Pallido

One

Peter was tense the entire ride. He didn't tell us where we were going but he didn't have to.

His knuckles, though already white, were even more pale on the steering wheel. He didn't say a word the entire ride.

None of us said anything, either. Our thoughts and fears were taking over. We were all thinking the same thoughts, all afraid of the same things. I was sure Peter was, too.

When Peter got off the freeway and headed into the capitol, he pulled up to a toll booth with a vampire inside the booth. The vampire wore sunglasses and his hands were covered with gloves. I assumed he worked the daylight shifts as well.

Peter wound his window down and showed his license before the guard let us through.

He drove for about two miles, past boarded up schools, torched houses, and vacant cars before he pulled up outside a large mansion. There was a steel fence around the property and shrubs in different animal shapes surrounded the driveway. There were multiple cars already parked there, all expensive and heavily tinted. Around the mansion, nothing was out of place or ugly. Everything else, though, didn't fair as well.

Peter parked the car but didn't get out. He stared straight ahead, his expression neutral. "I'm sorry they're taking you from me. I have truly enjoyed my time with each of you."

Chloe reached across the gear shift and squeezed his hand. She was scared, she had to be, but she was trying to help him not be. It was such a sweet gesture it left him speechless. It left us all speechless.

He got out of the car and opened Emily's door. Then he went around and opened Chloe's, then mine.

He enveloped Chloe in a hug, burying his face in her hair. He whispered something to her but I couldn't hear it. Then he did the same to Emily and Mya. Then it was my turn.

He hugged me, his cold hands just briefly touching the bare skin of my back. "Don't let them kill you if you can help it."

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The five of us then headed up the front steps. The porch held dozens of plants, all various sizes and types. The front door was a dark oak wood with a gold knob. It definitely described the royal people who lived inside.

Once inside, was a large staircase that led to an invisible hallway upstairs. The foyer smelled like flowers. Everything inside was also white and there weren't any pictures on the walls. It seemed like an impersonal place to stay, like the people didn't plan on keeping memories while there.

Peter seemed to know where he was going, as if he'd been there before. He led us under the stairs to a hallway. There was only one door on the left before the hallway opened up to a large room. It was a meeting room. There were plush, black chairs, holding five men in them. There was only room for one more person at the large table. The men sitting there were all vampires.

The man at the head of the table rose to his feet and gestured for us to enter. "Nice to see you, Mr. Bryan."

Peter said nothing but kept his expression neutral. I knew he wasn't happy.

"Let's get started, shall we?" The man sat back down and folded his hands in his lap.

Peter's jaw set and he crossed his arms over his chest. He didn't sit down.

The man pursed his lips before speaking. "I've called you here because it has come to my attention that these four gentlemen do not have slaves. They have requested that I find young girls-"

"Why from me?" Peter asked, narrowing his eyes slightly. "There are vampires with a hell of a lot more than I have."

"Yes, but you were the youngest we had selected from."

"I'm not the youngest vampire. I can't be."

"We're sorry, Peter." He didn't sound sorry. None of them looked it either.

"This is a mistake."

"We don't make mistakes." The man said, holding Peter's gaze. His voice was firm and the room became icy.

One of the men, one of the vampires, looked over at me, his eyes narrowed.

I shrank back where I was, glad Chloe was standing in front of me. I was hoping that vampire wasn't the one taking me.

He cracked his knuckles and cleared his throat, focusing the attention back on the task at hand.

"Yes, alright. Let's get this sorted out so we can all move on with our lives."

Peter shifted from one foot to another and I could feel my hands starting to sweat.

The man lifted a letter from the table and read from it one sentence at a time. "Chloe goes to... Mr. Reynolds."

Chloe stepped forward, her head held high. She hardly looked nervous. Then again, she'd been Peter's favorite. She could make anyone love her.

One of the vampires, a tall man with long, silver hair, stood up and moved away from the chair he'd been in. His gray suit was ironed neatly and definitely looked expensive.

Chloe walked over to him and he pushed her down into the chair, putting his hands on her shoulders, claiming her right in front of Peter.

The man read off Mya's name, then Emily's, and then it was my turn. There was only one vampire left, aside from Peter, and it was the one who'd glared at me earlier. The one who, most likely, didn't want me.

"And Sydney will be with Mr. Adams."

The vampire stood up and walked over to me, a menacing look on his face. "This is going to be fun."