Page 9 of Resurrection (Daemons & Lumens #2)

CHAPTER SEVEN

Tabitha

M y eyes went wide, and I stopped short as soon as I saw her.

Seraphina was strapped to a simple wooden chair in my bedroom, her head hanging down and her silvery blue hair hiding her face.

I noted her hands cuffed to the arms of the chair, and my stomach fluttered with nerves when I noticed her feet.

Someone had removed her shoes and placed her bare feet in a small bin of water.

Some kind of wire trailed from the bin and around the chair.

It was hooked up to a machine. I had a horrible feeling about what was to come.

This room brought pain to all who entered, except for Laszlo.

He was the one in control, the King doling out punishment to his subjects, loyal or not.

I had been loyal, and the punishments he gave me were excruciating.

I didn’t want to be loyal. Everything inside me screamed to spit in his face, but when I tried, my legs bent and I bowed before him, kissing his shoes instead.

Laszlo scrambled my brain. I had some awareness that my thoughts and actions weren’t fully my own, but the claws he dug in were buried so deep, there was no getting them out.

There was no escape. Until him. The guard who gave me a gift.

When he walked me to my room that day, he didn’t speak.

Didn’t threaten me or make gross comments about my body like the other guards did.

He was taller and broader than most of them too.

I had a strange feeling he could make himself even more threatening but he chose to hide that away and appear weaker.

I wasn’t sure why, but that was comforting.

He was comforting. His presence at my side awoke something needy in me, and I didn’t know what to do with that.

He spoke softly to me, offering to help me.

No one had offered to help me, so I was obviously suspicious.

And yet I accepted. I let him touch me, his rough fingers sending shivers through my body.

Only Laszlo was allowed to touch me, and others could do so only when he gave them permission.

I was breaking his rules by letting this man touch me, and some tiny part of my mind that was still my own cheered at the rebellious act.

I didn’t understand the words he whispered but watched in fascination as he pricked his finger and traced symbols in his blood against my skin.

The marks tingled and faded, leaving a sense of healing.

My body was always in pain, bruised and battered and rarely given time to heal.

But the aches dulled as the marks seeped into my skin.

His second gift I didn’t notice until the next time Laszlo entered my mind.

He snarled and speared words like knives into my thoughts, forcing me to feel things and think things I didn’t want to.

Tears burned my eyes, and I closed them, wishing for a place to get away.

And at the thought, a door appeared in my mind and I went to it.

There was only darkness, but once I was in that empty space, Laszlo’s power wasn’t so sharp.

I could feel him there. The guard. And pure nothingness in the most comforting way.

I didn’t know how it worked or why, but for once I didn’t have to take the pain of Laszlo’s intrusion so fully.

Seraphina groaned and stirred in her chair.

The part of me that was still me wanted to run to her and rip the chains from her body to help her escape.

But I couldn’t. Instead, my body walked to the closet and pulled out an outfit.

Laszlo liked me to dress in clothes similar to a doll.

Little dresses and stockings. It was so weird.

I hated it. When I was in this room and he wanted to play, I had to wear the outfits.

I tugged a blonde wig with pigtails over my hair and adjusted it to fit.

When I finished dressing, I walked back into the room and climbed into my own seat.

The chair I was required to sit in was taller, bar top height.

My feet dangled, unable to touch the ground, and I waited for my master.

The silence in the room was suffocating, but I couldn’t think of anything to say as Seraphina groaned and began to wake.

Her head rolled back, and she cracked her neck.

Her eyes opened, and she searched the room before noticing me.

Seraphina’s mouth dropped, and she stared at me in shock. “Tibby.” She said my name with such sadness in her voice. I could sense her hurt. The betrayal.

My eyes watered, but I couldn’t comfort her. Couldn’t say all the things I wanted, because he wouldn’t let me.

Laszlo strolled into the room a moment later, stopping next to me and placing his hand on my shoulder.

The part of me that was still me wanted to flinch away, but I couldn’t do that either.

His control over my mind and body was nearly all-consuming.

Instead, I shivered and smiled as if that small amount of attention from him brought me pleasure.

And maybe a small fucked up part of me was pleased.

“Hello, my King,” I whispered, keeping my head down.

Laszlo’s hand brushed over my back and up to my neck. He squeezed from behind, applying enough pressure to hurt and reminding me who I belonged to.

“My little slave has been so good to her King.” Laszlo smirked at Seraphina. “I was told you were the clever one, and yet you had no idea Tabitha belonged to me.”

Seraphina spat at him, snarling with rage. “Fuck you. She didn’t go willingly and we both know it. What have you done to her?”

Laszlo stepped to my side and stared down at me with his dark and hateful eyes. “Whatever I wanted.” He looked back to Seraphina with a smile. “She was easy to turn. When I dangled her stepfather as bait, she came to kill him, just as I thought she would.”

Seraphina’s eyes widened, looking at me. “When was that?”

I couldn’t respond. I looked to Laszlo, and he continued taunting her. My insides burned with shame for keeping secrets from my only friend. Maybe if I hadn’t, we wouldn’t be in this mess.

“She didn’t tell you, because you were too busy whoring yourself out to my son and his friends.

Too busy to care about something so important to her.

So she went alone, as I hoped. I thought about interrupting her little plan and letting him fuck her one last time, but I was enjoying the show too much.

Tabitha thought she was so clever and powerful, sneaking into the house and blowing him to bits. ”

My eyes burned with tears at the memory. It didn’t feel as good as I wanted it to. After I shot him, all I could think was, I wish Seraphina was with me. But then Laszlo showed up instead, and I was lost to his power.

The terrifying Obscuritas King patted my head. “I made sure to keep her fears alive and well, though. We played often, repeating those filthy things her stepfather used to do. She’s quite fond of it now. I bet her little cunt is getting wet just hearing my talk about it, isn’t that right?”

He turned to me with an arched eyebrow, and I nodded.

I hated him so fucking much because he was right.

The arousal was low, but it was there as I thought about the pain I would witness and receive.

I could no longer orgasm unless I was in pain and watching someone else being tortured.

Bile rose in my throat even as the blood rushed to my clit in anticipation. I hated myself.

“I am going to fucking gut you and your stupid cult for this. You have no fucking idea the pain you will suffer at my hands,” Seraphina snarled, pulling against her restraints.

“I’m shaking at the thought.” Laszlo chuckled and waved a hand dismissively. “But until that time, let’s play a little game of choice. Devon didn’t choose you in the end, and Tabitha chose her father over your friendship. What will you choose, I wonder?”

He walked between us, bringing his hands behind his back and clasping them as he took measured steps, circling us both like the predator he absolutely was.

He eyed Seraphina with obvious lust. I wanted to move, to go to her, but my body refused to do anything but obey him.

His gaze turned back to me, filled with satisfaction at my obedience.

“Women are good for two things in this world. Satiating our lust, and our bloodlust. Often the lines between are blurred.” He smacked my face enough to sting and smirked. “And when your mind and bodies can no longer satisfy those urges, what use are you?”

Seraphina raged in her chains. “As if anyone would willingly lust after you, asshole.”

“Be. Quiet.” Laszlo turned back to her with a snarl, his cocky smirk slipping.

“Did you honestly believe you could infiltrate my domain? As if the greatest kings of your lifetime could be outwitted by a twenty-three-year-old girl . Your hubris is nearly as bad as my son’s.

I know all about their little sect of defectors.

I am always one step ahead of everyone else. ”

A knock on the door interrupted his snarling speech, and Laszlo barked at the guard to enter. My mouth twitched as I recognized the guard who helped me. My blood began to sing, and I desperately wanted to run to him for comfort.

“Who are you?” Laszlo snapped.

The guard stood at attention. “Greg. Tony sent me.”

Laszlo’s eyes narrowed at the guard. “And where is Tony? He usually plays with my toys.”

The guard’s eye twitched like the comment bothered him, but he hid his distaste well. “He thought I’d enjoy this… Whatever this is.”

Laszlo stared at the guard for several moments before speaking. “Very well. Go to the table and choose a blade and a vibrator.” He moved closer to me, placing his hand back on my shoulder. “Seraphina, shall we have Greg use these on Tabitha, or yourself?”

Seraphina’s eyes filled with rage as she stared at him, grinding her teeth and refusing to answer. “Fuck you, Laszlo Blackbyrn.”