11 Drained

Bridget

I wish I could say that it was smooth sailing after that.

I am back in the slave girls’ room, terrified after Lucien and I’s interactions in the car.

Here’s the recap:

As I was getting back into my clothes, it dawned on me that I was literally just making out shamelessly with the man who ruined my life.

And I was disgusted with myself.

I made myself swear an oath that I would not kiss him or let him drink my blood again.

I exited the changing room and Lucien immediately put an arm around my waist. He was seemingly pleased with our interactions while I kept telling myself that this was fake, that he did not like me and that as soon as we got back he wouldn’t pay not one iota of attention to me, that he has mistresses to satisfy him, that Layla will always be his number one and that she is one day going to be crowned as his queen.

I drilled myself over and over again with those words, making sure that they were well beat within my skull as I entered the car. Lucien tried to pull me on his lap but I sat right where I was and refused to come close to him. I could tell he was confused, because I was sober and my interactions with him were purely instinctual there.

Lucien let me alone for a while, but evidently his thoughts were in the same place as I was because he tried to lean over and kiss me, but I dodged it and looked back out the window.

“What is wrong with you now?” he asked me, and I just shook my head.

“This is all fake, Lucien, fake.”

I realized I just called him by his first name right to his face and I started panicking, but Lucien only chuckled.

“It’s alright, little dove, I don’t mind hearing it from your lips,” he said, clearly seeing my distress from that. “But I would like to know what part of that kiss was fake. Especially since you wanted more.”

“There is no relationship between us,” I spat out bitterly. “You have Layla and you have plans on being with her forever, so I don’t know why you even fucking bother with me. Besides, you’re the guy who ruined my life anyhow. I won’t necessarily be making out with you again, drunk or sober.”

That seemed to make him angry.

“Do you not understand something, Bridget?” he fumed. “I bought you. You belong to me. I paid $50,000 for you, and on top of that you killed Lucas. You owe me a lot, and asking for a kiss or your blood is actually the least you could do.”

I turned to him in shock. “$50,000?”

“$50,000 is what I paid to fuck you,” he said, and I glared at him.

“You’ll never get to fuck me,” I blazed. “I don’t like you, Lucien. You are a monster, and nothing will ever change that.”

I turned and looked back out the window, but I felt a hand curl around my neck and squeeze so tightly that I couldn’t breathe.

I fought against him, but I gave up and just let it be. If I was meant to die, I was meant to die.

But he let go right before I passed out, just like the first day we met.

I fell against the car seat, near his thigh. His fingers started lacing through my hair, being surprisingly gentle.

“Oh, little human,” he said, “you are in a lot of trouble.”

As soon as my body gained enough oxygen, I shot up, threw his hand off me and scooted as far away from him as possible.

“I hate you,” I said bitterly, and a hiss came flying out of him. I took a peek over my shoulder and screamed when I saw his face. It was completely dark all over, his eyes black, his veins black and his skin white as ever.

He looked like a literal demon from hell.

“Take it back,” he growled in a voice that did not sound like his. “Take back what you said!”

“No,” I replied stubbornly, afraid.

His fangs came out and his eyes blazed red and he basically went to launch at me when Alec suddenly appeared and yanked the car door open, grabbing him. Sebastian helped pull him out.

I rode with another driver that held Libby and Marilyn. I sobbed the entire way back while Libby and Marilyn tried to comfort me as best as they could.

I felt like Marilyn was in a I-told-you-so moment, because the way she kept looking at me let me know that she knew this day was going to come.

“I did tell you not to burn the vampires, right?” she said quietly when I asked her what she thought.

Libby sort of smacked her arm, and that was the end of those words.

Now I wait here in the slave girls’ room, either for death or for forgiveness, but Lucien already told me once that he doesn’t forgive.

I’m fucking dead...

And I never got to meet my birth parents.

The door opens and it reveals Carson, and he looks grim.

“Bridget,” he says, and he looks down. “Don wants to see you.”

I nod and slowly get to my feet.

“If anyone ever asks what my last words were, tell them that Libby, Rosanna, and Shelia are my sisters from other misters and that I loved and raised my brothers...” I say, and Carson just bows his head again.

“It’ll get out,” he whispers.

Carson leads me to his office.

I stand there with my head down, and I don’t even know where Lucien is at.

“Bridget,” his voice is deadly and it is right...behind...me...

It’s not that I don’t answer, it’s that I can’t answer. I’m waiting to die.

“Look at me, Bridget,” he says, his voice still dark. My body is immobile. For the first time in my life, my amygdala has taken over my body and my fear response is to stay frozen. Normally, my brain makes a list of possible escape routes and what ones would possible work when I feel fear.

But this is a different kind of fear, because I basically pissed off the devil.

And this devil will burn you.

I feel his hand on my shoulder and he turns me around. He doesn’t look like he did earlier, but his voice is definitely still scary.

I try to calm myself down as much as possible.

“You have two options here, and none else,” he says, and I know he is truly serious. “I wanted you and I paid for you. Fair, I maybe am not the nicest person you’ve ever met, but what did you actually expect of me, Bridget?”

I don’t answer him again.

“Your two options are me, or death,” he watches my facial reaction carefully. “Take your pick.”

I stare at him for the longest time.

I know he wants and expects me to choose him. But I feel if I do that, he’ll always hold that over my head. I chose him, and he wants me. That’s basically the green light to head to the bedroom to consummate whatever is going on between us, and I don’t want that. I think I’d rather fuck myself and enjoy it than have a vampire greedily humping me. I’m good, thanks.

But on the other hand, death doesn’t seem like a fun option from what I can see. If he’s going to turn into a demon to slaughter me, I’d rather just stick around and deal with the sex rather than death.

I am too stubborn to say that I choose him, so what I’m going to do is pick or.

I’m not going to say anything at all and see what becomes of it.

Lucien takes a step towards me, reaches out and runs his fingers up my arm to my neck. He gently caresses my cheek with his thumb, tingles spreading out all over my facial skin.

I pull away from him, and he hisses in anger.

“Death is what you pick then?” he growls at me, and I swallow, looking down at the floor.

He picks me up by the neck and throws me across the room. I land on the ground after hitting the wall and I groan, trying to get back up on my feet, feeling broken on both the inside and outside. I let out a cry of pain and sink back to the floor, trying to breathe.

He walks over to me and grabs my upper body, leaning it against his thigh when he squats. He grabs my hair, tilts my head to the side and plunges his fangs into neck. Unlike any other time, this does not feel friendly. I fight against him as much as I can, but there’s no way I can stop a vampire.

I sob and cry, begging him to stop, but he doesn’t. It’s like he’s possessed. I feel my strength ebbing as my legs begin to feel faint and heavy.

I’m being drained of my blood, and there’s nothing I can do about it.

I keep my eyes open, staring at the ceiling as I mentally say good bye to my friends, my family...and also ask forgiveness from those that I’ve done wrong.

I never wanted to leave like this.

White begins to take over my vision.

And finally...this might be the end...