The Bride In Black

Part 25

"Please. Please. don't hurt me." I pleaded

"Ohh darling," he cooes coming closer "no one's going to hurt you I promise" 

"Wha- what do you want with me? what am I doing down here?"

"I have to keep you down here. just for tonight" 

"Please- whatever I did I'm sorry"

"shhh. you didn't do anything" He cooes giving my nose a kiss "But I owe you an explanation. it's best to save all your little questions to the end alright?" he asks and I nodded mostly from fear of what would happen if I didn't agree with him, He took a seat on an old wooden chair sipping his glass again "This house, was built a very long time ago by my grandfather he and his wife where desperate to escape the torment of their previous home, so settled here built this house and it has honestly remained mostly unchanged since its construction." he began "but only three years after the house had finished its construction, his wife was murdered by the people in the nearby town"

"Why did they kill her?"

"Ah. what did I say about questions?"

"Sorry"

"let her out martin. give her a chair for godsakes" he told martin who did as he asked letting me out of the coffin and moving me to sit in a chair keeping my hands tried on the chair "Better?" he asks and I nodded "Good. They killed her because they found out who she was or more correctly what she was. Strigoi. Vampir. They both were and by then my mother had already been born. My grandfather obliterated them all. Killed the whole town even the children. brought them here to the chamber under the manor, he let them all bleed to death down here bottled their blood and made a very fantastic wine to keep his daughter in fed until she was old enough to hunt herself, and once the work was done, he took his true form and flew as high as he could. Burnt up instantly in the sun." he says having more of his drink "My mother grew up slowly of course under the care of those who had sworn an oath to our family, making them as immortal as their masters and forced always to serve" he explained "that right martin?"

"Yes Sir" he nodded 

"How old are you now?" I asked him

"Four hundred and eighty-six Miss" he says the weight of those years in his voice 

"Once my mother was old enough, she met my father and the two had... let's call it a volatile relationship. Not long after ava was born they had a fight, a big fight. Took their true forms and began hacking at each other, My mother reined victoriously. All though he did manage to claw out her left eye" He says and I froze "Yes. The monster you saw last night, was my mother." he says "after he was dead I took up the reins as lord of the house. I assume you have questions"

"That... that thing from last night, was your mother?"

"Yes. The giant bat is the true form we take on care occasions"

"Why- why did she attack me?"

"She was awfully upset. I've had a talk with her it won't happen again"

"But why did she go after me?"

"I suppose you can't really blame her, just watched her daughter get married off and suddenly a pretty lady starts... snuggling in your son's study, you can't blame her for her concerns" 

"so you also have a?"

"Yes. I don't tend to use it much I don't feel the need" he shrugs 

"So your also... a uhhh"

"Vampire. yes. gothic. bloodthirsty and immortal."

"was this all a poly?"

"What?"

"a poly to... to make me dinner?"

"Ohh darling no," he says "the invite was to a stranger we've done it for years, your immortal your friends grow old you have to try and meet new people, I promise it wasn't a poly to get you here and make you the dinner" he explained taking my hand 

"The other night, you and your mother at the fountain"

"We were feasting. having a discussion" 

"About me?"

"you came up. yes"

"What are you going to do with me? why am I down here?"

"Because... you saw her like that. which means... you can't leave," he says moving back now finishing his drink and swirling the tiny eminence around the bottom of the glass 

"I promise I won't say anything"

"No. You won't. Becuase your not leaving. I just told you our whole history you think I'm stupid enough to let you go" 

"Are- are you going to eat me?"

"That depends."

"On what?"

"... y/n. I have not hidden my affections toward you," he says "I don't deny you're a very fascinating, beautiful woman. I didn't want to do it like this. I wanted this to be sweet... romantic, but given everything that's happened" he says "I'm offering you a choice. I don't offer this lightly. Believe me it's not the first time I've asked and unfortunately, I had to do what I didn't want to do" he explained, "I can't force you to stay here, it would hurt me more to have you stay if you didn't want to." He says "Either I can let you go, and you can run. But I will have to hunt you down and I will end up killing you, Or you can stay here willingly as my wife."