The Darkness Deepens, Chapter 5

         As soon as the carriage door shut Tassadar took Rhiannon in his arms.  Nuisance for his part chose to keep his mouth shut and ignore the two of them.  He quickly noticed the way Tassadar gently held the woman in his arms as if she were the most prize possession in the world.  His gentleness did not however meet his eyes as he looked up at him.  “You will give me the last few remaining hours before dawn with your new wife, I will heal her so that she does not die from her wounds and the harsh treatment that she had gotten of late.”  Tassadar growled at him.  Nusinance knew that he should keep his mouth shut, Tassadar was not in the mood, but he could not help but gloat the big man, after all he held all the cards now.  “Yes, Tassadar, I think you should heal her, after all she will have a busy morning ahead of her.  She is a new bride and has many duties to perform for her husband.  I am sure your help in making her fit for them will be appreciated.”

         Tassadar did not miss the less then polite reference to the fact that this little bastard of a man would have Rhiannon anyway he like during the day.  The look that Tassadar gave to Nuisiance at that point made Nuisance’s blood run cold.  He knew he had gone too far.  “Remember Tassadar, if I die, so does she…” he spat at the vampire.

         Tassadar simply sat back and rocked Rhiannon, she had passed out upon entering the carriage.  Tassadar was worried that she might have lost too much blood.  But he was not too worried; after all he could heal her one way or another.  His main concern as he waited to be alone with her was the fact that her blood smelled so damn good to him.  He had been told on many occasions that elven blood was the rarest of vintages.  After all, it was so good that the Dark Lady had taken a wife on an elf.  His thirst raging and his anger barley under control he trembled as he held her.

         The manor house that had been purchased for the “married couple” to stay in was not very far from the Fortress.  It was not long before they arrived there.  As soon as the carriage stopped Nuisance was out the door, almost tripping over himself.  He had decided that he would make himself disappear until the sun was well up, then he would have his way.

         Tassadar was out of the carriage and up the staircase inside the house so quickly that the human eye would not have been able to follow him, if there had been a human around.  Tassadar kicked open the door to the bedroom he had prepared for his beloved Rhiannon and gently laid her on the bed.  She was still only wrapped in his cloak.

         Quietly so as not to disturb her he went back and fasten the door closed.  He already had prepared for her coming and knew what kind of condition she would be in.  He walked over and sat down on the bed with her and gently pulled the cloak away from her bloodied body.  He had every intention of taking a cloth and water to clean her body, but the sight of the blood drove his thirst pass the point of being able to control it.  But even then he would not allow himself to bite her; instead he lowered his head to her body and gently started to lick the blood from it.  He was surprised to find as many wounds as he did.  He had not realized that she had taken as much punishing cuts as she had.  As he tasted her blood a shiver of the purest pleasure ran though him.  His eyes glowed a soft red, almost hiding the fact that they were green.

         Rhiannon came around to the soft pressure of a tongue on her.  She had never in her entire life blacked out.  But then again there was a first time for everything.  She didn’t realized where she was at first and stuck out at the man who was touching her.  Dear Goddess, would they never leave her alone.  The men of the Fortress in her opinion were nothing better then rutting pigs.  As her hand came down on the back of the man’s head she realized who he was.  Her heart almost burst with joy when she realized that she had not dreamed the last few hours.  She was indeed with her Vinculum.  But something was wrong with him, his eyes.  For the first time she felt fear of him, his fangs were out and her blood was on his mouth.  It had been his tongue licking her body clean.

         He must have seen the look in her eyes because he turned away from her.  “It will soon be dawned Rhiannon, I must heal you.  You have taken more wounds then I though at first.  Please forgive me for dishonoring you in such a matter.  I would never enter your chamber uninvited if I did not fear for your life.  I am sorry Rhiannon…” he choked.  “I could not help myself, your blood… please forgive me…”

         Rhiannon looked at the giant man that had haunted her drug induced thoughts during her imprisonment.  She knew that no matter what they had told her this was her Vinculum.  There simply was no doubt in her mind.  “I don’t even know the name of my Vinculum, how strange.” She whispered as she graceful held her hands out to him.

         Tassadar could not believe the warmth in her eyes.  He knew what had been done to her in the prison.  Every man knows what happens to a woman once she is goes to prison.  Yet, there she lay, looking at him with the most trusting eyes.  He didn’t waste what little time he had left with her this night but took her hands as he joined her on the bed.  “M’Lady I am Tassadar.  I had a full name once, when I was human.  But it has been so long ago that even I have forgotten.  Lie back now and let me finish what I have started.”  This time he did not use his tongue but reached to the table beside the bed and washed her from head to toe.  Rhiannon was surprised at how tender this big man could be.  She had seen him in battle and knew that he held the strength of twenty men in his hands.  She marveled at his face, the look in his eyes was so tender.  He would winch ever time he came close to a wound.  She knew that it was not uncommon for Vinculum of the opposite sex to fall in love and she knew in her heart that no one would ever take the place of this man.  It was strange though; there was still a small place in her that was empty.  She could not explain it, but simply chose to leave it alone for the moment, she wanted to enjoy his touch and bask in his attention.

         With a strange look in his eyes Tassadar told her how he would heal her.  He knew magic he told her, but that was not going to work well enough this close to dawn for his liking.  He told her the truth of things.  How he would heal her wounds by licking them shut.  The vampire was able to close most wounds with just a simple lick.  It was how they hid the evidence of their feeding.  To her surprise he blushed as he told her what he was going to do.  And then she remembered why.  She was a married woman, and he was not her husband.  She fought back the tears as she remembered just who was.  No, she would not think about that now, it would come later, when he was gone.  “There are many things we must talk about Tassadar, but for now, I shall lie back and let you heal me of the wounds of man.  I know you don’t have much time left tonight, but we shall have many more I hope.”

         Tassadar blew out the candles that were lite to allow her to see and she felt the pressure of his body as he came closer to her.  He found each and ever wound without any light to guide him.  She did not want to think about how he did.  Rhiannon found his licks to be intensely pleasurable.  At first there was a slight sting, but it would quickly become something else.  She soon realized that she wanted him.  She had never freely been with a man in her life, but now she desired a man other then her husband.  It was then that she was very glad there was no light, and she hope feverishly that Tassadar could not see the shame of her thoughts burning on her cheeks.  Her shame eating at her as her pleasure increase with each lick, Rhiannon soon lost all track of time and reality.

         “Come Rhiannon, I must leave you now, even though I have no desire to.  The sun will soon rise and it must not find me here with you.  This place belongs to your and Nuisnance.  It is your home now.  Make it yours.  I will see you again when the sun sets.”  Tassadar looked down seeing the slight look of panic cross Rhiannon face.  “I shall return as sure as the sun sets.” And he was gone, and all that was left was the feel of his touch on her skin and a lingering echo of his last words.

              Rhiannon rose from the bed to look for clothing.  She found a bath tub filled with warm water.  She quickly noticed the coals under the tub that was heating it.  Dropping the bloody cloak to the floor she crawled into the tub and washed herself completely, hair and all.  She didn’t spend to long in the tub, even though a part of her wanted to.  Rhiannon had spent her entire life training as a warrior.  She did not take the time to pamper himself.  She rose from the water feeling cleaner somehow then she had in months.  Walking around in the nude was not something that she was used to doing either, but her clothes had been cut off her and all she had was the bloody cloak.  She did not wish to put that back on.  Finally after finding out that she had everything a woman could want except clothes Rhiannon pulled a sheet from the bed and wrapped it securely around her.  She was sitting at the dressing table combing out her long hair when the first rays of sunlight hit the heavy curtains on the balcony doors.  She stopped what she was doing and opened the curtains.  She opened the doors and walked out on to the balcony.  She had a lovely view of the woods.  It was beautiful here of that there was no doubt.  She was so lost in thoughts of Tassadar and the beauty that now surround her that she never heard the doors to her room open and Nuisance entered.

              “Good morning Wife, I see you have made yourself ready for me.  You clean up nicely I must say.  I trust Tassadar healed your wounds and nothing else?  I would not want to think your precious Chosen honor had again been besmeared.”  Nuisance said as he motioned for her to join him inside the room.

              “Shut the doors and curtains after your Rhiannon, there is a matter of consummating this marriage that we have to take care of, not that it is an entirely unpleasant thought.  Come I have things to do, after all I have to meet with the Duke sometime this morning.”

              Rhiannon didn’t say a word; she didn’t trust her voice not to break.  Yet again her body would be used as a tool to satisfy someone else.  The though of Nuisance touching her was enough to make her feel physical ill.  But she had willing agreed to the marriage and he was right, her honor would not allow her to anything other then be a faithful wife.  She walked inside the room, closing the doors and curtains as she had been instructed to do.  She could see no reason for conversation on the matter so she simply walked over to the bed, dropped the sheet and laid down.  She didn’t look up as she heard Nuisance disrobe, nor did she look up as she felt him climb his little fat body into the bed.  She closed her eyes as he touched her breast.  She could not bring herself to look at the little man.  She hated him with all her heart at that moment; she would not give a picture to her hatred.

              It was a relief to Rhiannon to find that Nuisance was quick about his duties.  Even though he was done in a few short minutes, it had been an eternity to her.  “I trust my dear that nothing that goes on between you and I will be discussed with you and Tassadar, he is a nice sort really, but our married life is none of his business.  I know he is your Vinculum, but I forbade you to discuss it in any way with him.  Do you understand?  No, then let me make it more clear for you.  He has a violent temper, but perhaps you already know that. At any rate, if he were to know what happened between us he might feel the need to say take his anger out on me, and well your life would be forfeit with mine.  And I am sure that he would be hunted down as well.  You see a long time ago I took it upon myself to make sure that if anything ever happened to me that Tassadar would be hunted down.  I have placed several letters explaining everything in many people’s hands to have anything to fear.  So my dear, what will you do this day?  I think you should go into town and have a few simple gowns made for yourself, after all if you continue to walk around with nothing but a sheet on I am afraid I will just have to bed you every time I see your luscious body.”  Nuisance said as he rose from the bed and dressed himself again.  Rhiannon chose to keep her face turned away from him.  She did not want him to see the tears she shed.  She had never once cried when she had been raped in the prison. Never once had it made her feel as dirty as she now felt.  She knew in her heart it was because she had been physical force to do so.  This time it had been her honor that had required her to submit.  And she knew it would be so for the rest of Nuisance life.  She laid there quietly listening to her husband chatter on.  She was still lying there as he left the room.