5

*Lotus POV*

Helplessness consumed me as I felt my body being tied to a pole. My mind was too weak to resist and struggle against their hold on me. I was completely at their mercy. They finished tying my hands, and as they left, I realized I was alone, abandoned to my cruel fate.

Questions swirled in my head. What had I done wrong? Was there anyone who would come to my rescue? Did anyone even know I existed in this world? I couldn't find an answer to any of these questions, and it made me feel more alone than ever.

I remembered the tragic loss of my parents and wept uncontrollably. At that moment, Seth's words rang true. I wished for nothing more than the peace that death would bring. The tears flowed freely until exhaustion took over, and I drifted off into a deep sleep.

Suddenly, I felt a sharp pain on my shoulder, and it jolted me awake. It was Seth, and he was holding a horse whip. I couldn't believe it. He had just used it on me.

"What are you doing?" I screamed in pain and anger. The whip had hurt me so much, and the pain was driving me insane.

"You're lucky I'm using this instead of burning your legs with a hot coal," he chuckled darkly, but there was nothing amusing about it.

That was the last straw. "That's it!" I exclaimed, and I could see the shock on his face. "What did I ever do to you, huh?"

Seth tried to cover up his surprise, but I could tell he was taken aback by my outburst. "Punish me all you want. I don't care anymore. I have nothing to live for, and you can take my life if you please."

I spat out my hatred for him and his kind, daring to meet his eyes with mine. "You're all monsters with no heart, conscience, or feelings. I'd rather die than carry your child. The thought of it makes me want to puke."

You're just like every other vampire I've ever seen!" I shouted at Seth, my voice hoarse from all the screaming.

He looked at me with a mix of anger and amusement. "And what do you mean by that?" he asked.

"I thought you were different, that you cared about me, but I guess it was all just a lie to get what you want!"

Seth let out a mocking laugh. "Care about you? You're just a human, a mere mortal. You're nothing to me except a means to an end."

I felt a pang of hurt and betrayal in my chest. How could I have been so foolish? I thought I had finally found someone who could love me for who I am, but it turns out I was just a pawn in his game.

"Well, you can forget about getting what you want from me!" I yelled, my voice rising with every word. "I will never give in to your demands! I would rather die than carry your child!"

Seth's eyes narrowed as he stepped closer to me. "You think you have a choice in this, Lotus? You're mine now, and you will do as I say."

"No!" I screamed, feeling a surge of anger and defiance. "I will never be yours! You can kill me if you want, but I will never bear your child!"

Seth grabbed me by the arm and pulled me closer to him, his face twisted with rage. "You will bear my child, whether you like it or not. And if you refuse, I will make sure you suffer in ways you can't even imagine."

In a blink of an eye, he had his hand around my neck. I felt the pressure slowly choking me, cutting off my air supply. "Your silly little words won't stop me from punishing you," he sneered. "In fact, you've just given me another idea on what to do to you."

He released his hold on me, and I coughed loudly, gasping for breath. "You should have just killed me, you devil," I managed to say.

"You've tested my patience enough!" Seth barked. "I won't be needing this whip anymore, I guess."

He threw the whip away, and the sound of it hitting the ground echoed in the room. I could feel my heart pounding in my chest as I stared at him in disbelief.

“I know I said I will give you time to think about my proposal, but I think it's high time we get you to carry my child,” he said, his voice cold and devoid of any compassion.

I shook my head, tears streaming down my face. "No, this can't be happening," I whispered.

He leaned in closer, his eyes locked onto mine. "No matter what you do or say, Lotus, you will bear my child," he stated firmly, his words making my skin crawl.

My mind was reeling. How could he be so cruel and heartless? This was my worst nightmare come true, and there was nothing I could do to escape it.

My eyes widened with shock and disbelief. "No, this can't be happening," I whispered, trying to reason with myself that it was all just a terrible nightmare.

But Seth was dead serious. "No matter what you do or say, Lotus, you will bear my child," he stated firmly, a cruel smirk forming on his lips.

I felt sick to my stomach, the very thought of it making me want to retch. How could he be so heartless and callous? Didn't he realize the sheer horror of what he was proposing?

"You're a monster," I spat, my voice trembling with rage and disgust.

"I will never give you what you want."

He chuckled darkly, as if amused by my defiance. "Oh, you will, my dear. Sooner or later, you'll see that you have no choice in the matter."

I wanted to scream, to lash out at him and show him just how much I despised him. But a part of me knew that it would only make things worse. Seth was a man who enjoyed exerting his power over others, and the more I resisted him, the more he would relish in my suffering.

So I tried to stay calm, to gather my wits and figure out a way to escape this nightmare. But with each passing moment, I felt more and more helpless, like a fly trapped in a spider's web.

"I won't let you do this to me," I said, my voice low and shaky.

Seth's eyes flashed with anger, and he took a step towards me. "You have no choice in the matter, Lotus. You belong to me now, and you will do as I say."

I felt a surge of fear, but I refused to let him see it. I stood my ground, staring him down with as much defiance as I could muster. "I will never be yours, Seth. You can try to break me, but I won't give in to your twisted desires."

He laughed, a cold, humorless sound that made my blood run cold. "We'll see about that," he said, before turning on his heel and walking away.