Roots and veins

Chapter 6

The girls giggle and start zeroing in on me.
I start to back up but I'm enveloped in a swarm of flies.
I feel myself being dragged all the way back up to the castle.
And like myself-
I scream the whole way up.
Through the snow, over rocks and roots, through the dirt and up stairs.
I'm thrown through a door and I land on a rug.
My whole body hurts like a bitch.
I sit up and clutch my head.
The girls stand in front of me with their hands either on their hips or their arms crossed.
D: "I thought we were friends!"
"I- I'm sorry..."
D: "Humph."
Daniela turns back into her swarm and leaves the room.
B: "sigh she can be so dramatic."
C: "Why did you leave? I thought you loved it here?!"
Shit shit shit, what do I say???
"I was going out to buy some new gardening tools to surprise the other girls. Ours are pretty rusty and dull."
They look a little skeptical for a second before smiling.
B: "Aw you don't have to buy anything, just tell us and we'll tell mother and she'll get whatever you need."
C: "She expects quality work, how can you do that without good tools?"
B: "Mhm."
Phew.
"I'll keep that in mind..."
I hear the loud clicking sound of my lady's heals coming up the steps down the hall.
C: "Here comes mother right now!"
The girls stand next to each other with their hands behind their back facing the door.
Bela looks down at me and kicks me. I scramble up and stand next to them in the same position with my hands behind my back.
The girls mother dips down her head to come through the door. My knees go weak as she straightens her back and stands at her full height.
I have to crane my neck to look her in the eyes.
"Daughters, you are excused."
C: "Don't be too harsh with her mother"
B: "She was just going to buy some new gardening tools from the Duke."
"I see...leave, now."
Cassandra and Bela buzz out of the room, closing the door behind them.
Now it's just me and my lady.
"So, gardening tools? Dear Julia, my daughters might be naive but I am not. But now that you're here, I suppose we can enjoy each other's company. Come."
Fuck.
I cross the distance between us.
"Unbutton your shirt, if you will."
Did she just say...?
"E- excuse me?"
"Unbutton your shirt."
She says a little firmer.
With trembling fingers I start unbuttoning my top.
When I've made it to the fourth button she stops me "That'll be good enough."
I drop my hands and look back up at her.
Just my neck and a small portion of my upper chest is exposed.
She crouches down sitting on her ankles.
She traces her fingers along my jawline, her touch as gentle as a feather, but laced with a tantalizing heat that makes my pulse quicken. Her amber eyes bear into mine. Yellow meeting blue in an emerald collision.
"Forgive me-" shing
A sharp pain dashes across the side of my neck.
My body jolts.
She raises her hand up to her face. She takes a deep inhale of her bloodied finger before slowly licking it clean. Her eyes fluttered closed, and when they opened her pupils were dilated, no different than a cats.
"Those who break the rules must be punished." I can feel my warm blood running down my neck and onto my collarbone.
She inches closer, her hot breath brushing against my throat. Her movements elegant yet primal.
"And you broke the rules. It would be in your best interest to not move, and don't say a word." She murmurs.
She traces the length of the gash with her tongue before her lips plant themselves atop the cut.
The sucking feeling from a few days prior returns.
Fuck fuck fuck fuck
My eyes squeeze shut and my hands scrunch up into fists.
Fuck fuck fu- huh?
I open my eyes.
My lady's hand gently squeezes mine. I open up my hand and she holds it, comforting me.
I am hyper aware of every sensation going on. The smoky smell of my lady, the feeling of her warm lips on my neck and her large hand holding mine, the sound of the light growling in the back of her throat as she swallows. I feel heat creeping up the back of my neck.
She continues to drink for a few more minuets and I'm beginning to feel woozy. But I stay standing straight.
I feel myself starting to wobble and before I know it I'm toppling over.
She catches my falling form with ease.
"Oh poor darling."
She purrs with a bloody smirk.
With a swift and fluid motion, she lifts me into her arms, carrying me effortlessly towards a nearby armchair.
"Very well done Julia; Your blood truly is one of a kind. Now that we've gotten that over with-" she wipes her mouth with a handkerchief and throws it to the side "We have to go over some new orders I've decided to put into place."
My head is swimming. Her words barely resonate in my brain.
"You will not be working with the group anymore; you will have your own separate duties that I will assign to you personally. You may continue to stay in the grounds keeping chambers and eat with the others, but I expect you to report to my study every morning to receive your daily itinerary. Understood?"
Huh? Shit my head hurts. Understand. Do I understand. I guess? I nod.
"Good. Amelia is already notified about these changes and she'll see that they're carried out."
My head throbs. I try holding my eyes open but all they want to do is close. I still feel blood running down my neck.
My lady's blurry face comes into view. I feel her gloved thumb caress my cheek.
"BELAAAAAA." There's the loud buzzing noise indicating one of the daughters has arrived. "Fetch Annalise if you will. Julia here needs some...assistance"
B: "Of course mother."
"I will admit Julia, It's a wonder I didn't kill you for your little stunt." She laughs. "You do have a fire about you. It's truly captivating. And it's kept you alive thus far."
I hear the door being flung open and hitting the wall. There's a thud on the ground followed by an "OW!"
"Bela! Was that necessary!"
B: "I assumed it was urgent!"
"Weather you dragged Annalise through the castle like an animal or not wouldn't help Julia any more or less!"
"My apologies mother..."
"Never mind that. Annalise dear, Julia here has lost quite a bit of blood and I'd like you to keep an eye on her." She says reapplying her lipstick.
A: "Of course my lady."
A distorted young lady comes into my view.
A: "How old are you Julia?"
"22..." huh, I sound funny.
A: "Slurred speech. How are you feeling? Headache? Do you feel dizzy?"
"Yes"
Everything is so blurry I can hardly make out the three figures in the room. But the one thing I can see for sure is my lady's piercing yellow eyes. Her painted red lips pinch into a pursed fine line.
I'm lifted up again and I'm held up on my feet by an arm wrapped under my arm and around my shoulders. "I'll make sure that she reports to work tomorrow morning."
"Thank you Annalise. Hurry along now, Julia needs rest"
A: "Please try to walk now, I've got you."
With Annalise's help we hobble out of the room and down the hall.
"Goodnight Julia. I look forward to our meeting tomorrow."