Love and Blood

2.

It felt like flames were licking their way through my system. Every one of my limbs tensed and burned in agony, but I couldn't will myself to open my eyes and cry out.

How long had I been like this?

What was happening to me?

I just wanted to kick and scream, throw my body around, douse myself in a lake, anything to make the burning stop, but it was like there was a thousand-pound weight sitting on top of me. I couldn't move or breathe. I couldn't even open my eyes. I prayed-something I had rarely done- to any gods listening to make this torture end.

But it went on and on.

I don't know how long my suffering lasted- I lost track of time with the pain- but I did notice as it slowly started to dissipate.

It started in the tips of my fingers and toes.

The flames burning me alive seemed to slowly be dying out, replaced by a cooling sensation.

Slowly, the sensation traveled the length of my body until I was finally pain-free. I felt lighter and the sense of relief was euphoric.

It was a couple of days after that before I finally opened my eyes.

And when I did, I wished I hadn't.

"Oh, are you awake now, kitten?"

I blinked as my eyes adjusted to the light around me. My head felt like it had been smashed in and my throat was on fire.

"Water," I croaked.

"No, kitten. Not water. Our kind has no use for that."

A cool hand reached out and stroked my cheek. The flames in my body rose, sending heat through my core.

"Drink this."

I was handed a silver goblet with a sweet, enticing smell emanating from within. My gums throbbed and my throat constricted. My breathing was labored as I brought it closer and closer. As I touched my lips to the goblet, I finally realized what I had been handed. Disgust curdled within my stomach.

"Is this.... Is this.. blood?"

Rowan smiled wickedly at me, making my heart turn over in my chest. He was more dazzling than ever, and I found myself drawn to him despite my terror. I glanced down at the thick liquid in the cup again. My throat burned for relief.

"What did you do to me?" I asked, looking away from the goblet. The smell was intoxicating and it took every fiber of my being not to chug it down.

Rowan chuckled. "I thought you were smarter than that, Winter. I'll let you take a guess." He lowered himself into a plush chair that I hadn't realized was in the room. I took a moment to look around my surroundings. I was lying on a plain bed on a white sheet. The room was lit only by candles and there were no windows, giving it an eerie glow. The only other piece of furniture in the room was a coffee table placed in front of Rowan. He growled at me, clearly getting impatient with my lack of response.

"Am I.. like you?" I managed.

"You are. And what is it that I am?" he taunted.

I swallowed down the lump in my throat, making it constrict in an even more painful way. I glanced at the cup again, trying to forget about it.

"A... A vampire."

"Correct, my kitten." He rose from his chair and sauntered over to me, making the pulse in my body speed up. My stomach clenched around itself as his smell invaded my nose. It was even more mouthwatering than the cup of blood in my grasp. Instinctively, I leaned forward as he approached, trying to place my skin against his.

"Not yet, kitten. You've only just awoken. You wouldn't be able to handle me."

I recoiled back, fighting my attraction to him. This man changed me against my will. Why was I so drawn to him?

Rowan chuckled again. "I am your master now, Winter." My name leaving his lips sent a shiver of pleasure down my spine, making me close my eyes.

"This bond you feel is one of the most powerful bonds in the vampire world. It is called the blood bond and is only shared between a creator and his prey. You are mine now, physically, mentally," he leaned forward so that our faces were only inches apart," emotionally."

My breathing became erratic as I took in the scent of him and the blood. My head began to feel fuzzy and I could feel myself losing control of my body. Rowan stroked my cheek, causing me to lean into his palm.

"You are much stronger than most newly turned. Anyone else would have chugged that blood and done anything for more by now."

His words broke me out of my spell and I leaned away in disgust.

"How could you do this to me?" I spat. "I was happy! You tore me away from my family, my friends, my whole life!"

I tossed the cup of blood across the room and leaped to my feet. I tried to bolt through the heavy wooden door across the room, but a powerful, muscled arm wrapped around my arm and slammed me into the concrete ground. I heard the stone crack beneath my body, but I didn't feel any pain. Rowan wrapped his other hand around my throat and leaned down to go face-to-face with me.

"I'll let your little mistake slide just this once. But understand me when I say, next time, there will be consequences," he snarled. "I am your master now. You will learn to obey and submit to me."

"Or what?" I hissed in defiance.

He smiled at me again, his fangs descending from his gums and his eyes turning black.

"Or I will tear you apart limb from limb and revel in your suffering."

I stopped struggling with him. His voice was cold and cruel, and I knew he meant every word.

With a small growl, he picked me up and threw me back onto the bed. He leaned down and retrieved a chain from beneath it and wrapped it around my ankle.

"What is this for?" I asked in a panic.

"This is your punishment. You will not leave this room until I say so, and you will not get out of this bed." He tightened the chain around the leg of the bedframe and locked the cuff with a small key. Once he was satisfied, he turned to leave.

"Wait!" I called. He stopped but didn't turn.

"What about... What about the blood?"

"It'll rot along with you in this room. You will receive no more until I return."

My throat constricted painfully and the flames tore up my throat, causing me to cry out in agony. Rowan said nothing, only stalked through the door and locked it as he left.

I screamed for hours and pulled against my restraints. My new body didn't seem to run out of energy at any point, but it became clear that no one would help me.

Hopeless, I curled into a small ball in the corner of the room and laid my head down in my arms, letting the tears flow freely down my face as I waited for my master's return.