Thrill of the Hunt (Disco+Ghost)

[Disco_Lollipop]

Annabelle took one last look in the mirror before she was satisfied with her appearance. Her copper curls hung in spirals down her back, pinned back from her pixieish face with a set of pearl combs that her father had brought back for her after his last trip to england. Her lush lips were painted a pale pink in an attempt to make her fair skin seem less ghostly. Freckles dotted the bridge of her nose, giving her a youthful innocence that men seemed to find enchanting. Unusually dark lashes rimmed her emerald green eyes.

The gown that she was wearing was yet another gift from her father, along with the combs and a pair of pearl earrings, and it was a perfect match to the color of her eyes. It was modest enough not to be scandelous but it displayed the flat expanse of her collar, drawing attention to the silver locket that hung around her neck. She fiddled with the necklace habitually as she looked at herself. Finally satisfied, she dismissed her lady in waiting and emerged from her room.

The ball was already in full swing and she was one of the last to arrive, even though it was her party. She made her way down the grand staircase to where her father was waiting for her. She smiled broadly as she saw him, taking the arm that he held out for her. He placed an affectionate kiss on her forehead before introducing her to the men that he had been talking to. She nodded politely to everyone then excused herself to find her friends.

 

[Disco_Lollipop]

It was difficult to find her friends through the crowd of people. The task was not made easier by all the people that she was forced to stop and talk to or the countless men that asked her for a dance. She knew that she should accept the invitations, most of her friends were already married with babies of their own and she wasn't even being courted. Sure there were suitors who came calling but she had no real interest in any of them. To her, marriage was a death sentence. Besides, she couldn't leave her father. He was much too dear to her and since her mother had passed he had no one else to keep him company.

Finally, she spotted her friends among the throng of people. She threaded her was through the guests and just as she was about to reach them a mysterious man stepped in front of her. He seemed nice enough but he was just one of the other 50 men in the room who were interested in her only for her looks and social standing. "Thank you but I will have to decline." She gave the man a quick curtsy before moving around him and joining the group of her friends, smiling and hugging them all. Her best friend Lydia's husband asked her to dance, and invitation to which she accepted.

 

[Disco_Lollipop]

Annabelle decided to sneak away for a few moments. She was enjoying the party and she appreciated that her father wanted her to meet someone and fall in love but she was worn out. Every time she turned around someone was there asking her for a dance or trying to convince her that their son was the most charming, eligible, man in the world and that she would be lucky to be chained to him for the rest of her days. It was certainly not her idea of a good way to spend her life. She noticed the servants falling into place behind her, trailing her as they always did at gatherings. Her father would never take a chance with her safety.

After searching for a secluded spot, she finally wound up in the deserted east wing. She walked towards her father's study, one of the only places in the entire house that was guaranteed to stay empty during the party. Just as she was about to instruct the servants to wait outside the door, every candle in the hallway was doused. Spinning on her heels, Annabelle saw the strange man that had asked her to dance earlier. She didn't understand how he had gotten there, she was sure that no one had been following her, aside from the obvious. His icy stare chilled her to the bone, made worse by the words that spilled from his lips. She didn't waste time trying to talk, instead turning to run into her father's study.

 

[Disco_Lollipop]

Annabelle raced around her fathers desk, crouching in it's shadow. She could hear voices through the door but could not make out the words. It was silent for a moment, then she heard one word, stuttered but just loud enough for her to understand. Vampire. That was the word that she had heard. She shook her head in disbelief. That couldn't be right. There was no such thing. It was a feeble defense, one that even she did not buy. She heard a muffled thud followed by another eerie silence. Her heart pounded fiercely, leaping into her throat as she waited. She could only hope that her father's men had been victorious, otherwise there was no telling what might happen to her.

The door slammed against the wall, causing her to jump and hit her head on the underside of the desk. Suddenly, she felt woozy, as if she might pass out. She shook the feeling away, know that she would need to keep her wits about her if she wanted to get out of this. She heard his padded footfalls on the carpet as he approached and knew that it was not her father's men. They would have called out to her, reassured her that she was safe and that all was okay. Steeling her nerves, as much was possible under the circumstance, she looked up to see the dark haired man. She flashed him her iciest look, though it probably did not chill him as much as his touch on her skin. She was about to protest, warning him of the dire fate that awaited him for daring to touch her, when he crushed her mouth with his. It felt as if a dagger had been flicked across her mouth and she could feel the warm drop of blood as it dripped down the lushness of her lower lip. She sucked the injured appendage into her mouth before wiping away the blood with pale, trembling fingers.

 

[Disco_Lollipop]

She shivered again as he touched her, not from cold but from fear and disgust. What he wanted from her was clear. She could see the desire in his eyes. Spitting blood at his feet, she sneered at him. She would not give in to him so easily.

She saw the anger in his eyes and knew that she would pay for her pride. He knew too quickly for her to avoid the swift retribution. She cried out as she was yanked by the hair, her toes barely touching the ground. Her hands flew up to try and pull his fingers from her hair.

"Let go of me!"

She screamed, fire spreading across her scalp.

 

[Disco_Lollipop]

As soon as he pushed har against the desk she began to thrash. The attempt was futile, her body held firmly against the smooth surface. Still, her actions became more frantic as her backside was exposed to the cool air of the room and his barely restricted gaze. Her face was a mask of panic and disgust as his fingers pressed against her. Tears welled up in her eyes but she would not waste words on this monster. She would not give him the satisfaction of hearing her beg for mercy that she knew would not come. The tears began to flow as he pushed his fingers into her sex. The roughness of his actions forced the air from her lungs and the tears flowed freely, staining the papers that her face was pressed against.

 

[Disco_Lollipop]

It was difficult to breath with his body on top of her, crushing her against the desk. Her movement became even more limited, though she would not stop trying to break free, even though she was losing energy by the second. The hairs on the back of her neck stood on end as he licked an icy trail across her skin, furthering her disgust. She would be glad when this was over and her left her alone to sob in the quiet solitude of the study. His words enraged her, giving her a burst of energy that she did not think that she had.

"Shut up! You bastard! You don't know anything! My father will find you and when he does you'll wish that you had never been born! He will take great pleasure in gutting you like the animal that you are! You are just angry because I did not want you! You're so pathetic!"

 

[Disco_Lollipop]

Annabelle would be damned if she gave in to this monster of a man, though it seemed she would be damned no matter what she did. Still, it would take a lot more than taunting and physical abuse to break her spirirt. The blood of highland warriors coursed through her veins, instilling a passion and fire the likes of which most people could never imagine. The harder he hit, the stronger her anger would grow. In the middle of a string of obscenities, her words were cut off by his fingers. She could taste herself on them but she didn't care. He had afforded an opportunity that she would take. She bit down on the offending appendages as hard as she could.

She screamed as he ripped the locket from her throat, thrashing wildly as she tried to grab it. Her fingers scraped the silver chain but he lifted her away before she could curl her fingers around it. As they fell towards the earth, she squeezed her eyes shut, fearing the worst. She did not see the wings or the carriage, only opening her eyes when he tossed her on the carriage floor. She tried to jump from the carriage before he climbed in but he moved to quickly for her to escape. Howling with rage, she launched herself at him, limbs flailing wildly.

 

[Disco_Lollipop]

Annabelle took no small satisfaction at feeling her blows collide with flesh, though they were certain to cause her trouble. She was infuriated when he grabbed her wrists, effectively putting an end to her assault. His strength was astounding and she could feel the skin bruising in his grasp. They would match the ones that she was sure were already visible on her hips from his earlier "advances". Again, her obscenities were cut off with her mouth being crushed by his. She had to fight the overwhelming urge to gag as he forced his tongue into her mouth. Obviously, he had not learned a lesson about putting things in her mouth. Luckily, it had taken her a moment to compose herself and by that time she was starting to run out of air.

When he finally broke the connection, she gulped air down like a drowning woman. Her gasping was cut short by his sudden movement, twisting her effortlessly and slamming her against the carriage door. For what felt like the millionth time that night, the air was knocked out of her. When the spots cleared from her vision, her home had faded into the distance, nothing more than a shadow looming in the moonlight.

"I hope you burn in hell!" She spat with contempt. "I will never kneel to you."

She spoke with conviction but the words meant nothing. It would be impossible to fight him and she knew it. Her flesh was weak but her mind was strong and though he could make her do anything that he wanted her to, her mind was hers. She vowed to herself, standing there experiencing the most painful thing that had ever happened to her, that she would not break. Her body was merely a vessel for the impossibly strong spirit that burned within her.