3. Trapped

So William does have a sense of humor after all...

   "Dhampir?" I asked. I wasn't familiar with the word and was fairly certain I'd never heard it before in my life.
   Lord Emrick took slow steps towards me and for every one he took I stepped back, forgetting about William until I felt his hands firmly grasp my shoulders, holding me in place.
  "Well this is precious. You really do have no idea what you are, do you?" He asked but didn't pause for a response. " I almost didn't believe it. Any of it. Yet here you are. Although, tests will need to be run just to be sure. Blood draw."  At this he looked up at William who nodded and started pulling me towards a door on the far side of the room.
"What are you talking about?" I said, panic rising in my voice.
   I started to thrash around in William's grip but he adjusted his hold on me so his arm was wrapped around my waist, lifting me off the ground. I tried punching and scratching him, anything to get him to let me go but he didn't even flinch.
   I felt like such a fool. A stupid foolish little girl for trusting these men. I had no idea what they wanted with me but they obviously assumed I wouldn't cooperate with whatever it was they planned to do with me.
   William carried me through the door which revealed a small staircase that only went up. The stairs groaned under our weight as he carried me up them two at a time. As an orphan I was used to begging for things but right now I felt like I was begging for my life. My heart was beating so hard I felt as though I might vomit but the lump in my throat from the fear was blocking it.
   The staircase opened up to a large attic that had been set up to be used as sleeping quarters. A large bed sat in the center of the room against the wall, underneath a large window with bars on it. A wide, white vanity table sat in the corner of the room, it's surface littered with feminine products. Against the wall across from the bed was an enormous wooden wardrobe.
   "William, please!" I begged one last time, putting every bit of plea in my voice. To my surprise he set me down but kept a hold on my wrist.
   "Just do as you're told and you can stay in this room." He said, a deadly serious look in his eyes.
   "And if I refuse?" I asked, trying to look defiant but feeling more like a pouty child.
   "You'll be punished." Was all he said before quickly letting go of me and heading back to the stairs.
After a moment of being too stunned and confused to move I made to follow him. I heard the sound of the door closing just as I reached the top of the stairs. When I got to the bottom it was locked.

   I spent the rest of the day looking for a way out. The window wasn't sealed shut and could be opened but the bars were strong and too close together to slip through. The worst part was that there were no other houses nearby. All I could see were trees, grass and the dirt road we came in on. My body - much like my heart- sank onto the bed. I was trapped. No one would look for me.
   Just before sunset William entered the room with what appeared to be a small medical kit. I pushed myself as far back on the bed as I could go, drawing my knees up close to me. I don't know what had gotten into me. I never let myself be this weak but these people made me feel so small and fragile. William sat down on the edge of the bed and opened the kit, pulling out a small needle and string.
   "Hold out your arm." He said.
I sat there just staring at him incredulously. I don't know what he thought he was going to do but I would never allow this man to jab me with a needle much less do it completely willingly.
   "Hold it out or I'll hold you down and take it." He told me. His voice was cold and I knew he would do it. I was terrified but I knew if he wanted to do anything at all he could. There was something about him that radiated power. I tried to give him one last defiant stare but sighed and held out my arm to him.
   He tied the string above my elbow before sticking the needle in my vein with precision and speed. He drew my blood until the needle was full and then removed it, grabbing my other hand and placing my finger over the little hole where the needle had been.  I didn't bother fighting him. I just wanted him to go away so I could come up with some sort of plan of action.
He squeezed the blood from the needle into a small vial and closed it. He looked me in the eye and nodded before packing up his things.
   "I'll bring some food and water up in a little while. After that you'll need a bath and a change of clothes." William said while he packed up.
   "I beg your pardon?" I practically gasped. "I absolutely will not be taking a bath at a time like this!"  Actually I'd never had a real bath before and I'd always wanted to try it. The closest I had ever come to one is diving naked into a pond or river every few days.
   "It's just a bath. You'll be alone. We have no interest in seeing a naked little boy." He said with a hint of amusement. My jaw practically hit the floor when I gasped.
   "How dare you." I said in a serious, low voice.
I took my hat off, letting my hair fall around my shoulders and threw it, hitting him directly in the back of the head. He stopped moving, facing away from me and slowly started to turn towards me. I expected him to be mad but to my surprise he was smiling.
   "Forgive me," He said, amusement lighting up his dark, cold eyes. "How could I ever have assumed you to be a boy when you throw like a girl."
   Again my jaw went slack and he left me standing there both enraged and in shock.