The Blood of a Nightlock

Chapter Twenty-Two

Three days had come and gone. I used a plastic fork they'd sent down with dinner to carve into the rock walls to keep count of the days. Dr. Harden had kept her distance from me, which was good for her. I wasn't sure if she had a heart and couldn't stomach seeing me or if she hated me and didn't care. Nathan didn't come down for three days either. Selena did though. I wasn't surprised to see her. She brought me most of my meals, but I didn't eat anything. I let the food sit there, begging to be touched and they picked it up after an hour of sitting. I wouldn't put it past the Nightlock to put something in my food to make me say yes to him. So I ate nothing. But, that was a double-edged sword. It ensured my safety, but it also made me weak. The weaker I got, the more of an easy target I became for Nathan. Also, if by pure chance I got out of there, I would have to fight. If I was too weak to fight vampires, I would just end up back in a cell or worse.

I jumped as the door to the cellar opened and footsteps carried down the concrete stairs. Nathan smiled at me first, followed by Dr. Harden, and Jimmy.

"Gang's all here." I said as they lined up outside the bars. "Missed you guys."

Nathan glanced back at the Chosen members that were standing behind him. Selena and a guy unlocked my cell and rushed me.

"Woah!" I said as they gathered me up in my arms and held me tight.

Nathan crossed his wrists behind his back and stepped into the cell. "My friends say you're not eating."

I cut my eyes to Selena. "Tattletale."

She shrugged.

"Why would you intentionally weaken yourself?"

"Listen, Zelda, I don't trust you. It is what it is. You're not going to put something in my food. Hell no."

"You think I would do that to you?"

"Uhhh yeah." I said.

"I want you to trust me, my queen, we have a lifetime ahead of us."

"Ew, I hate the way you talk." I said as Selena tightened her grip on me and I gave her a dramatic look. "Ow."

She rolled her eyes.

"Jimmy's still here so we have gotten nowhere."

"Abrodon would like to keep him around." Nathan said.

"Well, Abrodon can jump off a cliff for all I care."

"That's a little hostile." Nathan said.

"Yeah well, he killed my family and I hold grudges."

"We need to move forward with the child."

"Feeling some pressure?" I asked him. "What's your rush?"

He didn't respond.

"I'm not having any children with you nor are you coming near me."

"Wren," he paused, "can I call you Wren?"

"No." I responded.

"Wren,"

"You have an issue with understanding the word 'no'. What's the comprehension problem? Maybe I can give you the definition? Unwanted. Not going to happen. Don't come near me. All are synonyms of the word no if that helps."

"My Queen, we have already been through this. You can choose this on your own or we can force this."

"First of all, I don't like that either, so just don't address me by name or a pet name... Secondly, you're willing to rape me to get your 'Child of the Night'?"