He Took Me in the Night

Chapter VIII: Helped

“So if I was to quickly lean over and steal it from you, you’d turn to ashes?” I ask, speaking hypothetically of course.

Heath raises a dark eyebrow, but otherwise seems unfazed by my question. “That’s the idea,” he says, shrugging his shoulders again. “But I’d pin your hands above your head before you even have a chance to consider it,” he says seriously, his face stern.

I bite my bottom lip and my hands form fists under the sheets. But Heath just bursts into fits of laughter and I relax again.

“Just kidding,” he says.

“I have another question,” I muse.

“Ask away.”

“Is Carter going to come back for me?” I ask, my voice small.

“No,” Heath says firmly. “Your master had him staked. It rocked the whole kingdom, mind you. Carter was Drake’s cousin.”

My eyebrows furrow. “Why would he do that?”

“For your sake I wish I could say he cares for you, but I’d be lying. Drake’s possessive and he doesn’t like to share. Besides, Carter broke the rules and we all know what happens when a vampire breaks the rules,” Heath says, his voice taking on a bitter tone.

“Would he still be alive if my master hadn’t said anything?” I ask.

“He would have been punished for offending a taken slave, perhaps a silver whipping or something, but Drake wanting to make sure he would never do it again. He was furious, Rose. I’ve never seen him like that before and I’ve lived with him for over three hundred years.”

“Where’s my master now?” I ask.

“The nurse asked him if he wanted to wait for you to wake up, but he knew you wouldn’t want to see him and that’s where I came in,” Heath says proudly.

“So you’ve been sitting here with me for twelve hours?” I ask doubtfully.

Heath gives me his trademark wink, although it doesn’t seem lascivious anymore, just playful. “You needed me. But just between us, I knew you wanted to see me again too, even if you didn’t want to admit it.”

“You know Heath, you’re not actually that evil for a vampire,” I tell him, humor seeping into my voice.

Heath chuckles. “Well, you’re pretty brave for a human, little one.”

“I’m not brave,” I tell him, my voice unsteady.

I look up to the white ceiling and breath out a shaky sigh. I’m extremely relieved that my attacker is no longer alive to hurt me- I don’t think I could ever sleep again if he was- but I’m also glad I don’t have to face the other man that has ruined me even more. He looked so repulsed by me when he striked my face. He treated me as if I meant nothing to him…

“You’ve endured a lot in this castle, Rose. You’ve been physically abused, fed from and very nearly raped. You’ve lived through it all not just because you’re a survivor, but also because you’re brave.”

“Thank you, Heath. For saving me and being here for me now. You’re right; I do need someone to talk to.”

“You’re welcome little one,” Heath says, taking my hand in his again. Somehow his skin doesn’t seem so cold anymore, or maybe that’s just because I’m comfortable in his presence now. “Anytime you want to talk, about anything at all, I’ll be here to listen. Just say the word, okay Rose?”

“Okay,” I say, smiling.

“Finish your tea,” Heath encourages, his eyes sparkling with something I cannot decipher. I drink the last of my tea and Heath places the yellow teacup back on the bedside table.

“Can I ask you a question now?” Heath asks.

“Ask away,” I say, smiling cheekily.

“How do you feel about being sacrificed?” he asks, his expression kind.

“I’ve come to accept it, I guess. I feel so lonely and scared all the time though. I knew it would be hard, but not like this. My mother was a maid and she warned me what it would be like. But you can never understand what its like unless its happened to you,” I tell him.

“Well, you have me now,” Heath says, grinning like a Cheshire cat, exposing his dimples again. “I’m not saying I can stop Drake from hurting you- he’s way above me in the vampire hierarchy- but I’ll try to help you recover. I’ll come visit you when Drake is out too if you like?”

“I’d love that,” I assure him, very pleased with the thought of not being so isolated and vulnerable all the time.

It feels like a huge weight has been lifted off my shoulders to know that someone is looking out for me.

“But why would you care what happens to me, Heath? I’m sorry if that offends you, but you’re…” I trail off, unsure how to put it.

“But I’m a vampire?” Heath guesses. I nod my head, feeling my cheeks burn crimson. “Not all vampires are blood-crazed, inhumane tyrants, Rose. I don’t expect you to understand, but everything we feel is amplified. Just like humans we experience happiness, anger, sadness, pain and even love. But being what we are means we’re sometimes incapable of controlling our emotions,” he tells me.

“You’re right again, I don’t really understand,” I confess.

“How about I give you an example. Let me think… Okay, so Lord Stoker was hopelessly in love with The Princess of Night as I’m sure you’re aware of, but when she was executed his grief turned into a mad desire for revenge. Now he punishes humans by taking their daughters and he will never ever change because he lives with that grief for every minute of his existence.”

“So why are you so nice, Heath?” I ask.

Pain suddenly swallows Heath’s face so entirely until eventually all I can see is pure agony. His dark eyebrows furrow in, his hands form tight fists by his sides, his lips tug into a rigid grimace and his eyes fall to the floor.

He no longer looks like a child, but rather a man aged by something terrible that has marked him forever. I never knew vampires were capable of feeling like this. I wonder if there are other myths I’m yet to solve?

“Guilt,” Heath says simply.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to upset you,” I apologise profusely.

“Don’t be,” he says firmly, shaking his head as if to clear his mind of what haunts him. “I’m nice to you because I feel guilty over something… Something that can never be undone… Something that I…” He trails off and the angst on almost impotent rage is evident in his eyes.

“It’s okay. You don’t have to explain.”

“No, it’s not. But one day I’ll tell you about it, Rose. I’m just not ready to really remember.”

“I understand,” I try to convince him.

“You should get some more sleep. You need to heal,” Heath reminds me.

I think he’s trying distract me with sleep, and it works, because I nod and close my heavy eyelids. I can hear Heath singing my lullaby again, his deep voice lulling me into dreamland. As I drift off to sleep, I wonder what has happened to my master to make him so brutal.

XxHTMNxX