Chapter 6

Ash's point of view.

I've spent the whole afternoon talking to Queen Anna, and the more she tells me, the harder my heart breaks for her; she has no life living with the King; he took her away from her family, her home, from everyone she loved, she has a few friends in the palace staff that she can trust, but she's lonely and scared, and she wears her heart in her sleeve.

She jumps when a bell sounds in the palace, and I look up as I ask. "What the hell is that?"

She lowers her head and whispers. "The King is back."

 

Before she runs to slip on her shoes as she says. "I have to go; he expects everyone to greet him when he comes home."

 

And with that, she's gone to stand in line and greet her husband along with the rest of the palace staff; she's just as much a slave to him as I am. I clench my fists in anger; this whole situation is so fucked up that it makes my blood boil. I don't see her for the next few hours, and I find it strange that I feel worried for her, making me wonder what the hell is going on in my head.

A palace maid brings me a bowl with, what can I say, something in it that resembles dog food. She places it in the cage through the little feeding hole in the bars, but she won't look at me; I push the bowl back against the bars as I say.

 

"I need to go to the toilet." 

Her eyes go wide before she hurries away; well, that just fucking great; I look across at the massive bed as I wonder which side the King sleeps on. Chucking as I think to myself, I could reach from here if I got the aim right. 

Unfortunately, though, I don't have to soil the King's bed as two male servants come into the room. One unlocks the gate, as another stands with a gun pointed at me; I laugh. A gun wouldn't stop me from taking these two down, but I can't chance it just now; when the time comes to leave, I need to know that Anna is by my side; there's no way I'm leaving her behind with that monster.

 

The two servants lead me into a bathroom, Where I can finally use the toilet, the one with the gun says. “You have twenty minutes to get yourself cleaned up, don't try anything stupid; there are more guards outside the door and more within the Palace grounds."

I nod my head, noticing for the first time the sympathy in his eyes, another human kept against his will, no doubt. I turn to look at him as I say. "You have my word; I won't try anything, at least not now."

 

He grins, nodding his head in understanding before he drops his arm holding the gun; after using the toilet, I step into the shower, and boy, does it feel good. I have no idea what was in the gas they used to knock me out, but my head still feels heavy; after washing myself, I lean my head against the cool tiles letting the water run over me. It's hard work being a pet; sitting in a cage looking pretty really takes it out of you.

I finally step out, wrapping the chunky towel around myself before stepping back into the bedroom; when I walk back outside, the guard hands me a full tuxedo. I frown as I say.

 

"You want me to wear that?"  He looks back at me in sympathy as he says. "I'm sorry, it's the king's orders."

 

I put it on before he leads me back into the cage; ten minutes later and Anna steps back into the room, wearing a full-length red dress that has a slit right up to her thigh and barely covers her breasts; as much as she takes my breath away, I can see how uncomfortable she is wearing it as she tries to pull it up to cover her the slope of her breasts. She looks at me with a look I can't quite decipher before she whispers. "I'm sorry."

I walk to the edge of the cage; she nods her head for the guard to let me back out before she holds up a red collar with shaky hands as she whispers. "Please just go along with this; I don't want Areon to hurt you; I clench my fists as I step forward; She's so tiny that I have to drop to my knees so that she can place the collar around my neck; her hands are shaking so bad that she cannot fasten it. I lift my hand to place it over hers; she jumps as a wave of awareness jumps between the two of us, making us both gasp…. What the hell…….

 

I'm attracted to a vampire…   

I regain my composure before I say, I'll do what needs to be done, not for him but to keep you safe, Anna, but believe me, when the time is right, I'll be making my escape, and I will be taking you with me. She looks at me as a tear slips down her face; I wipe it away as I whisper." You've suffered enough at the hands of that monster, baby."

Baby………...what the hell is going on with me…. I just called the vampire Queen...baby…  shit… I am in serious trouble.

 

She sighs, "Nobody has ever escaped from him, Ash, there's only one escape from Areon, and that's in a box under the ground."

 

I chuckle as I reply. "You don't know me very well, Anna, but believe me when I say that I will be getting out of here alive, and you will be coming with me, and once I know that you are safe, I will be back to finish him off."

She looks into my eyes, seeing how serious I am as she nods her head; whether she believed me or not is another matter. 

She clips a lead onto the collar before I stand up again, she looks up at me with those beautiful eyes as I tower above her, and I can almost see a glimmer of hope.

 

Almost…...

 

"Okay, let's get this over with; just don't speak to anyone, please, Ash; tonight, you are a pet, a prize on my arm to show off to the elite."

 

She says, and I smile as I reply. "I won't say a word, mistress." Is it wrong that calling her mistress turns me on?

 

She leads me out of the room by the lead, and I walk behind with my head held low. Who would have thought my life would turn out like this? I have to silence a chuckle as I think to myself... If only Stan could see me now...