Atonement - Book Four (Man x Man)

Chapter 17

 The soft, plush bed wraps around my frame, allowing me to hide away in the mass of down comforters. The heavy scent of lavender fills my nose with each inhale, no doubt meant to soothe me. I vaguely remember tossing and turning, screaming for mercy as I was wracked with nightmares for the first few hours of my salvation. 

Every time I try and stir, I drift back into sleep and finally, succumbing to exhaustion, I dream of nothing. For the first time in so long, I melt into the abyss, and it's blissful—no pain, torture, or voices. 

"You brought him to the brothel?" A voice murmurs in the distance. "Who's stupid idea was that?"

"He will be protected by banditi here. He's the damned Prince, if anyone were going to make a move it would be now."

"That is not protection." The voice sounds annoyed. "Banditi have no reason to protect him when he threatens their way of life."

"They're sworn to a code, no one is going to talk and that's the best we've got. The people can't know what state he's in."

The comment brings a sinking feeling to the pit of my stomach as I recall the memory of my arrival here, foggy and filled with raw emotions. When I slid off the wolf, stumbling into the arms of Stefan, I turned only to see my tormentor standing before me. Seeing him before me, knowing that I had bedded him and versions of him,  it was as if I were trapped all over again. 

His naked form triggering my torment, no matter how I desperately to get away but the party that is supposed to consist of my allies held onto me. 

Out of my mind, I was convinced my friends were trying to feed me to him, a sacrafice to the demon with gray hair. 

The memory makes my hands burn and I flex my sore fingers, flinching as I rub my wrappeed aching wrist. 

How many people did my frosted hands burn? 

People shoved me away, taking turns undergoing my assault, as I scalded them only to have someone else attempt to grab me. I couldn't control it, unable to stop trying to defend myself and finally, I must have blacked out for the memory ends abruptly.

Their voices have succeeded in waking me for I can sleep no more. To much had occured for me to be comfortable in the presence of strangers, and for all I knew, Sherian and Corina had taken up refuge here and were waiting for me. 

 Slowly, I sit up in the bed and scan around the room. The light is dim, only a few lanterns are lit in aged lanterns hanging from the walls. Everything in the room is made up of dark, rich colors and plush surfaces. I look down at my tattered clothes, only to see that I have been bathed and changed into a soft white long sleeve and tights.

A modest outfit for a king to awaken in, someone must have anticipated that I would be hard to reason with, for the patrons of this establishment seeing me in a nightgown, or worse- naked, would be unacceptable. 

 The loose material is a relief on my damaged body, cool against my hot skin. My body desperately wants to repair itself and yet I feel like I'm fighting it.  Unclean, used, disgusting, the descriptors rotate through the inner monologue in a slow, painful march. Sliding to the edge of the bed, I exhale, running a hand through my now clean hair that feels so much different than it did only yesterday.

 How dirty was I? What state was I in when they-

My heart plummets, I'm drowning in the realization that Corina wouldn't be here because she escaped. 

They let her get away. 

Leaping up, I practically fall on my face in my weakened state of mental deterioration. I have to go after her, with every intention to kill her while she's weak. My pale hand grabs the handle as I scramble for the door, only to hurry back words as it opens before I can even touch it.