7. Others in Home
I stood there for a while after Theodore left. I was to have dinner with whomever else was here and no doubt Theodore himself. I made a huffing sound and turned to the bathroom that was off from the main area of the overly large fine room. I had no desire to be naked in his home. Being naked meant being vulnerable. I tried to think of what would happen if I didn’t listen to his orders.
Would he come back in here and force me to bathe? He said I stank; I sniffed myself and could smell a bit of musk. It wasn’t exactly my fault. I bathed when I could, but this was war, and when I was not being used in the field I was mostly sleeping, reading, or eating. Showers were not the best use of time, and they always had to be quick. Not just because it felt like I was always short on time but because the water always felt like ice.
I looked at the mirror I was sure I had broken it, but it was in perfect condition. My brows pinched together. I turned away from my reflection, turned the faucet on and after a moment I felt hot water. All the reservation I had about being naked in Astor Hall went out the window. The idea of a hot bath filled me with a happiness I had not known in a long time.
It was clear to me I was in deep shit, but hell, there was hot water. I looked around and found an arrayment of shampoos, conditioners, soaps, lotions, bath salts and bubbles, and my mouth hung open as I spotted a razor. I moved as fast as I could and stripped out of my clothes and into the hot water. My body instantly relaxed. I stretched grabbing the little table with everything on it and pulled it close to the tub that was beginning to fill up. I cleaned every inch of my body and relished the feeling.
I considered staying in this hot water for the remained of the war. If I had to die when it all crumbled maybe I would get a last request, I snorted at the thought. Like anyone would let me have a last request. But if I did, it would be one more hot bath in this tub. I planned to enjoy it while it lasted, but my eyes saw the water, it had turned practically black. I hated to admit that Theodore was right, but he had been. I was fifthly. I begrudgingly pulled myself from the tub and let it drain.
The towels where soft and even that seemed like a luxury I had never had. The ones my parents had gotten me where not nearly this soft. I wrapped up in it, it even smelled fresh I looked at the heap of leather, I had been wearing before, and it looked grubby and worn out. I had just cleaned myself and I couldn’t bring myself to put them back on. I walked to the wardrobe noticing the rug, it was not fluffy, but it felt plush. I had not gone bare foot in ages and something about even that simple pleasure felt like a small gift.
The wardrobe was large, at least three times the size of the one at headquarters, upon opening it I found drawers and some things hung up. I looked through it all until I found a sweater that looked comfy and something I would have worn before the war. Then I saw the clean jeans and about fainted.
I savored the hair products that had been left in the bathroom when I heard a knock on the door. Theodore would not have knocked; it had to be someone else. My captor said “us” for dinner. Was this one of those people that was going to be there? I walked across the large room and opened the door. There stood a woman she was wearing a plain red dress that came almost all the way to the stone floor. Her neckline was scooped, and her hair was up in a bun, exposing her neck. She was human, the pulse in her neck telling me what she was.
“Miss, I am to show you to the dining room.” She said smiling. “My name is Beatrix; you don’t have to call me miss.” I told her. “Oh no, sir would be displeased with that.” Sir was that, Theodore; it had to be. She smiled softly. “If you would just follow me miss.” I gave her a quick nod and shut the door as I followed. I looked around more so than I had when I was dragged through Astor Hall earlier. I had been focused on the directions we were heading in, not the decorations. I noticed the walls had paintings of people on them. Occasionally there were paintings of landscapes. The rugs all looked to have been cleaned recently. I also noticed there was not a speck of dust.
I felt like I had stepped into a different world. It was like here, at Astor Hall, there was no war raging outside of it. She nodded and tiled her head to the room we had come to. I gave her an awkward forced smile and went in alone. Theodore was sitting at the head of a long table. I took a seat, the furthest from him as possible. I heard him snort. “Beatrix, I have no wish to shout across this table, move closer.” I was getting tired of being bossed around.
Being as stubborn as I was, I stood and moved one seat, still keeping my distance. I shot Theodore a smug smile, but he didn’t seem amused because he stood up abruptly and marched across the large room pulling my seat out. His warm hand grabbed my wrist. “Get your fucking hand off of me.” I yelled. He didn’t even bat an eyelash as he jerked me from my chair and pulled me to the seat that was next to his, practically shoving me into it. There it was, the Theodore Astor; I knew him to be.
He took his seat again and I took note that his seat was designed to accommodate his rather large wings. “You will sit here from now on for mealtimes.” He said in an apathetic tone. I didn’t respond. He stared at me, like he had in the room he put me in. His eyes focusing once again on my mouth. I glared, shooting venom with my eyes. If he would remove this dam iron, I would show him.
“You look better and thank fuck you smell better.” Nice, backhanded compliment. I didn’t respond and looked away from him. “Figure out yet how you failed?” He asked. I ignored him. “If you don’t answer I will just pull it from your mind.” I turned my head back to him. I began to think if he wanted an answer, I would give him one. My mind raced; I had not thought of it once I had gotten into the tub. My mind had been reeling with the idea of being in a warm bath. But the answer came easy when my mind was clear.
He had slipped into my mind and made an illusion. He knew I would try to hurt him the first chance I got. It is what he would do, hell it is what anyone would do once they became a captive. But, instead of telling him what I knew was true. In a sickening sweet voice dripping with sarcasm said, “I didn’t do anything.” He snorted again, clearly not amused. I heard voices and my head turned to see a woman walk in, not anyone though, this vampire I knew. It was Leia Frost. She was a year younger than myself; I had met her at school.
She was a nice girl when I knew her, that had to have changed because she was here now. Her hair was different now, than last time I saw her. It used to be longer but now it was cut into an elegant bob. I saw a large arm wrap around her and black wings, his hair was up in a short ponytail, Baron Nyx. He had been friends with Theodore in school, and like him, he called me names. Leia’s striking blue eyes landed on me, and she flashed a large smile. “Beatrix, it is so good to see you.” Was she really happy to see me or was this also an illusion that Theodore was creating in my mind.
She ripped herself from Baron’s arms to rush at me and pull me into an awkward hug considering I was seated, and she wasn’t. “Where is Lucy?” Theodore asked. I had no idea who that was, unlike the other two that had come in the room. As Leia sat down next to me, she answered “Oh, Theo she is 16, she is never on time.” So, she was still underage and 7 years younger than me, that would explain me having no knowledge of her. “Lucy is my younger sister.” Leia told me.
I didn’t say anything, but Theodore did. “Whatever, she can get a freaking bag or glass then.” He clapped loudly suddenly. It took a moment and then 10 people in red walked in. There were 5 men and 5 women. Theodore called one of the men over to him, but Leia snapped at him, surprising me. “Theo manners, our guest should pick first.” He shot me a look. “Pick first Beatrix.”