Chereads / Dystrophy of the Heart / Chapter 19 - Chapter Seventeen

Chapter 19 - Chapter Seventeen

TRIGGER WARNING: SCENE OF PHYSICAL/SEXUAL ABUSE MENTIONED IN THE CHAPTER. VIEWER DISCRETION IS ADVISED.

I wasn't going to be the weak little girl that was easily kidnapped and locked away. I had opened my window to reveal that up the side of the marble wall was a climbing rose bush, it's white silk petals blowing in my face as I threw the door open. My room was the second story, and I could see a bellowing village in the distance. I was used to the sprawling city of Toronto, with loud sports cars and flashy Tesla's being driven at high speeds down the streets. This village looked taken out of a medieval video game, with farms and wooden cabins. I could see people barely milling about, but I doubted their attention was on me since I was at least a kilometer or two away. I braced myself, surging up any strength I had and swung my legs over the side. The vines holding up the roses were wrapped around a white trellis that I managed to get ahold of. I pushed myself against it and was instantly met with pain as thorns dug into my hands and feet, with them also scratching any exposed skin. I wanted to scream and cry but I bit my tongue. I began to lower myself, my limbs surprisingly strong. Every step I took was met with pain, the roses scratching the material of my dress and tearing it. My face stung with silent tears rolling down my face and drops of my blood stained the white petals. As I made it about halfway my strength suddenly gave out. I gasped as I was no longer able to keep myself attached to the wood trellis beneath me. I tumbled to the ground, my back getting the brunt of the impact and effectively knocking the wind out of me. I saw stars in my eyes as I looked at the red stricken sky, trying to catch my breath. It was so hard, and I felt like someone was kneeling on my chest and stomach. The grass I was on rolled down into a hill that was a sea of poppies, and led to a forested area and the village. I managed to sit myself upright, drops of blood streaking down my porcelain skin. I was shaky, and was trying to force myself to stand. My legs felt like they were not working, and I was coming to the horrific conclusion that the vampire blood was flushed out of my system and left me severely weakened. I had only one other option--roll down the hill. I was mentally preparing myself to roll down the hill when I sensed something dark near me. I heard cursing from upstairs, and my legs flinched indicating that they were well enough to be used. I was still untrusting of my own body and pushed myself down the steep hill and prayed. The world spun around me in a sea of red, blue and green as I rolled. My body ached from the rolling, and I wanted to scream. It seemed like it lasted forever, but then I realized that I had stopped rolling quickly, and the world whirling around me was just from the act of rolling. I groggily managed to hoist my upper body off, the world and village tumbling around me.

I have to get out of here, I thought to myself. My flight response kicked in and I managed to bring myself to my feet. I tried to run, but with every step I was teetering deeply left or right, nearly falling flat on my face. I thought I was getting so close to the tall dark forest before me, hope welling in my chest. That was until a dark shadow flickered across my vision, causing my feet to trip up against each other. I began to fall forward, seeing the poppy filled ground rushing up to great me. Then two cold beams pulled me into a cold and hard slate. I was completely limp, out of breath and heart pounding in my head.

"Where do you think you're going?" Elijah asked above me. I felt my body completely lock up, and I was unable to move. I smelled cedar, rose and vanilla invading my nose and it was so inviting. However, knowing who the smell belonged to made my anxiety skyrocket so much so that I collapsed. The only reason I did not hit the ground was Elijah holding me up by my upper arms.

"What the fuck did you do?" He hissed above me. He lifted me off the ground by my waist and brought me eye level to him. His garnet eyes gleamed with fury, and his black hair reminded me of an onyx tombstone. His fangs were bared at me, and the expression on his face made me almost pass out. He began to shake me like I was a remote not working, and my dizziness only skyrocketed.

"Stop!" I begged as the world became a red blur around me. He obliged, but his face and tense body language still screamed anger and rage. He hoisted me over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes and began to stride out of the field. I bashed my tiny fists hopelessly against his back as the poppies were crushed under his feet.

"Let me go! I want to go home!" I screamed, flailing around.

"What home? Last I checked, nobody wanted you!" He barked. His words hurt more than the scratches over my body. More than my heart attack, and more than my pride. I slumped over, unable to move as I was frozen from grief. He was right, even if I escaped where would I go? Conner obviously didn't want me, and I had just told this man earlier today that I was an orphan. Even if I got back, I had no home to go to except for the diner and I was going to die soon. There was an uncomfortable silence as Elijah walked up marble steps, and through a glossy door. I saw a blood red carpet under me, but I closed my eyes. I did not want to see the world around me, because I knew if I did I would resent it. He grabbed my waist a little tighter as we went up the stairs, but I just remained limp and lifeless. My heart felt like it was shattered in a million pieces. As we walked I heard two people around me, starting to cluck like two worried hens but I was drowning them out. I could make out the voices to be Luca and Ziva, but their words were meaningless gibberish to me. It was not until a door burst open that I blinked myself awake from grief. I was thrown harshly onto something soft, and I looked up to see the still smoldering face of Elijah. Ziva ran over to me as Luca was frozen at the door.

"Oh honey, are you okay?" Ziva cooed and began to inspect my wounds. It stung as she inspected me, but my eyes were still locked on the terrifying ancient power before me. Elijah stalked over to the nightstand next to me and looked me in the eye as he wrapped his fingers around the side of the marble nightstand. It was made of the wall, and firm. With barely any effort at all he yanked backwards. The whole nightstand broke off of the wall and floor, causing me to scream. Ziva pulled my head into her chest as tears ran down my helpless face.

"Zio, stop!" Luca barked as Elijah stalked towards the window. The diameter of the window was thinner than the nightstand, but it was a little smaller than the window in height by an inch or two. Elijah put the nightstand over his head and slammed it into the window and its walls. There was a sickening breaking noise as he forced the nightstand to become one with the wall, effectively blocking off the window except for an inch of sunlight.

"You are staying in this room from this point on. You are not allowed to leave, ever!" He screamed, looking at me with wild eyes as if egging me to refuse. I just started sobbing, burying my face into Ziva's chest in abject fear.

"Elijah, you have gone too far!" Ziva barked and cradled me like I was her child.

"I've gone too far? I've gone too far?" I could hear him stomping towards us and with every step I was shaken to my core. Suddenly I felt a strong tug at my night gown as the material was ripped clean off of my body by an enraged Elijah. I screamed like a banshee as Ziva covered me up.

"Zio!" Luca barked. The next thing I know I was covered in soft material, and I cracked my eyes open to see Luca had thrown his blazer over my quivering and now nude body.

"She broke the rules Luca! I am the Master of this house, and I won't have people living under my roof break my rules!" He bellowed into the shorter man's face who was shielding me from Elijah's bloodred sight. I was sobbing like a child, Ziva holding me protectively and wiping away my tears and Luca ready to brawl with his uncle to protect me. The only thing that could be heard in the whole room was my crying and Elijah's heavy breathing from rage.

"She stays in here, and if anyone takes her out I will gut you in front of her." With that final threat he stormed out of the room, leaving a wake of chaos in his path. Ziva continued to hold me, running her fingers through my hair as she spoke sweet words to me. Luca sat down next to us, and I flinched as he reached out to comfort me. He looked at me with shocked and apologetic eyes.

"You should go Luca, I think she just needs a woman right now." He looked hurt, but understanding as I started shaking. My heart started clenching and a familiar numbness and burning was surging through me.

"She needs the blood, now!" He hissed and ran to the coffee table where a mug was waiting.

"No!" I screamed as he brought it to me.

"Luca can't she--"

"She's about to have a heart attack and I don't have the equipment to help her. She needs to drink it now!" He pushed the mug against my mouth, forcing the liquid down my throat. My eyes flew open and I tried to push away, but Ziva held me still.

"I'm so sorry my dear, but you have to stay strong and do this." Ziva whispered to me as I was force fed the sickly sweet liquid. I gagged as it flowed down my throat, disgusted that a part of that man was now inside of me. Once the last drop was down my throat Luca pulled away. I started gagging and almost puked, but Luca held my mouth shut to keep the liquid down. The last thing I saw before black took over my vision, was a shadow looming over Luca.