My brain felt foggy as I tried to shift in my seat. My wrists felt like they were bound but nothing was around them. Everytime I tried to clear my head it would fog up again.
"Glad to see you are finally awake."
I turned my head slowly to see a woman sitting in another chair near the wall.
"It's good to see you again, after all these years," she smiled.
I tried to clear my head to figure out who she was but I couldn't clear it enough. I tried to force the fog away, but nothing worked.
"Don't resist it, it will only get worse if you do."
The man I met at the event moved from his spot on the wall to my left and smirked. He stroked my cheek and smiled at me. His touch was cold and slimy. The shock of it did something I don't think he expected, it cleared my mind.
Though to be safe I pretended to still feel the fog so as not to arouse suspicion. I pretended to drop my head and go back to sleep. I hoped it would cause them to leave me alone but they stayed. Instead, they started talking to each other.
"Are you sure you can do it?" the woman asked.
"Of course, he hasn't come into his other powers yet so I can manipulate his mind now. The fact that I was able to make him leave with me was proof enough. He doesn't know how to protect himself from me."
"You better be sure about this Salazar, if he is as powerful as you say it could backfire on us."
"Stop fussing Lucia, since when do you doubt me? If you hadn't given him up when he was a baby then I wouldn't have had to do all this now. It could have been done when he was younger and easier to manipulate."
So that woman was my mother and she willingly gave me away. Why?
"What did you expect me to do? Keep and raise a male witch, your parents may have accepted it but I couldn't have a male witch tied to me, especially at the time."
So that's why. Why would it be an issue? Isn't being born with powers a good thing in a magical family?
"Enough of your excuses, now just make sure there are no problems."
Salazar left the room and she looked at me before following. Once I was alone, I lifted my head. I was in a dimly lit room, the only furniture were the two chairs and a very small table. There was a small gated window high up on one wall with the only door across from it.
I sighed as I tried to break free. My wrists remained locked. No matter what I did I couldn't release them. Oh how I wished Dante were here right now!
Wait! Dante!
Suddenly my mind cleared even more and I remembered my link to Dante.
'Dante?'
'Sorin? Are you ok? Where are you?'
'I'm ok Dante, at least for now,' I sighed. 'As for where, I don't know, I'm in a room. There was a man and woman here but they've gone for now. I only know the man's name but I think the woman was my mother.'
'The man is called Salazar Valteiri, he is the leader of a dangerous coven. Your mother joined his coven after giving birth to your younger sister. She is here with me now, we are trying to find you. Be strong Little Lamb, I'm coming.'
Sister? I have a sister?
'Little lamb?'
'I'm good, please hurry. They want to manipulate me to do what they want. I don't think it will be anything good. I'm scared.'
'I know my love, I'll find you.'
Sometime later, the door opened. I braced myself and pretended to be confused but it was a different man. Instead, it was an older man with a kind face. He looked like an older version of me. My powers told me he was kind and that I could trust him.
"Hello," he croaked.
His voice sounded strained and weak. It sounded as if he'd been shouting for years.
"Are you hungry?" he asked as he placed the tray he was carrying on the table before pulling the chair closer to me.
"Who are you?" I asked.
"Are you not confounded?" he asked, surprised.
I raised an eyebrow at him and he smiled wider.
"Good, that's good. Salazar has the power to control and manipulate people around him. He can make people do what he wants …" his jaw clicked as he said that. "... and he can make people black out. It's horrible they look like emotionless zombies. As for who I am, my name is Aiden, Aiden James, I'm your dad."
"What does he make people do?" I asked, half scared and half hesitant.
"It depends on what he wants. If he wants money he will get someone to give them all they have, if he wants someone, then he'll force them to sleep with him. He did that to your younger sister, Marine."
"What!" I demanded. "How could you let that happen?"
"Shhhh!" he warned. "I didn't let it, your mother did. He controlled me, I had no choice and neither did she. All I could do for my daughter was to comfort her after it happened and make sure she didn't fall pregnant to him."
"How did you break free from his charm?" he asked.
"I don't know, I can always sense things about people around me but it's stronger when I feel someone's skin. He stroked my cheek and the fog was gone."
"Ok, that's good to know."
"Why can't I unclasp my wrists?" I asked.
Aiden gently took hold of my wrists and sighed.
"It's a binding spell. Your mother did it."
I nodded and sighed just as my stomach rumbled. Aiden grabbed some food and started to feed me. It helped to have my stomach filled.
"I don't know how but I'm going to help you however I can, I might not be able to do much but I'll try."
Aiden smiled sadly at me as he stood and went to leave. He took one last look at me before leaving. It was a little comforting to know I had an ally.
After a few more moments the door opened again. I had enough time to lower my head and look, like Aiden had said, like a zombie. Salazar stepped in and smirked at me.
"You've given me quite the run around all these years," he said as he stared at my face. "You made it very hard to find you."
'As if I did that myself,' I snorted in my head.
"Now time to get rid of that pesky bond you have with the vampire. Once that's done you'll bend to my will a whole lot better."
He traced the intricate pattern on my neck and I had to force myself to not flinch. I was surprised he could see it. Dante said it would be invisible to others but other vampires would instinctively know I belonged to him.
"I wonder if you would be surprised to know I know about the mark. When that blood sucker bonded with you I knew you'd have one, I can't see it but I know it's there."
"Your mother is making the potion for you to drink and I'll perform the spell. Then that blood sucker won't be an issue anymore."
He kissed my lips and then left. My heart sped up, as I stared wide-eyed at the door.
'Dante, please hurry! They're going to break the bond between us!'
Silence fell, Dante didn't respond but I knew he'd heard me. The door opened again and Aiden walked in. I breathed a sigh of relief.
"I need your help!"