Red Ridng (Closed)

[Lyssa_Marie]

When Dimitri kissed Natalie on the forehead, she couldn't help but smile a little. It was fine that it wasn't as a lover; that would have been too soon. Maybe things might be a little calmer.

As soon as Dimitri left the room, the woman who took her luggage from when she arrived delivered her belongings and left without a word. Natalie proceeded to unpack her things. First, she checked to see if everything was still inside. Rummaging through her clothes, the personal items such as the hunter's journal and the cash was still there in its place. She sat on the bed and looked up at the clock.

5:30.

Dimitri had said something about dinner being at seven. Natalie assumed that she had to prepare him dinner by then. She had been so used to cooking for Rafe that she was just going along with it. What kind of foods did Dimitri eat?

"Maybe he's got a cookbook."

Natalie put her hair up in a ponytail and explored the manor. Some of the rooms were locked. Maybe if there was a cookbook somewhere, Natalie will be able to figure it out. She then found her way to the kitchen where another woman, maybe a few years older than she, was getting out the ingredients from the cabinet. The woman spotted Natalie entering the kitchen and smiled.

"It's about time he got around to hiring a sous chef to help me out!" she said excitedly.

"Huh?"

"I've been asking Dimitri for weeks to see if he could find some help since the other chef that assisted me quit. You know how to cook risotto?"

"N-no?"

"Any meats? Seafood?"

"Only what has been hunted in the wild."

The woman looked over Natalie for a moment, still skeptical. She then casually shrugged her shoulders. "Close enough. I need you to marinate the meat. Recipe's on the chart hanging by the sink."

---


Just as Miranda finished with her hair, she heard a knock on the door. Before she could say anything, Dimitri had told her to come down to his office to discuss an issue. On some days, going down to his office may well as be an extreme punishment or an equivalent death sentence.

On other days, secrets were kept in that office. Miranda had knowledge of some of the violent acts that occurred not only with women but men as well. It was a place, as far as she knew, where mind games were played. And while Miranda could blackmail him, she knew it was impossible for various reasons. One side of the story is that she would need concrete proof of the things that took place and smuggling it out was both near impossible and dangerous. Women who were enslaved to him were ordered to clean up the mess and to never speak of it. So much were they grateful for his "protection" that if anyone were to ask, they never acknowledged it. Existence of individuals who entered and suffered brutality never crossed the naive girls' minds.

The other reason? Well, how can one turn their back on their lover?

On her way downstairs, she spotted the unfamiliar girl roaming about at the foyer and looking over the wall decorations. Must be Dimitri's new find. Given what she heard and the way this girl looked, Miranda was already making bets in her head that she would not last two months, tops.

She made her way down the second set of spiral stairs until she came across the wooden door. Knocking on it twice, Miranda entered when Dimitri requested. She made her way towards his desk, stopping a foot away from it so she stood between the two chairs that faced him.

"You wanted to see me?"

 

[Erlind]

Something about the girl had always caused his emotions to roil. In the beginning it had been lust, passion, and she would even say love. He almost always lost control with her back then and had felt himself becoming the beast he’d watched his brothers become before him. She still got under his skin today, but now Miranda produced only anger and contempt in him. Why could he not let her go?

Dimitri stood and walked around his desk. He kept his face cold and uncaring, hiding the hatred and anger boiling up inside him. His words like his face remained calm and level.

“Miranda …,” he let her name hang in the air for a moment. “Miranda, you understand the arrangement we have. You remain welcome in my home only as long as I only see and take notice of you when I request it. Your door was open when I brought our new guest upstairs.” As he spoke Dimitri closed in on his girl. Despite her lapse of judgment she knew how to behave and did not back away from him. Though he did physically as well, it was his presence that now dwarfed Miranda. He stepped in close to his girl until his lips almost touched her ear.

“Why was your door open, Miranda? You know my rules for.” A hint of anger was rising unbidden in his voice. Her voice, her scent, her body, her actions all still crawled up inside of him. Killing her would mean admitting defeat and a loss of control, but he hated how unbound she could make him. His hand slowly came up and closed around her neck.

“Explain yourself.”

 

[Lyssa_Marie]

For a moment, Miranda assumed Dimitri was his usual self with his cool demeanor. Even when he was confronting her about something that she thought was petty, she knew better than to make a snide remark in return. If Dimitri was looking to impress the new girl and get himself all in a bunch because she left her door open for not even a minute...

She nearly melted from her anger when she felt his lips inching closer to her ear. The same way he would tell her some rather dark stories and, daresay, lip, teeth, and tongue action that were usually reserved for them alone. But ever since the relationship ended, Dimitri was nothing but a tease!

Miranda felt his hand on her neck slowly choking her. While Dimitri had grabbed and lightly choked her neck in the past during their "moments", she knew this was going to be one of those where she was set on a dangerous path to be devoured.

"I had a huge papercut on my hand and..." Her words were briefly cut off when Dimitri began to slowly tighten his grip on her. "I had to wash it and was looking for a bandage."

---

Natalie chopped up the vegetables, wiping off some of the sweat that accumulated from her forehead. The cook occasionally would take a glance at her direction to make sure she was doing right.

"So where did you say you were from again?"

When Natalie responded, the cook was surprised. "All the way over there? That's a couple of hours from here. Wonder why he would travel that far just to hire someone. There's a bunch of other chefs nearby." She stopped for a minute, then smiled at Natalie. "Not saying that you can't cook. Just why travel many miles? So are you like his distant niece or something looking for work? Dimitri doesn't have any kids so..."

Natalie shook her head as she moved on to cracking open the walnut shells.

"I was offered to escape from some things." She felt uncomfortable getting in to the details of her confusion over her feelings for Rafe as well as Dimitri being a family friend of the hunter's. Or so she may have thought now that she knew the other side of him. "I don't know why he's allowing me to stay at this place. It's too nice."

"Grew up in the rural towns, huh? Gotta be because even this kind of house wouldn't surprise the middle class folks. Let me put it this way: What did he say to you when you got here? I mean after all the formal introductions and stuff."

"Dinner at seven. Important day in this house. Be on time. I guess he wanted me to make him something since---"

"Bingo! See, newly hired cook. No worry, you'll get used to being around here. Just watch yourself. Some days his mood goes foul and when it does, you better fucking run. Or at least not piss him off. One of the servants got herself in trouble for..."

She stopped midway, shaking her head. Sometimes one did not have to see what was going on or what happened. For the cook, it was all measured on how Dimitri dragged one of the servants on the floor, the way he spoke, or the level which the servant screamed.

It was also better to forget. For her own sake.

"For what?"

"Never mind. He's an okay guy once you stick around long enough. Hurry up and put this in the oven." She handed Natalie a foil covered baking pan. "Thirty minutes, three hundred fifty degrees."

 

[Erlind]

No respect. No fear any more. The girl uttered pathetic excuses as if they would cover up her mistake. Either Miranda had once been so much more than this or his memory was clouded with nostalgia. Either way, she was now a shadow of what she had once been to Dimitri. As the wolf in man’s clothing thought his grip tightened more until Miranda could not help fighting for every haggard breath. She was a worthless burden that the past now chained to him, but perhaps she didn’t have to be.

Dimitri drop her and the girl fell to her knees. He took her chin in his hand and brought her face back to his view.

“The little things are important Miranda,” he told her with an even voice. “I have a way to both remind you of that and have you make it up to me. I’ve brought a new girl into the house. I expect a lot from her, but she doesn’t yet understand. Every mistake she makes though will be your responsibility. Your job to fix and suffer for.”

His hand left her and he walked away back to his desk. He stood at the front of it with his back still to her.

“Do you understand?”

 

[Lyssa_Marie]

An emergency injury should be enough of an excuse to run out of her room for a moment, right? Evidently it did not turn out that way when Dimitri gripped her neck hard, choking her. Her fingers gripped his wrist, trying to tug his hold off of her. This seemed to anger him as his response was to drop her to the ground.

"I’ve brought a new girl into the house. I expect a lot from her, but she doesn’t yet understand. Every mistake she makes though will be your responsibility. Your job to fix and suffer for.”

I have to be in charge of that kid? Judging by the voice she heard earlier, Miranda had a feeling that she wasn't going to like the new girl. She didn't mind that Dimitri kept the girl unaware and naive on what was to take place. At least the girl would be living the same illusion as how many other women before her had in the past. But the part about how the girl's screw ups would be reflected upon Miranda raised red flags.

"Who is she?"

 

[Erlind]

Dimitri looked out his window. The light was fading outside over forest and hills. In the distance he could see the lights of the town coming to life.

“I took her from an old rival of mine. I took her to spite him, but I think she has potential for more than that. Much more. Her name is Natalie. I told her to be ready for dinner at seven.” Dimitri glanced at the antique clock that hung on the wall, six thirty-five.

“All of my girls will eat with me tonight. Be sure she isn’t late and is properly dressed.”

He didn’t need to threaten or snarl at her. Miranda had known him a long time and she understood who he was and what he might do. She didn’t need a warning.

 

[Lyssa_Marie]

Miranda was unamused by this task, particularly because she felt almost like a babysitter or an unpaid mentor to the women Dimitri brought in. His final word left her no room to speak out or refuse the offer. The fact that this girl was taken from someone he hated brought up a few interesting curiosities as to who it was. Yes, maybe this might play out to her advantage. All it takes is a few mind games with this Natalie and everything in the manor would return back to normal.

She left the basement and headed up the stairs. Miranda headed towards the room per Dimitri's directions that he told her. When she arrived at the girl's room, she knew she arrived in the right place. The luggage was propped up against the wall half opened but there was no Natalie to be found either in the room or anywhere nearby.

Normally, she would have shrugged off the missing girl. Dimitri's warning came back to haunt her: Any mistake the girl makes will not be her fault but Miranda's. Other than being the lover of Dimitri's rivals, what the fuck was so special about this girl? In the past where Dimitri instructed Miranda to keep a mindful watch over his girls, he never placed their messes squarely on her shoulders. Sure, there was feedback on how she handled the women but this was the first time that instead of the individual, she will be the one in trouble.

"Where the hell is she?" she muttered. She had twenty five minutes to find the girl, have her get ready, then get herself ready. Maybe she found her way to the main bathroom.

She didn't have to meet the new girl and already she found herself hating her.

Before she could look for her, she heard a commotion coming from the kitchen. What caught Miranda's attention was who was in the kitchen: the cook and the naive girl. The naive girl sounded like she was in pain while the cook asked the girl if she was all right.

"What made you think it was a good idea to catch a hot fish with your bare hands? You crazy?"

"I wanted to catch it before it hit the floor."

"Please, Dimitri isn't going to notice half of a fish missing from the meal. Sometimes all you have to do is take a few chicken pieces and disguise them as fish. I mean...I have to handle all the shopping, haggling, delivery, and inventory."

"Still..."

Before Natalie could finish her sentence, Miranda entered the kitchen. She looked to the cook, then at the new girl that the voice she heard all evening matched to that Dimitri had assigned her to.

Her intuition to dislike the girl had been justified. A lot of the women that Dimitri picked out were all right in terms of their looks but Natalie was quite the looker herself. Maybe it was Natalie's youth that made her attractive, considering her young age. What was she doing down in the kitchen? Maybe Natalie was going to be a maid servant of some sort.

"Dimitri says you should get dressed. Dinner starts in twenty minutes. What are you doing down here?"

"You didn't hear? Dimitri finally got around to hiring another cook to help out in the kitchen."

"That's not why he brought her to the house." She turned to Natalie. "You need to get ready. One of the servants has a dinner outfit ready for you. Dimitri doesn't like late comers."

Once Miranda left the kitchen, the cook let out a sigh. "It's gonna be one of those."

"Huh?"

"That's Miranda. Self-entitled stuck up, I swear. Just because she knows Dimitri longer than everyone else in the house, she thinks she gets better perks. I don't know what the deal is between you and Dimitri. Probably none of my business. But go on, I'll get one of the girls to help me set up the table." The cook went to the bookshelf and pulled out what appeared to be a leather bound book. "Here. If you want to impress Dimitri, you can try some of these recipes for practice. Those are some of his favorite meals. Come see me some time when you're not busy, yeah?"

Natalie smiled at the cook, thanking her for the book before she went up to her room. For a moment, she didn't see the dress. Then on the dresser, she saw a red dress that covered her shoulders and went down a little above the knees. A pair of black Mary Jane shoes and matching stockings laid next to the dress.

---

After a quick bath to rinse off the smell and sweat, Natalie got dressed, styled, and dried her hair. According to the clock, she had less than ten minutes to spare. With the extra time, she decided to have a look around the dining area. Along with what she considered fancy furniture and chandelier light, there were some paintings ranging from abstract to cubism hanging on the wall. The plates,glass, and utensils were all laid out as one of the servants placed the napkin beside each plate.

Other than the servant, Natalie was the only one in the dining area.

 

[Erlind]

Miranda had to leave Natalie to get ready herself. It would do no good to get her ready only to be punished for her own appearance or tardiness. She and the other girls met in the sitting room just next to the dining room and were chatting quietly if a bit excitedly. The other three girls in the house each wanted to know about Natalie. Very suddenly everything had become centered on this new girl.

They were still asking Miranda, but they wanted to know about Natalie.
Each of the girls were different, but had been brought to Dimitri’s house and belonged to him now. Miranda had been there the longest, but was not the oldest. Jessica, the one with nearly waist long raven hair, was nearly twenty-seven. Dimitri had found her on one of his longer trips and romanced her away. Casey was the newest besides Natalie and still acted out. The others secretly wondered how long their master was going to tolerate the sometimes ungrateful fiery girl with short red hair. She had already taken some pretty severe punishments, even for Dimitri’s house. The last was Donna. She had come to the mansion very quiet and removed. It was only in the in the last few months that she’d begun to talk to the other girls. They still didn’t know how she had gotten the wide scar across her face that she always tried to cover with makeup. Other than her deep tan and dark eyes only Dimitri knew very much about her.

When the grandfather clock began to chime the hour Miranda cursed under her breath, certain this new girl was late to her first dinner and that Miranda would suffer the consequences. As they filed into the dining room however they found her standing there looking lost and slightly confused. They each went to their seats and stood behind them to wait for Dimitri. They shuffled Natalie over to a seat close to Dimitri across from Casey. He always said that the new girls required his attention the most.

As the clock stuck seven the door opened and Dimitri entered and took a seat. Once he’d done that the girls all sat and they began their dinner.

“The food is excellent tonight. I will have to speak with the chef. Girls, why don’t you tell me about your day.”

 

[Lyssa_Marie]

Word spread quickly all over the household that a new girl had arrived. The other women asked Miranda about her, what her name was, what she liked to do, and a slew of other questions. Curiosity was a typical reaction when it came to a newcomer living in their house. While Miranda rattled off the few basic answers ("Her name is Natalie. She's about eighteen, nineteen."), she found herself slowly getting irritated by the constant questions that she couldn't answer. Dimitri didn't give her much information other than a name and who he snatched her from. Why don't they ask Dimitri, or Natalie herself

Speaking of which, where was Natalie?

Earlier, Miranda checked Natalie's bedroom but found that she wasn't there. She asked the chef, the one Natalie had befriended earlier, if she had seen her but no luck. Miranda multi-tasked by fixing her hair and walking around the manor looking for that whelp.

The grandfather clock began to chime seven. Damn it!

As she entered the dining room, she felt relieved when she spotted the confused girl standing there admiring the paintings. Two of the girls got friendly with Natalie, excited to see the new girl before Dimitri entered. While Natalie smiled politely, she felt flustered by the unexpected and happy attention she was getting. It didn't help the slight awkwardness when Jessica ushered her to a seat between herself and Dimitri.

"He wants to get to know you," she whispered to Natalie. "Just relax, you'll do fine. It was the same for me when I first arrived."

As they ate, Natalie heard Dimitri comment on how excellent the food was tonight. Natalie avoided saying anything, chewing on the caramel glazed walnuts. Miranda and the others agreed, though Natalie could have sworn she saw Miranda take a quick glance at her. No, she was imagining things.

She then heard the question about how their days went:

Donna started off by saying that she was finally getting over the sore throat that she had been having but refused to go to the pharmacy anymore because an ignorant pharmacist assumed that she was faking it and just looking for free drugs. She asked along the lines of when Dr. Newburn, a regular who takes house calls, was coming back to the country.

Natalie was a bit perplexed. They were allowed to go out on their own? She just assumed that they all stuck around in or outside the house but not out of the area. She glanced up at Dimitri to see if he would get angry that Jessica went out. Yet he was calm.

Casey just shrugged. She only replied that her day was okay and not that much happened.

Miranda cut a piece of meat and said that she redecorating her room but had an accident while cleaning up. She indicated that something sharp had cut in to the palm of her hand and in her haste, ran to the bathroom looking for gauze and iodine.

Jessica said it was too good to stay inside so she went off to run errands. She didn’t specify what it was. Her eyes met Dimitri’s for a moment but instead of asking her for specifics, he accepted the answer. Maybe it was something that was known between the two.

Natalie did not realize that her turn had come until she noticed most of the girls’ curious looks toward her. What was she supposed to say? That she arrived half asleep? Or that there was a case of mistaken identity when she arrived in the kitchen? No, she couldn’t say either of those.

 

[Erlind]

At first the clink of silverware against plates and bowls was the only sounds in the room, but soon that faded away as well. Natalie’s turn to talk had come. She could have said anything she wanted really, but she had been expected to say something. Instead, she remained quiet and timid. Dimitri was willing to be patient with her, but not lead her by the hand. She would have to say something on her own.

Nervous looks were exchanged around the table. Casey had refused to talk to him on principal one night early in her stay and the night had not gone well for her. Miranda was the most nervous of all of them. She didn’t want to suffer the consequences just because the brat couldn’t spit out two words. She was about to speak up and try to get Natalie to say something when she found herself too late.

“Don’t be nervous Natalie. I have them each talk about their day, but you can talk about something else. Why don’t you tell me what you like to do? My girls don’t spend their days in boredom. Once everyone finishes their chores they can spend their time how they want. Donna is becoming rather attached to the horses.” The girl nodded and smiled.

“Jessica likes to go shopping and has been doing some correspondence courses. And even Casey has found she likes to dance for me.” Jessica had a very proud expression, but Casey blushed fiercely and looked at her plate.

“Go ahead,” Jessica encouraged the new girl.

 

[Lyssa_Marie]

If anyone was more nervous than Natalie, it was Miranda. Unlike the young girl, Miranda tried to not make her nervousness apparent. If Natalie did not speak up soon, Dimitri would turn his focus on Miranda as a means to blame.

Natalie was genuinely surprised that Dimitri allowed this sort of freedom for his other lady friends that resided in the home. When she realized that her shock was apparent, she hung her head to hide the embarrassment. She felt a light kick on her foot, followed by Dimitri's hand massaging her thigh from underneath the table.

"I used to like dirt biking." When she was thirteen, a neighbor of hers owned a motorbike and taught her the basics of riding it. She would ride it around the forest, sometimes even racing the neighbor. The hunter often cautioned her to be careful whenever she was out but Natalie would always assure him that she would be fine. But on the day she was supposed to learn the secret of popping a wheelie, that neighbor moved out in to the city.

Natalie didn't really ride motorcycles anymore, partly because of what happened between her and Rafe, and the incident at the restaurant. Should she lie to make her not look weak in front of the others.

"I...I don't really do much." She said this as fast as she could, making the sentence like a long word. When Rafe came to live with her, she couldn't get out as much as she used to unless if she was with him. She shifted uncomfortably in her seat. Natalie quickly made a grab for her water and drunk it halfway.

"Sorry."

 

[Erlind]

“Dangerous,” Dimitri commented as his finger idly ran along the top of his wine glass. There was that quiet that Miranda had dreaded again. He couldn’t blame her if he disapproved of this new girl’s hobbies could he?

“I’ll have to make sure you get a helmet and whatever other protective gear you need. I won’t let you get hurt going out for a day on the forest.” His calm expression broke into a gentle smile before he continued with his meal. As soon as his fork touched his lips again he heard Casey whisper to Natalie as if he couldn’t hear her.

“You have to let me try it some time. The horses are cool and all, but I can’t imagine riding one of those things. Please?”

Now that everyone had been given their turn to talk the meal turned into a somewhat less formal event. As important as it was to have times where the girls had to perform exactly to his standards, Dimitri had found with some trial and error that it was just as important to allow them time to relax around him as well. The girls all chatted, occasionally peppering Natalie with meaningless questions, knowing better than to ask her anything in front of him that he deserved to know first.

Eventually dessert was brought out. Tonight, was a rather nice treat for him so the wolf indulged. Tiramisu. The cake like desert drizzled with chocolate sauce had been a weakness he’d found once he’d finally established himself in his current wealth. Normally, this wolf abhorred weakness, but this was one he was willing to enjoy once in a while. A large piece was set in front of him, but Donna, Jessica, and Miranda all politely declined. Casey got a piece just as big as his, she didn’t care either. It was too good to pass up. Natalie was the last one the woman from the kitchen stopped at, waiting to see if she wanted a piece, a bit surprised to see the girl as a guest at the table.

 

[Lyssa_Marie]

Natalie only let out a smile at Casey's question. It had been some time, years even, that she learned how to ride a motorbike. She wasn't even sure if she could teach Casey to perform the few tricks she knew or even teach her how to ride.

When dinner was over, the kitchen staff cleaned out the dinner table by confiscating the plates. The cook that Natalie interacted with earlier emerged from the kitchen with a tiramisu cake. Natalie had never heard nor eaten this sort of cake in her life. Still, she followed the recipe per the cook's instructions when she helped out in the kitchen.

When Natalie was the last one to be served, the cook raised her eyebrows upon seeing her. The cook did not say much except giving Natalie a smile before placing her plate with a slice in front of her. So it was one of Dimitri's new girls after all.

When the cook passed by Dimitri on the way back, she let out a very discreet hmph at his direction. She thought she finally had an assistant to help her out in the kitchen. After all, the curious Natalie wandered in the kitchen thinking she had to do the cooking. When it turned out it was the complete opposite, the cook couldn't help but feel a little disappointed.

Natalie poked at her cake with the tips of the fork. She cut out a small slice and watched Dimitri take a bite out of the cake, she wondered if he would enjoy it. Did she follow the recipe right? Sure, she made cakes before but they were all simple ones. What if she did it wrong? Then the cook was bound to get in to trouble for her own mistake.

"Is tiramisu good?"

Her question was met with a few odd stares from the others, especially Miranda.

 

[Erlind]

Everyone was enjoying their meals and then Natalie asked a slightly strange question. The words seem to seek some kind of approval. As the table went quiet Dimitri looked around the room. The girls all looked at the new person to the table oddly, especially Miranda.
“It is quite good. Why do you ask?”

Suddenly it seemed Miranda couldn’t start yelling when she wasn’t even being spoken to.

“I didn’t tell her to go make dinner! Just on her own she went into the kitchen and started doing it. The cook thought she was a damn servant!” Dimitri looked at her quietly and Miranda shrunk back in her seat again. It was clear the man at the head of the table was unhappy at Miranda’s outburst. Dimitri turned back to Natalie, for now ignoring Miranda’s blatant attempt to shift any blame of any mistake off of her.

“I didn’t lie, it is quite good. I have servants in my house so we don’t have to attend to such things. The girls still have their responsibilities, but the meals are not one of them. What made you decide to help our cook?” He did his best to make sure she understood she wasn’t in any trouble regardless of the way the others acted. It was true he didn’t always appreciate the girls acting outside expectations without talking to him first, but he wanted to hear her out before making any decisions about this strange new girl he was beginning to favor so much.

 

[Lyssa_Marie]

Giving her slice another poke, Natalie was about to explain that this was her first time she heard of a tiramisu cake, let alone eat one when Miranda cut in to explain what really happened.

Instead of bragging, Natalie was embarrassed that the secret came out. She did not intend to tell Dimitri about helping out the cook, especially not after Miranda pointed out that she wasn't supposed to be in the kitchen in the first place. Her fingers played with the fork, keeping her gaze on the cake.

"Sorry. It's just...I thought you wanted me to make something. I'm used to it back home so I thought you meant have something ready by seven..."

Another awkward silence. It wasn't long before Jessica placed both hands on Natalie's shoulders and smiled.

"Isn't she adorable?"

 

[Erlind]

It was becoming difficult to tell where Natalie would fit in his home, but Dimitri was becoming increasing certain he wanted her there. The varying reactions of the girls were entertaining more than anything too, except for Miranda. Miranda was causing issues and some small measure would need to be taken to correct that.

“Thank you for dinner, Natalie. You are all dismissed.” Of course Miranda was nearly out the door as the others were still calmly getting out of their seats and Casey stole a last bite of desert.

“Except for you Miranda. You and I need to speak.” The others left and Miranda stood at his side waiting to see what would come next. More likely than not he assumed she was ready to take the punishment for Natalie’s mistake, but that was not to be.

“Miranda for your outburst interrupting our new guest and for your clear willingness to shift as much blame off of yourself onto Natalie as you could I am forced to take some small action. Natalie’s chore was going to be collecting firewood for the central fire place. Until I say otherwise you will be attending this chore for her. I’ve noticed the wood shed has been fairly close to empty recently. I hope you are able to fully stock it before I assign Natalie her first chores. Do you understand?”

Miranda gritted her teeth and stared furiously at him the entire time he spoke, but in the end she acknowledged his decision and left without protest. Natalie was proving an interesting selection. He was tempted to whisk her away to his study to learn more about her right away, but it could wait until later in the night. It was important for the girls to have their time with her first.

 

[Lyssa_Marie]

An embarrassed Natalie followed the others out of the dining room. Despite attempts by the others to assure her that everything is fine and that as long as Dimitri was satisfied, that should be good enough, Natalie, she still couldn't help but feel embarrassed by her small mistake.

What did get to her was Miranda's behavior. It was almost as if Miranda was supposed to be in charge of her.

She didn't have time to ask any questions nor was she able to stick around to see what was going on. The other ladies had obscured her view and walked with her up to her room, unusually eager in her view to get to know her.

At least they were chatty enough.

They asked her simple questions such as where she was from, how did she get to know Dimitri if he offered her a place to stay, and other questions that were close to trivial and not too much to the point of being personal.

And if it was teetering on that, she strayed away from the subject.

After nearly over an hour, the others left for to deal with their own matters, leaving Natalie alone in her room. It was strange, yet quite nice, to be able to chat with others that she was unfamiliar with for the sake of conversation. She vaguely recalled Rafe taking her to an adult store in hopes of getting her to have sex with the cashier.

It was still awkward, given that she did not know who the cashier was. Even more so that Natalie had never engaged in sexual acts with another woman.

From out the window, she heard grunting noises, followed by the sounds of wood being chopped. Natalie peeked out through the curtain. From a distance, she saw Miranda furiously chopping the wood with some struggle.

 

[Erlind]

Rafe climbed back on his bike, ready to continue his hunt. Finally, he had found a lead. The old man running the gas station remembered the man that had attacked him in the forest with a girl that looked like Natalie. They had stopped for gas while she slept in the passenger seat. At first the old man had been reluctant to part with the information, but Rafe told him that Natalie was his daughter and had run away from home. It was a complete lie that nestled easily next to the truth.

The wolf started the motorcycle and took off down the long dark road again. It wasn’t much of a lead, but at least he knew now that he was going the right way. He would find Natalie and kill the man that had taken her.

* * *

Dimitri busied himself with business he had been putting off after his confrontation with Miranda. He’d wanted to speak with Natalie afterwards, but found himself not in the control he would like. Whether he liked it or not, Miranda was still able to get under his skin. It was the only reason she was still alive. The wolf spent a few hours researching the performance of companies he had invested in, making calls to business contacts, and finishing up some bills he had been putting off. It was monotonous work, but it helped calmed him.

The hour was late when a knock came at the door to Natalie’s room. When the door was answered it was the cook she had met earlier. It was the woman’s last task for the night and while she was tired she smiled at the girl that had helped her cook dinner.

“Dimitri asked me to bring you down to his study if you were up to it. He said it wouldn’t be formal and I can show you where it is. Not a bad job with dinner tonight by the way. If you ever feel like helping out you’re welcome in the kitchen.”

 

[Lyssa_Marie]

Natalie considered going down to help Miranda. Had she not misinterpreted Dimitri's words, maybe Miranda wouldn't have made such an outburst in front of everyone.

As much as the night had been quite relaxing for the first time in a while, Natalie's mind drifted towards the thought of Rafe. She remembered when Rafe first approached her not long after the hunter died. How he had tricked her in his human guise. He was the one who took her virginity. She cringed at the memory when he declared that she and everything else in the house belonged to him.

“YOU belong to me, THIS HOUSE belongs to me, EVERYTHING HERE belongs to me!”

What will his reaction when he found out she was gone? That wonder turned in to fear. She knew Rafe will do all he can to find her, no matter how far she was. And when he does...perhaps his anger from the first time they will show themselves. And through that rage, she believed that there was a good chance that he will kill her rather than be punished.

She wondered what would take place if she had to go back. Will she die by Rafe's hand?

The sounds of knocking got Natalie's attention. Answering it, she saw that it was the cook. Dimitri wanted to see her?

"I hope I didn't get you in trouble."

"No, not all. Still a little mad. Not at you, just the two of them. Miranda needs to know when to shut the hell up and let Dimitri enjoy the meal as is. Don't see why she needs you to get in trouble."

She led Natalie downstairs and to the hall. They stopped at the last door on the left. The cook opened the door, revealing a set of stairs that led down to another closed door. She switched on the light inside so she would not stumble easily.

"Used to come down here a lot when Dimitri gets busy. Hated it when I started, especially if he has those meetings and I have to bring drinks for his clients. Twisted my ankle when I fell. These days, he asks anyone that he spots in the house to deliver it for him. You should get going. Dimitri doesn't like to be kept waiting. Make sure you turn off the light when you leave."

She left Natalie and headed back. Natalie made her way downstairs and knocked on twice. When Dimitri invited her in, she stepped in and approached him at his desk.

"You wanted to see me, Dimitri?" Natalie couldn't help but feel a little nervous as to why he wanted her to meet him.

 

[Erlind]

Dimitri had finally managed to get a little lost in his work when he heard the soft knock at his door. The wolf invited Natalie into his den and smiled a soft smile for her.

“I thought we might get to know each other a little, Natalie. Go ahead and have a seat,” he told her gesturing to a small red sofa off to the side. Dimitri poured a little scotch out of a large crystal container into his glass. He took a small drink and then moved to sit next to her.

“How are you settling in Natalie? It’s important to me that you’re happy here.”

 

[Lyssa_Marie]

"It's different." Natalie looked around the study, then at the fireplace before she sat on the couch. For most of her life, she was either protected or caged in a familiar environment. Now that she was led away from Rafe's unpredictable behavior, the freedom was a nice change but also foreign. She couldn't help but be taken aback on how much freedom the other girls had to go outside and take care of their own things.

She sat on the couch, watching Dimitri sit beside her.

"It's quite nice."

She remained silent for a moment before averting her gaze to the floor. "I still hear his voice. What if he finds me?"

 

[Erlind]

Dimitri set down his glass on the table in front of them. For now that fear was good. It would drive her towards him, but eventually it would simply become an annoyance. It would be better to start working towards ending now before it made him tire of her.

“I didn’t take you away from him by asking, Natalie. If Rafe comes for you I won’t let him take you.”

Dimitri wrapped his arms around the girl pulling her against him. Being so close to her brought out the beast within him, but he beat it back. There would be time for that later.

“For people like Rafe and I it is too easy for madness to eat us up and leave us like beasts. I’ve worked very hard not to let that happen to me, but Rafe is nothing but an animal. If I have to I will put down that animal. You are very special, Natalie. I would never let anything happen to you.”

 

[Lyssa_Marie]

There were so many questions she wanted to ask. Why was Dimitri showing this much affection towards her? Was it because she was a newcomer in to his home? She wondered what would the coming weeks be like with this strange free reign that Natalie had been granted.

"For people like Rafe and I it is too easy for madness to eat us up and leave us like beasts."

She recalled the time Rafe briefly told her about his past; how he was found in the woods, his struggle between his wolf instincts and his human side, and how he almost killed his adoptive mother during an argument. Natalie felt sympathy to his plight, maybe even compassionate.

As the memories lingered on about his unpredictable behavior, she wasn't sure how to take his behavior. But as much of the unbalanced treatment of love and cruelty that Rafe inflicted on Natalie, she couldn't bring herself to wanting Rafe dead.

Something had made her curious about her predicament. Both Rafe and Dimitri are wolves, though she has yet to see Dimitri in his beast form. The notion that wolves were after her was strange but not far fetched. Still, she could not help but wonder if there was something far beyond the fairy tales and folklore that she or the hunter know when it comes to these creatures.

Her hand reached for his when it wrapped around her frame. Instead of pulling it away, she let her hand rest on top of his.

"How do you and Rafe know each other?"

 

[Erlind]

Natalie felt comfortable with him, ready to accept him as a guardian. It was the time to tell her the truth.

“I sought him out when I realized what I was. It was a mistake. Let me tell you a very old story Natalie. There was once a people that believed there was a goddess that lived in the forest near their home. Wanting to protect their village, the men of the village went into the forest and found the goddess asleep. They stole from her animal skins and wrapped themselves in them. The skins made the men strong and able to protect their village from any harm. They weren’t meant to have them though and soon became the animals whose strength they borrowed. They became wolves. Those men weren’t meant to handle the primal instincts of the beast and were going mad, more a danger to their own people than anything in the outside world. When the goddess woke she wasn’t angry, but it was too late to make the wolves back into true men. Instead she did the only thing she could. She blessed the women of the tribe and made them strong in their own way. Each man would find his match and she would be strong enough to withstand the beast’s rage and able to calm his wild spirit.”

The wolf holding his new girl let the story sink in. The story always made him sad, because of what it meant for him. Never a true man, always a wolf.

“As soon as I heard it, I knew the story was about me. When I searched for the origin of the tale I found the village destroyed long long ago. When I continued the search I found Rafe. We were friends for a time, but he was too much an animal. I eventually swore never to end up like him. Knowing that in some way I was descended from the wolf village I thought if I could find a woman from the village I could stay sane. I found myself drawn to certain girls and inevitably they each needed my help in some way. The girls in my home are all descended from the village in the story, but I still haven’t found my match, the one that could keep me a man instead of becoming like Rafe.”

The voice that had been cold and detached during the ancient story grew soft when he spoke of a mate never found. Years ago the wolf had decided there was no such woman. The only way he could lead a normal life was to remain a predator in private. Ending the physical hunt let him live in a modern world, but it meant eternally seeking new prey. He’d lured so many girls into his life to barter for his sanity. He was a wolf, but their lives meant never becoming a beast to him.

 

[Lyssa_Marie]

The story left Natalie interested in wanting to find out more. It also gave her a further insight to the folklore of wolves and that there was more to it than animals being affected by the full moon. She relaxed a little under Dimitri's hold. It had been a while since she felt this level of comfort.

She looked up at him when he finished his story. So the girls that resided in the house are all related in some way as to being from the same village? It was sad that he hasn't felt any sort of fulfillment by bringing in other women. She found it odd, but if he was helping them as he claimed, then maybe it could be excused.

"There's one thing I don't get. I'm not from the village. I never heard of it. Nobody mentioned that or the story you told me. Rafe tried to kill me when I was a little girl, then came back for me. And then you came along. I mean, you knew the hunter. How...." she paused for a moment, then added. "Is there something about me that attracts the both of you?"