#submittingtothedarkness

Written with @Lassiter_SASBDB.

Lassiter: *Well slap my ass and call me pappy, that explains a lot. To have that marker in her blood she had to have been the child of both a Chosen and a Brother. The SV had kept a pretty tight rein on her Chosen and they HAD been indoctrinated in their duty to the species, but if a Brother bonded with one of her priestesses in the course of their duties then they were allowed to leave her service. From that moment on, he was responsible for her safety and for producing young which continued the main purpose of producing strong bloodlines for the protection of the species. That's not to say some females hadn't had their own hopes and dreams, but until Wrath son of Wrath @LordOfTheManse had started making legal changes to give females equal rights in vampiric society, those hopes and dreams had pretty much been the life Sloahne's mother had chosen – mating with a Brother and raising a family on this plane. As Primale, Phury @PegLegPhury had embraced Wrath’s @LordOfTheManse changes. He had no desire to have sex with a bunch of different females even if that was the traditional role. Instead, he and his mate, the Chosen Cormia @Cormia_SASBDB, had decided to act as kind den parents to the young females, encouraging them to find their own paths with their protection and guidance. But, how the hell am I going to convince her of that? My burgeoning irritation is replaced with sympathy for what this female has gone through. Not just with that fucker, Drake, though that was by far the worst, but her whole life. Her mother had left the SV’s service but never escaped the old world societal expectations of Chosen females and she'd imprinted that expectation on her daughter’s rebellious brain. Sloahne had been raised in fear of it, with making a glymera marriage her only out. A marriage in which she would either be a prisoner or a princess, but even as the latter, her life wouldn’t have been her own. I'd have run, too. Hell. I kind of did.

Reaching out, I take her hand in mine. A frisson of electricity runs up my arm and straight to my dick at the touch. What the fuck was that?!! I’d touched Sloahne casually a hundred times before and never felt THAT. Vampires had fed from angels infrequently in the past, but it had been done, and I’d never heard that THAT was a side effect. Down boy, we have work to do. Clearing my throat, I mentally stomp my suddenly awakened libido into the ground. Focus here, boy, you’ve got work to do.* 

So your mahmen mated a Brother and left Sanctuary to be on this plane with him, but she just traded one set of rigid rules for another. And she passed it onto you that your basic function in life was to be property, either for a Glymyra asshole or the Brotherhood, with no say-so over anything, I got that right? *Shaking my head.* Sweetheart, a lot of things have changed. Some of it you have to be aware of, like the changes in the laws, but some of it only the Brotherhood really knows.

Sloahne: <Lassister takes my hand into his and suddenly I feel a spark that was never been there before. My heart is beating faster, my body seems to be reacting strangely to his touch. Heat floods my entire body and I feel the goosebumps that appear on my arm. Trying not to figure out why touching him so so different I listen to his words and wonder how so much has changed. I raise my brow in question.> 

Are you trying to convince me that the foundation of the vampire race over the past however many centuries has suddenly changed? That the Scribe Virgin who created our race whose female vampires who had been bred specifically to serve the Scribe Virgin and to meet the needs of the members of the Brotherhood, as well as Brothers in whatever fashion the male see fits? You’re trying to tell me centuries and centuries of this tradition is shot to Dhund?

<He can’t be serious.>

Lassiter: Well … *Sheesh, how do I explain this without blowing my cover? The Brotherhood knows, and a few others, but it’s kind of agreed that keeping my status on the down low is best for the species. People need traditions and all that.*  

In a word, yes. See, the new Primale refused to go along with how things had always been done. He’s mated with one Chosen and he’s faithful to her. He has a place on this side that he and his mate set up to allow Chosen who wanted to seek their own paths a kind of transition from Sanctuary. And the Queen is half-human. She kinda had a cow when she found out females had no choices over their lives, so that got the King involved. And then …. *Heaving a dramatic sigh.* Other stuff changed. The SV stepped down as deity. She’s not in charge anymore. 

Sloahne: Wait, what? The Scribe Virgin isn’t in charge? What happened to her? Is she ok? <I start to panic. It’s not like any of us normal people have ever met the Scribe Virgin, but she’s the mother of the race, someone you look up to. So hearing that she has stepped down, who is going to watch over us now?>

Lassiter: *Hands go up in an attempt to calm her sudden panic. If this was Sloahne’s reaction, then Wrath @LordOfTheManse was on the money keeping the majority of the species in the dark about the transition.* Whoa, whoa, take a chill pill! It's ok. She’s fine and she’s around, but she felt like the species had reached a point where they needed a more hands-on approach, something she's not comfortable with. She chose a successor who WOULD be comfortable with it - *More like insistent on it.* - And the Creator approved her reasons and her choice. 

*Although I’m still trying to figure out just WHY He approved, but I can't tell her that.*

So she’s cool, He’s cool with it, and the new deity is learning the job.

Sloahne: Oh. Weird. Ok. <Seriously … what else could I say? The powers that be had a shift change apparently. Didn't know that was even possible. Huh. Well. Wow.>

Ok, so someone new is in charge and so things have changed? The Chosen are not being used as basic slaves to the Brotherhood any longer? I mean, you know what I mean. I grew up knowing that the Chosen were meant to breed with the Brotherhood to create the warrior caste, almost a breed apart from normal vampires who have been at the spearhead of the war with the Omega. So all of that has changed? The bloodlines have to remain pure so that all sons are Brothers and all daughters are Chosen. It has been this way for centuries. 

Lassiter: *Lowering myself to sit beside her on the edge of the hospital bed, I forget and take her hand again, trying to give her something to hold onto as I shake her worldview, and son-of-bitch, that electric current jumps up my arm again and my dick starts complaining at the tight restrictions of my leathers. Damn it, angels are supposed to have better control and I'd have thought a deity should be immune! My teeth grit as I will my body back into submission. Focus, boy, focus!*

I'm really sorry your mahmen had that view of being a Chosen and that she passed it on to you, but I know it wasn't the way most of them felt at the time. Most of them viewed themselves as high priestesses performing essential functions for the race. But the very fact that your mahmen felt like that is one of the reasons the SV stepped back. The world was changing. Her people were changing and she didn't think she could change with them. At least not fast enough. 

The fact is that once Phury @PegLegPhury became Primale, he refused to continue with the tradition of sexual submission by the Chosen. He loves Cormia @Cormia_SASBDB too much and he’s got a faithful heart. He's a Brother who had spent his life taking care of someone who no longer needed it and he needed a new mission. Bonding with Cormia @Cormia_SASBDB, then accepting the role of Primale, gave him that. He looked at the traditional role of the Chosen and said “no more”. It was world shaking, but it was time.

The Chosen who choose to will still provide blood to the Brotherhood when needed. More than one would have died recently in the war without it, including Wrath @LordOfTheManse, but it's a choice each one has, not a mandate. The sexual aspect is off the table. If a Chosen wants to hook up with a Brother, that's up to both of them, and I’ll be honest, because of the history of the Chosen the only reason I can think of for why one of today’s Brother’s would do it is if the female was going into her needing and wanted a child by him. It would be him serving her, not the other way around. 

As for creating warriors for the race, pure bloodlines, etc … Phury @PegLegPhury freeing the Chosen forced Wrath @LordOfTheManse to start thinking outside the box. Soldiers are being recruited from the population. Males AND females. The training program is rigorous, but after Bloody Sunday when Lessers massacred so many of your race, we have more applicants than slots, and the entrance “exam” is tough. Most don't make it, but the best that do and finish the program are respected by the Brothers. One of the soldiers from the program has already been inducted into the Brotherhood. No bloodline requirement, just pure heart and ability. And there will be more.

You don't have to hide anymore if you don't want to, Sloahne. You're free.

Sloahne: <I could not contain my astonishment as I listened to the angel. I guess the rumors were true. With the King’s ascension came a new era indeed. I had no idea the Primal was a Brother. I suppose that would explain all the changes and the fact nobody knows about them. The Brotherhood has always been secretive in the past for the safety of the King and their families. But as the Audience House has been created, most have seen the many pherasome Brothers guarding the King in the last few years. It’s been an incredible eye-opening experience for many seeing them in person and up close. 

Could all this be really true? All these years I’ve been trying to hide my secret, I finally felt a huge burden off my shoulders. I finally could take a deep breath and really felt lighter all of a sudden.>

The Chosen are truly free to live their lives? They live out in the world among us? They can do whatever they want? They’re normal just vampires … out there at the bars and clubs? Seriously?

Lassiter: *And … time to hedge just a little …*

They will be able to if they want to. Eventually. They’ve lived very, very sheltered lives, and most don’t have an interest in going to clubs and bars yet. Phury @PegLegPhury is like an overprotective first-time father right now, proud of them and encouraging but still trying to keep them all safe as he helps them overcome the culture shock and learn how to take the appropriate precautions. Some of the Chosen are just getting used to being here. Others have started college classes and are looking into careers and it was going pretty good until … *Heaving a sigh as I run my thumb soothingly along the top of her hand.* Until young females started going missing. You weren’t the only one and we think the other missing are related to the war. And Phury @PegLegPhury, well he’s reacting like any father would, trying to close ranks. He’s asked the ones taking classes to go to online courses until the Brotherhood finds and ends whoever is behind it. He’s mentioned having the Chosen go back to the #OtherSide until then but if he does he’ll have a full-scale rebellion on his hands. *Smiling a little.* They like it here and they like learning to spread their wings. I think even his mate Cormia @Cormia_SASBDB would fight it. 

When it comes down to it, the Brothers have a double dose of testosterone and it comes out in being overprotective of people they think need protection. It's a good trait in warriors, but it does get them their heads handed to them by their females from time to time. 

Sloahne: *I listen in disbelief as Lass talks about Chosen being out in the normal world. Going to college classes!! That has been unheard of! At least it was not known in the vampire world, especially in the Old Country, where I left my family. 

I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. Chosen given a choice to live out in the world but he didn’t say they had complete freedom with the mention of The Primale. Since apparently they would be forced to back to the #OtherSide. An all-white world that my own mahmen spent her first few hundred years of life. A world she drilled into me with so many expectations if I kept choosing not to be mated in the arrangement she chose.

Then there were the Brothers. He hadn’t gotten to the part of explaining what “duties” were still expected.*

Hmmm … ok so they live out in the Earth realm but what about their duties and … expectations expected of them as tradition? It’s been this way for over a  millennia. Surely … the Scribe Virgin’s tradition of her breeding program that produces the Brotherhood? Selective breeding was deliberate, to beget strength from strength. *My anxiety caused me to speak faster and more agitated … and I wondered briefly if I was having a panic attack again.*

Lassiter: *Her anxiety levels shot up like a living thing in the room as she mentioned “duties”.* 

Hey, hey … *Squeezing her fingers lightly then gently cupping her face with my free hand.* Take a breath. 

*Fucking hells, the impulse to kiss her almost overwhelms me. Abruptly dropping my hand from her face, I discreetly shift to mask my raging hard-on. Just what in Dhund is going on? Note to self - no more feeding vampires. It results in major distractions. And find out just what the hell is going on the first chance I get. Duties. Think. That was when her blood pressure spiked.*

Sloahne … *Shaking my head.* There are no more “duties”. Hear what I’m saying. There are no more ehros’. Blood is donated only by the willing to those who are in need. There are no required duties anymore. Everyone is too busy learning how to just be normal over here. There is no one left in Sanctuary. Everyone - Ehros’, Watchers, Scribes - they all chose to come here to check out their options when Phury changed the rules, and they did so with the new deity’s and Wrath’s blessings. There is NO BREEDING PROGRAM. Not anymore. It’s not needed. We learned that strength, courage, and nobility don’t come from the bloodline. They come from the heart and soul of the race. If it came from the bloodlines then the Glymera wouldn’t be rampant with assholes and the history of your species would be a lot different. When the Scribe Virgin put these things, these “traditions”, into place it was a different world. The realization that the world doesn’t exist anymore and that some of those traditions have caused more harm than good is a big part of the reason she stepped back. 

Look … *Sighing.* I get that this is a lot to take in, that it goes against everything you’ve ever been taught. But no one is going to force you to do anything. And no one is going to out you to the King. I’ll take care of the Doc. I’ll pull his Hippocratic Oath on him, to first do no harm, and if he spills the beans on this it would definitely do harm to your mental health because YOU believe it would cause you harm. If I have to, I’ll mind wipe him and disappear your blood test results, but I don’t think I’ll have to. He takes that Hippocratic Oath business seriously. You trust me, right? Well, I’m asking you to trust me on this. This is your secret to tell when you’re ready to tell it and I’ll protect you until you’re ready. *Not damn hard since I’m already feeling protective and frigging possessive. I’ve GOT to get a grip on this.*

Sloahne: <I listened to the Angel and tried to take it all in and believe the words he was saying to me. But it was difficult. I spent centuries believing my mahmen and the stories told about her previous life before she was mated. I spent centuries hiding myself among the race and no one ever knew except the symphaths and moors … and then “he who shall not be named”. 

I contemplated his words over in my muddled mind and my erratic breath slowed down to a steady beat and I felt more calm than before. I laid back on the hospital bed and wondered how my life had arrived at that moment. Inside the Brotherhood Compound, at least that’s where I thought I was, running from a psychopath and meeting an actual Brother. Someone my father could have fought side by side with, someone who could have been close to him and knew many stories that I was not privy to. I missed my father … my fist circled and rubbed my chest in front of my heart as I felt the ache whenever I thought about my father. 

I shook my head at the past and tried to stay in the present. As I did, I felt the electricity running through my fingers and up my arm and wondered briefly what that was I figured I was still probably not well from my ordeal and needed rest and whatever was feeding into my veins from the bags of IV hooked up to me. I laid back on the gurney and tried to relax and sink into the weariness that my bones were feeling from the weight of centuries of running and hiding and wondered where my life goes from here.>

Oh … wow.

Lassiter: “Wow”? What’s that mean? *Females. I can read minds but I try not to. Privacy and all. Plus none of them would ever really trust me if they knew I could but it goes with the gig.* 

So you’ll let me handle the Doc? And you'll stay put, at least until the dirtbag is dealt with?

*I want to touch her again, to reach out, hold her, comfort her. I can tell she’s confused. Everything she thought she knew just collapsed around her. It’s what I should do, what I would have done before just touching her started shooting lightning through my veins. I don't regret juicing her, but I don't dare too much physical contact until whatever this is fades. Instead, I release her hand and lift her chin with one finger, locking eyes with her.* 

After that, we can figure out what's next.

Sloahne: <I start feeling the adrenaline start up again from playing cat and mouse with “he who shall not be named” starts to take over my body.> Just … wow. This has all been a lot of tea and no one even knows about it, right? I mean outside the Brotherhood that is. The race would be in an uproar, #Glymera specifically. They’re all about being Old School and traditional. I mean it’s been centuries. It’s still hard to imagine. You know?

I mean I’ve been hiding for so long. But yeah, I can stay … wait … you mean to stay here in this room? For how long? I mean I need to work, and I have rent to pay and bills. I mean I can’t afford to pay whatever hospital bill the Brotherhood’s personal physician would charge me … I mean … yeah… what about “he who shall not be named” … are you sure he can’t find me here. I mean he’s found me twice now … <I start to panic again and look around. It’s so ridiculous. I was so confused … I wanted to feel what I felt when he had me under his spell but then he just went over the line and the pain … so much pain … then blood, blood everywhere. My blood just everywhere …>

Lassiter: Hey, come on, take a breath here … you don’t have to worry about any of that stuff. If the asshole hasn’t been dealt with by the time the Doc releases you, then I’ll get you cleared for the manse. Wrath @LordOfTheManse isn’t going to let one of his people be put in harm’s way and you def would be out where Drake could sense you again. We’ll figure it out. 

*Fuck, she’s starting to hyperventilate again. Too much, too fast. She’s getting shocky.* 

How about we take a little nap here, huh? Get your pulse rate back into a normal range. You need to get your strength back before you tackle all this stuff.

*She’s already halfway to trying to get out of bed. I scoot in closer and loosely wrap my left arm around her, not to restrain her, but to catch her when she goes down for the count. Touching two fingers to the center of her forehead …* 

Sleep … 

Written by @SinsSecondComin.

*Rehv sat in the shadows of the panic room that he had Drake detained in, watching the male slumber. The fool actually seemed like he wasn’t worried about his fate or worse what his captor was capable of. That would change, and in the most wicked of ways. Rehv stood up stalking towards the slumbering male, gently running a long elegant finger down the rusted chain links that bound Drake’s wrists and ankles to a stainless steel platform with drainage holes in it for blood to flow into a tub system below. If things got too carried away Rehv would use the accumulated blood to infuse the male to keep him alive as long as he wanted. Rhev would position a portable shower head system over the table and turn it on to freezing cold water, letting the water hit Drake’s naked body in a mist, he would then take a tazer out as the male begin to slowly stir at the cold water hitting his body, pressing the taser to the male’s balls he lit the fucker up like a Christmas tree.

Oh how sweet the screams of pain were that shot from his lips, if you were someone who relished the pain and anguish of others the sound was akin to the bells of Notre Dame to the people of Paris. The heavy breathing that followed and the pained filled panicked eyes of the male bulging, bloodshot and showing more unfocused white sclera then coloured iris. Rhev walked around to the male’s side giving him a clearer view of his captor; before slowly and softly speaking to the male as if he were a child or even a lover.*

“Good morning sleeping beauty, I hope you got some rest. I have a full day and evening of festivities for us to partake in. We shall learn new things about each other, we shall push boundaries and limitations; by the end of it all we shall be a little more intimately known to one another. Why don’t we get started with a little science and biology lesson ...”

*Rehv would walk over to a cupboard and counter, reaching in the cupboard he pulled out a galvanized steel pail, and upon the counter he reached into a small cage pulling out a massive rat. He wasn't done gathering supplies. On the floor beside the steel platform lay a blow torch, and a heavy leather glove the kind used in blacksmithing. Holding the rat and the steel bucket up for Drake to see, Rehv allowed a small smile to slither upon his lips before explaining the science behind their little experiment to come.*

“Here is the basis of this little science experiment, The rat goes into the pail, the pail goes upon your chest with the opening squarely placed on your chest so the rat is in the bucket but also upon your chest. We then start to slowly heat the bottom of the pail, as the pail heats up the rat will start to become frantic, looking for a way out, anyway out. Eventually the rat has no choice but to burrow through the flesh of your chest to escape certain death it faces from the heated bucket. That is where things become really interesting, Because while all this is happening you will be fully aware of every movement, every scratch, every nibble. This science experiment was the best way to start the day in my opinion, don't you agree?”

*As the hours faded away and the screams filled the room, Rehv tossed the bucket aside, taking the frantic rat back in the cage it came from. Returning to Drake’s side, Rehv admired the scratches and bites that riddled the males flesh, bloody pockets worn as a badge of Rhev’s twisted mind. The next game was afoot, reaching into a pocket of one of his sable dusters; he pulled out a large needle and a canister of liquid nitrogen.*

“I think you’ll enjoy what’s coming next, Especially since you were so heavily involved in the BDSM scene. This will be a perfect way to end our night together, a little nipple play if you will. We will start by applying some of this lovely medical grade liquid nitrogen to your nipples and surrounding area. The cherry on top will be when I take this needle and pierce the frozen flesh of your nipples.”

*The screams and trashing of Drake were pleasing Rehv to no end, as the night drew on he could tell drake was fading quickly; stopping his fun for the night, rehv grabbed his duster that he had tossed to a side somewhere through the night events. As he reached the door and went to flick the light off he turned back to Drake with a sinister smirk, he muttered a couple words to Drake before leaving with a dark chuckle wafting upon the air.*

“I’m sorry. Did you want a safe word? I forgot that those are common practice in the bdsm scene aren't they … maybe we will figure one out for next time.

Written by @Vishous_SASBDB and @LilWarriorGal 

V: *I walk into the penthouse and look at all the toys hanging from my hooks. I wonder how the leather straps would look on her skin. I can’t get the picture out of my head. It keeps flashing in my mind.*

How? *I yell to no one, to my empty room of sex things on my wall, knowing they can’t answer me back. I ask them.* How can I get her to see me? The real me? *I look at the straps and the cat o’ nine tails. They don't say anything back and it pisses me off.

I can't get past her mistrust of the brotherhood. Why does she not trust us? Of all the vampires of our race why not trust the ones who protect them? What happened to her before we met? Who did this to her, for her not to trust us? I know we all have pasts. What is her past for her not to trust her protectors?

I walk past my toys that hang on my wall, things I would love to see Sloahne in, and some I would use on her.

I focus on the memory of her, her long dark hair and eyes I can see looking at me in fear. I throw my fists to my temple and groan so loud the glasses on my bar rattle and the glass in my doors strain, wanting to crack.

I pull out my cell and the first one I can think of with trust issues is my twin. She's the one who can help me understand her issues. Two rings and she answers.*

 “Hey sister mine, can you meet me at the pit? I have some things I need to talk to you about.”

Payne: Rehvenge was up at the sympath community, so I was at the gym working out.  I found I could escape everything there or fantasize that the punching bag was who I was upset with.  Either way I always felt better after I was done.  This time was no different.  

I had just finished up and was sitting on the floor drinking a bottle of water when my phone vibrated.  "Hello", mine twin's voice greeted mine ear.  He wanted to talk to me. I got up, headed to the shower in the locker room and then I'd go to the pit.  

Going through the tunnels I made my way to the pit.  The moment I saw him, I knew something was bothering him and I started running through my last patrol in my head.  Vishous tended to be overprotective at times, but nothing had really happened.  

"What do you wish to speak me about, mine twin?"

V: Sister mine. *I drop my head in my hands, rubbing my face. Then going to my hair pulling some locks through my fingers.* I need help with Sloahne, I see her everywhere. She’s all I think about, I see her in my dreams, in my visions nothing, but she does not trust anyone. I don’t know why I need help figuring out how I can get her to trust me? *I stand up pacing back and forth. I get a hand rolled out of my pocket. I pat my pockets.* Damnit where is my bic. *I found it in my leather pocket. Light my hand rolled and take a long drag and blow it out. I look at my sister rubbing my brow with a look of question and shake my head back and forth.* 

It seems Rehvenge and Lass seem to be the ones that she trusts but we helped free her. Why is she so afraid of me?  

Payne: My diamond eyes never left mine twin as I watched him pace the floor and light his hand roll.  What he pondered was a question only Sloahne could actually answer, but I had some ideas on how to start building that trust.  I let him finish and grinned just a bit.  All along I knew V had a softer side.  

"You may have rescued her, but she sees little difference between you and any other male.  That is what you need to change.  Start with something small."  I bit my lower lip for a moment.  "Maybe I could invite her to go with me somewhere we'd need an escort.  You could be the escort.  I could stay, how do you males say it, out of the way." 

Originally Posted October 2016

Sloahne: <I felt groggy as I tried to force my senses to get back online with my body, I tried opening my eyes and they felt swollen and dry like sandpaper. My whole body felt raw and tender as I tried to move from the fetal position I found myself in ... I could feel the burn on my upper back, ass and thighs as the cool air drafting against my skin. I felt so weak, dizzy, dehydrated and just drained of all energy that I could barely pull myself in a halfway sitting position. What the fuck? Vampires didn’t get food poisoning or dehydration like humans, but the symptoms sounded similar to my predicament. 

I can feel satin sheet beneath my hands as I attempt to find purchase in getting myself upright. Satin?? As I pry my eyes open, searching for illumination and seeing a ray of light towards the right of me, I hear a jangle and look at my wrists to find lambskin leather cuffs surrounded by very thin lead chains. Fuuuuuck … what the hell is going on?

My head is spinning as I tried to remember the last place I was or what I was doing. Then, I remembered the rejection, the walk down memory lane, the #Dungeon and then the scene. I stopped contemplating the chains and looked around at my surroundings. I was in a huge poster bed where the chains connected to the headboard, the chains were long as I gingerly tried to find some coverings since unfortunately I found myself naked in a strange room. @@IAmAGildedCage

Drake: Considering how depleted my new pet was, I wasn’t surprised with her sleep. Being thrown into subspace, then fed on, would undoubtedly drag her to the brink of exhaustion, or worse, collapse. I had no concerns with keeping the beauty weakened, but I was not about to endanger her into collapse. One did not tarnish the diamond of their collection.

As the sensor chimed to let me know she was indeed awake, I rose from laptop, closing the program that had allowed me to sneak in and delete all security footage surrounding the #Dungeon … for several miles. Government monitoring was all well and good, for humans, but I didn’t consider myself worthy enough for their screen time, and I certainly didn’t want any trace footage of my car with the precious cargo I’d transported in the trunk.

Yes, I had felt a little guilty about the trunk, but I soothed myself with the fact she’d never remember.

Collecting the tray of food brought by Elan, my doggen, I made my way to the lead bolted door and calmly entered the safety code before sliding the lock aside. A check of the monitoring screen in the wall, to ensure she was still on the bed, and then I slipped inside, shutting it firmly behind me. The safety bolt shot home, a default trigger that could only be unlocked by myself, with a code that changed as soon as I left the room.

If you’re wondering … yes. I have been doing this a while. 

To be fair, the room itself was larger than many in my home I gave to the usual guests. A king bed, a dresser, bathroom and shower. Every luxury … bar freedom. Because they all belonged to me once they were here. And I couldn’t bear for them to leave …

“Good morning, Leelan,” I murmured, watching her on the bed, eyeing the chains that slinked and chinked against her. They were a precaution, for now. The sooner she accepted, the sooner the chains would be removed. The elegant lead bracelets I’d arranged for her would replace them, so she would have greater movement in and around the room … then perhaps the house. “I’ve brought you something to eat,” I muse, stepping closer, “and someone to drink.” I spread one arm wide, indicating myself. 

A few mouthfuls would be enough to keep her from the collapse I feared … but not enough to afford her the strength she might need to resist me. 

Sloahne: <I was startled when I heard an actual bolt being open as I brought up the satin sheet and brought my feet to the floor to find my bare feet meeting very plush carpet, expensive. I was even more surprised to recognize the new comer as the Dom I had played a scene with last night. Leelan?! What the fuck happened last night?>

Where am I? Why am I here? <I could scarcely recognize my own voice, as it came out as a hoarse whisper. Not that it mattered, he would be able to hear me clearly enough. I knotted the sheet around me to cover myself and tried to stand so I could meet him head on, face to face, eye to eye. My sudden adrenaline rush was enough to get me to my feet but the months of not feeding and my lacerations and bruises did make my movements cumbersome that I almost collapsed back on the bed.

I could clearly tell he wasn’t expecting my defiance as I drew in all my training and I quickly scanned the area for any weapon I could use because certainly he had nefarious plans for me considering the chains I found myself in and the dead bolt. Dearest Scribe, what have I gotten myself into?> [@IAmAGildedCage]

Drake: I let her use the sheet as some meager cover, but after last night there was really no part of her I was unfamiliar with. At least physically. She was yet to explore me however, but I’d give her time for that. Her blood tasted Chosen, but I was beginning to suspect she had not had all that much training as far as those pure females went. All the better for me. I’d much rather a female with fight and spark that tasted divine.

Giving her the time to assess the room, I hid my bemused smile and waited patiently, letting her reach the inevitable point of exhaustion and frustration. There was no mocking, no goading. I wasn’t about to torture her. Not unless she asked.

“Are you done, my dear?” I murmured, taking one small step closer. 

I could feign shock at her reaction, at her fierceness, easily enough, but in truth I’d suspected as much. It was why I’d bothered with the chains at all. Subs were one thing, but I now knew this female to be a Switch, meaning she had defiance, ferocity, personality. She was a female Chosen alone in the human world, by all accounts, and would have to be strong to endure it. All this I’d gleaned simply from observation and suspicion, though I hoped she’d fill in the last of the empty spots once she’d calmed and had something to eat. Better to be prepared for all scenarios.

“As you can see, you are no more harmed than what you wanted of me this past eve,” I continued, taking another small step, letting her have the time and space to accept my approach. “However, I must confess to my own break in protocol. I sampled your blood last night, Leelan. In the heat of the moment …”

I trailed off, a small shudder running down my spine before I fixed her with a steady look.

“You were ambrosia. I knew without a doubt what you were the moment you hit my tongue. Chosen.” And how could I let a Chosen go? “But in doing so I weakened you further, and I wish to offer you some of my own blood in return, if you wish. To stabilise you.” [@Sloahne_BDB]

Sloahne: <Dearest Virgin Scribe! He knew! He damn well took blood from me without my knowledge. F. M. L. It took every fiber of my being to not panic and focus my thoughts on how I could escape. There had to be a way.

I was so royally screwed … no one knew where I was. No one even knew that I visited the #Dungeon early this morning. How long was I out? It felt like days around going by how much my body was depleted … just looking at the tray of food and seeing the faint blue lines of his veins had my fangs descending, making my mouth water.

It had been well so long since I last fed properly. Human blood only staved my hunger and I couldn’t control my reactions. Only undermining my growing need to try to appear strong and in control. The marks he had given me the night before were still branded on my skin giving me another disadvantage to my weakening state when I would have recovered otherwise had I been feeding properly.

I could not believe what a fool I've been. In my my near craziness to forget, all my guards were down thinking I was safe at the club. How the fuck did he smuggle me out of the #Dungeon. There had to be video footage, monitors, something … someone must have noticed. I just need to buy some time.

I felt another bout of dizziness as I was forced to fall down on the bed grabbing my throbbing forehead in pain. I didn't want any part of this male inside me much less being indebted to him in some way. Besides, I also had no idea what was in the food. He could be lacing the meal with narcotics to keep me compliant.>

Never. <I whispered vehemently as I gave myself over to the darkness and blacked out again.> [@IAmAGildedCage]

Drake: “Blast…”

Watching as the female crumpled back to the bed, I took a deep breath to calm the instinctive need to reach for her, cradle her. Instead I carried the tray to her bedside and set it down gently, careful not to disturb the contents incase she was inclined to have them when she woke. Perhaps she needed a tester before she’d trust it … hm, food for thought.

Mindful not to remove the sheet she’d inelegantly wrapped around that stunning form, I shifted her until she was once again lying across the bed, coddled by comforters and pillows. Looking at her now, I could see the toll, the effect my feeding coupled with this shock had done. She was too pale, the first blooms of dark shadows starting under her eyes. When was the last time this glorious female had fed? And from whom?

The idea of another male servicing her had my fangs punching down for a second, a growl threatening to rise in my throat until I choked it back. Shaking my head, I raked a hand through my hair and moved away from the bed.

I had two options. Allow her to come to again, try to coerce her into feeding enough to not border constantly on collapse, or force feed her. The latter was definitely a tempting option when she was already unconscious. A slice of the wrist, a mouthful or two fed into her, and then I’d have a little colour back in those cheeks.

And yet… I suspected force would only further cement me as the monster in her eyes. They’d all looked at me like that at first… but with patience and practice I had won them over. I could do it with her too.

So with a concentrated effort I moved away from the bed, taking the seat furthest from her but in her field of vision for when she woke. And I watched. And I waited. Hoping she wasn’t too far gone enough to return to me. [@Sloahne_BDB]

Sloahne: <I took in peripheral senses before opening my eyes and knew that the vampire was present in the room I seemed to have been trapped in. I slowly opened my eyes and viewed the ceiling above me. Beautiful canopy … such an odd thing for me to observe. 

My body was so weak … I slowly turned my head to my captor. He sat elegantly clothed on a chair in the corner of the room watching me intently as I peered into his ice blue eyes. Why was he doing this to me? Surely, if he was able to ascertain that I was a Chosen, he also knew he risked the wrath of the Brotherhood if they had knowledge of my whereabouts. The King would have his head … 1) for capturing a Chosen against her will 2) and using her as a blood slave which had to be his intentions. A law that the King had abolished years ago as a gift to one of this Brothers it was rumored. Either cases … he risked himself and the fate of his family. He clearly came from a noble family considering the state of the room I awoken in. Money, power, esteem … I turned my eyes away back to the ceiling … no longer able to comprehend my predicament.

I had a choice to make … I could just lie here and die slowly and quite painfully in the next few days or feed from this male and try to find someway to escape this seemingly gilded imprisonment. Tear droplets slowly ran down my the sides of my face as I thought about my father. He would be horrified to see me this way after so many years of teaching me self defense to be strong and confident. When now, all I felt is feeble, inadequate and ashamed. I was so steadfast in my desire to forget … that I truly neglected all my training from my own father as well as #Trez and #Xhex. Crap … they must be so worried and more than likely pissed off. That made me smile a little. But they knew not where I was. I could only rely on myself to get out of this plight of enslavement.

I silently laid on the bed taking deep breaths as I waited for my captor to issue his edicts … I’m sure he had some … while I strategized my way out of here.> [@IAmAGildedCage]

Drake: I knew when she came to again; heard the faint rustle of the sheets and the breathy cadence as she drew in a deep inhale. She was weak, too weak to rise again, and I felt something inside me give a visceral twist of alarm and frustration. Tamping down the impulse to storm my ass over and thrust a vein at her, I took a breath of my own and rose slowly. A few steps and I was closer, close enough to take in the lines of that graceful form still hidden beneath the sheet I’d left wrapped around her. She was breathtaking, even when weakened. She would be unimaginable when strong …

“I would offer my vein again, my dear,” I murmured, not coming any closer, not without her permission. “I beg of you to take it. You are terribly weak, and I fear I would not be able to find another male to come here in time enough to keep you from falling further ill.”

Looking into her eyes, so full of woe and distrust, anger and misery, I tried to let her see my own sincerity. All I truly wanted, right now, was for her to feed enough to heal. I wanted her well. I wanted her happy. I wanted her resplendent and smiling and sliding those elegant fingers across my skin. But I wanted her to ‘want’ it …

“Please … please let me help you.” [@Sloahne_BDB]

Sloahne: <I could only discern the cold around me as I sensed my life slowly draining from me. The satin sheets below my head were wet with my tears as I breathed in and out slowly to stay conscious. My chest ached as I took my breaths and as the male neared me, I felt my fangs knick my bottom lip and I was aware of my choice as I closed my eyes.> Ok.

<For whatever reason, the male seemed to be relieved at my acquiesce. As he brought his wrist towards my mouth, I tried to lift my head to bite and realized that I could not. He realized my failed attempt and quickly scored his own wrist and brought it back down to my lips. Soon after, the life sustenance was wetting the back of my throat as I quickly swallowed gaining more strength to begin sucking at his wrist as a babe would. The room felt warmer as I was able to perceive my surroundings. The taste of his skin, the soft cotton of his shirt … and the blood was taken away very soon after.

I gradually opened my eyes and into his eyes as I tried to focus. My stupor began to dissipate as I move my limbs to touch the bed and sheets as I made an effort to sit up and felt his arm around me assisting me up into a sitting position while maintaining my covering. He kept surprising me with his contradicting actions and manners in his duplicity. It was just confusing.> [@IAmAGildedCage]

Drake: Just a few mouthfuls and the female was looking better, her breathing settling, her eyes darting back and forth beneath those delicate lids. The feel of her lips on my skin was heavenly, and I had to make a concentrated effort not to let my own fangs slide down in longing.

When I thought she’d had enough, or just enough rather, I withdrew my wrist, slipping an arm around her to help her sit up, ensuring her covering was staying in place. Drawing pillows over from the pile, I gently placed them behind her, to help keep her upright without needing my presence. As much as I wanted to be there. When she was comfortable, I calmly withdrew, stepping away and toward the wardrobe tucked off to the side. It held simple luxuries; nightgowns, dresses, even slacks and blouses. Those I pictured her in when she was striding around the manor, giving orders to the doggen. It was a pleasant thought.

“Your attire from the #Dungeon was lost in transit, I’m afraid,” I murmured, sounding as contrite as I felt. It /was/ a lovely little outfit. “I was uncertain what you would like to be dressed in and thus thought you would like to make the choice.” I gestured toward the smaller style wardrobe. In this locked room, it was small. Upstairs had a much greater selection. “Please select whatever you like. If you like, I would be happy to assist you in eating as well, until you feel more yourself.”

Scribe, please let me feed you. Please … [@Sloahne_BDB]

Sloahne: <I remained silent as he walked towards a closet apparently filled with clothes for me, specifically for me? WTF. How long was he planning on keeping me here? I started to panic slightly and I forced myself to breath normally so he wouldn’t notice my anxiety. I need to get away from him and escape this place.

Assist in feeding me? Feeding the opposite sex by hand is an intensely intimate gesture between the two persons. When a male offers to feed a female from his hand, it is a way of showing respect. Respect and affection. I could use this to my advantage … clearly he has some thought about this /relationship/ he has created in his head. Normally, I play the Dominant role as a Domme where I control a situation, as a sub that would not come into play since he clearly wanted to be in control. But topping from bottom may be key in my survival and hopefully freedom. He would expect some resistance from me … yet as a Dom, he would only tolerate so much. It was a fine line that I was walking. I would have to tread these waters very lightly.>

I’m ok. If you could just help me with the tray I can manage. [@IAmAGildedCage]

Drake: It wasn’t what I wanted - far from it - but she was ready to accept some aid, and I was ready to be patient and wait for more. Good things come to those who wait, right?

Fetching the tray, I placed it near her on the bed then assisted until she was seated comfortably. Putting the tray in her lap, I then retreated to a respectable distance and tilted my head, watching her curiously.

“There is a shower through this door,” I murmur, gesturing off to the side, “and again, I am ready to be of assistance if needed. Nothing untoward.” 

The bathroom was equipped with the basics for sanitary needs… and absolutely nothing else that could be used as a weapon. I had a sneaking suspicion that would be the first thing she investigated in this room, but in truth there was very little if anything she could turn against me. [@Sloahne_BDB]

Sloahne: <I nodded my acknowledgement of the location and request.> Ok.

<I thought he would leave at that point, but to my disappointment, he remained waiting for something perhaps? I have no clue. To be observed so closely and attentively was unnerving to say the least. As well as unexpected. Most males wouldn't want a long drawn out conversation … they mostly rather just deal with a little small talk, and a suck and fuck. Done. Not this one apparently. 

I tried to pretend he wasn't in the room as I ate my meal slowly. I still felt immensely tired and drained and could barely use the utensils to cut the chicken and sides that were prepared for me. I was too famished to consider any use of narcotics to keep me passive. I needed some energy to fight and survive my time here so I forced myself to eat what he had provided and remained quiet and I waited for him to fill the space.> [@IAmAGildedCage]

Drake: The calm, reserved silence as she ate was yet another testament to her strength of character. A will that would most definitely be hard to break. She was strong, independent, and I suspected had never much relied on anyone but herself. How exhausting …

“Is the food to your liking?” I murmur, eyeing the plate. “If there is something you’d prefer I would be more than happy to provide it. I care not about the expense or how rare,” I add with a small, tentative smile, looking to her hopefully. “And anything you wish to drink.”

The hopeful, almost doleful expression wasn’t over done; if you pushed too much they were too suspicious, but when you were cautious, like them, they settled. Mirrors were soothing when people thought they saw themselves. [@Sloahne_BDB]

Sloahne: <My own preferences? I’m a captive in his home for some unknown reason and yet I get a choice in food and drink? None of this is making any sense to me. I raised an eyebrow at this comment and considered my next few words as I decide we need to put all the cards on the table.> 

Hmmm, anything I want? I would prefer to be able to leave. <Watching his facial expression, I knew the answer to that, so I added.> Why am I even here? We had one scene, if you wished to see me again, you only had to ask. Are you looking for a ransom? Because I hate to tell you … I’m no one of value. <I almost felt my lip quiver slightly at how much that hurt for me to admit. I’ve kept to myself for so long in order to hide my secret that I only had a smaller than a handful of people who knew that I even existed. I quickly charged forward and changed the subject, the food was fortifying my cheeky behavior and asked.> What is the need to imprison me? You must realize that blood slaves are forbidden now. [@IAmAGildedCage]

Drake: I tilted my head at her first ‘preference’, and judging by the light in my eyes she probably already knew the answer to that one, so I let her continue. As she wondered about a ransom, I felt the tide of her emotions swell, as if she was thinking of either how little she had, or how few people there might be to miss her.

“Maybe I don’t see it as imprisonment?” I offer after a moment, voice quiet and contemplative as I watch her. “Maybe I see it as protection?”

Leaning forward ever so slightly, enough that the light caught my eyes and turned the blue into the sweep of colour that ran just off the shoreline in the ocean, right before dropping to darker water, I spoke honestly.

“I would not ransom you, for there is no price one could pay. You are priceless,” I murmur gently, aching to take the weight off her shoulders so that for just a while, she didn’t have to be so strong. “You have such strength in you, but I cannot fathom how exhausting it must be to bare the burden alone. It is not my intention to bleed you like a slave,” I add, my nose wrinkling in disgust as I shook my head. “I will not take again unless it is freely offered, and that I have done so already I truly apologize for. My only reasoning is that I was undone in the #Dungeon, and lost myself in you.”

And I was sorry for that. Had I realized this exquisite female was so depleted I would never have dared touch her vein, even after the pleasurable high. Looking into her eyes, I kept my voice calm, level. So very matter of fact, as if the whole world was aware.

“Do you not see how beautiful you are? How exquisite?” [@Sloahne_BDB]

Sloahne: <”Protection”? What? Like he was the #Primale? That’s why I was hiding in the first place, to avoid the #Primale. I took every effort to not roll my eyes in anger and ultimately in irony. But then as he continued with his explanation and I watched emotions reflected in his eyes as he was solely focused on me. 

It was difficult to keep a clear head as his words washed over me like a soothing balm to my recently unsettled ego. My past and the present anguish mixing together in the last 24 hours causing this cocktail of a clusterfuck that has led me here in the first place.

I knew that whatever he was saying was a ploy to earn my trust but at the same time … for some reason … they made my chest ache wanting the words to be true. It must be my weakening state that had all my emotions in a turmoil. From the rejection from the club to recollection of my childhood to the loneliness that has been plaguing me for years … my psychological walls have finally fallen. Gathering as much fortitude as I could muster, I replied quietly.> 

Again, I’m no one. <What I needed to remember that this isn’t real. This male had no idea who I was or what I’m really like. It was essential that I play this game he was orchestrating for as long as I can so I can escape this luxury jail cell. I finished all I could and place the utensils back on the tray and pushed it away signaling my completion.> [@IAmAGildedCage]

Drake: There was the bite of attitude in her eyes at my words; a disbelief and cynicism toward the world that was too deeply ingrained for me to wash it away with a few sweet words in one sitting. No, that I could not combat, at least not right now. But every hopeless romantic had to start somewhere to convince the girl she was the one.

Yet the longer I spoke, the more my words sank in, I could see they meant something to her, some of that tension seeping away as she looked away from me, avoided my gaze. How could no one see her value? How could no one look upon her and not feel beholden? It was astonishing to me, and were I to ever meet the male or males that had made her look so withdrawn, think herself as ‘no one’, then I would gladly rip their spines out and garrotte them to death with them. 

“To the world you might be one person, but to one person … you might be the world,” I murmured gently, reaching out slowly and taking the tray, carrying it to the door and setting it down. “Would you like to shower?” I offer, gesturing toward the door. “I would not presume to accompany you unless you would like assistance … but I would very much like to stay in this room should you need help or call. I would hate for you to fall in there,” I add honestly, the thought of her slender, curvaceous form hitting the marble making my gut twist. [@Sloahne_BDB]

Sloahne: <The world, hmmmm? I quickly shook my head slightly to rid myself of the pretty words I’m sure he has spoken to others to gain their affections. How I could I trust a male who has kidnapped me and holding me against my will?

The thought of a warm shower would be extraordinary … but then I remember my cuts in my back from the previous night. I lifted my torso slightly, keeping the sheet over my chest as I peered at my back using the beautiful cheval mirror in the corner of the room near the bed, I winced slightly at the pull of the muscles. With my earlier feeding, they had closed but were still raw and puckered red, so the shower would be ok.>

I’ll be fine. <I gradually made it to the bathroom, covering myself with the sheet, but my strength waned a bit and I had to instead grip the marble counter and it pooled on the ground around my feet. I could hear him coming closer and held my hand up.> I’m fine … 

<I took my last bit of strength to close the door and slowly collapse to the floor to rest a bit before crawling to the shower to turn it on. I sat against the wall allowing the cold tile to cool my back as I waited for the water to warm and quietly cried. I have never felt so defeated before. I was so physically exhausted … I undoubtedly waited too long to feed combined with the lashing I received last night and the very little blood he gave me to just recover enough … was frankly not enough to get me back to normal at all. It was his plan, no doubt … to keep me pliant and amenable. Submissive. It has been almost a century since I last cried … it was so unlike me. Scribe, it was infuriating. My rising frustration resulting in tears. Once the room began to fog, I crawled into the shower allowing the water to cleanse my body of the sweat, dirt, but the shame remained all the same.> [@IAmAGildedCage]

Drake: To my credit, or perhaps will power, I didn’t move to collect her, or even put a hand to her back to assist her as she made her painful way across the room. When the sheet fell I couldn’t help but take a step, yet her hand rose, holding me back with such a simple gesture.

As the door shut, I let out a breath and ghosted closer, leaning against the wall silently and listening for sounds of distress. When the muffled murmur of her tears reached me, I closed my eyes, taking in a deep breath and hardening myself to keep from venturing in. Mine was not the comfort she wanted now, yet mine was all she had. Oh, how the waiting game became so much harder when they meant that much more. All that beauty and strength and none yet who had appreciated it? Was I the only male left with eyes?

Leaning properly against the wall, I faced into the room and waited, fists clenched at my sides as I tried to breathe through the impulse to step in and scoop her up, give the aftercare to the wounds we’d revelled in the night before, and hold her as she succumbed to an exhausted sleep. For now that was a dream, but so often my dreams became reality … [@Sloahne_BDB]

Sloahne: <My tears ran down the drain along with the water as I laid there pondering what I needed to do to escape this place. The whole scene in the bedroom running through my head attempting to clear it of the mind games he was playing with me and distinguishing fact from fallacy. 

Time passed as I sat in the shower, pruning up and I wanted to wash my hair but as I reached for the bottles provided above me, they fell on top of me bouncing back from the tile and hitting my back. The wounds peeled open easily due to sitting in the water for so long and as the hard plastic struck my back it forced me to unintentionally cry out as I gasped in pain.> [@IAmAGildedCage]

Drake: The cry of pain ruined my resolve to stay out and give her space, too concerned for her welfare to let her pride hinder me now. Opening the door I darted inside, brow furrowing as I took in her bowed form, crumpled in the shower. Blood was running fresh from the marks down her back, and as I took in the bottles of product littering the floor I realized she’d reached for them from her weakened position and brought them unintentionally crashing down on her.

Without hesitating I strode forward, my long sleeved shirt sticking to my arm as I reached into the shower and flipped off the water. Reaching for the dense, fluffy towel hanging from the rack, I knelt beside her and ignored the tense set of her shoulders, the uncertainty, the faintest tinge of fear. It was fair to be afraid; in a strange place, with a strange man, naked and vulnerable, many women would cower. Yet her fear seemed so much less than so many others before her. 

She was incredible.

Tenderly wrapping her in the soft material, avoiding skin on skin contact as much as possible and pointedly not staring at the perfection that was her body, lest she think me beyond redemption, I then carefully slid my arms beneath her and lifted. She was all slender curves and muscle, her weight hardly noticeable as I tucked her against my chest and carried her from the bathroom back to the bed.

Setting her gently on the mattress, I darted back to the bathroom and returned with another towel, calmly lifting the wet ropes of her hair to pat and press dry. They weren’t washed from what I could tell, but I certainly didn’t want her resting with wet hair, and there’d be time for that later. When the masses felt damp rather than sodden I tossed the towel aside, kneeling at the edge of the bed. 

Without thinking I lifted my hand, baring my fangs and scoring my wrist. The burst of pain was fleeting, and yet it helped me see her that much more clearly as I brought my wrist to her mouth and offered her more. A few more mouthfuls and her wounds would heal, she would stand under her own power without flinching, and she would sleep that much more peacefully. I could deal with that, I realized numbly. I needed her to be okay more than I needed her to be compliant. Interesting … 

“Please drink, Leelan. Take more. I cannot bare to see you in this much pain,” I whisper honestly. Let me give you the aftercare you deserve, I thought desperately, the ache in my chest something visceral. [@Sloahne_BDB]

Sloahne: <I knew it was too much to consider that he was still in the vicinity to hear my exclamation. I heard his crashing entrance into the bathroom and felt him hovering over me from above as he turned off the water and gathered me in a soft towel and brought me back to the bed. 

I sank into the bed with extreme fatigue and could not fight him as he dried my hair and body of wetness. His gentleness was so contradictory from the situation, it was perplexing. The feelings of inadequacies for some reason faded as he cared for me so reverently that I had to squeeze my eyes shut to remind myself of the precarious situation that I was in … rather than some dream life I would never have imagined for myself … a male to take care of my needs after years and years of being alone and taking care of myself.

He surprise me when he scored his wrist once more to feed me. I had no choice, I needed to heal and feed. As I drank his nutriment, I knew he would be able to find me anywhere. That was the disadvantage of feeding from someone. You can feel the echo of yourself inside of someone for a period of time. I would have to hide for months on end until it faded from my system. 

I flinched slightly as he called me Leelan again. A term of endearment in the old language, loosely translated as "dearest one". I finished drinking once I felt my skin start to knit together and my hunger diminished. A passing thought cause me to hesitate, but decidedly I licked his wound to seal it closed. 

Written by @SinsSecondComin.

Rehvenge stood at the threshold of his newly acquired cabin, nestled deep within the serene embrace of the Adirondack Mountain range. The crisp mountain air enveloped him like a cloak, carrying with it the scent of pine and earth, a welcome respite from the suffocating confines of city life. the crisp mountain air biting at his skin as he surveyed the tranquil surroundings. The Adirondack wilderness stretched out behind him, a stark contrast to the turmoil raging within his own soul. The cabin itself, a pioneer-style log home, stood as a testament to his newfound solitude — a sanctuary far removed from the prying eyes of the glymera and the shadows that lurked within his own mind. Inside, the cabin was a study in contrasts — a seamless blend of rustic charm and modern luxury. High ceilings soared overhead, adorned with exposed beams that spoke of a simpler time, while granite countertops gleamed in the soft glow of ambient lighting. The massive stone fireplace, the heart of the cabin, cast a warm, flickering light that danced across the walls like playful shadows. But despite the comfort and beauty of his surroundings, Rehvenge could not shake the weight of his own guilt. The thought of returning to his old cabin, surrounded by the pure-hearted Chosen, was a prospect he could not bear. The memory of his mother, her honor tarnished by his own sins, loomed like a specter in the depths of his mind, a constant reminder of the darkness that threatened to consume him.The flickering flames of the massive stone fireplace cast eerie shadows across the room, illuminating the scene before him with a haunting glow.

A bottle of sleeping pills lay discarded like a fallen soldier on the coffee table, remnants of his most recent sin—a desperate attempt to conceal the truth of his captive from prying eyes. With a heavy sigh, Rehvenge poured himself a glass of cognac, the amber liquid glinting in the firelight as he nursed it in his trembling hands. The female lay sprawled upon the bear rug before the fireplace, her naked form a testament to Rehvenge's own depravity. He had partook of all she had to offer him carnally and in the way of sustenance, and now she lay unconscious, a mere pawn in his twisted game. As he watched her slumber, a wave of guilt washed over him, threatening to consume him whole. For a moment, he teetered on the edge of darkness, the siren song of the dopamine, and the lifesaver it offered in this tumultuous sea of darkness he was in; calling out to him like a lover's embrace. He resisted its pull, tossing the vial into the flames with a reckless abandon. The glass shattered with a satisfying crash, the liquid within evaporating in a hiss of steam. But even as he wrestled with his own demons, Rehvenge could not escape the relentless barrage of missed calls and texts that danced across the table. His cell phone, a lifeline to the outside world, lay silent and untouched, the messages piling up like ghosts of the past. With each unanswered call, he could feel the weight of his mother's disappointment pressing down upon him, a constant reminder of the shame he had brought upon her name.

Kneeling before the fire, sweeping up the naked glymera female who slumbered upon a bear rug before the fireplace, Rehvenge felt a wave of conflicting emotions wash over him. Guilt, shame, and a glimmer of hope — all intertwined in a tumultuous dance that threatened to tear him apart from the inside out. Rehvenge set about his grim task. Using her as a vessel to keep Drake alive — a desperate gambit born of necessity and desperation. But even as he tended to his captive, he felt the tendrils of his own inner demons tightening their grip, threatening to drag him down into the abyss. He had brought Drake to his new cabin and the safe room he had installed with Drake in mind, he couldn't keep him in the club much longer without drawing so much attention and potential risk it posed to his plans and newly founded addiction.

Written by @SinsSecondComin.

The night draped over Caldwell like a heavy cloak, suffused with the primal scents of decay and desperation. Rehvenge prowled the labyrinthine streets, a ghost in the darkness, his movements fluid and silent as he navigated the city's underbelly. The neon lights of ZeroSum pulsed like a beacon in the night, casting an ethereal glow that illuminated the damp pavement below, drawing in the lost and the forsaken with its siren call. 

As he approached the club's entrance, the thumping bassline reverberated through his bones, a visceral reminder of the raw energy that thrummed within its walls. The bouncers, mere sentinels in the realm of chaos, nodded in recognition, parting the crowd to allow him passage into the heart of the storm. Inside, the air was thick with a heady mixture of sweat, arousal, and something darker—an unspoken tension that crackled in the atmosphere like electricity. Rehvenge's eyes, twin pools of amethyst flame, swept over the crowd with predatory intent as he wove his way through the throng of bodies. Each patron was a pawn in his game, their desires and motives laid bare before him like pieces on a chessboard. He could feel the tension building, a palpable sense of anticipation that hung heavy in the air like a storm on the horizon. 

Ascending to his office in the upper echelons of ZeroSum, Rehvenge's mind churned with the twisted fantasies that awaited him in the hidden chamber below. In the depths of his depravity, he relished the thought of what was to come, a dark hunger gnawing at the edges of his sanity. For once, he was grateful for Xhex's absence, her absence sparing him the prying eyes of his own security detail. He craved the solitude of his sins, the intimacy of his darkest desires laid bare. 

An addiction had taken hold of him from the moment he laid eyes on Drake, a man destined to pay for sins he had yet to commit. Unlike Slohane, Drake would not have the luxury of salvation at the hands of Rehvenge's allies. No, Drake would face the full wrath of his vengeance, alone and unrepentant.

As Rehvenge approached the hidden safe room within his office, he could feel the anticipation building like a crescendo in his veins. Drake lay bound and helpless upon the cold steel table, a symbol of everything Rehvenge despised. And in that moment, surrounded by the echoes of his own darkness, he knew that there would be no mercy—only the cold embrace of retribution, and the sweet release of his own twisted desires fulfilled.

As Rehvenge stood over Drake, his heart pounding in time with the sickening rhythm of his victim's screams, he felt a surge of raw power course through his veins. The safe room, a chamber of horrors hidden beneath the polished veneer of his office, seemed to pulse with a malevolent energy—a twisted sanctuary where the boundaries of morality blurred and the darkness within him reigned supreme.

The air was heavy with the scent of blood and fear, a metallic tang that clung to the walls like a miasma of despair. Every sound, every whimper and cry, echoed off the soundproof barriers with a chilling clarity, bouncing back to envelop them in a cocoon of torment.

Rehvenge's fingers danced with a macabre grace as he wielded the tools of his trade, each strip of flesh peeled away with a precision that bordered on obsession. Drake's screams, once sharp and piercing, had become a symphony of agony—a cacophony of pain that fueled the fire burning within Rehvenge's soul.

His eyes, once the cool hue of amethyst, blazed with a fiery crimson as he reveled in the exquisite torture of his victim. With each agonized cry, he felt a perverse sense of satisfaction wash over him—a primal urge that drove him ever deeper into the abyss of his own depravity.

But beneath the facade of control, there lurked a darkness that threatened to consume him whole—a gnawing hunger that could never be sated, no matter how deep he delved into the shadows. And as he stood amidst the carnage, bathed in the sickly glow of crimson light, he knew that he had become something more than what his kith and kin saw him as.—something monstrous, something beautiful in its own twisted way. 

As Rehvenge stepped into the scalding embrace of the shower, the hot water cascading over his skin like a cleansing baptism, he felt the weight of his sins bearing down upon him. The echoes of Drake's screams still reverberated in his mind, haunting him like a ghost that refused to be exorcized.

The steam filled the bathroom, swirling around him in a haze of heat and humidity, a veil to shield him from the harsh realities of the world outside. With each drop of water that fell, he could feel the tension in his muscles slowly begin to unravel, the adrenaline-fueled high of his actions giving way to a bone-deep weariness.

Leaning against the tiled wall, he closed his eyes and let out a ragged breath, the events of the night playing out in vivid detail behind his eyelids. The sensation of flesh yielding beneath his touch, the symphony of pain and anguish that had filled the air—it was a tableau of horror that threatened to consume him whole.

But amidst the darkness, there lingered a glimmer of something else—a flicker of doubt, of remorse, that refused to be silenced. For all his power and influence, Rehvenge was still a man haunted by his own demons, tormented by the choices he had made and the lives he had destroyed. As the water continued to cascade down his body, washing away the stains of blood and sin, he couldn't help but wonder what awaited him on the other side of this cleansing ritual. Would he emerge from this baptism reborn, purified of his sins? Or would he remain forever shackled to the darkness that lurked within his soul? 

Written with @Lassiter_SASBDB.

Lassiter: *As the fire alarms went off the doc came out of his office. I’d counted on them getting his attention and it had worked. Staying ghost, I followed the doc into the young Chosen Talia’s room and watched him start to restitch the wound she’d torn open in her jailbreak attempt. When it was obvious she was totally out of it and wasn’t going to get back up and try to make another run for it, I left him to play doctor as I went to watch over Sloahne. Both females had made some damned bad choices and were paying for them now, but I could understand Talia’s. She’d hit her rebellious stage and had even more restrictions and expectations placed on her than a glymera debutante. But Sloahne … man, I just don’t get it. She’d always been secretive, but this? To hook up in some dungeon with a random male was /not/ in character. And to top it off I’d had to take a back seat in finding her. It was frustrating. I’d had more freedom as an angel to nudge and help than I did as a deity. Yeah, yeah … "With great power comes great responsibility." Spiderman can bite me.

Still invisi, I take her hand and whisper into her ear.* Girlfriend, you and I are going to talk when you wake up. You have a future and Ima’ gonna see you make it to it.

*The door creaks as Manny comes in. Still invisi, I step back and lean back against the wall, letting him tend to her. Nobody’s better than the doc, but still, if a little deity-level healing was required to keep her stable, I was in. My eyes narrow as he fills several vials with her blood. She hadn’t wanted him to take any before. Come to think of it, she’d always been weird about the idea of having bloodwork done. Now might be the time to find out why.*

*The doc fussed with her a little more, vitals and crap, and then tucked a sheet over her before heading for the door. With a quick look at Sloahne to be sure she was still sleeping, I followed him out. He shut the damned lab door in my face without realizing it, but pffff, what’s a door? When I’m hiding in plain sight I really am nearly a ghost. I walked through the wall in time to see him set up his tests. It took a little time, and I popped in on Sloahne a few times to be sure she was still ok, but I was still there when the computer finally spit out the results. Manny’s brow furrowed as he looked at the labs, and the look on his face was not one of a doctor who saw what he expected to. That can’t be good. Leaning over his shoulder, still invisible, I looked over the test results. I was no doc, but I’d done my due diligence on the species when I was assigned to Tohr so I could monitor his recovery.

My eyes narrow as I look at the report in the doc’s hand. The red cell count, while elevated by human standards, was within vampire norms. The white cell count was high, but that was to be expected with the fever she was running. But what the hell ...? She had all the normal enzymes a female vamp should have but what was THAT one? My brain worked furiously to ID the extra one that she /shouldn’t have/ and then it hit me. Straightening back up, I demat back to Sloahne’s room immediately. Motherfucker. Now I know what she’s been hiding. Standing beside her, I take her hand and whisper.*

Oh, sweetheart, we gotta talk. And we gotta do it before the doc spills the beans.

*My head jerks up as the door squeaks. The doc walks as I wink out and move my invisible self to the corner. Being covert is the norm for angels and I’d had a lot of practice. I suppose it wouldn’t hurt for Manny to know I was there, but somehow, I think maybe it’s best he doesn’t. I might have to do something drastic and I don’t wanna do a mind wipe on him.*

*I watch as the doc works on Sloahne and I can’t help but wince as he inserts the needle in her arm. I hate fucking needles … but I’ve watched him do it enough to know it’s no big to him. It’s the medical SOP for an unconscious patient. He’s just not ever getting to put one in ME. The bigger concern was the variety of meds he was injecting into the line and the worry radiating off of him. I mean, I try not to read their minds. I do. It’s just bad manners unless it’s in the line of duty, but he’s practically shouting it. And that's not all. He’s thinking about going to Wrath with what the tests revealed. Isn’t that against HIPPA laws? The human Hippocratic Oath? Something. But the guy’s in a bad spot. She’s got no next of kin and the King would have jurisdiction to give permission for procedures and from what I’m reading from him, the infection is damn near out of control. I could heal her. I mean, I’m a deity, and I’ve got the juice, and she’s important to me but … I’m pretty sure doing it to the extent needed would violate the Creator’s mandate about mortal free will and the consequences of it. Damn it, what’s the point of being a deity if you can’t help the people you care about? With great restraint, I manage not to punch the fucking wall and freak out Dr. M, but it's a near thing. There’s gotta be something I can do … wait … I’m a deity but I’m also still an angel, and angel blood is powerful. What runs through my veins isn’t just blood, as humans and vamps think of blood. It’s my essence, my grace. It’s what powers me instead of a soul. He’d thought feeding from any male would help but feeding from this male? It would supercharge her immune system and technically it’s not performing a healing so no issues with the Big Kahuna. I move from the corner to the edge of the bed and materialize with a thought.*

She needs to feed from me.

*The doc’s not the kind to be easily spooked, but I guess seeing an angel just suddenly appear in front of you would cause anybody to jump a little. Still, he gets his professional balance back fast.*

“Your blood might not be compatible with her. Human blood doesn’t provide much of a boost to vampires. I don’t know if it’s just a species difference or if we’re lower on the evolutionary scale, but we don’t have what it takes. I get you’re not human, but you’re not a vampire either.

*Cocking an eyebrow at Dr. M’s skepticism over my “qualifications” as a blood donor.*

I’m an angel, doc. *Deity, but we won’t quibble about details.* It’s not just blood. It’s grace. It’s what makes an angel an angel. And it will supercharge her mortal immune system and speed up her healing.

Sloahne: <My body feels as heavy as a damn SUV sitting on my chest. What the fuck was going on with me? The last thing I remember is Lassiter catching me and the girl in the garage thwarting our escape. Damn the Angel. I hear soft footsteps around me and some beeping from a machine. Taking a deep breath I smell antiseptic, a little bitter, with undertones of the artificial fragrance contained in soaps and cleaners. Fuck, I’m back inside the hospital room. I slowly try and open my eyes but they feel so damn heavy with fatigue as if I was asleep for days. How long have I been out?

As the light finally filters into my view, a figure in a white coat moves back and forth monitoring the machines and starting to touch me and check my vitals.> Hey doctor … what happened?

Lassiter: Sloahne….

*Doc M steps in between us, giving me “the look” as he takes her hand.*  

“Making a run for it wasn’t your best idea. You passed out. Your wounds are infected. You’re running a high fever and your white count is nearly off the charts. I’m worried about septic shock setting in. It could be fatal. I’ve got meds we can try to get the infection under control, but,” the doc shakes his head, “this is new territory for me. Vampires aren’t prone to severe infections, in my experience. I consulted with #Havers after I did the bloodwork and he tells me human antibiotics run from minimally effective to useless. The most common treatment is to have you feed, but against infection, it may or may not work, even with the antibiotics.”

*Impatiently I interrupt and grab the doc by the shoulder, making space for myself at Sloahne’s bedside. Warningly, I glance at him.*

She needs to feed. From me. Now.

*Focusing on Sloahne, I kneel my 6’ 9” self down beside the bed.*

What I’ve got is high octane and it’ll stay with you.  

*Fangs I’d not used in an eon descend and I score my wrist, blue-tinged silver grace flowing like blood from the cuts. The liquid welling from the fang punctures drips and leaves a bluish cast on the sheets.*

C’mon, sweetheart, *coaxingly.* Take your medicine like a good little female. Drink. You’ll feel better after you do. You've been through a lot but trust me, everything will be alright. *Lifting my wrist to her lips.* But drink now.

Sloahne: <Feeling the warm elixir of blood hit my tongue, my body decided it was time to feed. I feel my canines lower as they pierced the skin of the male offering me his blood. At my first swallow, I felt a rush of adrenaline like no other I have ever experienced. It was like what I think humans feel when humans take a hit of cocaine. I instantly opened my eyes to the bright lights above my hospital bed. I could feel my wounds heal immediately and the soreness and aches disappear instantaneously. It felt amazing and yet so surreal.

I never realized how much pain I was carrying all this time … not just from my capture and imprisonment but just how much I was carrying on my shoulders in life. My body felt so free and lightweight as if all my troubles were gone forever.

Before long, however, I felt gentle fingers tapping my face as if an indication that I had enough. Which I’m sure I have, but this blood was so addicting it was very difficult. I forced myself to stop knowing my wounds were healed and I didn’t need anymore.>

Lassiter: *As she fed, bruises disappeared, going through the normal transition of colors in seconds. The odor that always accompanies infection, no matter how hard a medic works at keeping it at bay, vanishes. I can’t see beneath the bandages without invoking deity power but I can feel her pain dissipate. I’ve never seen Dr. M’s jaw drop before but it does now. The heart beep on the monitor starts to speed up abruptly and he looks alarmed. He puts his hand on me and tries to pull me back, but he might as well try to move a mountain with his bare hands.*

“You have to stop! Her heart can’t sustain this.”

*My eyes never leave Sloahne as I answer,*

It’s normal. My blood is spurring rapid healing but it’s not magick, at least not as humans think of magick. Her body still has to do some of the work, so it’s going to respond like an adrenaline burst. Her BP is up a little, but not enough to stroke out and her heart rate is no higher than if she was running a race. *Or having an orgasm, but we won’t go there.* It won’t last beyond the time it takes her to feed.

*Her gentle feeding has become more aggressive now. She’s got the rush from it. If she needed it I’d let her continue a little longer, but she doesn’t. Her body’s healed and her brain is experiencing the euphoria that accompanies the rush. I lightly tap my fingers on her cheek to get her attention.*

It’s enough, babe. Let go.  

*I can feel her now, feel her reluctance to stop, and the effort of will it takes from her as she does. She’s part of me now. Feeding from a vampire male would enable her to be able to find that male for some months afterward, but it doesn’t work like that with angel blood. Yeah, she’ll be able to find me if she needs me but it will last her lifetime and it’s a two-way street with angel blood. And I’ll always know where she is and what she’s feeling. What I gave her forged a lifetime connection to her. It’s going to take some work for me to be able to block her off, but I’ll get it done. It would be an invasion of her privacy not to. And, to be honest, mine as well. As she releases my wrist, she looks up at me. There’s a sparkle in the depths of those dark brown eyes that has nothing to do with mortal mischievousness. It’s the reflection of my grace running through her. Over time it will tone down but there will always be flashes of it now. I lift my wrist and lick the wounds shut myself. She’s still too high to think of it and I expected that.*

Angel blood does more than rev up the healing process. It affects the pleasure centers in a vampire’s brain to the point we can become an addiction. *Glancing over at the doc.* So the fact I can do this doesn’t leave this room. I can’t do it for the Brothers, they’d need a female angel, and I won’t do it for anything less than life and death. It creates a lifelong connection between me and the patient. One that could be dangerous. So the benefit of doing it has to outweigh the cost. It did today.  Now I need you to give us the room. *He looks at me stubbornly.*

“I want a blood sample. Maybe I can analyze it and isolate the healing properties. If I can negate the sex differentiation and void the connection aspect I might come up with something that I can use for extreme injuries.”

*I shake my head.*

Not happening. It’s not just blood, doc, it's GRACE. It’s what makes an angel an angel. The equipment you’d need to even analyze it doesn’t exist and you don’t have the words for what you’d see if it did. Now. The room. Please.

*He grumbles as he shuts off the monitors and turns to go but I ignore that.* And Doctor Manolo?

*The formal address is cold, colder than I’ve ever been with any of them since I came to the manse. It stops him in his tracks but I want him to know I’m invoking his professional ethics and that I’m not just that goofy, annoying angel that’s always hanging around. I’m a being of power. The power I’ll use if I have to.*

What you saw on that blood work report? That stays in this room, too. Sloahne’s awake and perfectly capable of making her own decisions. Wrath doesn’t need to become involved unless SHE wants him to be. Got it?  

*His eyes narrow. He’s a male that doesn’t intimidate easily, if at all, but he got the message. He nods and leaves, shutting the door a little harder than necessary. I turn my attention back to Sloahne and drag a chair over to the bedside. Touching the bed controls to raise the head so we can be pretty much eye-to-eye, I begin.*

Okay, little one. We need to talk.

Sloahne: <I’ve never felt better in my entire life as I did at the moment with the Angel’s blood running through me but my elation comes to an abrupt halt as I finally tune into Lassiter’s conversation with the human doctor.

Fuck!!??!! He took my blood? He knows! That I also run with Chosen blood as well as the blood of a Brother which makes me cattle. Goddammit. As the humans say. I’m defining FUBAR now. But then I hear the deadly tone of the Angel’s warning. Is he evoking the doctor’s Hippocratic oath on him? Hope rises as I hope he remembered his ethical standards.

But as the doctor leaves and leaves me alone with my savior … I realize that means the Angel knows too. Damn it.>

About what?

<I’m going to try and deflect this whole thing, I’m not really to admit that I belong to the Scribe Virgin her league prison of breeders and slaves. My mind searching for different escape routes while I stall.>

Lassiter: *My eyes narrow and my mouth becomes a grim line*

Ok, so if you want to play it that way, then we will. I saw the blood work report and I’m capable of understanding it. I know your secret. The question isn’t are you going to tell me? I already know. The question is do you trust me?

*I’m getting pissed now. Sloahne is someone I care about. She’s like family, if I actually had one, and she’s treating me like the enemy. *

I just saved your fucking life and NOT because of what I saw on that report. I did it because I care about you. I did it because my allegiance isn’t just to Wrath. It’s to the species both as a whole and as individuals, which means you. And I did it because I’m more than you think I am. So, do you trust me enough to talk to me? And don’t think about bailing on me. I know you are, but there’s no place I can’t find you now. That little infusion of grace you just took in makes everything a whole new ballgame. We need to talk about that, too.

Sloahne: <I bit my lip as I was properly chastised. I knew he was right. But it’s been hundreds of years of hiding and keeping my secret that it was difficult after all this time lying to him. Granted I didn’t lie exactly … but there had been lots of omitting the truth.>

I … um … <Sighs deeply.> I’ve been hiding something sorta important, I guess. I’m the child of a Brother and … a Chosen.

<I slowly and painfully admitted.>

I left the Old Country and immigrated to the New World when my mahmen attempted to arrange for me to marry an aristocrat from the glymera, Some sexist, privileged male who believed females should be kept at home. Before entering the Fade, my papa always taught me that a woman is worth more than just being the head of her household. Unfortunately, the Scribe Virgin's ways were still used to guide my mahmen, a Chosen to the core. We never saw eye to eye.

<So here I am in a hospital bed knowing my past has finally caught up with me and I’ll end up serving the Scribe Virgin to be receptacles for The Brotherhood … to be a Chosen, whose only existence was to be fed, bred, and fucked. Fuck me. What am I going to do now?>

Written by @Vishous_SASBDB.

*I’m sitting in front of all the Toys watching my family go about their day’s routines, Beth and Wrath with LW, Rhage and Mary having a movie date. Watching the doggen go around dancing as they clean, so happy to do anything around the manse for us. Anything to serve our needs. I sit here waiting for the time to go by, I know she is here as I am feeling her. I know she’s close by in the training facilities medical ward. I know she’s safe. Why, then, am I feeling like she is far away? 

I scan the monitors. I hit the one for the training facility. I see her walking in the halls. I want to go to her, help her in any way I can, but I know she is afraid that he’s coming back. Drake. I should have taken him out when I could. I should have killed him and let the sun have him. As I watch her, I long to go to her. I need to contain myself. I see her going up and down the halls, Then I see her go into another room.* What is she up too? *I murmur as I continue to watch. I see two females come out and straight to the exit.* NO! No, no, no, no. Fuck me, what the hell are you thinking female! You cannot leave, you can’t leave the mhis. He can find you if you leave this property. *As I see both females going, I jump up and start to head down to the med center. I have to stop them, one is still hurt pretty bad and Drake cannot find her here. I start to fly down the halls, running like I’ve never run before, trying to get where I need to be to stop them and help them. 

Then everything goes black. With a shocked feeling my body starts to shake, then when I open my eyes I can see him. I see Drake and he has Sloahne. Her skin light, her dark hair.

She’s tied up against a bedpost with her back to him. I see the cat-o-nine tails ... he’s whipping her, red streaks going down her back with each lash her body shakes and tightens. It isn’t for foreplay, it’s for punishment. For her escape. Her blood starts to leak out and slowly runs down her back. As I look closer I see her tattoo ... I cannot tell if it’s not real or not, but I know Sloahne has one. I know she was just here, she still has to be here. As I concentrate harder on looking, I can see her as she writhes in pain. I strain and look harder, I can see her now, I see her through his eyes. He takes the punishing deeper,  taking  the handcuffs and pulling them up over her head and making her tiptoe, and if she rests her feet, the metal cuts into her skin and leaves red rings while she screams in pain. When she goes down again this time it cuts into her hands.

She had blood running slowly down her arms and down her back. She slowly turns her head to plead for mercy and as she looks I can see her eyes are an emerald green. It’s not her! Sloahne’s eyes are chocolate brown. She is still here, safe at the Brotherhood manse. My head jerks back and starts to pound. No, this needs to stop before she leaves. I run down to the medical center, racing as I make my way through the halls. Passing through doors as they slam shut behind me, I make my way to the parking garage, Looking everywhere I come to a quick stop and grab my head while it throbs.

I turn around and shake my head as I hear voices, I look and see Lass talking to them, Whew, they are heading back to the med center. They should be fine now. I need to talk to her, let her know what he will do to her if she leaves. She needs to stay. I have to talk to her and let her know his plans for her if she leaves. She. Has. To. Stay.