PICTURE OF KAT -------------->
“What do you have that would please my son?” a commanding male voice boomed and echoed off the stone walls in the other room where the soft glow of candle light could be seen. I pushed myself further into the darkest corner of the pitch black, unlit room I was held in.
Around me I could hear several gasps of fear and the shuffle of what little cloth each of us had on as some hugged themselves closer to a friend or whatever in comfort. I just wrapped my arms around my knees and tried to make myself as tiny as I possibly could, not wanting to do anything but die right then and there. In fact that’s all I had ever wanted ever since I had come to this place.
“Of course, sire, we have plenty of pretty females around the prince’s age. Do you have any particular image in mind sire?” Harold, the one who kidnapped every girl in the room with me and the one who did practically anything he wanted with us, said cheerily.
“No, but she has to at least be slightly pretty.” The commanding voice said once more.
There were no more words spoken as the tall form of Harold barged through the heavy wooden door suddenly, his movements quick and graceful just like every other person of his species. His excited grey eyes darted about the room with an urgency that made fear pump through my blood with every swift beat my heart pounded. His eyes landed on a young red head that had been crouched alone on the far side of the room. He said nothing as he suddenly appeared beside her, jerking her roughly up to her feet and hissing at her as she shied away. She opened her mouth to say something but his hand came across her face faster as he slapped her.
Tears streamed down her face as a bruise already began forming and I felt my eyes water in fear. He dragged her out of the door, which shut not a second later with a loud thud, leaving utter silence. All of us waited tensely, each one of us afraid to even so much as breath for fear of being singled out.
Not a minute later he returned by throwing the red head on the stone floor and stalking back in behind her, ignoring her whimpering and scanning the room once again for a victim. His sickly excited gaze turned to me and studied me for a moment before he sauntered over with long stride, the corners of his mouth turned ever so slightly to display a smirk.
Once he reached me and leaned down to look at me for a moment. “What are you doing trying to hide a pretty face like that?” his voice was low and held a taunting edge to it.
My breath came in short, ragged gasps and I tried my best to hide my fear but I know it was extremely apparent because he smiled evilly before grasping one of my arms and tossing me across the room as if I were nothing more than a small pebble being tossed into a stream.
I cried out in agony as he jerked me up and slapped my face hard. I felt blood run down my chin and I tensed, trying not to think of the things he would and could do to me. He eyed the small flow of the warm red liquid with almost an eager look about him. I sniffled and it seemed to bring him back to reality as he snarled at me and dragged me through the door in the same way as he had done earlier to the last girl. When we reached the candle lit room he threw me forwards and I landed on my knees and hands with a gasp of pain.
I opened my eyes to see a pair of shiny black shoes that I knew had to be expensive. I raised my gaze slowly to see what I figured to be the man with the commanding voice. He was older and had graying hair that was fixed in a businesslike manner, his face strict and highly critical.
He seemed to be studying me thoughtfully and I felt a thrill of fear go through me. At least if I stayed here I knew what I would get and what would happen, but if he chose me I could be walking to my execution.
“What’s your name girl?” he asked in a curious but still commanding tone.
Fear charged through me like a pack of hungry wolves, devouring every ounce of courage I had in my being. “K… Ka… Katerina.” I choked out.
I cringed as I heard Harold hiss in displeasure but the other man ignored him, remaining silent for several moments before looking up at Harold who stood behind me. “I’ll take her, she seems obedient enough.”
Tears came to my eyes and fell freely as the fact that I hadn’t a clue about anything in my near future settled over me. I didn’t have any more time to reflect on that fact though as Harold jerked me to my feet, shoving me against the far wall and latching a bright red leather collar around my neck, handing the chain to the other man who in exchange handed a handful of money to Harold.
I kept my eyes downcast and on my feet as I continued to cry in silence and my heart beat faster than I thought possible. I felt like a cornered rodent just before the predator dove in for the kill. I tensed in fear as a light tug came on the chain, pulling me forward to follow the man who led me.
“Well my dear, you are going to be my son, Prince Zane’s, eighteenth birthday gift. I’m sure he’ll be quite pleased with you, after all you are very pretty and I’m sure you’ll look even better once we get you cleaned up.” He said gently.
I remained silent, dread coursing through me, would this ever end? All I wanted was to return to my normal sixteen year old life with my family. Was that so much to ask? Not to mention I was going to be the gift of the prince, what had I done that was horrible to deserve this?
The man, I assumed had to be the king of their kind, sighed and quickened his pace. I followed clumsily, tripping now and then on my unsteady legs. We reached a limousine and he directed me to get into the back seat in front of him.
I managed to step into the long car without raising the undersized piece of dirty cloth that wrapped around my torso and upper legs, just barely large enough to cover the most private parts of my body. I sat down in the floor, not wanting to be punished for something I had known better about.
Things were silent for a moment before the man turned to me, his voice sharp. “Before we reach the house there are rules you must know and get used to. One- you must obey every command given by my son, two- never complain about anything he orders you to do, and three- do not try to run away unless you wish for severe punishments. You are nothing more than a slave and will remain that for the rest of your life.”
I said nothing and didn’t dare move as fear clutch my body. I didn’t want to imagine what he meant when he said ‘punishments’ but I knew it wouldn’t and couldn’t be good. I sat in silence, burying my face in my knees until I felt the jerk of the chain that was connected to the collar around my neck.
I clumsily rose to my feet and stumbled after him, looking around for a moment in awe. This place wasn’t a house it was a mansion. It stood beautifully tall, vines covering the dark grey stone in random places.
He pulled me gently along, not once glancing behind his shoulder to so much as make sure I was still walking or even still alive. Considering his kind was so much stronger, he probably wouldn’t have known the difference either way. It seemed a thousand years before we finally reached the door, my legs growing weaker and weaker with every step and I couldn’t remember the last time Harold had fed us enough food to be considered a small meal.
He said nothing more as he handed the chain to a butler who only nodded his head and began leading me more roughly than before, making me cry out in pain as I fell forward, scraping my knees on the stairs he basically dragged me up. He muttered something under his breath and glared down at me, tugging at the leash and giving me only enough time to regain my footing before he started off again towards our destination.
I trailed obediently after him stair by stair before he finally stopped at what I figured had to be the top floor. He tugged harder on the chain when I stopped, breathing hard and glared daggers at me, sending a punch of fear through me. He didn’t say anything but led me through a large sunlit corridor before stopping at pitch black door that shined underneath the sunlight. He knocked once before turning the knob and opening the entry way to a screened in balcony.
It wasn’t like anything I had ever seen before. It was a large room like place which consisted of furniture and other basic features but instead of walls there was just a screen, except for halfway up the bottom half of the screen steel bars wrapped around the circular room. It was probably the highest room in the entire mansion, and from looking at the view it was probably around two to three hundred feet above the ground but set in a place that would always be well shaded, even on the brightest days by the neighboring roofs around it, but so that you could see for miles and miles. One way there were mountains the other the sea sparkled in the distance. It all stunned me and had to remind myself not to speak in order to keep quiet.
“Your highness?” the butler spoke with deep respect in his voice and bowed slightly as I saw a young blonde turn from where he sat on a wooden stool in front of what looked to be a large piece of canvas while different colors of paint dotted his clothes and especially his long, slim hands. He had long naturally bleached blonde hair that came just past his shoulders and striking, emotion filled sky blue eyes.
He stood, his figure lean and slightly lanky but very graceful, more so than I had ever seen in their kind. He looked from the butler to me, his eyes piercing through me and making me look away in fear. “Who is this?” he asked, his voice velvety soft and almost smooth enough to caress my ears with the light tenor tone it held.
“Your father, King Farion, presents to you your eighteenth birthday present.” The butler said in an official tone and I felt tears enter my eyes steadily as he used the term ‘present’, knowing that once I entered a situation like this I would never be free.
I didn’t look up and I didn’t move from where I stood as the butler jerked the leash and pulled me down to my hands and knees as he handed the chain to the prince. I heard the butler walk away, his footsteps rhythmic and flowing as he rushed away leaving me and my new owner alone. I still didn’t raise my eyes.
I heard him sigh. “Well, father really has outdone himself this time.” He said, sounding like it was more to himself than anyone. “Alright, come on; let’s get you some real clothing for starters.” I looked up at him as I tried to stand up, resulting in me losing balance as my legs gave way. I squeezed my eyes shut and prepared for the fall on my already bruised hands, only to open them slightly as I felt a pair of hand holding me by my forearms. “On the second thought, you stay here and I’ll be back soon.” He said, a dark edge to his voice that made me shutter inwardly.
He didn’t say any more before setting me gently on the soft beige carpet. Once he was gone I scooted over against the wall and folded my legs to my chest and buried my face into my bare knees. I tried to make myself as small as possible as held my eyes tightly closed, hoping and wishing that when I opened them I would be back in my old bedroom with my comfortable but plain bed, dark red walls with the posters of my favorite bands and the gentle black carpet that was long enough to come in between my toes. I could almost hear my stereo playing the music I loved.
I flinched wildly as he suddenly appeared in front of me, almost crying out but it caught on my throat to my advantage. I didn’t know what he would do to me and I really didn’t want to find out. I pulled my knees closer to me and huddled against the wall and not making eye contact.
He sighed and crouched down to my level. “It’s okay, I won’t hurt you. I’m not like the others, I won’t do whatever it was that they did to you, I promise.” He said gently.
His voice was softer than a feather and I wanted so badly to believe him but I wouldn’t fall prey to his words. I knew how their minds worked. They would promise all kinds of things, anything to lure you into their trap. It’s how their minds worked, it was how they killed, it was how they lured me into this disaster…
I remained looking down, not about to believe him for on second. I wouldn’t be caught in his trap.
He sighed again. “Alright I won’t force you to talk.” He lifted himself from his crouch and walked back over to the small stool that sat in front of the canvas he was painting.
I watched in silence, remaining against the wall before burying my face into my knees once again. After around half an hour I looked up from my knees and hesitantly looked up. I watched him paint, amazed at the crispness and realism it held. It was stunning. He suddenly turned around, catching my eye for the slightest of moments before I looked away in fear.
“Do you like it?” he asked, his voice now alight with both curiosity and a new excitement as if catching my attention was what he had been aiming for from the beginning. I didn’t answer, not wanting to draw more attention to me. He sighed. “Come on, I won’t hurt you. I promise. What’s your name?”
I remained looking at my feet. “K…Katerina.” I answered quietly.
“That’s a pretty name. Do you want me to call you that or did your family use to call you something else?” he asked almost immediately after I replied.
“They used to call me Kat.” I whispered, tears coming to my eyes and my heart feeling cold and empty. I hadn’t thought much about my family in months, afraid that if I did I would lose all control I had managed to scrape from the bottom of the pit I lived in.
“I like that name as well. I’m sorry about your family by the way; I know that they kidnapped you away from them just the same way they do every other girl and guy that they enslave. It’s always the same.” He sighed. “The level that my race has stooped down to these days… I hate it, I hate slavery, and I hate being the son of the one who enforces it the most…” he trailed off. “You can trust me, Kat. I really won’t hurt you. But now that you’re talking and will actually look at me somewhat, here are some clothes. They’re some of my older and more comfortable clothing, I would have given you something nicer but I didn’t figure you’d want to be wearing button-ups and other professional clothing when you’re just hanging around.”
Hanging around? Was he crazy or just plain stupid? I was a slave! Not a friend and especially to a vampire. I was bought to serve not hang around as he put it. I gave him a strange look but refused to talk more than I absolutely had to. I didn’t want him thinking that I was easy to pull back into comfort and luxury, I had already been broken and there was no fixing me.
He laughed lightly to my surprise. “I already told you I hate slavery, just because I have you doesn’t change my views.”
I blinked in surprise. In the past year I had been acquainted with many different vampires as well as their habits, what they wore, how they acted and almost all of them were nearly the same. But I had never heard of any vampire having the power to read minds… “You can read my mind….?” I asked quietly.
He shook his head, a gleam alighting his deep blue eyes. “No, unfortunately, but I can sense your feelings, if that makes any sense, but I don’t think it’s a vampire thing, just me. No one else knows I can but you. No one has ever really paid attention I guess.” he smiled and shrugged.
I couldn’t help but feel slightly happier that I had pleased him. I wasn’t sure why but I guessed it was because I hadn’t ever really been able to please a vampire much less with a simple observation with a question to follow. I looked back down to the floor.
He sighed and remained silent for a moment. “When was the last time you ate?” I looked up at him in surprise and shrugged. He gave me a sympathetic look. “Sorry about that stupid question. What was the last thing you ate?”
A tingle went down my spine as the rotting food came to my mind that Harold had fed us a week ago and I felt my stomach convulse at the memory but I managed to keep myself under control. I only winced and shook my head. “I don’t think I can talk about it…” I replied in a low voice.
“Hmm… well let me get you something to eat. What do you like? I’m new to the human thing so I don’t have a clue…” he said apologetically.
I shrugged. “Anything will be fine.” I answered.
He nodded. “Alright. I’ll take you down to my room, where you’ll be staying, and get you something to eat. But after that I want to know what exactly they did to you…”
I felt chill bumps rise on my arms and the hair stand up on the back of my neck at the memories that would haunt me for the rest of my life at what all they had managed to put me through in such a short space of time. His voice was almost the rumble that held authority that his father possessed but slightly gentler but, orders or not, I didn’t think I could utter a single word about what all the putrid race of bloodsuckers had done to me.