My head was pounding.
It was either that or the footfalls I felt through the floor. Groaning I sat up and found myself right where I had last thought I was. Staring at the now dry blood, I began scrubbing again.
I didn't heard the door behind me open, but I winced at the throat that was being cleared.
Looking over my shoulder I spotted Dran, and immediately tears sprung into my eyes. I could feel the dried blood on my face, and was sure I looked like a mess. Muttering something under his breath, Dran made his way to me and smacked the cleaning supplies out of my hand. The dried blood was gone, and he left with the supplies in his hands.
I went to stand and follow him, but his sharp voice pounded through my head, "Stay where you are, human."
I sat back down and wrapped my arms around my knees. Dran wasn't mad at me. I could tell that much, but who knows how much time had passed. Who knew if the King had come and found me, maybe that's why Dran was here.
Was Dran even close to the King?
The door behind me was pushed farther open and light shined directly into my eyes. Flinching away from it, I was surprised when my body was suddenly in the air.
Dran had picked me up and was carrying me out. He didn't question what had happened, and I didn't offer anything up. I thought briefly about the old linens, but didn't say anything. Instead I rested my head on his shoulder and revealed in the closeness of another person.
"Lin said you didn't come back last night, and didn't come back this time. Last night she knew where you were, but she didn't know today. The one's you were with last night reported to her that you had gone to do your job," Dran's jaw was clenched when I peered up at him. He was taking his time walking down the stairs, and I felt protected. "We got worried."
The last part was a whisper and my eyes shot to his. His worry was evident and my brow furrowed. "Worried about me? But you guys hate me."
He laughed and shook his head, "The walls have eyes and ears, little human. We were worried. Leave it at that."
I nodded, and he looked my forehead over, "We will have to get something to clean it before tomorrow night."
"Tomorrow night?" I questioned.
Dran nodded, "You are to perform and serve tomorrow at the party. Did no one tell you?"
Shaking my head, I ignored the pounding it caused, "No one told me, I thought the event wasn't for another couple days?"
Dran didn't answer, and when I looked in front of us I found us at the bottom floor. Setting me down he steadied me with his hands. "You got lucky I found you before the King, but he will know there's been blood spilled. The scent was strong, and he is likely to ask questions. Since you will be performing tomorrow, your cleaning duties will not be needed. Go to Lin and tell her I said to give you medical help. She will explain more about what tomorrow will be. You will also not be sleeping in the maids quarters tonight. You were summoned by some others who seem to have taken a liking to you."
I nodded, looking down at the ground. I knew who he was talking about, and having to be poked and prodded sent a groan to my mouth. He smiled at me and waved goodbye before leaving me.
Taking a deep breath, I got myself ready to face Lin and tell her what had happened.
~~
Lin had been stern, but sympathetic as she tended to my wounds and listened to my story. Her mouth had pursed at the description of the lady, but she didn't blame me for anything and for that I was grateful. We had been alone when she told me what my job for tonight was to be, and I remember staring at her in shock.
I didn't want to dance in front of a room full of aliens, but I didn't exactly have a choice. She eased my thoughts and told me I wouldn't be the only form of entertainment, that there would be entertainers walking around the room and some stationary like me. I wouldn't be alone, but that still didn't help the ease the fear coursing through my body. I had been going through my days trying to think of this world has Earth, but being faced with more blue-skinned people would be eye opening.
I shook my head and glanced around the room at the other women getting ready. They were to perform a different job tonight, and I pitied the ones who didn't love it. They had dressed me and proudly showed their work off to the few other performers that had come to them to be dress up.
They had tried to slip a corset on me, before I described to them what I would be doing and the range I would need. Seeming stumped they had put their heads together to dish out a beautiful outfit. One of the most simple but beautiful costumes I would probably ever perform in.
The top was a black lace turtle-necked halter top with no sleeves. The part covering my chest was still see-through but the detailing made it so you wouldn't even know it. The pattern was beautiful, and it didn't choke me like I thought it would.
The bottom was a small skirt. I was skeptical about it before they made me try it on and do some stretching in it. There was a part under the skirt that fit me like shorts, and those were plain black. The skirt was shorter on one side and longer on the other, and made of the same material and pattern as the top. They shoved stockings onto my feet as well, so I wouldn't be running around barefoot, and forced a garter belt up my hips to hold the stockings up.
They left my hair down, but breathed life into it. It had volume and gloss, both something I hadn't seen for a while. For my makeup they painted a soft cat-eye on, and a dark smokey eye shadow look that made my blue eyes twinkle in a way they hadn't in a couple of years.
My lips were painted a deep scarlet, and they applied a black coat of polish to my nails.
I was unrecognizable, and smiled at myself.
The girls were truly magnificent at making someone look completely different. I giggle, and did a quick spin for them. They clapped their hands and told me I would have to be leaving soon.
I nodded, and left to find Lin.
She was an easy enough woman to track down, and when I did she didn't say a word. She looked me over, nodded once out of approval, and motioned for me to follow her.
We went through slave hallways I had never been before, and more performers joined us. The closer we got to our destination the more the music could be heard. There was a door at the end of the hallway we were currently in and Lin stopped us before opening it. She motioned for us all to be quiet.
It wasn't our time to go out yet. We could smell the food, which meant the party was behind schedule. If there was one thing I had learned about this King, it was that he liked his schedules.
I wonder how he felt about being so behind for this?
The music was low, and like something I had never heard before. It sounded like a symphony of violins or another string instrument, but I couldn't be sure. It was sensual and slow, but held a hint of power to it.
The chatter of the room over-flowed my ears above the music and I closed my eyes, trying to separate the two.
The food smelled delicious, but my taste buds didn't recognize it as anything I had ever tasted.
Eyes still closed I heard the chatter and music begin to quiet, and I could imagine something important happening. A voice boomed out over everything, and something in me told me it was someone I had heard speak before, but couldn't figure that out either.
"Welcome. I am glad you all could come to this event. I hope you enjoy yourselves and the entertainment lined up. I must remind our carnivorous visitors that some of the beings entertaining might smell good to you, but they are not food," a few laughs echoed his words, "I am happy to host this year's council gala. Thank you."
The dimmed lights brightened just a smidge, and the music came back with gusto. In front of me Lin pushed the door open and the other performers flooded through the door. I spotted my silks in the far corner, and knew I would be expected to skirt the wall to get there.
Ready to go I was stopped by Lin's hand on my shoulder. Her eyes shone with an emotion that resembled fear as she whispered, "Be careful."
Letting me go, I was whisked away with the last few performers into the ball room.
Going along the wall was the easy part. Getting to my station, which was surrounded by tall beings, was the hard part. Squeezing myself through, I stood in the center next to my silks and listened to the rhythm of the music that had surrounded the room around me.
I heard voices saying I was boring, and held back a smirk as found my beginning.
Hoisting myself up the silks I heard someone gasp. I would go high. That would be the plan. To get away from the chatter of alien species who I couldn't put a name to. Their languages flooding my ears and stockpiling in my brain.
When I got the height I wanted, I wrapped myself before dropping. Someone below screamed, but I ignored it.
Leveling myself in the splits, I began my dance.
The music was powerful and coursed through my body. My movements fell into a sensual pattern and I thrived above the crowd. I could feel the first song coming to an end, and knew just how to end it.
Gathering myself up and mentally checking everything off, when the first note I was ready to start my descent.
The last note was high and long, and I thought I heard shouting over it. The room whirled around me as I plummeted to the ground below.
I thought about how easy I could end it before anything horrible began, but at the last minute caught myself. My face was inches above the ground, and I flipped up into the standing position right as the last note ended. Around me eyes took in my form and applause rung out. I nodded once before starting an easy floor routine with the next song. The crowd moved to give me space, and I let the music move me again.
Two hours later my body felt like liquid and the guests around me had become a drunken mob.
Stealing a glance around me I found many of the performers were still moving and doing their jobs, and I knew no one would miss me if I snuck out for a quick break.
Peeling off from my space I made my way to the one large wall that was all windows. A small section had doors carved out, that led to a terrace and past that a garden, and that's where I found myself.
Twisting around in the hedge maze, I found a bench to sit, and breathed a sigh of relief as the calm of the night floated over me.
Since coming to Lexalon, I had not been outside. The last time I felt the light of day on my skin had to have been a month ago, before I was originally taken. But who knew just how long had passed on Earth.
Years? Days? Maybe just hours?
Who was I to know?
From where I sat all you could hear was the music, floating around on the wind. Closing my eyes, I didn't see when a man rounded the corner.
"What do we have here?" he asked the night, and I jerked at the sound of his voice.
Eyes flying open I found myself face to face with a man with red eyes. His pupils were slits, like a cats' in the light, and his smile spoke of pure evil.
Black hair matched the black stubble on his face, and he was tall. I wasn't sure what kind of alien he was, but he reminded me of the vampires of legends back on Earth.
Shrinking away from him, I realized he had been talking in a language I had never heard before, muttering to himself as he came closer to me.
His face was in mine before I knew what was happening, and then his hand found its way into my hair.
"The sky dancer," he muttered, sounding amused. "What are you doing out here?" He asked the last part in the general language and I brought my eyes up to his.
That was my first mistake. My second was answering, "I just needed a bit of fresh air."
Something changed in his face then, and the hand that was in my hair tightened unimaginably. I cried out, and tried to pull away from him.
Snarling in my face he seethed, "You dare meet my eye? You? A human? Not only just a human, but a human whore?"
Shocked I tried to stand, only to have him throw me back down on the unforgiving loose gravel of the path.
Reality washed over me and I turned over on my hands and knees and tried to crawl away. His laugh was a cackled over my head and I felt claws gripping into my hips, dragging me back.
I screamed as loud as I could, but the ripping of my skirt seemed to be louder in my mind.
I knew what was going to happen, and I knew I was powerless to stop it. I screamed again, hoping someone over the music would hear me. Maybe someone in there could feel my desperation. Someone with some crazy power.
The pain washed over me and I kept screaming, hoping someone... anyone... would come.
Nobody did.
When he was done, I could feel warm liquid pouring out of me. My own blood. Nothing more, nothing less than my own life force leaving me.
He laughed when he stood. He fixed himself, and he left.
He left me there, with gravel sticking to my skin, and the blood flowing freely. My hips hurt from where his claws had dug into me.
I'm assuming I passed out at some point, from blood loss or just not wanting to deal with it, I couldn't tell you.
I heard movement somewhere overhead, and tried to curl into myself. Had he come back with buddies? To finish me off?
"What the hell?" I heard a familiar voice say overhead, and immediately thought it was Dran.
The voice was too deep though, and the relief that had washed over me at the thought of it being Dran had diminished, leaving fear.
"Calm down," the voice said, and I imagined the man squatting near me. Hands gently touched my shoulder and I flinched back, only to have the man pet my hair. "It's okay, you're safe."
Turning me over, the man took a deep breath in and I felt hands moving my hair out of my face and softly brushing the gravel off of my cheek. "You're okay now. Do you know who did this to you?"
Eyebrows scrunching together, I realized there had been tears leaking from my eyes for a while now. Opening them slowly I looked up at the man above me. Shrouded by the light of the moons, he looked ethereal.
His eyes shone with that Lexalon light. A bright sea green. His dark hair was cut close, and the stubble on his face accentuated his cheekbones and strong jaw line. I could tell, even with him crouching over me, that he was tall. His body was corded with muscle; he was a dangerous man.
He asked me again who did it to me, but I shook my head. He seemed to understand, and moved his arms under me to pick me up. A small squeak of pain left my mouth before I passed out.
~~
Don't hate me! Let me know what you think! Or who you think this mystery man is! ;)
-Love, Gabe(: