AN: Once again, I'd like to thank everyone for the reviews, favorites, and alerts! Reviews motivate me, like a super shiny shuriken motivates a ninja. Sorry about the delay. . . I really have no good excuse, besides that I'm trying to get over 90 honors this year *cringes*.

Chapter Three (BPOV)

Darkness swirls around me, and I realize vaguely that I'm dreaming. My master's face swirls in front of me, his crimson eyes growing darker as he growls at me. I can feel myself shuddering, and though subconsciously I know he's not with me, I cannot help but whimper as he draws closer, whip in hand.

"Now my beauty, why don't we see how far we can go today, hmmmm?" His purr of desire is unnerving to me, and I find myself beguiled by the unattainable beauty of his features. Suddenly I am on my knees gasping, the warmth of my own blood running down my chest. He draws closer still, reaching for my collar, and I find myself begging.

"Please master. Please don't." He pauses and assesses me before letting out a bark of laughter. I cower, more afraid than before. But it is becoming more difficult to focus upon his face, a brightness blooming behind my eyes, and soft voices intruding upon his enraged snarling. The brightness is growing brighter, and I squint, only to realize that my eyes are actually closed.

I open them, only to close them instantly. There is a bright light directly above my face, and it hurts to look. I moan softly.

"Miss, can you tell me your name?" A voice intrudes upon the sudden silence. I gasp, because this voice does not belong to a human. No, the cadence is too musical, the tone too lovely. Only an immortal could have such a voice. Only a monster. My fear is causing me to shudder again, and I know that he will be able to feel it.

"Miss?" I feel his hand touch lightly upon my shoulder, and I cannot control my reaction. I recoil instantly, seeking to get as far away from him as possible.

"Don't touch me!" My voice would be a screech if I was in better condition. As it is, it is little better than a loud whisper.

"I apologize, but I must speak to you if I am to help you with your condition."

"Just kill me." There is only one reason for a monster to bandage my wounds, for I feel the bandages upon my body now. Just like my master did before he would torture me again, it is to ensure that I am able to live through whatever horror he has prepared for me. Faking kindness to confuse me. I will not be a slave again. I would rather die, for my mother did not sacrifice herself for me for nothing; an almost-stranger did not risk her life to save mine only to have me fall back into the hands of a monster.

"I assure you, your wounds are not so grievous that you will die from them." He has a sense of humor, does he? Well, better to get this over with quick then. Perhaps it will shock him into killing me.

"I will not live only to put up with whatever sick tortures you have for me. I hope that after I am dead, rats will gnaw on your entrails and whatever twisted void you have in place for a soul suffers an eternity in Hell." I pant a little, my body not having been entirely prepared for all the words I had leave it. I cringe slightly, waiting for the blow that will bring my death.

I hear gasps from various places around me, and deduce that there are two others with the first monster, the one who must have opened the door. Apparently they weren't expecting someone so unbroken. So be it.

"Open your eyes" commands a female voice from somewhere to my right. So shocked am I to hear a female monster (for I didn't know they existed) that my eyes fly open, seeking the one who spoke.

My eyes find hers almost immediately and I wonder at their golden depths. Perhaps it is because of her gender that they are not the burning crimson which I am used to. She remains silent, and so I take the rest of her in. She's tiny, not more than five feet, with short black hair in a shade so deep it almost reflects blue in the light. She is beautiful of course. Just like they always are. But her beauty is not the thing that makes me gape, nor the thing that sends spots swimming across my vision once more.

This. . this monster bears a remarkable resemblance to the woman who saved my life. Not my mother, but another slave. A stranger, almost. A stranger with peculiar gifts, who was compassionate enough to listen to my mother's pleading and use her gifts to save me. Is this a coincidence?

"Mary?" Though I know that it cannot be her, I can't seem to stop myself from forming her name. To my surprise, the peculiar monster stiffens. I gasp. It cannot be! But she is staring at me, her eyes wide, and I whisper her name as a question once again.

She simply shakes her head and stares, while the two other monsters enter my field of vision. I cannot help but wince slightly at this reminder of how completely outnumbered I am, though the rest of my mind is still struggling with this creature's uncanny resemblance to Mary.

How odd. The other two are acting almost. . protective of her, as if what I'd called her has suddenly made her fragile. They turned to me, the golden-haired man whom I recognized as the one to open the door for me, and a caramel-haired woman. Both look worriedly to the Mary-monster before turning to me, and I note vaguely that they both have the same brilliant gold eyes that she has.

The Mary-monster is gasping once more, but she seems to be looking at something that only she can see. She struggles in the arms of the other two before shouting "NO!". Before I can process what is happening, she flings herself at the suddenly open door, and there is a booming sound, almost like an avalanche.

I can see nothing beyond a white blur, and hear nothing beyond a terrible growling that makes me cower against my bed. Suddenly I hear her screech - "EDWARD - JUST GO! GO!". Her voice must be three or four octaves higher than usual, and it pierces me. I moan as I sink into unconsciousness once more.

A.N. - What do you think? Alright? She's still suffering from major lack of sleep and as of yet unknown injuries. . soooo she's kinda out of it. But no worries, Edward's POV next chapter to give us a bit more insight into the situation ;).