Court of Ambrose

Stay in Bed

{Celeste’s POV}

[This chapter contains themes of abuse and s/a, reader discretion is advised.]

I sighed, turning and walking back into the bedroom, I climbed into bed and curled up, surrounding myself in blankets and pillows. I didn’t want to think of the pain that Mason put me through.. the things he did to me. I laid, trying to fall asleep, but knowing he was so close.. he knows where I live.. he’s seen me here, and he even smiled at me, as if he didn’t hurt me.. as if he didn’t traumatize me.

I couldn’t sleep, no matter how had I tried, I got out of bed, walking to the kitchen and grabbing a bottle of whiskey, taking a long swig of it. “You still drink like a sailor..” I heard a familiar voice coming from the dinning room. “Is it to help you forget me?” He asked, smirking as he emerged from the shadows. “You’ll never forget me.. I marked you.. and you’ll be mine forever.” He said, gliding towards me. “You’ll never be able to leave me in the past, you belong to me, so as long as I’m alive, I will find you, you can’t run from me bi***, you’re mine!” He sneered, slapping me across the face hard, knocking me to the floor. He smirked down at me, before reaching out and grabbing me by the throat, he lifted me into the air, holding me there. His body against mine made me tremble, as tears began to stream from my eyes, I clawed at his hands trying to free myself from his grip.

“Let me go!” I shouted, through a strangled voice. “Let me go you bas****!” My fingernails caught in his skin, peeling it away but no matter how much I hurt him he wouldn’t let go.

“I branded you! You belong to me! You’re not getting away from me again, and if you refuse me, then I’ll have no choice to rid myself of you!” He squeezed my throat harder, as I peeled the skin away from his hands and arms.

My vision beginning to go black as I lost the ability to breathe. I closed my eyes, and when I opened them again, I was lying on the kitchen floor, with the whiskey bottle in my hand. I groaned, sitting up and gripping my head, wincing as I felt a sharp pain there, I pulled back my hand, seeing blood dripping down my hand. “What.. what happened?” I asked myself groggily.

I looked up seeing no sign of where Mason was.. was it a dream? Was he really here? I looked down, and around myself looking for a sign, but nothing.. he wasn’t here.. he couldn’t have been.. but he was, he was right here.. he choked me. “He choked me..” I whispered, rushing to the bathroom and looking at myself in the mirror. There were no marks on my neck.. I imagined it? I looked up at my forehead, seeing a gash there, it bled down over my eye and the left side of my face.

I looked at myself, studying my face, my eyes scanning over me. I knew it was fake.. I had no marks from him hitting me.. or choking me.. but having hallucinations.. why? I haven’t had hallucinations in years.. the last time was after an incident where I drank too much.. and ended up in the hospital. I looked at myself in the mirror, scanning over my features, and deciding that it’s time that I looked at it.. I had ignored it for years, and now I needed to see it.

I lifted my shirt, and on my ribs on my right side, the initials of Mason Wright were there, in big bold scars. Tears began to prick in my eyes, and I quickly brushed them away, dropping my shirt and turning to the door, only to see Veryn, a worried expression painting his face as he ran to me, grabbing my face softly with both hands and pulling it up to look at him. “What happened? You’re bleeding!” He said, pushing past me and getting into the medicine cabinet. He got out some bandages, and gauze, before taking a rag and pressing it onto my forehead.

I took in a sharp breath, holding it in. “Owe..” I whimpered.

“Sorry.. but we need to stop the bleeding..” he said, pushing the rag harder against my head.

“Veryn! That hurts!” I whimpered again, gripping his wrist with both of my hands, and pulling his hand away. I looked up into his eyes, as he stared down into mine. His eyes were red, but a brighter red than I had ever seen them.

He stared down into my eyes, his breath getting faster and faster, as he held my gaze. “I need to go.. can you clean this up?” He asked, watching me.

I nodded, and the look that he gave me caused goosebumps to stand on my skin. It was something beautiful, but fearful, he was afraid he’d hurt me if he stayed, but he smiled trying to reassure me that everything would be okay.

“I’m okay Veryn.. if I need help I can go to the cop outside.” I said, smiling up at him.

A frown crossed his face, his eyes scanning over me before he shook his head. “No.. I’ll stay, I’ll help!” He said, gulping, before pressing the rag to my head again. He stopped the bleeding and finally let out the breath he’d been holding. He grabbed another rag and washed the blood off of my face, before grabbing the gauze and bandages and wrapping up my head. “Do you feel better now?” He asked, staring down at me.

I nodded, “I’m a little dizzy.. but I’m okay.” I said, suddenly feeling his arms around me, as he lifted me bridal style and packed me back down to my room. As we passed the kitchen, he stopped for a moment, seeing the whiskey and blood on the floor. “I’ll clean this up in the morning..” I whispered, pulling myself closer to his chest, and lying my head down in the crook of his neck. “I’m tired.. I’d like to go to bed.” I said.

“Fine, but this time you’re staying in bed!” He said, packing me down and tucking me gently into bed.

He turned to leave, but I sat up, gripping the back of his shirt. “Wait.. will you stay with me?” I asked, holding onto his shirt.

He turned, grabbing my hand gently and lying me back, tucking me in, and surrounding me in pillows. “Yeah, I’ll stay..” he said, lying down on the other side of a stack of pillows. He reached his hand over, rubbing my head, and soon I was falling asleep.