Rebellion (Risen Series Bk1)

Chapter Two: Captive

I watched Atanas sleeping on the couch, scared to even breath in case it would wake him. Returning from the grave must take more energy than he let on for he was barely moving, completely lost in his slumber. He was weak now, vulnerable, I could run...but he would hunt me down, he had said as much.

My fingers tightened around the hilt of the blade I held, my breathing quickening.

I took slow steps until I was standing by the couch. He didn't move, showing no sign that he was aware of my presence. I lifted the blade, one well placed stab and this would be over. Do it, my instincts screamed at me. But consequences and fear kept me still. If the council found out I had killed an escaped imprisoned, would I be punished for overstepping the law? He hadn't been killed which meant the council had wanted to keep him alive for a reason, perhaps just to torture him for eternity, which meant they wouldn't notice if he had escaped and I killed him, unless they checked on him...

Hesitating only made me think more and I couldn't have that. Hesitation killed, that was something I had learned in my long life. Maybe he didn't deserve to die, perhaps his crime hadn't been bad for I knew the council were quick to silence anyone that disagreed with them and even I disagreed with them on some things, though I would never say so out loud.

Yet, he had imprisoned me in another way. He had taken my home from me, forced me to help him, threatened me, what if he never let me go? I refused to let another man control me, I had lived my human life on the whims of men that had eventually led to my death, I was the toy of my creator as a new vampire, but I was not that weak child anymore. My jaw clenched with new found resolve and, with all the strength I could muster, I brought the blade down to his chest.

The blade should have sunk into his chest with ease, should have broken through ribs and pierced his heart but I was met with resistance. A whimper of dread left my lips as a pale hand grabbed the blade, bright blue eyes glaring at me. The knife was tossed across the room and I was pulled over the couch and pinned against the pillows with Atanas hovering above me, fangs glittering in the light.

Before I could think to fight him off, to scream, to kick, Atanas chuckled, making me pause. He made no move to harm me, simply kept my arms pinned above my head, sitting in my legs to keep them still.

"I have to admit, you did better than I gave you credit for. I apologise for underestimating you, that was my mistake." He muttered, quietly enough that I questioned if he was actually talking to me or just affirming a suspicion to himself.

I was frozen in shock.

"I...you...what?" I stuttered, studying the calm face above me, trying to figure out what he was thinking, what his next move would be.

He grinned then released me, sitting by my feet and relaxing back against the couch as if I hadn't come close to ending his life. He looked me over, pride in his eyes, the confusion it caused making me so dizzy, I thought I was going to be sick. I sat up slowly, expecting him to pounce but he maintained his composure.

"I would have thrown you out had you not attempted to kill me, it would have shown a weakness and submission that would be useless in my guard. It pleases me to know you have strength." He explained, his calm features turning to a snarl as he suddenly pinned me painfully again, "Just know, if you ever try something like that again, I will tear your throat out."

I nodded fiercely, knowing he would keep that promise and that I had lost my one and only chance to be free of him, "You have my word."

He released me again, smiling happily, "Good."

My heart was pounding in my chest, faster than it had ever beat since I had been turned. I had learnt my lesson, that was for sure, I would do as he asked and hope that when he had gotten all he wanted from me, he would let me go. Atanas was a man of his word, for some reason I trusted him, if I stuck to my promise, I knew he would not kill me once he was done with me. Maybe I was being too naive.

"It must be close to daylight, you should go to bed, we have a lot of work to do when night falls again. Be at rest, I will not harm you but I must insist you sleep, I need you to be in peak condition." He said, no room for arguing in his tone.

I nodded, still feeling dazed over the situation I had found myself in. Perhaps if I was of more mind, I'd have snapped at him for treating me like a prized pet. His eyebrow lifted as I remained unmoving, prompting me to follow his command. I jumped up from the seat and almost tripped in my haste to get to my bedroom, slamming to door and holding it closed while I tired to regain some sense of myself.

"How do I manage to get myself into these situations." I muttered, forehead pressed against the door.

Finally, I felt able to push away from the door and stumbled over to the bed, flopping down then stripping until I was in just my shirt. Atanas had been right, the light from a rising sun filtered through the gap between the wall and the thick, black curtains that hung up. Sleep did beckon me but Atanas being separated from me by just a door kept me attentive, too worked to sleep.

If he was going to kill me, he would have done so by now, and that was the only comfort I could give myself as I pulled a blanket over me and closed my eyes. A ghosts touch moved along my cheek, making me sit up suddenly, only to see darkness. Paranoia was making me overly sensitive it seemed but now that I had gotten ready to sleep, I couldn't avoid falling into the darkness.

~

Clanking woke me from my sleep, the sound of pots or pans being moved around making my territorial instincts kick in before I remembered the events of the night before.

Atanas.

Sitting up slowly, I glanced at the curtains, making sure there was no glimpse of sunlight. Only a dark red light was visible, the light of the sun setting. I left the curtains shut and picked up clothes that were strewn across the floor, finding clean jeans and a gypsy top. I needed a shower, but for some reason, the idea of being naked with Atanas in the flat made me feel overly vulnerable.

"Dammit." I grumbled, pulling the jeans on and wriggling to tug them over my rear before pulling the top on too, "Time to face the run away prisoner living in my flat."

The laugh that left me was a little more than hysterical and I had to shake myself before the panic could take hold. It was too much like my life was before, feeling trapped in a place that was meant to be my safe place. But I handy I shown those that put me down that I was not meek, I had escaped the chains my creator had placed me in, freed myself from an addiction and was in charge of an entire city...feeling much more confident, I stood tall and headed for the door.

The handle was ice cold in my hand, as if warning me not to open the door. I paused and ran back to the bed, lifting the pillow and taking the small dagger I kept there, shoving in the back of the waistband of my jeans. Feeling a little more secure with the cool blade against my skin, I walked confidently into the room, stopping in my tracks at the sight of the ancient vampire cooking in my kitchen, the smell of bacon and eggs making my mouth water.

"I don't keep food in the house." I accused, drawing his attention away from the pan to me.

Blue eyes wandered over my form, making me hide myself by wrapping my arms around the my middle, shrinking in on myself.

"I managed to find a human willing to pick a few things up." He replied, putting the cooked food onto a plate.

Which meant he'd either threatened one of compelled one, something else I wouldn't do.

"We don't need to eat." I pointed out, taking a seat at the breakfast bar, "It's pointless, it gives no nourishment."

Atanas huffed, pushing the plate towards me anyway, "You can still enjoy the taste, it causes no harm. You have an array of alcohol in your cupboards after all."

I eyed the food, scrunching my nose at the idea of eating food, of doing something that seemed all to human.

"Ah," He laughed, looking at me as if he saw me differently, "You're one of those."

I narrowed my eyes, lifting my chin, "One of what?"

He laughed again, stabbing bacon and egg onto his fork, "Some vampires retain their love for human desires; food, drink, travel, family, friends." He paused to eat more, his eyes boring into me, keeping me captive and hanging off his every words.

"And some," he continued, "Cut themselves off from all that made them human; they live alone, giving into only what their new instincts demand they have. They want nothing to do with what made them human, they abandon it because they see being human as a flaw, a weakness, and then there are some who do it because it is too painful to remember what it was like before, either because they miss it or because they had a troubled life, because this wasn't a life they chose. Make no mistake, Shylah, giving in to human urges is no weakness, but I have yet to decide which category you come under."

I stiffened, his words hitting far too close to home, "You know nothing about me, keep your theories to yourself."

Just to prove him wrong, I ate with him. The first bite of food I'd had in over a century almost had me moaning at the burst of flavours on my tongue Even as a mortal, I had not been privy to food such as this, but I would never tell him that, I would never open up and give him the chance to use my past against me.

"I need to know who runs the city now, what creatures have a hold of what areas, who is in the council. Then we need to pay an old friend of mine a visit, if they are still in the area. You will accompany me, you will keep me safe." He ordered, looking at me to make sure I was listening.

"I run the city, it is my city, I took over after you...disappeared."

The pitying look he gave me had me sitting up straighter.

"You may be able to keep the vampires out of your hunting ground but you know as well as I do that you do not run the city. Which council member watches over this area? I know there must still be bars and shops run by everything otherworldly. The council must do regular check ins with you too, it's how they keep they're control."

It annoyed me to admit that he was right but something about what he said didn't sit well with me. He knew too much about the council and my hunch became to great to keep to myself.

"Were you a member of the council, was this you province?" I asked tentatively, already knowing the answer was yes when he stilled and then refused to answer, that built up my confidence somewhat, "My my, you must have done something especially terrible to have had the council turn on one of their own."

Angry eyes met my own and I wished that I had kept my mouth shut. He glared at me for what felt like forever, making me more and more uneasy as seconds dragged into minutes.

"That was your first and only time you get to speak to me so, do it again and I will have your tongue. There was a bar down by the docks, run by a Cailleach named Una, do you know it?" He asked, going back to his food.

Swallowing, I nodded slowly, "The Bonnie, I know it. All of those in the shadows do, its not a safe place, prone to fights, good place to go if you're looking for information but there's always a price."

Atanas nodded, smiling, "Nice to know the place hasn't changed then. You're not welcome there?"

I would have blushed if I could have. Admitting I had started more fights in there than most would give him too much satisfaction.

"More by its customers than its owners." I said, which was mostly true.

While I didn't exactly have friends in the sense of the word, I trusted the Laoch that worked behind the bar, he had saved my ass on more than one occasion. I hadn't been there recently, I tended to avoid public places unless I had no choice. Breandan was kind enough to drop by to supply me with alcohol and warned me when the council were visiting so I could make myself scarce, unless, again, they demanded to see me. I had managed to avoid all council members for five years but I knew they would soon give me the ultimatum they always did, attend the meeting or relinquish my claim of the city.

Atanas must have noticed my souring mood because he was quick to change the subject.

"I'm going to need clothes more of the time or I'm going to stand out." He noted, studying the ruined white shirt he wore covered in blood, grime, and things I didn't want to think about.

Not that him wearing new clothes would stop him from standing out. I took time to notice how, while I was asleep, he had filled out. No longer was he skin and bones, he was more muscled and, sturdier, his face still pale but in a healthier way, with strong cheekbones and jaw line, his eyes still startlingly blue.

My assumptions from last night were right, he was handsome. He'd catch the admiration of men and women wherever he went. This had my eyes rolling, I hated attention but perhaps my plain self being beside such a god would keep most of it off me. Who would give me a second glance next to Atanas. Nobody.

"There won't be any shops open at this time of night. You will have to get another human to do your work tomorrow during the day." I finally said.

Atanas hummed, sitting back in his chair, "Then I suppose we can put off visiting Una till tomorrow evening. You can fill me in on the council tonight."

I sighed, wanting to do anything else but be stuck in the flat all night with him. I'd rather take up Breandan's constant offers of clubbing which was one of my worst nightmares.

"I don't have much dealings with the council except when I have to. All I know is that Mirdull is in charge of this part of the country and Airell is still the leader of all. I only see Mirdull when there's something in the city that needs his attention and I only see Airell when he demands my attending meetings." I explained, poking wearily at the bacon left on the plate before me.

"Mirdull?" He laughed, shaking his head, making me raise an eyebrow, "It might be easier than I thought to gain allies in the right place."

"What exactly is it you plan on doing that needs allies." I asked, suddenly feeling wary.

He smirked, leaning forward to play with my hair and I resisted the urge to whack his hand away.

"Dear Shylah, haven't you figured it out yet?" He drawled, leaning closer still until I could feel his breath fan across my face, "I plan to take the council for myself."