A Vampire Fairy Tale (Ronnie Radke)

Drown

A/N: Just a heads up, the next chapter is going to be BRUTAL smut. If you can't hang, skip to the bottom half of it. I'll leave. ** to indicate where it ends.

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         Vic sat at Anna's bedside after the last session, holding her hand and fighting tears that burned as they fell. He had to push his way in, but there was no way he would let his little sister relive unspeakable torture without a hand to hold. She had passed out after the flashback with no moments of lucidity, and her screams were so loud the castle walls shook. When he heard the bedroom door open, Vic looked up, hoping to see Ronnie walking in. He frowned when he realized it was Craig, with a smug grin on his face.

"Did she see all of it?" he asked as he came to stand over Annalise, his face twisted in a cruel smile.

"You mean did she see herself burning alive while you and Bert held us back? I know you heard her screaming," Vic growled, and he felt his fangs growing despite his efforts to remain calm.

"I meant what he did before," Craig sighed and reached down to stroke Anna's face, causing her to whimper in her sleep and shrink away from him, "Bert said she felt like paradise, even if she reeked of Ronnie. I wanted a go, but he took too long. Can't touch fire without lighting up yourself, ya know?"

Vic stood and, in a flash, had Craig's arm twisted behind his back, "If you so much as look at my sister again, I'll rip your arms off. And when they grow back, I'll do it again and again, more slowly each time."

Craig smirked and licked his lips as he turned to face Vic, but before he could respond, Andy stepped in the middle and frowned, "Ronnie is on his way up here. I'd suggest you make yourself scarce, Mabbit. I won't stop him if he catches you near Annalise, and his rank outweighs yours. The elders will side with him should anything unfortunate befall you."

In a flash, Craig was gone. Andy sighed sadly and looked at Vic, "Is she ok? Kellin and I tried to come, too. Viktor said one interloper was enough, and that you could explain the process to us in case we had to do this as elders."

Vic sighed, "She didn't wake up after it. She usually does. Marius said the pain she felt this time was too much, and that her passing out was to be expected. I just hope Ronnie finishes the hike up here before she wakes up. Anna's going to need him."

Andy nodded and frowned over at Annalise, "She's strong, Vic. She's going to make it through all of this, and she's got all of us to hold her up as she works through it."

Vic only nodded before rejoining his sister in the chair on her side of the bed and leaning over. He smoothed her hair and murmured, "It's all ok now, Anna. You're home, you're with your family now. We won't let them hurt you again, Lisey."

Ronnie walked in behind Andy and frowned, "Should I come back? I know Vic is every bit as protective of her and missed her just as much."

Vic looked up and smiled when he saw Ronnie, "Just in time. Trust me, you're glad you missed this. I know you felt her fear, but hearing and seeing it...," Vic shuddered, and his fangs grew again, "I could kill them myself and let the elders execute me for what they did to her."

Ronnie nodded and hugged Vic, "I know. But you can't do that. I need you on my council. You, Andy and Kellin are going to have to keep me level and counter Bert. We can't let him worm Craig in or there'll be civil war."

Vic nodded and then followed Andy's lead out of the room, leaving Ronnie to care for Annalise. As soon as the door closed, the prince made his way over to the bed and laid down beside her. He took her in his arms and whispered, "It's ok now, Anna. It's all ok."

Annalise tossed and turned a few moments and relaxed when she recognized the arms holding her. Ronnie smiled down at her as her eyes slowly opened and she looked up, "Ronnie?"

"Anna," he breathed out softly, allowing tears to fall when he saw the same glint she would get in her eyes when they met his. That shimmer faded quickly, though, and she broke into shaking, ragged sobs as he held her.

"It hurt so bad, Ronnie," she whimpered into his chest, "It all hurt so bad."

"I know, love," Ronnie whispered into her hair.

"I thought they'd bring me back inside after, but instead they just hid in the bushes, and it burned so bad, so slowly. I felt every bit of it."

"After what, Anna?" Ronnie asked her gently, "They burned you alive."

Annalise looked up at Ronnie, tears still falling, "That's not all they did. Ronnie, they came in when you were asleep. They dragged me outside. And Bert... he...," Anna closed her eyes and let out a quiet sob, "While Craig held my arms down, he...," Anna trailed off, unable to finish her sentence.

Ronnie's grip tightened on Annalise. He had not been informed of this, or Bert would have been dead where he stood, consequences be damned.

"They won't touch you again, Annalise. I promise you that. You won't be out of my sight until you're strong enough to fight them if you have to," Ronnie sighed and rested his head on top of hers.

Annalise closed her eyes and looked up at Ronnie, "We need to be remarried, tonight. Now. The only people who need to know are your father, Vic, Kellin and Andy. And right after, I need you to turn me. Nobody would question me hiding in here a few days with the curtains drawn after what I was just forced to relive."

Ronnie frowned and sighed, "They won't go for that, Anna. They want you of sound mind when we do that, and they want for the order to be present. A statement, my dad said, about the resilience of the Radke lineage. We also need an heir. You have to be human long enough to do that."

Annalise shook her head, "Do that tonight then. You warned me that that's why didn't have a sex life before. You said you were too potent, that it knows what to look for and will latch on, no matter how deep it has to go to find it. It needs to, and I need to turn once we know it's done. I won't let myself be a target or a pawn for your father's silent war with Viktor. Your reign shouldn't be a statement, and neither should our life together."

"Anna," Ronnie looked down at her, worry on his face, "I don't want to hurt you."

"So, you'll let me be put at risk so someone else can? Ronnie, I'm not asking you this. I'm telling you. Do it. If you love me, do it. Bert told me he would do it again, and this time he'd be sure the cross was destroyed first, so I couldn't find my way home again," Annalise sighed, "Don't make me beg you to protect me as you promised me you would."

Ronnie bit his lip and frowned, "Are you sure about this, pet? Once we start this, there's no turning back for either of us, and either way, there will be a fight."

Annalise bit her lip and kissed Ronnie with all the passion she had before and smiled, "When have we ever been the kind to walk away from a fight? Do your worst, Radke. I've been waiting for three hundred years for this."