Daniella woke to find herself outside, laying on the ground.It was cold, dark and it had started to rain. A sudden realization that she was in her night clothes washed over her.She struggled to remember what happened, she felt a dull ache in her mouth. Closing her eyes as if that would help, sheran her tongue over her teeth, they were all there but the metallic taste ofblood was strong. She opened her eyes again and tried to look around. She attempted to move only to find shecouldn’t move her arms or legs, by the weight on her wrists and ankles sheknew. Sighing, she craned her neck,trying to see around her in the dark. Her muscles strained against the chains. Finally she twisted enough to see the Earl standing off to the side,watching her. Her breath caught in herthroat the memory of what happened came flooding back, she said no to him. This would not be her first time boundoutside for speaking her mind, but maybe this time wouldn’t be as long as before.

The Earl stepped toward her, placing a foot on each side ofher chest, looking down at her. His expression made her blood run cold. He thensat down on her thighs; she tried not to wince from the weight of his body. Thesneer on his faced turned to an icy, crooked smile as he pulled a dagger fromhis boot. Her eyes widened with fear, and her heart pounded in her ears. What was he doing? This was new for him. Before she could ask him his intentions, hereached up to her throat with his free hand and began to choke her. It wasn’t enough to stop her from breathing,but it stopped her from being able to speak. He leaned forward looking into her eyes, and then held the daggerbetween their faces, almost showing it off, his smile never reaching his eyesthat were devoid of emotion.

“It’s not enough for me to simply kill you; I want to seethe life drain from your eyes as I take one last thing from you, your finalbreath.” His tone emotionless, like he was talking about the weather. “The rain will wash my hands clean, as it washes away your life.” As she begins to shakeher head, his grip tightens. Trying to scream out, to beg him not to kill her,she could hear a gurgle sound and realized it was her voice. Before she blacked out from lack of air, heplunged the dagger into her stomach. Her eyes widen in pain as a sharp burningsensation took over her body. As the string of the rain washed the blood downher side, the cold grip of death seemed to take over her. She looked at himwith desperation, and he returned her look with one of emptiness, not even alook of curiosity. He casually stood up,tossed the dagger aside and turned away from her like she was trash. She tried to scream, but all she could managewas a moan and a sob, she felt her life washing from her body. She started torelax as numbness took the place of pain. The world faded away, she closed her eyes for her final sleep. Shecouldn’t be sure, but on the outskirts of her mind she heard a shotgun blast,followed by an inhuman howl, and another blast. She figured she was hearingthings, and prayed for the sweet release of death.

She awakened, turned her head to the side, and opened hereyes. She recognized where she was, she could see the shackles that bound her,now empty. I must be dead. Looking around, she sees a man standing off to theside, looking bored. “You are finally awake, good, let’s go.” His voice wascold and calculated. Daniella sat up,and looked at herself in the moonlight. Her night clothes were the same asbefore, but were soaked with rain and blood. Panic set in as she grabbed at herstomach, remembering the Earl stabbing her. The memory of the pain was stillfresh. She pulled at her clothes, notworried about modesty, she saw the scar where the dagger went in. It wasn’t adream it really happened. Gingerly shetouched the scar, felt the raised skin. Blinking in disbelief, “Wha…What is going on?!” her voice shaky, hereyes filling with tears. She looks at the man again, “What the hell is goingon?!” she demanded, finding an inner stregnth. Her knees shake as she stood toface the man. She felt different, things looked different, and she had this terriblehunger not to mention she felt a new rage burning inside her. Again, he had no expression, and sighed, “Youwill do well to watch your tone with me.” His voice getting an edge she did notlike, it sent fear though her body, as she steps back. “I am Seth, and you are mine now.”