Eye Of The Beholder

Eye of the beholder

Heat poured from the vents in thick pockets of air. Esme wiped her forehead as the tiny beads of sweat dripped down her face and chest. She let her tears fall freely, mixing with her sweat and ultimately leading to a very large wet spot on her gown. She hadn't yet had time to process what was going on around her.

"Please...please a glass of water." said Esme weakly. She ran her hand over her forehead.

"I think I'm dying."

Esme laid her head on the floor. Her sweat drenched hair fell freely from her shoulders as she took in deep breaths, deep erratic breaths. 

All Esme could hear was the slow tick of the wall clock and the soft plop of her sweat hitting the floor. Her head spun, her throat was dry and she could barely feel her lower half. She could barely hear the sound of the door creeping open behind her.

"There she is."

A tall man, thick with short brown hair and brown eyes stepped into the small closet sized room where Esme lay shaking. 

"She's dirty."

"She wasn't originally a sell."

"How old is she?"

"17, maybe 20 max."

"Hmm."

The man stepped in beside the seller and they both eyed Esme curiously as she writhed there on the floor.

"Beautiful hair, beautiful skin." he said kneeling down by Esme. "I don't know, what's her temperament like?"

"Shes a fighter we suppose, but we keep her drugged to mellow her out."

"Lemme try her our first." said the man loosening his belt buckle. "Stay and watch if you want."

The man grabbed Esme from the ground and bent her over at the waist so that her head was touching the ground. He placed a firm hand on the back of her head. Esme struggled to keep him from putting too much pressure on her head. 

"Oh I must warn you." Said the seller. "She's a virgin. She's just as pure as they come."

"Shit! I've done a lot of things but I won't do that, I can't! Keep her."
The man quickly fastened his dressings. "Sell her to someone who is going to treat her right."

He left the room. 

"Suit yourself." said the seller trailing behind him. The echo of the door slamming was frightening to Esme. She jumped back, slumping over in the corner. She had met so many strange guys within the first hour of her being there that she was somewhat used to the weird encounters, but she wasn't used to being fondled or bent over in a corner by a man she only knew for seconds. She could still hear them and others chatting outside her door and not knowing what they were saying sent chills up her spine.

Hours later Esme was beginning to come down from her high. She looked around puzzled, touching the walls and floor, pushing at things that seemed to move. 

"Where am I? This isn't my room." said Esme. She wiped her tear stained cheeks and looked around once more. 

"Oh...Oh God..." 

Esme held her head in her hands.

"Oh God!" screamed Esme. She looked down at her hands and saw that her grandmothers blood had dried and was cracking on her fingers. She felt her cheeks, her feet.

"Nana..."

She could see the way her grandmother laid face down on the bloody kitchen floor. She could still smell the copper in the air.

"No...No..."

Esme laid her head down on the floor and tried to breath. She tried to recollect her thoughts. The last thing she remembered was arguing with her father the night before she ended up locked in a closet. 

"Daddy..." Esme whispered. 

Esme  looked down and noticed how dirty she had gotten. She looked around and noticed exactly how dire her situation really was. She looked around and noticed that someone had stepped into the room. It was the blond from before.

"Your not selling like I'd hoped." he said, circling Esme where she sat. Esme watched the man carefully, frightened by his predatory movements.

"Our 18 year olds usually seem to sell much quicker." he continued to circle her for minutes it seemed. "Maybe...maybe I'll keep you." he said smiling. "You'd be a wonderful edition to my collection. I'm sure it won't be so bad to buy my own merchandise."

Esme backed away.

"Who are you? Where is my dad?"

"Your dad? Your dad left you to die. We suppose he's fled to yet another country, maybe Asia this time." his voice was perfectly daunting with a bit of an accent Esme couldn't put her finger on. 

"My father would never leave me. He'd never allow this to happen."

"Your dad can be a very convincing man. He can seem very sincere when allowed." he said as if speaking about something putrid. "Your dad is shit!"

Esme startled, pushed herself further into her corner. 

"Don't you dare talk about my father that way! My father...my father was a good man!"

The blond chuckled until he was a laughing heap. He had laughed himself weary.

"I've known your father my entire life."

Esme swallowed hard.

"I would strongly suggest you loose all ties to your dear dad. When my men find him they'll kill him, but not before bringing him to me. I like to see the faces of the men that steal from me."

Esme looked up frightened. 

"Now." he said running his fingers through her damp hair. "Your coming with me."

Esme was taped and bound once again, but finally learned the names of her two captives. The short thick one was called Shorty and the tall one was named Rune. They carried Esme through the long winding halls of the place and let her down in a slightly bigger room, one with a bed and small dresser. The walls were completely black and the shades covering the single window were black and didn't let in much light, but everything was smooth and put together. The room was small but well maintained as if it had a bigger purpose.

Esme sat at the beds edge and waited. She waited and cried, her only comforting being the memory of all the beautiful pictures she had taken days ago. She missed her home.
......

Esme grew weary of being constantly taken from room to room. She was bathed by the two heavily concealed women from before and fed finally, but a full stomach wouldn't cure her ailments. Her ailments were more than skin deep. She was depressed and felt as if she had no more tears left to cry. 

Shorty ushered Esme through the halls and Into the sizable room she remembered from her first day there. The day she was "checked" in front of everyone that had been there to witness. 

"Push her down. She needn't stand in my presence." said the blond. His eyes were darker, more sinister from where he sat on his pedestal, his two near naked concubines by his side.

Esme looked up from her place on the floor. Her hair was no longer a matted mess atop her head but was neatly combed and curled. Her garments were clean and the green gown accentuated her deep green eyes and light freckles. The blond watched, her dainty figure seeming even more vulnerable below him. 

"Crawl to me." he said. When Esme didn't respond, Rune assisted her effort by grabbing a fistful of her hair and dragging her forward. 

"Ahh!" screamed Esme scratching at his tight fist.

"That isn't necessary." said the blond. He walked down from his place and grabbed Rune by his hair.

"Next time you think about grabbing a young lady by her hair remember how it feels." he said yanking until nearly ripping out the carefully manicured locks. Rune held his head and stepped back when allowed release.

"You can call me sire. Anything else is unacceptable."

He circled her predatorily. Esme cowered.

"You don't speak unless I allow it."

He circled her again.

"I am your everything. I am your reason for living and you will obey me as such."

Esme had almost blocked out everything, but his few words hurt her deep. It reminded her that she was truly a lost cause. There was no one left to save her from these demons, not even herself. 

"what...what type of man are you?" said Esme fearfully. 

"Man? Well That is very flattering of you Esme not many would consider me a man."

Esme looked up confused.

"Were you not informed?"

"Informed of what?"

The blond chuckled softly.

"this is not a business for men. This is a business for vampires."

Esme cocked an eyebrow at that.

"I don't understand."

"Four father was a filthy vampire wannabe, nothing more nothing less."

"There is no such thing as vampires. They're only in books and in movies. This is real life." said Esme. 

The entire room erupted in laughter. 

"Your the only human within this room dear."

Esme looked around frantically.

"Stupid vampire wannabes is what you are. All of you." 

The fear was apparent in Esme's eyes, but trying to understand the blond was hard. His eyes showed many different emotions, haughtiness, lust, anger and a deep dark intelligence that was difficult to notice. 

The blond stopped smiling and eyed Esme angrily.

"Mason Hezekai Aubrey born to Alessandra Aubrey and Ezekial Aubrey...born a vampire. don't dare tell me otherwise."

Esme looked up frightened. She scooted back on her bottom as if her legs were incapable of movement.

"Master Mason, time is against us." said shorty. His expression seemed to be hinting something, something Esme wasn't suppose to know.

"Right."

Mason grabbed Esme by her arm and her her still. 

"Shorty, Rune, turn away."

Esme didn't know what was happening.

"Your squeezing too hard!" moaned Esme as Mason grabbed hold of her wrist. There was a small table just ahead of them. It's strange shape seemed to be an indication that someone or something was to be draped over it.

Mason pushed Esme down across the apparatus and kept his hand firm at her lower back. 

"I get to follow policy too." Mason whispered. Esme understood the reference and wide eyed, tried to push away from Mason. 

"Its time to break you in." 

Mason lifted Esme's finely pressed dress, fully exposing her tiny pert bottom. He ran his hand over the soft flesh, successfully holding Esme in place with the other. 

Mason snapped and one of his concubines ran over to undo his belt buckle, allowing them to drape freely 
from his strong thighs. 

"Somebody help! Please!" yelled Esme.

"No one is here to save you girl. I'm your only chance, your only chance to live, to thrive." 

Mason let his head loll back as the woman ran her hand over his already hard member still fully covered by his  tight black briefs. 

"That's enough, I needn't anymore assistance."

The woman returned to her place. 

Esme screamed until her throat was raw, but Masons strength was like nothing she had ever witnessed. She couldn't imagine how by using one hand, he was able to her in place with no further effort on his part. Her strength was slowly leaving her.

"Please...I beg you." murmured Esme.   Mason bent down to whisper into her ear.

"As much as I would like to, I will not take you in this moment." whispered Mason. He lifted himself off of her and made himself decent. "As much as I want to I will not take you this way."

Esme let out a sigh of relief. 

"Theres something about you that I can't put my finger on. Something...unique, something beautiful. Your time with me will come but not this way, not this way." he whispered. Esme winced feeling his cool breath against the sensitive flesh of her ear.

"Take her to room 6." 

The room was silent.

"Now!" Mason shouted. The two women gasped as did shorty and Rune, but they obeyed and pretended to understand his decision. They pulled Esme away.