END ROADS

CHAPTER 7: TORTURE THE MIND WITH LAUGHER OF FATE

Ari helped me into the blue dress she brought me after showering. I was sure Grey had  not been in the room the whole night, he spent the night somewhere else. Not that I cared or got bothered.
I took a cup of coffee while I waited for the man who was to lead me into my new room. I sat at the sofa, recalling how Grey had choked me with a determination to kill me. Adelyn hated me too, she couldn’t wait to see me dead and from what I overheard the two gentlemen talking about, everyone in the coven simply hated me.
“Gosh Becky, where was your head?” Ari asked shoving me hard on my hand.
“I'm sorry, what were you saying?” I asked shaking the cloud of thoughts off my mind.
“I was saying that, last night when I met you, you simply weren’t looking for me to ask about the holding room. You escaped from this room and you met someone who scared the hell out of you, right?” she gave me a keen look obviously waiting to cut in if I lied.
“You are right, I went to Adelyn’s holding room, to talk about the loss of her mate. She did not want to listen to me, she scared me out. I overheard some men talking about Grey lying that I wasn’t well so I could not be taken in front of the council. They sounded hateful towards me, when I was coming back I met you and of course you know the rest” I answered my head bowed in shame, feigned of course. What should I be ashamed of?
“Vamps are very dangerous creatures especially towards humans. They will suck your veins dry in seconds, mostly if they know you as an enemy. Never leave your room Becky, you will die miserably, not even Grey will be able to stop that from happening. He lied about  that, he is keeping you alive. The council wanted you there when he was being questioned about you, he made an excuse to keep you alive, and because being in front of the council is not easy. You'll barely come out alive, everyone who has gone in there, comes out with a death sentence, that is humans” she was warning me of course.
“Why is Grey protecting me yet I'm a threat to him too? He healed me despite the fact that I injured him with the enchanted knife. He knew he was weakening himself and am I not the first human he has ever healed?” I asked looking at her keenly.
“Yeah, you are the first human he has healed and his power was not strong. The excuse he gave for that is the birthmark on your back. There is something historical about it. I have no idea but he knows it. Of course you look like a threat to the rest of us, but he can read your mind he knows when you are lying and when you are saying the truth. He and his brother were the only ones with that ability. Let me say you are lucky, I don’t think just the birthmark can make him do that much for you” she was staring at me so much, I felt very uneasy.
“I don’t think so too” I admitted and she leaned back on the sofa heaving a sight.
“You know, no one has ever slept on his bed, you are the first and he seems not bothered with it. Maybe it is because you are so pretty, innocent looking or you simply have a kind heart but… you are not the first one to be so kind. There were some other wonderful vamps who died"  She was smiling at me.
“Who was that?”
“Regina, she was very pretty but you are prettier than she was. They were close, very close” I frowned at her and she smiled “very close” she emphasised “she was killed in front of him, he was being tortured emotionally by the Gala. He was very hurt, emotionally, they loved each other we do thought they were mates. It was hurting, he does not have a mate for hundreds of years he has lived …
“What? Hundreds of years?” I cut in, that was surprising, he looked like he was in his twenties.
“Vamps live for a very long time, they age very slowly, and if you see his parents you will wonder  some more. They are very young. Anyway talking about Regina, she was simply his soulmate I know he misses her a lot. He loved her, I know that, he’s hurting so much …
She was provoking something in me, I knew she was emphasizing a lot about this so called Regina intentionally. I wondered what she was trying to do, I had no feelings for Grey but …just a little …
A knock at the door made Ari stop talking and match to receive whoever was knocking.
“I'm here to pick the human girl” I heard a cold voice say from outside, Ari signalled me to go to the door. I put on my clogs and followed her instructions.
The man outside was large and dark haired dressed fully in a black, he looked very aggressive but I stepped out anyway. He immediately grabbed my elbow and began leading me to the right. We went up three sets of stairs walked along a dimly lit corridor till we came to a stop outside a door. I looked at the man who let go of my elbow and shoved me towards the door.
“Get in, it is your room from now on until we decide otherwise!” he said in a commanding voice.
I nodded quickly out of fear and quickly entered the room shutting the door behind me. I heaved a sigh one hand on my chest, as I inspected the room. It had a bed, a flat screen TV on the wall, a closet, dressing table and a door leading to what I assumed to be the bathrooms. I walked to the queen sized bed and sat on it, it had cream white silky covers. I loved it, it reminded me of my own bed at home. As I was admiring the room, I felt a presence of someone else in the room. I jumped off the bed in fear and looked around to only find Grey standing beside the dressing table, hands dipped in his trouser pockets. He was leaning against the wall, his face emotionless. When will I ever plant a smile on that face? I thought then kicked myself mentally recalling that he could read minds. Gathering some courage, I walked towards him throwing my hands around his tout waist. I smiled to myself feeling so happy to see him. I was loosing my mind, but a good girl play could so save my ass.
“You are safe …” I whispered aware that he could hear me anyway, I stepped back and looked at him childishly “you are still mad at me?”
He smiled, god, he smiled. Patting my head he said.
“Not anymore as long as you keep what you know to yourself” he said leading me to sit on the bed and he sat beside me.
“Pinkie promise” I said happily.
“I wanted to tell you that, you are coming to the council today” I shivered at the word “I can no longer lie to keep you safe, everyone is mad at me. They think I'm betraying them and conspiring against them. You have to come, I will try my best to keep you safe, I promised you that and it is what I will do" I was freaking out despite his assurance.
“Will I be sentenced to death?” I asked shaking, he took my hand in his.
“I will try to stop that from happening”
“What if you can’t with the intention to protect your kind? What if you try and then they take you to the holding room? What if your sister provokes them to kill me? What if you can’t defend me? I don’t want to die you know …I don’t…"
Tears were already running down my cheeks, I was so scared. “Nothing bad will happen to you Becky” he said taking me into his arms. I could not understand what was happening to me, I had become a cry baby of late.
“I'm sorry, I am bringing you more trouble, you have a lot to struggle with already. I know you are hurting Grey, I am sorry even if I was not present when all those bad things were happening to you, I will try to correct them” I meant it.
“You don’t have to, it is fine” he pat my head lightly pushing me away from him. He wiped my wet cheeks and kissed them, I blushed.
“Why do you always do that?” I asked playing with my fingers on my lap.
He laughed lightly smiling… again! I could not understand why it was making me so happy.
“Because I know you like it silly” he said holding me close to him.
“But I am your enemy aren’t I?”
“I know that, but you did not harm me”
“I did, with the enchanted knife” I wanted to slap myself
“Did you mean to?” I shook my head “then you did not harm me, I don’t hate you for that”
I wanted to ask more questions but I shut my mouth leaning closer to him. I was not sure if he meant anything he said but I was happy he was acting like a support for me. At the moment support is all I needed, I was happy he was doing so. We sat like that for some time his chin on my head silent saying nothing, doing nothing.
“I have to go now, the council meeting is about to start, you will be safe” he said planting a kiss on my head then walked to the door, then he was gone. I sat there staring at the spot he had disappeared as if I was waiting for him to show up again. I was getting attached to him, even when the memories of him torturing me had no effect on me anymore.
I prayed so hard hoping I wasn’t falling for him, I knew how breaking it would be when he will be asked to kill me. He was not the kind of guy to fall in love all of a sudden, he was being kind to me because I begged him to. I do made him smile twice, it was such an achievement for someone who has been so cold and isolated for so long.
I lay in bed, shivering from fear, the council would ask for me and I will be taken there to be humiliated. It scared me thinking that Grey would turn against me in front of everyone. I would die of course, poor thing. I lay still not thinking at all, blank headed claws of fear sinking into my flesh.
I stayed in the silent room for a long time till the door burst open and two large men walked in. I began shivering violently, they looked savage and deadly. I shot of the bed curling into a corner my heart kicking my chest hard. Before I saw it, my both elbows were grabbed and in a second we were matching along the corridors. Climbing down several stairs in haste till we were standing in front of a double mahogany door. My knees were not working anymore, my heart was in my throat and my mouth very dry. The doors were pushed open and I was dragged in and dumped at the centre of the semicircle of several cold blooded vampires. I was afraid of even lifting my eyes, I let them remain stuck on the grey tiled floor swallowing hard.
I could feel the cold hateful glares of the vampires present and I wanted the ground to swallow me there and then. No one moved for a while, only the faint glow of the chandelier above covered the room.
“Is she the Gala we have been talking about?” a male voice thundered awakening my adrenaline.
“Sir” then there was a light thud which I assumed to be a symbol of hitting ones chest in respect.
“Get up!” it was a command that required no more emphasis nor argument. I struggled to get up my legs shaking, but I ended up falling back on the ground. Loud mocking laughers followed, I wanted to die I stayed there. What was I to do? I was pretty sure if I tried to stand, the same thing would happen again. That is when a strong hand gripped my shoulders lifting me off the floor harshly. I staggered a little then strained my knees and I was able to stand. I looked around the fancy tables arranged in a U -shape, I was at the middle with whoever was holding me. My mind was too disorganized to think of whoever it could be.
At the tables sat angry vampires glaring at me coldly, eyes filled with rage and anger. There was one empty seat at one end of the U -shape, at the centre of the U was an angry looking vampire staring intently at me. I jerked back landing into a tough walled chest, Grey’s chest. Oh god!
“We can continue now, master Dermot, you can repeat the reasons you gave us for keeping the Gala girl alive till now” the one who do scared the hell out of me asked.
“I said, she got the birthmark mentioned in one of the ancient books. The witches hand mark"  He answered firmly very sure of what he was saying. There were murmurs here and there in the large room then silence.
“I want to see it, everyone in this room wants to see it” the man demanded and my jaw dropped in shock. Grey said nothing, he whirled me around that I was facing him now. His face as cold and as expressionless as it could be, I hated seeing him like that. I felt hopeless. He reached for the zipper on my back gripping it hard, no way. He was not going to do this, display me in front of everyone while I was naked. I looked at his throat, he swallowed hard not sparing me a glance. Then he began pulling down the zipper …
No Grey, no please …
I begged him mentally but he kept pulling the zipper down. I buried my face on his chest gripping his shirts hard. Then the dress fell on the floor, my heart stopped beating and suddenly I couldn’t breathe properly. I gripped his shirts tighter knowing that I was only in panties and bra in front of several angry vampires. Everyone gasped to my amazement, the birthmark was so small and it was ever covered by my hair. I wondered what they were amazed by yet my hair was swinging freely on my back. Was my body shapeless that I looked like an old witch? Then my hair was pulled aside, I wanted to pinch Grey hard, he was exposing me to everyone unmoved by the act. And I did just that, pinching into his waist hard! He didn't even react to it.

There as silence in the room then the booming of the same vampire’s voice.
“I see… everyone can leave now, we can continue the discussion tomorrow” no one spoke, shuffling of feet followed then the room was dead silent that I could feel my ruffled breath.
I stood there my face buried in Grey’s chest for a while then suddenly stepped back.
“You …you …” I could make no word from my mouth I just glared at him. Cold and unmoving.
“You can keep that dress, I will walk back like this, isn’t that what you want?” I looked at him accusingly.
“Put it back on” he commanded
“I don’t want to, I didn’t take it off myself” I rolled my eyes at him. I stepped past him towards the door “I hope your friends here will admire me enough to keep me alive so I can be their entertainer” well, the look on his face darkened and he was in front of me in a second the dress in hand.
“You are such a baby. You haven’t realized anything strange about your body?” he asked looking down at me with lustful eyes. I was all wrong, I do thought he would be attracted by nothing in my lean body.
“Nothing, maybe I got scars I don’t know and that will be all your fault you know” I said cheekily.
“Nope, when I gave you my blood I covered all the scars on your little back” he was grinning at me.
“What? Your blood, oh please I am nothing like you guys. I can’t take your blood, no way in hell” it was so disgusting
“Oh, but you did. Come on you should see your back” he grabbed my wrist and in a second I was in the bathrooms of the room they gave to me. I staggered a little I couldn’t keep up with the super speed movement. He held me up turning me around so my back was facing the mirror on the wall.
“Look at that” he said gently.
The birthmark was stretching from the left part of my waist up to my right shoulders. It looked like a deformed hand that was abnormally long and thin. The fingers were the worst part of it, the joints were large and the fingers very long, it scared me.
“Jeez, this is ugly. When did this happen?”
“Do you shower?”
“Do I stink?”
“If you do, then you could have seen this” he said coolly.
"I am not a mirror girl you know” I said moving into the room and settling on the bed. He followed a moment later frowning at me. “Does this weird mark on my back really mean something to you guys”
“I am not into literature so much or history, but when I told  the owner history here about it, he was fascinated. He is barely around, he travels a lot and the book that talks about that he has it. Sadly we got one copy, we’ll get to know about it with time. Relax. Otherwise you came out of the council room alive” he took my dress waving it at me.
“I am not putting that on!” I said in a calm tone.
“Oh but you are. Or else …” he raised a brow at me
“Or else what?” I tilted my head to the side playfully. He was standing in front of me bending a little then moved his face to my ear and whispered.
“Or else I will make you my playing toy as I promised” his tone was as dangerous as venom. I swallowed hard.
“So you can?” I played along
“You are underestimating me, are you?”
“Sadly I am, what are you going to do about that?” I teased trying to control my hitching breathe and wild heart.
“You are tempting me Becky, and I really love that” he moved away raking his fingers through his dark hair. I watched him as he picked the dress and pulled it over my head. His breath rough on my neck, he moved his fingers lazily along my arms leaving goose bumps every inch of it. God, he was doing this on purpose! He pulled the dress down after forcing my hands into it, he caressed my stomach and waist his body heat embracing me. I was going crazy, when he pulled me up to lower the dress further up to my knees, I could see nothing. I stopped thinking when his hands were on my thighs, squeezing lightly as he lowered me back onto the bed. I could not breath, could not think or even move. I only held onto his shirt desperately eyes closed waiting for him to do something, just anything. He did nothing other than watch me.
“I have to go now that you are dressed” I looked at him in disbelieve.
“What?” why was I even surprised. My eyes shot open, I was glaring at him while he was just smiling victoriously.
Mm, I got some businesses to attend to, bye” he stood up straight, curling a conspiratorial smile.
“You can’t just leave” why was I  getting angry?
“Do you need anything Becky?” he knew what I was thinking, I was so embarrassed and telling him what was in my head right there was so impossible and stupid. I could look like a desperate and stupid human girl.
“No nothing. Just close the door once you are out” I said angrily to my surprise.
“I was planning to do that anyway" He winked before walking out and slamming the door shut.
You are such a moron! I thought angrily and I could hear his light laughter from the other side of the door.
“I heard that” then he was gone.

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Well, we are making progress, plot twist up ahead 😉
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