The White Raven

Pleasure Can be Just as Bad as Pain

Something burns against my skin. Something is being pressed against my skin just under the rib cage on my right hand side and as it stays there the burning feeling gets worse.

My eyes snap open and I see Jessie holding a burning hot poker to my skin, he holds it there as I stare at him and I feel the pain spreading, soon a scream comes to my mouth and tears are rolling down my eyes. I try to move but my hands are held above my by cuffs. Then he pulls it away and turns his back on me walking towards the fireplace at the end of the room. I struggle to see out of my tears but I can feel where he burnt me, it stings so much almost as much as when he was actually pressing it into my skin. And then he comes back and I see what he stabbed me with. It's not a poker it's a branding iron in the shape of a J. Then he presses it back in the same spot and I scream again, I'm writhing in pain and then he leans forward close to my ear, still pressing it into my skin marking me permanently.

"You are mine." He growls and then pulls back.

He presses harder into my skin and then I black out the pain too much.

*

Cold bites my skin and something digs into my back.

"Raven. " Someone calls out.

I open my eyes. Black shrouds everything but I manage to make out a humanoid figure silhouetted against the background. I place my elbow underneath me and push myself up. Ready to fight if need be.

"Raven?" The voice comes again.

A small light bulb hangs over head. A cord hangs down, I grab it and pull on it. A tiny light explodes into existence and the figure walks towards me, the connection made. They step into the light and the first thing I notice is their brilliant blonde hair. My heart jumps to my throat and I gasp for air. I run towards them just wanting to hold hem in my arms. I fling myself into his arms and he wraps them around me, placing his face in my hair.

"Eric." I half whisper, half sob.

I hold my hands around his neck and let the tears fall. He just holds me letting me sob. Eventually he puts me down and quiets my tears.

"We're own our way." He murmurs. Never completely letting me go. "Izzy and I. We're coming, just put up a shield don't let him touch you. I know you don't like magic, but please use it now, you need to."

I nod once and swallow.

"I'm sorry. He has a control over me. The first time, he bit me and... and it didn't hurt Eric. It was pleasure not pain and it felt like I was craving it I was going through withdrawal. I had to have it.

I'm crying now. He strokes my hair, everything about him comforting. "Everything will be fine. I'm sure we'll figure it out this has to have happened before." But his voice says other wise.

"None of this makes any sense, why me? Why does his bite feel that way?"

"Just hold on ok?" He replies. "We will get to you and then this will all be over. Take this." He presses something cold into my hand, when I look down it's my dagger. "If you get the chance, plunge this into his heart. It won't affect you because it's your dagger."

He takes a step back and I clutch the knife tight.

"Just hold on, and remember," He leans forward and kisses me, soft and careful always-asking permission never taking. " I love you." He finishes pulling away.

As he pulls away he starts to dissolve away from me. He begins to float away into tiny pieces like glitter spilt on a windy day, except that there here there is no wind.