Helen faces the man responsible for her being there. "Just leave me alone. Why won't you just let me go back to where you found me? I didn't ask to come here, I didn't ask for anything."

"I gave you a place of safety, warmth, food, clothes."

"Safety? That's what you call it? I might be safe from others but nothing is keeping me safe from you."

Helen notices that the man seems to be shocked by her words. "You don't need to be protected from me. I won't hurt you."

"No? You won't hurt me? You have multiple times. Not physically, that is far less damaging than what you've done."

"How have I harmed you?" The man seems to be totally lost and confused by her words.

"Every time I tell you no, you continue. You sexually assault me and have done so many times since you've brought me to this prison."

"You might have said no but your body said yes. It wanted me."

"My body will respond to your touch, there is no denying that. But my mind is screaming because we don't want you. That is sexual assault. Rape. No means no demon."

"Angel, your body wasn't saying no." The man seems to be having a really hard time understanding that although her body responds to his touch she wasn't willing.

"My name isn't Angel." Helen hisses furious at the male. If there was a standard of beauty for a male the man before her was it.

"Every time you touched me I hated it. It made me sick. I felt dirty and used.  Each day I don't see you is a huge relief. As soon as you walk in the room my stomach turns and it takes everything in me to not run to the bathroom and throw up. When you finally get done with me once you leave I go to the bathroom and scrub myself so hard that at times I'm bleeding when I get done.

"Living here is a nightmare. I hate it."

"You cannot leave, it isn't safe for you."

"You don't get it do you demon? I would rather die than stay here."

"You hate me so much then?" The one she calls demon says more than a little hurt.

"Gads you're dense. No, Demon, I don't hate you. In order to hate you have to love first. Loath you, despise you. Hold you in the greatest of contempt, yes, but not hate."

"I see, I will take my leave of you then. Sasha will make sure that you have everything you need. If you want anything, anything at all just tell her and it will be yours."

"I want my freedom."

"Anything except that, I'm afraid. Goodnight Angel." The man departs sadly from the room. He had no idea that what he'd done to her had hurt her so badly. The one person he never wanted to hurt. He might have damaged the bond too badly to repair. Repair it? He doesn't even know where to begin. He'd do anything for her, but the one thing she is demanding.

From the first time he saw her he needed her like he's never needed anything before. The demands of his body were almost out of control. His need of her made him reckless. He seduced her and although she said no he ignored her words and followed what her body told him. His lack of control might have lost him everything.

There is only one mate in a vampires lifetime. One chance of eternal or near eternal love. Not every vampire finds theirs. After all this time he had despaired of finding his. Then out of nowhere, while hunting for his dinner he finds her. Saves her from being attacked and brings her home while unconscious.

Sasha cleaned her up and celebrated with him that he found his other half. Sasha has been with him for centuries and is still looking for her mate. Him finding Helen has brought her hope that she might still find hers.

"Desmond? What's wrong?"

"It's Helen. She wants nothing to do with me. She told me some things and I think I've ruined all my chances with her. She would rather live and even die on the streets  than be here."

Sasha looks at the man before her, she's never seen Desmond look so lost and broken. Desmond found her on the streets centuries ago. She was more than willing to become his mistress in exchange for the food, clothes and house to live in. Desmond is an excellent lover and he's had plenty of practice. His nature demands sex, he needs it almost as much as he needs blood to live.

"She would rather live on the streets? Why in the world would she prefer that?" Sasha asks him incredulously.

"She says that although her body was fine with me being with her that she told me no. I've been raping her. That's how she sees my being with her. Says that when I come into a room that it makes her ill and she has to fight being sick. That after I've been with her that she scrubs herself raw at times in the bath.

"I never meant to make her feel that way about me. I don't know what to do to make things right. How can I make things right with her Sasha?"

"I don't know. I've never known anyone to tell you no if you decided to seduce them. Usually they are all over you before you even touch them."

"In all the time I've been alive, I've never had anyone tell me no and not change their minds. Never. But although her body responded to me she was never actively engaged. I never realized that in my need to be with her."

"I think you need to sit down with her and explain things to her. Explain why you brought her here, why you can't let her go. Explain that you didn't realize that you were assaulting her. Give her something that she wants in good faith and find out if there is ever any chance of her forgiving you. I don't think anything less than the full truth will work, Desmond. That is something she needs to know any way."

Desmond sighs heavily, "Thank you, Sasha. Take care of her for me? For now I'll be keeping my distance. She is not gaining the weight she should be. Let her know that for now I won't be bothering her."

"If she asks for how long that will last?"

"I have that damned social dinner next week. I would like her to attend with me so I will talk to her that day. Make sure that she has anything she wants and reassure her that she doesn't have to stay in that room. She is welcome to go anywhere in the house or yard."

"I've told her before, but she refuses to leave the room. Some days she won't even leave her bed and eat."

Desmond cringes. Those are likely the days after he seduced her. "Tell her that I won't touch her unless she wants me to from now on."

Sasha looks at him shocked, "Desmond-you need sex."

Desmond looks at Sasha and smiles. Sasha notices that the smile doesn't reach his eyes. "I can't afford to have her loath me even more. Should I lose her fully, I might as well die. I'll manage somehow."

"It's too bad that now you found your mate that you can't be with others." Sasha murmurs to him.

Desmond gives a bitter laugh. "Yeah, I found my eternal love only to have her hate me. Oh, wait, she said that in order to hate she would have to love me first. She just loaths  me and holds me in disdain and contempt."

With those words Desmond leaves the shocked female vampire and heads to his room. 

Sasha knocks on Helen's door and enters silently.

"Oh, it's you." Helen says ungraciously. "I'm not really hungry."

With those words Sasha frowns. Helen hasn't eaten much not even one meal a day since she's been there and she's been there over a month now.

"Desmond says to tell you that he won't be bothering you for awhile. He wants me to reassure you that you are most welcome to visit other rooms, all others and the grounds as well."

"Yeah, so he's said before."

"Why do you hide in your room? Do you not wish to see what your home looks like?"

"My parents have a grand home like this. They gave me whatever I wanted but the one thing I wanted most, their love. They couldn't be bothered with their only child. They made sure I had the best money could buy, but I personally wasn't worth their time.

"Everything I had came with strings attached. As long as I lived in their house I was expected to follow their rules.

"One day when I had just finished graduating college, second in my class, my parents couldn't bother attending my graduation but brought home someone my father wanted to do business with.

"They called me down, introduced me to him and told me to be nice to him. Then they left the room and locked it. When the man finished with my body he signed the contract my father was trying to get him to sign. I hurt so bad. I managed to dress myself and one of the staff took me to the hospital. I didn't even know the man's name, the parents didn't see fit to even give me the name of the man they sold my virginity to. There was no going to the police to file a rape charge and even if I did my parents would side with the man.

"That was when I decided to leave. Shortly after that I got a good job, entry level, but still good. I was able to find and sign a lease on an apartment. I was preparing to leave when my parents called me in and informed me that I was to marry someone they chose.

"I told them I wouldn't and they said if I didn't they would disown me." Helen laugh bitterly. "I told them to go ahead. I left my car keys and only took a few clothes so they couldn't call the police on me.

"You would think that would be the end of the story, but no, my parents are vindictive bastards. They got me fired from my job and then made sure no one else would hire me. They got me evicted from my apartment even though my rent was paid up and paid on time. They thought I would then come crawling home."

"But you didn't." Sasha says thoughtfully. She is rather angry at Helen's parents and is sure that if Desmond knew he'd destroy them.

Helen laughs bitterly once more. "No, I would rather have died on the streets than go back to them and marry the bastard they have picked out for me.

"The night I was brought here, there were three men that had followed me. They were wanting some sex and I wasn't interested. They weren't going to allow me to say no. I froze, remembering what happened last time with the other man.

"Then Desmond was there and they were dead, just like that. I'm afraid you know that I fainted like some wimpy girl."

"All I remember is how happy Desmond was when he presented you to us."

"His newest prisoner? He presents all his prisoners to those that live here?"

"Helen, Desmond never brings prisoners here. Neither does he bring those he helps here. You are the only one and that's because you are special to him. He's told me what you said. He honestly never knew that he was hurting you. No one has ever told him no and meant it before. Because of that he ignored your words, but he is absolutely horrified that he has done that to you now that he understands. He will be even more disgusted and sickened with himself if you tell him what you've told me. He is the last person that will ever intentionally hurt you. He doesn't know how to make things better and it has broken him to know that he is the one to make you despise him.

"I would ask that you listen to him and give him a chance to explain. If you do, then I know that I'm pushing things, but please think about forgiving him. He isn't human, he has never been human and doesn't always understand things."

"Wait, you're saying he's never been human so he was born a vampire? Just how the hell is that possible?" Helen demands.

Sasha smiles, "That's his story to tell, not mine. I just ask you to give him the chance to tell his story and perhaps you tell him yours. I know that you don't trust him and you might never trust him but-"

"Enough Sasha.  Either she will or she won't." Desmond says coming into the room.

"I hadn't meant to bother you again so soon, but I forgot to give this to you." Desmond gives her a box tied with a ribbon. "Goodnight."

"Desmond, wait." Desmond halts immediately at her words but remains facing the door. "I'm willing to hear what you have to say. I can't guarantee that it will change my feelings any, but I'm willing to listen."

Desmond turns to face her then. "Thank you. Sasha, if you would please excuse us?"

"Of course, Helen, would you like at least a sandwich?" Sasha is near to pleading.

"Okay, I'll eat a sandwich if that would make you happy."

Sasha smiles brightly, "It will. Your usual?"

"Please." Helen tells her but has kept her eyes on Desmond more than a little nervous about being alone with him once more.