0195

In the car Sabastian asked, "Who kept you as a
feeder?"

"You can't read that, too," Mary said snidely.

"I suppose I could, if I chose to, but I assumed it
would be easier to ask. Were you a feeder for the
Smithsons?"

"No. In fact, Tobias saved me from that horrific
fate. He met me at a club and fell in love with me.
He had a big fight with my owner and won, though I'm
not sure how."

"In love? And yet you betrayed Tobias even though he
saved you?"

"Love is fleeting, especially when one lives forever.
He soon grew tired of me and betrayed my love.

"I did love him, too. I loved him for what he did for
me. I would have done anything for him. That is
until he found another woman to save. And then
another, and another, and another," Mary chuckled. "As
it turns out Tobias was little more than a
philandering old pervert."

"The same could be said of so many of our kind."

"Yes, vampires, as a group, don't tend to be the most
reputable or chaste folks around."

"So you have told me half of what I would like to
know. But you still have not told me who kept you as
a feeder," Sabastian said.

"You're right, I haven't shared that. It isn't a time
I like to remember.

"The bastard took me as a feeder against my will. He
kept me in chains and beat and raped me. Not a
positive time in my life.

"Would you believe he even let me escape four times
just so he could have the pleasure of hunting me down?
He treated me like a toy, a toy he could do anything
to. Anything he wanted. I hated him, no I hate him.
But I think he liked that. He liked that I never gave
in, I fought every time he came to feed. Every time
he came to beat me. Every time he came to rape me.

"If I were strong enough I would kill him," Mary said,
as a tear ran down her face.

"I am sorry for bringing it up," Sabastian said,
noting that the blood red tear had fallen and stained
her white shirt.

"Don't be. I need my anger. It keeps me going. I
don't think many men can understand what it is like to
have your body forcibly violated.

"As horrible a vampire as Tobias was, and trust me he
did many horrific things, he never treated anyone like
I was treated. He didn't have that much anger in him,
not like..." Mary stopped.

"You do not have to tell me."

"You already know, don't you?" she asked.

"Yes. It took me a little while, but I do know."

"That bastard took me around like a pet. When he was
angry with me, which was often, he'd beat and rape me
in front of other vampires. He'd even offer me up to
them, like meat.

"Tobias was there for one of these displays. He was
the only one who ever stood up and did something.

"It was a huge fight. It's why he wanted to destroy
the Smithsons. It was why Tobias was so defiant. It
went beyond words and underlings, too. They fought
each other. I was there, Tobias won. He drove the
son of a bitch off.

"Tobias said I should have the brand removed before he
turned me. I said I wanted to remember how I was
treated. I never wanted to forget what it was like
before.

"He told me that forever was a very long time. He was
right."

"Do you regret not having it fixed?"

"No, I'm glad I made the choice I did. Every time I
look in the mirror I see it and remember how much I
hate him. When you don't have love, hate can keep you
going."

"Yes, many of our kind think the same way. Do you
think you could hurry up?" Sabastian asked.

"Yeah, I think that's a good idea."

[Copyright Reuben Gregg Brewer, 2005, 2006. All rights
reserved.]