The Vampire's Brides

3. Darkness

Erza pov

After what seemed like eternity, I finally managed to open, very slowly, heavily, my eyelids. I managed to lift myself on an elbow, my head still spinning and dizzy. As my eyes adjusted to the very feeble light of a few candles, on the walls, I could see we were all together, each of us on a small bed, and chained to it at our ankles and wrists, with chains secured on the floor. The room was fresh, humid, so I guessed we might have been kept in the basement of our hotel.
I needed to wake up the girls fast... Someone was probably trying to kidnap us, and sell us to some rich Emir or Sultan, or Anyone rich enough to have slaves. The trade of western, white women didn't disappear after all these time, I thought angrily to myself...
On my left side, Lucy was still deeply asleep, unconscious of the danger we were in.
On my right, Juvia seemed to slowly open her eyes, but she looked numb, as the drug effects still lingered on her.
'' Juvia! Juvia?! '' I whisper shouted to her, and she slowly blinked, still not moving.
'' Erza?... Erza? Is that you? I don't feel well, all is dark. Where are we? All I remember was the hammam... '' she whispered, stuttering.
'' I'm afraid we've been drugged, and now waiting for God knows, who... '' I said as, calmly as I could, but I was seething, and whoever got us here, wasn't going have it their way without fighting.

Narrator

The girls slowly started waking up, and getting conscious of their situation. Suddenly, the stump of feet coming down stairs, echoed through the walls, and they heard several male voices.
'' I hope this time we won't be disappointed, Radeem... The blonde Northern girls you brought us last time, weren't the right ones... And it created us lots of trouble, to bring them back and erace their memories, so that they believe it was just an Hashish induct bad trip... But we, won't be so patient twice! '' the man spoked with a calm, dettached voice, but laced with threatening impatience. ''
'' Yes, yes Sidi Jellal, it was an unfortunate mistake, my brother Hadjil got the wrong information from our contact in Hargeon... But this time Your Highnesses won't be disappointed, the is no mistake... '' the man spoke with a trembling voice, stuttering of fear.
'' So shall we cut this short Jellal, it's time to get done with it! '' another young man spoke, with a cold voice, visibly bored.
'' I told the others to join us, wait just a little more, Gray... And you Radeem, take these jewels as promised, and disappear, but remember... We have always an eye on you... ''
Other footsteps echoed down the stairs, and other four men joined their comrades.
Meanwhile, in the cell, the girls were fully awaken, and some of them were shaking of fear and crying, holding each other, as far as their chains could allowed them to. Levy and Lucy were holding each other, Juvia and Kinana were holding hands, trying to keep a brave face and hold in the tears that have been welling in their eyes. Only Erza, and Mira, stood up as much as possible, on their beds, with their legs brought up to their chest, arms crossed over their knees. And a fierce determination in their eyes.
'' Stop crying girls, we must be brave! Don't show them fear, don't let them have it their way without fight! Whatever happens... We're in this together, and we won't let anyone down! '' the strong readhead whispered to her friends, just when they heard the heavy, rusted old door unlock, and open...