I have a key to your heart.

Nightclub "Bloodlust"

Ocean

"Gentlemen, after tonight's show, I would like to invite everyone to my office; I have an offer in mind. And believe me, only a fool could resist it. But for now, I'm proud to present the first rank fifty-five human acquired in the last five decades. So, without further ado, please welcome her with a round of applause. The one I named Ocean." Vladimir jumps off the stage and sits on the chair he deems to be his throne. Everyone seated in the VIP area cheers, thrilled to feast their eyes upon the delicacy during the live performance. Each of these men spends the value of an entire servant to purchase a ticket to a once-in-a-lifetime show.

I step on the stage as carefully as I can. I can't let the vampires know that I'm injured or Vladimir will make my life a pure Hell. The room falls silent, all eyes fixed on me, the bodies of the men almost frozen. Vladimir snaps his fingers and the slow, sensual music booms from the speakers. Some women might feel shy standing in front of a crowd of men, but sadly, the sight is too familiar for me. Each of them eyes me with nothing but lust and desire burning in their eyes. I exhale and hold onto the pole beside me, slowly leaning my body back. Pole dancing had never appealed to me before, but after the stunt Vladimir pulled, I need all the support I can get. I bend my knees and lower my body as my palm moves from my neck down to my breasts. The Count told me to undress but to avoid showing my neck. His request seems a little odd, but I have no say in the matter nor the right to contradict him. My wide hips sway from side to side as I manage to mimic the moves a vampire dancer once taught me. I claw at the pole as I straighten my body and slowly walk around it. Fighting the pain emanating from my ribs, I bite onto my lower lip to distract myself from crying, but the vampires cheer, taking my action as teasing.

I reach for the button of my shirt, undo it and let the fabric slowly slide off my shoulders. I will do anything to avoid further punishment from the Count, even if it means standing before a crowd completely naked. My eyes take in the demonic faces as I slip off the strap of my bra. Before I can reach for the other strap, Count Vladimir jumps up from his seat and stomps towards the stage. My eyes widen in shock, but I don't dare to stop dancing. My body continues to move and bend in seductive poses as the vampire leaps onto the stage. Vladimir snaps his fingers, and the music stops.

"Gentlemen, I see that entertainment has aroused the interest of many. Everyone has had just a mere taste of what is to come. The show is over, for now. Please follow the guards to my office; we will discuss the proposal, the promised surprise, and other details in privacy. Ocean, return to the dressing room and wait for me there." Vladimir's cold words send chills down my spine. The Count had never interrupted my performance like this before; I've been his most prized possession, the most expensive thing to own. If the vampire played his cards wisely, he could become one of the elite members by the end of the year, all thanks to my shows.

I am many things but not a fool; I won't linger in the area if Vladimir tells me to leave. I quickly bend down to reach for my shirt but manage to land on my knees and press my hand against the throbbing side. A hiss of pain leaves my lips before I can stop the sound. My eyes fill with tears, but I refuse to let them fall- if the vampire came back, I would rather die than let him break me. Even though my vision becomes blurry, I notice the dark figure on the balcony. Startled, I fight the pain, grab the shirt, and stumble off the stage. I have to get back to the dressing room before a guard, or worse, Vladimir catches me. Whoever is watching me from the balcony couldn't be a person who meant well. As soon as I reach the room, I clench my hand into a tight fist and knock on the door, expecting one of the other girls to open it. Luckily Sally, a fifteen-year-old girl, is the one closer to the dressing room door.

"Oh God, Ocean, what happened to you?" She gasps and quickly grabs me by the shoulder to pull me inside. "No, come in first." She whispers, eyeing if there's any guard around the locker rooms. When Sally has made sure we have some privacy, she sighs and adds: "We can talk inside, come on, move!" I gladly cooperate with the girl and let the others help me move to the nearest sofa. My body aches, but other than the occasional hiss or faint moan, no other sound passes my lips. As soon as my body collides with the soft seat, I find myself in a somewhat blissful, ignorant state- I forget the things that have happened and enjoy the little comfort given.

"What on earth has happened to you? Did- did he let them touch you? Ocean, did he?" Sally stutters as her eyes fill with tears. She had always feared what her future would hold. She must work as one of Vladimir's waitresses and ignore the men who try to touch her whenever she walks by, but she still thinks dancers have it worse.

"He sent me out," I exhale and grab onto the side as the sharp pain spreads around the area of my ribs. It's taking too long for my liking- it's the first time the pain hasn't subsided within a few hours. "I think Count Asshole is going crazy, for real this time. I was on my way back when he showed up to play with the damn remote, and that's not the worst of it. Don't turn your back on him, ever. He almost bit me, but I reminded him he wasn't supposed to, and that's why this happened," I lift myself off the couch to show the girls the enormous bruise on my ribs. "He slammed me into the wall of one of those old brick buildings. I think he broke a few ribs again; at least the cracking sound was pretty impressive." I giggle and continue to pretend I don't feel any pain. I want to claw at the walls and scream my head off, but the girls can't see me like this, especially those afraid of Vladimir.

Sally bites her lip and helps me sit back down before she glances at the girl sitting in front of a mirror. "Marissa, get some ice; we need to fix Ocean up. Oh, and don't forget the first aid kit. Who knows what other injuries she might have."

With a raised eyebrow, Marissa takes one look at Sally and snorts. "Why would I help her?" She asks as her voice drips with venom. Marissa would help the girls, but not me- she believes that I'm her biggest competition.

Sally gasps and stares at the dancer. How can one be so full of venom and jealousy to refuse a helping hand when it's needed? Sally gathers her thoughts and lets out a deep breath before her lips part again. "Because of that time when Ocean took the beating for you! That time when a guard caught you trying to sneak off with that boy!" Sally calmly explains.

Marissa crosses her arms in front of her chest and smiles. If there's one thing she loves, it's to be the centre of attention. Though I'm hurt, the girls give Marissa precisely what she wants. "Well, I never asked for her to do that. Besides, I don't believe that it's my fault that I'm the most popular girl here. Vladimir can't stand her guts; no wonder he keeps hitting her, not us!" The words leave her lips as the most regular thing one could say. I can see it in her eyes; Marissa took her chance to savour the aftertaste of the poison she just spewed on everyone.

At last, Freya has had enough. She rises from her seat and stomps towards Marissa, and raises her hand above her head. The posture screams nothing but danger. "And yet she did it! She stood up for you and your bullshit! Favourite, huh? Alright, how about I scratch her face and call the guards? Let's see how the Count will react when he finds out a dancer attacked his most prized possession. Do you remember the auction? It doesn't matter, because I remember! He paid five hundred for each of us while he plunked down fifteen million for Ocean. Shall we discuss favourites anymore?" Freya shouts in Marissa's face. Even if I never ask for her help, Freya will stick around and wait until she's needed. She's not the one to get involved in an argument, but for me, she does. Besides, she knows that I heal quickly and can take a lot of pain. We grew up together, well, in opposite cells. I always stuck up for her, and soon Freya returned the favour with the same attitude. Now no one can separate us- Freya owes her life to me, and that is one thing she would never forget.

Startled, Marissa jumps up from her seat and whispers, "I'll get the first aid kit," as she runs out of the locker rooms.

A chuckle leaves Freya's lips, but her amusement fades as her gaze falls on me. "Where do you think you're going, young lady? You need to rest!" She scolds me as she watches the door, waiting for Marissa to return.

Honestly, any of us wouldn't be surprised if Marissa brought a guard or exposed their attempts to help me, but such an action would backfire- none of us would stand by her side ever again. Marissa is known for her restless nature, and if there were no one there to take care of her, she wouldn't survive for longer than a few days. She likes to think the Count favours her, but her idea is as delusional as it could be. All girls have done nothing but stood up for her, took the blame, and beatings for Marissa's actions. Marissa herself is sure she had never done anything wrong. She is constantly running around telling everyone that the Count is secretly in love with her, and so is she. Her nightly escapes and constant sleeping around with vampires and humans have diminished her value. Now, Vladimir doesn't care about her existence. She is here to serve as his meal once she reaches the age- Marissa will face a huge disappointment about her place at Vladimir's side.

Fortunately, none of the girls notices what I find while they gossip. I smile at my friends and shake my head as if everything is an amusing misunderstanding. "Don't mind me; I remembered I have to go to our Count Asshole. I'll be back in a few minutes; wait for me here. I could use some help later," I announce and limp towards the door. Freya and Sally can't help me- if the Count demands to see either of us, we have to go, no matter how we feel or what happens.

I head straight to the great hall, where the vampire spends most of his time. I know Vladimir is in his office, so I can sit down and wait. But as soon as I set my foot in the vast room, Vladimir turns to me and grins. Whatever happened in his office ruined the vampire's mood. Not that I ever cared. I clear my throat and tilt my head to meet his eyes. "Here, I have a key to your heart," I left the key in my palm, metal, and skin together. I stumbled upon the ancient artwork in the locker rooms. It caught my attention because it resembles a dagger, so I took it and waited for the perfect opportunity.

"Silly girl, that is not the key to my heart. Pathetic attempt." Vladimir growls in disgust. If I'm lucky, I'll be free by the end of the night.

Taking the first step toward my destruction, I grin and move my hips in time with the slow music in the background. Vladimir swallows, his Adam's apple bobbles in his throat. The vampire's eyes focus on the crook of my neck as I stop directly in front of him. I place my palm on his chest, guide my fingertips down to his abdominal muscles, a corner of my lip twitches in disgust. When he closes his eyes, I take the opportunity to plunge the key directly into his heart, smiling as his eyes shoot open and he looks down at me in horror. "Are you still convinced I don't have the key to your heart?" I ask, grab him by the collar, and pull him closer. My lips nearly touch his ear as I whisper, "It fits."

"Bravo! The passion, the emotion, truly magnificent! I'm so glad I got here in time; only a fool would miss a show like this!"