Atherian Tales: The Blood Slave

Chapter Twenty

     Caution......it's starting to get steamy!

     The day of the ceremony had finally come. I couldn't move. I wouldn't allow myself to be budged from the confines of my bed. Anna had tried to get me up and going and Jasmine had even tried to coax me from my blanket cocoon. Both not having any luck.

"Amily!" Anna began as she tugged at the fabric of the covers once more. "You have to get up!" She shouted.

I was never prepared for this day and on its arrival, all I wanted was to become invisible. I wouldn't have to go through with the ceremony if no one could could even see me.

As Anna and Jasmine were fighting to pull the blankets from my grasps, a knock at the door interrupted our struggles. The door opened to reveal Elias standing on the other side.

"Jerric and Lee are here to escort Anna and Jasmine down to breakfast." He said, his eyes not leaving me. "Ladies." He spoke as he gestured with his hand for Anna and Jasmine to exit the chambers.

Once the girls were gone, Elias shut the door and made his way over to my bed. Sitting on the edge, he simply stared at me. It felt like ages with the both of us not moving or redirecting our eyes. We both went to speak at the same time but I allowed him to speak first.

"I know you don't want this." He said as he traced a seam of the blanket with his index finger. He appeared almost shy at the moment. "I've convinced Thelios to allow you to have your breakfast and lunch here in your chambers if you wish to be alone." The truth was that I did wish to be alone. I wished to be left alone and not be bound to anyone against my will or otherwise. I couldn't control my anger when I snapped back at Elias.

"Why couldn't you convince him to leave me as I am and not continue with this ceremony?" I shot at him. Over the past week, since Lord Delaney's attack, Elias has not taken his eyes from me. He had reclaimed his position as my escort and wether I agreed to it or not, he was constantly at my side.

The time we spent together made my feelings stronger for him but as much as I wanted to bring them back to the surface and face that "something" that made me reach to him the night he attacked me, I couldn't. I kept them far below the surface like I had promised myself that I would. It would make our situation even more complicated and Elias has been so intently focused on his position as commander that having his duties and trying to keep me alive didn't make much room for a relationship. No to mention having the task of finding all the components for my bonding ceremony.

Elias looked away from me then. He cleared his throat before he spoke. "If I could, don't you think I would?" He yelled in response. "Don't you think I would take you...." he trailed off before he finished his sentence. He shot up from the bed and made his way to the door. A small glimmer of hope soared through my chest and to my thoughts. Could he possibly be trying to say what I want him to say?

"What were you saying Elias?" I stopped him in his tracks as he reached for the doorknob. I tried but he wouldn't budge. He stood with his back towards me as I walked over to him.

I asked again but with anger laced through my words. "Elias, finish your sentences. If you could...." I was coaxing him. I wanted him to answer me. Just as I began to ask a final time, Elias, using his swiftness, spun around and scooped me up. He wrapped my legs around his waist while pinning me to the door. My heart rate quickened with his actions causing a flush of redness to appear on my cheeks.

I was startled at first. He grabbed a bundle of my hair and clenched it with a fist, using it to tilt my head to the side to expose my neck. Flash backs of the night he attacked me raced through my mind when he used his free hand to pull my night dress off my shoulder to expose the skin, this time allowing his hand to pull the fabric of my night dress a bit further to expose also, the side of my right breast. "Elias..." I practically whispered. I felt like I should have been scared. I should be fighting him and pushing him away but all I could think about was keeping the distance between us closed like this forever.