Valerie Branding was a horrifying measure. Many masters used it to prevent their slaves from being stolen. Some simply liked to see their branding, pressed into the flesh of a poor, tortured girl. Regardless the reason, branding had been a hot topic back in the shop. I recalled the aunts discussing it while they muddled over business ideas that could bring in more potential clients. Aunt Rita had suggested a free branding service. Branding was not popular among masters, but for the few very rich that desired to leave a permanent mark on their property. It was not like tattoos, which could be removed. Once a slave was branded, it could not be resold to another master. Which meant that slaves who had been branded and discarded by their masters were left to fend for themselves. Thankfully, Aunt Louise thought it would be a terrible waste of many. “There are too few guests interested in branding a slave,” she had said. “And all in all, brands are a hideous thing. Only guests with a part

LucasIt was clear the girl was rocked by my offer. She hadn’t expected I would ask her something so directly. Honestly, if it had been any other simple human, I wouldn’t have paid her the time of day.But our little bird was growing on me.I couldn’t explain why, but I was beginning to enjoy her presence.Her face softened and her lips parted. She was quite cute when you thought about it. A rugged wild thing, ignorant to the world around her. She knew it only from the outside—as most slaves did. The inner-workings of society were foreign to her now.In her hesitation, she gave me a nod.I could have choked on my laughter. A slave, wanting to purchase another slave. The idea was so amusing, I couldn’t hold it back. I stifled my chuckle with a grin. This girl was not just innocent—she was an absolute fool.“And just out of curiosity, what made you think I would do such a thing?” I asked. “Purchase a slave because you were once friends with her? She’s a pricey one, you know.”Valerie ra

ValerieSilence swept over the room like a shadow. What once had been a crowd full of loud colloquy and laughter had become a sea of wide eyes and sheer silence. I felt a chill crawl up my spine as I read over their pale, bony faces. They were all looking at Lucas, like he was a monster of sorts.“Lane?” blurted Marvolo from across the room. “That Lane?” There was a suspicious furrow in his brow, but it quickly sunk away as he tilted his head back and laughed. “No, that’s impossible. I haven’t seen you back in Chelver.”He was laughing heartily, but no one was joining him. It seemed the rest of them half-believed Lucas’s identity, and it was leaving a striking mark on them, though I didn’t know why. Why were they so scared of Lucas? And what did the Lane name mean to them?Then the host stepped forward and cleared his throat. “For the sake of the archive, I must know, my guest. Are you…from that Lane family?” His voice was quivering in a way it hadn’t all night. Almost like he was…afr

Valerie The door flung open. Two heavily-dressed vampiric guards stepped into the room. They parted to the sides and bowed for the individuals approaching behind them. The three were of high status. I could tell by the clothes they wore and the way they held themselves, striding into the room without a fleck of fear or apprehension. As they descended the stairs, it was as if the entire room froze up like a herd of sheep. All of the quiet murmurs and frantic shouting stopped. No one moved from their position. They all stared up, watching the men descent the stairs in silence. Of the three men, the one in the center seemed to have the authority. The man at his right was more rugged. A muscled vampire with a shade of darkness on his face. Something was terribly familiar about him, but I couldn’t put my thumb on it. He looked around, seeming frustrated by the sight. Then he glanced to his leader, as if they were exchanging wordless thoughts. The man to the leader’s left was far more ca

ValerieIn all honesty, it was a pointless room. If one wanted to escape, they could have simpled reached for the end of their leash and unhooked it from the latch.We were humans with opposable thumbs, after all. Sometimes I thought the rest of the world forgot that we were physically capable of most of the same things they were.The only factors keeping us obedient were the fact that we would be horrifically punished if we were ever to attempt an escape—and also the large and intimidating guard that had been brought into the room.It was mostly his presence that pressed us to stay where we were and patiently await our masters. It was not long before my legs began to tremble from standing so long. I hadn’t had a break since the moment Lucas and I were seated on the couches, speaking to Marvolo. I wanted to pace, to run to stretch—but slaves were not allowed freedoms like these.After several moments of excruciating silence, a cough came from the guard. I looked over, watching as he t