Beastly (w/Sub~Zero)

[WillowVX]

Blood was pounding in Alicia's ears as she willed her burning legs to carry her further and further away from the gruesome scene. Her shaking fingertips tried wipe her mothers blood from her face, only smearing it further on her cheek. The winter was cruel this year. Her vision was blurred by the white snow that threatened to swallow her whole. The tears froze on her numb face as the fell from her green eyes. She had no idea where she was running to. Her bare feet slapped the bed of the forest as she ran and didn't look back. Rocks and sticks cutting her along the way. She whipped her head back to glance behind her. Her red hair stuck to the sides of her face. She didn't think he was following her anymore. She could see the images flash in her head like a horror story. Her fathers cold, dark eyes. The axe in his hand. Her mother screaming. He was mad. He chased her out of the house and through the forest. The forest her mother always told her to stray away from.

People in the village of Eden talked about the Dark Forest. They would tell stories of children playing in the woods at night and never being seen again. An old castle sat at the top of the large hill directly in the middle. It loomed over the village like a dark omen. It's been abandon for over a century, they say. They also say that the castle is guarded by a terrible, monstrous beast. The people of the village never stay out past dusk, for fear that the monster will travel to the village. That was only one of Eden's superstitions. The other was vampires. The older generation talked of this. The grandparents and the midwives. I never took much belief in such things. When my father went mad and attacked my mother, he accused her of being a blood whore - of having relations with a vampire. I knew he had gone completely insane. He must have gotten the fever. It was no matter now. Her mother was gone and she was lost, cold and alone, in the Dark Forest.

It wasn't long before her limbs became cold and she collapsed in the snow. The echos of howling reverberated off of the trees and ran up her spine. She picked up her weak head and looked around feebly. In a short distance she saw the castle. She blinked hard, ice falling from her eyelashes. The cold was beginning to make her lungs ache. As the howling came closer, she knew she couldn't survive outside. She half ran, half crawled the short distance to the tall, ominous castle. The large Gothic pillars loomed above her in warning but she could not care. She stumbled up the stone stairs and collapsed against the large doors. The doors gave way and Alicia fell onto the black and white marble floor. The last thing she heard were the large doors closing behind her and footsteps as she lost consciousness.

 

[Sub~Zero]

Blood was pounding in Alicia's ears as she willed her burning legs to carry her further and further away from the gruesome scene. Her shaking fingertips tried wipe her mothers blood from her face, only smearing it further on her cheek. The winter was cruel this year. Her vision was blurred by the white snow that threatened to swallow her whole. The tears froze on her numb face as the fell from her green eyes. She had no idea where she was running to. Her bare feet slapped the bed of the forest as she ran and didn't look back. Rocks and sticks cutting her along the way. She whipped her head back to glance behind her. Her red hair stuck to the sides of her face. She didn't think he was following her anymore. She could see the images flash in her head like a horror story. Her fathers cold, dark eyes. The axe in his hand. Her mother screaming. He was mad. He chased her out of the house and through the forest. The forest her mother always told her to stray away from.

People in the village of Eden talked about the Dark Forest. They would tell stories of children playing in the woods at night and never being seen again. An old castle sat at the top of the large hill directly in the middle. It loomed over the village like a dark omen. It's been abandon for over a century, they say. They also say that the castle is guarded by a terrible, monstrous beast. The people of the village never stay out past dusk, for fear that the monster will travel to the village. That was only one of Eden's superstitions. The other was vampires. The older generation talked of this. The grandparents and the midwives. I never took much belief in such things. When my father went mad and attacked my mother, he accused her of being a blood whore - of having relations with a vampire. I knew he had gone completely insane. He must have gotten the fever. It was no matter now. Her mother was gone and she was lost, cold and alone, in the Dark Forest.

It wasn't long before her limbs became cold and she collapsed in the snow. The echos of howling reverberated off of the trees and ran up her spine. She picked up her weak head and looked around feebly. In a short distance she saw the castle. She blinked hard, ice falling from her eyelashes. The cold was beginning to make her lungs ache. As the howling came closer, she knew she couldn't survive outside. She half ran, half crawled the short distance to the tall, ominous castle. The large Gothic pillars loomed above her in warning but she could not care. She stumbled up the stone stairs and collapsed against the large doors. The doors gave way and Alicia fell onto the black and white marble floor. The last thing she heard were the large doors closing behind her and footsteps as she lost consciousness.

Lord Tallon was referred to as a monster, who protects the large black castle. He hated that assumption, humans called anything they didn't understand monsters. After all the legends and stories this girl had heard, she still ran into the forest. If it hadn't been for her mother, this girl would be dead already. Tallon had dragged her all the way inside,closing to large red cherry wood doors.
"Get her cleaned up, address her wounds, I can to bare to see or smell her blood" he ordered, turning on his heals. His black boots echoed through the main hall as he walked across the marble floor. After he had left three older maids had picked her up delivering her up stairs. One maid was glad she had passed out as she began cleaning all her wounds, stitching the ones that needed it as she went. The other two had sent for a tub and hot water. The women had put her in the tub, bathed her, stitched up all her wounds. She had been placed into a silk night gown. A plate of various foods; bread, meat, cheese, fruits and a cup of milk was placed on the bed side wooden table. The bed had been stripped and remade just for her. The maids had left we her sleeping off the cold inform of a worm fire, with warm blankets and sheets.

Tallon sat in front of the large hearth in his study. Contemplating on how to explain himself to her, or what her mother had made him promise. He had decided not to tell her right away and if she so chooses to stay her she was welcome too. He was not a monster as everyone believed. Tallon was a vampire, not incapable of human emotions. He needed to eat as they did, the only distinction is, he needed blood of humans to live. For now he patiently waited for her to awaken.

The day had come and gone. Rising from the deepest depths of the castle,Tallon made his way to the main hall.

 

[WillowVX]

Alicia stirred but did not awaken. She felt groggy and sore. She sighed and buried herself deeper into the soft mattress and silk sheets. Her eyelids finally began to flutter and shock overcame her. She sat up quickly, pulling the red silk sheet over her body. She looked down and noticed the black silk gown that hugged her body. She pulled the sheet tightly around her. She looked to the bedside table to notice the food that had been placed there. Her stomach rumbled. She shook it away. She took in the large, almost bare room. There were no windows. The room held only a large canopy bed and a red wood wardrobe on the other side of the room. The floor was white and black marble. This made her remember. Last night.. or this morning, when was it? Her mind had lost track of time. She remembered the terrible thing she had witnessed and she remembered running through the woods. She was in the castle.

Just as this realization dawned on her, she heard footsteps echoing down the large corridor, heading straight for her room. Her eyes widened and she looked around in fear. There were no windows to escape from. No chairs to put in front of the door. Panic flooded through Alicia so she did the only thing she could think to do. She wrapped herself in the silk sheet and slid her body under the bed. She lay completely silent, the only sounds that could be heard were the beating of her heart and the sound of a turning doorknob.

 

[Sub~Zero]

Tallon stepped into the room, knowing she was awake. He did not want to scare her, so had purposefully used to door. The room lay bare at his request. Having a hunch that she would use anything the block the door.

He saw that she had not touched the food. "My dear you have not touched the food that was left for you?" He calmly said in a deep voice, accent thick in French. "ma chérie I will not hurt you, I knew your mother,"he added hoping that would get her attention.

Lord Tallon knew her mother since she was a little girl. He had fathered the girl before she had moved on to marry and have the young girl who hid under the bed. The man turned out to be abusing her. Alice came to him and begged him. "Please I beg of you protect my dear Alicia." Tallon recalled Alice's pleading voice. He sat on the bed, she could see his black clad legs, with black boots, from under the bed. Tallon knew where she was as there wasn't anywhere else to hide. "Come out from under the bed ma chérie and eat?" He stated more like a question then a command.

 

[WillowVX]

Alicia stayed silent a few moments after listening to the man's voice and feeling his weight press onto the mattress. Her heart was pounding fiercely and her hand clasped over her mouth and nose to quiet her breathing. Although the man knew she was there, she still felt the need to hide.

"No." Alicia said defiantly from beneath the bed. "I don't believe you. You have no right to speak of my mother. I will not come out." She angrily wiped away the tear that slid down her cheek at the thought of her mother. She looked just like her. Same blazing green eyes, same red hair, same spot of freckles on her nose. "Who are you? What do you want with me?" She called at him from her hiding place. Her stomach rumbled again as she smelled the food.

 

[Sub~Zero]

"Oh ma chérie I knew your mother Alice very well, your are a spitting image of her," he said crossing his legs. "Just as hardheaded and stubborn as she was," he added standing up. Tallon got down to his knees, looking at her under the bed. He placed his hand out to her, his red eyes showed a hint of kindness behind years of torment. "Please ma chérie won't you come out and eat, I shall formally introduce my self miss Alicia." He waited for what he said to sink in, waiting for her to realize he spoke the truth. He had no reason to lie to her, he had already had his fill of human blood. Anyway if he even wanted to drink from her he could without putting much effort into it. Her mother had begged him and he had agreed.
"Your mother had come to me and begged me to protect and watch over you all if your years on this earth, I am a man of my word and I gave her my word. Your father cannot hurt you here, not as long as I walk this earth," Tallon told her in hoped of easing her fears. Tallon pulled her from under the bed to set her on the mattress. He leans down infront of her on one knee, wiping the tears that fell from her eyes. His skin was ice cold. "My castle, everything and everyone inside is at your disposal," he stated bowing his head. "I am at your command ma chérie," he added his head still bowed. Tallon looked up at her. " I am Lord Tallon R. Blackwood of Eden" he introduced himself formally.

"And you ma chérie have your mothers eyes!"

 

[WillowVX]

Alicia was stunned as she lay hiding under the bed. She felt like a child all over again. Everything about this situation made her feel like a child. The more this man mentioned her mother the more she started to hate him. Alicia gasped at the sight of his red eyes. He's not a man... she thought to herself. She didn't take his hand as he offered it. Sadness over took her at the thought of her mother and she didn't protest as he pulled her gently from beneath the bed. She didn't say a word to him. She only stared at the ground as the tears fell.

"What are you?" Alicia asked, ignoring his introduction. She did everything to avoid his face. Since she's gotten here she has seen only his red eyes, felt only his cold flesh, and heard only his silky voice. She didn't want to look at him. Fear swelled within her as the truth swam around in her mind but she refused to believe it. "And would you stop talking about my mother like you knew her!" Alicia shouted. She stood up angrily, looking at him for the first time. She swallowed hard and choked on her gasp at the sight of him. "You...you don't have the right to speak of her..." She stammered. Everything Lord Tallon has said about her mother started to sink it. She looked at his red eyes and pale skin and she knew what he was. Rage boiled inside of her.

"You!" Alicia shouted and pushed Lord Tallon. "You did this! This is all your fault!" The tears came in waves and she started beating her fists on his chest. "He killed her because of you!" Alicia threw punch after punch until her energy was spent and she sank to the floor, silent and tear stained. "I hate you." She whispered, not looking up at him.

 

[Sub~Zero]

He allowed her to beat on him as he didn't feel it. Tallon said nothing as her assumption of what he was is true. Though he wasn't the reason for her mother's death.
" no ma chérie I am not the reason for her death, I raised her," he said calmly. The only way he could prove he told only the truth was to show her the painting he had made up when Alice was Alicia's age. Tallon sighed turning from her. He pulled a frame covered by paper from behind the dresser. "I had hoped you would believe me as I haven't gazed apon this painting in a long time. Before I show you I must tell you I am not the only vampire in Eden." He told her pulling the paper from the picture. He showed the painting to her. It had him as he looked now with a young girl that looked exactly like Alicia.

"She was your age in this picture, her father and mother had been killed by the plague, I took her in when she was 5 years of age and raised her. I watched as she grew into a beautiful young lady." He explained watching her as she sat on the floor. He could tell that she was listening and it was sinking in. Tallon closed his eyes feeling the hurt in his heart as he continued. "She met your father, he was once a good man, vampire hunters had come looking for any vampires, I had stayed away, in hiding, no one knew of mine and hers friendship, she had come to see me to ask to protect you not for her protection. She came of her own free will. She had seen me but had ran into another vampire in the woods she had known. One of the hunters had seen her meeting with the other vampire and how they were friendly to each other. He had ran back and told your father that you were not his and you were a half breed bastard spawn. " he finished explaining,then looked at her. He set the painting against the wall.