Chapter 16: A Reconciliation of Sorts

It was when I felt my eyes moving against my closed eyelids that I was aware of my return to consciousness yet I was still too weak to open them. Gradually, I garnered the strength to open my eyes and when I did, I found myself in a large room with curtains drawn to the side, covering what I assumed was the only exit, save the window to my right. Was there someone else in here?

“Hel…hello?” I attempted to say when I felt the scratchiness in my throat; there was a dryness in my mouth that I nearly choked on. Quickly, I looked around for something to nourish my parched tongue and fortunately found two bottles of water sitting on the stand next to my bed. They must have known that this was bound to happen-my waking up to dehydration.

After gulping down one of the little bottles, I sat up in my bed only pushing the covers far enough back to lift my shirt and check the wound that got me here in the first place as I recall. As I attempted to lift my shirt, I realized how sore I was and so I slowed my pace, taking deep breaths as if that would slow the pain. The large gash was covered by a bandage that was in need of changing.

“Hey there!” A male nurse came into my room as I started to peel the bandage to get a better look at the cut.

For only a moment I was caught off guard before I reluctantly acknowledged the nurse. There was no more need to fool with it since he was around now. I collapsed back into the semi-comfort of my pillow and decided to just take a few deep breaths and try to relax while he steadily made his way over to where I was.

“Whoever got you…landed a pretty deep cut there.”

“Yeah,” I replied in a hushed tone. I wasn't in much of a mood for conversation, to be honest. Who really would be if they were in my condition?

“My name is Mitchell. Can I take a look?” He said as he directed his hand toward my wound on approach.

“Sure,” I tiredly replied and held up my hospital gown while the nurse looked at the cut on my abdomen.

He had antiseptics and fresh bandages so I was sure he had come in to change my applications. “Do you know who did this to you?” he asked.

I didn’t answer because it just didn’t seem like an appropriate question to respond to. Of course, I knew who did this to me but it wasn’t his business to know. Not like he could do anything about it. And it certainly wasn’t my place to tell him about the inhuman world if he already wasn’t aware.

He chuckled. “I know that you belong to the Wolf King.” Nurse Mitchell told me. "So I wouldn't be all that surprised if you said that a wolf attacked you...or that he...attacked you?" He was trying to get answers out of me. Accusing my Keeper of such treachery was not the way to go about it.

Instead of answering his question, I shifted the subject slightly. “He told you...who he was, then, I take it," I said.

In some cases, Master Wade did tell humans of his…true nature. I could only assume that it was to further express the need to abide by his wishes. I gathered that this was one of those times. I wasn’t surprised.

“Of course, he alluded to it, but then…he didn’t really have to.” He said. “Your name is known around here because you’re the priority here at Johnston Willis.” the Nurse, Mitchell added. "You're in our files, listed as special." His tone at the end of that sentence was almost mocking.

I didn’t like discussing the subject of my so-called importance over everyone else’s because it was awkward and I certainly didn’t feel this way. Apparently, nurse Mitchell didn’t either. Regardless, of my disagreements or this Mitchell fellow, however, I knew that our view on any matter was considered irrelevant compared to what Alastair Wade thought.

“How long have I been here?” I asked, changing the subject again.

“Two days.”

“What?” I shot a bewildered look his way. “Two-what do you mean two days?”

“Whoever nicked you got a major artery, and you lost…a lot of blood because of it. I’m actually surprised that you survived. Fortunately, for you, we have a few bags of your blood in storage. I assume you remember donating as a child.”

“Vaguely,” I said. As a child, I never considered why Master Wade would take me to this place to have pints of my blood drawn and I never thought about it after those appointments. Those moments of my life didn’t even clearly register as a core memory for me; I remembered feeling weak and I remembered having sweets after. That was the extent of my full recollection on the matter, to be honest.

“Although your blood is rare and, could probably even save a lot of lives, it is only reserved for you.” He seemed irritated by this.

“You seem upset about this.” I wanted to know his viewpoint on the matter. Though, I could have guessed what it was.

It was when he glanced up at me that I noticed the hint of bitterness in his expression. He tried to cover up with a small amused smile but he didn’t recover fast enough for me not to notice.

“Tell me,” I pressed.

He sighed. “Well," he said reluctantly, looking up at me again to see if I was sincere in wanting to know his thoughts. It was odd that someone else actually cared whether I actually wanted to hear their opinion or not. When I nodded to confirm his allowance to continue, he finally did. "since you ask...it must be nice to be a human that does not have to work or do much of anything but have the most powerful man in the state and probably half the world looking after you...taking care of you.” The resentment was dripping from his words. “Must be nice not to have to work a day in your life….that’s how I feel.”

“As opposed to your nine to five,” I laughed, so hard at his confusion that I nearly burst a stitch…literally.

He cursed under his breath, evidently annoyed with my comment before saying, “You keep this up and we’re going to have to do another transfusion.”

“I'm sorry,” I said weakly as I regretted laughing so hard at his assumptions. “Not only for making your job harder…but for somehow giving you the impression that my life is not lacking.”

“Lacking?” he leered. “You are…the most beautiful woman I have ever met. I’m sure even inhumans can appreciate that. Those inhumans, no doubt in my mind, show special attention to someone like you. You’re well-taken care of-that, I’d bet my life on!” he scoffed, shaking his head. “I bet all of you human servants are-”

“No…we’re not.” I interrupted, no longer able to hear his false depiction of a vassal’s life. As I lay there with this nurse bitterly tending to me, I realized that I did not owe him anything. Yet, he seemed to almost have the desire to live this life. “First of all, yes, inhumans do have a tendency to show special attention to particularly attractive humans, but not in the way that you think. I assure you, nurse Mitchell, that you would not want to be on the receiving end of that kind of attention." I watched him work on my bandaging as I continued. "Second, I am taken care of, to an extent, I can admit that, but only because I lucked up in not having a brutal and careless Keeper happen upon me. Otherwise, I'd be dead by now.” I clarified and immediately thought of those who weren’t so lucky. When I made that last revelation, he shot a concerned stare at me. “My blood is, as you said, rare, nurse Mitchell," I said to the young man, who I’m sure was older than I, although his ideals weren’t. "Inhumans kill for my blood." Where once my gaze was turned down at the nurse, I relaxed against my pillow again but I wasn’t done educating him. “Do you know why…I am here, Mitchell?” I asked him. He glanced at me and immediately I knew that he wanted my answer. Of course, he didn’t know. “I disobeyed my Keeper’s daughter…who…while I am older than …is considered my superior in every way simply because of what she is. I was locked in human stables without food or water for two days and that leniency because it was my first offense.” I made sure to clarify. “And on release, the guard tried to kill me,” I told nurse Mitchell then I chuckled. “I should confess, that my life in comparison to other vassals is easier in a sense. It does not change what not who I am to them, though.”

“And what exactly is it that you are to them?”

“Same as you,” I replied, meeting his gaze for a moment. “An inferior species that is only as good as the blood running through my veins. I'm considered a rarity and even still I am nothing to them but a delicacy to be aged and consumed. Fortunately, my Keeper thinks…more of me than that. To the general population, however, vassals are beneath the boot of inhumans. We move when they tell us to, we die when they tell us to. We serve them…we do not look into their eye for their fear of us assuming that we are their equal. We do not speak unless spoken to unless we desire lashings. You’re a slave to a species who think less than nothing of you.” I told him. “I saw the twinkle in your eye before I told you all of this. You actually thought about pledging yourself to them, did you?” I rolled my eyes. "Would you do so now?" I asked.

“If life is so miserable for you…then why not leave?” he asked me instead of answering my question or admitting that I was right in my assumption of his thoughts.

“Well…for one, we cannot just leave if ever we decide that vassal life is not for us. Once you pledge…once you are sentenced, a human serf is a life that you live until death or until your Keeper decides to have other plans for you, and that in itself is rare.” I sighed, looking up at the ceiling as I thought about the fact that I had, not so long ago, potentially come across one of those rare chances. “My predicament is…a little more complicated than that…however.” I finally added after pushing the thought away.

“How so?” he asked.

I looked down at him as he finished my bandage. “I don’t think that I could ever leave…even if I wanted to.” By this point in the conversation, I was just confiding in a stranger because there was no one else to confide in.

“Why?”

There were a lot of reasons but the one that was strongest among them was one simple. “Because no matter the cost…I love my Keepers.” I found mirth in how foolish I must sound to him.

“Why do you love people who treat you so horribly?” He asked.

I exhaled. “As I said, my situation is a little more complicated than others.”

Nurse Mitchell parted his lips to no doubt ask another question when I heard the door opening again. A chocolate brown head of hair peeked through the curtain. Needless to say, I was surprised to see who it was that was standing there.

“Mistress,” I greeted.

“Hey, there Vali.” Harlyn came sauntering into the room.

“Nurse Mitchell,” I said. He was already smitten. Fortunately, he was done with my bandages before he was struck dumb by Harlyn’s beauty. “Meet my Mistress, Harlyn Wade.”

“Oh wow,” he gasped and immediately bowed his head. Quick study this one was for someone not accustomed to the world of forced servitude. “It…is an honor, Mistress Harlyn.”

I saw Harlyn grin from my peripheral and carry over to the nurse, touching his shoulder. “You’d make a good Gopher,” she said to the nurse. He smiled from ear to ear, thinking that this was a compliment when in reality it was just as insulting if not more than being considered a Drudge. I could tell no matter what I said about vassal life, this one would still take an opportunity when it presented itself.

“Well if I could have any woman as beautiful as yourself…I’d…be grateful.”

“Of course,” Harlyn replied. She didn’t take this as a compliment because as far as she was concerned he certainly should be grateful for having an inhuman like her to fawn over and wait on hand and foot. Never mind the fact that this man brought more to the table than his modest good looks, but in fact, a healing hand if needed.

I could see that she had been staring at me when she said this. She wanted to talk to me about something and the human nurse’s brown-nosing was preventing her from doing so. She quickly started to lose interest in him.

He started to say something again when she interrupted. “Tell me, is she wrapped good, nurse?”

“Yes, Mistress.” He quickly replied.

“Ah, great. Run along now.”

He quickly stood and bowed his head. “Yes, Mistress!” Nurse Mitchell glanced at me and then nodded “Call me if you need anything, miss Valene.” he offered before quickly leaving the room.

Once he was gone, Harlyn closed the door behind him. “He would make a good add-on to the family,” she commented matter-of-factly.

“He seems interested enough.” I countered with curt sarcasm.

“Well then maybe, I’ll talk to daddy about it.” I didn’t mean to exhale so harshly but I did and she seemed to notice this. “You obviously don’t agree with the idea.”

I shook my head. “It is not my place to make that decision for anyone on either side of that situation.”

“What does that mean?”

“It means…simply…that it is not my decision to be made on the behalf of either you or nurse Mitchell.”

“And yet you still do not agree with the idea,” she was almost amused it seemed. I still didn’t answer because I wasn’t going to play this game with Harlyn. Not again. “Speak plainly, Vali. No one is here to judge if you-”

“What do you care about what I think, Harlyn?” I snapped.

“Someone’s still upset, I gather.”

Yes, I was still upset, and since she wanted to speak plainly then I would also act plainly as well. I wasn’t going to pretend like our argument did not happen.

“Well, I’m upset too, Vali.” she sat in the chair next to my bed and grabbed my hand. I almost snatched away from her but I thought better of it. Harlyn wasn’t being aggressive so there was no need for me to be. “How are you?” she asked. “Daddy told me what happened and…and I’ve just been sick about it. Ares and his Beta nearly killed you. Not to mention the guard.”

“Well, they did not, thanks to your father and Master Slaughter.”

I saw a gleam in her eye after I said this. “How was it, Vali?” she asked immediately switching from worry and concern to curious excitement. It made me question her sincerity of course. “Was it just magnificent?” she asked me.

“What are you talking about?”

“The fight, of course! There was hardly a scratch on daddy or uncle Toran.”

Despite, the inappropriate shift in the conversation, even I could appreciate a good show between two Alphas and their Betas. “It was…well I’d hate to glorify such a barbaric show of power,”

“But?” Harlyn pressed.

With dryness, I chuckled. “Your father was amazing.”

“Well, of course, he was!!” She expressed with amusement. “He is the king of wolves and uncle Toran is a Beta with the energy of an Alpha. I’m talking about Ares and his Beta.”

“They didn’t fall easily. Master Wade had to snap the Beta’s neck and Master Slaughter, fortunately, caught the Lycan King unawares to minimize damage. He had to negate him until he was no longer conscious.”

“That’s a lot.” Harlyn’s expression was full of surprise. “The Alpha should have been out for far longer than he was.”

“What do you mean?”

“Daddy just had a meeting with him last night. If what you said uncle Toran had done was true then…he should have been out for as long as you’ve been. Toran Slaughter is the most powerful Beta of his kind and…well his abilities of power negation are legend. He’s killed inhumans with his power. So…for the lycan Alpha to have been dealt such a blow and still been up walking the next day…well…that is incredible.”

He was new, this Lycan King; powerful, strong, and extremely attractive in an almost old-world kind of way. It didn’t surprise me that Harlyn seemed to have a crush. I would wager that her feelings were fleeting; it was like this with every new piece of meat that flew into Shadow Veil. Eventually, however, she’d always end up back in Talon’s dependable large arms.

“Well,” I finally replied. “I guess that is quite remarkable.”

“Yes, it is.”

I could tell by the look on Harlyn’s face that some sort of plan was turning wheels in her head.

“You think…” she looked at me. “You think daddy’s going to go through with the whole arranged marriage thing?” she asked me.

I laughed because as soon as Harlyn asked me this, I knew where she was going with it. With a slight struggle, I got out of bed to stretch my legs and walked away from her.

“You really do reach for the stars, Mistress,” I said as I stretched when I noticed a slight chill at my rear.

“I might as well. You seem to already have the moon,” said Harlyn referring to my naked backside.

Quickly I turned around and closed the back of my gown, nearly splitting my side in an attempt to cover myself.

“Careful,” she stood and rushed to me. “I’m sure that human nurse told you about being careful, Vali,” she said ushering me back to bed.

Frustrated because of my weakness, I sat down and Harlyn headed back over to the other side of the room where a bag sat in one of the visitor chairs. I hadn’t noticed it there before and she certainly didn’t have anything when she came in, did she?

“I brought you some clothes earlier, but you were still out,” she said, bringing the bag in. “So I told myself, I’d come back later in hopes that you’d finally be available to talk with me.”

Admittedly, this was a pleasant surprise, to say the least. I certainly hadn’t expected that Harlyn would find the time to actually come and see me, her vassal.

“Oh.” was the only thing that I could think to say following what she said.

“Don’t seem so surprised,” expressed Harlyn as she nudged me. Her expression was playful at first but only for a moment as a glint of sadness appeared behind her eyes. “I do care about you, Vali. Despite what you or even daddy thinks. I’m just…not good at expressing those feelings. Especially, where-”

“A human is concerned?” I finished her sentence. Part of me hoped that I was wrong.

She shrugged. “The truth is the truth, Vali.” Harlyn instead confirmed my assumptions.

“Right.”

Harlyn exhaled and opened the bag that she handed me; I had completely forgotten about it. “I brought you something besides, clothes, Vali. I wish you’d take a look.”

She beat me to the punch and opened the bag for me, pulling out a box and I already knew what was in it. It may seem gluttonous but my eyes lit up when I saw them; sweet treats!

“I saw this donut place on the way here and thought, what the heck.”

“Thank you!” I exclaimed. “I probably shouldn’t be so excited about these,” I took a chocolate cake donut out of the box. “But I am.”

Harlyn laughed. “No, you should not be that excited about it, but you wouldn’t be Vali if you weren’t.”

I scarfed down a donut and then another, fully satisfied. “You’ve made my day.” I chuckled before grabbing the other small bottle of water and washing down the remnants of my sweet treats with it.

While I laid there stuffed and satisfied, I sensed that there was something else that Harlyn wanted to discuss. Instead of pressing her to confront whatever conversation, she was thinking about, however, I decided to enjoy this moment of blissful, silence.

“Vali,” she finally said to me.

I opened my eyes. “Yes, Mistress.”

“Do you really want to become one of us?” she asked. “The process…the risk…do you think it’s all worth it?”

Sort of knew that this conversation would rear its head again sooner or later and while at one point I was apprehensive about it finally happening, I no longer was.

Wiping my hands with a napkin, I sat up in bed carefully. “I think that is a question better suited for you, Harlyn.”

“What do you mean?” I half-guessed that she’d be befuddled by my reply.

“Do you really want me to become of you?” it was my turn to ask. “Do you think that the process…the risk is all worth it?”

It took her a moment before she said, “No.” Harlyn shook her head, averting her gaze from me. “I just don’t, I’m sorry, Valene.”

“Well,” I can’t say that I was fully shocked at her answer, but part of me was hurt by it. “May I ask why?” she could at least tell me that.

“Well, I think the biggest reason of all is that you could die,” she said and stood up from my bed, walking away from me. “The process that daddy would have to go through would be…a lot to say the least what with all that is already on his plate and…well,” she whipped around and looked at me with an almost pleading look in her eyes. “Is it really all that bad, Vali? Being our vassal? Do we really treat you that badly? You have freedom within reason and you are protected constantly. I-”

“You answered that question for me, Harlyn…” I expressed impatiently. “Freedom…within reason? My freedom stops as soon as I dot that door in the morning to follow you to school or…or to stand by Master Wade’s side in his meetings. I was almost killed because of an argument that I had with you. Someone that I-that I was raised with for ten years of my life! I can only practice my passion by sneaking out of Shadow Veil…with Master Wade’s permission of course, in the dead of night so as not to get caught and cause a stir! I cannot look anyone in the eye just for general courtesy because I…am not…worthy. My blood puts a target on my back every day of the week. I’m so…I’m so tired of it all, Harlyn. I really am! I-I wish you could…understand why I feel this way.”

There was a lull in the heated conversation before I heard her footsteps approaching me again. She settled on my bed. “That’s just it, isn’t it? I can’t understand why you feel that way…and to be honest, I’m glad that I don’t have to and I hope that I never do. But…I imagine that it sucks. Guess I never looked at it that way before.”

“Yes, well, it certainly does suck.” I half-chuckled.

“How do you know that your blood will change if daddy turns you?” She asked.

“I don’t,” I replied frustratedly. “But at least…as an inhuman, I can better defend myself.”

“Well judging by the way daddy was raving about your actions the other day, you don’t need to be an inhuman to do that, Vali.”

“What are you talking about?” I asked with confusion.

“He told me about how you brutally disabled that guard the other day.”

I smiled. It felt good that I had done something to make the Alpha so proud, despite the mess made from it. “I was only trying to stay alive,” I tried to make little of it.

“Yeah, I’m pretty sure another human would not have lived to tell that tale,” she said. We shared a small moment of amusement before Harlyn spoke again. “Well, I guess…I have my answer…your mind is made up and I know that daddy’s is as well.”

“And what about you?” I asked, wondering…hoping that hearing my point of view would change her mind.

“I…just don’t know.” Harlyn countered. She must have seen the disappointment in my eyes because she grabbed my hand. “I hear what you’re saying, Vali, I-I just…I guess I’m just apprehensive about the trouble that will follow.”

“Trouble?” What trouble was she talking about?

“You know people readily assume the worst about every situation. You’re a beautiful human…daddy is…a single…attractive Alpha who has not found one female worthy of mating since mum died.”

“They wouldn’t think that.” I refused to believe it. “He’s had me from a baby up until now. Surely, they would think-”

“What?” Harlyn interjected. “That you are his daughter?”

I wasn’t sure that I should answer this question because I didn’t know how Harlyn would feel about it.

“I don’t doubt that some would assume as much, Vali,” she said to me. “But there will be others…bitter others that will think otherwise. I don’t want life to be as miserable for you as an inhuman as you think it is as a human.”

“If it ever got that bad…I’d leave.” I said.

“Hm,” she shifted her gaze for a moment as if in thought. “I guess that is…one way of…I don’t know,” she shrugged. “I guess we will have to cross that bridge when we get to it, won’t we?”

“Maybe…if it ever happens,” I said. We were speaking as if it would but it wasn't like Master Wade had officially asked me.

She stood up and headed for the door. “Get dressed. I’m going to talk to someone about getting you home,” she said. “I’ll be back.”

After she left, I lay there a few minutes longer, thinking about our conversation and the valid points brought up on each side. Either way, I’d be losing some form of myself…some form of security, but if Master Wade chose to officially ask me, I had to figure out what my answer would be. I thought I was sure but suddenly…I had second thoughts.

I took my time getting out of bed, then I made my way to the bathroom to take some semblance of a shower so that I could get dressed. Maybe…maybe I’d come up with an answer before I got home.