My heart races with hope.
Have the X-Men arrived...?
The question is answered when a female voice enters my mind. "HLM? Is that you?"
"Jean?! Yeah! It's me. You have no idea how good it is to hear your voice!"
There's a chuckle in my head. "I can only imagine. We know where you are now. Are you along?"
I blink. "Uh...no...you can't sense her?"
There's a pause. Then a shocked reply comes. "Now I can. My god, poor girl. We'll bring her with us...she needs help, too."
"Ok...please hurry..."
"We'll be there as soon as possible."
I close my eyes, wincing at the horrid headache that always accompanies telepathic contact. The pulsating lights and sound only make my head pound in rhythm with it. My stomach decides to remind me of the condition I'm in. Waves of nausea rolls through my body.
I groan.
"Mistress HLM? What is the matter?"
"Rose," I whisper, "Rose, I think I'm gonna vomit."
Quickly, she comes to my bedside, uncovers a control panel and punches a few buttons with her smart little fingers. The bed tilts to one side unexpectedly and a container slides out just in time to catch the contents of my stomach before they splatter on the ground. While all this is happening, I notice Rose holding my hair back from my face. Once I'm done, she punches a few more keys to right the bed and wipes my face with a cloth.
This just sucks...
I take a moment to catch my breath, hoping my friends show up soon.
"So, Rose," I say to fill the silence. The sirens had been shut down in this room, but can vaguely be heard beyond the door. "Why did Vinnie choose you to be my babysitter?"
"Because we've met before and because I know how to care for ones with child."
"I see...do you tie all of your pregnant women," I wince, the bones in my pelvis shift slightly, "down?"
"No, Mistress. The others would not try to leave. You have something they do not."
"What's that?"
She's silent for a moment. "I do not know, you just do."
As I watch her, she seems to be vaguely feeling something she doesn't understand, and thus, doesn't like. I ache to reach out to her and hold her. I want to console her and help her become whole again. Eventually, her features smooth to their former stillness.
"I must bathe you now," she comments as she pulls the tucked in covers from me. She seems to sigh as she soaks a cloth in water and gently moves it over my skin with one hand while feeling her way with the other. She pauses when she reaches the old scar on my back that lies between two ribs.
"What is this?"
I blink. "A scar."
"How did you get it? Do you not heal without them?"
I shrug as best I can, still bound to the point of immobility. "Usually I do; that one I got when I was younger than you. Got stabbed and nearly died."
She frowns in thought and finishes with the cloth, now drying me with a towel. After a few moments, she asks, "Why would someone want to stab you, Mistress? Especially when a child?"
"Because I'm different."
"Ah," she puts the blanket back over me.
At that moment, the door slides open and in comes Vincent. Rose bows her head and steps back. He comes over to my bedside and looks down at me.
"How is our soon to be new mother doing, Rose?" The arrogance in his voice makes me want to vomit again.
"She is doing well, Master. There was a little bit of the morning sickness, but that is normal, and she has recovered well."
"That pleases me to hear that, little one. Are you liking your new place in life?"
"Yes, Master. Thank you for this great honor."
"Oh brother," I can't help commenting.
"Ah, and are you feeling better, my flower?" He rests a hand on my growing belly.
"Nope, worse in fact. Wishing you were dead more and more with every passing second," I answer with mock reverence in my voice.
I can feel Rose's terror at my words she projects it so strongly, but Vinnie merely frowns.
"When our children are born, I shall have to break your spirit so you don't turn them against me. For now, though, you need that strength to bear the little ones."
"Fuck you, bastard."
He smiles at that. "You will be making love to me in due time."
He tries to touch my cheek, but draws his hand back when I snap at it with my teeth.
"Well, my dear," he tells me coldly, "I shall return when you are in a better mood, and don't worry, the intruders will not take you away. I'm having them taken care of as we speak. Continue watching her, Rose. You know the penalty for failure."
"Yes, Master," she responds softly, eyes fixed on the floor.
He turns and leaves. Rose turns her eyes blindly to me and rests a small hand on my bare shoulder, perhaps feeling a comradery with me.
"Do not worry, my Lady. After the pain, it is not really that bad. So long as you do as he says, you will survive."
I sigh. "Thanks, Rose."
The thing is, without any possibility of freedom, I don't want to survive.
Part
Thirteen
Part Fifteen
Mind Index