A Shade Darker ✔️

{Chapter Seven}

The Consummation

June 5th, 2017

Ashley

My husband sets me down on my feet gently once he has landed at our treehouse. I cross my arms over my chest and let my bare feet pad over the wooden deck. I walk through double doors and look around, my feet now on carpet that entered a living room. Despite having different tradition and ways of life here than back home, the living quarters resembled that of a modern living space.

I can already hear my husband walking after me slowly, closing the doors and removing his long cloak. I turn and look over my shoulder, my arms still hugging myself for the comfort I desired, but could not find.

My husband now begins removing his shoes, placing them neatly beside the couch where his clock laid spread over the back. I take a step back and knew that if I made my way into the kitchen I might find something to defend myself.

"Shall we get started? The sooner we get the consummation over with, the sooner the colony will leave and stop waiting" A shudder runs along my spine, goosebumps continue to raise on my arms and everywhere else.

I take a glance out of one of the windows, seeing the whole colony still gathered below, outside the treehouse. I guess they were really serious about all of this.

"You mean, they won't leave until we've..." He nods, continuing to undress. He pulls his black turtle neck off and lays it on top of his cloak. I'm met with his pale chest, another reminder that this wasn't normal. He was a vampire and I didn't know what was scarier. Consummating my marriage with one, or being bitten by one again and being killed for not cooperating. I definitely couldn't make my escape with a crowd either, so what other choice did I have other than to obey my husband's orders?

"I see..." With hands on his belt he begins to unbuckle it and with every piece of clothing he starts to remove, the more panic rises in me.

"Wait...please. What if we...make it look like we've consummated our marriage?" My husband's eyebrows raise and he takes his hands off his pants. A confused look is in his eyes.

"I'm not sure I know what you mean" I look away, pretending to be bashful.

"Excuse me my King, but I'm not sure I'm quite ready for all of this. It has been a long day and I've not had time to prepare myself to your liking. Perhaps you could agree that this is all moving a little too fast?" I pray to see the understanding in his eyes, but it shows nowhere.

Instead, he looks angry.

"You mean for me to lie to our colony? I suppose you have not been here very long and have not been my wife for more than a matter of minutes, but I will no be a traitor to be own colony and risk us our lives. You will not gain the trust of our people by lying to them, and if we are found out then they will whip us both" His eyes look dark and I step back towards the kitchen.

If I could just find a weapon...maybe this nightmare could be over.

"I suggest you remove your dressings and lay down to do your duty as my wife" Instead of finding my way to the kitchen, there is a fireplace to my side.

My heart pounds in my chest as I run and grab the shovel. I point it at him, my pulse racing.

"And if I do not take your suggestion? What will you do then?" My husband stops walking towards me but grab his belt off the back of the couch where he laid it.

"Then I will whip you myself until your back matches mine. Remove your dressings now. You will do as I say or you will be punished" My hands are trembling and I don't know what would be worse.

I make my decision quickly.

"No, I refuse. I will not let you use me like some animal. I would rather be whipped than to be held hostage to your love!" I find my voice but I do not feel confident. I feel terrified as he stomps forward and grabs my arm with incredible strength.

It feels like my bones are crushing as he takes my arm and holds me in place.

He tears the shovel from my hands and throws it across the room. I close my eyes and brace myself for the blow as he uses his claws to rip open the back of my dress.

My tears drip onto the beige carpet under my feet and I try to remain strong and fight him.

But he has me held captive like before. I'm too weak to do any damage to him and at this point I think I'm better off dead. I hear his belt behind me, but only as it hits the floor instead of my back.

I gasp and can't stop trembling as he pulls me up and plants me on my feet roughly.

He stares at me deeply and growls:

"There will be no more warning for you my wife. The next time you disobey me, I will have you taken down to the courtyard and have you flogged in front of the whole colony" I swallow down the lead ball in my throat, but it does not do much good to cease the tears that stream down my face.

He bears his claws again and I flinch as he swipes them across my dress. The white lace falls to the floor at my ankles, leaving me in my slip. I feel violated all over again as he drags his claws along the straps of my slip and lets it fall to the ground.

I cover as much of my skin with my hands as I can, although my naked body is out in the open for him to see. He grabs my shoulders and turns my back to him. Lightly, but painfully, he drags his claws along my shoulders and the length of my back until they reach my buttocks. He inhales deeply and I imagine him smelling my blood. Then I imagine his fangs and I clench my eyes shut tightly.

Tears are still streaming out of my eyes as I hear his pants drop to the floor. Expecting the worst, I brace myself to be thrown on the floor or the couch and have him get the consummation over with, but he doesn't.

He retreats down the hallway and comes back with a large white sheet.

He wraps it around my shoulders from behind and I hug it to me with my heart beating rapidly, though not from fear.

Was my husband really going along with this? I open my eyes to look at him, though he shows me not a look of consideration my way as he puts his hands on my shoulders and urges me forward through the doors.

The crowd looks up, cheers reign through the woods. Whistles accompany the claps and as soon as I can, I pull away from my husband's grasp to hide away inside. I run to the nearest unlocked room and hide in there, falling on the large bed and hugging my knees to my chest.

The tears stream down my face and I wait hours until I hear a door to a room close after all the cheering had subsided. My husband and the crowd have gone, left me unwatched.

Thinking of my escape didn't take long. As long as there were trees and I had dark clothes, this wasn't going to take much more thought. I didn't want to be here another second longer.