Darkened Skye

[Ash]

Hours later, after the sun had burned away and the only light they had was the fire the three had made for their camp, Skye was dealing with the pain that has only been growing inside her. They were having some kind of stew, and the smell that wafted over clenched her stomach in the grip of the gods. She was crippled by it, and her mouth watered uncontrollably. She stared at the fire.. But no one seemed to mind her. That is until her stomach let out a painful wail of hunger. So loud that even the laughing men could hear, and even stopped to look her way. She sank back into herself and tried not to look as desperate as she was.

After a moment, the shorter of the two came over, in his hand a bowl with a lump of bread floating in something. Skye couldn’t suppress her basic nature anymore, she slammed her body into the bars and reached out with her left hand. She even whimpered like a dog, what shame she ever had fell away as she practically begged like the caged animal she was.

Barsig watched, and he’d never felt so sorry for a creature than the way he felt for her.

“Ah-ah..” The man said, pulling it back from her, a grin on his face. “Not so fast. You can’t get something for nothing, you know.” He explained, and the woman’s heart broke, but he could hear it pick up. She would be willing to do almost anything, still, she remained silent and like a stone, staring at the food like it was life. The guy looked her over like she was a feast for him to pick apart, but still had his manners about him. “You’re cloak.”

“M-My cloak?” She asked, confused. Breaking the spell just long enough to think about it. But then she stood up and the cloak couldn’t have come off any faster. Barsig took in her image. Her leather was a corset, that clung to her starving body. She had on leather bands on her arms, but he couldn't tell what they were for. Her pants were as skin tight as they got, and padded on the thighs and knees. She had on flat boots, they reached up to her thighs, but they were untied at the knees and the extra boot fell over her calves.

The thug also looked her over, and licked his lips. He then stepped a bit closer. “And your pants?” He asked, baiting her with the bowl.

Skye’s eyes returned to the bowl, but upon his words, she looked up and at his face. There was some clarity in her mind, but it fought hard with the desperation of life. She looked away at him completely, and looked down at the floor. She was motionless for a long moment, but then came to terms with it, and reached for her pants. Only to be stopped by Barsig’s words.

“Don’t bother, Skye.” He said it before he could control it, but he couldn’t stand by and let them take advantage of her. “You can strip down to nothing, and that scumbag won’t give you anything but the crumbs the dog doesn’t eat.”

“No one asked you!” The thug said, stepping up and throwing the roll straight at the man, wishing it was a whole tomato or another harder throwing item.

Barsig sensed he’d have an outburst as soon as the man’s heart picked up from anger and frustration. So he was ready. He lifted the cloak up, a curtain of black fabric wooshed around, and apparently that was enough to deflect the pitiful attack. When it settled, the vampire was glaring at the man. “How utterly disgusting you are. First you come over to lie to a desperate woman, and then you attack me with the very food you are trying to bribe her with for warning her of your lying heart. You call me a monster?”

The thug huffed with anger, but then brought his eyes on the woman. He pushed the bowl towards the girl. But when she grabbed for it, he pulled it back still. “Your cloak.” He said, then reached out his empty hand.

Skye had a hard time believing him, but had a harder time arguing. She gathered the cloak up, wrapping it in a ball, and then pushed it through the bars with her right, and her left reached for the bowl.

He took the cloak, and let it unravel in his hand, bringing the fabric to his face and inhaling deeply the scent of the woman. Seemingly satisfied with his trade, he put the bowl in her reach, but only barely. Grinning from behind the cloak, he allowed her to reach her fingers under it and barely touch the lip on the bottom, before he let go. Then he watched her horror as the full bowl crashed to the ground, with a hollow thunk and the stew slosh across the ground. Skye even fell to her belly and was shaking as she reached for the bowl. No matter how simply out of her reach it was, she tried. “Oops.” He said, then laughed as he left the cage’s side, his prize still in hand.

-

Skye was still stretching out for the ruined meal when she felt the heat of tears stinging her eyes, her body was shaking, and she would have given up all of her clothes if she could just reach the bowl. Something might have clung to it, and even so, she’d have licked the ground clean if she could. Finally she gave up her fight for it when she felt the tears roll down her cheek. Her body went limp, and she did everything she could to hold back the child inside.

She laid there for a long time, just staring at it. Even when another figure showed up, she remained motionless and vulnerable to whatever was to come.

It was Alton. He picked up the bowl and shook out the remaining soup. “There’s where he left it.” He said, but he knew what had happened, his grin told it all.

“That’s not a very smart business choice.” A voice came out from the darkness, the vampire. Coming again to save her..

Alton glared up at him. “What isn’t, pray tell.”

“If you really have left her in here to protect your investment, it’s foolish to let her die of starvation.” The man in the dark spoke. “If I were a vampire like you say I am, and I were to drink from her, my guess is she would die no matter how little I took. And if this journey takes too long, then you would have to put up one of your men for the donation part. Or else lose your vampire entirely.”

Alton only smiled. “Is that so? Well I guess we will come to that problem when we do.” He explained, and then carried himself away. Leaving the two to deal with it.


Alone, Skye finally picked herself up. “He doesn’t care that I die.. He hopes I will.” She explained, rolling over so she was leaning on the bars, they were spaced just enough to only allow body parts through. “He probably doesn’t even care how.” She added, letting her head roll over and her eyes land on him.

The instant she did, her green eyes widen. In his hand was the soup soaked roll. She could see the wet texture in what little light they had. Suddenly she had energy again, and hope. She got back on her knees and crawled over to him. She was just in touching range when she reached out her hand, or started to. Almost as soon as she did, she looked defeated and dragged her hand back.

“What’s wrong, Skye?” He asked, not at all moving his hand.

Her heart began to sink in her chest. “What’s the catch?” She asked, her voice quiet, and her eyes still on the food. “What cruel thing, are you going to ask for?”

The vampire looked over at her neck, but shook his head. “Nothing.. There’s no catch. As soon as I caught it, I knew I’d be giving it to you. Besides.. I’m not like them. Vampire or not, I’ve always been a good guy.” He offered it to her again, and a smile.

Skye felt the tears push past her eyes, and hope filled her heart as she reached out again. Her fingers trembled when she touched the bread, and like it was the most precious thing in the world, she carefully grasped it and pulled it closer. She felt the tears roll down her cheeks as slowly began to eat it.