Mathilde

He drew a hand back and I flinched, but didn't open my mouth.

He hit me hard enough to make me gasp, but I quickly closed my mouth again and looked up at him with silent resolve. He looked angry, but he did the nose thing as if slightly amused. A reflex he couldn't control, maybe?

He took hold of my jaw and forced my mouth open by digging his long, strong fingers in. I was mewling and struggling as his fingers drew more blood and holding his wrist as he squeezed liquid into my mouth.

"Swallow, cunt," he hissed, holding his hand over my mouth and holding my jaw shut. He pinched my nose closed and I swallowed quickly, terrified.

He stood up, letting go of me, then watched me for a moment. He got out the small chains and began decorating me again as I started feeling numb. He looked mildly concerned as he watched me.

"Was that?" I asked, my voice echoing, fading, then coming back loudly.

He moved and I blinked, as I watched half of him jump away from his own body and fly across the room as the other half, his whole half, stayed and put a necklace on me.

"Ohhh god," I whispered, gripping the chair.

He laughed. "Next time do not fight then give in so quickly. You have too much now.I expected you to spit, yes?"

The words danced around my head, singing themselves over and over as I lay there and stared, listening to them over and over again.

He lifted me rapidly and poured something foul in my throat. I brought up everything I had ever eaten in my life as my stomach immediately clenched. I had a brief second to realize I was in the bathroom and he was holding me over the toilet as I vomited. Seconds later, a cold shower pounding on me actually felt good.

Vano jerked my face up to look into my eyes. He relaxed at whatever he saw in them. "You will not die," he said with a shrug, then let me go.

"You suck," I croaked as he dried me off.

He said nothing as he carried me back out and put me on the chair. The morning was gone, it was at least noon now. What the hell had happened?

"I am freezing," I whispered, curling up on myself in the chair.

He pulled off his black shirt and tossed it on me before going to the door. "Stay silent," he demanded angrily before opening it.

A couple came in old enough to be my parents. I shivered under the shirt and listened to them talking to Vano about fertility and how to use what he was giving them. That was the theme of the day, it seemed as two more couples arrived in the next two hours.

$20,000 to get pregnant and all he needed to make a batch was my blood and saliva scraped off of my tongue. I wondered if his potions worked or if he was cheating all of these people. I remembered the boy then. David. He had been coming here every year for college to get that potion the other college kids were getting. It must work? And apparently didn't show up on a drug test either.

After the third couple left, a kid showed up with boxes of groceries. I pulled Vano's shirt on instead of using it like a blanket and began putting things away, leaving a few things out to make dinner. I still felt awful and my head was swimming, but it was better than just laying there miserable. Two more couples came while I was cooking. When the second couple left, I brought him a plate.

"This is what?" he demanded, sniffing at it.

"Shepherds pie," I answered, putting a glass of water next to his laptop, peeking at what was on it.

Some sort of schedule app.

He held the fork out to me. I sighed and took a bite, then shrugged. "Not my best, but your oven cooks unevenly," I said, giving the fork back. I went to make my own plate and he followed me in, sitting at the table and watching me eat.

"What is the other smell that is sweet?"

"Peach cobbler."

"I do not know that."

"Like pie. The fresh peaches? You'll find out I guess. The ice cream goes with it."

He said nothing as he ate, but I knew he liked it because he ate three helpings. Same with the cobbler. He had two helpings, then held his stomach and looked grumpy like he wanted more but had no room. I cleaned up while he went back to his books.

He still refused to speak to me and I wondered if this was helping for him to see me as a person and not a thing. I wasn't sure what else to do since I couldn't engage him in conversation. I had another idea, but I was nervous. I started singing anyway.

"Wish that I was on Ole' Rocky Top

Down in the Tennessee Hills

Ain't no smoggy smoke on Rocky Top

Ain't no telephone bills..."

I sang it more slowly than the original, like my father used to love to hear it. I knew my voice was my only other talent besides cooking, unless I could find a paintbrush, so I hoped to make him see me as more than livestock by pulling on another emotional chord.

I finished the song as I cleaned and launched into another as I went back out to the living room to curl up on the chair.

He snapped his fingers at me and made a 'give me' motion without looking at me. I sighed dismally, knowing what he wanted. I unbuttoned the shirt and took it off, handing it to him, but went back to singing as I curled up and hugged myself.

He put the shirt on and said nothing as he continued to read. I had expected him to tell me to be quiet, but he never did. He was still reading when I hobbled to the bed I had been sleeping in, my leg sore from being on it so much.

He woke me with a gentle push and I got up scowling. It was early. He left me to my own devices and I assumed that meant he wanted me to cook again, so I showered and cooked, keeping the towel wrapped around me as I did. I also sang again. Something more modern and fun this morning. When I set the table, I didn't have to call him in to eat. He came in with a book in hand and sat down. The first thing he did was make me try it first.

I pretended to choke on poison, but he wasn't amused as he watched me. I rolled my eyes and ate, shaking my head.

"I'm not going to poison you. Or try and kill you. Unless I am defending myself," I added, refusing to lie.

"Easy to say."

I shrugged again. "I won't lie to you. Anyway, if I were to kill you, I wouldn't do it by ruining food. I would stab you with that knife you are always leaving laying around."

"Athame," he said sharply.

"What?"

"Not a knife, an Athame."

"Oh. Well. It looks stabby to me."

"What is this?"

"It's an omelette. You've never had an omelette?"

He didn't answer, he kept eating. I have him the other half of mine since I was full already and started cleaning up, singing again. When I turned, he had a foot propped on my chair, wrist on his knee, watching me.

I froze, looking at him questioningly.

"Tch," he made a noise and flicked his fingers at the towel.

I took it off and folded it. "Can I have something to wear? You keep it..."

"You know where I keep your ornaments and by now you know how to wear them. Go!" he snapped.

I went and put the little chains on, wondering what more I could do. How much longer until he was going to do the things he was reading about?

"How old are you?" I asked as he pulled things down from a high shelf, about to make something new in his silver bowl. He didn't answer, so I went on. "I will be nineteen soon. I was supposed to go to college here closeby. Probably the same one all those college kids who come here go to. I guess it's started by now. I was on a scholarship. Music and art both."

He picked up the Athame and came to me, flicking his long fingers at my mouth. I opened and stuck my tongue out as he pricked and scraped.

"What's this one for?" I asked, moving closer to watch him instead of sitting down.

He turned to me, grabbing a handful of my hair and shoving me to the chair. Seconds later, he was blowing something in my face again.

He sat me up, putting my hands on the arms of the chair and arching my back, turning me slightly. Posing me in reality as if to prove a point to me. One that I didn't care about or understand at the moment.

He went back to his bowl and his work as I sat there exactly as he put me, not moving.

Someone knocked on the door and he stood up, his head swiveling to the door in anger. He answered it and the boy from the other night came in looking cocky and smug.

"Hey man, brought your cash," he said, waving a roll of money at Vano, but looking at me.

Vano snatched the roll and tossed it to the floor before grabbing the boy by the throat and slamming him into the wall next to the door.

"Foolish, ignorant, worldly imbecile! Many times you have been told not to come here without my leave and too many times you have come without! You wish the girl so much? Sex drives you to be foolish? I will use your cock, grind it to powder as you watch! Give it to others for potency they desire so!" he raged, then blew in the boy's face. He walked the boy, stumbling to the stairs and down. I stared blankly at the wall, feeling nothing.

Just over an hour later, Vano came back up, pulling a new shirt on. He was still angry, but now he was also focused. He glanced at me as if checking to make sure I had not moved, then picked the roll of money up and set it on the table. He dumped what was in the bowl, his expression sour as he dropped the roll of money in and used a match to set it on fire. As it burned, he gathered a lot of things, then went back downstairs and came back, his Athame covered in blood. In another hour, he was grinding what he had mixed in a mortar and pestle. He was still grinding when there was another knock at the door.

"Come!" he yelled.

The man who stepped in was obviously from the little trailer park in the woods. One of them. "The car?" he asked, as if he had gotten rid of a car for Vano before.

"Drive it into town, near the college and park it, yes? Do not be seen. Leave no trace, yes? Take the phone there too. Stop at the laundromat and ask for Markus. Tell him I have need of him this night. Go."

The man left with a single nod and Vano went back to what he was doing.

Afternoon came and he had calmed some, but was still agitated as he answered the door for a couple. He sat them at his table and read cards for them and I smiled at the wall.

"Is that a mannequin? She is super realistic!" The woman said, moving over in front of me and looking down at me.

"Pet, look at her."

I looked up at the woman, still smiling.

The woman stepped back quickly, looking spooked. "Holy shit! What the fuck is wrong with her?"

"She's high as fuck," the man said, moving to look down at me. He touched my breast, cupping it and thumbing the piercing.

"You may look, but do not touch," Vano snapped.

The man jerked his hand back. "Sorry, I thought she was like, you know, one of those slave girl type girls who got off on that."

"She is a pet. No more and in no state to give consent unless I ask her."

"What is she on? She doesn't even look home."

"She is aware of everything. Your reading is done, do you wish another service?"

"No," the man said, disappointed, just as the girl spoke up. "Is she a service that you offer? Is that why she is out here? All drugged like this? Is this legal?"

"Pet, have I sold you for sex?"

"No. Not even when I asked you to. His cock was so pretty."

"Pet, have I taken you to my bed?"

"No. Not even when I asked you to let me taste your cock instead."

"Just so, then," he said to the woman, who looked gobsmacked.

"Then why is she here, what does she do?"

"Do you wish to taste her?" Vano asked the woman. "She has allowed another woman to taste her before. Pet, would you like for this woman to taste you?"

I looked up at the woman, looking her over. "No. She doesn't like girls that way and she is offended you asked. She is also mad her date is looking at me so much. She wants to go all social justice warrior on you because she is jealous."

"Babe, I'm not looking any more than you were," the man said gently, looking away quickly.

"I'm leaving!" the woman said, her face red. She stormed out and the man followed, tripping over himself in apologies.

Vano shut the door, shaking his head. "You annoy me today, cunt," he said angrily. "I feel the need to punish you. What you would like least for me to do to you?"

"I do not know many punishments. I have never liked to be spanked and I always hated being yelled at. It seemed worse. A spanking was done and daddy always felt bad after. Yelling seemed to last longer and hurt my feelings more. Daddy stayed angry after most times too. I hated it."

Vano huffed in exasperation. "Perhaps I should brand you. Let you feel the pain of a burn, yes? I think I ..."

He cut off to another knock. He growled in a rage as he opened it and Lukel pushed in.

"Cousin!" Lukel said desperately. "I know what you are going to do! I have looked and looked and I found it. You can't! It won't work! Look it up, look in your book! She doesn't meet your requirements!"

"Get out Lukel Wood! Now is not the time to come to me so!"

"Listen to me! She does not meet your requirements! I know she doesn't for a fact!"

"You do not know anything of worldly girls" Vano screamed. "Look at her! Look for yourself!"

Vano slapped a hand over my heart and grabbed hold of Lukels arm and I felt... a rush. Something was happening. My life, my memories, everything seemed to be pulled from my mind in super fast motion. Seconds ticked by as everything was pulled through me like a sieve. In seconds, I was screaming and Vano went to a knee, but held on to both of us, his teeth gritted in what looked like pain.

A minute felt like a century and I opened my eyes on the floor, panting. Lukel was on the floor too, on the other side of Vano and Vano was on his hands and knees.

Lukel started laughing, a hysterical, almost elated laugh. "I told you! I TOLD you!" he said, still laughing.

Vano lifted his head looking stunned and half vacant with exhaustion. He blinked and shook his head, then scowled down at me in anger. He went up to his knees and pulled me up, backhanding me hard. "You CUNT!" he said angrily, loss in his voice.

"No! Vano no!" Lukel pleaded, rolling to take his cousins hand. "Please! It is not her fault! She was never who you thought she was!"

"Get out!" Vano demanded, staggering to his feel and letting me drop to the floor. "Get out, Lukel and do not return here! I banish you!"

"Vano! Please! I love her!"

"I will send you her head if you make me cast the curse now," Vano hissed.

Lukel stumbled to his feet and staggered out the door. Vano slammed it shut, then turned to me.

"Cunt!" he snarled, then spat on the floor, barely missing my hand. He left, going downstairs.

I was still on the floor when he came up, hours later.

"Stand," he demanded.

"I am not able," I answered numbly. "I think my leg is broken again."

He moved closer, running his fingers over my leg, then made an angry face. He lifted me, being extremely gentle and carried me to the bed I had been sleeping in.

"Do not move," he demanded, then left. He came back in minutes with a small jar of something. He sat in the bed and rubbed something oily on my head. "Sleep," he demanded.

I slept.

I was in a field, a small one, surrounded by trees on every side. I was fine, my leg unbroken, standing, wearing a long green dress. I hated green, everyone always thought green was my color since my hair was red and my family was irish. I turned a full circle in the field, looking for a path. When I turned fully, Vano was there, standing in front of me with only his loose gray pants.

He looked different.

"Is this a dream?" I asked, looking around.

"Yes and no," he said, motioning slightly. The field erupted in hundreds of butterflies, swirling around me, then they were gone and the field was gone and I was in darkness, a heavy mist just a few feet away in every direction. Vano was still there. "You sleep, you dream, but I am here. If you were to be asleep here," he said, making a gesture and a map appeared in the air, showing my hometown in glowing letters. "And I were to be sleeping here," he said motioning again and the map changed, the word 'Romania' burning brightly on the map, "And I were to lay you down here," he said, picking me up and putting me on a bed that hadn't been there seconds before. "Then took you, planting my seed within you... you would wake here," he said, the map of my home returning, "And be pregnant with my child."

"That is possible?" I asked, amazed.

"For some. For me. Yes, it is so. Lay still," he said, running his hand down my now bare leg to where I knew it was broken. He stood over me, his hands stroking up and down over the spot, over and over again, his lips moving as if he were speaking.

Something happened to the time then, his movements became rapid and the sky began to lighten, like it was all in fast forward. It was so fast I couldn't catch my breath and the light flickered like a strobe light. It finally eased and I sucked in air as it slowed back to normal. He stood, looking very tired and the mist and bed slipped away to nothing as he did too.

I slept.

I woke up shivering violently, freezing. I wrapped up in the blankets at my feet and winced at the daylight coming in my window. When I stood and went to the door, I realized my leg didn't hurt at all and it definitely wasn't broken. Had it been a dream? All of it? It seemed like it must have been.

I hurried in the bathroom and went out to the living room. He was there in his gray pants, laying on the couch, one arm thrown over his eyes. I slipped into the room quietly and picked up his shirt, pulling it on before laying the blanket over him. I went to the kitchen and quietly made breakfast, then debated. I was fairly certain he was awake and testing me. Waiting for me to run. I had to be smarter about it than that. I brought him breakfast to the couch and touched his arm softly.

From the way he jerked, he had not been awake at all. From the way he looked at me from under his arm, he wasn't happy I woke him. Still, he sat up and took the plate, standing to take it to the table. He looked at me in his shirt, but said nothing.

"My leg doesn't hurt at all," I finally said after wracking my brain for five minutes. "So, I guess, thanks for that."

He grunted with a shrug. He finished quietly, then sat back and watched as I cleaned the kitchen.

"Sing," he demanded.

I looked over at him, surprised.

"Umm, sure," I said softly.

"By yon bonnie banks and by yon bonnie braes,

Where the sun shines bright on Loch Lomon'

Where me and my true love will never meet again,

On the bonnie, bonnie banks o' Loch Lomon'..."

I sang the entire song, finishing cleaning before the song ended. He sat with his eyes closed, listening. When I finally finished, he opened his eyes and looked at me. He did not look at me like he had the days before. He was not looking at a pet now as he considered me.

"Why go to school when you already sing so?" he asked.

"It was a scholarship... I get all my schooling for free to sing in their choir and do concerts with their choir and I get to take their art courses and... there is always more you can learn, right?"

"Come," he said, moving his hands and motioning to his lap.

Confused, I went to him and he pulled me close, looking down at me, studying my face. I was stiff in his arms and I felt incredibly tense at this change in his demeanor. Somehow,I knew he no longer intended to sacrifice me and treating me like an animal wasn't going to be an issue. I was afraid that he intended to try and take me to his bed now, though. He was going to be pissed when I refused him.

I stared down at the floor.

He stood suddenly and pulled me to the room behind the beads and scarves behind where he had his 'public table' where he made things. He said nothing as he pulled the shirt off and secured me to the wall, my arms stretched high. I looked up at him warily, wondering what was about to happen. He obviously still intended to use me to make his potions and all of that, but I felt there was going to be more to it now