong of me and I hope that in time you can forgive me for that.” She gave him a small smile and looked down.
“Sorrow we can't take you back to the pack like this. If you lose control over your hunger it could be dangerous for you and for them and I can't allow you to continue to suffer, you’re part of my pack now and my job as Alpha is to take care of my family.” Her emerald eyes met mine as she prepared to argue, “You're going to drink from me, and before you even start the argument I see forming in that head of yours, this isn't a request Sorrow it's an order.” Wallace moved aside as I sat on the ground next to her. “ Nick and Wallace will pull you off of me if they have to, so you don't have to worry about hurting me.” They each gave a small nod and when she turned back to me her fangs had elongated as she wrapped her small hands around my arm she said,
“Don't resist it'll be very painful if you do. Just stay relaxed and it will be pleasant, okay?” As I nodded her fangs sank into my flesh and with the first pull of my blood she took, a small moan escaped from my lips before I entered a land of pure bliss beginning and ending with her. A gentle tingle began inside my arm where her fangs penetrated it. The tingle and a warmth slowly began to spread up my arm untill my entire body was encompassed in it.
Alard Anselment
Staying behind to watch Sorrow, getting one last look at my queen.It is so sickening to see her drinking from that mutt. I will kill him slowly, skinning him inch by inch with a silver blade, or I will turn him into a feed bag for my children and let him get addicted to their venom, I am unsure how he will be made to suffer before he dies , but I do know he will and it will be a slow death for this dog.
“ My lord we must leave with haste, to be seen would ruin your plans sire.” Caz said, she was just thirteen when turned and she held a capacity for evil and cruelty that amazes even me. She is a true work of art.
“ You are right my dear. We must take our leave now, we have so much to do.” Casting one final glance over my shoulder to see Sorrow being pulled off the mutt she was drinking from the animalistic blood lust on her normally, innocent face made me smile in delight as I walked into the shadows.
Sorrow Brunswick.
Enthralled with the warm fluid flowing down my throat breathing life into me as if I had been drowning. Warmth flooding my once frozen body. I could feel the pleasure in the blood the wolf was giving me, mixing with mine creating an indescribable euphoria, his soul begging me not to stop until I took it all. Vice like arms wrapped around my waist ripping me from the pleasure and life I was being given.
“ No!” I screamed "I need more, I have to have more." Breaking free of the arms around me I jumped and sunk my fangs back into the man before me, the arms returned to take me away again causing a whimper to escape my blood stained lips. A responding growl vibrated through me and the arms retreated allowing me to continue feeding from the man I clung to, one of his arms holding me to him as his other gently stroked my long dark hair. What felt like hours, but was more than likely only minutes later my blood lust began to reseed making me realize the monster my hunger had turned me into. I shoved the man with all my strength breaking free and hitting the dirt. I crawled on all four with closed eyes, as small rocks and sticks dug into my hands and knees. Unwilling to see what I had done I curled in a ball on the clearing floor, to afraid to see their faces as they realized they had just invited a monster into their home, so being the coward I am I laid on the forest floor crying. Alard has finally won. I've become the very thing he's always wanted me to be, a blood hungry monster just like him.
Aiden Arrowood.
I couldn't let Nick and Wally pull her from me after I heard her whimper, I could feel her desperation, her hunger, her absolute need for more of my blood in the way she clung to me. I would have let her drain me to my very last drop if she had needed me to. And seeing her now crumpled in a ball her dress blood stained and ripped softly crying, I renewed my vow for her former masters death.
“ Want me ta kill him Boss?”Nick asked his arms bleeding from Sorrows desperate fight to get back to me, Wallace's arms fairing no better. Even though I was tempted to say yes we all knew we would just have to hope he broke the rules so we could.
“No just help me deal with Fletch when we get home. We just have to get him to see that she isn't like the rest of them.” Turning I walked towards Sorrow. "Shit I'd rather pull a bears tooth than do that.” Nick muttered as Wallace chuckled. I'm literally surrounded by children. Kneeling next to Sorrow I brushed her hair from her face for the second time tonight as she looked up at me her eyes brimming with yet to be shed tears,
“ I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to I swear I didn't even realize what I was doing I'm so sorry. Please forgive me.” My hand resting on her perfect face I said,
"You have nothing to be sorry for Sorrow. Now let's get you cleaned up so we can go home.” She nodded and let me help her to her feet, her small hand gripping mine and not releasing even once she was up and steady.
"I think we're probably going to get a hotel tonight guys. We could all use a shower and some rest. Would you like that?" Sorrow finally turned her eyes to mine and smiled sadly at me.
"I would love a shower, but I don't have anything to wear besides this." She gestured to her tattered silk gown with her free hand and dropped her eyes again.
"We have some extra clothes in the hatch, they'll be big but it'll work." Wallace told her with a shrug, a small nod her only response.
Sorrow Brunswick
There was a soft knock on the bathroom door breaking me from my thoughts as I looked in the bathroom mirror.
"Yeah?" I said quietly.
"Sorrow I brought in the clothes for you." Aiden's voice responded muffled by the closed door.
Opening the door with one hand and holding the soft hotel towel around me with the other. Aidens eyes were on the floor as he stood back from the bathroom with his arms stretched out offering me the clothes they had.
"Thank you Aiden." I said taking the clothing from him and closing the door before he could respond.
Lifting the shirt off the pile and putting it over my head, its bottom falling like it was a dress. And new hair brush, toothbrush and toothpaste sat on the pants making me smile a little as I started brushing my hair.
Walking out of the bathroom I found Aiden sitting crossed legged on one of the beds his back to me,
"Thank you for the clothes and the rest of it Aiden." I whispered before sitting on the empty bed closest to the wall.
"You don't need to thank me, it's my job to take care of you now Sorrow. I'm just sorry we didn't have anything that would fit you better." He gave me a small smile and raised his eyebrows at me as he took in the shirt and sweatpants I had tried as tight as I could and rolled up a few times to stop stepping on them.
"They are alittle big arent they?" I smiled back at him. "I didnt use all the hot water if you want to take a shower."
"Promise you wont take off?" He asked me genuinely.
"I don't have anywhere else to go Aiden." I said matter of factly as I pulled the covers down and crawled into my bed for the night.
"I'm sorry." He said quietly before getting off the bed and heading for the bathroom. And only when I heard the soft click on the door shutting I let the tears fall silently from my eyes.
I was half way between asleep and awake when the bathroom door opened again and the room filled with his smell. I listened as his soft footsteps came over to the bed I was in, a moment of fear gripping me as he grabbed the covers and my eyes shot open and I jumped to the other side of the bed almost falling off it.
"I'm sorry. I was just going to cover you up better Sorrow I swear. I didn't mean to scare you." The panic on his face and in his voice matched only by the truth in his words. I nodded instead of saying anything not trusting my voice as he stepped back from the bed looking unsure and like he didn't know what to do next.
"We should probably get some rest, it's already four and the drive home takes about nine hours so its going to be a long trip." He shrugged and scratched the back of his head but didn't move to go over to his bed.
"Okay." I replied adjusting on the bed and covering up but not taking my eyes off him even as he went over to his bed and laid on his back with his hands interlocked over his chest. The silence ticked by until it turned uncomfortable. "Alard used to come into my room at night. So when you grabbed the covers it scared me." I said staring at the ceiling trying not to allow the flash backs to take me.
"Did he…" Aiden trailed off unable to voice what he wanted to ask me. I felt his eyes on me watching for any reaction.
"No, he never forced himself on me. He would come in and talk to me sometimes, sit and stare at me other times. He would bring people into the room to feed and made me watch on occasion. Sometimes when he was in a mood he would hurt me, which tended to last the whole night." I turned my head and met his eyes which were sad and pitying.
"I'm sorry that happened to you Sorrow, but you dont have to worry about that anymore. I know it will take time for you to believe that and move past everything he did to you, but your family now and I will keep you safe." The promise in his voice carried a weight of it's own.
"Goodnight Aiden." I whispered back to him then rolled over and closed my eyes.
