Sitting bolt upright, she looked around the room frantically, her breath rapid and her heart racing at an alarming speed. A quick glance around the room told her she was in Jaia's room and she was bound to the bed with the obnoxious gold chain. She had been certain Epharis would have destroyed them all, but either he decided not to, or the twins had hidden that one away from him.
She was dressed in a long black night dress, modest and lovely with little sleeves that covered her shoulders but didn't go much further.
She felt weirdly warm, like she had fallen asleep by the fire and her eyes swept the empty bedroom, which was rather odd when there used to be furniture in the room. But was now containing nothing but a bed and mattress with no sheets or pillows and two metal racks on either side of the bed with a red bag hanging from each, leading to her inner arms by a long red tube. The spots around the points of contact with her arms had gone a weird dark red she had never seen before. It wasn't like blood poisoning, brighter.
She was baffled by the change and gave the chain a little tug, trying to pull herself free but she was stuck. The other side had been tightly chained as well, leaving her impossibly trapped and having no idea what was happening.
A short while later, the door opened and Kai slid into the room with two new bags in his hand. Seeing her awake, he turned and called out.
"She's up."
Jaia appeared a moment later, swinging the door wide and they stepped inside.
Approaching her from either side, she watched them warily as they disconnected the almost empty red bags and replaced them with new ones, the tubes turning dark with the flow of new fluid.
"What are you doing?" she asked as she watched the tube on the side with Kai, the liquid reaching the point at her arm at the same time as the other side and she gasped at the heat that flooded through her body. Leaning forward slightly, she sucked in as much air as she could manage, her head spinning and she jerked at a gentle touch on her head. Jaia had tried to sooth her by stroking her hair.
Looking up at him, she panted softly at the heat radiating out of her, the pounding race of her heart that made her feel queasy.
"We have to make sure you don't kill yourself," Kai said gently and she looked to him, frowning.
"How?" she said quickly, not entirely sure what they could do that hadn't already been done to her.
Kai didn't speak, instead he leant down and peered into her eyes, frowning and looking up at Jaia.
"She looks very flushed," he said, concern in his voice.
Jaia sighed and set himself down on the bed beside her. His hand was gentle as he cupped her cheek and drew her slightly closer.
Looking up at Kai, she flinched as Jaia bit deep into her throat and began to drink, her body trembling at the sensation and rush of desire that flooded her.
Resenting it, she whimpered as Kai bent down and his teeth sank into her wrist, both taking what little blood she had managed to produce while their own blood made her feel too hot.
They didn't linger very long and were gentle with her, Jaia pushing himself off the bed and away from her.
"Jaia..." she pleaded in a tiny voice. He turned to look at her, blood oozing down her shoulder with Kai still at her wrist, bound and helpless
He scowled at the sight as Kai pulled back, his lips red with her blood.
"I'm sorry Etani, we can't lose you," he said gently before he left and Kai soon followed, licking his lips clean as he went.
Dropping her head back against the headboard, she sat in silence until finally dozing off.
***
When she woke she found Jaia touching her cheek, he and Kai replacing the bags and Kai leaving to do whatever it is he needed to do.
She felt sick, and her head spun as she looked up at him, confused at the gentleness and his touch.
"It'll be done soon Etani, don't worry," he murmured and she made a soft sound of protest, turning her face away from him.
His smile was grim as he drew her face back to him and shook his head.
"Don't do that, I swear it's going to be okay," he said gently and she nodded, not believing him but agreeing none the less.
He smiled and kissed her cheek, leaving her alone once more.
She was still awake when they returned and replaced the bags, her pink cheeks an indication that she was getting too warm but both looked like they didn't want any more.
"Bring up Versalis, he needs to eat," Jaia said and Kai nodded.
The vampire King was livid when he was dragged up from the floor below, his face going pale as he was pushed into the room and saw her.
She looked back at him, giving him a little wave and smiled weakly, but she felt hot and uncomfortable, her hair sticking to her sweaty skin and her body aching.
"You sick bastards," Versalis snarled as he struggled to get free and Jaia moved, punching him in the stomach to drop him to the floor.
He went down hard, weak from hunger.
"You're going to feed today, bring her down a little," Kai said and shoved Versalis forward but he turned on them.
"Do you know what you're doing to her?" Versalis raged and his face went pale. They knew exactly what they were doing.
"You can't do this, it's forbidden," his tone was terrified and he shook his head, turning to look at her and her confusion.
He didn't get a chance to tell her, as they had grabbed him and forced him forward. Kai left a small cut in her neck using his nail and forcing him close was all it took for him to give him, his fangs adding to the draw and he fed greedily from her, the taste of her was too sweet and his desire growing strong.
They forced him back when she had begun to look pale and their eyes met, his one of abject horror and hers confused.
"Versalis..." she sighed, her eyes growing heavy and he fought them, but they dragged him away and she fell asleep, warm and content.