Bree woke to the sound of silence.When she moved her body protested with pain and exhaustion.She tried to open her eyes but it was too painful.There was the scent of incense that filled the air around her. She could tell that it was dark, or she had gone blind from all the venom that had been injected into her body.
The venom!
It all suddenly came back to her.What Zane had done to Megan, what he had done to Bree, the long, narrow, golden hallway lit by torches held by stone arms, the way she had mouthed off to Zane.Oh no, I’m dead. I’m dead! Bree panicked. Then why does it hurt so much? Death isn’t supposed to hurt. I still have a body… I still have a body! But try as she might she could not talk.Only whimpers escaped her.
“Bree.”The voice was soft, smooth, gentle.But it sounded familiar.“Bree. You are waking up.” Who are you?Where am I? She thought she was talking but only soft murmers really escaped her lips. Then, she uttered…“Am I dead?”
She heard soft laughter.It was a man.The sound of his gentle laughing was truly beautiful.She had to be dreaming.No man sounds like that.It was better than a man, masculine and beautiful at the same time.Was it an angel? Are you an angel?
“Are you an angel?”
“Hardly.”The soft chuckling again. Bree tried to open her eyes but struggled. The voice spoke over her. “Please don’t open your eyes just yet..”
Again Bree thought she recognized that voice.It was so perfect, kind of like Zane’s voice was.Was she with another vampire?Is that why he didn’t want her to open her eyes? Was she with one of the nicer ones that didn’t want to frighten her? Zane will kill you if he finds out you have taken care of me. “Z – Zane…” but before she could finish her thought, she heard that familiar answer that was so characteristic to only one vampire.
“Yes?”
“Zane! Oh no!!” Bree panicked but then felt a cool, soothing hand on her head and cheek.It stroked her, it felt good on her burning face.No, this couldn’t be Zane.He’d be kicking her teeth out right now if it were. Maybe all vampires just sounded alike.Bree had never really talked to any of them at all.She had been good at avoiding them since she had gotten to this place.This place?Maybe I am somewhere else, somewhere far far away from Zane’s castle…
Zane.It was a powerful name.It frightened her.So why did she feel this need to say it again? “Zane…” She let the whispered name escape her lips as she breathed out.
“Yes, I’m right here.”
“Oh god!” Bree tried to sit up but felt a cool, strong hand force her back down. “No, no! Zane, please!” So, he had kept her alive.Probably to torture her more once she woke up.He would keep her going and going and going, keeping her on the brink of life so that he could bring her to the brink of a horrible death over and over again.She should have never told him off the way she did.But it was too late now.He was too strong, too powerful, she would never escape him or what he had planned for her life.He would never forgive her, she would live for years in constant torment.A vampire’s venom can give life as well as it can kill.This could be good or bad, depending on the vampire who is using it. Zane would use it to keep her alive and awake for each and every time he would feed on her!
“I’m sorry!I’m sorry!Please forgive me, plea-.”
“Shh! Stop! Please stop babbling on like this.You don’t have the strength yet for this silliness.” His voice was – concerned?
Bree opened her eyes slowly.At first all she saw were deep shades of red and orange and black, flickering as if there could be candles, torches - fire.Fire.He’s going to burn me next. Then as her eyes focused, she saw his face, Zane’s face, above her.“Zane, there’s fire.Are you going to burn me?” He was looking down at her but there was no malice in him at all.His features were softened and he was amazingly beautiful to look at.His eyes were like mercury, dark but shining silvery in the light of the torches on the walls.His mouth was for once not turned down to sneer at her. She noticed his lips were even gentle looking.For a moment she couldn’t imagine that this was the same vampire who bared his fangs at her and nearly ate her only recently.
“You need to rest.I nearly killed you.I was too hard on you.And no, I am not going to burn you.”
“Uh…” Bree tried to sit up.Zane helped her by putting his hand behind her back.“Uhm?”
“Yes, Bree.”
“Why are you being so nice?I thought you hated me.”
“I did hate you. A lot.” He once again brushed the stray strands of hair that fell into her face. “I never hated anyone as much as I hated you.”
“I – I don’t understand.Why? What did I do to you that was so bad?”
“We can talk about this when you are stronger.You need this time to rest.I know nothing makes sense right now.Just believe me when I say that I won’t eat you.”
“How do I know you won’t?”
Zane rolled his eyes.“Just rest.If you don’t, I might change my mind.” Then that beautiful sound again, the sound of Zane’s light laughter.It lulled Bree back into a long slumber.
