The Chateau (Chateau 1)

Magnus stared at me for a few seconds before he sat on the bed next to me and unlaced my shoes. He got them loose then slipped them off before he moved to my pants. He untied the strings and got them off too, leaving stains of blood on top of the comforter.

I was in too much pain to care about what he was doing.

Then he carefully pulled the sheets from underneath me and placed them on top of me, tucking me in like my mother used to when I was a child. He moved to the nightstand and pulled out some pills. “Take this. You’ll feel better.”

“What is it?” I turned to look.

“Good shit.”

Since it would make me feel better, I found the strength to sit up and swallow the pills dry.

“These too.” He had more.

“What is it?”

“Antibiotics.”

I took those too before drinking half a bottle of water. I collapsed on the bed and just lay there again.

Magnus looked me over, as if searching for something else he could do for me.

I closed my eyes, my brain shutting down, both from fatigue and pain. Then I heard the movement of the chair as he positioned it in front of my bed. I opened my eyes and saw him sitting there, his hood down, his eyes on me.

He didn’t have a range of emotions like most people. He was either angry or nothing at all. Right now, he seemed to be nothing. “It was the only way I could save you…” A hint of remorse was in his voice, showing an emotional depth he’d never expressed before. He dropped his gaze, as if ashamed.

“I know… Thank you.”

He lifted his gaze and looked at me again.

I couldn’t hold on to consciousness any longer. His face was the last thing I saw before I slipped under…and fell into my nightmares.

17

The Demand

When I woke up, I had no idea what time it was.

But I somehow had slept through the remainder of the night. I felt rested, so it seemed like I’d been asleep for a long time, but Magnus never retrieved me for work. When I tried to sit up, I was hit with the pain I’d forgotten about. The medication must have worn off. My eyes looked under the door to see the light coming through.

That still didn’t tell me what time it was, but it was definitely past early morning.

On my nightstand were more pills along with a note.

You’re excused from work for three days. That’s the most time I could buy you.

I swallowed the pills with water and noticed the tray of food sitting there. Breakfast wasn’t served to prisoners, so this must be whatever the guards had in the morning. It was crepes, a croque monsieur sandwich, and a baguette with jam.

And there was coffee.

It was cold now, but still, it was the first time I’d had coffee in a long time.

The fact that I had an appetite showed just how much I’d starved over the last few days. All the food was cold, so it had probably been sitting there for hours. I ate everything, and I was almost finished when I thought of Melanie.

What had happened to her?

The boss said something about taking her…taking her where?

The medication made me sleepy, so I took a nap until dinnertime. The sound of the opening door woke me up.

Now that I’d pissed off every single guard in that camp except for Magnus, I was on edge. I was afraid one of them would come into my cabin to kill me, and I was too weak to fight back. Magnus had stuck out his neck for me enough times that I didn’t think he could protect me anymore.

But it was Magnus.

Even with his hood up, I recognized him at this point. I’d stared at those shoulders enough time to identify the way they moved. His height was easy to remember. The way he carried himself, confident, strong, and with a distinct “I don’t give a fuck” attitude.

I was happy to see him. “Hey.”

He set the tray on the nightstand, along with a mug of hot cocoa. “You’re feeling better.”

“I think it’s just the good shit you’re giving me.”

He turned to leave my cabin, as if delivering the food was the only reason he’d come.

“Wait.”

He stopped in front of the door but didn’t turn back to me.

“Aren’t you going to stay?”

His head faced the door, and his chest rose and fell slowly. A long pause ensued, as if he were so deep in thought that he didn’t even realize how much time had passed. When he spoke, his voice was quiet. “Do you want me to stay?”

“Why wouldn’t I?”

His hand moved to his hood and pushed it down, revealing the chiseled jawline of his masculine face, the shadow that had grown over his bare skin. He turned back to me, his brown eyes full of a slight hint of anger, but it wasn’t clear what he was angry about. He grabbed the chair and pulled it closer to my bed.