Struck (A Vampire Novel) ✔

Six

It was hard to tell what time it was in this place. It seemed like time was no longer existent, or perhaps turned around. There were hardly any windows and none within my viewing range so I couldn’t tell if it was dark or light outside. But at the same time it didn’t seem to matter anymore. I was led between two vampires in the most comfortable bed, being held hostage from my life while awaiting a death sentence, and possibly suffering from the beginnings of Stockholm syndrome. Though I couldn’t be sure if that diagnosis worked if the people you were growing feelings for weren’t actually the ones who kidnapped and terrorized you. I’m sure it still counts if they aid the person who did, though.

There was a plethora of new clothing set aside in the large walk-in closet specifically for me. We had spent hours just trying on outfits which at first was uncomfortable. Then by the end of it, it had turned out to be pretty fun. Aveline thought it would be entertaining if we all tried on clothes, pretending to be models. And then Xander thought it would be even more fun to try on each other’s clothes. Needless to say, Xander in a bra was rib-cracking worthy.

Now we laid in bed, quiet and comfortable, each of us wearing next to nothing. I wasn’t sure how it had happened, but I had now felt like it was natural to wear only a thin layer of white cloth tank top over just a small pair of panties. Even though Aveline was only wearing pink lacy panties on one side of me and Xander only a pair of boxers on the other side, I didn’t feel unsafe or self-conscious. I was simply exhausted.

I was lying on my stomach, my arms folded under the pillow my head was lying on. I faced Aveline, but my eyes were closed. I was enjoying the feel of fingertips brushing over my bare skin. Xander’s moved over my back softly, tracing the lines of the branching design. I didn’t understand their obsession with the Lichtenburg figure, but I didn’t complain. Aveline’s fingers trailed over the back of my legs almost lovingly, sometimes moving between my thighs only briefly in a way that sent goose bumps across my skin.

The feeling of being touched so softly and so carefully caused my body to hum pleasantly all over. I had never really felt so... reassured of my existence. I had never felt so nurtured and cherished, not even by my mother or any boyfriend I had in my past. And this by two strange supernatural beings that I hadn’t met until just a day or so ago. Still, I was exhausted and very much the happiest I’d been since being abducted. I sighed contently, feeling on the verge of going to sleep.

“Our little tiger is so beautiful. Don’t you think, my love?” Aveline cooed affectionately.

Xander sighed, which wasn’t a very content one. “We weren’t supposed to get attached, precious Aveline.” And then I felt his lips along with the tip of warm wet tongue trail along my back instead of his fingers, making me gasp in surprise and blush deeply. “She smells wonderful, did you notice?”

“Don’t be so teasing, Xander,” Aveline giggled quietly, “The poor thing is exhausted. Let her sleep.” I felt her fingers brush through my hair, and her lips lightly press over my forehead. Not long after that, I drifted off into a relatively peaceful sleep.

I woke up in the darkness quite suddenly, though I rose up to sitting position slowly. I didn’t have to look around to know I was alone. I was only “awake” for a moment though before my mind folded over with something like an invisible film. Almost immediately, it was like I was cast from my body while something else took control. Though I knew this, I wasn’t afraid. It was something I had never been afraid of, though it was always something that was an inconvenience in my life.

I was watching the images over the film, trying to make sense what they were saying. At the same time, I was struggling to push them away and to wake back up. I was always concerned if I focused too much on the dreams, I wouldn’t wake up. I could see a face of a raven haired beauty flashing before me, her pale blue eyes lifeless. There were what seemed like millions of other faces, but hers was a main focus this time around. I again grasped for my body, but the images pulled for my attention.