Red BxB ~ Rewritten

Prologue

New cover. Fresh start. I hope at least. That is Red by the way.

I have also heard if you write a prologue, you should write an epilogue. So, there will be one..... eventually.

Take two.

~~~

Bang.

The sound echoes through my tiny cell, both jolting me awake and foreshadowing the pain that will undoubtedly follow in its wake.

Not a minute later, I'm jerked up by my unkept black mane. Torn clothes hang loosely around my body, not doing much to hold warmth or even to hide anything from wandering eyes. My hands are bound together by the wrists with an uncomfortable thin ring. My mouth is also bound; only with a metal mask that covers half my face. Bruises cover skin, which long ago used to have an ivory color before constant uncleanliness took its toll.

My tired gaze meets jade green orbs filled with hatred and disgust. I still remember the days when they used to hold love and gentleness. How stupid I was to believe in such emotions.

"You have another customer, blood bag." Alexus sneers. She shoves me toward the door; making me struggle to catch my balance due to loss of blood. I don't know how long it was when she last harvested as much blood as she can from me, but I'm still feeling the effects. She takes my blood so she may drink it, and extend her life. And every once in a while, when she needs money, she sells me to the highest werewolf bidder for a night.

She makes them swear to the moon goddess not to draw my blood and to not return me before the sun rises. Besides these rules, they do as they please.

Alexus drags me down the corridor as I try to guess this customer's intentions. There are only three types of buyers that usually come after me:

1) Someone who just wants to f*ck a vampire, so they can brag that they've topped one. These are the worst in my opinion. They try too hard to dominate when I could snap their necks quicker than a hummingbird can flap its wings if it weren't for that d*mn bloodbond.

2) Someone who wants to try to break their oath, and take my blood. These are common, due to the high value put on my blood. Alexus usually ends up cursing them out, which I find slightly amusing.

3) The kind that just want someone to fear them. They want me to just stand there and intimidate the other party. These wolves are the least common.

I guess two just as I'm flung I into the usual meet room. I quickly gain my balance once more and look up, my indifferent mask covering my face as always. I don't hesitate to meet the wolf's gaze; silently displaying defiance.

"This will be your caretaker until dawn. You will not hurt him in any way, shape, or form. Is that understood?" Alexus asks. I don't fight the bond as it forces me to nod in compliance.

The bond was formed when I was young and stupid. I fell in love with Alexus; the forbidden love was exhilarating. My father, who trained me from birth to one day take the throne, hadn't known about it until it was too late. I made the mistake of trusting Alexus with both my blood and my name.

That's all it takes for a Pureblood to fall from the top to the very bottom. Pureblood vampires are like the noble humans were. We were born vampire and are therefore much stronger than your average turned vampire. It was my bloodline's turn to reign when I fell from grace. I wonder who took the throne, because I'm sure whoever did so has heard of where I have been.

The wolf takes out a leash and a collar, which he promptly puts on me. How funny a dog putting me on a leash, I muse dryly. He jerks the leash and I'm forced to trail behind him.

-Some time later-

The wolf has placed me in a black cloak and has hidden the leash from sight. There are two other wolves with him now. These wolves stand just out of my reach.

"Do not speak." The wolf instructs, sparing me a sideways glance. I don't give him a visible response, so he continues. "You're here to make a false deal, nothing more. If you reveal our true intentions, I will make you regret it."

Doubtful.

He knocks and waits, but he doesn't have to wait long because the door opens to reveal a man with dark gold eyes, and choppy brown hair.

Vampire. My senses hiss. I study man as he studies the group carefully. Yes. He has the aura. His gaze lands on me and he studies me longer than he had the wolves, because he seems to be searching my eyes for something. Too bad there is nothing to find within them.

"We're here to exchange this leach for a place to rest and information on the rebellion." The wolf says. The vampire glances at the wolf briefly before continuing to search my gaze. His gaze was intense, but I refuse to back down. Finally, he turns his attention to the wolf.

He's suddenly in front of the wolf with a sword protruding from his gut. He gasps for air, but isn't able to fill his lungs with oxygen. The vampire mutters, "Did you really think I wouldn't be able to look past the sorcery that helps you smell as a different species, hunter?"

The vampire slides the sword back out of the wolf and in a flash, he has the other two hunters, I presume, bleeding on the lawn of his moderately large, Victorian styled house. He then turns to me, curiosity in his eyes.

"Would mind telling me how a Pureblood managed to be in the presence of hunters without slaughtering them?" He asks. I don't answer at first, still not possessing what just happened.

I'm free. The promise will never come to pass and I will never have to return. A wave of emotions hits me, almost knocking me off my feet.

I'm free.

Free.

"Hello?" The vampire's voice brings me back. For the first time in centuries, the edge of my lips pulls up ever so slightly. I take a deep breath, the wolf's words surround me.

"Do not speak."

This no longer applies to me. I can do as I wish. I don't have to follow another order. I focus on the vampire who, possibly unknowingly, set me free. A debt as this must be repaid. And with this thought in mind, I get down on one knee and place my right fist just under my left shoulder.

I bow my head subtly and reply, "From this day forward you have earned my undying loyalty, and I will serve under you until my debt is paid or until death finds me."

~~~

And the story begins.

What do you think?

-BeAuthentic