London,
England, 1865
I was led through the streets of London to a street I had never seen before. This street held houses twice as extravagant as mother’s and father’s. I stared up at the large house as we stopped in front of it. What nightmares were hidden behind the walls?
“When you live two hundred years you build up quite the funds,” he explained.
“How were you able to live in such luxury and go unnoticed through the years?” I questioned Charles.
“Well you hop from the court every time a new king is crowned. Stay on the sidelines so other courts don’t notice you, but stay in view of the King and Queen so that you become favorite and get glorious titles. It’s actually quite easy. Oh, and every time someone from another court recognizes you, put a swift end to them,” he explained as we walked up the path to the glorious house. I grimaced at the last part, but his plan seemed logical.
We stepped inside the house and a maid appeared in front of us. I examined the girl, she seemed to be about sixteen.
“Take Miss Isabelle up to the spare bedroom and find her some clothes to wear,” Charles ordered the girl.
The girl nodded eagerly and took me by the hand. She led me up a flight of wooden stairs. We past portraits of Charles and sometimes pictures of multiple landscapes. It seemed like Charles greatly admired himself.
Finally we stopped in front of a wooden door. She nodded at me and opened the door. “This will be your living quarters for however long Master Charles sees fit. The maids will be here every morning to help you dress for the day. I will be back to help you wash and dress for dinner,” the young girl explained and left.
I stepped into the room and examined the room. A wooden bed frame sat in the middle of the room, taking up most of the space. A wooden wardrobe stood off to one side of the bedroom. There was a door leading to another room, which I assumed was where the bath tub would be located. A single tall candle stood on the night table.
Where was I? Had I just walked into my own doom or was this truly my only escape?
A knock sounded at the door. I walked over to the center of the room. The door opened to reveal the maid holding a gown in her arms. She attempted to walk past me to stand next to the door that I thought led to the bathing area.
When she walked past me though I saw something that caught my eye. My hand shot out from my side to land on her shoulder. She stopped and turned around to look at me, her eyes questioning.
“What is that,” I questioned her as I gestured to the two small cuts on her neck.
“Oh, that nothing just something Charles did,” she giggled. I was disgusted, but nodded as if it was okay. On the inside though questions swirled in my head.
Did that mean she was a vampire too? After all one bite was all it took to turn me into a monster.
We proceeded to get me cleaned up and somehow manage myself into a proper gown, which I had not worn in almost five years. When I had been in the bath I had looked down to see the clean water, but it hadn’t been clean anymore. Instead a thick layer of soot had gathered on the top of the water.
I grimaced at the result of living on the streets for so long. Soon though I was ready to attend dinner with ‘Master Charles’.
YOU ARE READING
The Scent Of Roses
VampireIsabelle Staten, a four hundred and thirty year old vampire just trying to get on with her afterlife. She has been witness to horrors that many cannot even imagine. Isabelle thinks she has finally found something normal when she moves to a small tow...
