Under the vampire Lord's protection-Chapter 512: If shame could kill

Throughout the hallways, after the outright degradation she had dragged Arabella through, Zarah said nothing else while yanking at her leash so violently, the young woman’s head threatened to separate from the rest of her body.

Although, no more words were necessary. The goal was, null doubt, to let the rising murmurs, and looks of condemnation and pity on their paths do all the work.

And work they did! Filling every crevice of her mind, chest, guts... All of her, imbued with unbridled dread, helplessness, a desire to evaporate or go blind and deaf so that her senses would no longer have to suffer the disgrace.

The cool air grazing her naked, soiled body did not help either. Against her skin, it turned razor sharp, cutting and gnawing without an ounce of mercy. For sure, under different circumstances, it would have felt just sweet.

No, those were enough. There really was no need for the raspy, cold voice of that hag.

One last door was crossed, leading into a small or vast room. It was hard to tell due to the shadows consuming that space.

Only one torch which hung right by the entrance kept burning.

With one, last and quite stronger tug at the leash, Arabella’s frame practically flew forward, dropping to the ground with very little energy left to brace for impact.

The collision against the harsh stone was brutal, sending a wave of searing agony through her bones and streams. Nothing was safe as even her chin shouldered a portion of the brunt since her hands had been behind her back the whole way, earning her no time to cushion the blow of the fall.

Zarah picked up the sole torch illuminating the room before walking closer, to tower over Arabella’s head, "I know your kind. The training of whores such as you has never been easy and I therefore must utilize any opportunity that offers itself before me to straighten that attitude and pride out of you,"

With that, the old hag brought the torch to the nearest sandbag by the door and snuffed the life out of it, effectively plunging that place into utter darkness.

"You should spend some time and consolidate with the voices in your own head. Let all that just took place sink in and accept every bit of it to be a glimpse from what the rest of your pathetic life will look like," her smirk was only visible due to the bit of light that still spilled through the open door, "I want there to be nothing that will distract you from your new reality. Not even light," her feet finally moved again, but towards the exit, "Have a few minutes before I come back as we will then carry on where we left things off. I truly cannot wait to make you the perfect little slave you were always meant to be,"

The creaking of the door as it slammed shut truly was the last external noise to reach her ears.

Not even the breeze whispered in those parts, but considering it was daytime, the fact that the room was pitch black could only mean that it was equipped with no windows at all.

The battering of Arabella’s heart had long since died down, unfortunately, leaving it to the voices in her own head to fill the void just like Zarah said.

First screamed the pain that coursed her abused body, from every part, every limb and organ... Then there were the voices of those she loved, potential reactions and responses they’d have had they been able to see her in that state.

Images of their horrified and dejected faces flashed before her eyes without any sort of warning.

And what would Silas say? How would her husband even look at her? That was if he’d even agree to look her way anymore.

She wouldn’t look her own way... She wouldn’t as much as spit at her own feet.

Perhaps she was opening the wrong doors in her mind. Perhaps it was smarter to focus on the way in which she could help get her family out of that hellhole. Wallowing in her own sorrow was hardly going to cut it.

As her Irises floated around the void, not a glint of light caught them and so shutting them didn’t hurt.

The relief that action brought to those puffy, bloodshot eyes of hers was unprecedented. Arabella hadn’t even realized how much rest was needed.

Although, the young woman earned no time to truly ponder the thought as that grassy limbo her bare feet had grazed earlier soon came into view.

Still boundless, with the same bright yet sunless atmosphere and air that filled her lungs without biting at her skin.

Once again, the weight of the collar around her neck won, pushing her shoulders downwards thus forcing her to bend her knees and lower her butt to the ground.

Her arms instinctively wrapped around her legs which kissed her chest and it wasn’t long before the tears joined the rest, flowing at will...

The sudden touch from the black fabric that enveloped her from behind made her jump forward as her neck snapped back, nearly shattering.

"You are back," Emeric gave her a sweet yet frail smile.

"Yes, it appears I am, indeed," her eyes drifted back to the grass below as her heart simmered down.

After a short moment of silence during which the man settled by her side like their prior meeting, a new light flashed in Arabella’s eyes, prompting them to widen momentarily.

"Did you see Silas?" she gasped, frantically looking all around them.

In response, he returned an apologetic expression, his head slowly shaking from left to right, "I am afraid I did not,"

"But... You said you heard his voice," she half asked, tears still escaping her eyes. 𝐟𝕣𝗲𝕖𝕨𝗲𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝗲𝚕.𝗰𝚘𝐦

"I said I heard the calling of a loved one,"

She too started shaking her head, "If the living do not belong in these parts, then I do not understand why I am here in the first place. I am not on the verge of dying. Well, if shame could kill at least... I would have known,"