I found myself sitting in a black SUV the next day. There were two men in black suits sitting at the front. They wore sunglasses and had com units in their ears. Several other black cars drove ahead of us. After a while, I saw a glimpse of an iron gate appeared from the distance. The stone walls stretched far into the dark green forest surrounding the area.
The automatic gate opened. We drove through a massive courtyard with manicured gardens and overgrown oak trees. The smell of flowers seeped through the tinted windows as the cars kept crawling on the pebbled pavement that snaked toward an enormous mansion.
The building looked like the mansions in Florence. Those colossal sculpted pillars, statues, and marble fountains could be seen from afar. When the cars stopped, the door at my seat slid open.
"Get out," a man dressed in complete black said to me. I gingerly stepped out of the SUV with a pounding heart.
Then I realized there wasn't just me there. Five other girls and three boys were also brought along into this seeming paradise, or in our case — hell.
Before we left the Human Institution, they had made sure that we were well-groomed and well-fed. They spent a good part of our stay training us to be willing servants. I'd also got my skin scrubbed, my hair done, my nail polished, and body hair removed. It was a strenuous process on my part since I hated every minute of it.
Looking at the rest of us, I could tell the same thing happened to them. They looked perfectly healthy with glowing skin and beautiful faces, but as we stared at each other, I could see the nervousness in their eyes.
About ten guards came out of the grand double doors of the mansion and ushered us inside.
The main hall was even bigger than an average church's. Heavy thick scarlet draperies hung over the windows from floor to ceiling. Expensive furniture decorated the whole place. Ceramic vases and classic paintings lined up the walls.
"Wait here, humans," one of the red-eyed guards said to us. Others flashed their venomous teeth in a warning. We kept ourselves still and silent as they watched.
A moment later, another group of men walked into the hall. One of them wore a white suit with a brim of red around the collar. A red handkerchief popped out of his breast pocket. He had a tall and lean figure, shiny black hair, and violet eyes. The guards bowed at him as he walked past.
"Report," the man said in a deep voice. One of the guards hurried forward and handed him a clipboard. The man took it and examined whatever written on the papers.
"So they all have O positive blood?"
I'd heard that people with O blood had become so rare and expensive. For some reason I didn't know, the high-class vampires preferred the taste of it.
"Yes, sir." The guard nodded "But one of them is special."
"Who?" the man asked.
"That girl, sir," the guard pointed at me. The man looked up from the clipboard. My body shivered under his gaze.
"What's her blood type?"
"Hers is Rh negative, sir," the guard responded. "The rarest of her kind."
This piece of information shocked me. I'd heard that humans with this type of blood were already extinct under the vampire oppression. It was like finding a gem among the regular rocks.
"Wonderful," the white-suited man said and then walked forward. I froze in place as he circled around me with his piercing violet stare.
"What's your name?"
I couldn't find my voice to speak. The panic lump clogged my throat.
"Answer him, slave!" the guard hissed. I recoiled.
"My...my name is Av...Avery Pierce," I stuttered.
"You do smell different, too." The man nodded to himself. Then he turned to the others vampires. "Keep this one. Bring the rest to the servant house."
The guards started to move the others away.
The man walked up to me and cupped my chin in his cold hand. His violet eyes bore into mine.
"Be good and serve well, human girl," he said. "If you wish to stay alive longer, don't upset your mistress."
I grimaced. Then the man let me go.
"Now come with me," he said and turned to walk.
As the guards escorted me through the hallway, I looked around the place. We went up the main staircase. The mansion was massive. It might as well be a palace. I might have to spend a whole day just to find the nearest restroom.
We walked along the quiet archway. My high heels scrapped on the carpeted floor. We reached another majestic wooden door. The guards pushed it open. The groaning sound of wood sent a shiver down my spine.
But no one crossed the threshold as if there were some forbidden boundaries there. The man in the suit turned to me again and smiled.
"I hope you come back alive."
Then the guards shoved me into the room and locked the door behind me.
Ilooked around the enormous chamber. It was too dark and too cold. I felt as if I had just stepped into a mountain cave. All the windows were closed. There was no one in sight. I tried the door again, but it was firmly locked.The crested furniture lay around the sitting area. Another room led to a separate hall. I could see massive bookshelves from floor to ceiling and an elegant black piano by the balcony.I decided to walk a few steps further into the room. Then I thought I heard a sound as I waited for something to happen. It was like a whistle of the wind.At my right was the bedroom. The door was slightly ajar, revealing a canopied bed. There were sheer hanging and heavy silk curtains hanging from the four posts.
AnastasiaIt was maddening.Something about the rattling sound inside her veins, the intoxicating smell of her skin, I couldn't stand one minute without wishing to taste her warm blood. And that's what I hated about myself. My predator instinct was unforgiving. Who was this girl?—an innocent human with a deadly charm? I held my breath the whole time I was near her. All details of her features stuck in my mind. Those big brown eyes that stared back at me. Her pale lips pressed together to hide the pain. A mass of dark brown lock whirled around her slender body. Of course, she wasn't perfect like most of us, but I couldn't shake the urge to make her mine. Yet I knew she would never be. Her wrist was cut like a cat's claw. I knew right away who did it. My sister was her
Ijolted back in surprise, but my mistress kept a firm grip on me and pulled my body closer against her. It was almost too hard for me to breathe. The more I pushed her away, the tighter her hold became. It was of no use. She was a vampire. She was too strong. All I could do was fidget in her arms like helpless prey. Once you're in the hand of a predator, you cannot escape.Anastasia stepped towards us. Her face was so intense; it almost looked pained. I had no clue what she was thinking, but I already felt disgusted with myself."Morning, baby sister," Alexandra said without turning her face away from me. "You want to join the breakfast with me?" Her eyes still lingered on the area of my throat. She smoothed my hair like I was her adorable pet. My mistress was enjoying her little show she was creating with me. I l
AnastasiaIturned around to my sister after Avery left. Her annoying smirked made me want to slap it off her face."I happened to sense something strange here," Alex said with a teasing tone. "What makes you so stupid to turn down my offer? Oh, wait...but I already know—""Stop it!" I spat. "It's none of your business.""It's not?" she said. "Well, then make sure it remains as such with mine as well."She looked at me like I was still a pathetic little child. I knew Alexandra wasn't someone you wanted to cross. She was stronger and faster than me. It was because she would never think twice about killing people for blood. I loathe
Many days passed in a seemingly peaceful succession. I had gotten to know some other slaves in the mansion. One of them told me about how she was separated from her brother, who was put into the human farm. I wondered what it was like living in the factory, but then again I didn't want to find out. This morning things were quite the same. We got our wrists cut as usual, except me. Then the vampire, who we first met, came up to me in the kitchen. He dressed in his elegant clothes as I had remembered.For a moment, his violet eyes seemed to linger on my face longer than necessary."You," he said. His pale stony face held high. "From now on, you're assigned to serve whenever my mistress sends for you."My heart sank further than it usually did. What could I say about that
Iwas in my mistress's room again. It was colder than I had remembered, or it could be just my own instinctive fear that made me shiver all over. Alexandra pulled me inside after she locked the huge heavy door.I glanced around in panic, but as usual, all the windows were tightly shut. No escape route anywhere. I felt like a trapped rat waiting for the cat to gut me alive. Alexandra turned her perfect figure to look at me again. She smiled with a glint of wickedness in her eyes."Don't even think about —"I ran to the small library as fast as my feet could take me then slammed the door shut and locked it."Wow, you must have been a marathon runner," Alexandra mocked from the other side of the room. I saw he
AlexandraThat's funny.Why do I even bother to think about it? It's not like I have never killed before. Avery Pierce is just an inferior and stubborn human girl. She deserved to be punished. I don't see why I shouldn't torture her. The sound of her screams delights me. Her blood whispers to me. But then there is something I couldn't wrap my mind around. Why did I feel like there were insects crawling inside my stomach when I saw her and my sister together? And why of all the whys, why do I want to have Avery more than anything now?~*~AveryI woke up to the bright sunlight shining throu
AnastasiaAvery's big brown eyes shone with a deep longing that I couldn't refuse it. We walked hand in hand back to the bed and sat there facing each other. I kept staring at her doll-like face, so innocent and so adorable. My gaze made her blush bright red.She looked down, hiding her eyes under those long black lashes. The wind blew through the windows. Silk curtains flicked gently, making the only sound in the room.Then Avery looked up again and moved closer until our knees touched. She swallowed hard before reaching her hands over to unbutton my shirt, but I knew she was nervous. Her hands were shaking so much; I had to grab them in mine.