Description
She looked around the room in the hope of finding a book or something of interest. There was nothing. Apparently, it was her fate to wait in the room until the vampyre drained all of her life-force essence. Even as this thought occurred, she heard a key turning in the lock. The door opened, and there stood the blond vampyre. Behind him, she saw two helpers carrying one of the captives along the hallway. She looked unconscious.
Elyse backed away from the vampyre as he walked into the room. He’d left the door open, so she tried to dart to one side of him in order to go toward it, but he grabbed her arm.
“You’re hurting me.”
His grip tightened even more.
“Do you really think I care?”
She tried to pull her arm free, but with his other hand, he clasped the back of her head and forced her to look up at him.
“You belong to me now, and I can do whatever I want to you. Stop struggling and listen.”
His green eyes bore into hers, and she felt compelled to relax. He eased his tight hold a little and asked, “Do you remember me?”
Elyse didn’t answer. What does he want me to say?
“Do you remember me?” Each word was emphasized.
“I don’t understand your question. Do I remember you from the marketplace? Yes, you glared at me.”
He yelled, “No! Do you remember me from years ago? You wanted to show me how to make a daisy chain.”
“But that was a dream, it didn’t really happen.”
“It did, but I made you believe it was a dream. I would have drained you dry if that woman hadn’t come looking for you.”
“She was my grandmother, and I loved her. I came back to the town because she died.”
“That is of no consequence to me. You are now my essence slave and must obey me.”
“You’ll have to make me. Vampyres have no right to take a person’s essence. Someone told me you were cursed by a witch, so that makes you even more evil.
“Yes, I’m cursed, and that means you should be afraid of me. I do whatever appeals to my dark nature.” He laughed and pulled her hair.
Elyse squealed out loud from the pain. With her free hand, she punched his chest, but he just laughed again.
“I hate you!”
“Okay. We’ve renewed our acquaintance. I’ll send for you when I need more essence.” Brenwul released his hold on her, but continued to stare down menacingly into her eyes.
“You’ll regret taking my essence. It will bring you bad luck.”
“I’ve already been claimed by misfortune, so that won’t bother me even if what they say about red hair is true.” Brenwul turned away from Elyse, but then seemed to notice her bag on the bed. He picked it up and unzipped the top. “Let’s see what you have in here.” Out came the comb, the compact, and cash disc, which he stuffed into a back pocket of his jeans. The two other items were replaced, and he threw the bag back on the bed without zippering it. “You don’t need a cash disc. I can’t have you trying to buy your way out of here.”
“There’s very little left in it, so I couldn’t do that. But don’t take my disc. That’s theft.”
“Ha! You and everything you own belongs to me. Your cash disc is my property now.”
Brenwul moved toward the open door. Turning back, he added, “This is your home until I have no further use for you. You don’t need to buy anything, not food, nor clothes. One of my helpers will bring you something to eat tonight because I need you to keep up your strength so that you have plenty of essence for me.” This time, he chuckled.