SANCTUARY
Lila
I tended to my garden in silence, my fingertips caressing the dark stems of my purple midnight roses. The velvety petals were a delight to touch, but the sharp thorns reminded me that pain can come from something seemingly beautiful. Each flower held a deceptive allure, and every thorn was a warning of the consequences.
As I carefully trimmed and watered my plants, I felt immense satisfaction in the thriving sanctuary I had created with my own hands. My step-brother and I lived in a small cottage on the outskirts of the city, still close to the decadence and depravity of court life, but far enough away that in my peaceful garden, I could pretend to be worlds away.
“Ouch.” A small thorn pricked my thumb and I cursed under my breath. I watched as a drop of blood formed on my skin.
Sucking the blood off my finger, I looked at the unblemished skin underneath and sighed in resignation. My regenerative abilities were both a blessing and a curse, and I always lived in fear of someone discovering my secret.
A twig snapped behind me, and I turned to see Cedric looming over me. His dark hair fell in waves around his face, accentuating his sharp angular cheekbones. His calculating gaze made me uneasy as a lewd grin spread slowly across his face. His eyes seemed to roam freely over my body, making me shift uncomfortably under his predatory stare.
“My dear sister,” Cedric purred, the words rolling off his tongue like poisoned honey. “How lovely you look, tending to your little garden.”
I stood, brushing dirt from my skirts. “What do you want?” I asked, fighting to keep my voice steady as he stepped closer.
The scent of expensive, thick cologne filled my nostrils. “Can’t a brother simply admire his sister’s... talents?” His hand brushed against my shoulder and I flinched. He chuckled, amused by my reaction, and the sound of his mirth sent a shiver down my spine.
His eyes flicked to my unblemished thumb. My heart skipped a beat at the slight indication that he might know my secret. How long had he been watching me?
I turned away, gently tending to my flowerbeds and trying to hide the worry etched on my face. His voice broke through my thoughts as he sauntered over, peering over my shoulder at the delicate blooms in my hands. I could feel his hot breath on the back of my neck.
“I just wanted to check on your little project,” he smirked.
“It’s not a project,” I snapped, my voice sharp. “It’s a sanctuary.” I tried to sound confident but failed miserably, my voice cracking mid-sentence.
He threw his head back and laughed. “A sanctuary? In this world? You’re even more naive than I thought, Lila.”
I tensed as Cedric’s hand brushed against my lower back, his touch lingering far longer than appropriate, making my skin crawl and the hairs on the back of my neck stand up.
“Such beauty,” he murmured, but I knew he wasn’t referring to the flowers. “It would be a shame if something were to happen to it.”
The thinly veiled threat weighed heavily in the air between us.
I swallowed hard, willing my voice not to shake. “What do you mean?”
Cedric’s lips curved into a sinister smile and he shrugged. “Oh, nothing specific. But you know how dangerous the world can be, especially for someone as… special as you.”
I swallowed. Cedric knew. Somehow, he had discovered my secret.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I lied, averting my gaze.
His fingers gripped my chin, forcing me to look at him. “Don’t play coy with me, Lila,” he sneered before snaking his hands around my waist and pulling me flush against him. His soft lips brushed against my ear as he spoke, barely more than a whisper. “I know about your little trick.”
His hands roamed lower, settling on my hip. I shuddered, feeling dirty and disgusted by his touch. My heart pounded wildly as his grip tightened, his fingertips pressing into my flesh so harshly I knew there would be bruises in the morning, serving as tiny little reminders of his power over me.
“Cedric, please, you’re hurting me. Let go,” I pleaded, prying at his fingers. “This isn’t right, I’m your sister.” I tried to pull away, but his grip was a steel trap.
He chuckled, his voice ominous, his eyes dark. “Oh Lila, always so defiant. But you see, that’s what I like about you.” His lips brushed against my neck. My stomach lurched, repulsed by his touch.
“You’re sick,” I spat, finally wrenching myself from his grasp. “I will never—”
Cedric held up his hand. “Never is a strong word, Lila,” he said sternly. “You see,” he continued, “The power of regeneration, Lila… Imagine all the people that would kill for a taste of your blood.”
My heart dropped. I had imagined that several times, and it was a recurring nightmare that haunted me in my sleep.
Cedric inched backwards, his gaze never leaving mine. “Relax, sister dearest,” he said with a smile. “I won’t expose you.” His expression turned sly. “As long as you give me exactly what I want, when I want it.”
Then he turned on his heels, leaving me petrified and alone, my sanctuary now tainted by his advances.
The pounding of horses’ hooves trampling through tall grass pulled me out of my trance, and I peaked over the hedge of my garden to see two of the King’s tax collectors approaching our next door neighbor. They banged on the door impatiently, threatening to bust it down after only a few seconds.
An old lady opened the door timidly, not daring to step outside. Her grey hair fell in frizzled wisps around her face, and a tattered dress was draped over her small frame. I couldn’t hear exactly what was said, but I knew the guards were requesting payment. Payment the old lady didn’t seem to have.
Her hands began to shake as she begged for more time. I watched as one of the collectors pushed her to her knees and slapped her across the cheek with a gloved hand, a red mark already spreading across her wrinkled skin.
I cried out, getting their attention as I ran quickly into the house to grab Cedric’s coin purse.
I hurried across the front yard, coins jingling in my hands. “How much do you need?” I panted, speaking directly to the old lady as a silent tear trickled down her face.
“She owes 120 pounds,” one of the guards interjected brashly.
“Here’s 200,” I said, throwing the money on the ground at his feet. “Don’t come back till harvest is over, and you can pocket the extra 80."
The guard gave me a curious look before turning to his colleague for a second opinion. The other collector simply shrugged, indicating that he thought the deal was acceptable. With some hesitation, the first guard crouched down to retrieve the money from the ground.
With a final sneer at the old woman, they mounted their horses and rode off, leaving only a cloud of dust behind them. As soon as their backs were turned to us, I rushed to the old woman’s side, gently helping her to her feet.
“Thank you, child,” she murmured, grateful. “How can I repay such kindness?”
I forced a smile. “You owe me nothing,” I assured her, my eyes darting nervously towards the cottage. “My brother and I have more than enough.”
The words tasted bitter on my tongue. I knew the true nature of his business dealings. Illegal trading, stolen goods, sex slaves, exotic animals… he was a first-class criminal, and running a hugely successful operation thanks to his craftiness and his cold heart.
“Lila!” I heard Cedric calling from the house, his voice clearly displeased. I made sure the old lady was able to stand on her own before I gave her one last smile. “I have to go,” I said hurriedly, dread latching on to me like a heavy metal chain clamped around my ankles.
Cedric was leaning against the doorframe, arms crossed in front of him. He clicked his tongue against the roof of his mouth. “Little Lila saves the day,” he taunted as I pushed past him and into the house. He followed me inside, shutting the door behind him.
As soon as the door was shut and we were away from prying eyes, Cedric grabbed me by the arm and forcibly slammed me into the wall. My head collided with the stone, my vision turning blurry from the impact. The world spun and I was overcome with nausea. I could taste the bile rising in my throat.
“You stole from me, Lila.” He pressed against me, pinning me against the wall. “I don’t tolerate stealing.” I shot my hand up to slap him, but he caught my wrist and laughed. “Little Lila, full of fire.” His grip on my wrists was tight as he pinned me to the wall.
Cedric’s lips brushed against my neck. “You seem to forget, little Lila, that I know your secret," he whispered. Warm lips pressed into my skin, leaving a sensual trail of vile kisses along my neck.
“I have a proposal,” he drawled, moving his lips to the other side of my neck. “You give me your blood to sell and your body to play with, and I continue to provide you with food and shelter. Simple as that.”
I scoffed in disgust. “I told you in the garden, I will never give you what you want.”
“Hm,” he said thoughtfully, pulling back to look at my face. “I’ll just have to take it then.” His fingers clasped around my jaw without warning and his lips came crashing down on mine. He thrust his tongue in my mouth with such force I gagged.
When I recovered, I bit down. Hard. He cried in pain and backed away, momentarily dropping his hold on me. I ran for the door, but a pair of large hands grabbed me by the waist and threw me on the couch. I screamed, hoping someone would hear, but I knew no one would come to my rescue. Everyone in the village feared Cedric.
I pushed myself up from the couch and tried to make a run for it, but Cedric climbed on top of me, his weight pressing me into the seat cushions. Blood dripped from the corner of his mouth. Instead of greeting me with fury, his eyes gleamed with delight and he was smiling ruefully. He liked the pain.
“Now that you’ve tasted my blood, Lila, I think it’s only fair that I taste yours.” He drew out a pocket knife as he sat on top of me. “Where should I cut you?” He placed the cold steel of the blade against my cheek, then slowly dragged it along my jaw. He let it hover over my neck threateningly before continuing down to my breast.
In one smooth motion he sliced through the strings of my corset and ripped it open. I screamed and clawed at him, trying to knock the knife from his grip. He yelled a warning and pressed it to my neck.
“I know you can heal yourself, Lila, but you can’t regrow limbs or a new head if I sever it from your body.” He gave me a rough shove. “You’re difficult to kill, not impossible to kill,” he reminded me sharply.
He was right. I could heal what was broken, but I couldn’t create something out of nothing.
He turned his attention to my exposed breasts, ogling me without shame as he made an incision. I cried in pain as the blade cut through my skin, drawing blood. He leaned down without hesitation, licking at the blood seeping from my wound before sealing his lips around it and sucking.
He groaned in pleasure as he sucked on my breast. I used his euphoria to my advantage. His grip on the knife had loosened, and I grabbed it. When he felt me reach for the blade, he instinctively pulled it back, but I wrapped my hand around his and yanked the blade forward into my stomach.
He pulled back, startled by my self-inflicted wound, and I gained control of the knife. I ripped the blade from my gut and planted it straight in his chest.
