Lahat ng Kabanata ng Crimson vows : Kabanata 11 - Kabanata 20

Anya’s POVThe guard’s fingers bite deep into my arm like hot iron as he drags me down the long hall with no mercy. Cold water drips from my soaked hair in steady streams.Each drop hits the marble floor with a sharp splash. My black dress clings to every inch of my skin.Wet, heavy and cold.The fabric sticks to my thighs, my stomach and my breasts.The silver collar presses tight around my neck. The hard metal rubbing my skin raw. If he was going to remove the chain why did he not just remove the collar with it?I can still taste the bitter water Nikolai poured over me. My chest rises and falls too fast. Shivers run through my body, not just from cold but also from fear, from hate and from everything that happened.I could not speak, I could not complain, I could not whine. Who is he to treat me like this?I see a man walk past us. He is tall, his dark hair cut sharp, he is putting on a black suit which fits him perfectly but anyone coming in here to see Nikolai can’t be good. As th

Anya’s POVKnock.One hard sound and the door opens.I do not bother to look up to see who it is.Why bother with people who do not even wait for a response before they open the door.But life is cruel, I had to look up when I did not hear any word.Lev stands there. His scar looks ugly in the dim light.“Pakhan wants you in his room, now.”His voice is so flat but the happy thing is that he did not grab me.He just waits as I stand on shaking legs.My bare feet feel cold on the marble floor.The collar around my neck feels heavier than ever as I walk.Lev walks beside m, his hand stays ready but does not touch. The halls are long and silent.My heart pounds loud in my ears. I know this is bad.We stop at a dark wooden door and Lev opens it.I step inside.The room is huge.Dark wood walls, a massive bed with black silk sheets, a fireplace roars with orange flames.The air smells of leather and smoke.Nikolai stands by the fire.He is in a black shirt, the sleeves rolled up, his musc

Anya’s POVNikolai’s fingers tighten hard on the silver chain.No words. Nothing.He stands fast without a warning, pain shoots from the collar as the chain jerks my neck.I scramble to my feet, my bare feet slip a little on the cold floor.He walks swiftly. I follow two steps behind.The short silk dress moves against my thighs. The fresh brand burns with every step as my heart pounds loud.We reach a room, I have never seen this room before. Well, with the rate at which I am allowed to move about , it is actually not shocking that I never knew about this room.The heavy door is already open.Lev walks straight to a tall bookcase against the wall. Books fill every shelf.Old, leather covers and gold letters.Lev reaches for a thick red book.Nikolai’s voice cuts sharp.“Wrong book.”My mind spins. Men are shooting outside. Guns. Death. And they stop for books? What is this?Lev moves two shelves left. His hand finds a thin black book. No title. He pulls it. A low click sounds. The wh

Anya’s POVI wake up in my old room.Well, not that I have a new room somewhere, still the same room but it is slightly different from what it was.The linens are fresh, the pillow is comfy, and for the first time in days there is no metal hovering around my nape and no guard breathing down my back. Seems like freedom even though it will not stay forever.Sunlight slips through the bars on the window and makes light lines across the bed. My body hurts all over, especially between my legs, but the biggest pain is the memory of yesterday night.I close my eyes and still see blood on snow and bodies dropping on silent screens. I can still feel Nikolai’s hands, his mouth and his ownership.A soft knock landed on the door and it opens just enough for a tray to slide inside. Is this what they call breakfast in bed or is it breakfast pushed inside. Whatever. It consists of hot croissants, red jam, a jug of tea and one bright red rose in a small glass.I really do not understand what the ro

Anya’s POVThe maid knocks once and enters my room without waiting. I realized she was carrying a dress over her arm, it is a deep red silk. Long, but the back is almost nothing, it has thin straps and she was also holding a high heels of the same color. A small box with diamond earrings and a necklace was also in her hands. I do not realize how she could carry all that without any help. She lays everything on the bed. “Pakhan says wear this for dinner,” she says. Voice quiet. She leaves as fast as she came.I stare at the dress. My hands shake a little. Sonya sits on the chair by the window. She looks so pale. “I got one too,” she whispers. “Black. Simple.” We do not talk anymore, we just got ready. I put on the red silk. It fits tight and shows too much skin. The collar stays around my neck, a silver cold. Sonya helps with my hair, she makes it into loose waves, adds a little makeup on my face, and gives me red lips. We look pretty, like dolls.Two guards wait outside when we fin