Riften stood by the bay window, the fireplace cackling a couple feet away, keeping him warm from the cold winter air. His cold hard hazel eyes were staring intently out in the forest, his arms were crossed. He seemed to be deep in thought. His brown tousled hair fell over cheek gracefully, the moonlight from the window defining his sharp jaw.
I shuffled uncomfortable in the armchair by the fireplace. It's still cold, I thought miserably. It wasn't cold like this back home. I shivered as I thought about the last time I was back home. I wrapped the quilt around me tighter. It's been two weeks since I've been here with Riften. Unable to leave the room, he's the only one I've seen the last two weeks. Although it's just been him and I, we have not really spoken much. I wondered about the children and woman that I saw when I first was given to Riften. I wonder if they are nice…
"Do you want to dine in the hall tonight?" Riften said monotonously from the window, still staring out into the window to the forest. His gaze was unwavering.
I perked up. Outside? The room? "YY-Yes?" I got up quickly from the red velvet armchair, stumbling my words; I wanted to get out of this room. After the last two weeks, it really has sunken into me that I am now stuck here. I really do belong to Riften and I will never go back to my old life. Maybe I can go exploring… since there's nothing else to do, I thought a little bitterly. I slept all day and night. I was feeling completely restless. Riften usually left early in the mornings before I woke up and wouldn't be back until dinner. There wasn't even a single book to read in this room. I usually stared listlessly out the window, but it was just as boring. The grounds outside this castle were quiet and I never saw anyone out there. The last two weeks have been brutal.
Riften turned his head to look at me, raising an eyebrow. "Oh really? You're that bored?"
I looked down at my feet, feeling red in the face. "I mean… you're gone all day…" I muttered under my breath, shifting my weight between my feet.
I heard Riften sigh softly. I looked up at him. His eyes were warm. That's better, I thought, smiling to myself.
He turned his whole body to face me. "Alright… I guess it's time to meet everyone. I think you're ready," he said, as he walked up to me slowly.
He stopped right before me, towering over. I looked up to him, making sure to not show any kind of fear on my face. He smirked. "Maybe we should get you changed… You're not looking very ladylike right now."
My face burned hot. I was still wearing my tattered clothes from two weeks ago.
I suddenly was lifted off the floor. Riften had me in his arms and started to head to the bathroom. My eyes opened wide. "Wait, no. I can do it myself!" I started to struggle against him but he had a hard grip on me.
"Shh shh shh. It's just a quick bath," he cooed, as he gently moved into the bathroom, making sure I didn't hit the door or wall. He turned on the light to the bathroom with his elbow, brightening up the giant master bathroom. The window was open, letting in the night breeze with the slight scent of hyacinths. The soaker tub sat right beneath the window, with a ledge to look out the window, some candles and various bottles of soap sitting on top of the windowsill.
Even in the two weeks just being alone with Riften, I was still not used to him. "Riften, please," I begged as he put me down on the plush bathmat in front of the tub. He turned on the hot water, the steam rising from the tub. "A hot bath sounds nice…" he said playfully as he pulled his shirt off over his head and dropped it on the floor next to me.
Mortified, I looked at his shirt and back to him. I had only seen him once without any clothes on and it was dark. Seeing him in the light, I couldn't help but gasp and gawk at him. He was incredibly defined, his muscles flexing at any move he made. I looked down bashfully, feeling embarrassed that I was staring at him.
I heard Riften laugh. "It's okay, you've seen me already," I heard him say as I heard him unzip his pants.
My ears were on fire while I was trying to burn my stare into the floor. No, no, no, I thought frantically in my head.
I heard his pants drop to the porcelain floor and heard him step into the bath with a small splash.
He groaned. "It's been awhile since I've taken a hot bath… showers are quicker," I heard him say above me.
I peeked up through my lashes. He was covered up to his chest. I sighed and looked up to see him grinning.
"Why are you so embarrassed?" he inquired, as he sunk a bit deeper into the tub. He reached over to the ledge and grabbed a bottle. "Hmm… how does chamomile sound?" He opened the bottle and dropped a dollop of soap into the hot water. The room was instantly filled with a flowery smell.
I breathed in deep and felt suddenly at ease. "That smells so nice…" I sighed, as I closed my eyes to enjoy the scent.
I heard him reach over the tub. "So… are you coming in?" he asked a bit gruffly.
"Ummm, no," I stammered, as I pulled at my dress. I did NOT want to take a bath with this man.
Riften smiled evilly. Oh no.
He suddenly grabbed me and pulled me over into the tub like I weighed nothing. "RIFTEN!" I screamed, as I hit the water, splashing all over the floor. My dress was soaked and sticking to my body. My hair was dripping wet and in my face. I looked imploringly at Riften on the other side of the tub. "Really?" I was sneering at him, hiding in the water from him.
He was cackling, covering his mouth. "You look ridiculous," he laughed. His hair was now wet, slick straight, curling slightly from the water. He had bubbles building up around him, covering him up to his shoulders.
I sat up, sloshing the water in the tub. The bubbles flowed to me and starting to congregate at my sides. I cupped my hands and made a snow bubble. I flashed my eyes to Riften. He won't even see it coming…
"Riften?" I said sweetly, playing with my snow bubble, building it up.
"Yeah?" he said breathlessly. He leaned forward in the tub.
"TAKE THIS!" I yelled, throwing my snow bubble to his face. The bubbles flew everywhere, landing mostly on his face and hair.
Riften was surprised, his mouth open, eyes wide. A bubble slowly dripped down his cheek. He put a hand up and slowly wiped it off.
"…Riften?" I asked cautiously, as I backed into more into the tub. "No… don't!"
But before I could finish, Riften grabbed a handful of bubbles and threw them right back at me. I screamed, laughing while I paddled the bubble bath water hard to hit him back. Riften was laughing along with me as he dodged the water and tried to hit me back with bubbles.
The water was out of bubbles and we stopped, catching our breath from laughing so much. "You are ridiculous! Are you 10?" I asked, wiping a tear from my eye.
"You started it!" Riften said earnestly, smiling broadly.
He's not wrong, I thought to myself, smiling.
"Do you need help taking that off?" Riften asked, shrugging at my dress.
I looked down at my dress that was torn in various places. My cheeks burned red from embarrassment. "I don't want you to see me…" I said softly.
"I've already seen you," Riften said matter-of-factly, waving his hand.
I pouted. "In the dark! Does that really count?"
Riften leaned towards me. "Of course it does. You do know I own you, right? So that means you need to do what I say," he said a bit darkly.
I was taken aback. Why so serious now? I wondered.
"Or do you want me to take it off for you?" he asked deviously, eyeing my dress.
I put my arms over myself. "No!" I said defensively. "I can do it!" I unstuck my dress from myself and picked it up slowly from under me. He's only seen me once and I wasn't really all there, I thought sadly to myself.
Looking back at that night, I felt a complete terror and embarrassment that I've never felt before as Riften was touching me. Ever since that night, my feelings about my experiences with those men were gone, leaving a strange empty part in my heart and mind.
My dress felt heavy as I lifted it out of the water and I struggled putting it above me. Riften reached out and lifted it off of me.
I sank back into the hot water, hoping it would cover me.
Riften smirked as he dropped it over the tub and onto the floor. "That's going straight into the trash."
"But then what will I wear?" I asked, moving away from him. I didn't want him to touch me while we were both naked in the tub.
He moved towards me, closing the gap between us. I shrank back once again, almost laying in the tub, looking up at him. His hair was wet, dripping down to my face. His eyes were soft.
"Do you really need clothes?" he asked sweetly, as he towered over me.
I turned my head away from him. I don't want to do this again.
Riften sighed, retreating back and sitting up to face me. I turned my head to look at him. "Why didn't you-"
"Didn't what? Touch you?" he sneered at me. His entire demeanor changed.
I flinched, confused why he seemed angry now. "I just- They always just-"
He stopped me. "I'm not them," he said sharply, looking away from me and out the window to the dark sky.
I stared at him, feeling hurt for some reason. I put my knees up to my face and wrapping my arms around them.
"I didn't buy you to use you. I'm here to save you," he said shortly, still looking out the window.
Save me? From what? I wondered, as I also looked out the window with Riften.
There was a silence between us. The wind howled slightly, the curtains flapping quietly.
"I really aren't going to hurt you," Riften said softly into the wind.
I didn't reply. Then why am I here? You still haven't told me.
Riften stood up suddenly, water splashing around. I looked at him horrified as I saw all of him in the light.
"Riften!" I almost shouted, looking down quickly.
"You're going to fall in love with me," he said firmly.
I looked up, burning red once again. "What?" I asked, confused.
"You're going to fall in love with me," he repeated, water dripping from his body.
I stood up from the tub as well, but he still towered a foot over me. "Riften, what are you talking about?" I asked, steadying my balance from being in the water.
Riften placed his rough hands on my shoulders. "Vylet."
"Riften?" I asked, trying to make sense of how he was acting.
Suddenly, Riften's lips crashed into mine. I was caught off guard, and I lost my footing. Riften caught me, his arm on my back, his other arm holding my arm. His lips were still on mine. Our tongues danced and our lips moved along with the rhythm. I started to heat up as I wrapped my arms around his neck. I felt myself urgently kissing him back, as if telling him not to stop.
Riften lifted me off the tub, water moving in the tub and dripping off my body. The cold air hit me, causing me to shiver and I felt my skin crawl with goosebumps. Our faces were still attached by the lips. He stepped over the tub and I felt him carry me to the bed.
"Riften." I breathed into him. I pushed him away slightly. "I'm still wet," I said softly, as he kissed my neck. I arched my back from how his lips felt on my skin.
"I hope you are," he muttered between his kisses on my skin. He gently laid me on the bed and he crawled on top of me, pinning my arms above my head.
My body was hot, and I felt myself breathing heavily. My heart was pounding, and I couldn't think straight. What is he doing to me? I thought, as he trailed kisses from my neck to my chest. I gasped as he reached my breast and lightly nibbled my nipple.
"Vylet," I heard Riften mutter, as he kissed my chest, kneading my left breast, and holding down my arms with his right hand.
I was squirming underneath him from pleasure. I felt electricity run through my body, wanting more.
"Riften… what are you doing to me?" I breathed, as I arched my back when he kissed lower and lower.
Riften stopped right above my mound and looked up at me, his hazel eyes filled with wanting.
"I love you," he breathed.
I froze. What?
But that thought was interrupted as he dug his face into my mound. His breath was hot and his tongue was flicking into me, creating waves of pleasure. I cried out, unsure what I was feeling. I heard Riften grunt as he hungrily ate me. "You taste amazing," he groaned, as he kissed my mound.
I bit my lip and cried as he sucked at my button in a rhythmic motion. "Are you ready?" he asked breathlessly, looking up at me. His hair was completely misshapen, his eyes soft and hungry. His grazed his hands over me, feeling every part of me. He moved up to face me and I felt something hard and wet.
I suddenly felt cold. I know…what that is… I felt a sharp pain below and I cried in pain, looking at Riften in his hazel eyes. "Riften, no," I cried, tensing my entire body up, trying to move away from him.
Riften held my arms back up above my head, staring at me, as he pumped.
"Get off of me!" I screamed, as I tried to get away from him. I blinked and I saw the man who held me up at the bar one time back home. I blinked again, and I saw the man who followed me 6 blocks.
Riften shifted one hand to pin my arms and used his other hand to put a finger on my forehead. His eyes sharpened. "I'm not them!" he said venomously, stopping and just holding me down.
My face was wet from sweat and tears. I could barely see his face. "Please don't," I cried softly.
Riften sighed. "I'm not them, Vylet," he repeated as he kissed my wet face.
"They hurt me," I sobbed. Riften let go out my arms. I curled up into a ball, sobbing into my arms.
"I don't know what I did to them, but they hurt me and it still hurts like they're here," I cried.
Riften kissed my hair. "I know… I know," he soothed. He laid down next to me, holding me in his arms.
I slowly cried myself to sleep in Riften's arms, feeling safe and warm.
Riften stared at the beautiful woman in his arms.
---
How could anyone hurt her? He thought, staring at her long full lashes, her rosy lips and cheeks. Her lilac hair fell over her face and he tucked it behind her ear to show her soft rounded jaw. On her neck, the mark of a vampire. Does she even know? He thought, as he brushed his fingers gently over the slightly raised birthmark on her neck. She thinks I'm the vampire, he chuckled to himself.
He sighed softly as he connected the constellation of birthmarks on her body lightly.
Riften's mind wandered to his past as he mindlessly rubbed Vylet's back when I heard his phone vibrate.