“James will show you to your room.” With a snap the butler lurched into action as if by strings attached to his limbs. He took my arm and led me into the house while the vampire stayed outside in the dimming light to smoke more of his cigarettes. Inside the main door were marble floors, both white and black swirls that led my eye to a staircase on the far right. It spiraled up to higher levels of the house, where I was being led. My shoes made clicking sounds as we walked across the floor, no other noise could be heard from anywhere in the house. Along the walls there were pictures and paintings of people, families, and of different farms. Some were in color, but the majority were in black and white, and each seemed to be another version of the previous picture. James pulled on my arm. I realized that I had stopped to look at one particular picture, one with a beautiful woman who reminded me of someone, but I could not place it. She wore Victorian styled clothes, her hair pinned up in a lavish style with long, spiraling curls adorning her face. A sweet, small smile was worn on her lips, but her eyes showed a different kind of emotion. I could not tell and did not get a good enough look to decipher the message. The steps were taller than what most would be in a modern home, well, what I remembered from homes. It had only been nine months since I had been taken, but remembering the little things was becoming harder to do.

The hall that branched into two parts was lined with thick, brown carpet. There were tapestries on the walls, and long, slender tables with flowers were scattered against the walls. Those flowers gave the hall a little life compared to the earth tones used. Only two windows let in a bit of light, there was only a lamp-like light overhead the doors that were at the end of the hall. The butler, James, took me to the end of the hall, and at the far left was where I was to stay. “Here are your quarters. You are to stay here unless told otherwise by Master Gregory. Until then, you will not be required anywhere in the manor.”

“Thank you, Sir.” I said, and James turned and nodded his head. He rushed off to finish whatever business he had while I was left to be in my room. This is not what I expected at all. I was not really being treated like a slave at all, but more like a guest, but I figured that it would soon end.

I looked around, up and down the hallway, but no one was there, and no one was watching to see what I did. For a brief moment I wondered if there were cameras watching my every move so I decided that it would be best if I investigated my new room. I flipped on the light switch that was right by the door and stood amazed.

There was a great, circular bed with drapes in a light powdered blue. The blankets were of the same color, a little thicker, with silver linings and flower designs. The flowers resembled roses. The floor was wooden, a dark contrast to the light colors in the room. Now I really did not feel like a slave. I never have had a room that was this amazing. For a moment I thought that maybe I was dreaming.

I walked around the circular room. The walls were an off white color with wood trimming, same as the floor. Paintings of lilies were scattered as decoration. There was a large screen in front of a large walk-in closet with a full sized, brass standing mirror. I looked at myself for the first time in those nine months and saw someone I did not recognize. I look like a stripper. My hair looked slightly wild, my hair was naturally straight, and had been curled slightly for the walk. Long blonde hair is what I had, the natural bleach blonde that so many girls wanted was what I had, and it almost looked white or gold in some places when the light hit it just right. My eyes had been played up with a smoky look, making the green really stand out. My see through dress was tight, showing what little curves I had left from the scarce food I had been able to consume while at the farm. My skin was clear, a little caked with makeup, but that was for the show. When had I gotten so muscular? My arms and legs looked feminine, but were well defined. I really looked a lot different than what I thought; it was as if I was seeing myself for the first time. I gently touched my face, ran my hand through my hair, and wiped at some of the stray eyeliner that smudged my eye.

Pulling my eyes from the mirror I found clothes already in the closet, mostly simple dresses filled the shelves with shoes already matched up. Some were casual summer dresses while others were those classic little black dresses that would have been great for that first date look, but none of that would matter now. I slipped out of my shoes again and left them on the floor. Once inside the closet I noticed a door that was slightly opened. Inside was a restroom. There was a toilet and a large tub. I did not remember the last time I had a hot shower was, and the sudden urge to try it out was almost overpowering, but being in this new place was unsettling. I had no idea what I was getting myself into and was unsure of what to expect. Maybe this was just where they were having me stay until a slave courter is ready. That was probably it because there was no way that a vampire would treat a human this well unless they were their mate, and I have already been told that I am to be a slave, an assistant to this Gregory guy.

I flipped the light off as I came out from the bathroom and was shadowed in darkness. I had not turned on the light in the closet so I stumbled out into my room. I was startled and took a step back into the shadows when I saw a vampire sitting on my bed. He made no attempt to get up that I could see, so I stayed there, half in shadow, half in light. I waited for him to say something. Was this Gregory? This vampire was not as thin as the man who picked me up. He was built with broad shoulders, and a handsome, strong face. He stared at me. No emotion showed on his face, but for some reason I could not bring myself to be afraid like I was with the vampire in the limo. No, there was something different, calming almost, but then maybe I was lost in his deep blue eyes. Maybe this is what I had been warned of. I quickly looked at the ground and waited. A few minutes went by and no one spoke. I tried not to stare at him while he seemed to study me. His eyes traveled around me and rested on my face. “Kat, is it?”

His voice was gentle, deep, and masculine. It filled me with a chill that ran down my spine. “Yes.” My voice seemed to be stuck in my throat with a wad of cotton, keeping me from speaking. “Yes, Sir.” This attempt was a little louder. I dared not move as I heard him get off the bed. I looked down at my feet, noting his good looks and his height as he made his way from the bed towards me.

When I looked up his face was overly close to mine. I could smell him, feel his closeness. I felt his hand cup my face and my head raced. He lifted my face towards his, smelling my hair. I froze when he leaned down to my neck. My breath was coming faster and harder than before, and my heart was beating loudly. “Shhh…” I’m just making sure you are the right one.” His hand dropped my face and before I could blink he was behind me, looking me up and down. “I can be extremely picky, but you are perfect.”

I did not know what to say, or how I was to respond to something like this. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath to steady myself. I felt lightheaded. I swayed, leaning slightly forward, but a steady hand held me up. My head felt even fuzzier than in the car, my mind seemed to be working slowly, and my body felt like it was on fire. I knew that I was passing out, it had happened a lot in high school when I skipped meals, but more often when I went without eating for days. What terrible timing.

When I woke up I was lying on the blankets in the silver and blue bed. A cold rag was on my forehead. Pulling it off I tried to sit up, but a firm pressure held me in place. Opening my eyes fully I saw the young vampire, who I assumed was Gregory, sitting next to me, watching me closely. “When was the last time you had anything to eat? Never mind, it doesn’t matter. I’ll get you something right away.”

“Please, I’m fine.” I tried sitting up again, but still his hand kept me from moving. “Why are you doing this?” I lay back in the soft pillows and tried looking around myself to steady my spinning head.

“I think you have the wrong idea about me.” He got up from the bed. “No getting up until I return with something for you to eat.” He quickly strode to the door and left. Shutting it behind him, and I heard the sound of the lock, keeping me in. Laying here felt wrong. I had no idea what was going to happen to me or what this vampire has in mind, but whatever it is, it isn’t what I thought.

I sat up and took a few deep breaths. My dress was so short, and kept riding up my thighs so I angrily pulled it down. This was not going to help my situation and sitting here on the bed, especially with the vampire so close made me uneasy.

I had little time to put things together in my mind before Gregory was back with a tray of what I assumed to be food. He gave me a quizzical look, as if I got up when he saw that I was sitting up, but did not ask. “I’ll make sure that you don’t skip any more meals. It’s very unhealthy for the body.” He set the tray down on the wooden nightstand next to the bed. There was some soup in a bowl. I should have known. I’m glad it’s soup; it should be easy on my stomach. He took out a spoon and napkin from on the tray and sat down next to me. “At least try it and see if you like it. If not, I’ll send for something else.”

“Thank you.” He smiled at my reply and handed me the spoon and bol. “I’ll get someone to get you some new clothes. I know this must be quite different than what you are used to, but hopefully this works out for the both of us. I never needed a servant like this, and still don’t, but my father insisted so I found the best there was. Now I just have to get used to the idea of having you really. I will find things for you to help me with later when you are not ill, so do not worry about any hard labor or anything. I am not like my father with his servants. I swear he does nothing for himself anymore.” The vampire was quite the chatty one. I sipped at the hot soup, chicken noodle soup actually. It was the best thing I had tasted since I could remember what real food tasted like, but I tried to eat slowly even though I was severely hungry.

“Anyways, I needed a companion, and I think that this can work.” He stood up and began walking around the room. “You are not like most humans, and I have been searching for you for years. Your scent, your blood is not normal. It’s not a bad thing by any means, and really just proves to me that humans are evolving with us.” He touched one of the flowers in a white vase across the room. He ran his thumb and finger over and over its silky texture. “I think that you, Kat, are part vampire.” He looked up at me. I had stopped eating and was staring right back at him.

For the third time that day, I was speechless. “What do you mean?” Humans could be mothers to vampire children on rare occasions, but the babies were always fully vampire, growing extremely slowly. The vampire cells always took over the human part and converted it. If the child did not form all of the way, both mother and child would die. “That’s impossible.”

“No, I don’t believe so, at least, not in your case.” He began walking towards me, those deep blue eyes locked on mine. When he was just inches away from my face he spoke. I could see his mouth moving, but no words made it to my ears. He smelled of cologne, a deep, rich smell. “I said stand up.” His voice snapped me into attention. It had a cold edge that bit into my heart. I sat my bowl on the tray and slowly stood up. Now I was even closer, but his face was soft and gentle again. “I cannot control you like the others… Interesting...” He stepped even closer, forcing us to touch slightly. For the second time that day he touched my skin, sending chills across my skin. Maybe all vampires could have this effect on women, but he was making my heart race like no human man ever did. “What do you feel about me? Are you afraid?”

I stared into his chest, looking at the intricate patterns on his gray t-shirt, smelling the leather, real leather of his jacket. “No…” my voice shook, but I was honestly not afraid of him, not now at least. This must be some weird test. I took a quick glance at his face, wondering if he could feel what I was feeling.

“You didn’t answer my first question.” He stated as he sat me down on the bed.
Unsure of what I was going to say, I struggled over my words and managed to only make an unintelligent sound. “I don’t know what to think or feel about you.”

“Good enough.” He looked at his watch. I have to go for a few minutes, but I’ll be back, hopefully with some clothes. I’m sure you could ware some of what is already here if you want. This is your room now and you’ll be spending a lot of time here, so make yourself comfortable.” He left before I could murmur a thank you. The door locked behind him.

This certainly was not what I had expected at all. I am more of a test subject than a slave. This family had servants, so why am I any different? The vampire must be wrong though. I could not be part vampire… I have never wanted blood; I’m not sensitive to light and dark. I’m a human, a mundane, plain human.

A few minutes… I could change in a few minutes. Walking gingerly over to the closet I actually made an attempt to find something I could wear. I really wanted to stray away from wearing a dress if I could, but that seemed to be all that was here. Many drawers lines an entire wall, filled with more personal items, stockings, shoes, jewelry, and much more, but there was not a single pair of jeans. Hanging up was several plain black dresses so I chose one that would be a little more concealing, but then put it back. Maybe he would have some pants with him if he was to get close. For a brief moment I wondered where he was going, but I decided that it did not matter. The sudden urge to clean myself up led me into the bathroom. Under more investigation I found a brush and some washrags that I could use to get some of this makeup off

After relieving myself and getting cleaned up I walked around the closet again. These clothes were not all that old. Some even had tags, so I concluded that they must have other guests who come to stay, and they left these for her when she returns.

My now brushed hair felt a lot lighter now that the hairspray was not trying to hold everything in a giant blob. Yes, now I at least felt a little better about myself for the first time in months. I really did not know what to do. There was no phone, no TV, no electronic anything except the lights. There were candles that I had not noticed in the rounded window off on the left. The window was small, but overlooked a cute garden, full of blooming flowers.

The whole house and garden reminded me of an old movie I had watched with my adopted grandfather way before we knew vampires even existed. We use to spend our Sunday evenings watching all the movies we had not seen that were on TV. Sometimes we’d stay up well into Monday morning, and fall asleep in the living room. I always took the couch while he had his own recliner. Bringing back those memories made tears start to form in my eyes, but I pushed them away. He was gone, they all were gone, and I needed to be strong for my family. I was going to be a fighter no matter what.

Rubbing the remaining moisture from my eyes I went and sat on the bed again. What else is there to do but wait? The vampire seemed to take longer than a few minutes by watching the changing light outside. Night, when vampires are at their strongest and when they are the most hungry, was falling. I could not keep myself from thinking about Gregory. His jawline, his charm, and those eyes played over and over in my mind. Watching my memories like a playback was what kept my mind off of how long he was taking, but what was I really waiting on? I had a bed, not a cot, to sleep in, food in my stomach, and from the looks of it I could be alright here.

I had survived a lot worse before, and I could do it again. The farm was a cakewalk compared to the holding, a place where everyone is separated by race and looks to go to the designated farms. I, along with eight other girls, was marched in chains into an old jail. All those prisoners, human prisoners, had been and were still being used as food for the full moons. Their lives not cared about by anyone. We were kept in a cell, where there was blood and remains left to rot on the floor. There was no bunk, no toilet, no anything, so after a couple of days of trying not to sit or lay in decomposing bodies failed. The guards thought it was funny to watch us gag and throw up at the smell, and threw our slop and water at us instead of letting us eat and drink form cups and bowls. Eating and drinking like that for about two weeks was one of the worse parts, but when we started dying it was hard on everyone. Besides not having a bathroom, we all had been in the filth of the dead as well as the living which caused disease and sickness that spread. I was lucky and was the only one of the girls to survive. Once I was left the men took me from there and I was sent to be cleaned up. From what I later heard from the human slave who revived me, those guards were slaughtered for making us live like that and for wasting eight female lives.

I forced myself to push back the bile that found its way into my throat and thought of happier times. The farm was really not as bad as what some might experience. The place where I stayed was one of the better ones. We had running water most of the time, there was a TV in the dining hall where we could see what was going on in the world while we waited. Both men and women were there, but not many relationships seeded. What was the point if we were all going to be separated anyways? If a woman was to get pregnant from a man the man would be killed and so would the child, so there was no point in trying.

I had seen a few couples be broken up, and it was always hard on everyone. We wanted the relationships to work, but the hope was always broken. Caught up in my own thoughts I did not hear the door open or close, but sensing that I was being watched I looked up. Gregory stood in front of me, a bag in one hand. “You are defiantly a deep thinker, Kat. Here are some clothes. I think they should fit fine from the measurements the auctioneer told me.” He set down the bag and left before I could say anything again.

“Thanks.” I mumbled to the air. Grabbing the bag, I took it into the bathroom and shut the door. There was no lock, but it would have to do for now. Sitting down on the cold white tile floor I opened the plastic bag. Yes! There was a pair of black skinny jeans and a plain gray, cotton t-shirt. There was also a pair of white ankle socks and new under garments. It made my face hot and flushed to think that he picked them out for me, but maybe he hadn’t. Everything still had tags, as if he had just purchased them, but then again, ha had to have. The show had been that day. It was weird to think that he knew every physical thing about her, but she could get over that.

Surprisingly, everything fit as if she had bought it for herself, back before the vampires took over. The last thing in the back was a pair of soft knee high boots. Their black material was flexible, but sturdy, and was something I had not seen before, but they too fit well.

This was so much better than those terrible clothes the walk had me in. I, not wanting to make a mess, placed the clothes that I had taken off into the bag and brought it back out to the main room. Clean and orderly was how mind worked now. I use to be careless and messy, but after all of my brainwashing servant classes at the farm I guess it just sticks. I swore that I would never turn into one of those robot slaves, but I found myself wondering what would happen if I was to make the room dirty. Would I get whipped like old-time slaved did? Maybe I’d just be killed… No, he thought I was some sort of hybrid creature… a monster… an abomination. I was a mistake… Sleep found me then, griped my mind quickly and sent me into the dark unknown of dreams. I hated falling asleep, but here, I had no choice. My body shut down on that soft bed, pulling my mind down with it.

Gregory came back to check on the girl. She lay sleeping on top of the covers, in her clothes, and snoring softly into the pillow. Her hand, tangled in her own long hair, moved slightly at my presence, but she did not wake. He leaned down and pulled the covers up around her, hoping that she would not wake up, but he snatched his hand with an icy grip. She looked up at him, wide awake now. He raised his eye brows and pulled her hand from his arm, setting it on her side and continued to cover her with the blanket. She rolled over, facing him. “What are you doing?”

“I was just” He cleared his throat. “checking on you. Your heart rate shot up so I was making sure that you were alright. You must have been dreaming.” Gregory spoke softly, gently. “You are alright?

“I’m fine, thanks.” She stared at him through the darkness. She was truly the most amazing creature he had ever seen. Her green eyes seemed to glow, like a cat’s. She propped herself up on her arm, pushing the blanket down a little. “What am I to you?” Her voice was full of sleep, but was clear enough to understand.

“What do you mean?” He pulled the blanket back up and looked around the room. A chair was pushed into the desk on the other side of the bed so he went over and picked it up. Pulling the chair up to the bed, he sat heavily.

“I was told that I’m going to be a slave, a servant,” yawn… “But you have treated me like a regular person. I don’t understand why.” She yawned again and lay back down. “I don’t feel like a slave here.”

“You are but to be a companion for me. I’ve been alone for the last century and a half.” He stared down at her. She was so forward, not timid at all, this one. “I may want you to accomplish some small tasks along the way, but that is not the only reason I needed someone like you. I’ve never had any feelings for any other living creature on this planet, but when I saw you… I knew. I knew that you could teach me to feel, to live again.” He looked uncomfortable, but continued. “Vampires sometimes cannot find love with another of their own. Humans make great companions, and there is nothing wrong with that. Many vampires have many human concubines, slaves, and servants, but I wish to win you over. I don’t want you to feel like a slave here. You are no slave, Kat.”

When he looked back down at her, her eyes were closed, but she was not yet asleep. “Okay.”
“Do you have any other questions for me?” He spoke softly now. He knew that he was losing her to sleep and that she would not continue to respond.

“Not now… tomorrow maybe…” Her heart began to settle down. Sitting there a while longer, Gregory studied the way she slept. She curled up on her side; tossing and turning in her sleep, dreaming. He needed to speak to his father about keeping her as a lover rather than what he had originally planned. Sure, she was prettier than most vampires and humans, but he thought she would be unintelligent and servant-like. One of those servants who were good for nothing but cleaning, that was what he was told, but not what he had expected. Originally when the host was explaining each model he had chosen a different girl. A pretty redhead on the cover of the magazine was his first chose, but when he saw her walk down the stage he knew. He had to be the highest bidder, and he knew that he could out pay anyone. He was a prince in his own rights, and would have what he wanted. That was how he was raised, but even though he really was not that rude. Gregory was really a modest, honest person. He was a bit of a loner however; always looking for the person to complete him, never being successful. He had been searching for over one hundred years.
Now he had the woman of his dreams and she thought she was a slave. Oh how this has turned out. He thought to himself. His father thought he needed a servant, a plaything, but that was not what had happened. The very thing that he had been searching for fell into his lap as if she was always right around the corner. Destiny finally had brought them together, but he wondered if she felt the same connection that he did. If she did not he would let her go, but she had nowhere to go. The farms were no placed for her, and being a slave would get her killed or worse.

There was so much worse than being killed. More than enough reasons to convince Kat to stay, and there is so much Gregory wanted to find out about this hybrid. Her blood called to his like no other like a endless pulsation hammering in his skull. Gregory only took blood on the full moons. That was when the vampires’ bloodlust was the strongest. The full moon called to their hunger, forcing each vampire to feed off human blood. It is what keeps the vampires young, immortal, and strong.

I woke up with a sharp pain in my side. A burning sensation filled my body, consuming my mind, my body, and all the way down to my toes. The full moon, overhead, lay its light down on my skin with an ivory glow. I laced my fingers in the soft sheets, griping and tearing at the fabric. I had felt this pain before, and have felt it every night there has been a full moon. I was told it was a sign of the start of my cycle when I use to go to the doctor, but I always thought it had been something else. It always came in my sleep, and this incident was no different. I knew that the stirring upstairs had to be Gregory. He always seemed to know when my mind or body became stressed.

I wondered how he always knew, but thought that it must be a vampire thing. Sweat beaded on my forehead as I gasped for air. I reached for the blankets, and pulled them to my chin. Ugh. This is going to be a long night. I had been at the house for about two weeks, from what I had been told. Now, as I lay in that bed, I cried for the first time in a long time. I didn’t even want them to come, but it felt peaceful, comforting, to let the tears roll down my face. Pulling my pillow to my cramping stomach I curled up on my side, facing the window.

I heard a quick rasp at the door. He always knocked this way, poking his head through the door, but it did not matter then or now. A sudden burst of pain on my left side caused me to suck in a deep breath. The burning sensation spread to my stomach, but there was no way of getting rid of it. Crying was not going to help. “Please… I’m fine.” I mumbled as the pain moved lower and lower. “Please…”

He did not make a sound as he came to my side, and I had not yet noticed him until I felt the feathery touch on my shoulder. “What do you need?”

I said nothing as another shudder and a sob escaped from my lips. I had no idea where it came from or why, but I let the crying continue as the night dragged on. Gregory knelt on the floor while I cried and rubbed my shoulder and arm with the lightest touch. “Please…”
“Please what?” He asked. I scooted over on the bed and patted next to me. He stood up and gently sat next to me. I rolled onto my back, clutching my pillow to my painful sides. I let it fall and took his hand. I rolled back to facing the window, pulling him with me and hugging his arm to me. His scents, that clean powerful smell, were powerful and comforting.

“The first night is always the worst.” I whispered. “I just need some sleep ‘cause nothing really helps.”

“I might be able to help.” He moved closer and pulled me to him. I was under the blankets, shivering from the fever, while he lay on the blankets holding me close. My heart raced at this moment. Being so close to him made me think of the first time I saw him, sitting on my bed, staring at me. Heat rose to my cheeks and flushed my face, causing me to wiggle a little. I now felt hot under all of the blankets, but I did not want to shake them off.

His hot breath sent chills down my spine. “What are you…?” I was about to say doing, but the words never left my mind, for his lips barely brushed the bare skin on my shoulder. The sensation was the most wonderful feeling I have ever felt in my short life. My pleasure was quickly ended with another explosion of pain in my stomach. The pain caught me off guard. Blinking back tears I leaned into Gregory’s next kiss. This kiss was slightly harder against my skin, more desperate, more intense. “Why?”

“Do you always ask so many questions?” He murmurs, like a purr in my ear. “Hush. Just relax and sleep.” Like a spell, I fell quickly asleep. My eyes drooped and my aches faded as I tumbled, once again, into a deep sleep.


My days began with a routine. Every morning I wake up and lounge around for about an hour, waiting for the sun to come up. I sit and watch the sun rise through the trees while I sketch and draw what unfolds in front of my eyes. Billowing or wispy clouds, trees swaying in the breeze, birds flying off into the distance, and so much more is captured every morning in my journals. Generally I use different kinds of pencils, but lately I have changed my medium to charcoal, my old favorite from college. Gregory encouraged me to find a hobby of some sort, to keep me busy, but drawing was more than that for me. Drawing was what kept me sane during the days. I was not confined to my room now, as I once had, but I was stuck inside and limited to only the library downstairs, the kitchen in the back of the mansion, and the dining area. Sometimes I would sneak around and try to find my way around, but there really was security in the form of other vampires who came and went. This place was a home for many, and getting caught up in any kind of situation could get my guest status severely marked down.
During the day I would help James with any cooking that needed to be done, learning all about how vampires must eat real food along with drinking blood to survive. It really was all very interesting, but most of the time we did not speak other than him scolding me for making a mistake. I had been able to cook some, before all hell broke loose, but my skills where nothing compared to James’s. He was kind when he did speak, that icy tone would melt away. He had been a chief once, at some high end brasserie in New York City, but here he was, stuck in this place. He believed that it was somewhere in the Midwest, but I really had no idea yet. One month really is not long enough to judge seasons. Sometimes James would become father like in my eyes, teaching me, caring about my well being, and loving my company. Sure, that did not make us family, but he was my mentor, my friend.

Today, however, James was not in the kitchen when I made my way downstairs. I waltzed through the doors, pushing them aside idly as I asked what was going to be on the menu. Unfortunately for me, I had come in at a terrible time.
There was so much blood, on the floor, walls, and covering the countertops. I began blinking to make sure what I was seeing was real. Two young girls, probably about my age, lay on the floor. They did not move or act responsive as I slowly approached. I knew the closer one to me was dead. Her chest did not rise and fall and her eyes stared blankly up at nothing. The look of pain on her face was enough to make me gag. Covering my mouth with my hand I knelt down beside her. Her neck had been torn wide open, scratches and slashes ran down her partially revealed torso as well as gore that had soaked through her white dress. I crawled over to the other girl, focusing on her. Her chest did not rise or fall, and when I realized how badly she was torn open I would not have looked, but here I am, staring death in the face. I bit back the bile that crept up in my mouth. Looking down at my hands I noticed just how much blood I had gone through to get to the girls. It dripped off of my hands, landing and staining my new jeans that were soaking up the blood that pooled around the bodies.
I closed my eyes and backed away, bumping into the table and knocking over a vase. It shattered onto the floor, cutting my arm and leg with its missiles. Sucking in a deep breath, I pulled the glass shards from my skin and tried not to be sick. The water had drenched my shirt and arms, washing some of the drying blood. I heard movement from around the corner so I silently scooted over the edge of the table.
I counted to three several times in my mind before I had the courage to look in the direction of the dead girls. When I did I tried not to make a sound when I saw Gregory’s father and one of their guests licking the blood from the floor. I needed to get out of there, but fear froze me in time. The sounds were getting closer so I decided that moving to the door was a must. I was trying to hold my breath and not make a sound, but crunching over the broken glass was not only painful, but louder than what I had expected. “You!” The groggy, drunk sounding vampire reached my ears. No, I thought. I was not going to get bitten now. “Get her!”
I fought to get up off the floor, but my tennis shoes could not grip the slippery tile, causing me to fall again. My heart began to race, causing my once held breath to shake through me in frenzy. The vampire was in front of me before I even made it a couple of feet, but I was not about to give up. “Ohhh… I need her blood…Mm mm” I turned around to see my attackers. The guest had picked up the glass that I had pulled from my arm and was licking it. He licked his bloody lips and focused on me. I began backing up, in a sort of crab walk way, but I did not get far.
“She’s my son’s whore.” Reaching toward me he pulled on my foot. I lashed out and kicked him hard in the face. I really had not meant to hit him. I thought that he would have moved out of the way, but in his drunkenness he had been much too slow. I was really going to get it now. He cursed at me, spitting my name from those red lips.
The father stood over me, shadowing me in his wake. I thumped my arm against the door, and tried to reach for the handle, but there was no use. I was too short to reach the handle sitting down. The guest vampire still sat, licking the blood from the objects around him. His dark features were distorted by the redness of the blood. I shut my eyes and pulled away from his hot breath that snaked its way down my cheek. “I can’t kill her. I’ll just have a taste...” I could feel my heart racing and pounding as if it was trying to escape my chest. “Just a taste…”
I sucked in a shuddering breath, “No!” My voice was surprisingly strong. It surprised not only me, but the father as well. He leaned back from my face.
“What did you just say to me?” Then with an explosion of pain in my temple everything went black. I resided in my mind, talking to myself about what I thought was going on. I thought that maybe I had been killed, but then where was I now. Some limbo that people use to think was heaven? No, this was nothing. I could see myself as if I was directing a movie. I could see, hear, and feel, but it was like an out of body experience, and it was unlike anything I had ever experienced.
I closed my eyes and say on the dark ground beneath me. It was not hot, cold, or warm. It felt smooth like tile, but there was still that nothingness. I heard a rustling behind my ears, feathers maybe. Reaching back I felt the wings that I had often dreamed of. Black closest to my body, fading to grey, and then to a brilliant white on the ends of each feather was how they always appeared. I must be dreaming to have these, and it would make a lot of sense to be dreaming, but how much had been a part of the dream. The dead girls’ faces were everywhere when I shut my eyes. Blonde, super model looking girls, with striper styled clothing. They must have been two of the many slaves that belonged to Gregory’s father. I had tried to stay away from him and his savageness, but this had backfired immensely. Now I was going to be killed if it had not already happened but was this really the end. My life had not been pointless. Sure, I had made some mistakes, but this was not what I had expected would be my after death.
I had never loved, but wait… I had felt a bud, a rose bud of love that had the potential to bloom. Gregory has been the closet thing I had to a love, but he was one of them. How could he have been so pure when raised by his father? There had been a strong connection between him and I. If it was love, I did not truly know, and would likely never find out, but there was still the possibility that this was a dream. But then, Gregory could have been a part of that, and I would lose him forever if I were to wake. What a situation I was in. My wings surrounded me, like a nest, and held me together, or surely I would fall into this nothingness.
I yelled to have my voice projected back at me as laughter, my own insane laughter of what this was. My mind was going to drive me mad if I could not wake up. I began pinching myself, running around until my side hurt, but the blurred vision of the real world dissipated as I stopped. What was this place?
“Rest, Katlyn.” A deep voice that snapped my mind to attention purred in the distance.
“No…” I had to get out of there. The dark was overpowering, and I had an irrational fear of the dark, solid darkness where there is no light, no objects. Just I and it were all that was left in this place. Death came in the form of darkness, and I was not ready to die. Every time I thought I was faced with the option of death I had prepared myself, but I was never really ready to leave this place. It was not in my nature to give up, not in my soul. I screamed Gregory’s name into the darkness. I half expected to hear my own laughter again, but this time he appeared ahead of me. “Don’t leave me here!” I cried into the space between us. He appeared to be walking towards me, his legs moving, but the gap seemed to be opening up. A wind caught my hair, pushing me forward. There was wind here?
Go after him, child.
A soft woman’s voice whispered in my ear. I swirled around, almost falling, but there was no one there. “Please…” I whispered. Gregory was fading in the distance; trees were sprouting and growing at an alarming rate. Bushes with fingers snatched at my feet as I ran. My shoes made no sound on the ground, but my breath slapped against my ears in the silence. “Gregory!” I screamed, almost losing my footing as a branch leaned down to snag in my long hair.
He began running in my direction, but my vision was going black, my heart was giving out along with my legs, and my mind was slipping into the darkness. “Keep running!” He yelled to me. The sound of his voice made me run faster and pushed me to go harder. I can do this. I can’t stay in here any longer. I ran into him, jumping into his arms, and when I hit the ground I opened my eyes. No longer was I in that place, but in my bed. I sat up and touched my face. A huge tender place was swollen on my entire cheek. It was a bruise for sure. I tried to swing my legs over the bed, but my body was slow and groggy. My neck hurt and ached, but it was nothing compared to the dizziness I felt coursing through my mind.
I slowly made my way to the bathroom; I stumbled and tripped over nothing several times as I opened the door. The light was off, and I left it that way. I was afraid to look at my face after what I had felt, but I knew it was bad. I ended up having to crawl across the floor to the toilet where I threw up what little was in my stomach. The bathtub was empty so I put the plug in and turned the hot water knob all the way on. Hopefully this won’t take long to heat up. I slowly striped out of my bloodied clothes, hoping that most of it was not my own. My clothes were ruined, torn, bloody, and full of memories that I wished to not bring up for a very long time. I shivered in the cold air. Steam was wayfaring up from the pouring water so I decided to climb in and soak. I had seen people expire, I had seen bloodied and damaged bodies, hell, I’d seen decomposing bodies, but those two girls remained in my mind every time I closed my eyes. The scolding water slowly rose around me, heating my body slowly. The fear of being alone was gone, but the fear of Gregory’s father remained fresh in my thoughts. There was no escaping his rage, and I discerned it to come sooner or later. All I hoped for was for Gregory to get back from his trip. He was only to be gone two days, but I had no idea what time it was, or what day.
The water filled the tub, covering all but my head, and splashing out every time I moved. Turning the water off, I sank lower in the water so that it was up to my nose. The heat fought against my shivering body, causing my muscles to relax, but I could feel my pulse in the hot bruise on my left cheek. My teeth hurt, and it felt like I had a cut on the inside of my gum on that side as well from whatever I had gotten hit with. I held my breath and sunk underneath the water. Keeping my eyes closed I mentally erased every memory of the attack from my mind. It was better to forget than to think about it over and over again. I had done this several times before, and I had the feeling that this was not going to be the last. However this all would end, I knew that my life had meant something.
I began scrubbing myself, working the dried blood from my hair, arms, neck, and chest. Being dark, I could not tell how much blood had come off in the water, but I began draining it so that I could fill it up with clean water. It had to be stained red, but with no lights I did not have to see it. I was alright; I was going to be alright this time. It was all just a distant memory. Once the water was back to overflowing I sank back underneath the water. This time the water felt even hotter than before. Steam rose from the surface, curling around me. Dunking my head under the water I held my breath as long as I could. I came up gasping for air, sending water all over the floor. At least the water was hiding my tears. I was not crying because I was hurt, but more for the girls who were killed. They had no choice, for humans cannot fight off the vampires. They were too strong, too fast, too everything while humans remained inferior.
I swore then, to myself, that I would not take this lightly. I would not put myself through that again. I drug myself back under the water, scrunching up on the bottom of the tub, letting the water caress every pain, every hurt, and every memory. I opened my eyes under the water. It was clear enough that I could make out the shelf above the tub, but that was really it in the dim light. I again began holding my breath for as long as I could. I slowly blew out little bits of air to stay under the water longer. I watched each bubble make its way to the surface before I slowly sat up. The water poured off of my skin, drenching the floor in my wake. I stretched up with my arms, but I felt ripping in my back; I cringed away from the slight pain. Arching my back I felt it again. My tight skin hurt and was swollen down both sides of my spine. The swollen lines started in-between my shoulder blades and ran about half way down my back. It must be scratches…
I dunked under again, running my hands through my hair and getting out all of the knots and tangles. I had always loved how my hair felt under the water. It was softer and lighter than silk in its finest form. I looked up at the ceiling again and counted to ten. My chest felt tight, but letting the tiny bubbles come from my nose and mouth allowed me to stay under longer again. This time, when I sat up, a cold draft went right through me. I looked around myself in the dark. The bathroom door stood open, but no one was there. It was enough for me to hurriedly grab a towel. Slightly dunking it into the water as I put it on, I rose and stepped from the tub.
The water dripped from me and the towel as I walked across the floor. Once in my closet, I counted to ten before I stepped into my room. The light was on, and the wind had to be coming from the window. It stood ajar. The white curtains blew like hair in the wind. It moved up and down in a wave motion.
I moved toward it, but turned to the door. It was shut with Gregory leaning against it. My pounding heart raced on even faster as I saw him. His eyes were cast down and averted away. What is he going to do with me now? I turned around and moved towards the screen. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know you were in here…” I pulled the wet towel around me tighter and moved behind the screen. I had left a large t-shirt and sweatpants on the floor from the other day so I quickly slipped them on over my wet skin. “I’m sorry.” I whispered. I was not sure what else to say. I had walked in on something I was not meant to see, hit his father, and woke up beaten. What was there to say?
I stood behind the curtain and tried to slow my heart, but there was no real use. I felt warmth on my back, felt his arms move around my waist, and felt his breath in my hair. The next thing I knew, Gregory was carrying me like a child. He opened the door easily and walked down the hall. James had been standing outside of my room. His worried face turned to ease as he saw me awake. I tried to struggle against Gregory, but he just held me tighter to his chest. “Where are we going?”

“You really ask too many questions.” His voice was not harsh, but did not have the playful note I had heard so much of before.
He took me up the next flight of stairs. Here the stairs opened up into a large living area with a few couches and TVs. There were many exotic animal mounts and décor. I strained to see everything, but Gregory continued to take me down a separate hallway off to the side of that room. We passed several doors and halls which led to other parts of the house, but I had never been this far yet and could only guess what lay hidden in those rooms. Perhaps he was going to punish me, maybe kill me? No, He was not going to do that. I had felt the connection we shared, and I knew that he was not that ruthless.
My wet hair began drenching my black t-shirt, causing goose bumps to show up on my arms. He took me into a dark room. There was a large bed, bigger than a king size, with bookshelves and easels set up. This must be one of Gregory’s rooms. He had several that he used for many different things. This was like a studio. He had paintings and drawings up all over the walls on setting, ready to be created. It was too dark to see what everything was at the time however. He walked over to the far side of the room, where the unmade bed lay, setting me down gently. I shivered in the cold room as he went over to the thermostat on the wall. He had turned the heater on and I was immediately blasted with a surge of hot air.
As if he knew, “Don’t say anything.” He gentle pushed me down on the bed. Making me lay flat. “Let me have a look at the damage.” He leaned over me and flipped on the lamp that sat on the nearby desk.
I winced as he pushed on my cheek, but it was not the worse I had felt. He then moved down to my neck. A look of anger flashed across his face as I stole a glance at him. His blonde hair fell in his eyes. “…I’m” My words were cut off abruptly by one look from Gregory. “He pushed on my neck then rubbed it in small circles. “Ouch…” I tried to pull away but he held my head with one hand, forcing me to sit still while he continued to rub my neck. “That hurts.” The pain was enough to make me speak again, but he did not seem to hear me. “Please…”
He moved so fast that he was a blur for a second, and he ended up over top of me. He leaned down and gently kissed my forehead. As he did this, my pain subsided for a brief moment, but returned as quickly as his lips left. He pulled at the large t-shirt, exposing more of my neck. Another look of anger filled his face and he traced my veins.
“Where else do you hurt?” He stood back from me, looking me over from the front. He shook his head as he studied my bruised face. I turned my head so he would not have to see, hiding it. When I did not speak her gentle cupped my chin. “Please tell me if he hurt you. I just want to help you.” His words were gentle, soothing.
“My back…” I sat up and moved to the edge of the bed. While keeping my front covered I lifted the back of my shirt up to show him the lower part of my back. The tender swollen marks were still there, causing cramps and spasms in my shoulders. He came closer, examining the damage. He lifted my shirt higher until the back rested on the back of my neck. The coldness was numbing despite the heater running. “Is it bad?”
“I’m not sure.” He traced over the bumps, causing chills to run up and down my spine. His warm hands barely touched me. “I don’t know what caused this… It doesn’t look like scratches, nor are they bite marks or burns.” Bite marks? Had I been bitten somewhere, maybe my neck had been bitten while I was knocked out? It would explain some.
“I really am fine.” I shoved my shirt back down and pulled away from his touch. I tried to stand up, but he lifted me off my feet and settled me into one of the large loveseats in the room. The material was soft and warm. I was not sure what to do. I may be a companion for him, but this was of odd circumstances.
“My father and his brother don’t remember anything from last night. You got very lucky last night, Katlyn.” His voice was scalding, as if I was a child. He called me by my real name. “I’ll make sure not to leave you alone here anymore. I cannot take any chances of you getting hurt. You are lucky they didn’t kill you.” He shoved a desk which flew into the wall, sending everything flying and breaking against the walls and floor. “He bit you.” I did not know what to do or say. My worst fear had come true. I had been bitten. I was unconscious for it at least, but it did not change the fact that he had a taste of my blood. “He will always know the smell of your blood now… He’ll crave it because he couldn’t drain you dry. Do you understand that?!” He yelled as he slammed his fist down on the table, splintering the solid oak. “He is my father, which is the only reason you are still alive… You shouldn’t still be alive from all he took, but here you are. Obviously the vampire in you has been a benefit.”
“If it had been anyone else, I swear, I would have killed them on the spot.” His eyes flashed with anger, bust softened when he changed his focus on my face. “I was worried that I was going to lose you.”
I stayed curled up in the seat, but looked deeply into his eyes. He came over to me and touched my uninjured cheek. “I didn’t know what to do, and it happened so quickly…” I closed my eyes and relaxed against his hand for a second.

The next thing I knew I was laying on the bed. My head rested against a plush pillow as I rolled on my side. Gregory’s thick arms enfolded me. He was pulling me close as I relaxed to sleep. “I said I was sorry.”

“I know. It wasn’t your fault anyways… Just relax and get some sleep. We both need it.” His anger had subsided for now as he closed his eyes. “I’ll keep you safe at night now. This way he can’t hurt you again.” He brushed his fingers along my bite. It had begun to burn with an intense feeling that had begun to spread down my neck and into my chest. Gregory said that it would be fine, that the burning was normal. Vampires have venom that spreads into their victim. Normally this relaxes the prey, making them sleep, but if it is another vampire, their own venom reacts with it. I guess that I had my own venom that kept me from fading completely.

There was so much that I didn’t know about vampires; there so much that I didn’t know about myself. Gregory was going to have me either sleep in his room at night or him in my room since his father does most of his feeding at night. During the day Gregory is going to have guards to insure my safety. Gregory’s reaction to the whole situation was not what I had expected. I did not believe he would take my side, to protect me from his own father, but here he was, ensuring my safety.

His father was supposed to be leaving for a business trip at the end of the week. Hopefully he being away will allow for me to heal and for his thirst to die down. I was fearful of what would happen next time we were to meet. I could put it off for a while, but it was bound to happen. He did not remember the night before last. He had been too drunk, along with his friend. That friend would likely come after me, so I was told by Gregory. Since they both had tasted my blood, but I had not been killed. The marks on my back were still a mystery, but they did not hurt now. James had cleaned up my room and had gotten rid of my old clothes that I had left in the bathroom.

I still felt fear about living in this house. Though I knew that nothing would be done to me right away, I just knew that my punishment would be coming. I should not have lashed out at the old vampire. Now I was going to be haunted by my fear for a while. “Go to sleep…” He moved from the bed onto the couch. “We have too much to do tomorrow to be tired.”

“Like what? I have not left the house since I was brought here… I have nothing to do but lounge around. What are you going to be doing?” I sighed and moved so that I was lying on my stomach, holding my head up on my hands.

You are coming with me to a few meetings with some Elders. I plan on introducing you to a close friend of mine; one of my only friends. He runs the Elder’s library in Indianapolis. It’s a couple hour drive from here, but it’s a straight shot. My grandfather wants to meet you, and the Elders have to see you. Kat, I’m a prince. They want to make sure that I have chosen a proper mate… I know that sounds terrible, but I don’t know how else to explain it.”

“What happens when they do not approve of me?”

“They will not. They know what you are, and they may be able to shed a little light on what exactly you are. There is nothing that gets passed them.” He sighed and stretched out on the couch, pulling a throw blanket over him. “You really do ask too many questions sometimes. Go on to sleep.”

I rolled over on my back at looked up at his textured ceiling. There was no way I was going to be able to sleep. His rectangular window pushed out towards the outside, so I crept from the bed and perched myself in the window. It was cold, but it made me feel more alive. I glanced over my shoulder at Gregory. His eyes were closed, but he was not asleep. I touched the glass, watching it fog up from my breath. On nights like these I use to sneak outside and look up at the stars, studying the moon, and waiting to see the world come alive around me.

When I was sure Gregory had fallen asleep I gently unlatched the window. It swung open and was large enough for me to duck through easily. The roof was slightly slick, but I easily dropped down to the level a few feet below me. I squatted and studied my surroundings. There many levels on this roof, some with plenty of windows while others had none. I saw no security cameras so I laid down, soaking in the moonlight. It was a soothing thing, relaxing and fresh.

I had just shut my eyes when I heard a soft thud by my ear. “You are one of the oddest humans I have ever met.” I smiled at his voice.

“You just have not met many of us as you have me. If you should know, when I cannot sleep it helps me to relax to be in direct moonlight; it helps more than I could have ever explained to my family. I use to scare them when I’d climb from my room out on the roof. It never mattered what time of year it was, or if it was raining either.” I smiled to myself, remembering some happy times I had at one of the faster homes I had stayed in.

I felt his lips on mine then. He was gentle and quick. I opened my eyes to see him leaning over me. “Kiss me again.” I whispered. His upside-down kiss brought heat to my entire body. My cheeks felt flushed as I touched his cheek. He held my face in his hands and he pulled away. I lay there, staring up at him. “Thank you.”

“For what?” He looked up at the moon and let go of me.

“Please don’t leave.” I quickly sat up and grabbed at him. That’s when I knew I was falling. My entire body began sliding down the shingles. Scratched at the shingles, but he easily grabbed onto my hand and pulled me into his arms. I was breathing hard and my heart raced with the sudden fear, but it quickly receded.

“Be more careful, Kat...” There was a long pause before he spoke again. “Looking into your eyes is like watching the sun rise. You have a fire, a light inside you that captivates me soul. “Do you want to be here?”

“What?” I pulled away slightly to look into his eyes. He gripped me harder and took a running leap from the roof. I screamed as I felt us fall. My stomach made its way up into my chest. At least that’s what it felt like. He landed easily with me in his arms. Before I could suck in a shuddered breath he took off running. It was impossibly fast and the surrounding woods passed by in a blur. I tried to yell, but I could hardly breathe as he took me through the trees. When he stopped I was alone, sitting in the dirt. Eyes watering, I quickly wiped it away and looked around me. Here the darkness was surrounding me, pushing in on me from all sides. I heard something coming from behind me, but before I could stand all the way I was swept off my feet.

I tried pulling away from Gregory, but he would not let me go as he took me further into the forest. Then I was let go. I stumbled to the ground, gasping for air, but I used the momentum to lift me to my feet. What is he doing?

I was getting angry now. My eyes were trying to adjust to the pitch blackness, but I could not seem to focus on anything yet. I heard movement to my right and prepared myself. Closing my eyes I centered in on the sound and sidestepped from Gregory as he ran through. He barely brushed me that time, scratching my shirt, tarring it. “Hey!” I yelled after him, but he was coming back. He stole my first kiss and now he was fighting me. What the Hell? This time I dropped to my knees as he reached for me, and I took off running. He easily grabbed me from behind and began running with me, moving me into his arms. I hit the ground hard this time, skinning me knee on the rocky ground. We were near a large creek or river. He immediately stopped and stared down at my knee. Oh god… “What the hell is wrong with you?!” I screamed at him. My back was hurting and I felt a wetness forming. “Do what you want with me and you will mean nothing?”

He gripped my throat, licking his lips. When I looked into his eyes I saw red, like his fathers. Fear scarred my mind and my fear had me fighting against his tightening grip. His voice had changed. This is his father, and I was going to die. Gasping for air the morphing vampire lifted me off my feet. He threw me and I landed awkwardly on my arm, pulling something in my shoulder from the pain. When his fingers traced over the bruise on my face I bit his hand as hard as I could until I could taste blood in my mouth. He hit me hard then, but I felt my back tearing like it had before. What was happening to me?

Kat woke up screaming. She had wings from her back, long multicolored wings that were twice her body length. Her eyes were red, as if she had just fed, and blood trickled from her lip. Her eyes were unseeing as she ripped at her back, and struggled against her dream. “Kat!” She immediately looked him in the eyes and came to herself. He stood in front of her, holding her steady as she shook. Her wings were black and white; they moved with her shoulders as she flexed. They retracted toward her back as he pulled the rest of her tattered shirt away from her back.