Rebellion (Risen Series Bk1)

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Chapter 13: Whiplash

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"Stay here, Anna." I ordered, darting for the stairs.

I took them two at a time, my fangs descending as I readied for a fight. Swinging myself around the corner, I stopped short.

Mirdull was kneeling in the middle of the room, growling and struggling against an unseen force. Una stood behind him, her arms folded with a completely uninterested look on her face. Atanas stood before him, his eyes dark and watchful. His attention flicked to me and he held up a hand to stop my approach. I ignored him, walking to his side.

Zena and Lachlan were still sitting n the couch with Padraig looking slightly worried standing beside them.

"What's going on? Why is he here?" I demanded, glaring at the kneeling vampire.

"He betrayed us twice, Shylah. He's staying here with us where he'll give us the information we need." Atanas explained, sliding his body in front of mine so he was between Mirdull and I.

Mirdull grinned at me, his eyes on my neck, "It's good to see you haven't changed as much as Airell thinks you have. You've just swapped one master for another, I'm surprised you let this one mark you."

Launching forward, fury taking over, I growled angrily as Atanas yanked me back.

"Fuck you." I hissed, tugging against Atanas' hold, craving nothing more than to have Mirdull's throat.

"Oh but I already have, many times." He smirked, seemingly unafraid of his situation.

"You'll shut your mouth, Mirdull." Atanas growled.

He chuckled, his eyes still on me, "Airell sends you his love, little bird. You'll be back in his cage soon, he promises."

Icy fingers trailed up my spine and I stopped struggling against Atanas, stepping closer to my protector. The laughter that left Mirdull was slightly manic and sent another shiver through me.

He shouldn't be here.

I didn't want to be anywhere near him.

"Take him downstairs, Una. I don't want to listen to him anymore." Atanas ordered, his hands loosening on my arms.

"All this for her-"

"Now, Una." Atanas snapped, glaring until she dragged Mirdull to the basement.

I watched until they both disappeared from where I had just darted out from. Anna stood by the door for a moment before quickly sliding into Padraig's arms.

"Why do they want her back so badly?" Zena asked, "We're putting ourselves in unnecessary danger by keeping her here. Why don't we just hand her back?"

Panic flared, my heart skipping a beat at the thought of being given back to my torturers.

"She stays with us. If Airell wants her back so badly she must be worth something." Atanas argued, releasing me and stepping back.

My shoulders slumped and tears stung my eyes at the realisation that that had been the reason he'd kept me. Atanas had given up the illusion that I was his mate, at least in front of his inner circle. I turned on them all, meeting each of their eyes with rage.

"You're just as bad as they are." I cried out, unable to hide the way I hurt, "I'm done. I'm leaving. I won't be used anymore."

"Shylah, he didn't mean it. He's angry." Anna said, attemtpting to soothe.

I shook my head, refusing to listen.

"I hope you all fail. I'm better off a pet of the monsters I know than being here, lulled into a false sense of security. It's your fault I lost my home, it's your fault I'm having to run and hide again, and I hope that knowledge haunts you." I accused.

"Don't be stupid, Shylah. Go upstairs and calm down." Atanas sighed wearily, rubbing his face.

Laughing, I bowed dramatically low, "Yes, my King. I'll be a good little subject and do as you say."

He sighed again while the rest of the room watched us but I didn't care, "You're just embarrassing yourself."

Giving him the finger, unacaring of my childish behaviour, I turned on my heel and stomped my way to my room, making sure to slam the door behind me. I had the urge to open the door just to slam it again but I knew that would definitely gain me the crown for childish behaviour.

I paced the room, taking deep breaths to calm me down. How foolish I'd been to trick myself into thinking Atanas cared about my safety, and now with Mirdull downstairs, I couldn't allow myself to forget that I wasn't safe, I never was.

It dumbfounded me that Airell was so desperate to have me back. There was nothing important about me. I was just a vampire, not even a very strong one. My fingers fisted in my hair and I paused to let out a frustrated growl.

Atanas was right. I couldn't leave. Despite how much I now despised him, I knew I was safer here than out there, it was better here than with Airell, I couldn't deny it. Angry tears blurred my vision but I refused to let them fall. I hadn't cried in only the gods knew how long, I wasn't going to start now.

Stepping to the window, I rested my elbows on the windowsill. Dark red scarred the horizon and my mother's voice echoed in my head, red sky in the morning, shepherd's warning.

I frowned. I hadn't thought about my mother in so long and I didn't even realise that I still remembered the sound of her voice so clearly. Tears formed again, my bottom lip trembling until I bit it.

The sun rose higher, peering over the top of waves that beat against the coast. Without really thinking, I pushed the window up, sucking in a breath of salty air.

Everybody would be going to bed soon now that the sun was beginning to rise, but I couldn't bring myself to close the curtains and get into bed. When was the last time I'd seen the sun?

My hand reached out as if to touch the yellow rays that were still too dim to burn my skin. I was running out of time, but how easy would it be to let it the sun be my end. A rush of fire and that would be it, my worries would be gone.

The sight was beautiful, entrancing. The way the sea glittered like crystals in the light kept me standing where I was. My skin began to tingle and sting, the sun now bright enough to reach me. I didn't know why I still didn't move, I wasn't ready to let go, but it had been so long since I'd felt heat on my skin...

A small hiss of pain left my lips, white flesh turned pink before bubbling up in blisters.

An arm wrapped around my waist, yanking me away from the window and tossing me to the still shadowed part of the room. The window snapped shut and the curtains were drawn, but I struggled to see through the blinding white pain.

"I knew you were angry, but to be this stupid, what the fuck were you thinking?" Atanas' voice growled angrily.

My head was propped on his lap and the spicy scent of his blood flooded my senses. I whimpered, trying to push away but all fight left me as the first drop of his blood hit my tongue. Ravaging hunger took over after that, my fingers clamping around his wrist as my fangs pierced the spot he had opened for me.

I drank deeply and the pain began to ease as my skin healed. Fingers tangled tightly in my hair, keeping my head where it was. Even injured, even when he knew I was hurting both physically and emotionally, there was no gentle touch from him, and I found that it didn't bother me. His rough touch was an anchor that pulled me back.

My head fell back against his lap as I finished and a trail of blood tickled my chin as it dripped down, leaving a trail of red. We stayed silent, Atanas' fingers still in my hair, gentler now I'd finished feeding.

"I don't want to be here with him here. I don't want to be anywhere near him." I finally whispered, my throat sore and husky.

"I know." He said.

"What you said downstairs, about only keeping me because Airell wants me, because that means I'm worth something, was it true?" I asked, holding my breath as I waited for his answer.

"No."

A weight lifted of my shoulder and my eyes closed to conceal my relief, "I still hate you."

"I know. I'm sorry."

Sitting up, moving away to lean against the wall, not wanting any part of me to be touching him, I covered my face with my hands. I didn't know if I believed he was really sorry, I didn't know if the trust we'd built could be salvaged. I'd fed from him again, strengthening a bond between us that I didn't want.

"I want you to leave." I stated, lifting my head to look at him.

"Are you going to try and kill yourself again?" He asked, blue eyes boring into mine.

"I wasn't trying to kill myself." I argued, holding his gaze, "I just wanted to...I don't know."

He watched me a few moments longer then stood, turning and heading for the door, "Go to bed, Shylah. Get some sleep."

He was angry with me, I could feel it beating off of him. I didn't like how quiet he was being, as if I'd disappointed him in some way. My head fell forward again and I nodded. Just as I thought he was going to leave, he paused, hovering by the door.

"What Mirdull said about having you-"

"He didn't have me," I spat, my skin crawling as I remembered Mirdull's touch, "He took me, whether I was conscious or not, whether I was close to death and bleeding, screaming for him to stop or silently begging for an end. Nobody has ever had me, not with my permission."

Something dark passed over his features and his jaw clenched. Without another word he left the room, the door closing with a gentle click, and I was left alone to fight my demons, curled up in the corner like a frightened child.

The creak of the basement door opening caught my attention and I couldn't help but let curiosity get the better of me. As quietly as I could, I snuck out the room, stilling to listen for any telltale signs that the others were still awake. Nothing.

I slipped down the stairs and towards the door, my hand hovering over the handle. Whoever was down there would hear the door open if I tried to follow. I felt silly as I pressed my ear against the cold oak, closing my eyes as if it'd help me hear better. It was Atanas' scent that lingered here.

A snapping sound followed by a sharp cry had my heart pounding and when the sound of blows raining down on a body that whimpered and groaned never stopped, I swung the door open without another thought.

I almost tripped over at the speed I took the stairs, my hand against the wall to keep me steady. Atanas was deaf to my approach, his hands stained red with Mirdull's blood. I nearly gagged at the mess of Mirdull's body but it didn't seem to be enough to satisfy Atanas' bloodlust. His boot caught Mirdull's chin, breaking his jaw easily before his fist caught the side of his head.

Jumping forward, my fingers gripped his shirt, pulling him back but he slipped easily from my hold, continuing his attack.

I'd been in Mirdull's position before, with every bone broken and in so much pain that no sound escaped anymore. Acid burned up my throat, threatening to come up.

"Atanas, stop, please!" I begged, "enough is enough. Don't stoop to his level. You're not a torturer."

My voice seemed to pull him back but when his eyes met mine, it wasn't the deep sea blue I recognised, but the black of a vampire lost to darker instincts. His chest rose and fell quickly, his bloodied hands fisted by his side.

"We need him alive." I continued, even as my legs shook beneath me in fear of who I saw before me.

He looked back at Mirdull who lay still and broken on the stone floor and then back at me. I held out my hand, trying to coax him over to me. Slowly, his eyes faded back to the blues I knew and he took my hand. I let out a sigh of release, doing my best not to look at the state of Mirdull on the floor.

Gently, I lead him back up the stairs, and it was under the bright lights of the living room that I saw how badly he'd damaged his knuckles and how much blood had splattered over him. He followed me silently back upstairs and into the bathroom where I grabbed a cloth and turned the taps on.

"I never meant for you to see that, I'm sorry." He apologised, his eyes following my hands movement as I cleaned the blood from his hands.

"It's okay." I mumbled, watching the open wounds of his knuckles knit back together.

Crusted blood fell into the sink, turning the water a pale pink. A lump still stuck in my throat as the image of Mirdull covered in blood entered my mind and I pushed it away to focus on cleaning up Atanas.

"Why?" I asked, daring to look up at him.

His mouth fell open then snapped shut again, his brow furrowing. I'd never seen him look so conflicted before, so unsure of himself. His hair fell into his eyes, casting a shadow over his face.

"Because I..."

"You what?" I persisted a little harshly, dropping the cloth in the sink to fold my arms.

He sighed, running a hand through his hair, tearing his gaze away from mine.

"He hurt you, he raped you, he laughed at your pain, and I...care about you." He said glumly, closing his eyes, "And I will make sure that every single vampire that touched you like that will pay."

"You don't sound happy about the fact, I'm so beneath you that it hurts you to admit you care." I accused, heading for the door to return to my room.

He grabbed my arm, pulling me roughly back inside the bathroom and pinning me against the wall. I glared up at him, my chin jutting defiantly. His jaw was clenched right, his irritation clear in the way his teeth ground together.

"My care for others has brought nothing but pain to them. People that get too close, get hurt and killed. I don't want to care about you." He growled, his words a stab to my gut.

"Then it's a good thing I don't want your feelings-"

"Just my blood? And my touch?" He cut in, his face lowering closer to mine.

I shoved hard at his chest, baring my fangs, "How dare you."

He'd all but forced me to feed from him, it wasn't my fault that it caused a reaction. His head lowered closer still, his lips a breath away from where his mark rested on my skin.

"You can lie to yourself all you want, Shylah. You can pretend that what you feel is only because you've tasted my blood and I yours, but you're only fooling yourself. I'm brave enough to admit my feelings, but you hide and run like a coward." He rumbled before muttering something unintelligible to himself.

Suddenly he stepped back, shaking his head, "Keep running, Shylah, because nothing can happen here."

His change in mood gave me whiplash, my mouth moved but no words came out. He'd hardly given me a chance to take in what he was saying before he changed direction all together.

"I don't think it's me that needs to evaluate their feelings, you don't seem to know whether you're coming or going either. One second I'm to be protected because you care, then I'm a trophy to wave in Airell's face, now what? I'm to believe you care once more until your motives are again questioned by your friends?" I asked, pushing firmly against Atanas' chest so he was forced to take a step back.

His expression was pained, confused, but he said nothing in answer to my accusation.

"That's what I thought." I muttered, shaking my head, "I can't believe anything you say."

An angry growl left Atanas and once more I was pressed back against the wall. He gripped my chin, forcing me to look up at him and before I could demand he take his hands from me, he crushed his lips against mine.

A squeak of surprise left me, butterflies erupting in a flurry that had my whole body tingling. I was too shocked to react, until he kissed me harder. I could feel the press of his fangs against my bottom lip and when he nipped a little roughly, drawing blood, I gasped. I found myself kissing him back, but there was nothing sweet or soft about it. My every frustration was taken out in the way I touched him, just as I was sure he was taking his rage out on me. His grip of my jaw would have bruised a mere human and my nails were sure to leave marks on his skin.

My body was burning again, my back arching to press my body against his. I needed to feel more. His lips left mine, trailing along my jaw down to my neck where his fangs scraped soft skin. I whimpered, willingly baring my neck, craving the sting of pain that brought with it a rush of pleasure like I'd never felt. Atanas was breathing harshly and I could hear the fast thumping rhythm of his heart. A soft brush of air had my eyes opening, my body slumping when I realised he had left with all the speed he had.