The Soldier's Hostage

Chapter One

I woke with a gasp and immediately regretted it. My stomach still hurt from the sledgehammer of a fist it had taken earlier. I suppressed a cough, knowing that would hurt even worse. I looked around, trying to get a good look at my situation. I knew I had been taken hostage, along with four of my friends, by Vampires. But I knew very little about them other than that I had been sent on a suicide mission to kill their leader.

It was still unclear if the suicide mission would end with my death. I was lying on my back on a couch in a simply furnished living room. The zip ties had been removed from my wrists. Instead, my hands were hand-cuffed in front of me. I didn't hear anyone in the place. Though, Vampire's were typically silent.

I rolled off the couch and to my knees, glancing over the back. The kitchen was that way. The door was to my left and a hall was to my right. I contemplated going for the door. I shoved to my feet, eyeing it. How far would I get before I was caught? Could I abandon my friends if it meant my freedom? Was freedom even worth it at this point?

"You're awake. Good."

I jumped in surprise and turned to find the Vampire that had punched me standing in the hall. He was middle aged, but his eyes held many years behind them. Many harsh years. I would bet that he was at least a hundred years old. Maybe more.

His gray eyes flickered over me, taking me in. "I didn't actually mean to hit you that hard. Behave and cooperate and that won't happen again. Understand?" At my nod he continued. "My name is Arthur. You are?"

I licked my lips. My voice came out weaker than I would have liked. "Tucker."

He nodded and turned like he was waiting to guide me down the hall. "Your room is ready." If he noticed my surprise at those words he didn't show it. I had been positive I would be spending my nights in his bed. I had been a slave to the Vampires for a long time. Nine, almost ten, years. I knew how this usually worked. I slowly followed him when he jerked his head.

I noticed I was a little taller than him as he led me down to the door at the very end. "Here's the bathroom." Then he shoved open the door right next to that. "This is your room." He nodded to the door on the other side of the hall that I had passed. "That's my room. Don't go in there."

He turned away then, heading for the kitchen. I stood there for a moment, a little lost. Was I supposed to follow him still? I grit my teeth and turned for the bathroom instead. I had to go, and if he expected me to do what he wanted he would have to give me better instructions.

I finished relieving myself and checked under my shirt. It was tender where he had hit me. And would most assuredly bruise. But it would fade, which was more than I could say for the other wounds on my body. I sighed and shoved my shirt back down, hiding the web of scars once more. Just one more wound to add to the mess that was on my torso.

I left the bathroom and slowly crept down the hall. Sneaking around was probably pointless but I couldn't help it. I was in strange territory with a Vampire that was giving me very little to work with in regards to how I should behave. I wanted to find my boundaries, not commit suicide.

I halted just before leaving the hall and watched the Vampire move around the kitchen. He was on the phone, ordering takeaway. He wrapped up that conversation and glanced up at me as he punched in a new number to call. He stared at me as he lifted the phone to his ear, then turned away as his call was answered.

"Hello. This is Officer Bradley. I'm afraid a family emergency has come up. I'm going to need a week off of work. Yes. Thank you. It shouldn't take much longer than that. Right. Thanks again."

He hung up and sighed as he scraped a hand through his dirty blonde hair. He finally shoved off the counter and dug into the icebox. He pulled out a bag of frozen vegetables and wrapped it in a towel before extending it towards me.