Crow of Embers

Prologue

The darkness was an excellent conductor for the type of fear that liked to sit in bones and freeze blood until all that's left of a person is cowering nothingness that eats life, and ruins minds. It was in the dim room, where I was now strapped in a hallow rectangle, my hands and feet occupying each corner, that I felt the type of terror you only read about. It couldn't exactly be real. I was chained in the lace underthings that I had put on to feel sexy and to take my body back from the men who felt entitled to it. Little did I know, one of the men in my life would betray me.

Orion circled me, twirling the frost blade in his hand. "Where should we begin?" He asked with a lilt of amusement in his voice. He gasped, "I know..." I felt the cold tip of the blade on my shoulder blade and grunted as it dug into my skin. "I'm going to give you wings, Sapphire."

"Do, your fucking worst Orion!" I could barely get the words out through the blinding, searing pain. It was entirely excruciating, the feeling of the blade on my skin, its frost coming to blows with my flames in every movement.

"Your language will have to be fixed, my dear." He said with aggression in his tone. What happened to the sweet boy that had been there for me? What had they done to his mind? I screamed again as he carved swirling patterns on either side of my spine. My blood dripped into a waiting bowl. Was he harvesting it?

The pain stopped after a while and he moved to look into my eyes. I was hanging from the manacles that bound my hands now. There was pain in my wrists but it wasn't as bad as the searing pain in my back. He all too gently pulled my gaze to meet his. My vision clouded with every movement. "Choose me, Sapphire." He said. "Choose me, choose to live with my family, and this will all be over." I didn't say anything. I only spat in his face and pulled my weight up so I wasn't hanging anymore. "Fine, be stubborn. I'll break you."

He began carving intricate patterns on my stomach and I couldn't stifle the agonizing cries that passed my lips. He didn't venture past the boundaries of what little clothing I had on, thank... whoever the fuck is in charge. When he was done with my stomach, there were intricate lines connecting it to my back. I laughed at him, it was hard to muster. "Is that all you got?"

A smile I've never seen him make slithered onto his lips. He made mirrored scars on either of my arms. He delighted in the details he put into my hands, he mumbled about how pretty they would look as they moved when I bent my arms. He ran his finger along my arm and wiped up a drip of blood. "I wish I could tell you how pretty it looks for this pure red etherial blood to run down your alabaster skin."

I didn't respond. I couldn't even muster the strength to hold myself up anymore. The fire inside of me was so small. Too small. I was shivering. I couldn't even lift my head. I couldn't move without searing pain ripping through my body. There was a moment of silence thick enough to suffocate me. I wished it would.

Eboni entered the room, looking at the blood dripping from me. She nodded to Orion and he disappeared from my view. "Little one, do you like pain?" Eboni asked with false motherly concern.

I could hardly move, but I managed to say, "it makes my heart soar, do you like pain?"

She only laughed, "Well I'm glad to see you're still you." She disappeared from my sight when Orion reappeared. I heard her voice echo through the space. It was all I could do to contain my winces as Orion wiped the blood from my open wounds, absorbing it into the white towel in his hands. "Do you know what Enthrall is?" Eboni asked.

"No."

She reappeared in my sight with a syringe of orange liquid that seemed to glow in the dim cell. "Enthrall is a poison that makes one completely and totally enthralled with another. You'll need regular doses of it to keep you... gentle..." she tapped her finger on the syringe as if trying to get the extra air bubbles out. "It will only hurt the first time, I'm giving you five times the dose I gave you at the golden palace. I want you to be able to let go to your feelings for my brother." She stuck the long needle into my neck and I couldn't stifle the grunting pain that seeped from my mouth.

It was a warm feeling. I could feel it go through every part of my body. I could feel it going to my brain. I could feel it going to my brain and controlling my every nerve, to my heart and warming it to... I didn't know what exactly. I could do nothing but submit to the warmth. After the coldness of the dagger, after the freezing fear that took root in my heart... it felt... nice. It felt, natural. "Sapphire?" Orion's voice sounded in my ears. "Open your eyes please."

I hadn't realized I closed them. I opened them and saw Orion's eyes. I saw his beautiful crystal clear eyes. I saw his kindness. "Orion?" I said in a sweet low voice. I tried to go to him, but my body ached and I was restrained. "Please let me go." I whispered. "I don't like the dungeon."

He reached up and undid the manacles holding my hands. I couldn't do anything but fall into his arms as he undid the ones around my ankles. His body was warm against mine. His heart was warm against mine. I couldn't remember quite what had made my body ache so badly. I couldn't remember what had made me not want to touch Orion. Because as it was, Orion was all I could think about now. I wanted to make him happy. I wanted... him.