Royal Bought: Lukeâs Arc (Ileanaâs Chapters)
Masterlist
Chapters #6 up to #11 (planned, but may fluctuate when writing) contain a temporary lady whumper during Lukeâs arc. Despite not being his main whumper, I understand the inclusion of lady whump may be uncomfortable for some readers. But itâs only temporary, so hereâs a summary of everything important that happened during these chapters so you donât have to read them. You can carry on from #12 as normal afterwards.
Note: with each new chapter, Iâll update this post for anyone who needs it.
đChapter #6
Here we meet four new characters, the stars of Ileanaâs Girls. Luke meets three humans girls, named Lillia, Brooke, and Cali. Ileana is the vampire thatâll be (kindly) taking of care of him for the time being and preparing him for the auction.
Lillia, Brooke and Cali take Luke into the bathroom to get him cleaned and dressed in some new clothes. His old ones are discarded of, but Lillia kindly lets him keep his necklace after he refuses to let go of it.
We get a snippet of Lukeâs appearance: â...his locks were still damp, black and twirly, sticking to his forehead slightly. Forest green eyes shimmered slightly under the bright lights. Even though his skin had been scrubbed clean, right down to the bone, it still retained its light almond colour.â
â¤ď¸â𩹠Chapter #7
Luke is forced to his room to rest with a display of Ileanaâs powers, which he notices are much more powerful than Justinianâs.
Escorted by Lillia and Brooke, he makes note of the mention of a pureblood.
Upon waking up once again, Lillia is the one who greets him with food, medicine and water. Luke refuses to take the medicine, drinks the water, and eats a plate of pancakes for the first time.
By using Lilliaâs kindness against her, he tricks her into opening a bedroom window, before carefully knocking her out and using the window as his getaway.
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Royal Bought #7: Thorns and Roses
previous ¡ masterlist
content warnings: vampire whump, lady whumper, multiple lady whumpees, conditioned whumpees, defiant whumpee, hypnosis, manhandling,
Luke gently ran a hand over the front of his shirt, feeling the outline of the necklace there against his palm, completely hidden. Lillia gently buttoned up the last button, her eyes flitting up to his for a moment, before she stepped backwards.
He wanted to thank her again, his heart twisting slightly from the relief, but it went unspoken.
With Lillia leading the way, he was taken back to Ileana, who seemed to have seated herself at the wooden desk, her intense eyes pinning Luke to the spot as soon as he crossed the threshold.
âWeâre finished, my Lady,â Lillia smiled sweetly, and Ileana rose to her feet, smoothly and gracefully, coming towards them. Luke steeled himself to the ground, watching as those pointy fingers gently carressed the bottom of Lilliaâs chin, almost making her purr.
âThank you, my darlings,â she cooed, giving Luke a slow once over. He was suddenly aware of how heavy his necklace was on his collarbone. The girls didnât seem worried. Ileanaâs lips spread into a sly smile, stepping up close to him and invading his space. She seemed to anticipate that he would take a step back, because her long, slender fingers suddenly snapped to his jaw, keeping him still. The sharp fingernails dug into his flesh, and he bit back a painful hiss.
âMuch better,â she hummed, jerking his head to the side and inspecting him. The pointy nails were going to leave crescent shaped dents on his skin, he was sure. âYou look far more appealing when youâre not caked in dirt, arenât you?â
Luke huffed through gritted teeth, face twisted into a snarl. He tried to say something, demand she get her filthy hands off him, but her grasp just tightened, squishing his cheeks. It was like he was a child, and humiliation and resent stabbed at his chest.
âAh, ah,â Ileana purred, her eyes narrowing. âI have plenty of other humans to take care of before the end of the day. Why donât you be a good boy and get some rest? Iâm sure itâll be much easier to take everything in if youâre well rested.â
Luke gave another sharp grunt, twisting his fingers into her wrist in some attempt to get her hands off him. The pressure was making his jaw throb, like it might snap out of place, blinking back the automatic tears that stung his eyes. He could feel his neck being forced into place, twisted up at an awkward angle, and it was hard for him to look anywhere but her eyes. When he screwed his shut, Ileana gave him a hard tug. A gasp tore from his throat at the stinging pain, eyes flying open.
âI said,â the vampire murmured, and Luke was suddenly falling through tunnels of blinding red. âWhy donât you be a good boy, and get some rest?â
Lukeâs breath was suddenly caught in his throat, and when Ileanaâs fingers released him, he found he couldnât quite look away. His head was going all fuzzy and heavy, his thoughts were battling for control, and his expression, wide eyed and tightened, was staring up at her. Ileana leaned forward, flashing her fangs as she smiled. He couldnât even move back.
âThatâs right,â she cooed, her voice dripping with honey. It felt like it was wrapping Luke up snugly, coiling him against her whim. âI am sure itâs been such an exhausting day for you. All you should focus on is getting some sleep. Anything of importance will be discussed later.â
This wasnât anything like Justinianâs compulsion. This was all consuming, sinking into each limb and each shred of muscle, making them completely hers. He didnât want to believe her, knew that she shouldnât, but all he could think about right now was the comforting embrace of sleep. How heavy he felt. How exhausted his mind was.
Her silver hair fell past her shoulders as she brushed her hand through his own hair, the feeling tugging at something in his brain. Telling him to obey, telling him this was right. The hand slid to his cheek, and Luke didnât even realise he was leaning into the touch. Ileanaâs vibrant eyes flickered across his face for a moment, as if studying him, but she leaned back, satisfied.
Luke could only remain stood where he was, planting to the spot. He was surprised he wasnât swaying with her snake-like movement.
âItâs refreshing to feel someone try and fight it,â Ileana hummed absentmindely, sweeping a hand under her chin as she glanced towards the three girls, all of them swiftly looking away, as if they hadnât been intrigued by Lukeâs reaction to the compulsion. Maybe they were expecting him to break out of it. He was trying, he really was.
âLillia, Brooke.â The two girls lifted their heads obediently. âCould you take him to a room, please? Straight to bed.â
They both nodded their heads, and Ileana stepped back to her desk, letting her girls deal with the rest. The blonde stopped in front of Luke, his vision all fuzzy and his eyelids droopy. His mind could only just process the feeling of her gently taking his hand, and Brooke guiding him by the shoulder. His feet seemed to move smoothly, effortlessly, as if he wasnât controlling them at all.
Well, he supposed he wasnât.
His tongue felt too heavy to say anything, and everything was spinning instead.
Beside him, Brooke shifted. Lillia was still holding his hand, helping to guide him through the corridors. Her brows furrowed.
âLilliaâŚâ She murmured, and the blonde girl looked at her, blinking her eyelashes. She tilted her head in curiosity, then glanced down to their hands. She unlinked them, pink lip twitching with a subtle smile.
âSorry,â she breathlessly answered, her eyes switching to Luke. She slowed a little, making sure his pace was consistent. âHe can still walk okay, right?â
Of course I can, Luke wanted to say. Nothing came out. Their conversation was a little fuzzy, and hard to follow when all he wanted to do was drop down on something soft and sleep all of this grogginess away. Brooke hummed, staring at him.
âYes,â she finally said, shifting her hand from his shoulder. âI suppose heâs not used to a purebloodâs compulsion. I donât think Iâve ever seen anyone fall under it so quickly. Not even you.â
Lillia blushed, her brows furrowing in embarrassment. âThatâs different.â
They turned a corner.
âWell, regardless,â Brooke continued, but there was still a hint of amusement in her tone. They stopped by a door, and Lillia fished for a key of sorts, inserting it into the lock. She gave it a hard twist, and it creaked open. Luke felt like he was hit with vertigo when they finally stepped inside. âIt must have been some life. Living out there, I mean.â
It was a bedroom, it seemed. Not too large, but extravagantly filled. If Luke had been in his right mind, he might have taken a moment to observe. Instead, he felt an overwhelming tug towards the bed, Ileanaâs silky voice weaving between all of his thoughts again. There was a moment of silence, before Lillia spoke. Her voice, this time, was a breathless whisper.
âOh, Brooke,â she murmured. âI feel sorry for him.â
âLillia, come on,â Brooke sighed. âWeâve tended to so many other humans before this. Why are you so upset?â
Their words were fuzzy, going in and out. He could barely follow it.
âBecauseâŚâ She paused, her mouth pressing into a thin line. âOut there, it was probably safe, right? He could have lived a life without having to deal with all of this. We got lucky and yetâŚthe things that we went through. What you went through. Out of everyone, he could have been the closest to ever living a normal life out there. How often do you even think he saw a vampire?â
Lukeâs chest stabbed once, then twice. The realisation of this conversation was going to barrel into him in the morning. Whenever that was - Luke didnât even know what time it was right now.
âShould I feel guilty?â Lillia continued, her voice breathless. âDo I even have that right when weâve done this to so many other humans?â
Brooke suddenly cut in. âDonât let Ileana hear you saying things like that.â
âSheâs been too distracted with Cali,â the blonde murmured softly under her breath, tucking some of her hair behind her ear. Brookeâs eyes didnât falter from hers, until suddenly, she was smiling slightly.
âOur Lady has her attention elsewhere, and so you move your interests towards the first guy you see?â She teases, her smile suddenly becoming coy. âAnd you say Iâm the jealous one.â
Lilliaâs cheeks went bright red. âItâs not like that. I just want to know more about whatâs out there. About him. Thatâs all.â
Luke felt a faint touch on his arm, and just like that, everything was a blur again. His thoughts didnât even register it this time, lost in the fuzzy sensations that were engulfing him. He felt something comforting beneath him, making him sink further under. He wanted to open his mouth, wanted to say something, but nothing was working. There must have been a slurred murmur on his tongue, because Lillia suddenly paused, grasping the bedsheets.
She glanced at Brooke. âHeâs fighting it.â
âIt wonât matter,â the other girl simply responded, tugging the bed sheets up instead. âHeâll just have a headache in the morning. Letâs hurry back.â
Lukeâs curls splayed out on the pillow, his eyelids fluttering. Lillia and Brooke were simply two blobs in his vision now, fading into a black void as his mind slipped away, drifting off into a peaceful, undisturbed slumber. He didnât even hear the door close.
. . .
Luke did have something of a headache when he woke up.
He didnât know how long it had been, but ironically, it was almost as though heâd slept like the dead. Tingles reverberated in his skull as his eyes fluttered open, almost on command. He was lay flat on his back, seemingly just how heâd been left, the soft sheets cool and comfortable over his body.
Lukeâs hand flew up to his temple, giving it a tense massage.
Regardless of the tingling sensation through his skull, Luke hated to admit how refreshed he felt. It was almost like the perfect sleep, and it irked him to know heâd been sleeping away so easily while Ten was somewhere out there all alone.
As if on a schedule, there was a click from the door.
The lock, Luke realised, lifting his head to watch as it swung open, and Lillia stepped inside. She was balancing a tray on her hand, a sweet smile spread across her face. Her hair was styled today, curling slightly at the bottom, half up and half down. Luke must have had a scowl on his face when she approached, because her smile faltered a little bit.
âDid you sleep alright?â She asked, placing the tray down on the bedside table with a small clatter. There was a plate of food, something foreign to Luke, and a glass of water. He eyed it wearily, sitting up. âYou may have a headache.â
âIâm fine,â he grumbled, feeling the pleasant stretch in his back as he straightened up. No pain. It was as if the sleep had completely rejuvenated him. Lillia was watching curiously, and also knowingly, eager to get her two cents in.
âI love sleeping under compulsion,â she giggled, as if she could read his mind. Luke sent her a hard look. âI feel amazing when I wake up. I donât get nightmares like Brooke, but I still ask my Lady. Sheâs always happy to oblige.â
Lukeâs mouth was dry. âRight. Your Lady.â
Ileana - if the silver haired vampire was going to compel him into behaving, then Luke needed to get out of here as swiftly as possible. At least with Silas, there was some petty arrogance in being able to deal with any physical beating he threw his way. Heâd hated the feeling of losing all of that power, so much more consuming and powerful that Justinianâs had been.
He recalled something one of the girls had said - a pureblood. Luke was out of his depth when it came to the intricacies of vampires. He didnât even know a pureblood was a thing, or what it meant. Though, he could guess turning wasnât the only way to create a vampire.
âCan I have some water?â He asked, pointing to the glass. Lillia winced, nodding her head as she collected herself. Sheâd been staring at him again.
âOf course,â she smiled, handing him the glass. She went back to the tray again. âI have some medicine for your headache, too.â
Luke took a sip. It was cool and refreshing on his dry tongue. âIâm not taking medicine.â
âBut itâll help.â
âIâm not taking it,â he firmly repeated, and Lillia flinched back. A silence spread through the room as he drank his fill, eyes flickering over to the food. The blonde looked a little fidgety now, and Luke suddenly regretted snapping the way he had done. A quiet sigh slipped past his lips.
âWhatâs that?â
Motioning to the food, he watched as Lillia followed it, her eyes brightening back up again.
âThatâs right,â she beamed, giggling softly. âYou have probably never seen something like this, have you?â
She carefully plucked the tray up, placing it on his lap. It was warm through the duvet, almost pleasant would it not be for his current situation. He had been ready to protest, but begrudgingly clamped his mouth shut after feeling a sting of regret for snapping at her when none of this was her fault. He made a disgruntled noise, but didnât protest. Lillia looked almost pleased to tell him all about the food, which Luke stared at with hard eyes. It was circular shaped, steam rising from the surface. Something golden and thick was smothered all over it, glistening over the spongy substance.
Luke frowned hard.
âTheyâre pancakes,â Lillia giggled, observing his expression with glee. âJust try them.â
Luke didnât protest when the fork was pushed into his hand, the knife in the other. After a moment of, as Lillia claimed, etiquette, since apparently it would be messy to eat with his hands, he was cutting into a small bit along the edge, soft and easy to glide along the blade of the knife. The girl suggested scooping up some syrup, she called it, and so he did.
He eased it into his mouth. Luke wasnât exactly worried about poison; if they wanted him dead, he would be dead already. No, he was here for something far worse.
The first thing he noticed was the taste. His jaw instantly stilled, nose wrinkling slightly. It was an overpowering taste, and he promptly stared at Lillia, who looked like she was struggling to hold in a laugh behind her hand. She snorted, her eyes crinkling with a laugh as he continued to slowly chew. It was like paste, a little soggy with the syrup, and so sweet.
âIt has a lot of sugar,â Lillia giggled, trying to get herself together. A part of him might be able to forget heâd been kidnapped by vampires if Lillia was by his side. âThe syrup is a little sickly. Youâre just not used to it.â
Luke prodded the sponge. It wasnât bad - just not what he was used to.
âYou need to eat, though,â she continued, having calmed herself down a little bit now. She tucked some hair behind her ear. âMy Lady wants you to be as healthy as possible.â
âItâsâŚâ He took another bite. âWhat is this?â
âPancakes,â Lillia smiled. âTheyâre very nice. You can have them with all sorts of toppings. Maybe I shouldnât have started with syrup.â
Luke grunted. He tried scraping as much of the syrup off as possible, before continuing to eat. Even if it didnât taste amazing, his body was clawing at any chance to get some food into his stomach. He wondered just how much food the kingdom had access to when his people had been starving out in barren lands. Absentmindedly, his eyes trailed to the window.
âCan you do me a favour?â He began, glancing at Lillia as he ate. The girlâs spine straightened, beaming from head to toe.
âHappy to help.â
He motioned to the window. âThe window.â
Lillia followed his gaze, rubbing her hands together. âYou would like some fresh air?â
Her voice was a little tight, her throat bobbing. She looked back towards Luke, her blue eyes softening with that same look of sympathy again. A part of him recalled the conversation she and Brooke had had when he was under Ileanaâs compulsion. Lillia and the others served their âLadyâ like obedient pets, helping to prepare their own kind to be sold off to the same creatures that enslaved them too. Luke doubted she didnât have a choice, but she seemed rather complacent in her role.
âYes,â he answered. He paused, adding a small: âPlease?â
The girl rubbed her neck. It seemed like the windows were meant to be kept locked shut, otherwise she wouldn't be hesitating as much as she was. After a few quiet moments, she seemed to relent. Judging by the fact she had let him keep his necklace, Luke had been expecting it.
âAlright,â she nodded. âThough, we must make a leave when youâre finished eating. My Lady is feeding, but she expects us to be on time.â
Luke dismissively nodded her head. Finished with his plate, Lillia leaned forward to take it, placing it on the bedside table once more. She watched him as he slipped out of bed, feeling a little fuzzy headed as he rose to his feet. His socked feet hit the floor, taking a moment to steady himself. Once Lillia deemed him okay to stand, she began moving over to the window, one that she opened with a key attached to a necklace around her neck. She eased it back under her clothes once done, as Luke silently picked up one of the silk napkins (was it a handkerchief? Luke didnât care to know), cradling it in his palm.
Lillia unlatched the window, huffing as she pushed it upwards. Lukeâs eyes darted to the door, murmuring a silent apology under his breath as he pressed the cloth over her mouth and nose, pulling her back against him. Lilliaâs squeal was swallowed by his hand, her scared flails pinned by Lukeâs other arm as he kept her close, preventing her from making too much noise.
He wanted to tell her he was sorry for knocking her out like this, but he didnât want to say anything that the vampires, especially Ileana, might overhear. He was probably pushing his luck thinking he could do this without being caught. Lillia went under more swiftly than he had expected, her body going limp within a few minutes. He ever so gently set her down on the floor, her face relaxed and eyes closed. He made sure she was still breathing properly, setting her down modestly on her back.
Luke felt bad, but his survival was paramount. He had an eleven year old kid to look for. Stepping up towards the window, he leaned out, taking in the ground below him. It was clear, as far as he could see. He felt confidence spark in his chest as he swung his legs over, determined to make a swift getaway.
Everything Tag List: @whumpatize-me-captain @whump-me-all-night-long @softvampirewhump @d-cs @suspicious-whumping-egg @sapphirechao @sparrowsage @excessive-vampires @thecyrulik
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Iâm just thinking about a vampire hunter who lost their arm. They replace it with a prosthetic one made out of silver. Imagining the pain when they grab a vampire, or pin them down by their neck while their skin burns under the silver and thereâs nothing they can do because it hurts so much. Fingers desperately trying to find something other than the arm to grab onto to try and pry them off.
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Royal Bought: Lukeâs Arc (Ileanaâs Chapters)
Masterlist
Chapters #6 up to #11 (planned, but may fluctuate when writing) contain a temporary lady whumper during Lukeâs arc. Despite not being his main whumper, I understand the inclusion of lady whump may be uncomfortable for some readers. But itâs only temporary, so hereâs a summary of everything important that happened during these chapters so you donât have to read them. You can carry on from #12 as normal afterwards.
Note: with each new chapter, Iâll update this post for anyone who needs it.
đChapter #6
Here we meet four new characters, the stars of Ileanaâs Girls. Luke meets three humans girls, named Lillia, Brooke, and Cali. Ileana is the vampire thatâll be (kindly) taking of care of him for the time being and preparing him for the auction.
Lillia, Brooke and Cali take Luke into the bathroom to get him cleaned and dressed in some new clothes. His old ones are discarded of, but Lillia kindly lets him keep his necklace after he refuses to let go of it.
We get a snippet of Lukeâs appearance: â...his locks were still damp, black and twirly, sticking to his forehead slightly. Forest green eyes shimmered slightly under the bright lights. Even though his skin had been scrubbed clean, right down to the bone, it still retained its light almond colour.â
â¤ď¸â𩹠Chapter #7
Luke is forced to his room to rest with a display of Ileanaâs powers, which he notices are much more powerful than Justinianâs.
Escorted by Lillia and Brooke, he makes note of the mention of a pureblood.
Upon waking up once again, Lillia is the one who greets him with food, medicine and water. Luke refuses to take the medicine, drinks the water, and eats a plate of pancakes for the first time.
By using Lilliaâs kindness against her, he tricks her into opening a bedroom window, before carefully knocking her out and using the window as his getaway.
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Royal Bought: Pretty Girls #6
previous ¡ masterlist
content warnings: vampire whump, non-human whumper, defiant whumpee, captivity, human auctions, non-sexual nudity, lady whumper, multiple lady whumpees, conditioned whumpees
Luke tried not to focus on the hand digging into his forearm, being pulled along the corridors to their new destination. He wondered if this was going to be a recurring thing; dragged off somewhere new to suffer another long winded conversation about how frivolous it was to escape.Â
How ridiculous.Â
Luke wished none of this was happening. He let his mind wander, falling into the crashing waves of his thoughts, barely even recognising where they were going. He was sure theyâd climbed up another floor, and wondered just how hugely vast this place was.Â
Eventually, they stopped on what seemed to be a much more quiet floor. Silas didnât speak a word to him the entire way up, and for that, Luke was actually quite grateful. It was filled with quite a few doors, spaced out amongst each other, but Silas eventually stopped in front of one, and he pushed the door open.Â
âIleana,â he called out, making sure to give Luke a hard tug so he came inside. âThis oneâs for you.âÂ
Lukeâs eyes adjusted to the new room for a brief moment. It was much bigger than Silvanâs, it seemed, filled with a desk and more personal decorations like paintings and mirrors on the walls. On the couch, Luke found himself staring at a beautiful vampire, having turned her head aside to glance at Silas he wandered inside.Â
She seemed tall, even when seated, one slender leg thrown over the other, and long, silky silver hair that trailed down her back. Her eyes were narrowed and pointed, giving Luke a very obvious once over when Silas gave him a firm shake. Beside her, there seemed to be a blonde girl - human. She had been giggling softly when the door opened, almost leaning into Ileanaâs side, but at the sight of them, she quickly shot to her feet and scurried off.Â
Ileana removed her arm from the back of the couch, twisting her body straight so she was facing them, and a thin smile spreading across those pink lips. Luke watched the blonde join what seemed to be two other girls at the wall, standing obediently. She sneaked a glance at Luke, her expression slightly embarrassed.Â
He almost felt like heâd walked in on something he shouldnât have.Â
âSilas,â Ileana purred, her voice like dripping honey. It was enough for Lukeâs gaze to snap over to her again. She even seemed to sit with an air of grace and poise, stiffening when her eyes briefly flickered over to him. âI thought the girls werenât due for another half an hour.âÂ
Silas gave a disgruntled huff. âNo. But as you can see, this is no girl. Heâs yours. The one they picked up outside our territory.âÂ
He gave him a harsh shove from his shoulder blades, and humiliation burned at his cheeks, gritting his teeth together sharply. Ileanaâs fox-like eyes almost seemed to gleam in curiosity at the words, humming softly to herself. He felt like he was being stripped down under her gaze.Â
âGoodness,â she sighed, the sound like something was melting on her tongue, and Luke shifted uncomfortably. âItâs been so long since Iâve had a male with such high quality blood. If Iâd known, I would have made sure to remind my girls to behave. Isnât that right, Lillia?âÂ
Ileanaâs gaze pounced on the blonde girl, who, when Luke hesitantly followed, noticed that she had been sneaking glances at him from under her light blonde eyelashes. Her eyes widened, tearing them away from Luke and towards the vampire, lifting her head up jerkily.Â
âYes, my Lady,â she stammered, clenching her hands together in front of her tightly. She bowed her head, and this time, her eyes refused to wander anywhere but the spotless carpet she was now fixated on. Ileanaâs lip curved into an amused smile, turning back to Silas.Â
âYou can leave now,â she spoke, her voice a little firmer. âI will take it from here.âÂ
The vampire didnât bother to respond, just nodded his head an inch, and Luke was greeted by the sound of the door clicking shut from behind him. He suddenly felt very out of place, but before he could fix his gaze on the vampire once more, she had moved from her casual position on the couch within seconds, standing far too close to him.Â
Luke bit back a surprised curse, having to crane his neck up to look at her face. She was incredibly tall, almost dwarfing him in size. It made her much more intimidating as she circled him, her fingers tugging on his clothes as she went.Â
âYouâre filthy,â she tutted, giving a hard yank on the sleeve of Lukeâs jacket. When he went to jerk it away, she meticulously manouvered and pinched his ear, getting a look at his hair. âAnd your clothes, goodness. This wonât do at all.âÂ
Luke grit his teeth as she gave his arm another pinch, judging the heap of clothes on his body. He wrenched his arm away from her, face twisted into a snarl. âGet off.âÂ
Ileanaâs eyes shimmered. âOh, and a temper, too. I suppose thatâs to be expected, though.âÂ
Her long, silver hair swished along her back as she turned, moving like silk in water. It was almost as if the air around her was filled with grace, her chin always jutted high to display her presence. Her eyelashes fluttered as she spoke.Â
âGirls,â she cooed, her voice taking on a different tone than what sheâd been talking to Luke with. It almost melted with a soft sultriness, and their heads lifted up eagerly. âPlease bathe him, and prepare some spare clothes.âÂ
There was a chorus of âyes, my Ladyââs from them, and Luke almost stuttered on a retort. âBathe?âÂ
Ileana gave a fang-like smile. âYouâre under my jurisdiction, and I wonât have you wearing those rags. Would you rather I force you, dear? Because you know I can, and that will only be more humiliating for you.âÂ
Lukeâs cheeks went pink, grinding his teeth together. There wasnât anything wrong with his rags; just because he didnât wear such pretentious, high quality outfits didnât mean they werenât doing the same job. He begrudgingly glanced towards the girls, the blonde one, Lillia, having come towards him while the other two stepped through a door, leading into what Luke could only assume was a lucious, en-suite bathroom.Â
âThis way, please,â Lillian quietly spoke, keeping her eyes down and her hands clasped in front of her. After having been called out by Ileana, she didnât seem to want to risk getting called out a second time. Luke felt sorry for them, forced to bend to the will of this vampire like slaves.Â
He gave the silver haired vampire one last glance, before relenting. At least this way, he might be able to have some privacy. He hated the way Ileanaâs bright red eyes seemed to glow in smug amusement, watching him intently as Lillia led him towards the open door, held open by the black haired girl. The other was preparing the bath, a huge ceramic tub with golden linings at the bottom.Â
When the door clicked shut, Luke was left in awkward silence.Â
Lillia was looking at him now, her shoulders seeming less tense. The black haired girl swept up beside her, whispering something in her ear that Luke couldnât hear. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Lillia blush, and the other giggled softly. Taking a moment to get a better look at them, he gazed at the third by the tub, running her hand gently through the water to test the temperature.Â
Awkwardly, he stepped a little closer to her. âHey.âÂ
She glanced up, her eyes filling with a look of surprise for a moment. She straightened up, seemingly inching away from him. Luke wondered if she was shy or simply scared of him. He didnât want to imagine what Ileana was doing to them.Â
They were dressed, well, not provocatively, but Luke had never seen such a simple yet luxurious looking dress before. All of them were wearing it, a dress that was a smooth shade of blue, with frilly shoulders and a frilly cut out along the bottom, in the middle of their thighs. The white apron, small and rounded, fit snugly around their waist. A smooth collar decorated with a miniature ribbon was wrapped around each of their necks.Â
They were like servants, obedient and yet clearly frightened of whatever approached them.Â
Luke loathed the idea of becoming like this himself.Â
The black haired girl suddenly appeared, gently taking her shoulders and pulling her back from Luke. He was momentarily confused, wondering if heâd done something wrong, before Lillia cleared her throat. He glanced at her.Â
âIâm so sorry,â she whispered, her blonde eyelashes fluttering as she gazed up at him. âSheâs new, and weâre not supposed to talk to other humans. Our Lady says so.âÂ
Luke cringed. âYour Lady?âÂ
Lillia nodded her head, smiling softly. Her skin almost glowed, her cheeks rosy and her eyes a unique shade of green, light and delicate as she gazed at him politely. He wearily glanced at the other two girls, the nervous one having retreated to fetch some clothes for him while the black haired girl took over on preparing the bathtub.Â
The sound of rushing water filled the room.Â
âYouâre talking to me,â he pointed out slowly. Lillia tucked some of her hair behind her ear. It was a light shade of blonde, veering more towards an undertone of white than yellow. She was pretty. In fact, Luke found that they were all very pretty. He was a little overwhelmed, wondering if it was because of the heat from the filling tub.Â
âYes, well,â she paused, shifting on her feet. âI have been here a lot longer. Please donât mind her. Sheâs just trying to get used to everything.âÂ
âUsed to everything,â Luke scoffed, his brows pinching. âYouâre Ileanaâs slaves.âÂ
Lilliaâs eyes widened. âSlaves?â She squeaked. âNo, not at all. I like serving our Lady.âÂ
âI donât believe that for a second,â he deadpanned. Lillia tilted her head, hands collapsing the front of her dress. She looked as though she was about to argue for a second, before indifference passed over her eyes. She gave Luke a shy once over, swallowing. He didnât need her to say anything to understand what she was thinking. Apparently where heâd grown up was causing a lot of people to draw some unwarranted conclusions about him.Â
âMy name is Lillia,â she finally seemed to whisper, eyes flickering over to the other two girls. The black haired one stood by the tub, not shy about staring directly at Luke. Still, she smiled.Â
âBrooke,â she introduced. She had a sprinkle of light freckles across her cheeks, framed by wavy black hair that splayed out just below her shoulders. Dark blue eyes captured his own, and Luke nodded his head. The other girl, the last one, had seemed reluctant to say anything at first. But eventually, she opted to give her name, too.Â
âCali,â she whispered softly. A similar jet black, and her hair was shorter than the other two, but it was voluptuous in volume and swooped messily over her temples. Her face was round, though hidden away by most of her hair, her eyes thin and dark. She was looking elsewhere, clutching some clothes in her arms. Luke didnât want to, but he forced a smile on his face.Â
âNice to meet you,â he rumbled. âIâm Luke.âÂ
Lillia beamed. âNice to meet you too.âÂ
With the exception of Cali, he noted how, although he hadnât believed them, they seemed completely at ease with this life. Luke didnât understand how - they didnât seem to be compelled into doing this, just unnervingly complacent. How could they âserveâ a woman, no, some creature of the night, so eagerly?Â
Lukeâs spiralling thoughts were cut off when he suddenly felt Lilliaâs fingers on his jacket, gently prying it from his shoulders. His spine stiffened, and he knocked her hands away before he could stop himself.Â
âWhat are you doing?â He hissed. Lillia blinked, tilting her head.Â
âUndressing you,â she answered softly. âFor the bath.âÂ
Luke stuttered on a breath, his eyes darting from one girlâs face to the other. They were all staring at him expectantly, and he couldnât help but grip onto his jacket tightly like it was a lifeline. He struggled to find the right words.Â
âWhileâŚyouâre all in the room?â He stammered, feeling a twinge of embarrassment pinch his chest. âCanât I have a little privacy?âÂ
From the tub, Brooke leaned forward, fingers bracketed against the edge of the bath. Her hair fell past her shoulders. âWeâre unable to leave you alone.â
She almost looked like she was holding back a small laugh, as if there was some joke that Luke wasnât privy to. âBesides, weâre not interested in you. Donât flatter yourself.âÂ
âI neverâŚâ He cut himself off, swallowing the prickly pride in his throat. He doubted he could make a break for it with Ileana in the next room over. He highly doubted the girls would allow him a chance to escape before hollering for their mistress. Easing the death grip on his jacket, Luke felt humiliation burn unpleasantly at his cheeks.Â
He made quick work of stripping his clothes off, not wanting to dwardle any longer. His clothes were taken by Lillia, who promptly left to discard them, no doubt never to be seen again. He felt a little bitter about that. When he settled in the tub, Brooke made quick work of lathering some thick liquid in her hands, reaching for his hair.Â
He jerked away, the warm water sloshing slightly. She raised a brow.Â
âItâs for your hair,â she explained, slightly amused by his confusion. âTilt your head back a little, please.âÂ
Luke hesitantly did so, feeling soft fingers start to lather up the soapy shampoo on his head. The feeling was quite therapeutic, actually, and Luke swallowed, trying to let himself grow accustomed to being groomed like a dog. When Lillia returned, she leaned against the tub, and Luke felt a tug on his necklace. He slapped a hand over it, causing Brooke to lean back. He shot the blonde a sharp glare.Â
âNot this,â he spoke, his voice firm. âIâm keeping this.âÂ
Lillia pressed her lips into a thin line, her eyes filling with sympathy. âIâm sorry. I have to discard everything.âÂ
The necklace pressed against his palm tightly, digging into the skin. The pressure went unnoticed, going straight to the worried stab in his heart. He couldnât get rid of this - this was his everything, the only memory of his mother. Lillia looked almost taken aback.Â
âPlease,â he pressed. His voice was shaking slightly. âNot this.âÂ
She opened her mouth to speak, the words dying in her throat. Her eyes flickered over to Cali, who shyly glanced at her, squeezing the clothes a little tighter. It was almost as if they were communicating something with their eyes, silently. The blonde finally let out a soft sigh, her voice dropping down to an ever so quiet whisper.Â
âAlright. But please remember to tuck it under your new clothes.âÂ
Relief washed through him. âYeah. I will.â He relaxed slightly. âThank you, Lillia.âÂ
She smiled sweetly, nodding her head slightly. She seemed a little more relaxed at Lukeâs gratitude, as if she was assured she had done the right thing. The moment was broken when Brooke resumed washing his hair, and another wave of uncomfortabless washed over him. The girls seemed nice enough, but there was no way Luke couldnât feel embarrased when he was sitting in a warm tub and being washed from head to toe.Â
The bathroom filled with scents of tea tree and lavender, almost stinging his nose, the water starting to turn cloudy as time passed. Brooke was thorough with his hair, forcing him to sit there with a stubborn frown on his face. Lillia scrubbed his back and his body with a scratchy flannel, and he wondered if she was trying to take his skin apart in the process.Â
There were some places they instructed him to do himself. He was okay with that.Â
The tub was drained, and Luke was wrapped in a fluffy dressing gown when he emerged from the water. He was led to a small table, dried off until there was no trace of water left, and instructed to sit down. He caught a glimpse of himself in a huge mirror, and almost blanched.Â
It wasnât as though he had never caught glimpses of himself in reflections back at the camp, but it was the first time he was seeing himself properly. He couldnât help but stare in confusion, as if he was looking back at a stranger. His locks were still damp, black and twirly, sticking to his forehead slightly. Forest green eyes shimmered slightly under the bright lights. Even though his skin had been scrubbed clean, right down to the bone, it still retained its light almond colour.
He resisted the urge to touch his face, his bottom lip still retaining a sore, red split down the middle from when Silas had backhanded him across the face. It wasnât bleeding anymore.Â
Brooke came in with a hair dryer, blowing pleasant, hot air against his hair. Her fingers genty ran through the locks, and Luke let himself shut off for a moment. It wasnât easy to forget there were vampires in the next room over, swarming this entire building, but it was a little easier to swallow when he was surrounded by his own kind, and only them.Â
Brooke then gently combed his hair, her eyes flickering up curiously. âDid you have anything like this?âÂ
Luke blinked, momentarily pulled out of his daze. âHuh?âÂ
âI mean,â she paused, tilting her head. âThis is probably a big cultural shock for you.âÂ
It had been in the back of his mind, all of these strange contraptions and customs and things he would never know existed when living in the middle of nowhere. He had been far more focused on avoiding an unpleasant fate, but Brooke was right. He was more concerned about Ten; whether he was thinking the same things, being alone in such a scary, unfamiliar place. His heart ached.Â
âYeah,â he sighed, picking at the sleeves of the dressing gown. Definitely a big culutural shock. Cali helped dress him, simple clothes that were still silky and soft against his clean skin. He smelled strongly of tea tree too, a scent that was supposedly going to cling to him.Â
Lillia tucked his necklace under the clothes.
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If I give Luke a plush bunnie, would he like it?
Nope. He isnât a plush bunny sort of guy, but if you gave it to him, he would probably hand it off to Ten to have instead.
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Is Justinian going to be prominent in Ten's story?
He will, considering heâll be Tenâs sire (since he was the one who turned him). Justinian will get more development and weâll learn a lot more about him as time goes on.
Iâve planned the start of Tenâs arc, and will hopefully get to writing it soon once Lukeâs story kicks off a little more :)
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I'm curious to see what happened between Ten and Justinian when he ran away? How did he manage to get vampire blood in his own?
cw: hypnosis, minor injury
Ten found the Collared Forest was a lot scarier than he initially anticipated. Maybe it was because he could barely see, with the strips of moonlight scarcely lighting his way, and the unnatural quietness that surrounded him.
He gripped his new bow tightly, lip pressing into a thin line. Nerves crept up his arms. He tried to shake it off, squinting around him.
This should be far enough.
All he had to do was backtrack, and heâd be straight back to the camp before anyone even realised he was gone.
Setting his quiver down on the ground, Ten fumbled to take an arrow out, trying to hold the bow as heâd seen Luke do it. He gripped it tight, struggled to get the end of the arrow against the string - it slipped a good few times when he tried to pull it back, making him frown deeply.
How did Luke make it look so easy? He had really wanted to surprise him tomorrow. If Ten could show off his skills, then he didnât doubt Luke would be proud of him. He really wanted the older boy to be impressed with him.
The leaves crinkled under his feet as he let the arrow go, flopping a few feet in front of him.
Tenâs lip jutted out into a pout.
It was lucky he was getting some practice in before Luke could see him. His eyes had well and truly adjusted to the darkness as time passed by, a few arrows lost in the bushes and his fingers aching from the amount of times heâd tried to hold the tough string in that unnatural position.
No arrows had hit a target, now being one of the many tree trunks surrounding him, and the arrows didnât make it very far. He was getting better, though.
He hoped.
Wiping a sheen of sweat from his brow, he pushed his moppy hair off his forehead, sucking in a sharp breath. It was starting to get a little cold now, and the vast expanse of darkness surrounding him was beginning to make him uneasy. Once that thought sunk into him, he couldnât shake it off.
He should probably head back now before Maryâs intuition drew her from her sleep, and she realised Ten was gone. Picking up the final arrow from the ground, he quickly turned to backtrack to the camp whenâ
Ten froze.
He spun, his eyes darting around him as his heart slowly lodged into his throat. Where had he come from? Ten didnât know direction heâd come.
With his heart starting to race in his chest, he suddenly felt very sick. Gripping both the arrow and the bow tightly in his palms, he shuffled across the crunchy leaves, starting to walk. He skidded to a stop after a moment, his breath hitching.
It all looked the same. Both familiar, and unrecognisable, a mind numbing oxymoron that had him questioning if he was right or not.
A whimper bubbled from his lips before he could stop himself. Picking his feet up, Ten began racing through the forest, winding through the trees as swiftly as he could. It was difficult to see the moon through the thick tops of trees, and Ten felt fear strike straight through his heart.
His belly twisted at the thought of being lost. A cry slipped off his tongue before he could stop himself.
âLuke!â He screamed, the panic having now hit him like a freight train, wrenching his head around in a desperate, hopeless attempt to recognise something. âLuke?â
His foot snagged against something hard, and he was kissing the dirt with a hard slam, all of the air knocked out of his lungs. He felt the arrow snag across his palm, a surging sensation of pain tearing the flesh apart.
He gasped, shakily sliding to his knees and clutching his bloody hand to his chest, a choked sob catching in his throat.
Tenâs eyes caught the broken bow twisted in the ground, and they were suddenly filling up, a small whine slipping past his lips.
âLuke...â He croaked, sucking in a sharp breath through his teeth when his hand flared in pain, staring in horror at the fresh blood pooling in the palm of his hand. He could taste dirt on his tongue, and leaves crumpled in his hair. âOw, ow...â
He clutched a shaking hand to his chest, curling up a little as a small sob escaped him.
It was so quiet here. He didnât even hear any birds, not like the ones near camp. Ten had just wanted to be good at something Luke liked, and heâd gone and got himself lost. Everyone was going to be so disappointed in him.
From beside him, Ten heard a leaf softly crinkle, and then a hand gently cupped his shoulder. He flinched violently without meaning to, and for a moment, he thought his prayers had been answered and Luke had come to help him.
But this man was blond. He wasnât Luke. In fact, Ten didnât recognise him at all, and those gleaming red eyes in the darkness gave away everything about him within a second.
Fear twisted in his stomach, and Ten tried to scramble back. The vampire paused, pulling his hand away.
âIâm not going to hurt you,â he spoke, his voice tender and even kind. Pain flared in his palm, and it was difficult to decide what to focus on. He froze on the spot. âHey, itâs alright. Look.â
The vampire knelt down, pulling a clean cloth out of his pocket, and flashing it towards Ten, as if making sure he knew it wasnât a weapon of some sorts. Ten felt fidgety and anxious, but his watery eyes gingerly glanced towards the handkerchief. The vampire seemed pleased at that.
âWould you let me clean it?â He asked gently, tilting his head. âThatâs all. You hurt yourself rather badly.â
Tenâs heart was pounding against his chest. He remembered everything Luke had told him about vampires - that there were scary creatures, dangerous creatures, that they fed on their blood, and that he should never engage with one.
But still, against his better judgement, the throbbing of his palm and the sticky blood between his fingers was making him increasingly uncomfortable, and this vampire was nothing like what heâd been told.
Ten slowly inched his hand towards him.
The vampire smiled warmly, and slowly took his wrist, tugging his hand a little closer. His skin was cold to the touch, and Ten winced a little at the contact as it sent a shiver up his spine. He began to wipe around the wound, mopping up the excess blood.
Ten stared at him dumbly. Tears still steadily rolled down his cheeks, not just from the presence of the dangerous creature, but from the fact he had destroyed Lukeâs birthday present.
âYouâre a vampire,â he whispered dumbly.
The creature glanced at him. âYes, I am. My name is Justinian.â
Ten didnât give him his name.
âAre you...â His voice failed him, and he swallowed the words. âAre you going to drink my blood?â
The vampire stilled, and then a soft, almost breathless chuckle escaped his lips. He continued to mop up the blood, this time gently dabbing the fresh wound. Tenâs spine stiffened.
âDoes it look like Iâm planning on drinking your blood?â Justinian countered, and Tenâs expression wrinkled in discomfort as he continued to apply gentle pressure to the wound. It was shaking uncontrollably, but the creature had a steady grip on him. He sniffled softly, jerkily shaking his head.
âNo?â He squeaked, his voice wobbly. âAre you?â
Justinian let out another breathless laugh. âOf course not.âÂ
Tenâs throat bobbed, swallowing uneasily. Wasnât that what vampires did? Luke had told him they were the most dangerous creatures that roamed the Earth, that they were safe as long as they stayed within the camp. His bottom lip wobbled pathetically. He wanted to go back home.Â
âWhat are you doing out here so late, and by yourself?â Justinian suddenly asked him, causing Ten to swallow the small whimper bubbling in his throat.Â
âI got lost,â he croaked, voice failing him. Pain shot through his palm when the vampire continued to dab the wound, and Ten couldnât help but let out a strangled cry, trying to jerk his arm back. Justinian had the strength to keep him there, but he let go easily enough. His eyes seemed to soften in sympathy. Ten wondered if he was even a vampire at all.Â
âI know a much better way to heal it,â he rumbled gently, motioning to his wound. Ten sniffled, trying to distract himself from the throbbing pain. Blood was still pouring out of the wound, dripping onto the leaves underneath him and sinking into the dirt. He watched hesitantly as Justinian rolled up the cuffs of his pristine sleeves, bringing his wrist to his mouth.Â
He saw a flash of sharp fangs tear over the smooth skin, and his heart surged into his throat. Justinian seemed to notice his discomfort, fresh blood pooling from the wound.Â
âThereâs nothing to be afraid of,â the vampire assured him. âVampire blood, for a human like you, has healing properties. Itâll seal up that wound of yours within minutes.âÂ
Ten shifted uncomfortably, rigid and unsure. Drinking blood didnât seem right - that was what vampires were supposed to do, not him. As Justinian inched closer, Ten couldnât stop himself from leaning back apprehensively. The vampire stilled, a small smile spreading across his lips.Â
âHave I given you a reason not to trust me?â He asked, making Ten hesitate.Â
âYouâre a vampire,â he answered quietly. Justinian only repeated the question.Â
âHave I given you a reason not to trust me?âÂ
Ten pondered on whether it was a trick question, before hestiantly opening his mouth, an unsureness surrounding him as he answered. âNo?âÂ
Justinian nodded - Ten supposed he was right. Luke had told him a vampire wouldnât hesitate to hurt him and drink his blood on sight if he ever stumbled upon one, but even with the sticky, coppery blood streaming from his own wound, the vampire hadnât tried to drink it. Nor had he even attempted to hurt Ten.
Regardless, the torn flesh was really starting to throb, and he wanted the pain to go away. As if noticing the hesitance start to slowly ease from his eyes, Justinian shifted forward, one hand cupping the back of Tenâs head softly.Â
âIt wonât taste very nice,â he warned, and Ten cringed as he brought his wrist up to his mouth. His nose wrinkled, but let his fingers gently hold onto Justinianâs arm for support as he lapped at the blood unsurely. After a little more coaxing from the vampire, Ten was frowning deepy and slowly sucking blood from the wound, the liquid almost burning his tongue and sending an unpleasant taste across his mouth.Â
Justinian patted his head softly, his eyes gleaming a little in the darkness. His lip twitched into a subtle smirk.Â
âA little more,â he encouraged, only met by an annoyed huff from Ten. Justinian chuckled breathlessly. âI know.âÂ
When he finally moved his wrist from his mouth, Ten made a retching sound, scrubbing the blood from his lips with desperate vigour. He shuddered a little at the metal aftertaste in his mouth, a strange tingling sensation spreading through his limbs. That was one of the strangest things he had ever done.Â
âThat was so gross,â he whined, cringing. The vampire had gently taken his wrist in his hands once more, mopping up the last of the blood on his palm. Ten didnât even notice.Â
âIndeed,â he rumbled. âBut, look.âÂ
Tenâs eyes drifted over to his palm, where Justinian swiped the cloth one final time over the flesh to reveal there was no wound. The skin was smoothed over, as if it had never been cut in the first place, not even a scar or a slither of pain remaining. Tenâs eyes widened, running a finger over the flesh softly.Â
âWow,â he gasped, flexing his fingers in curiosity. âItâsâŚItâs healed.âÂ
Justinian tilted his head as a big grin spread across Tenâs face, staring up at him gratefully. His red eyes seemed to gleam even brighter, and the kid couldnât help but blink slowly at the unnatural colour. It was unlike anything he had seen before. The vampireâs lip curved into a smirk.Â
âI told you,â he hummed, folding the small cloth over. âSay, that name I heard you shouting before.âÂ
Ten nodded slowly. âLuke?âÂ
âLuke,â Justinian repeated, gently stroking the kidâs cheek with his knuckle. He nuzzled a little into the touch. âWho is he?âÂ
Tenâs brain suddenly felt very foggy. His eyelids were all droopy and he wondered if it was because it was the middle of the night and he should be sleeping. His brain barely registered what Justinian was saying anymore, but his heavy tongue still managed to push out an answer.Â
âMy,â he felt his tongue tie. âMyâŚâ
The vampire hummed, gently tilting his head up. He found himself sinking further into those red, gleaming eyes. âThatâs it,â he encouraged.Â
âMy friend,â he answered quietly, voice soft. âMy big brother.âÂ
That was weird. Ten had never called Luke his big brother before, only ever to himself in the confines of his own mind. Justinian hummed again, and Ten let out a sleepy little huffle.Â
âYour big brother,â he mused. âAlright. I have some friends Iâd like you to come and meet first. You can tell me all about where you live, and then weâll take you back to your big brother. Does that sound alright?âÂ
Ten really wanted to see Luke right now. He dazily nodded his head, and the vampire took him by the hand, lifting him onto his feet. He swayed a little, but there was a firm hand on the back of his neck keeping him from falling. He sighed happily, almost feeling as though he was floating, all of that panic he should be feeling snuffed out like a candle light.Â
Justinian gently lifted him into his arms next, and Ten placed his head on his shoulder, content and relaxed. His broken bow was scooped up from the ground.
It was like the vampire wasnât even walking, the leaves making no sound within his feet, watching the trees move by him in a blur as his mind filled with all sorts of fuzzy, pleasant thoughts.Â
Ten could stay like this for a little while longer. He was sure Luke wouldnât mind.
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Royal Bought: Complete Masterlist
General/brief content and warnings:
đš Lukeâs Arc: vampire whump, non-human whumper, defiant whumpee, human auctions/trafficking, pet whump, hypnosis.
đ Tenâs Arc: none, apart from (temporary) character death, hypnosis and vampiric turning at the beginning.
đ Ileanaâs Girls: vampire whump, lady whumper, non-human whumper, multiple lady whumpees, hypnosis, conditioning, polygamy.
Information: the numbers beside each chapter indicate the writing order theyâre written in. All stories are listed in chronological order. Although the stories can overlap and some are repeated, the emojiâs indicate who the chapters belong to mainly. For example, đšâs appear within Tenâs first few chapters of his arc because he makes an appearance, and itâs beneficial in understanding the origins of his story. However, they are mainly Lukeâs chapters and are from his point of view.
đš Lukeâs Arc
Growing up in a distant camp away from vampire civilisation, Luke has lived a life of constant fear and the unknown. When a vampire is thrown into his path under alarming circumstances after threatening somebody he cares deeply about, Luke is carted away to the kingdom and prepared to be bought and sold at one of their famous auctions; by none other than a Royal.
Note: Donât like lady whump? Chapters 6-11 contain a (temporary) lady whumper. If youâd like to skip them, hereâs a masterpost briefly summarising these chapters.
Hunting Deer (#1)
Upon Gates (#2)
Childâs Play (#3)
Underground Cattle (#4)
Sampling (#5)
Pretty Girls (#6)
Thorns and Roses (#7)
đ Tenâs Arc
When the vampire Justinian finds him in the Collared Forest, Ten was oblivious to the fate that would be in store for him. When heâs tricked into drinking vampire blood and subsequently murdered, Ten finds himself waking up as a bloodsucking creature of the night. Alone in an unfamiliar world, Ten adjusts to being an immortal child and the new life ahead of him.
đš Hunting Deer (#1)
Enter Justinian (Bonus)
đš Upon Gates (#2)
đš Childâs Play (#3)
đ Ileanaâs Girls
The story of three strangers, who are forced into unforseen circumstances when theyâre abducted and planned to be sold off to any vampire that will pay for them. But their fates become irrevocably intertwined when they catch the eye of Ileana, a beautiful vampire attracted to pretty humans. And pretty things deserve to be spoiled, donât they?
coming :)
Asks and Answers
Questions:
Tenâs Arc and Minor Whump (Short answer: there is none)
Justinianâs Significance
Plush Bunny
Everything Tag List: @whumpatize-me-captain @whump-me-all-night-long @softvampirewhump @d-cs @suspicious-whumping-egg @sapphirechao @sparrowsage @excessive-vampires @thecyrulik
Tenâs Arc Tag list: @obsessednerd505
Note: if you ask to be added to the tag list, I will automatically add you to the âEverything Tag Listâ. If you want to opt out of certain stories, e.g you donât enjoy lady whump and donât want to be tagged in Ileanaâs Girls, then please let me know so I can tag you accordingly.
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Royal Bought: Sampling #5
previous ¡ masterlist ¡ next
content warnings: vampire whump, defiant whumpee, human auction house, captivity, manhandling, minor blood
The vampireâs grasp was unrelenting, but that was to be expected when Luke had done something as stupid as spit in his face.Â
He could still taste the sticky glob of blood between his teeth, pooling from his split lip, a numbing, throbbing sensation having replaced the aching pain by now. The tip of his boots clipped against the edge of the stairs as he was unceromiously hoisted up, his eyes watering.Â
Luke heard the clang of the door being pushed open, revealing a more modern interior as he was led â or better yet, dragged â down the corridor. It was buzzing with workers passing by, mostly vampires, but even then, Luke caught a glimpse of some of the blank faced humans working obediently.Â
It sent a shiver down his spine.Â
No one really paid attention to them, all except the occasional glance, no doubt due to Lukeâs bloodied face and the way he was being manhandled down the corridor. Was it uncommon for humans to fight back? He didnât think it was that, so much. They were merely glancing at him as if he was this wild, untamed dog with no manners.Â
The vampire eventually came to a stop in front of a door, pushing Luke inside the room with a hard shove. He staggered, the grip on his hair having been released, a cry of relief coming from his sore scalp. The door was shut behind him, and even though Luke wanted to wrench his head around and send a deadly glare towards the creature, he was more taken aback by one sat on a comfortable looking couch in front of him.Â
This vampire looked older, his lips pulled into a calming smile.Â
The room was strange to Luke. He had grown up in a camp in the middle of the wilderness, making use of anything they could around them to live. There were things in here that he had never seen before - more namely, the light source of the room. There were no windows here, and yet, the place was not shrouded in darkness.Â
Lukeâs eyes wandered around in confusion.Â
âWelcome,â the older vampire hummed kindly, gesturing to the space in front of him. âPlease, take a seat.â
There was a table with rectangular sheets of paper and what seemed to be some sort of small kit of tools. Lukeâs eyes narrowed in suspicion, throwing a subtle glance over his shoulder. The previous creature had closed the door behind him, remaining in the room. He was looking at Luke with disdain etched into those hardened features.
âThereâs no need to be afraid,â the older vampire lulled, drawing Lukeâs attention back to him like a magnet. He swallowed uneasily at the pleasant aura the vampire was exuding. His voice was soothing and calm. Why? Wasnât he here to be sold off? âI know this all might be a little new and confusing for you. Let me introduce myself: my name is Silvan. And you must be Luke.âÂ
Luke shifted uncomfortably at the knowledge of his name, uttered with such confidence. Silvan must have been quite an old vampire, considering the skin on his pale face was slightly weathered, and there were hundreds of years lingering in his eyes. He was wearing a tailored suit, black on dark raspberry sorbet, contrasted against his greying hair.Â
Silvanâs eyes were intense, even when Luke wasnât looking at them, and it was like they were stripping every personal detail from him with ease. His voice was like smooth velvet when he spoke, low, dulcet tones coming from his tongue. Â
âYou lived beyond the Collared Forest, am I correct?âÂ
The first vampire moved silently behind him, as if his feet didnât even touch the ground. When Luke glanced at him again, he had retreated from the door, boxing him in. Unlike Silvan, this was a clear warning to sit down and do as he was told.Â
Lukeâs throat bobbed as he swallowed, the taste of copper still fresh on his tongue. Against his better judgement, his legs managed to gain some of their strength back, and he begrudgingly circled around the plush couch, sitting opposite the older vampire. The material was incredibly soft, and Luke wondered what it was made from, how it was shaped in such a peculiar way, and if everything here was this comfortable.Â
âWhy do you care?â Luke gritted out, his narrowed eyes watching the older vampire like a hawk as he reached for some soft tissues out of a box, holding them out for him to take. He didnât.Â
âAh, Iâll take that as a yes then, I suppose,â he mused, brow cocked in amusement. His pointed eyes flitted over to the other vampire with a hum. âHis blood?âÂ
âHe was misbehaving,â he sniffed codly, nose turned up. âHeâs ill mannered and has a ridiculous temperment.âÂ
Luke was almost offended. They were talking about him as if he couldnât hear them.Â
âThe scent will spread fast, Silas,â the older vampire sighed deeply, his head tilted and hands back in his lap. He didnât look like he was even considering Lukeâs blatant rudeness for ignoring the tissues handed to him.Â
âSo do rumours,â Silas spoke smoothly. âIt wonât matter in the end.âÂ
Lukeâs fingers twisted into his thighs. The older vampireâs gaze had almost softened for a brief moment when his eyes wandered back over to him, as if remembering that Luke was here and they had a job to do. Judging by the kit on the table and the way the other boy had informed him that humans were hoarded off for âsamplingâ, he figured this was exactly that. A sampling of his blood to determine if he was expensive produce, he didnât doubt.Â
âThe process can be pleasant if you just behave,â Silvan smiled warmly, speaking to him as though he would be inclined to take him up on that advice. âYouâre very important to us. We donât want to have to hurt you to keep you in line.âÂ
He found that hilarious; vampires werenât exactly a beacon of truth. The sticky blood on his face and the numbness of his lip was a reminder that they had no issue hurting their livestock if it meant keeping them in line.Â
âBullshit,â Luke hissed, his nose wrinkling in disdain. âImportant? Youâre selling us off like cattle.âÂ
âCattle?â The older vampire mused. âYouâre not cattle. We pride ourselves on taking care of our merchandise. We make sure youâre all healthy, fed well, given the proper care and attention when you need it.âÂ
âYou sell us,â Luke breathed, his voice almost breathless from even having to utter such horrifying words.Â
âWhat happens when youâre bought has nothing to do with us,â Silvan informed firmly, as if that justified the crowd of humans they had awaiting their horrible fate down below. âBut here, Luke, youâre safe. If you donât behave, then we, unfortuantly, have to take the necessary precautions to keep you in line.âÂ
Luke licked his lip. The flesh flared with a raging intensity for a brief moment, and he could map out the distinct tear. Almost to make a point. Silvan noticed it, but he didnât comment, head tilted in curiosity.Â
âPhysical violence will, of course, be enforced if you donât cooperate,â the older vampire hummed. âBut as Iâm sure you know, we have much better, and much tamer, methods. They can feel good.âÂ
He made sure he wasnât looking at Silvanâs eyes. He felt himself shivering at the memories of Justinianâs compulsion, not wanting his own bodily autonomy to be stripped away from him like that so easily.Â
âFeel good?â He echoed bitterly.Â
âOf course,â Silvan smiled. âSome things can be quite euphoric. Compulsion can relax the mind and the body. Even a feeding, if handled properly, can feel good for you, too.âÂ
âYouâve got to be kidding me.âÂ
âMany humans quite enjoy it,â the older vampire chuckled softly. âThey offer themselves up willingly. Thatâs the price of cooperation in this place. As a human who grew up beyond the Collared Forest, I donât expect you to understand fully just yet.âÂ
Lukeâs chest bubbled with an irritated scoff. His leg was bouncing anxiously at a continuous pace.Â
âWhat does that have to do with anything?â He growled slowly, not missing the way Silvan gestured to Silas for a brief moment, who stepped around the table to collect the tissues the older vampire handed to him. Luke suddenly went tense on the couch when Silas turned to face him again.Â
âYou are somewhat of delicacy,â Silvan hummed, treading carefully as if he was pondering on the words as he said them. âItâs rare for there to be humans who lived so far from our territory here. Youâll cause quite a stir in the markets once word spreads around. Especially if the scent of your blood is anything to go off.âÂ
His fingers twitched, itching to reach for his necklace and squeeze it tight for any sort of stability. His heart began racing even faster than before, throwing him for a loop. His adrenaline surged as Silas stepped closer.Â
âAm I supposed to appreciate that? That Iâm good money for you?â He hissed coldly, leaning away from the vampire as prowled closer. âStay away from me.âÂ
His demands were ignored.Â
âYou want to sample this blood?â Silas asked, his nose wrinkling in disgust at the sight of Lukeâs face. A hand closed around his forearm, yanking him back across the couch with a force that gave his shoulder an ache and his skull a wobble.Â
âNo,â Silvan hummed, rising from the seat himself, and leaning down to collect something sharp from the tool kit in front of him. âIâd like it fresh from the vein. But, please. Wipe his face - and let him struggle.âÂ
Maybe it was a cruel demonstration of how no matter how hard Luke fought against this, there was nothing he could do against them. No matter how many times he thrashed, ignored the throbbing pain from the tight holds, or retaliated with his own kicks and smacks, there was nothing he could do.Â
Silas had him easily pinned down on his back, one single hand locking his wrists together above his head. The vampireâs knee crushed into his ribs, pressing down uncomfortably onto his lungs, careless of Lukeâs comfort as he wiped the blood from his face. Lukeâs legs kicked out, breathing heavily between clenched teeth, screaming muffled curses and insults against the hand clamped over his mouth, tissues soaking up any fresh blood from his wound.Â
Silvan was hovering over him now, and Silas easily wrenched his head to the side, exposing the flesh of his neck. Goosebumps exploded across the expanse of skin, and squeezed his eyes shut tight.
âItâll sting only for a moment,â Silvan warned him calmly, the feeling of cold hands prodding against his neck making him squeal. He felt a sharp prick, his body seizing against his own will. The older vampire pressed something cold against the area, gave it a couple swipes, and then drew away. Silasâ disgruntled expression darkened for a second, letting Luke stew in the position for a moment, before finally letting go of him.Â
He slapped a hand to his neck, sitting up so fast heâd almost gone dizzy.Â
âWhat did you do?â He snapped, his voice still trembling from the hysterics heâd built himself up to. His heart was pounding hard against his ribs. Silvan pinched the small, blood coated needle with his fingers, opting to ignore Luke for a moment. He swiped the needle swiftly against his tongue, giving himself a moment to taste the blood. Silvan then hummed, folded the needle between a white napkin, and placed it down on the table.Â
âInteresting,â he merely commented, and Luke awkwardly rubbed the side of his neck. âThough, I am not suprised. Itâs guaranteed his blood will attract many well-off vampires.âÂ
Silas dumped the bloody tissues in the bin. He didnât look pleased by the situation at all, his eyes darkened and his expression grim. He wasnât fatigued by Lukeâs struggle at all, having not even broken a sweat, it seemed, or put in hardly enough effort to even quicken his breathing compared to him, who was still trying to catch his breath.Â
âHeâs rabid,â Silas sneered. âDoesnât matter how attractive his blood is. No one will take him with such an imputent temperament. None that could match the price, certainly.âÂ
Silvan took a seat once more, throwing one leg over the other languidly as he observed Luke with those gleaming eyes, as if calculating exactly what he had in store for him. He clenched his jaw, trying not to let any slither of fear pass over his face. He didnât want to give them the satisfaction if his fight caused them this much trouble. Luke wasnât going to make himself easy to sell.Â
âWe have plenty of time to prepare before the auction,â Silvan informed, though he seemed to be talking to Luke as well. He refused to catch his eye. âWeâll give you an opportunity to settle into your circumstances, Luke. I understand this is difficult for you, but there is no denying the inevitable.âÂ
Bitter resentment, as well as this cold, crackling helplessness cut through him like a knife. His voice had almost lost its strength. âFuck youâŚâ Â
Silvan only smiled warmly.Â
âIâll be sending you to Ileana, now,â he explained, his hands interlocked on his lap casually. âShe will take care of everything from there. Sheâs be your handler, and believe me, our aim here is to take very good care of you. Youâll be provided quality food, clothes, and a room to stay.âÂ
Luke bristled. âLucky me, huh?âÂ
Silasâ eyes narrowed an inch. âShe will also be teaching you how to best accommodate your master, or mistress. It wonât be good for you to misbehave, Luke. Weâre giving you the benefit of the doubt because of yourâŚâ He gave him a subtle once over. â...unique upbringing, but push your luck, and we will, unfortunately, have to risk completely stripping your mind.âÂ
He remembered the humans heâd seen down the corridor. Lifeless eyes, blank faces, mindlessly following their orders. An empty shell to be used. A horrible shiver rolled down his spine at the thought, and he was sure Silvan caught on to the way his heartbeat quickened.
âYou donât want that, do you, Luke?âÂ
âI donât want any of this,â he croaked.Â
âWell,â Silvan hummed, unsympathetic. âThat is something you will have to come to terms with.âÂ
The older vampire suddenly straightened, glancing at a unique looking contraption on his wrist. Luke eyed it wearily.Â
âWe need to press on and sample the rest of the humans,â Silvan smiled, his gaze flickering over to Silas with a beaming smile. âPlease take him to Ileana and bring me the next one.âÂ
Lukeâs expression soured when Silas grasped his arm tightly, yanking him onto his feet. He gave a firm tug, but he wasnât going to shake the vampireâs grip from him, not without a miracle. He could feel Silvan watching him go intently, his voice rising when he got to the door.Â
âGood luck, Luke,â the older vampire grinned, flashing his fangs. His voice went right through him, making his stomach twist. âHave a pleasant stay.â
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Is there going to be minor whump with Ten in the new series at all? if we see him again.
No minor whump.
Ten is going to have his own complete arc alongside everything thatâs happening with Luke, but his arc is not whump. I donât want to spoil my future plans for him, but we will see Tenâs (I promise, itâs pleasant) journey after having been turned by Justinian.
Thank you for asking! Iâm glad I could clear it up pretty early on :)
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Royal Bought: Underground Cattle #4
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content warnings: vampire whump, multiple human whumpees, defiant whumpee, kidnapping, captivity, implied human auctions, minor violence, minor blood
It felt like there was this thick fog over Lukeâs skull, making it difficult to determine if he was still dreaming, or if he was being eased back into consciousness.Â
There was a distinct ringing in his ears, a plethora of fuzziness, and a sheen of cloudiness over his eyes that wouldnât fade away. He was sure he could still see streaks of red, the distinct gleam of Justinianâs eyes making his thoughts melt away, before he was able to shake off the horrible feeling creeping up his skull.Â
He was distinctly aware of the cold floor underneath him. It was like a plug of numbness was slowly lifting off him at a tantalising pace, letting his last memories trickle into him.Â
Lukeâs chest tightened, a wheezy cough escaping him as he sucked in a ragged breath. The confrontation with the vampire, Tenâs scared face and his expression before the creature had taken his head andâ
He could have thrown up.Â
He twisted, taking in the sensation of cobble beneath his palms, icey to the touch. It tingled all the way up to his wrists, and Luke shook off the last encroaching invasion of blurriness of his vision, forcing his heavy head up to take a look around. He was locked in a room; it was massive, with arched, long windows that let the sunlight stream inside, brightening the place up.Â
When he saw the humble amount of humans with him, he realised this wasnât a room at all. It was more like a prison cell, just disguised all pretty to make it seem homely. An illusion - judging by the faces on some of these humans, it wasnât all it seemed to be.Â
Luke slowly sat up, his head swimming. His lip twitched in discomfort at the stuffy feeling that seemed to linger, feeling grateful to be distracted by the small, light pink piece of clothing that tumbled off his shoulder, and into his lap. His fingers gently ran over the fabric, knowing it didnât belong to him.Â
âSorry,â came a timid voice from beside him. He craned his head around, meeting the face of a pale girl with ginger hair. âThatâs mine. You were shivering in your sleep, and I thought you were cold.âÂ
Luke swallowed, his throat painfully dry. âOh. Thanks.âÂ
He peeled it off him, handing it back to her. Judging from the icy numbness in his limbs, it hadnât done that well in keeping him warm. But he appreciated the gesture, something kind while he had the crushing weight of Tenâs fate pressing down on him.
The fact that the last time heâd seen him, heâd been coddled into a vampireâs arms, the ringing words of âimmortal childrenâ leaving a disgustingly sour taste on his dry tongue. His stomach felt queasy at the entire thought. He had hoped that Ten might be in here with him, but with everything that happened, he knew that was highly unlikely.Â
âDo youâŚâ The girl started, hesitating for a moment, as if she didnât want to ask the question at all. âDo you know where you are?âÂ
Luke could hazard a guess.Â
His eyes flickered over to the windows, beautiful sunlight streaming in. There were no bars stopping them from breaking the glass or even trying to break the lock and clamber out. It made a shiver hurdle up his spine that the vampires made a conscious choice to do that, knowing it wouldnât matter, because theyâd never get away.Â
âThe Kingdom,â he murmured, turning back to the girl. Her expression softened, nodding her head softly.Â
âIâm sorry,â she sniffled. âThis is awful.âÂ
Judging from the crestfallen expressions on everyoneâs faces and the sullen silence, it didnât seem like these humans had any experience in this position, all having been caught and carted here in the same way that Luke was. His eyes leapt towards the window again. There didnât appear to even be a guard outside, and he shifted, the pins and needles easing in his legs.Â
âHow long have I been here for?â He asked quietly, his throat raw. It was uncomfortable to speak. The girlâs eyes flickered nervously, fiddling with her fingers.Â
âItâs hard to keep track of the time,â she admitted softly. âBut none of us have been here that long either. They brought you in shortly after us.âÂ
Lukeâs chest twisted. âThe vampire that brought me in. Did he have blond hair? Was there a kid with him, brown haired, a bit small, probably sleeping?âÂ
His voice cracked on the last word, knowing that Ten would have been anything but sleeping. He didnât want to face the reality that Justinian had made a thrall out of the boy he cared so much about, that heâd done everything to try and save. His stomach lurched at the thought - he couldnât get the image of Tenâs body in the grass out of his head, and he pressed a hand, hard, to his mouth, causing the girlâs eyebrows to raise.Â
âAre you okay?â She whispered, and after a dizzying second, Luke nodded his head.Â
âYeah,â he forced out, swallowing stinging bile. âFine.âÂ
The girl licked her lips, eyes falling down gently as she answered the questions heâd proposed. âNo, the vampire wasnât blond. It was just one of the guards.âÂ
Lukeâs heart ached. âNo kid?âÂ
She shook her head. âIâm sorry.âÂ
He rubbed a hand over his eyes, trying to steady the pounding of his heart. He was trapped in the kingdom, a place thriving with creatures of the night, and all of the stories of the humans who were unlucky enough to find themselves here came surging back to him.
Sold off like cattle, drained for a quick meal and tossed into Corpse Lake as though they were nothing, or compelled to be subservient slaves for their masters. Sometimes, they were treated like pets. Others like animals. Some mindless blood bags. It was a downright horrrible place to be as a human, and Luke, in his stupidity, had earned himself a one way ticket to the heart of all humansâ suffering.Â
âWhat exactly is this place?â He piped up, gesturing around them, unwilling to let himself sit and grovell about his fate. He wasnât going to sit around and let himself become resigned to a life worse than death. Before the girl could answer, someone else piped in.Â
âStorage.âÂ
The rough voice came from behind him, and Luke craned his round to see a blue eyed boy staring at him, eyes narrowed slightly. His face was twisted into a snarl, having sat away from the pleasant sunlight streaming inside, nestled comfortably in the shadows.Â
âTheyâll come to collect us, one by one,â the boy scoffed, his brows furrowing into a deep frown as Luke gave him an unpleasant once over. âSample our blood, decide how valuable we are. Sell us off to whoever buys us. Thatâs how they run the auction.âÂ
Lukeâs spine stiffened. âThis is an auction house?âÂ
The boy gave a mocking scoff. âDonât you know anything?âÂ
He gave the place another awkward glance, trying to take everything in without spiralling into panic. It was easy to be scared - not so easy to keep it together, but Luke was doing everything in his power to remain strong. The boy seemed to be taking everything in stride, and Luke wondered how he was so calm about this. Judging from the sunlight coming from the windows, they werenât underground. This wasnât some sort of hidden dungeon. What sort of huge building were they in?Â
Lukeâs brows twitched, and he finally gave way to the temptation to hobble to his feet, swallowing down the wave of dizziness that hit him. His muscles were sore as he moved to the window, not missing the way the ginger haired girl almost sat up pin straight, her eyes widening.Â
âWhat are you doing?â She squeaked out.
Luke pressed his hands to the stone windowsill, feeling the brief trickle of sunlight on his face. Even though it was through a window, he was sure he could feel the faint heat. Like he was outside, bow in his hand, pulling back the string and shooting wistfully at his targets. He realised, with a heavy heart, that he might not ever get the chance to feel that again.Â
As he peered out of the window, he was greeted with the sight of an almost too perfect expanse of forest in the distance, craning his head to try and get a look as far as he could to the sides. He couldnât get a glimpse of the kingdom itself, but the vast expanse of that beautiful scenery shocked him. He had grown up away from civilisation, so he was used to sights like these, but nothing so breathtaking.Â
The awe must have been evident on his face, because the boy had his intense eyes locked onto him, giving another curt scoff.Â
âIf you grovell at their feet enough, Iâm sure you could get a vampire to take you on a tour,â he sneered angrily, turning his nose up at Luke as he tilted his head away. He didnât bother to retaliate, fingers clenching around the handle of the window, and giving it a hard tug. Locked. The girl swallowed uneasily, her wide eyes darting between the cell door and the window in terror.Â
âThatâs really not a good idea,â she blurted, her voice shaking. âPlease, come sit back down.âÂ
âIâm not just going to sit here and let myself be sold off,â Luke responded, his voice tight. The lock wasnât budging, and the glass looked pretty thick. He doubted there was anything he could use with enough force to break it in here. His thoughts clouded with Ten for a moment. He wondered how long it had been since that night, and where Ten might be right now. Somewhere in the kingdom, alone. Luke grit his teeth.Â
âWhere did they pick you up from?â The boy suddenly cut in, his eyes narrowed onto Luke suspiciously. He figured these humans had all grown up somewhere within the borders of the vampireâs territories; most humans never lasted, though, and were either captured or brutally ripped apart at the throat for their discretion. He didnât know who the unlucky ones were.Â
He considered ignoring him, but he was fixing him with a mean glare, causing him to pry his eyes away from the almost too beautiful sight before him. His shoulders sagged with a small sigh.Â
âI lived past the Collared Forest,â Luke mumbled out, and the boyâs brows faltered.Â
âThe Collared Forest?â He echoed, a twinge of disbelief on his tongue. âThere are really human settlements out there?âÂ
Lukeâs brows knitted slightly. He wondered if their camp was still standing. Emilyâs haunting words about the fate of the human camp across Corpse Lake flared in his mind once more, and he wondered if, just like the others, their camp had somehow been breached. He released a shuddering sigh.Â
âOurs is the last,â he answered, turning away from him and diverging his attention back to the window. He gripped it harder this time, giving it a violent tug that had the frame rattling slightly. He grit his teeth together, ignoring the piercing pairs of eyes that were watching him.Â
âMustâve been worth the trouble if they dragged you all the way from the other side of that forest,â the boy sneered, his lip curled into a small smirk. âIâd behave, if I was you.âÂ
Luke felt a bubble of irritation pop. âMaybe you should mind your own fucking business.âÂ
âYou donât know this place like I do,â the boy scoffed, a hint of mocking amusement in his tone. Luke gave another hard tug on the window, mostly fueled by the frustration he was starting to feel. With the stress of everything, it was easy for Luke to feel a little hot headed. He felt like heâd almost reached for the arrows in his non-existent quiver on his back, before realising everything of his back home had been completely abandoned. âIâd be mindful of your tongue before they decide youâre not worth it.âÂ
Luke gave a yank on the window, hard enough that he felt the jarring pull on his shoulders, and a loud rattling noise filled the huge space of the cell. It wasnât going to budge, he realised miserably, and when he turned around, the thoughts escaped him quickly enough when he realised there was a vampire standing in the middle of the room.Â
The cell door was open, and he was looking directly at Luke.Â
His heart lodged into his throat, almost hard enough to send him back into the windowsill. He avoided the creatureâs eyes. He didnât want to risk compulsion.Â
âYou,â the vampire drawled, his voice stern but devoid of any emotion. He looked unbothered, but his presence still struck a chord within Lukeâs chest. âFollow me.âÂ
Luke wondered with a heavy heart if they were going to do something to him for trying to open the window. For attempting to make an escape. But he swiftly recalled the boyâs words, how they were picking them off one by one and taking them for what he had called âsamplingâ, and Luke realised it was his turn.Â
He swallowed, his throat bobbing uneasily.Â
His gaze flitted over to the girl, who was curled up against the wall, her expression wrinkled in fear and her gaze lowered. She wasnât even looking at Luke. No one was.Â
The vampire gave an impatient shift, and Luke felt his expression twitch. This was miserable to watch. Miserable to be a part of - none of this was fair. They were human beings, how could they be so easily treated like they were nothing, bow to the vampires as though they were beneath the dirt they walked on? Seeing his own people like this? It was humiliating. It made him livid.Â
Ten wasnât here. Luke didnât have a reason to obey; heâd always had a tendancy to risk his own life without a second thought.Â
Lukeâs expression tightened, his voice firm. His tongue fired up before he could even make up his mind. âFuck you.âÂ
The words caused the humans to visibly flinch. Some people gawked at him, and the vampireâs eyes even gleamed a brighter, intense red. He could only assume it was raw anger, especially since he next found himself beind slammed against the cobbled wall, with enough force that it ripped all of the air from his lungs. The creatureâs hand was curled tightly around his throat, pinning him there with ease.Â
Luke choked on a wheezing gasp, his heart in his stomach.Â
âYou should watch that mouth of yours,â the creature hissed, lip curled into a deadly snarl and revealing those fangs underneath. The hand tightened across his windpipe, sharp nails digging uncomfortably into the flesh. âUnless you would like us to cut your tongue out.âÂ
The vampire gave him another hard knock against the wall, the back of his skull thudding against the cobble. Stars popped in his vision, a dizzying sensation slamming into him. Yet, with the last scrap of strength he could muster, Luke let his mouth fill with saliva, and he spat at the vampireâs face.Â
A glob landed on his cheek, and it took mere seconds for rage to contort along his ugly features. The back of his hand cracked hard against Lukeâs face, with enough force to send him staggering. He landed painfully on his ribs, twisted awkwardly as the air forced its way back into his burning lungs. He spluttered on a painful cough, a coppery taste spreading across his tongue as he realised the sheer force of the backhand had split his lip open.Â
Before he could gather himself, relentless fingers twisted into his locks, dragging him onto his feet. Luke hissed through clenched, bloodied teeth, but fought against the vampire every step of the way as he was abruptly dragged out of the cell. He heard the doors click shut behind them, blood trailing down his chin and his head so dizzy he was suprised he was still on his feet.Â
âKeep struggling,â the vampire warned through gritted teeth, his pride having been wounded from a mere human defiling his face like that. He hefted him roughly up a flight of steep stairs. âNext time, Iâll do much worse.âÂ
Lukeâs hands were digging into the creatureâs wrists to try and alleviate the pain from his scalp, but his strength was unmatched against that of a mere human.Â
He didnât doubt he would. Luke still fought on every single step they took.
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Royal Bought: Childâs Play #3
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content warnings: vampire whump, hypnosis, temporary (child) character death, (child) vampiric turning, kidnapping
Luke tried to stifle the shuddering breath that was on the verge of his tongue. There was no way anyone would be stupid enough to invite the vampire in. Once they did, that was it. They would all lose their lives, or theyâd be carted straight off to the kingdom.Â
But since Justinian was the only vampire present, he doubted that if the creature got inside, any of them would live.Â
One vampire enough to slaughter them all.Â
Emily was tense and rigid beside him. He didnât doubt she thought Luke would do anything to save Ten, but he really hoped she didnât think he was stupid enough to invite the vampire inside.
âIf we let you in,â Luke started, trying to keep his voice steady. It was incredibly difficult with the sheer languid power that the vampire exuded, a creature that was superior to them in amost every single way,â youâll kill us.âÂ
Justinian grinned again, flashing his fangs. Luke supressed a shiver. âNot at all.âÂ
The vampireâs eyes left Lukeâs briefly to drop down to Ten instead, who didnât even seem to react to the way his hand squeezed the back of his small neck a little more tightly. He hated seeing the kid like this - hated that heâd been forced to deal with a vampire alone, as an eleven year old child who didnât even know any better. Who didnât know, to the full extent, how ruthless and dangerous these creatures were.Â
A finger slipped under Tenâs chin, forcing his head to the side and back, staring directly at the vampire.Â
âThe poor thing was lost,â Justinian crooned, and Luke had almost yanked an arrow out of his quiver. âHe was terrified. Didnât know his way back home. Isnât that right?âÂ
Ten made a wobbly, scared noise of agreement. Despite the compulsion, the vampire had left Tenâs mind to run as normal it seemed, and he didnât want to imagine all of the raging, panicked thoughts that were racing through him. Justinian smiled in approval, turning back to Luke with a look in those gleaming eyes that said âI told you so.âÂ
âSee?â He hummed.Â
Luke sucked in a sharp breath. âNow heâs back. Let him go.âÂ
The vampireâs smile suddenly looked tight. âWhat do you mean, let him go?â He glanced at Ten, still stroking the back of his neck gently. âItâs not like Iâm holding him hostage.âÂ
âDonât fuck with me,â Luke bitterly chuckled out, his lip curling into a strained snarl. It probably wasnât the best of ideas to make a vampire mad when Ten was stuck in its clutches, and could snap his neck with that hand at any given moment, but there was this restless desperation clawing at his chest. All he thought about all day was Tenâs safety.Â
Justinian continued to smile. âInvite me in.âÂ
Luke seethed. âNo.âÂ
âYou humans and your manners,â the vampire drawled. âYou havenât thanked me for bringing your offspring back. The least you could do is invite me in, donât you think?âÂ
His spine went stiff. It was like he was toying with them all, tempting each human soul to let a creature of the night inside their home. Peopleâs eyes were flickering about, not even daring to breathe in case the vampire could hear them. Everyone had settled into the sidelines once they realised that Luke had unknowingly volunteered to be their spokesperson. Not even Emily had pried her lips open, which was severely out of character for the years she used them to complain.
His grip on the bow tightened. Justinianâs attitude felt like it was switching from cold and subtly threatening, to smugness and cruel amusement at the simplicity of the humans in front of him. It made his stomach twist.Â
âThank you,â Luke breathed out, but it was difficult to sound sincere. âFor bringing him back.âÂ
The vampire raised a brow. His throat had gone all prickly from his pride, trying to close it up, but if the creature would take gratitude over signing their death warrants, heâd take a simple thank you any day. He seemed to consider the words that Luke had chewed up, before his lip twitched into a soft smirk.Â
âYouâre welcome,â he drawled, patting the back of Tenâs neck softly. âYou want him back? Come and get him.âÂ
Luke bit the inside of his cheek. âRelease him first.âÂ
Those words seemed to strike a chord within the vampire, and his eyes darkened, even visible in the darkness of the night creeping up on them. Luke definitely didnât miss the way his hand tightened against the back of Tenâs neck, pinching it. It sounded like Ten almost made a strangled, pained noise, but it was lodged in the confines of his throat. It set something fiery off in Lukeâs chest.Â
âIf you want him back so badly,â the vampire drawled, his voice having taken a stern tone that sent shivers racing down his spine,â then come and get him.âÂ
Luke sucked in a sharp breath. It would be suicide, wouldnât it? The vampire was clearly trying to lure him out, trying to use Ten as way for his little meal to wander willingly out of the safety of their camp. Even if he tried to get Ten into the camp before something could happen, the vampireâs reflexes would thwart that instantly.Â
He felt Emilyâs hand on his shoulder, hot to the touch.Â
âLuke,â she murmured, in a way that told him she didnât approve of this. When he tilted his head aside to look at her, it was like she was trying to keep her expression together as much as she could. She was tense, but just like him, just like everyone else, she was scared.Â
Lukeâs stomach gave another sickening twist. This was his fault, wasnât it? All of his hunts had encouraged Ten to run off, heâd made him his own bow that was now broken and coddled to his chest like it was still the most precious thing to him. He wanted Ten to be safe, and he would risk his life just to do it.Â
When he shrugged himself out of her grip, she didntât say anything. Didnât stop him. If the vampire decided to kill him, then there would be nothing that he could do.Â
Luke couldnât feel his legs when he took that first step. Getting closer and closer to the line that separated him from life and death.
But also from Ten.
The kid still hadnât snapped out of it, but there was nothing he could do when Justinian was the one in control here. His grip on his bow was deadly. He didnât even think he would be able to pry his own fingers from the sturdy wood if he tried.Â
Keeping his eyes down low, Luke didnât dare make eye contact with Justinian now. The moment he passed the line, he had to push the presence of the creature to the back of his mind, and not fall into the deep hypnotic state he knew vulnerable humans could get themselves trapped into.Â
His feet stuttered to a stop at the line. His heart was pounding so hard in his chest, that he felt like he was going to be sick. But this was for Ten.
Luke sucked in a deep breath, and stepped over the line. It was deadly quiet from the campers behind him. No one even dared to utter a single word as he forced his numb legs over to Ten, slowly kneeling down in front of him. He kept his gaze focused on him, not daring to let it slip over to the vampire for even a moment. Justinian could probably hear how fast his heart was racing right now, the blood rushing to his head and making him dizzy with fear.Â
âTen,â Luke whispered, his chest so tight he could barely even get the words out. He placed his bow on the ground. âTen, look at me. Are you there?âÂ
For a sickening, gut wrenching second, Luke considered whether Justinian was even going to release the kid, like he had planned to play a cruel joke on him the entire time. But then there was a flicker of lucidity in Tenâs eyes, and the kidâs expression suddenly lit up, no longer tense and blank and fixated. Terrified, watery eyes flitted up to meet his.Â
âLuke?â Ten croaked, clutching the broken bow even closer to his chest. When he went to glance at the vampire, he gently cupped his cheeks, forcing him to meet his eyes instead.Â
âDonât look at him,â he whispered, more desperately than he would have liked. Tenâs throat bobbed as he swallowed, but he jerkily nodded his head. Luke realised his own breathing was audibly shaking in the night air, and he tried to put on his bravest face for the kid. He gently took Ten by the hand, rising to his feet, his whole body felt stiff with tension.Â
He left his bow. He didnât even think about it.
âJust walk with me,â Luke breathed, almost pleading. âLook ahead. Weâre going back now, alright?âÂ
Ten plastered himself to Lukeâs side as though he was velcro, and he was sure he could feel the tension and the terror radiating from him. The kid was shaking like a leaf in the wind, no doubt ready to collapse if Luke wasnât gripping his hand tightly.Â
One step.Â
Another step.Â
He could feel the pinpricks of Justinianâs beady eyes following him as he led Ten to the gate, his foot almost passing over the threshold, ready to jerk Ten to safety as quickly as possible andâ
Before theyâd made it past the gate, Ten suddenly made a pained, whining noise, and Luke felt him suddenly fight against his grip, making him stiffen. He turned his head aside, glancing desperately over Tenâs wrinkled expression, contorted in pain, and the unwanted confusion stabbed relentlessly at him. His brows twitched.Â
âTen,â he pleaded, his voice strained. âCome on.âÂ
When he tried to tug the kid closer to him, he made another strangled hiss of pain, now digging his fingers into Lukeâs arm as hard as he could to get him to let go, fighting against his pulling grasp with this squirmy desperation.Â
âIt hurts,â Ten choked out, like there was this pressure around his throat that was making his voice weak. He whined again, and this time, Luke eased his grip on his hand, despite knowing that he wasnât the one hurting him right now. When Ten skittishly took a few steps away from the gate, he noticed the wrinkled expression faded slightly, reopening his eyes. Luke choked on a breath.Â
âWhat did you do?âÂ
The words came out breathless, but there was an underlying fury laced between them. He was still looking at Ten, but he was talking directly to Justinian. He kneeled down, cupping Tenâs face again and frantically inspecting him. The kidâs eyes were wide, dazed and confused. He faintly heard Emily sharply calling his name.Â
âLuke.âÂ
Ten wasnât under the influence of Justinianâs compulsion anymore. So why couldnât he come inside the camp? What did the vampire do to him? He couldnât contain the fiery rage bubbling inside of him.
All of those questions, and still, Luke knew the answer to them.
Ten wasnât a vampire, that much he was sure of, and the vampire held no power over him. But who knows how long Ten had been with him. What the vampire had made him do. It sent him into a fit of rage to think there was vampire blood racing through Tenâs system right now, enough to make react impulsively in fury.
âWhat did you do?â Luke snapped again, his gaze wrenching towards the vampire with his lip curled into a deadly snarl. Immediately, his eyes met Justinianâs, and it was like something had hit him hard in the chest. All of the air was knocked out of his lungs, his vision tunneling through those glimmering, red eyes, and a complacent dizzines washed over him within seconds.Â
But Luke forced his eyes shut, and it felt like it was tearing his skull apart just to look away. The air barrelled back into him, and he hadnât even realised heâd been swaying on the spot until Tenâs small hands on his wrists grounded him, shakily calling out his name. All it did was allow that anger to return like a storm, and before he knew it, he was reaching for an arrow in his quiver, and he was going straight for the vampire.Â
He heard Emily screeching for him to stop, but Luke was consumed by a different kind of red this time, his own.Â
Even though he thought heâd moved quickly, it was nothing compared to the reflexes and speed of a vampire. Before he could even blink, Luke felt something twist him into the ground with a hard slam, a hand fisted in his locks tightly, and others digging hard into his arms, twisting them behind his back. He tasted a mouthful of dirt on his tongue, sucking in a ragged, wheezy breath, before he realised that Justinian hadnât even moved.Â
On him were two other vampires. And from the shadows, seemingly from the depths of the darkness, a dozen vampires appeared, scattered around them, and Luke faintly heard the soft gasp from Tenâs throat. He thrashed, straining against their hold, but nothing he did would break the strength of one vampire, let alone two.Â
He could hear people from the gate yelling as he was wrenched onto his knees, the uncomfortable pressure on his shoulder blades making him clench his teeth together to suppress a pained grunt. Ten kept trying to slowly back himself towards the gate, his eyes flickering frantically between each terrifying vampire that prowled closer, but each time, a look of discomfort would pass through him, and heâd be forced to shuffle a little further forwards to alleviate the pain.Â
This time, there was nowhere else for Luke to go when Justinianâs fingers dug into his jaw, wrenching his head upwards, and meeting his eyes before he had the intuition to close them shut. He instantly felt that swirling dizziness hit him again, being sucked into the tunnels of red.Â
âQuiet, now,â Justinian drawled, and Lukeâs throat immediately closed up. âBe still. You brought this on yourself for lashing out, Iâm afraid.âÂ
When the vampireâs sharp fingers left his jaw, Luke realised he couldnât bring himself to move, just like heâd been ordered. The vampireâs compulsion had him wired to the spot, the two vampires still keeping him on his knees in the uncomfortable, degrading position. He could only watch, his own mind dazed as the vampire took Ten by the arm in a soft grasp, and gently pulled him along, away from the gate.Â
The kid looked frightened, but Justinian was gentle with him, the same way he had been when heâd found them at the gate. Tenâs eyes were flickering around anxiously, his chest rising and falling rapidly with each scared intake of air. Justinianâs hands landed on his shoulders, settling behind him.Â
Luke stared.Â
He wanted to tell Ten that he was sorry. Tears were pooling in his eyes, and the kid was trembling, looking so tiny and vulnerable in front of the creature. Justinianâs hands left his shoulders, sliding up to his neck.Â
âLuke?â Ten whispered, his voice choking up. It sounded like he could barely get the words out, and his own mind was screaming for him to say something. To reassure him, to apologise, to say something so Ten wasnât in such an awful position.Â
Justinianâs hands bracketed Tenâs head.Â
Lukeâs heart broke. Even though he couldnât move, couldnât speak, he could feel the familiar seething heat of tears sliding down his cheeks. The blurriness of his own tears made his vision even cloudier, and God, he prayed it would stay cloudy so he didnât have to witness this. Ten was looking at him, big eyes confused and frightened, and as he opened his mouth to speak, Justinian snapped his neck.Â
His body thumped to the ground.Â
Even against the high pitched ringing that erupted in his ears, Luke could hear the horrified screams from the campers, the chaos that tore them apart as most fled from the gate, retreating back into camp. Luke wanted to scream, wanted to fight tooth and nail and go out bringing as much damage as he could to the vampire, but he was helpless.Â
Justinian stepped over Tenâs body.
He watched as a vampire knelt down beside him, and he was sure he heard another disgusting crunch as they set his neck right. The kidâs body was then gently scooped up into their arms, settled comfortably in the crook of their neck.Â
Justinian let out a soft sigh, tilting Lukeâs head back with a single, cold finger.Â
âYou and I both know the moment I found that kid, he was mine to do with as I pleased,â the vampire murmured by his ear, and Luke found himself going even more lightheaded when he forced their gazes together once more. âThe stories of immortal children might seem tragic, but I assure you, it wonât be anything like that. Not that youâll ever see him again.â
Justinianâs lip twitched into a languid smirk, his voice dropping to a low, hypnotic lull.Â
âRelax,â he purred, and against his own discretion, Luke found himself doing just that, his mind and his body going slack. It was terrifying, but at the same time, he was too far in Justinianâs compulsion to think for himself. He just kept sinking, further and further, his eyes droopy and glassed over. The vampire swiped a thumb over his lips, admiring his face for a moment. âOh, youâll set the markets thriving.â
Luke didnât have the strength to think of the implications of that, because he was falling, and he couldnât stop. Justinianâs eyes pushed him deeper and deeper, until everything shut off, and he was gone.
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Royal Bought: Upon Gates #2
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content warnings: hypnosis, mentioned vampire whump, threat
Luke was up early the next day.Â
The heavy weight of exhaustion tugged on his eyelids, a soft, weary sigh escaping his lips. He was sure he felt his shoulder blades and spine popping as he sat up, feeling the distinct burn from his hunting yesterday.Â
Stretching his arms leisurely, Luke ruffled a hand through his hair before swinging off the bed, pulling on his boots. When that awful, morning haze was shaken off, he took his time preparing himself for the day. As he absentmindedly followed his automatic routine, he couldnât help but admire the fact that Ten hadnât come storming into his tent yet.Â
Last year, the kid had launched himself on top of him while he was still sleeping, and made so much noise until he finally managed to drag his dreary self out of bed. Maybe the excitement had actually tuckered him out this year round. Unlikely, but he could dream.Â
Lukeâs eyes drifted to his bow as he pulled his shirt over his head, narrowing slightly. The conversation between him and Emily nagged at the back of his mind, but he forced it away. He didnât want to be thinking about that when it was Tenâs special day. So, he shucked his jacket on, left his bow on the table, and left his tent.Â
The sun was particularly bright today, and there wasnât a trace of a single cloud in the sky. It was bright and blue, almost damn near perfect weather.Â
Luke smiled softly to himself, feeling the wind tickle his cheeks. Ten deserved a perfect birthday, and even though he had no intentions of taking him out into the Collared Forest or even outside of the camp, there were plenty of targets he could practice with. Luke passed Rianâs place, giving the man a stone cold expression on the way past.Â
Trust Rian to recongise the deers from the forest.Â
It was a dead forest. There were no other living things out there apart from animals, and there were very little. Not even vampires found the need to wander aimlessly through such a large acre of land when no humans dared step foot in there. But it made for such a good hunting ground - the deers and various other animals were complacent, and not used to being hunted, so it made them easy prey.Â
As much as Luke hated taking the life of those beautiful animals, there were mouths to feed.Â
No amount of apologising would ever make him feel better about it, though.Â
âYou couldâve just kept your mouth shut,â Luke grunted as he sauntered past, and the manâs hard expression didnât falter, choosing not to dignify him with an answer. Good - Luke didnât want him ruining his mood today.Â
When he ducked into Tenâs tent, he was met with a sight that made him stop in his tracks.Â
There was a small crowd, maybe about a handful of people, gathered around a bed. When Luke stepped forward, he noticed it was Mary who was perched on the edge of the bed, her head in her hands and her shoulders shaking with sobs. Emily was stood in front of her, and she was the only one who titled her head aside to meet Lukeâs curious, but concerned gaze.Â
â...no trace, I donât know where he is!â The woman sobbed, her muffled voice cracking inbetween. Mary wasnât Tenâs mother, but she looked after him like one. The sight of her grief-stricken form and the fearful, sympathetic faces from the rest of the crowd made Lukeâs heart sink in realisation.Â
âWhat happened?â He snapped, his voice more urgent than he had expected. He took a couple steps forward, feeling the heavy weight of his heart slamming against his ribcage. Mary didnât even look at him, leaning into the touch of a woman who gently sat next to her, comforting her. It was Emily that spoke, her voice like a dagger through the air.Â
âItâs Ten,â she said. Lukeâs chest twisted.Â
âShut up,â he breathed, disbelief raging through his ears just as relentlessly as his own blood. He barged past the woman, who sternly called out his name in warning as he rushed towards the kidâs bed, his eyes depserately searching for the familiar arch of the bow heâd crafted just for him.Â
He checked the drawers, boxes, cupboards, under the bed, under his clothes. It wasnât here.Â
Luke felt the rising, crushing pressure hit him like a train, running a desperate hand through his hair. He felt dizzy, spinning around a few times for good measure as his gaze swept his living space one more time, ignoring Emilyâs grab for him.Â
He twisted out of her grip, heading straight for the flap of the tent again.Â
âLuke, stop!â Emily growled, catching up to him easily enough and digging her vice-like grip into his shoulder. He hissed as she jerked him back, enough to make him stumble, and he angrily wrenched away from her with a scowl.Â
âI have to go find him,â he heaved.Â
âI canât let you do that.âÂ
Lukeâs face twisted into a deadly snarl. âEmily, heâs missing. Heâs out there somewhere by himself and I have to go find him.âÂ
When he made another move to leave, she snatched his forearm this time, and when he went to pull away, she wasnât budging. He was firmly locked in place, and it only made his stomach contort tighter. What was Ten thinking, running off outside camp? Luke was so overrun with emotion, that he was almost on the verge of doing something really stupid.Â
âHeâll have to find his own way back,â Emily gritted out grimly between clenched teeth. âWe canât risk anyone elseâs lives by looking for him. Do you know how dangerous that is?âÂ
âTen could be lost,â Luke snarled. âHeâs just a kid, Emily. Donât tell me youâre gonna leave him out there?âÂ
âItâs the rules. Itâs too dangerous.âÂ
âEmily!â
âDo you see anyone else out there looking for him?â She hissed, her fingers twisting further into his skin and making him bite back a grunt of pain. âItâs suicide. Ten knows the rules, and he knows the consequences. We canât have a band of our own people marching out in there and shouting across the damn hills for him. Weâd be a walking meal for the vampires, and weâd lead them straight to us.âÂ
Lukeâs heart was pounding so hard in his ears, he could barely even hear her sickening justifications. And yet, there was still vengeful remorse eating away at his soul, because Ten would have never ran off if he hadnât given him that bow. If he wasnât someone Ten looked up to so much. His throat felt tight and hot.Â
âItâs his birthday,â Luke breathed, his voice cracking. âIâll go alone. I can find him and bring him back.âÂ
Emilyâs eyes narrowed. âWe arenât vampire hunters, Luke.â
âYou can spare one person,â he grit out. âHeâs a child. How can you be so cruel?âÂ
Mary was still sobbing. The tent had gone still, and when Lukeâs eyes flickered to the small handful of campers, they were all looking away guiltily, their eyes fluttering with admission. He almost barked with laughter. Everyone was a coward.Â
âMaybe next time, you should be the one considering the consequences of your actions.âÂ
Lukeâs eyes gleamed. âExcuse me?âÂ
Emily let go of his arm, and he roughly yanked it back. He could still feel the phantom sensation of her fingers digging uncomfortably into his flesh. âGo back to your tent, Luke. I donât want to see you looking for him.âÂ
Was he insane? Why was he the only person who thought this was heartless? Ten may have ran off on his own accord in the middle of the night, but he was eleven years old. Yet the hardened expression on Emilyâs face, the ruthlessness in her eyes and the cowardice complacency from everyone else in the camp, answered that very question.Â
âFuck you, Emily,â he breathed out, unbothered about her response. He turned and stormed out of there, leaving behind the faint sound of Maryâs bone wracking sobs to ring through his skull. His heart was hammering with a surge of pure adrenaline.Â
All he wanted to do was grab his bow, get his quiver, and go out there to find Ten.Â
To bring him back safely, so they could finally celebrate his birthday. Luke paused, releasing a livid, shaking sigh, his fingers twitching with the urge to hit something. As he passed the gate, he noticed a pair of beady eyed individuals staring intently at him. Luke walked on past.Â
It was clear Emily had no intention to let him leave.Â
Luke himself knew how dangerous it was out there. It was the reason why people didnât look when campers decided to leave and never return. They could only imagine the sort of fate theyâd succumbed to. Become lost, died naturally, killed by a vampire or snatched up by one of those blood suckers and whisked away to the kingdom. He knew Ten was a smart kid; smart enough to know that.Â
He found himself anxiously running his hands through his hair again. He couldnât stop wandering, not wanting to go back to his tent, but unable to grab his bow and just leave with Emilyâs lackeys by the gate.Â
News spread quickly around the camp.Â
There was this sullen shadow that fell over all of them, and it felt almost quieter. So quiet, contrasted against the raging thoughts that wouldnât shut up in Lukeâs mind, stuck in his skull. Heâd avoided Emily and just about anyone who wanted to talk to him, as the day passed by too quickly for his own liking. People were on the lookout for Ten, but there had been no sign of him.Â
He couldnât stop thinking about it. It was his birthday; they were meant to be celebrating. He was meant to be teaching him how to use his bow, chortle at him missing the targets and having a sulk over it, or claiming that one day, he would be a better hunter than Luke.Â
His fingers crept to his necklace, squeezing the metal tight. The symbol felt like it was scorching into his palm, making his eyes squeeze shut. He hoped Ten was being just as brave as he knew he was. That he was safe, that he was fighting to find a way back. Praying that he hadnât travelled far enough for some vampire to find him. He shuddered at the thought. Â
When the sun began to dip under the horizon and the sky turned a dark blue, Luke had had enough.Â
He grabbed his bow off the table, grabbed his quiver loaded with arrows, and left his tent with conviction in his steps. If he had to fight his way past Emilyâs lackeys, then so what? He would find Ten - or die trying. He wasnât going to give up on that kid, no matter the circumstance.Â
Except when he went outside, the air growing chillier as the night crawled in, Luke was almost stopped dead in his tracks. All of the campers were gathered by the gate. He could hear hushed, high pitched whispering, and he instantly rushed over, not caring if he barged into some people to get past. When he finally made it to the front, his heart gave out.Â
The gate was open. But standing there, was Ten. It wasnât what terrified Luke the most. Because stood leisurely beside him, pale hand pinching the back of the kidâs neck in a firm hold, was a vampire.Â
âTen,â Luke breathed, and when he went to take a step forward, something grabbed his forearm firmly. He didnât need to turn aside to see that it was Emily. He swallowed, throat burning, and forced his stiff legs back an inch. The vampire was tall, with short blond hair that he could have sworn was almost glistening under the remaining shreds of orange sunlight peeking over the horizon. Each strand looked perfectly placed, complimenting the smoothness of his pale skin. Those red eyes were dim, but intense.Â
Luke swore his breath was forced out of his lungs when the vampire briefly made eye contact with him.Â
âIs he yours?â The vampire drawled to the crowd of humans, patting the back of Tenâs neck gently. The kid was pale, his skin almost as white as the vampireâs beside him, and his eyes were fixated onâŚsomething. He wasnât making any attempt to so much as look at Luke, or any of the campers, for that matter. He looked tense, and with a twitch of his brow, Luke noticed that his bow was broken in half, clutched in his arms to his chest.Â
No one made a sound.Â
No one dared to, and even Luke found that his throat had closed up considerably. The vampire cocked a brow, before his lips curved into a smirk. Luke saw the flash of fangs.Â
âMaybe I should introduce myself first,â the creature hummed, and Lukeâs chest tightened, fixated on the way the vampireâs thumb was gently stroking the back of Tenâs neck. âIâm Justinian Roch. I would have come in and delivered him myself, but, wellâŚâÂ
He gestured to the air around them.Â
âYouâve got this place set up rather nicely. Iâm almost impressed.âÂ
Luke forced himself to look away, and hadnât even realised heâd been gripping his bow so tight, his knuckles had gone white. The corner of his lip twitched, tilting his head towards Emily.Â
âWho opened the gate?â He murmured in a low voice, but he could have sworn Justinianâs head tilted slightly, as if he could hear.Â
âTen was alone,â Emily responded quietly. âThey opened the gate for him, but he wouldnât come inside. I knew something was fishy. Then he showed up.âÂ
His eyes drifted back over to the vampire. He was smiling at Luke now, and he felt a shiver hurdle down his spine. Those beady, almost glowing eyes drifted down to his necklace. He was sure the grin almost stretched wider.Â
âDo you want him back?âÂ
Even though the vampire was speaking to everyone, he was looking directly at Luke, and it almost felt as if the conversation was directed only towards him. With the protective rituals surrounding the camp, not even the vampireâs compulsion worked on them. There was no risk of making eye contact and allowing the vampireâs influence to seize his mind when nothing vampiric could pass into the camp. It must have been why Ten didnât come inside when they opened the gate for him; Luke suddenly knew the reason why the kidâs eyes were so transfixed and glassy.Â
He swallowed, his throat parched. Do you want him back?Â
Lukeâs fingers itched around his bow. The arrows werenât made for vampires, and he wasnât going to risk Tenâs life if Justinian decided to hurt him. The vampireâs eyes gleamed, as if he could sense the internal struggle that Luke was battling with.Â
âWhy donât,â he drawled, flashing those fangs with a smug expression on his face,â you invite me in, hm?â
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Royal Bought: Hunting Deer #1
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content warnings: animal hunting, mentioned vampire whump
It was so quiet in the forest.Â
Luke couldnât even hear the sound of his own, soft, even breathing as he concentrated on the taut pull of the bow string, methodically following the small trot of the deer. It was beautiful - its slender neck leaned down to sniff at the ground, ears twitching occasionally.Â
He didnât even blink, fearing even a flutter of his eyelashes would send the deer scurrying away. It lifted its head back, big, beady eyes observing its surroundings, before Luke struck. He let go of the arrow, and the deer didnât have time to dart away before it landed in its neck, and he heard the distinctive thud of its body on the ground.Â
Luke finally let himself breathe deeply, rising to his feet. The bushes around him rustled as he climbed over them, the snapping of twigs filling the expanse of the desolate forest as he approached with long strides.Â
The deer was still breathing, and he gently set his bow down, dropping to one knee beside the creature. His hand gently lay across its torso, feeling the panicked, but slowing rise and fall of its ribcage as it took its final breaths. Luke squeezed his necklace, stroking the creature with such tenderness, staring at his reflection in its eye.Â
âIâm sorry,â he whispered, his voice small. The deerâs eyes clouded, and the animal beneath his hand went still. Luke sucked in a deep breath, letting go of his necklace and shucking off his bag. He made quick work of tying its legs, strapping the heavy creature over his back with practiced ease.Â
He picked up his bow, and started making his way back before it got dark. The camp came into view quickly enough when he followed the markings heâd left to help him navigate the forest, and as he came down the hill, he noticed Ten sprinting towards him with his stumbling legs and big grin on his face.Â
âLuke,â Ten squealed, circling around him to get a look at the deer on his back. âYou hunted a deer!âÂ
Ten was an energetic kid, with his shaggy brown hair and freckled face. It was going to be his eleventh birthday tomorrow, and had insisted that Luke take him out for his first hunting lesson - the kid refused anyone else, and honestly, Luke was flattered. Ten was like a little brother to him, and he always felt happy that the kid admired him so much.Â
âDonât touch it,â he chastised, waving him in front of him where he could see, ushering him back to the camp. âThat would be disrespectful.âÂ
âOh, tell me youâre gonna save it for tomorrow,â Ten exclaimed, clasping his hands together as he added an energetic spring to his step, skipping backwards. âPlease, please.âÂ
Luke rolled his eyes, playfully shoving him through the gate and back into the camp. A few people greeted him on the way in, and Ten had to pick up his pace in order to match his strides.Â
âWeâll have to see what Rian says, alright?â He offered. âBut donât get your hopes up.âÂ
Ten pouted. âHeâll say no.âÂ
âThen youâll have to live with that.âÂ
After passing off the deer to Rian, the bearded man gave him an appreciative thanks, yet Luke could sense there was indifference in his eyes as he glanced at the white spots on the deerâs neck. Luke had thought heâd been about to mention something about the forest, but he didnât, and he swiftly left the tent with a sigh of relief.Â
âI have a surprise for you,â Luke smiled, squinting as the sun spilled back over him. Ten immediately beamed up at him.Â
âYouâll take me hunting with you?âÂ
He patted his head, shaking his head softly. Even if he was turning eleven years old tomorrow, that was not old enough to hunt anywhere, let alone the surrounding forests. As much as he knew how much Ten wanted to leave the camp, it was incredibly dangerous. He could never let him. He pushed open the flap of his tent, motioning for Ten to come inside.Â
He happily made himself comfortable on the furs of his bed, and Luke couldnât help but smirk softly. âNo. I have something even better.âÂ
He leaned down behind one of the storage boxes, and carefully lifted up something wrapped in cloth. Ten sat up ethustically, his nose up in the air as he tried to lean to the side to get a good view of it. Luke unwrapped the string, peeling the cloth open to reveal a small, newly crafted bow. Ten gasped, shooting to his feet.Â
âIs that aââÂ
âYes,â Luke smiled.Â
âAnd thatâs for me?âÂ
He chuckled. âOf course. Too small for me, isnât it?â
The kid went to snatch it, but then stuck his hands back to his sides, and tried again. This time, he was a lot slower, cradling the bow like it was glass in his hands. His wide eyes were staring at it in shock, as if he couldnât quite believe what was happening. Luke had sacrificed a lot to craft this bow for Ten. He was just glad that he liked it so much.Â
âThis isâŚamazing,â he breathed in awe, gently running his finger along the intricate carvings. Lukeâs fingers ached just remembering how long it had taken. âWhat do these mean?âÂ
He tilted his head, pointing to the first one. âThis symbol here is for bravery. This one is my motherâs. As long as you have it near you, it will always give you strength, and youâll know that youâre not alone. Sometimes, it helps if you find things difficult. Itâs like a comfort.âÂ
Ten slowly nodded his head, taking in everything he was saying. He kept the bow close, lips curling into a giddy smile, as if just realising that it was really going to belong to him.Â
âYouâll teach me how to use it tomorrow, right?â He beamed, grinning from ear to ear. Luke nodded his head.Â
âYeah,â he smiled. âOf course I will.âÂ
Tenâs eyes glistened a little, and he threw his arms aroun Lukeâs torso, burying himself into him in a tight hug. Lukeâs heart skipped a beat, wrapping his arms around him in turn and giving his messy hair a small ruffle, chuckling softly under his breath. Ten squeezed him tight, as tightly as he could manage, and he didnât even think about peeling away until a sharp voice called out his name.Â
âLuke.âÂ
Ten lifted his head, and Luke swiftly rose to his feet, placing his hands on Tenâs shoulders just as a woman breached the tent, her expression stern and wrinkled in anger. Luke grit his teeth; he had a feeling he knew what this was about.Â
âThe Collared Forest, Luke,â Emily hissed, her words dripping with fracticousness. âWhere were you thinking?âÂ
Rian, then. Of course he would tell her. Luke gave a quiet sigh, trying to keep his voice calm. âThe deers are complacent. No one lives out there.âÂ
âYou know why we donât hunt there, Luke,â she snapped harshly. Emily was a tall woman, black braided hair and brown coloured skin. Her eyes were even a strange sort of hazel, almost making them seem orange when the sunlight hit them at a certain angle. It was fitting, considering she always looked like she had fire in her eyes when she was angry.Â
âEmily, there are no vampires in the Collared Forest,â he gritted out. âThere havenât been for years.âÂ
Under his hand, he felt Ten flinch. His eyes instantly softened upon realising the argument was brewing in front of him, and a wave of regret washed over him. Emilyâs eyes narrowed, yet she kept her mouth shut.Â
âTen,â he whispered softly, and the kidâs anxious eyes flitted up to him. âJust wait for me outside, okay? Go and play for a little bit. I wonât be long.âÂ
Ten swallowed, glancing uneasily at Emily, before she stepped out of the way of the entrance of the tent, closer to Luke. He watched Ten scurry out, leaving the two of them alone. Lukeâs eyes instantly narrowed into a small glare.Â
âA bow?â Emily breathed, her tone laced with bubbling anger. âYou gave him a bow?âÂ
âItâs his birthday tomorrow.âÂ
âDonât encourage another foolish imbecile to go into the Collared Forest.âÂ
Luke gawked at her. âJesus, Emily. Heâs not even old enough to leave camp. I know my way around the closest area of the forest. God knows we need the meat, unless you want us all to starve.âÂ
The womanâs lip curled into a snarl. He could sense she was trying not to raise her voice, lest the whole camp hear their argument. âYou could have been followed.âÂ
âVampires canât get into the camp,â Luke frowned. âNot unless someone invites them in. You and I both know that no one is stupid enough to do that.âÂ
âYouâre not getting it,â she heaved, prodding a finger against his shoulder as she stepped closer, his feet rooted to the ground. He felt his anger flare, but did nothing. âI donât want the vampires to know where we are. Donât you know what happened to the human camp across the Corpse River?â
Corpse River. It was many miles from their camp, and it would take weeks of walking just to make it there. It ran all the way to the kingdom of the vampires, and often, people would see the bloated corpses of dead humans, discarded by the vampires, being carried down by the stream, hence its name. Luke had never travelled far enough - it was forbidden. He wasnât eager to find out if it lived up to its name or not either.Â
On the other side, he was aware there was another human camp. His heart sank a little at the mention of them, swallowing uneasily.Â
âWhat?â He breathed.Â
Emily let out a sharp breath through her nostrils, her lips pressing into a thin line. âIt was desimated by vampires five days ago. They slaughtered everyone within there.âÂ
Lukeâs tongue went dry. âBut, vampires canâtââÂ
âIt doesnât matter,â Emily cut off, her brows furrwoing. âThey also believed the vampires couldnât get in. But they did. I will not have the same thing happen to our camp because of you.âÂ
Luke was still reeling over the fact that their camp had been destroyed. They had everything to ward off vampires, everything to keep them and their powers from straying inside, and their camps had been standing for years upon years. He didnât know how it was possible.Â
âWeâre the last human camp,â he murmured softly under his breath, and suddenly the world felt that much smaller. Emilyâs eyes softened, just an inch, but it was enough for her gaze to flicker from his face, a deep sigh to fall from her lips. She briefly glanced at the entrance of the tent, before patting his arm once firmly.Â
âStay away from the Collared Forest, Luke,â she warned, her voice firm. Luke bit the inside of his cheek, a grim expression falling across his face. âWhen we hit a shortage, maybe you should think about teaching Ten to fish instead.âÂ
She turned away from him, and he watched her go quietly as she left the tent, leaving him alone. His eyes drifted over to his own bow for a few moments, before collapsing down onto his bed, running a weary hand over the back of his skull. It wasnât a life; being here was living in constant fear, not only of the vampires, but the lack of food and the terrible harvests that were rolling in. Now that the camp across Corpse River had been somehow completely eradicated?Â
His hand drifted down to his face, rubbing his eyes. Luke was exhausted - he wasnât really sure what he should do anymore. It was a cruel world with the existence of vampires, where all they were to them were animals or pets for them to play with. Heâd heard horrific horror stories about the lives of human blood bags in the kingdom, and it wasnât a life he wanted for himself. Luke didnât want it for anyone.Â
As the sun began to dip under the horizon and the sky began to darken, the camp turned in for the night, dousing out their fires and going quiet. Luke struggled to sleep, arms tucked under his head and staring absentmindly at his ceiling.Â
He couldnât stop thinking about what Emily said.Â
Eventually, he rolled over, and willed himself to sleep. Just as he began to succumb to the comforting grips of sleep, Ten was quietly sneaking out of his tent, crossing the camp with tiny, soundless steps, his new bow gripped in hand. He had a quiver with a few arrows strapped to his back, squeezing himself through the bars of the gate, before rushing off towards the Collared Forest.
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âthe facilityâ â the breakout 2/?
previous ¡ masterlist
content warnings: prison whump, whumpee turned whumper, sadistic whumper, mass prison breakout, captivity, imprisonment, torture, violence, beatings
Noahâs head felt as though it had been rammed through a wall when he finally came to. It took him a long, aching few seconds to realise that was pretty much what had happened - the elevator doors.
His hazy vision could barely make out where he was, if he was the right way up or not, but he soon began to wriggle his limbs and realised he was lay on his side, head pressed uncomfortably into the cold floor.
He bit back a small moan of pain - his arms were twisted behind his back, knotted together with an uncomfortable, scratchy rope. The fear was stabbing numbly at his chest, the situation dawning on him.
The breakout. Cash â shit, Cash.
Noahâs breath hitched, feeling automatic tears start to relentlessly sting his eyes. He could recognise one of these rooms, one of torture. It wasnât the one they had experimented on Cash in, being much larger and decorated with so many more horrifying tools.
The scientist felt dizzy looking at them, shifting. Aches spiralled through his muscles, the pins and needles kicking in once he finally became aware. As he did, something caught his eye.
There was someone else against the adjacent wall, an Apoid. The helmeted head was dipped down low, arms equally twisted behind his back, but Noah could just catch a small glimpse of a short link of chain. The visor on the helmet was cracked, and their chest was rising and falling slowly.
Noahâs heart sank. The Apoid was still alive, and better yet, he prayed it was who he thought it was.
âFionn?â He croaked, his throat dry from the last moments heâd spent screaming. His heart was hammering in his chest. âFionn, wake up. Fionn.â
âHeâs not gonna hear you.â
Noah felt his body seize in a vice grip, the voice from behind him making all of his blood go cold. He didnât even have time to crane around until someone was stepping over his body, and his wide eyes flickered up to meet Cashâs face.
He was smirking. But those eyes; he wasnât amused at all.
âHello, doc,â he spoke calmly, crouching down closer towards him. Noah winced, his chest rising and falling with his quickly labouring breaths. âGlad someone didnât pump you with any lead. Been looking forward to this since the alarm went off.â
Noah shrank further into the floor.
He remembered what that prisoner had said, and it frightened him how Cash had been gunning just for him the whole time the chaos had erupted. To fulfil the promise heâd made. His throat ached in reminder of that moment.
âItâs not as fun when the bootâs on the other foot, huh?â Cash sneered, tilting his head as his unrelenting gaze didnât falter for a moment. Noah forced himself to look away, tucking his wobbling bottom lip under.
âCash, please, Iââ His words dried up, squeezing his eyes shut. He was so terrified. âI didnât take any pleasure in it. I didnâtââ
ââwant to?â Cash interrupted. âYou signed up for this place.â
âI had to,â he shakily whispered. âItâs my sister. There was no way I could afford her treatment if I didnâtââ
âNoah,â Cash groaned, the irritation evident on his face, now hardened from his fear induced babbling. Fingers twisted in his hair, pressing his temple into the concrete floor. Noah bit back a whine of pain. âI donât want a justification. In fact, I donât care. But I am gonna make you pay. Thereâs nothing you can say that will change that.â
His stomach twisted. He was shocked he hadnât thrown up yet, with the stress of the breakout and all the horrfic things heâd seen, and now this horrific predicament. His white jacket was still stained with patches of blood, a cruel reminder that none of it had mattered in the end.
âWhy not run?â The scientist whispered shakily. âThis is your chance to escape this place. Thereâll never be another opportunity.â
Cash raised a brow, looking disinterestedly at the muck on Noahâs jacket. âDoc, getting out of this place ainât easy. Theyâll have the army, thousands of Apoids, anything swarming the outside of this place. Those lucky enough to get out wonât last two minutes up there. But here?â
Cash grinned, the sight wolfish. The secretary figured he might sink those sharp teeth into his neck for good measure. âTheyâll eventually get control of the place. Theyâll round up the prisoners and take us alive once we cooperate. After all, they wonât gun us all down as long as we remain in the Facility.â
Cashâs fingers twisted harder into his hair, and Noahâs body went rigid, hissing through his teeth.
âIâve been in this place longer than you, doc. I know how they work,â he whispered sharply, the puff of air on the shell of his ear making him shudder. âSo, why not take this time to do something Iâve wanted to do since the moment I laid eyes on you?â
He roughly released him, and Noahâs throat bobbed as he swallowed uneasily. Cash was right - an escape would only end in death. Clearly, after the fiasco when heâd broken out of his cuffs, the Facility prioritised taking the prisoners alive unless it was absolutely necessary to kill them. Theyâd send in reinforcements, round them up, and get the place back under control.
It meant that Noah was going to have to wait for the reinforcements to show up. Who knew how long that could take? Depending on how far the breakout had stretched, which levels were unaffected and under control, he was in the dark.
In the dark, and trapped with his prisoner, who had every desire to make him wish for a merciful death.
Noah hadnât even realised heâd started crying until Cash scoffed, crossing his arms over his chest. Hot tears streamed down his cheeks, biting back a small whimper.
âYouâre a doll, doc,â he cooed, his eyes gleaming. âIâm going to take my time with you. Though, I was kind enough to provide you with some company, at least.â
Noahâs teary eyes darted over to Fionn.
He wondered how Cash even knew that was him, but he didnât care.
Fionn wasnât safe, neither of them were, but at least he knew he wasnât dead. The last thing he had been so consumed about was if heâd cost the Apoid his job; now he wished that was all he had to worry about. Noah bit back the little sniffle, the dizzy headache throbbing uncomfortably through his skull, only intensified by the pounding of his heart.Â
Level Nine was terrifying enough as it was; locked in a room with one of their prisoners, completely at their mercy? Noah didnât think anything worse could have happened. Level Nine prisonerâs were some of the most ruthless war criminals, prisoners of war, agents and spies, too dangerous to be kept anywhere but a highly sophisticated underground prison. He had recieved Cashâs file, but it didnât tell him anything about the things heâd done to get himself locked up in here. Only blood types, medication - things that he would have to know as his scientist.Â
Noah didnât want to think about all the horrific stuff Cash had done.
The fact that he probably knew how to kill Noah in more ways than he could ever imagine.Â
The fact that he would know how to hurt him until he wanted death.Â
Horror twisted his core - there was no point begging right now. For Cash, this was how it was supposed to be. The Facility would be swarming on the surface - the moment someone managed to get out, they wouldnât be there two minutes before they were found and gunned down.Â
And, for some reason, Noah got the impression that mindless slaughter and violence would become pretty boring for someone as calculated as Cash. The breakout was an exuse for anarchy and escape; for Noahâs prisoner, it was an opportunity for payback.Â
âIf you want to punish someone, punish the Higher Ups,â Noah choked out, cringing when Cashâs eyes remained staring languidly at Fionnâs unconscious form. âThe people who run the place. Theyâre the ones that pass the orders. Please.âÂ
Cash tilted his head, cold eyes flickering up to the ceiling, as if in thought. âThatâs the thing, doc. Theyâre smart enough to know that. Itâs always why theyâre smart enough not to stick around when they donât have to.âÂ
His boots thumped across the ground, stopping in front of Noahâs damp face again. Over his prison clothes, Cash was wearing one of the Apoidâs jackets, unzipped. Heâd probably taken it from someone heâd killed, since Fionn was in full uniform apart from his weapons. The prisoner had stripped them.Â
âBut weâve both seen for ourselves that people like you are expendable,â he mocks cruelly, reminding Noah of those words Fionn had shouted with such conviction. Something stung at his chest. âThatâs why.âÂ
He admired the crestfallen expression that fell upon Noahâs pitiful face for a few moments, before he pretended to glance at the non-existent watch on his wrist. He hummed, lip quirking into a malicious smirk.Â
âAlright, enough chit chat, doc,â he murmured. âI was hoping your little Apoid would wake up, but weâre on a time crunch here. So, letâs get started.âÂ
Noah flinched violently when his hand fisted into his shirt, hoisting him onto his feet like he weighed nothing. The prisoner even made a quiet comment about how little he would weigh, even soaking wet, but Noah couldnât hear anything over the relentless pounding in his skull, and the blood rushing through his head.Â
The prisoner guided him, or more like dragged him, close to the wall, where he took in the horrible sight of shackles attached to a chain in the ceiling. His knees were refusing to even hold his own weight, a colourless complexion fixed itself to his face.Â
âCoveniently, these rooms were made for torture,â Cash smoothly spoke, taking a pocket knife to Noahâs restrained wrists and cutting through them easily. Before he could even consider attempting to wrench away from him, the prisoner was slapping the cold metal cuffs around them, stretching his arms uncomfortably above his head. There was a small pinch in his shoulder blade from the position, and he had to bite back a pained whimper.Â
âThe most challenging thing was deciding what to do with you first, though. Especially with all of these options,â he hummed absentmindly, running his fingers along the wall, lined with various tools that Noah didnât dare crane his head around to see. He heard the clank of metal, and Cash circled back round in front of him to see he was cradling a lead pipe. âI donât want to put you out of commission too early. Look at you - youâre so frail, doc.â
Noahâs heart was racing. With each passing second of being in this position, he was imagining all of the places that the lead pipe would crack against, and he could barely breathe from the horrifying concept. Was this how it felt for them? Waiting for the inevitable torture?
âCash,â he breathed out shakily, biting back a sob. âCash, please.âÂ
âNot gonna work on me,â the prisoner sighed, unbothered. âI donât have a soft spot for those that grovell. Sorry.âÂ
Noah had barely even been able to brace for the first swing. Cash had moved so fast after standing so casually, that he only registered the movement after the crack of impact landed on his side, and his throat closed up in agony. His whole body seized up, a wretched, choked sound escaping his lips.Â
The chains rattled from the very impact, his eyes wide and watery. Cashâs eyes gleamed with something predatory, like he could sense he was going to enjoy this. The numbness came next, followed by the tidal wave of crippling agony. Noah wanted to double over, try to ease the blinding pain, but it was impossible with the chains.Â
âThat was just a love tap,â Cash purred, and there was this sick delight in his voice, like the hit had released something within him that had been festering for years upon years. âDonât be dramatic, doc.âÂ
Noah canât even process the comparison of that only being a love tap before the pipe sinks into his stomach with vigor, and a sickening cough gets all tangled up in the scientistâs throat. The sheer force is enough to rip the air from his lungs, rendering him gasping and squirming in the chains as he tries to process the throbbing pain spreading through his body.Â
The pipe goes for his side again. Then his ribs - Noah seeâs stars on that swing, and he can barely even feel the instinctive panic that something was cracked before another was slamming into back, avoiding his spine.Â
âStop,â Noah tries to choke out, but heâs been rendered breathless and heâs in so much pain and he just wants to go home. Cash taps the edge of the pipe under his chin, gently tilting his head up to meet his unfocused, tear filled eyes. He canât help but wrack with groaning sobs, each jolt making his body flare up in intense agony. Breathing aches.Â
His face is contorted in pain, and Cash admires it languidly.Â
âBut, doc,â he drawls. âWhy stop when weâve only just begun?â
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to elaborate on the last anon: i'm curious to see how roy would treat leo while prepping for being in hiding (like dying their hair, during car rides, etc) and then also once they're all settled in
âClose your eyes, lion.â
The sharp command made Leo obey almost immediately, swallowing down the intense fear when the mercenaryâs hands pushed him down over the sink, not kind nor gentle in the slightest. His mind automatically let out a cruel âcan you blame him?â and it only broke him further.
The luke warm water ran over his head, and he felt Royâs fingers dragging through his hair without a care for his comfort, roughly scrubbing the dye from his locks. He bit the inside of his cheek, not daring to even let a single noise slip from his lips.
Roy had barely spoken any words to him.
Not during the car journey, not even as they found themselves in this strange place. Theyâd wandered into a completely normal shop, but the mercenary had gone straight for the man behind the counter.
Theyâd exchanged a few words, something about a TV? It was all gibberish and code to Leo, and the man behind the counter had suddenly turned very serious, leading them down under the shop.
Now he was here - darkening his hair until had turned a dark brown.
When Roy released him, Leo fumbled with stinging water in his eyes, wincing when a towel was thrown at him. He grasped it with shaking hands, desperately scrubbing the water that got in his eyes. He heard a new pair of footsteps, cracking an eye open to see the man behind the counter walking down the stairs.
He barely looked Leoâs way, opting to approach Roy instead.
âWeâve got two and a half hours tops,â the man told him, his voice low. Leo could feel his hair dripping, and scrambled to dry his it before it got everywhere. Roy kicked open a folded chair, sitting down on it with a curt sigh. Leo tried not to look.
âI know, Gary,â he responded, his voice tight. âIâm keeping an eye on the clock. Do you have everything ready?â
The man â Gary â nodded, his expression stern. âEverythingâs set up. Just need the pictures and Iâll give you those plane tickets.â
Leoâs stomach twisted into a painful knot. Plane tickets? He suddenly felt very sick. That meant they could be going anywhere in the world, and no one would be able to find him. He really might never see his father after finally being reunited.
A sharp snap caught his attention, his eyes obediently darting to Roy. Sure enough, the man was looking at him with those hardened eyes.
âOver here, lion.â
He grasped the towel, doing as he was told. Leo knows what doing the opposite had done for him - this. Seeing his fatherâs limp body in the hallway of their home, praying that he made a speedy recovery. He wondered what he was doing now. If Sharpe and Summers were looking for him. If they would ever find him again.
When he was close enough, Royâs finger dug into the flesh of his forearm without a care, jerking him down to the floor by his feet. He was forced to sit, legs crossed, back to Roy as the mercenary shifted about, the chair creaking slightly.
Gary was watching intently, and it was making Leo nervous. Fingers combed back the damp hair, and the whir of a hairdryer picked up, warm air beginning to blow through his brown locks. Roy wasnât particularly rough, and it was the nicest he had been since he came to the house to drag his lion back.
Gary was still staring at Leo. It seemed he was trying to get a guage of who he was, and finally, recognition flickered in his eyes, lip quirking with a twitch of a smirk.
âAinât he the one that you got in this mess?â Gary murmured, loud enough to be heard over the hairdryer. Leo kept his eyes to the ground, focusing on the feeling of the mercenaryâs fingers combing through his hair. âThought I recognised him from the trial.â
Roy didnât say anything. He could sense he was still mad that he had succumbed to the pressure from the detectives and thrown him under the bus; it seemed his uncle was always going to pay the bail. He continued to dry Leoâs hair. Gary hummed at his reaction.
âI thought your uncle would have disposed of him.â
Leoâs nails dug into his palms, his expression twisted in discomfort.
âI convinced him not to,â Roy answered curtly, giving the secretaryâs hair one last blow over before he was satisfied. The hairdryer was cut off. âFor whatever reason, my uncle is fine keeping me happy.â
âProbably trying to sweeten you up,â Gary hummed. âHeâll want you back. I think he always has.â
The mercenary let out a bitter laugh. He rose from the chair, causing Leoâs head to tilt back in confusion, those big blue eyes staring at him quizzically. The mercenary motioned for him to sit on the chair, and he was quick to obey.
âMy uncle practically left me to die,â Roy hummed, though his brow was raised languidly, like the topic of discussion didnât bother him in the slightest. Gary moved behind the chair, tilting Leoâs head back a little bit so it was straight. He heard the snip of scissors. âI donât need to owe him anymore than I already do for paying my bail.â
Leo wanted to shrink into a tiny ball, feeling Royâs scrutinizing gaze piercing straight through him.
More snips. The secretary tried not to cry.
âIf you say so,â Gary hummed quietly.
Sinking into his mind, Leo tried to focus only on the rhythmic snipping of the scissors, the comb through his hair, the fingers that werenât intent on hurting him. He tried to pretend he was at the hairdressers, eyes closed as the therapeutic atmosphere overtook him, completely drowning in a reality that wasnât his own.
When Gary finished, Leoâs eyes cracked open, mourning for a life he wouldnât get. He wanted to believe that Roy would be kind to him again. Maybe he would, if Leo was good. He really hoped so.
His head felt lighter. His fingers ran over the back of his head, shocked by the lack of thickness he felt. It wasnât crawling over his neck anymore, most of the loose, fluffy hair on the top, resting in curly loops. The shock must have been evident on his face, because the next thing he knew, Royâs fingers were gently tapping his chin, tilting his head back.
Leoâs heart lurched into his throat. His skin burned from the contact.
The mercenary observed him for a long few seconds, before his lips finally quirked into a lazy smirk.
âIt suits you, lion,â he purred, gently brushing his thumb under the mop of curls. Leo desperately, keenly, almost frantically leaned into the touch, relishing in the kind contact. Roy released a breathless chuckle. âMore than I was expecting.â
If Roy liked it, so did Leo. He didnât even have to see it.
Time passed by quickly enough - Gary took photos, even gave Leo coloured contacts so his eyes were a muddy brown. He gave them both a new ID, handing them over to Roy for him to glance over. He had hummed, smiling, holding the ID up and glancing at Leo.
âOliver,â he hummed, tilting his head. âOllie. I like it.â
Leo was picking at the clothes Gary had given him to put on, something baggy and warm. Heâd fixed a snug hat on his head too, and Roy pocketed both IDâs, clearly not intent on trusting Leo to take his own. When he stepped up to him, he tried not to flinch back.
âYouâll be a good boy this time,â Roy whispered ever so quietly, just for him to hear, the trill of his low voice making his eyes flutter. âWonât you?â
Leo desperately nodded his head. He didnât want Roy to hate him. Didnât want him to violate him and ignore him and drag him around like he used to. He just wanted everything to go back to normal, swept under the confines of his spell, and it was easy for those feelings of attachment to consume him.
âYes,â he breathed, barely even able to get the words out. Leo hated that his eyes were filling with tears. Heâd caused all this trouble, and for what? None of it had mattered. Roy was never going to let him go. Yet, that was something Leo wasnât entirely upset over. âIâm sorry, Roy. Iâm so sorry.â
The mercenary cooed, stroking the soft skin of his cheek. âI was really hurt, you know.â
Leo hadnât wanted that. He loved Roy â no, loves him. He never wanted the cold shoulder treatment again, lest it break his heart further than it already had.
âI love you,â Leo sniffled, melting into his embrace when the mercenary finally wrapped his arms around him, tucking him against his body. He slotted in so perfectly. âIt was all my fault. Iâm so sorry, Iâm so...â
Leoâs trembling words were cut off with a kiss to his temple. He practically keened.
âNo more groveling. We have a plane to catch soon.â
The mercenaryâs thumb gently rubbed along the bottom of his lip, as if he was remembering what heâd forced Leo to do in the home heâd left behind. He briefly wondered if he regretted it.
Still, Leo nodded.
Royâs eyes crinkled. âGood boy.â
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