Dethbycoffee x HawkPrincess

[InactiveCoffee]

This is a 1x1 between @HawkPrincess and myself. Rating is M for mature, but merely because of the dark and possibly gruesome themes that are being brought to this story. Of course, we will always abide by site rules and regulations. Thank you.

It's been ten years since the war between the Humans and the Vampires came to an end. The Vampires were victorious, and now all human kingdoms are merely sub-states of the larger Vampiric empire. Most human kings have a Vampire Reagent that guides them under the wishes of the Vampiric High King. Kindness between Vampire and Human varies, just like many races' tolerance for another varies. There are some vampires who are sympathetic to the plight of humans, and others who wish total dominance over their renewing food source. Just as there are humans who enjoy vampire company, and others who deem them the bane of the earth and unworthy to remain in existence.

It was a dark night, near fifteen years since the vampires had taken over the human kingdoms. Tension was still high, but the Vampires had a firm hold in their authority. A rebel group that had been forming, and building ties with those Vampires who were sympathetic to the human plight, for the last five years met in their dark, secret cave out in the wilderness. It was the safest place they could meet without arousing Vampire suspicion. Their leader, a woman, was the last they were awaiting to arrive so they could discuss the next step in the plan to take back the kingdoms for the human race. Yet, time wore on, and she never showed up. They dispersed quickly just before dawn, knowing something had to have happened to their fearless leader. She never missed a meeting, and always had a plan. The Vampire prince sat in his chamber, an evil grin spread across his face as the dawn approached. He wasn't as sympathetic to humans as his father, the High King, was. He enjoyed their fear, their terror, and their torment. He was going to enstate utter dominance when he became High King, though that was still many years away, as his father was a decently young vampire in comparison to some of the elders. Though, evil as the Prince was, he wasn't looking to dethrone his father. No. He would bide his time. He had a gift, after all. A human woman, chained to the wall in the deepest reaches of the dungeon. She had been captured only just that day, and locked away on his command. The prince knew she was the leader of the local rebellion that darkened his doorstep and threatened his father's, and by proxy - his, crown. He wanted to squash these humans who thought they build a revolt without the empire's notice, and it all began with the information this woman held captive in her mind. He would wring it from her dying neck if he had to. Will he get the information he wants? Will the human race be doomed? Or will she manage to break through to this vampire Prince, and achieve peace between the races?

 

[Zerataku]

Alexander relaxed in his chamber, his hand upturned so that he was looking at his fingernails. He thought to himself quietly, one leg crossed over the other as he sat upon his black throne that showcased intricate designs and patterns throughout the mahogany wood. He contemplated what to do with the woman in his dungeon, trying to figure out the best technique to get the information he wanted. He didn't care much for civil conversations, and that had already proven to fail many times in the past. The thought of this angered him and he snarled, casting his arm to the side as if he were knocking something off of a table or telling someone to go away.


He planted both feet firmly on the ground then stood up, pacing about the floor as he called for the ally who had captured the girl. There was no time for contemplating anymore, no time for meager discussion with himself about what he would or wouldn't do. There was, after all, nothing he wouldn't do to get the information he wanted so that he could make a decision regarding the future of himself and his people. He told the man to bring the woman to her immediately, without hesitation. The man grabbed a torch and made his way to the first level of the dungeon, then gracefully descended to the third level where the woman was being kept, all the while his pale fingers running along the chains connected to the walls.


He pulled a key out of his pocket, as if it were really needed. Even if their prisoners weren't kept in chains, they would still never find a way out of the dungeon maze or past any of the castle guards. He chuckled menacingly as he unlocked the steel cage, then hissed at the woman inside as a warning to stay back. He unlocked the chains that connected her to the wall, loud clangs erupting as they fell to the floor. He disconnected the one that was attached to a collar around her neck, and used this to guide her upstairs and into Alexander's chambers, then connected it to a steel half-hoop sticking out of the ground and left.


Alexander closed his eyes and rolled his head back, intrigued by the scent of her blood. He would have loved nothing more than to drain her right there, but he knew she was vital to him. He glided over to her and placed a hand on her chin, one finger tracing her lips, then dragged his sharp nails across her jawline. He nicked the skin just a tiny bit, a trickle of blood flowing down her cheek and onto his fingernail. He slid his finger into his mouth, moaning as he tasted her blood, then stood back and stared at the woman.


"Mon Amour, you are enjoying your stay I hope?"

 

[InactiveCoffee]

Lyra hung limp against the wall, arms and legs chained to the wall so that she couldn't honestly move that much. She had spent much of her energy struggling against the chains, and the evidence was clear. Her wrists and ankles were raw from the chaffing metal, dried blood in lines down her feet and hands. Clean lines down her dirt covered cheeks showed evidence that she had been crying, but her tears had long since dried, leaving her skin feeling tight and almost sticky with the salty residue. She held her eyes closed as she listened to her surroundings. Moans, whimpering, and even some nearly intelligible begging could be heard all around her in muted levels. There were even a few fresh screams still echoing around the dungeon.


She took a deep breath, her blonde hair matted to her head and dirty from her struggle against her captors. Her nightgown was dirty, and torn in places, continued evidence that she hadn't been captured easily. Her feet were muddy from the chase she had given, and one knee was scraped from a fall, which had been her undoing. She lifted her head from her chest as she heard the tell tale echoing of steps. Someone was coming into this level of the dungeon, and she was sure it wasn't for any of her prison mates. They all seemed to be long forgotten about. Her smooth, chocolate brown eyes met the man who had come to fetch her, and she glared at him, though it was weak compared to when she had first arrived here. She stood still, almost defeated, as the man removed the chains from her arms, and legs, then detached the one that lead to the metal collar around her neck. She had no choice but to follow this creature, knowing it would be a lost cause to attempt escape. She'd only be caught easily again, and from the appearence of it, someone wished her to remain alive.


She winced as the man lead her up into the castle, the brighter light making her pupils dilate almost painfully as they tried to adjust to the brighter lighting. She stumbled as the man tugged the chain that was connected to the collar, and Lyra realized she had stopped walking. She winced, whimpering softly, as she regained her balance and began to follow after the man again. Through the castle they went, until they entered the chambers of some vampire that Lyra didn't recognize at first. Her chain was then attached to a ring that was embedded in the floor. She clearly wasn't going to be given the chance to get away. She looked up at the vampire that now was walking toward her, her chocolate eyes hidden beneath thick lashes. She flinched, tensing as his cold fingers touched her chin, a finger grazing over her lips. She considered biting the finger, but knew that wouldn't get her anything but possibly a slap in the face. Not exactly something she was looking forward to.


She took in a sharp breath as his nail cut into her soft flesh and she felt the familiar warmth of her blood trickling over her skin. Tears pricked at the corners of her eyes from the unexpected pain, and she tried to blink them away quickly. She grimaced as the vampire man, the prince now that she had a closer look at him, moaned after licking her blood from his nail. She shot him a pained glare when he stood back to observe her, and a shiver passed down her spine as he spoke. She considered how to answer him for what seemed like hours, though in reality it was only moments before her mouth opened and she regretted her words the minute she'd uttered them.


"Not as much as I'd enjoy watching you and your like burn in this castle until it stands nothing but dust."

 

[Zerataku]

Alexander laughed, amused that she thought she could talk to a prince that way, but his polite demeanor turned cold in a flash and the silence in the room erupted uncomfortably as if everything were standing still. "You have some nerve, talking to me like that when I've shown you, a lowly human, nothing but respect. Do you have any idea who I am?"


He brought his hand up to his face, upturned so that he was looking at his nails, as one hand held onto the elbow of his other arm. He did this a lot when he was thinking, or trying to look apathetic, so much so that he was almost doing it all times when he was standing. He paced around her slowly before making an abrupt stop in front of her, taking her chin in his cold hand.


"DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHO I AM?" He repeated, his voice echoing off the walls and down the stairway.


He slapped her, then turned away from her. "I, personally, would think you would be grateful for what I am doing here. I'm offering you a place to stay when I could have left you out there to the hungry vampires who would have rather seen you dead." He emphasized the word dead, leaving her to wonder what form of death he meant.


He wondered if her parents had never taught her to act more respectful as a guest in someone's house. "You really need to learn some manners, especially if you want this to go over smoothly. Perhaps I'll teach you some during your stay here." He grinned mockingly, adjusting one of the flowers on his coat that had become crooked.

 

[InactiveCoffee]

Lyra's eyes flashed with defiance, wincing as his hand came across her cheek sharply, making her yelp and breath in a sharp intake of air, biting her lip to keep from crying. Fear coursed through her veins, making her heart pound and she could hear the rush of blood in her ears. He had mentioned she should be grateful for keeping her from becoming a buffet for those vampires who wished to see her porcelain white with the loss of the blood that gave her skin it's rosy pink tint. As for having an idea of who this man was, certainly. She knew exactly who she was looking at now. It took her slightly addled mind to piece it together, but she did. The crown prince of the Vampiric empire, Alexander. The one vampire she wished death to more than anyone knew. His death would create a political war among those who wished for his power, and that was when the humans would make their revolt. That was what all her plans had revolved around. Throwing these blood sucking leeches into chaos. It seemed they adored order just as much as they adored blood, so it was an easy enough plan.


A smirk passed over her lips as she watched the prince, though fear flashed in her eyes as he mentioned teaching her manners. She drew herself to her full height, squaring her shoulders, and meeting this vampire's eyes, even if she were far more scared than she'd care to admit. "You are the heir to the Vampire throne. Though I shant go as far as to call you a prince." She said with disdain in voice, and she spat on the floor at his feet.

 

[Zerataku]

He watched her stand, and waited for the apology that he knew would come, but it didn't come. She spat at his feet and insulted him as a prince instead. He hissed at her, realizing that she was far more defiant than he had expected. "Do not think that you can come into my home and insult me, little girl! Do you not think I will retaliate? Do you not believe I would happily throw you to my followers who would beg me for your blood, and watch as they take you?" He grabbed her by her golden locks, forcing her to her knees as he pulled back her head, exposing her neck to him. He sniffed it and then touched his lips to her, his fang gliding from her jawline down to just above her breast.


"I am superior to you, and you'll soon come to realize that." The iciness of his breath beat down on her neck. He wanted nothing more than seep his fangs into her neck and claim her as one of them, then she would be forced to work for their cause, but he didn't take pride in the easy route. No, it would be far too easy for him to simply turn her. She was his gift, and he wanted to have some fun with her; wanted to make her submit to him, and he would do anything necessary for that to happen. He was beginning to view this as a game more than a mission, but knew he had to get down to business soon.


He stroked his finger along her chest, avoiding her breasts as if he thought it would be demeaning for him to mate with such a creature. "Such beautiful skin. How terrible it would be, if it were to burn." He said this in an apathetic, monotone, voice, like a serial killer going for his next kill. He tightened his grip in her hair, forcing her to look at him as he gazed into her with his red eyes. "Would you like that?"

 

[InactiveCoffee]

Lyra winced as he hissed his words, and yelped as he took hold of her by her hair. Tears pooled in her eyes as she was sure she lost several bits of hair with how roughly he held her, and yelped as her knees met the stone floor, sure that skin had been peeled, reopening the wound on her one knee from her fall against a rock. Her hands jolted for his that was tangled in her hair, and she did what she could to ease the pain at the back of her head. She whimpered softly, panic flaring in her chest as his lips pressed to her skin, and feeling of something sharp trailing from her jaw to her chest. Her face flushed as she realized how close he had come to her breast, and a tear escaped her eye to slide down her temple, disappearing into her locks.


She bit her lip as she attempted to quell the panicked sobs that threatened to spill from her throat, and swallowed heavily, eyes locked on the vampire that held her at his mercy. She trembled beneath his finger as it traced over her skin, and she silently wished she hadn't worn such a revealing nightgown. The neckline lower than most, the hem just above her knees. The sleeves rested on her arms rather than over her shoulders. She started when he asked if she'd like her skin to burn, crying out in pain as her hair pulled more. "N-no! I... I don't want to burn." she cried out, more tears escaping her eyes as she blinked the water from her chocolate colored eyes. Her lashes damp and clumping from the unwanted tears. "Please." She begged, whispering softly.

 

[Zerataku]

"How I do wish I could be sympathetic toward you, but as someone of my kind.. I don't believe that's possible, especially not after that little display you just pulled." He eased his grip in her hair, then pulled away slowly. He stood up and noticed that a few strands of blonde hair were clinging to his hand, and he let them drop to the floor in front of the girl, smiling.


"They say hospitality goes pretty far, but I think mine is wearing thin. I'd like to show you something, dear." He turns around to face his throne and walks toward it, deciding to sit down for a few moments as he stares at her. He pays extra attention to the tears in her eyes, her pretty lashes clumping up. Next to his throne there is an empty candle holder, and he pulls it down. A section of the wall creaks open, revolving to reveal tools and weapons of various kinds hanging onto concrete. He looks over at them, a look of happiness washing over his taut features.


"I'll be nice enough to let you choose which one I use. Perhaps you can figure out which one might hurt the least. I'd choose fast though, as my patience won't last very long." He begins tapping his foot on the marble floor, never once taking his eyes off the girl.

 

[InactiveCoffee]

The blonde woman whimpered softly as he spoke, fidgeting on the floor as she tried to keep her hair from pulling to painfully. She gasped as his grip released, and he stepped back, her eyes widening as strands of her hair floated to the floor. She wipes at her face, smearing the tears that had fallen, as well as the dirt, across her cheeks, and she tossed her hair over her shoulders so that it all hung down her back. "I didn't know leeches knew hospitality." she scathed, though her voice cracked with unshed tears. She sniffed softly, and tucked a few stray locks behind her ear, rising from where she had been forced to kneel against the stone floor and squaring her shoulders as she watched the prince return to his throne and sit. She glared at him as he continued to speak, mentioning wanting to show her something, and then pulling on an empty candlestick.


Her eyes shot to the wall as it rumbled and began to move, widening in terror and panic when she saw the assortment of weapons that hung there. Taking a sharp inhale of breath, her head snapped around and large doe-eyes locked onto the vampire when he told her to choose a weapon. Fear gripped her chest making it hard to breathe as the panic continued to rise. He meant to torture her. No wonder he didn't just have her killed or turned. Her chin trembled as she tried to keep her defiant composure, making her lower lip quiver in fear. Tears continued to pool in her eyes, and she looked back at the wall of horrid devices. Her eyes searched over the wall, trying to find one that looked the least dangerous, though in reality, she couldn't begin to name many of the items she saw hanging there. Finally, she moved to the end of the length of chain that was attached to the collar around her neck, and pointed to one of the weapons. It was one of the few she actually knew, and it wouldn't be the first time she had been struck with lashes. She pointed out the cat-tail whip, biting her quivering lip and trembling so badly she was visibly shaking. "The whip." she whispered softly, her voice breaking as a small sob escaped her. He needn't an explanation that she had been lashed before, figuring that if he knew she'd been whipped before he wouldn't agree to it.

 

[Zerataku]

He chuckled softly to himself when she chose the whip. It was cute, after all, how she really thought she was being given a change to choose the tool he would use on her. The whip was his least favorite of them all, and he expressed his distaste of it by grabbing it from the wall, slapping his hand with it, and then throwing it across the floor. "It seems to me as if you're deliberately ruining all of the chances I give you." He said this in a curious, almost questioning tone.


"I give you the chance to choose your own tool, and you sabotage it by insulting me. Perhaps you're right, this leech doesn't know any hospitality." He was done playing games with her, if she wasn't going to cooperate then he was done being kind. He stood in front of the wall, rubbing his chin as looked for the piece that he wanted. When he found it, he pulled it off the wall and turned around with a skip in his step, showing off his branding iron to her. "Ah, my trusty little branding iron. You didn't think I'd forget about burning you, did you? It's what I've planned to do this entire time." He closed the distance between them, his silver locks bouncing with each step.


He held the device out in front of her, waving it around as he was almost giddy with excitement. "You know what they use these for, right?" He paused to give her a moment to answer, hopefully prolonging the fear she was feeling. He screamed at her, not only to amp up his own rage but to scare her as well. "DO YOU?"

 

[InactiveCoffee]

Lyra swallowed thickly as he stood from his seat approached the wall, biting her lip and wrapping her arms around herself as he pulled the whip from the wall. She winced as it struck his hand, and again when he chucked it across the room. She tucked her chin against her chest, and shook her head fervently, her golden locks swinging through the air with the force of the movement. When she lifted her eyes again all she saw was his back as he peered at the wall, and gasped when he turned, brandishing the iron. Her eyes widened again, and she took an involuntary step backwards, the chain clinking against itself from moving. Panic overwhelmed her as he closed the distance, and she backed away, until the chain was taught, which she found horridly not far enough away from Alexander. Of course she knew what they were used for. She had watched men from the city brand the cows they kept for food and milk. A yelp slipped from her as he screamed at her, and she dropped to the floor, arms wrapped around her head.


"No! P-please! I beg you!" She cried out, breaking into sobs, the tears flowing seamlessly down her cheeks now. She stared up at him with the branding iron, her face twisted with tears and terror. She whimpered, scrambling as far back as the chain would allow her, and yelping with every time her hand or leg slipped and she stumbled. "D-don't! Y-you want to show hospitality, yes?" She sobbed quickly, her breathing ragged through her sobs and panic. "S-show me... S-show m-me... Don't do this." she begged, nearly pleading. Her voice caught and she swallowed hard, coughing slightly as her diaphragm flexed and she hiccuped. She blinked, wiping at the tears again, and folded her hands against her chest, trembling. "P-please." she whispered, staring up at him through her tears.

 

[Zerataku]

"You said it yourself, dear, that leeches don't know hospitality. Therefore I can't give it to you anymore." He stroked her chin gently, almost sympathetically. "Others have been through this too, It's not as bad as it seems. It'll be over with before you know it." He lied to her, knowing damn well it how bad it would feel and how slow time would go by while she was experiencing it. He knew, because he had experienced it before. He had been branded by humans in the past, which was why it was his favorite form of torture to use against them.


"Damien!" He yelled, and sat in his throne waiting for someone to arrive. Help was never far off, and there was usually someone standing outside his chamber door just in case help was needed, so he knew he wouldn't have to wait long. The door opened within a few moments, and a man wearing a hat to cover his eyes walked in through the door. He was pale like Alexander, but had black hair instead and facial hair. He looked much more mysterious and less intimidating than most of the vampires in the castle. "What can I do for you, prince?


"Take this into the kitchen and use the fireplace to heat it up. Don't get too close to the flames." He handed the branding iron to him, reminding him not to get too close to the fire. He was newer to Alexander's group, and more of a servant to them than anything else, having been turned just a few days ago. He had been interesting enough, a human who wanted to fight for them. Or perhaps a spy who wanted to infiltrate them. Either way, he had proven himself so far. He quickly glided out of the room and didn't come back for several minutes.

"Here you are, as asked." Damien handed the branding iron to him carefully, so as to not burn Alexander. Alexander smiled as he took it, and Damien quickly began to leave the chamber but Alexander stopped him. "Damien, join us. I'd like for you to watch." Damien nodded hesitantly, not sure if he wanted to watch a human being tortured, but what choice did he have in the matter? He stood against a wall facing the woman, his muscles tense.


The branding iron was nothing fancy, just a metal rod with the letter A on it, except the A had three points sticking down from it instead of two. It looked like it had seen some days. Alexander instructed the woman to raise her gown, as he wanted to brand her on the back.

 

[InactiveCoffee]

Lyra whimpered, biting her lip as Alexander stroked her chin, and spoke. She blinked, trying to clear her vision of the water that made the world around her blur. "P-please... N-not that..." she whispered, her eyes searching the vampire's face. Though it was clear there was no amount of begging that was going to change the direction this train wreck was headed in. She sobbed softly, and put her head in her hands when the prince released her and went back to his throne. Her shoulders trembled as she cried, her whimpers and sobs soft and slightly strangled as she tried to breath. She flinched when he yelled someone's name, knowing this wasn't going to be good. Another flinch and a yelp as the door open, and her head snapped up, staring as the prince instructed this new vampire, Damien, to heat the iron and bring it back to him. Her lip trembled and she was beginning to have a slight trouble breathing around her tears and the terror that constricted her chest. A memory came to, the memory of when she was a girl. Helping her mother cook supper for her father and brothers, and the spoon had fallen. She remembered climbing from the stool to get the spoon, the feel of the scorching metal of the pot on her shoulder when she reached for the item she had gone after. She brought her arms up around her, hugging herself, her fingers brushing over the small scar on her upper arm that was the only physical evidence of it ever happening. That branding iron wasn't going to be any different.


She stared wide eyed when Damien returned, and began to shake her head. "No! No, please, don't. Don't brand me! Please!" She practically screamed, pulling on the collar that was around her neck as if in hopes it would come loose and she could run. Fresh tears of terror sprung forth and down her cheeks as the prince basically ordered this new vampire to watch. She sobbed, "Don't do this. Please... I'll be good. I'll be quiet... Please..." She begged, trying to bargain, staring at the red hot iron as Alexander approached her. She shook her head rapidly when he instructed her to lift her gown, knowing her body lay naked beneath the weak fabric. She bolted to the side, running the length of the chain, trying to keep away from the vampire and the horrid branding iron.

 

[Zerataku]

He ignored her sobs and pleas, rolling his eyes at her as she tried get away from him. "You're not going anywhere! The chain won't allow you, dear!" He laughed loudly. "If you won't cooperate, we'll just make you. You're making things much harder for yourself than they have to be, dear, but it's loads more fun for me!" He looked over at Damien and motioned for him to come over.


Damien made his way there slowly, taking as much time as he could. He didn't want to participate in this but, again, what choice did he have? "If she's not going to cooperate, then remove her clothing and hold her down." Alexander instructed in a calming tone, and Damien followed his orders. Damien made his way over to the girl and grabbed the gown near her breasts, ripping it open until it was nothing more than a thin piece of fabric that looked like a sad excuse for a vest. He pulled it off of her and threw it onto the floor.


Damien took hold of her arms, turning her over and pinning her down to the floor. He could smell her fear, and it excited him. His demeanor changed as he became more violent with her, and Alexander smiled as he watched the change in him. "Are we ready, Damien?" Damien looked up at him enthusiastically, "Yes, we're ready."


Alexander made the stride in distance between them, and held the branding iron close to her skin above the small of her back so that she could feel the warmth of the iron. He smiled menacingly before he touched it to her, and when he did he sighed happily at the sound of skin crackling and the smell of burning flesh. He held the branding iron there for a good twelve seconds, then raised it up to see the masterpiece it had created. He laughed, knowing she would forever be branded as a slave, but once wasn't enough for him.


He slammed it against the skin on the back of her thigh, branding her there as well. The skin began to redden, swell, and scab over, as if she had spent way too long out in the sun. Damien watched eagerly, sniffing the air as the smell of flesh perfumed it. He couldn't help but moan, and held her down tighter. "Do it again, Alexander." He looked up at him, but Alexander did not look pleased. "You do not tell me what to do, servant. I'm please with your involvement and how excited you look, but do not ever tell me what to do." Damien nodded in submission. "Can I do it myself, then?" Alexander raised an eyebrow at his question. "She has been burned enough. Let her rest." At this, Damien left the chamber and Alexander pleasantly took his spot on his throne, watching her.

 

[InactiveCoffee]

Lyra screamed when Damien took hold of her, thrashing her arms out, and then wrapping them tightly around her exposed breasts, crying. She felt another scream well in her chest as Damien pressed her to the floor, and held her there, her legs kicking out as she tried, fruitlessly, to free herself from the vampire's grip. Her eyes widened for a moment when she heard Alexander's approach, "Please no! God, please... no. Don't! Don't do this! Please!" she begged, screaming as loud as she could, her voice cracking and breaking over fresh new sobbing. Terror coursed through her as she felt the heat of the iron above the small of her back, and her breath caught, squeezing her eyes closed just as the white hot metal pressed into her flesh.


She screamed, for how long she screamed, she wasn't sure. It was merely seconds, but seemed like an eternity to her as she felt her flesh sear, pain grip every nerve fiber of her being. She began to thrash harder, only to freeze once more as another scream tore through her chest and throat as the iron was pressed to her thigh. She tasted blood. Her throat red hot in pain. Then the pressure of the iron was gone, but the searing pain continued on. She collapsed against the floor, crying loudly, though her sobs now had a graveled sound to them. She swallowed, coughed, and swallowed again, spitting remnants of blood mixed with spit onto the floor as she sobbed. She dared not move, her back and leg sending searing spikes of near unbearable pain through her body. Slowly, after how long she couldn't be sure, but slowly, she began to turn, laying on her side.


She curled her knees toward her chest, hissing as the action pulled the skin of her lower back, and she had to straighten back out again. She began to tremble, every part of her that touched the stone floor feeling like ice, yet the rest of her felt like she was on fire. Her golden locks splayed out over the floor behind her, and she wrapped her arms around her chest as best she could. She tucked her chin to her chest and cried, "Make it stop... make the pain stop... please... I beg..." she whispered through her tears, biting her lip hard as pain spiked through her again as a muscle twitched and tensed then relaxed.

 

[Zerataku]

After getting over the blood and spit on his floor that he would force Damien to clean up when he called him back in to have his fun with her, Alexander sat quietly. He stared at her and the red marks on her skin. He was content with his work, a sadistic look on his face as she writhed around in pain, but he wanted to have a chat with her before going any further. "The relief I give you depends entirely upon the information you can give me." He said rather convincingly, twirling the branding iron around in his hand.

 

[InactiveCoffee]

Lyra whimpered softly, half curled on the floor, tears flowing freely from her eyes. "W-wha," she started, shuddering as her body convulsed in pain and settled again. "What information? What do you want to know?" She asked, fairly certain she knew what he wanted to know. Yet, she wasn't ready to give that up yet. Sure, she was terrified, and now in fairly excruciating pain, but she wasn't going to give him what he wanted. Not without a fight first. She shivered, the cold of the stone floor seeping to her limbs as she lay motionless there on the floor, save the shivering and trembling of her muscles. Tears leaked down her cheeks, the flow finally stemming the longer she lay there. She sniffled slightly, taking a deep, slow breath that shook her body as her lungs tried to cooperate. She released that same breath in a sigh, just as shaky as the intake. She wince as the effort to breathe pulled on the skin of her lower back where the first of the two brands had been placed. She shifted, moving finally, and pushed herself up until she was sitting, taking great care to keep her burned leg off the floor. She whimpered with every movement, and kept her arms wrapped around her naked chest.

 

[Zerataku]

"I know you're associated with the rebel group that has been forming against us. Tell me about it. What other humans are involved and, more importantly, which vampires have allied with you?" He watched as her tears fell, caring not as he sat on his throne, content with everything that had just happened. He would grin each time she winced. "If only you would tell me the things I ask of you, your suffering would be over. Don't you want that? Do you want the suffering to end?"


He walked over to her and crouched down so that he met her at eye level, hoping to gain a personal advantage. He lay a cold hand on her leg and slipped it underneath, so that it soothed the burn on the back of her thigh, giving her a sliver of relief that was to come if she cooperated with him. "My body alone can ease your pain. Doesn't that feel better? Imagine what else I could do to offer you relief." He meant it innocently, though it sounded a bit too sexual coming out. He felt no need to correct himself. She could take it however she wanted.

 

[InactiveCoffee]

Lyra bit her lip as she listened to him talk, knowing this was exactly the information she didn't want to tell him. She had known he'd ask about the rebel group, and those who had allied with them. She let her eyes fall to the ground as he approached her, careful to keep her face impassive, save for the occasional wince or whimper as her body ached and burned from the branding. She wanted to bite at him for what he had done, branding her like that as well as tearing her gown which forced her to sit before this vampire, utterly exposed. If she hadn't felt helpless before, she surely did now. Her face tinted with color as he crouched before her, her arms tightening around her chest and her legs pressing together in an attempt to hide her indecency. She flinched, yelping as the action pulled on her pained skin, as his hand touched her leg and slid to the underside of her thigh. The touch, a gentle caress, as his icy skin soothed the burned flesh of her leg.


She glanced up at him, her face colored even darker from the rather intimate touch, even though she knew that was not the motive behind it. His words alone made her face darken as well, and she squeezed her eyes closed as she pressed the thoughts back. This was not what he meant, and she knew it. Though that's certainly not how he had made that sound, and the idea of it was disgusting to Lyra. She didn't want to be touched by any man, let along a vampire. She took another deep breath to steady herself, and kept her eyes focused on floor beside her. "I don't know what you mean." she stammered, biting her lip. "I didn't know the rebel group was more than whispers of wishful thinking." she bluffed, her voice shaking from the pain that still coursed through her body.

 

[Zerataku]

Alexander stared at her chest as she tried to tighten her arms around it, if only to make her more uncomfortable than she already was. He sighed, shaking his head. "Tsk, tsk, tsk." He had hoped she would cooperate instead of making him keep up this little charade of games. Not that he wasn't enjoying it, of course, but she insulted his intelligence by it. And that's not something the prince would have. "I know better than that!" He dug his finger into her skin, his nail scraping against her burnt flesh as he hissed, revealing his fangs. "Don't play dumb with me. Tell me what you know!"

 

[InactiveCoffee]

Lyra screamed slightly and tried to pull away from him as his finger dug into her burnt flesh, fresh tears springing to the corners of her eyes. She trembled again as the pain was renewed in her leg, and whimpered softly. "H-honestly. I... I don't know..." she whimpered, her voice trembling and shaking, the pain she was in making it easy to sound more innocent in her words than not. In a sense, it was helping her, even if it hurt like hell. She blinked the tears from her eyes, glancing at Alexander's face before looking away quickly. Her arms pressed around her chest again as she tried desperately to feel less exposed. "P-please. You must believe me... I don't know anything!" she whined, her voice straining against her sore throat as she pleaded her case to the vampire.

 

[Zerataku]

He hissed at her and quickly pulled himself away then walked over to the door of the room. He pushed it open with force, his anger overcoming him.


He left the room for a moment and began yelling for Damien. "Damien! Damien!" He showed up quickly, blood trickling from his mouth. He had just fed. "Bring your friend to me, you know the one." Alexander said as he glared at Damien. Damien's eyes widened as he began wiping the blood off of his mouth. "But, sir, I-" he began to say, but Alexander interrupted. "I care little about the reasons you have to not do it, or the reasons why she may be busy. BRING HER TO ME!" He yelled, his voice echoing off the walls, even causing the door guards to jump.


Damien left in a rush, then Alexander made his way back into the room, quickly making his way back over to the woman. "You'll soon wish you had obeyed." He stated, violently taking her chin in his hand as her jerked her face towards him. "I may be the prince, but there's some bounds I refuse to cross. Adriana, however, has no boundaries. Her thirst is endless, as is her lust. She won't be able to resist a naked mortal lying on the ground in cuffs." As he finished, he slapped her hard across the face, leaving marks on her cheek, then pulled himself together and sat on his throne.


"I'll give you one last chance to tell me what you know. You have until she makes it through those doors."

 

[InactiveCoffee]

Lyra whimpered as he pulled away and stormed from the room, flinching as the sound of the door slamming open reached her. She shuddered as he heard him calling for Damien, wondering what was going to happen, and winced when she heard something about him bringing someone to Alexander. She blinked as the vampire prince returned, violently forcing her to face him. She whimpered as she heard his subtle threat, and fear swelled in her chest again. She yelped when his hand came across her face once again, and knew there would be a mark left from the hard hit. She could also tell she had pushed her limits for the moment.


Her eyes flashed to the door, and she attempted to curl in on herself once again. "O-okay... I-I'll talk..." she whispered, biting her lip as it trembled, tears finding their way down her cheeks once again. She considered bargaining, but knew she had pushed her luck, guessing she wouldn't get far now. She glanced up at the prince, and then to the doors, gulping down the lump in her throat. "The vampires..." she whispered, trembling slightly. "Malachi, Keenan, Marcellus, Raoul..." she listed their names, taking a shuddering breath and silently praying for forgiveness. "Thalia, Alvira, Bianca, Helena, Deidre..." she continued, speaking softly, shivering. She paused, a small sob choking her words for a moment. "Those are all I know. They're our main contacts. From there, they handle all relations with sympathetic vampires. I don't know any more than those." she said, sighing, her head hanging in defeat.


She cried softly, her arms squeezing herself as she silently berated herself for giving in to her fear. "What else do you want to know?" she asked softly, moving her arms and putting her hands over her face in shame.

 

[Zerataku]

Alexander smiled, knowing he had defeated her. He could see the fear in her eyes as her whole body tightened. His smile turned neutral as she kept naming the vampires off, one after the other. There were more than he had initially thought, and he was sure they were growing in number as he spoke. One of the names, Thalia, made him cringe with disappointment. She had once been a member of his father's alliance, and was to marry Alexander, but one day she disappeared and never came back. He beat his fist down upon the armrest of the throne.


He looked toward the door and was pleased to see Adrianna there. "Did you get those names, Adrianna?" She nodded. "What do you want me to do about it?" She spoke in a thick Russian accent, obviously not originating from the area, her red eyes beaming down upon Lyra. Her senses took over and she walked toward the girl, ignoring what the prince had to say. "Who is dis?" Her curiosity got the better of her, and she circled around the girl like she was some animal laid out for her.


Alexander quickly intervened, taking hold of Adrianna's wrist. "She isn't yours. You have something far more important to do, now go find those traitors." She barred her fangs at him, but untimely obeyed and left in a hurry. Alexander smiled at Lyra. "What I would like to know for now, is your name. What is your name?"

 

[InactiveCoffee]

Lyra flinched again when she heard the voice of the new vampire, tensing as she waited to find out what would happen next. She flinched, instinctively leaning away from Adrianna as the vampress circled around her. Her body nearly visually relaxing when Alexander intervened and the lady vampire was unable to do anything. She let out a slow breath, releasing the fear that had tightened in her chest under the scrutiny of Adrianna. She blinked a few times, and slowly wiped the tears from her face. "Lyra." she said softly, staring at her lap as she answered him.