28Author's notes: Ok, I'm so sorry, I'm not expecting this chapter to impress anyone. Just bare with me, eh? It'll go somewhere, I promise.
"One must desire something to be alive."
Margaret Deland
Saria woke up with tears in her eyes and clinging to the blanket that was wrapped around her body. /Brandon…/ Her heart began pounding as she looked around at her surroundings. /Where the fuck am I?/
She wiped the tears from her eyes, embarrassed at the show of weakness, regardless of knowing if anyone else was in the room or not. She sat up and grimaced as the same sharp pain shot up her entire body from her stomach. She raised up the shirt that, to her horror, wasn't her own, and looked at her stomach. The wounds had now scabbed over. She squinted, as she looked closer at the wounds. It was almost as if the soon to be scars formed a word.
"Are you feeling better, my angel?"
Saria shifted her eyes to the door of the downtrodden room she was in to see the tall figure walk in and close the door behind him.
"Who are you to be using a term of endearment towards me?" she hissed.
The man laughed and walked closer to her, causing her to tense up a bit. "Don't get so defensive, my dear. If I had wanted you to die, I would've left you in your apartment to bleed to death."
She watched him warily as he sat a tray in front of her with a glass of milk, pankcakes, and a small plate of sausages. She hiked an eyebrow at him as he placed a napkin in her lap and pulled a chair up beside the bed.
"Damian…why should I trust you?" She eyed the food once more.
"I'm afraid you haven't much a choice." He motioned to the food, "Now eat. It's fresh from Charlie's Bar. I hear they're excellent cooks."
Sniffing the food, Saria had to admit her stomach yearned for her to give in and eat. She picked up a fork and began digging into the pancakes. Between bites she looked over at her captor/savoir, who was curiously smiling ever so sweetly at her as she chowed down. After gulping down the last bit of milk, she let a content sigh, quickly regretting it as another sharp pain shot up her front side.
"How long have I been here…?"
"You've been asleep for three days. Tell you the truth…I was afraid you wouldn't make it. I should've known better though. Alexandria Neriss wouldn't die so easily." He picked up the tray and set it on a table at the far end of the room.
Saria's eyes widened and then set into a glare. "Unfortunately she did die. Very easily."
"Ah yes…you're little psychological problem. You know, angel, I always did find it interesting that in your new identity, you've actually convinced yourself that you were never Alexandria. You're convinced that she's your weakness. You wanted nothing more than for her to die. But what you don't realize is that Alexandria was the strongest you ever were. What you are now, is nothing compared to who you used to be."
Saria became enraged at his comments. "And how the fuck do you know so much?"
"It's my job. I get paid to know every little thing about you. Seth and I know all about you and your friends."
Her heart stopped. /they've known all along….that means…I've got to tell them…/
"…So why do you resort to being such a common whore, Alexandria?"
"Excuse me?"
"Such a waste of a lot of potential in a good fighter. You went from hero to whore very quickly."
At this, Saria leaped out of bed as much as she could and came just short of landing on Damian, only to find herself flat on her face, in the floor. She let out a small whimper as her injuries were once more irritated. Damian shook his head and stood over her, looking down as she managed to look up slightly.
"…I really should just kill you. Seth's already done playing with you. He wants your friends now."
"No…leave them alone."
"Oh, but they're so much more fun than you, Saria Rhebal." Damian mocking said her name. He bent over and grabbed her arms, lifting her off the ground and back onto the bed. He put his mouth to her ear and took in her scent. "You've already committed your life as a man's plaything and therefore, there's no challenge. Why should we bother with you?" He ran a hand across her cheek and put his forehead to her's.
She shook his head away from her own, "Leave them alone, Damian. Or I-"
Damian laughed, "Or you'll what? Sleep with me?" He continued to laugh, "Go ahead, angel, I dare you. It seems to be your best tactic as of late."
"WHAT DO YOU WANT WITH US?" Saria shouted at him, unable to think of anything to say back in her defense. It was true…it was all true. She was ten time stronger as Alexandria. She was determined, she was passionate, she was…in love.
Damian put a hand to her mouth and wiped the stray tear that fell down her cheek. "As I've said…we have no use for you anymore. It's your friends that interest us."
He looked at her a bit longer, seeing the fire in her eyes die as he removed his hand from her mouth and got up to leave. He looked back at her and sighed, seeing her stare blankly out of the small window in the room.
"…You don't always have to live up to everyone's expectations, you know. At any given moment, you could astound us all and decide to shine." /Prove me wrong…give Seth a fight./ He gave her one final look and shut the door.
"…Alexandria…" the name pained her to say. /The source of all my strength…is some dumb kid…who believed in everything. Passionate and determined…/