Love Bites & Bullet Holes

21 Questions and Counting

I screamed and squeezed my eyes shut, waiting to hit the ground and crack open my already broken head. Instead, I hit something soft and bounced for a few seconds before settling. Huh? I slowly opened my eyes and realized he had dropped me on the same bed from earlier. Asshole did that on purpose! I thought furiously.

Looking up at him, I mustered up my best glare only to get an amused one in return. Pushing my long black hair out of my face I scrambled to my feet, ready to tell him where he could shove his smirk, but he was pointing something in my face that made my mouth go instantly dry. Oh my f*****g gosh! Is that a gun? Holy s**t! It's a gun! I thought frantically.

"Ah, I have your attention now. Yes?" I nodded like a bobble head doll, my face paling. "Good mysh (mouse)" he murmured and his expression grew serious. "Sit" he ordered and I wasted no time scrambling back on the bed. "Now. Let's get a few things straight. You are here because you're of use to me. A fact that's changing quickly courtesy of that empty little head of yours." I swallowed and eyed the gun warily.

Just who was this man? And what did he want with me? "But make no mistake mysh, I will have no problem hurting you if you defy me, attempt to escape, or anger me in any way." He leaned in, placing one hand on the bed and used the gun to lift my chin so I was forced to meet his gaze. I bit my lip to hold back a whimper and searched his ice blue gaze for any hint of mercy. There was none.

"If you want to survive with all your limbs intact, then I suggest you cop a new attitude when you're dealing with me." I squirmed under his unrelenting stare feeling uncomfortable and offended by his words. "I'm not your friend, I'm your f*****g lifeline. Do we have an understanding?" I nodded wordlessly, wanting to cry, scream and yell all at once. "His eyes dropped to my lips. "Use your words." He commanded.

"Y-yes" I whispered, finally breaking eye contact. He moved the gun and leaned away from me. I released a breath I hadn't realized I was holding and stared at a random spot on the bed as if it was the most fascinating patch of fabric I'd ever seen. I heard him moving around the room but I didn't dare look up. A few minutes later he walked back to me and uttered a gruff, "here".

I looked up reluctantly to see him handing me a navy blue sweatshirt that was clearly his. There was no question that it would be beyond huge on me. He had to be at least six' three, and with his sleekly muscular frame, he dwarfed my petite height. Even so, it was better than walking around naked.

Taking it, I murmured a quick thank you, hastily looking down again. He didn't answer. Just turned and left me alone again in the big sterile room. I waited a few minutes before letting the sigh of relief that I was holding escape. With it, a few tears broke free and I bit my lip as I angrily swiped them away. If he thinks for one minute that I'm gonna take his threats and sit idly by then he better get used to disappointment. Sniffling, I slowly came to a stand and moved gingerly from the bed. Hugging the sweater to my chest, I slowly walked around the room trying to learn whatever I could about this mysterious man. He didn't have anything in here that looked overly personal. His bedside table held the bare minimum, a lamp and a clock. In fact, the entire room had that quality to it. Leaving me to believe he either didn't use it often, or it was newly decorated and he hadn't had time to put any personal touches on it. That or he was a robot with no sentimental value whatsoever.

There was a window on the far wall and my heart soared as my eyes landed on it. Rushing towards it as fast as I could on my injured ankle, I pushed the curtains opened and felt my heart sink as I realized I was about three floors up. Getting down safely would be nearly impossible and even if I did, there was no foliage to provide coverage from watchful eyes.

Instead, there was a massive pool and a well-manicured lawn that began at least twenty feet behind it and stretched out yards. With a disappointed huff, I shoved away from the pretty view and continued my investigation of the room. He had a walk in closet that was filled with expensive looking clothes I was scared to touch and shoes that were shined and polished to perfection. I did notice how carefully organized by colour they were and how they were placed just so, and it made me think he was either some sort of neat freak or just paranoid. I would assume having your items placed so specifically would make it easier to tell if someone had been through them. Walking back into the room, I noticed another door almost directly across the way and tentatively pushed it open to reveal an adjourned bathroom. My lie from earlier seemed even more embarrassing now. Stepping inside, I locked the door behind me and let my eyes take in the serene decor.

The shower was huge with large dark blue tiles, gold faucets and two sliding glass doors. The toilet was off to the left with shelving on either side of it and the counter with a big ceramic face basin was to the right. The counter was a beautiful light blue marble with streaks of gold throughout. A set of light blue towels hung from a gold rode attached to the back of the door.

Holy s**t. If I didn't know he had money before, I sure did now. There was a large mirror above the counter and when I passed it I finally stopped to examine my reflection. Bright green eyes stared back at me behind eyelids that held long thick lashes.

My nose was straight and small, rounded and slightly upturned at the tip. Probably what most would refer to as a button nose. My lips were plump and bow-shaped, a pretty pink. My face itself was heart shaped. Small delicate chin, slender jaw and high cheeks. My right cheek held a nasty looking bruise that fanned out toward my ear, making me wince. I glanced away and continued my appraisal. My drying hair was curling into black little ringlets that fell past my shoulders, the ends brushing the top of my ribs. I ran my fingers through it and hissed when my fingers brushed over a raised, tender spot. Shifting the hair, I turned and sucked in a breath at the row of stitches glaring at me in a small bald spot. That must have been where I hit my head...

It was an odd experience, relearning yourself. Everything that should be the most familiar to you was as foreign as a stranger. It felt invasive. Even so, I set the sweater down on the counter and with shaky hands, dropped the towel. It hit the floor with a whoosh. The only sound in the otherwise silent bathroom.

My skin was pale, paler than I expected it to be, and I gasped as the contrast made the bruises and scratches that littered my skin all the more intense. Light freckles dotted my shoulders, I leaned forward a bit, my nose too! I liked them I decided, trying to find something positive on my otherwise roughed up body.

A pretty angry looking scratch trailed down my right arm and I lifted it to the light. What happened to me... the thought drifted through my mind as my lips pulled into a frown. I turned my body this way and that until they landed on another particularly nasty wound. It was high on my thigh. A nick that was odd in appearance- the sudden image of something small whizzing past my leg bloomed in my mind and I staggered, reaching out towards the counter to steady myself.

W-what?

I shook my head to clear it and tried to calm my suddenly erratic breathing. Was that a memory? I bit my lip and glanced back at my reflection. And if so, of what?

After a few minutes of hard thinking passed and yielded me nothing but a headache, I gave up. There was no use in forcing it. With a defeated sigh, I let my eyes continue to wander down my body. Determined to learn more about myself.

My breast was full and perky, my waist narrow and my hips slightly rounded. My legs were long and shapely for my height, which I'm guessing was around five' three. Hmm...I looked to be anywhere between seventeen and nineteen. Sighing, I grabbed the sweater and quickly shrugged it over my head. I didn't want to look anymore. I didn't want to stare at the reflection of someone I should know but didn't recognize. The end of the sweater hit my knees and the sleeves had to be rolled up several times but at least I was warmed and covered.

* * *

I was restless.

I couldn't shake the nagging feeling that told me I should be doing something, anything, to get myself out of this predicament instead of sitting curled in the middle of the king-sized bed. And I would have listened, if not for the massive ball of nerves tying up my stomach in knots like a boy scout in training. I was honestly terrified. This man had a gun! And he made it no secret that he would have no problem using it if necessary. What I also didn't understand is what could I know or have that he would go through all the effort of keeping me captive? God, I just wished I could remember. Maybe then I wouldn't feel so hopeless. I'd be able to give him what he wanted and be able to go home...Did I even have a home?

During this contemplation, I almost didn't hear the rattle of the doorknob as it began to turn open. Fear dragged cold fingers up to my throat and I suddenly couldn't breathe. Was he back? Had he decided I wasn't worth keeping alive after all? I felt myself starting to hyperventilate and hastily started looking around the room for anything I'd be able to defend myself with. The door pushed open and froze like a deer in the headlights, terror crawling through me. A young women carrying a silver tray entered and offered me a shy smile. "Hello, I'm Elena. A maid here. I'm in charge of your care." She informed me, her voice soft. "Oh...okay" I answered awkwardly. Did she know I was being kept here against my will? Did she care? I figured it was worth a try to see if she'd help me.

I watched her rest the tray at the end of the bed and turn to leave. "Wait!" I rushed out, jumping off the bed and limping towards her. She stopped and turned to me, her face scrunched up in question. "Yes?"

"I need your help!" I whispered urgently. "I'm here against my will and-"

"Miss, I-"

"Please!" I pleaded. She looked torn for a moment before she gave me a sympathetic shrug. "I'm sorry!" She squeaked out before hurrying back out the door. My disappointment was almost overwhelming but I knew it was a long shot. She was working for him so clearly, she was in on whatever this was. Or, maybe she was just as afraid as I was. Either way, it was clear I was on my own in all this.

My stomach growled and I glanced over at the tray. Suspicion said not to eat whatever the hell was on there, but common sense said if he wanted me dead he would simply shoot me. Besides, If I wanted any chance of escaping or surviving in here, I'd need my strength... cautiously, I walked back to the bed and sat down. Dragging the tray towards me, I carefully examined looked it over. It contained two covered platters and a glass of water. I took a deep breath and lifted the cover off the largest platter and my mouth instantly watered. It held a bowl filled with some type of stew that smelled absolutely divine! From what I could see, it contained beef, potatoes, carrots and beans. Among a few other vegetables. I licked my lips and eagerly lifted the second platter.

A little ramekin containing crème brûlée sat prettily underneath and my stomach growled in approval. Not wasting any more time, I grabbed my spoon and dipped it into the stew. A loud moan left me as flavour blossomed over my tongue, sending my taste buds wild. I closed my eyes and indulged in another spoonful. It didn't take long for me to finish the bowl. I sipped at the water feeling pretty full, but there was no way in hell I was leaving the crème brûlée untouched.

Picking up the smaller spoon for the delicate dessert, I bought a spoonful to my lips and repeated my earlier actions. My second spoonful elected another moan and my toes curled in delight. I had my eyes closed, moaning and licking the spoon as I ate. Completely unaware that I had an audience until I heard the clearing of a throat.

Freezing, I opened my eyes and saw two pairs of eyes staring at me. One belonged to Gavriil, his expression unreadable. And the other belonged to a man I hadn't seen before. He was a few inches shorter than Gavriil with slicked back light-blond hair and smouldering grey eyes. Where Gavriil's features were perfect and masculine, this guy would be considered a total pretty boy. He had a slim muscular build and was currently sporting a flirtatious smirk.

"Damn...I've never wanted to be a spoon quite as badly as I do right now." He murmured, giving me a once-over. My face heated up immediately and I dropped the spoon like it was scolding hot. Gavriil stayed silent as moved deeper into the room and entered the closet, leaving me somewhat alone with the guy whose lifelong dream was apparently to be a spoon.

He walked over to me and offered me a charming smile that I'm sure made girls swoon daily. I, on the other hand, was instantly annoyed. "I have to say, I'm glad we got to you before you drowned" he chuckled, "otherwise I wouldn't have gotten to enjoy the pleasure of you eating." My brows furrowed at his words and then a thought popped into my head. Wait... "Mr..." I trailed off not knowing how to address him.

"You can call me Ivan." He helpfully filled in. "Ivan? How did you guys know I was about to drown?" It had all happened so fast I hadn't really thought about it. Then the events that took place after didn't allow me to question the situation. But now that I was...it didn't make any sense! "Oh, that? There are cameras all over the mansion." He informed me casually as if it was no big deal.

"Cameras!?" I squeaked, my face paling. He nodded. "Yup. In every single room."

My mouth hung open in utter shock. "E-even the bathroom in the hall?"

"Yup"

"And the bathroom in here?"

"Every. Single. Room!" He repeated cheerfully.

Oh my God!!

"And who monitors-"

"That would be me"

Oh sweet Jesus kill me now! I groaned and dropped my face in the palm of my hand. What kind of place was this? And what kind of pervert watched people in the bathroom!

He chuckled and leaned forward, putting our faces inches apart. "Don't worry, I think that beauty mark on the side of your left breast is ador-" before I could think better of it I lifted my hand intending to slap him across the face but suddenly strong fingers gripped my wrist, holding it still. I glanced up in surprise at Gavriil as he gave me a displeased look and released a sigh. "Do refrain from striking my men mysh (mouse), I don't want to have to shoot them after they shoot you. Do you see how that could get messy?" He released my hand leaving me feeling uneasy with the way in which he talked about my possible murder. Ivan wore a smug expression that was wiped off when Gavriil grabbed him by his ear and began dragging him to the door. "Perestan'te draznit' yeye ili v sleduyushchiy raz, ya pozvolyu yey perekonfigurirovat' polozheniye tvoyego nosa i chelyusti. Da? Podozhdi snaruzhi. (stop teasing her or the next time, I'll let her reconfigure the position of your nose and jaw. Yes? Wait outside.)

Ivan cast me a dark look as he rubbed his ear and left the room. I glanced tentatively at Gavriil who was rummaging through the top drawer of his dresser. Since the last time I saw him when he was wearing a robe and waving a gun in my face, he'd gotten dressed in a light grey suit. Feeling nervous, I cast my eyes around the room to distract myself and noticed the oxblood lace-up Bostonian's he'd rested by the bed. Glancing back at him, I nodded to myself that it'd match well with the suit and the royal blue tie he was currently analyzing. His brows furrowed as he turned the tie this way, and that. He lifted another one, a darker shade of blue, and held them side by side.

In a bid to break the tense silence and hopefully start a conversation, I found myself saying, "the royal blue one is better..." He stilled, and I bit my lip, silently cursing myself. This man clearly didn't have a kind bone in his body so why I thought he'd even remotely consider my opinion is beyond me-

"hm...that so?"

My eyes widened and I swung my gaze towards him only to find him already staring at me. "Uh, Y-yes.." I confirmed nervously, then watched in amazement as he placed the dark blue one back down and busied himself with adorning the royal blue tie. I know I shouldn't press my luck but I had questions and it was becoming clear that the only person I'd get answers from was him. So I prayed for courage and forged ahead.

"...Gavriil?" I hated how meek and quiet my voice sounded but the truth of the matter is, I was scared. It was hard to sound brave when all you wanted to do was cry. He didn't answer but he gave me a sideways glance so I took it as I sign that I was to continue. Fidgeting with the end of his sweater that adorned me, I avoided his gaze altogether when I spoke again. "You know who I am...don't you?" I held my breath, waiting for the answer like my life depended on it because it actually did.

"Yes."

My heart leaped in my chest and I could hardly contain my joy. He knew me! Which meant I could know me. I just had to tread carefully. Swallowing, I asked the next question that had been pressing on my mind.

"What's my name?"

This question was met with silence. And after a few seconds, it became clear he didn't intend to answer. Fine. Next question then.

"How old am I?"

He exhaled sharply and moved back into the closet. A minute ticked by and he was still in there. Growing impatient I scrambled off the bed, being careful of my ankle this time, and made my way to the closet. He was standing over a display case, the glass slid over to one side so he could access what looked like cuff links. "Gavriil please..." I felt myself welling up and clenched my fist in anger at how emotional I seemed to be. I tried to blink the tears away but they weren't having any of that.

He stilled and I immediately worried I had pushed him too far. "You turn nineteen in two months" he finally answered.

I swiped uselessly at my tears since the stream was constant. I was stuck between relief, joy and sadness. Joy, that I was starting to learn little things about myself, relief that he was somewhat willing to offer them to me and sadness that I might never remember them on my own. That I'd always have to rely on someone to fill in the blanks for me or lose the knowledge altogether.

"How did I end up here...with you?" I swallowed the questions I really wanted to ask. Did you kidnap me? Hurt my family in the process? Who am I to you?

He selected a set of cufflinks and palmed them before sliding the display glass closed. My brows furrowed at his silence and the careful line I was nudging vanished as I sprinted over it headlong, repercussions be damned. Inquiries tumbled from my lips without a visible end.

"Why am I here? What do you want from me? Who are you? Is this about money? Where's my family? H-Have you told them you have me? I'm sure if they knew they'd be happy to pay whatever price you're asking or at least negotiate a price they can afford and that you'd be satisfied with-" before I could react, his hand slammed roughly over my mouth and I was pushed up against the closest wall. Fear rippled through me like an unforgiving tidal wave, the force of it sending shivers through my body and causing my eyes to go wide. Bright green clashed with ice blue as his angry gaze met mine.