章 40: From sheltered to shattered

The creak of the door was still the same, a revelation that didn't ease him as combined with the footsteps they formed a nightmare relived thousands of times.

He still knew how it went, how it should go, as soon as someone entered he should greet them but he couldn't. Back here, back in his personal hell left him paralysed, his mind fogged in disbelief at the situation.

''It seems all the rules shall have to be taught again huh?"

Black pools opened for just a second before closing behind fluttering eyelashes.

He hadn't slept, couldn't, fear had kept him awake of what was to come.

And here they were, one standing, looking down at the other. The other layed down, ignoring the shivers of cold and the fresh bloody tracks of tears on his deadly pale face.

It hadn't changed...after a whole sixteen years.

Still dark, walls without windows and still the same creaking door with a smaller dog door attached.

Dawn could see them as clear as day when he opened his eyes, his own blood stains still adorning the floor and walls. Even after all those years are still very much present.

How did he ever think he was going to be safe?

As if that day where he was rescued could have ever been the last day of his misery!

How stupid.

His hands clenched as he finally opened his eyes, letting them fall upon his nightmare.

Regret came immediately as his once nice and gorgeously fitting clothes were grabbed tightly, pulling him to his knees and with his last moment of foolish bravado he stood and launched his hand right towards the older looking yet younger male.

One would say he was charming, good looking even but all Dawn could see was a monster. Which was why his expression turned into surprise as the sound of the cheek echoed around.

The mere fact that he had actually hit him made his surprise turn into fear way too quickly, his stinging hand now clawing at the tightly gripping hands on his shirt.

The tears which had stopped, returned like a waterfall as he sobbed out. Eyes bulging as his head looked between the hands and their owner in anticipation and distraught.

Even after not having experienced it for so long, Dawn immediately braced himself.

"Down"

It was as if his body moved on his own, knees buckling as soon as the command reached his ears. Hands let loose and no sooner was he back on the ground shaking.

''It looks like your body remembers." Dawn didn't notice the wide grin that had momentarily spread over Henry's face, too focused on the light taps on his cheek.

It didn't take long before another slap echoed.

Harder, evident by the pained gasp but more so by the force.

Previous kneeling vampire now on his side, holding his left cheek as he cried out because of the abuse.

"Now your hair's a mess.'' Fingers piled the vampire's hair together, carefully stroking them.

Even while Dawn was more than well aware that whatever this was, was just Henry's way of gaining satisfaction he couldn't help but relax slightly.

He hated the way he took so easily to the other's name, it was such a hard habit to break. It made him sick to his very core that not even days into this spiral of abuse he was already used to it again.

With trembling lips, another sob left him. "If you're that sad, should I just kill you?''

The question was immediately followed with action,a grunt leaving Dawn's mouth as his back hit the ground and the face of Henry appearing in front of his shaky vision.

A pressure multiplied on his neck as he felt his own hands clawing.

Lack of air pointed out his still broken nose and the fact he couldn't even heal as he gasped, cut off pleases strewn around and as weight kept him in place.

"Why beg? You don't want to be here.''

The hands, that had been desperately trying to get the much needed air, had stopped. Falling with a loud thud back at his sides, limp and while the struggle to survive stilled, Henry's hands tightened and continued to cut off the air supply.

Small choked up breaths still present as Dawn's skin slowly turned a sickening colour, legs kicking out of selfpreserving instinct as his lungs ached and eyes started to bulge once more

Just like Dawn's lungs burned, Henry's eyes burned bright with evil pleasure.

Not bothering to care about the useless trashing beneath him as he continued pressing down,excited gleam destroyed otherwise beautiful blue eyes.

Now only focused on those blue eyes, Dawn couldn't help but think about Adrian and his own way too blue eyes.

It was the moment he sacked, seconds from fainting if it weren't for the hands to remove themselves from his neck.

Slight sounds of breathing almost disappeared, before returning with a scream and wisps of air.

A harsh kick in the ribs and the vampire almost sprung upright in shock and pain. Hand clutching his side as he noted with relief that he was healing, his rib was healing together with everything else.

''Did I crack your ribs?''

While Dawn had most definitely heard, he could only focus solely on taking in enough of air.

But Henry never allowed no answer, it didn't take long before a mana reinforced leg swung itself toward the still healing rib.

Two hands at the exact spot didn't do much as the sound of broken bones echoed around the room, even going as far as the hallways, where Henry's butler waited without moving an eyelid, very much used to his lord's behaviour

Even when merciless stomping was heard from the room, the butler did absolutely nothing.

The pain that Dawn was experiencing was intense and sharp, not only where the hits quick and mere second after another but there was also the growing needles caused by the other's mana.

A pain so sharp he could only whimper, the space relentless and his modified speed of healing was even more useless then not healing. It barely had time to heal at all before it got broken further and further.

Dawn could only breath shallow breaths as Henry finally stopped and carefully watched as the broken hands started mending first. Small, shattered pieces attaching themselves like glue and erasing all traces of once being broken. His ribs ,hit so hard that they exited Dawn's chest, returned with a silent scream.

Even the blood that the vampire had lost returned from pooling all around him, returning right through the wound and entering the blood vessels where needed.

The blood that didn't, drenched his clothes and would leave the first new blood stains on the ground.

The first of no doubt many to come.

With further healing, the room was engulfed with the groans of Dawn, louder than before as everything was set back in place.

"Does it hurt?'' Even Henry could hear the way his voice lifted, enjoying every sound that roamed his ears.

He would never get tired of how the broken vampire returned to his whole state...not that the inside ever managed to catch up.

"That's quite enough of that for now.'' Crouching down he ruffled Dawn's hair, a movement was again so soft and loving that the vampire stiffened, more than well aware that this was just a premise.

And he was right, bad luck showing, as just before his last wound could fully heal fingers dug in them, face contorting in pain as his high pitched cry made the tormentor chuckle.

It didn't last long as just a while afterwards he got pulled up, wound healing further as bloodied fingers wiped themselves off on his already bloody shirt.

The movement was neither rough or hard, so why was he shaking and trembling like a leaf?

Henry seemingly waited for him to finish standing up as he commemorated his first new blood stains with chilling words.

"I have a surprise for you, I will show you just how much I missed you."

Sickeningly sweet was the movement of hands tracing his golden hair combined with the words before hands pulled him forward and pushed him forward.

Flinching, he instantly walked, eyes wary as he tried to glance behind but was prevented by a hand clutching his neck. Not strong enough to hurt but tight enough to show him where to go.

"Aren't you curious?"

Gulping, a tear brimmed again as forgotten feelings brewed.

"Well?"

"I-i...don't know.'' Hesitantly he spoke, voice raw, still not used to talking much.

''You didn't miss me right?' The obvious answer was silence as they turned a corner to another hallway.

''That much was obvious.

Don't worry after these coming weeks you shall never leave me again.''

Threat disappeared to the back of his mind as they apparently reached their destination.

A door that looked...normal, albeit small and far away from the other rooms.

But nothing was ever normal with Henry and Dawn felt scared as a hand reached out from behind him and placed it lightly on the door, magic seal that appeared familiar as it was the same on Aethelstan's room.

It would only let in the keyed magical signature and if this was needed that meant whatever was behind that door wasn't meant for wandering eyes.

Slight surprise mixed with apprehensiveness showed on Dawn's features as the only thing he saw was darkness once the door opened, nothing like the walk in the light they just had.

Foul stench that wafted out of the room left him turning his nose in disgust, repulsing his very being as he weakly called out. ''Wh..what?''

''Why don't you go take a look?''

Hair falling down in waves upon being released , the free hand soon pushed but Dawn remained rooted in place. ''I don't..want too.'' Flickering his eyes between Henry and the butler, he pleaded silently with the butler but nothing happened.

''You have nothing to say here!" With a push he was forced into the room, stumbling as hands blindly reached out in the darkness, feeling for something to grab on.

And he did, something kept him upright. Soft to the touch for meagre second, until he realised the unusual stiffness, the dirt and freaky texture on his hands.

It was when he ventured in the darkness that he could feel his heart drop to his stomach as hair grazed his arm. Not even seconds later did his eyes get accustomed to the darkness.

A scream of fright left him as a wide eyed, sunken face stared back at him. Disturbed his head moved on his own as Dawn took in the whole room, moving past the riddled bodies strewn across the floor, hung in cages and even strung on chains. Hesitant he looked closer, the bodies covered in wounds and bones outside discoloured skin.

His own horror reflected forever in their eyes, he wanted out, out, unable to turn away from what was in front of him he stumbled backwards.

Breathing a mess as he slowly became more hestaric, even more so when strong, dextrous hands gripped his shoulders tightly, keeping him firmly in place.

"Did you like it?"

Dawn couldn't speak, eyes wide and fear taking over his entire body as burkley fingers traced his chest before grabbing his jaw, clenching it as he forced black pools to watch all the atrocities he had done.

''Did you notice?"

That one has your build, that one your length of hair, that one your eyes and that one sounded so much like you!

The way he begged for mercy was laughable too.''

With the amount of bodies it was clear this had been going on for a long time. If it weren't for the decaying smell and the unmoving state of all of them one would not believe them to be dead.

''All dead. Every single one of them."

Emphasized words left Dawn gulping, pupils dilated as his body shook in the other's grasp.

"All because of you.'' On a softer note he added" You should have just stayed Dawn.

Rosy lips opened and closed just as fast, unsure and fear stricken eyes closed as his clammy hands grabbed onto the other pair, clenching in a twisted way of getting reassurance.

"We have so much to catch up on, I learned so much and even attained new toys. I can't wait.''

It was a reassurance that Henry wouldn't give, merely smiling as he peeled off one finger after another. His words stiffening the already scared out of his vampire.

Making his sack as his emotions ran wild, unable to control his body he went limp in the other's grasp. Yet Henry had merely let go after a sickening have fun, a thud taking over the silent room as the vampire's knees hit the ground.

It had taken Dawn a few seconds to realise the words that had left his mouth and the one he received as an answer.

"Just kill me."

"Never, my pet, never."

Dazed as he was, he still heard the door lock behind him as he stared at the sight in front of him.

All in one way looking like him.

all very much dead

and all because of him.

Black eyes looked even more empty than usual as they glazed over, dissociation taking Dawn away for who knows how long.