Chapter 4 – Aurora
My moan wakes me. Gasping, I sit up in bed. Sweat covers my body and my heart beats a mile a minute.
What the fuck?
I just had another sex dream about… him.
Why?
Why must it be with him?
I hate him.
I’d never let him do that to me.
Yet dream me begged for it. She was so willing.
And it felt fucking amazing.
So amazing, I’m still wet between my legs.
It was too real.
My nipples scrape against my sleep shirt, my skin flushed remembering how hot Rorik looked covered in my blood.
My period blood.
I actually liked him tasting dream me… a little too much. I must be losing my goddamn mind.
I force myself to get out of bed and use the restroom. Then I jump in the shower to wash the night away. When I emerge thirty minutes later in a sundress, I pause.
There’s a basket on the bed with a pretty green bow on the handle.
Slowly, I walk to it and peer inside.
“Oh my god.”
It’s filled with supplies: tampons (for heavy flow), pads, chocolates and other sweets, a heating pad, a variety pack of tea, Midol, and a stack of magazines: fashion, celebrity, home decor.
Did he… did he buy me a care package?
I’m due for my period any day now. I’ve been cramping terribly. The bathroom has been stocked with tampons and pads since day one, but I remember seeing them and thinking I needed the ‘super plus’ ones.
There’s no way he could have known that.
Except in the dream…
I shake my head, not wanting to believe that he was there as well.
Because that’s ridiculous, right?
I’m merely dreaming about the vampire because he’s my captor.
I head to the door and crack it open. Peering down the hallway, I pause and listen. When I’m sure no one is home, I walk out.
I check the front door first, not surprised that it’s locked. I spent days trying to figure out how to get it open, but it’s as if it’s guarded by magic.
Which is completely possible.
I also tried banging on the door, but I’ve come to the conclusion that Rorik has this place soundproofed. I was hopeful someone would have heard me screaming during my attempted escape and called the police.
But no.
Wait…
Rorik’s a vampire who can glamour people. He likely did something to his neighbors so they’d ignore the desperate pleas of a kidnapped woman.
Is that how he was able to bring me here? I wondered why no one was helping me: The driver in the car waiting for us down the street the night he took me. The doorman in this building’s lobby.
Ugh. This man!
I enter the kitchen because I’m starving but pause when I spot the island’s countertop. It’s covered in plates of food.
There are pancakes, waffles, scrambled eggs, toast, bacon, sausage, bowls of fruit, coffee, and a few cartons of juice: apple, orange, and grape.
When I step closer, I find a note.
Ugh!
Why is he like this? So… nice? Charming? Caring?
Except for the kidnapping part.
As much as I hate Rorik for taking me against my will, I’m not exactly hating my time here.
It’s almost like I’m on vacation.
I sit on the stool at the island and choose the waffles. I top them with some of the fruit—strawberries and blueberries. There’s syrup and butter set out too.
The food is still warm.
How long was I ‘stirring’? Rorik must have just left. I suppose he had time to cook while I showered and dressed. Plus, he’s a vampire, and vampires are incredibly fast.
Once I drown the waffles in butter and syrup, I dig in. I also eat some of the bacon and sausage links and choose a mug of coffee and a cup of apple juice to drink.
Everything tastes amazing, and I finish the waffles, but I’m too full to try and tackle the rest of the food. I’d hate to see it go to waste.
I walk to the phone next to the door. When I first discovered it, I immediately tried calling 911. Turns out, it only calls down to the lobby and the doorman, Lloyd, is the only one who will answer. If he’s not working, the phone will keep ringing.
Lloyd also won’t help me escape. He’s made it clear that he works for Rorik.
Whatever. I don’t blame him. I’m sure Rorik is forcing him against his will as well.
“Miss Aurora,” he answers sweetly. “Can I help you with something?”
“I have some leftover scrambled eggs, pancakes, bacon, and sausage if you’re hungry.”
The line is silent for a few moments before he speaks.
“You are too kind, my dear. Unfortunately, I cannot leave my post.”
“Oh, okay. No worries.”
I say goodbye, hang up the phone, and lean my head against the wall, trying not to cry. Trying not to think about how fucking lonely and bored I am. I can only read or watch TV so much before I can no longer take it.
After a minute, the phone rings.
I yelp, not expecting the loud noise next to my ear, and scramble to pick up the receiver.
“Um, hello?”
“Lamb,” a deep voice rumbles.
“Rorik?”
“Don’t worry about the leftovers. I’ll box them up and find somewhere to donate them.”
I don’t know what to say to that, or how he knew I was concerned about the food. Maybe Lloyd called him. Or maybe he was right there standing next to the doorman when I called.
“I’ll be home in ten minutes.”
He hangs up.
I stare at the phone for a few seconds before placing it back on the dock.
Home.
His home.
Though, I suppose I can’t remember my home at the moment, so this prison will have to do.
My memories are coming back, but slowly and in fragments. There are some things I remember from before, simple things like reading decor magazines and how I like my coffee, but Rorik keeps demanding information about my mother, and I have nothing to tell him.
My mother is just as much a stranger to me as Rorik is. All I know is she gifted me to monster hunters. They imprisoned me and used me to serve them. Then she disappeared.
Abandoned me.
I’m alone and lost.
He’s not the dangerous, evil monster he’s perceived to be. You will be the key…
I gasp at the thought.
No, the memory.
I will be the key for what? What was the rest of that sentence? Was it something I read? Something someone said to me?
Rubbing my palms over my face, I groan and stomp out of the kitchen. I head back to my room because I can’t face Rorik when he returns. He might try talking to me, and the more he talks to me, the more I fear I’ll start liking him.
Plus, I can't face him after having that dream. Did he have the same one? It felt all too real.
I know there’s a reason I’m having them.
The memories my mother left intact include knowing some things about supernatural beings.
And in their world, nothing happens by accident.
Was I always destined to be kidnapped by a monster of the night?
Speaking with Rorik could answer a lot of questions, but I’m not ready for that.
I’m not ready for him to tell me he’s only kidnapped me as a way to find my mother.
Because why else would he have captured and imprisoned me?
And what will happen when he finds my mother? Will he just let me go? I doubt it. He’ll likely kill me. Him making me breakfast and bringing me stuff for my period is just his way of buttering me up. He’s playing nice so I’ll be more willing to help him.
Well, I'm a stubborn bitch so I hope he’s patient.
I’m going to hold off as long as possible.