Lord Fashire's grip on the vial tightened as he circled it in his hold, his gaze distant and his jaw clenched. He lifted his other hand to touch the tender flesh of his mouth, and a fleeting frown crossed his face before vanishing.
His eyes drifted up to the ceiling as he let out an exasperated sigh.
I tensed with dread. What was he planning to do next?
For what felt like an eternity, he remained motionless, like a statue carved from the darkest nightmares. Then, with an unsettling smirk curling his lips, he glanced down at me.
He murmured, "The others are going to have a field day about this."
The ringing in my ears ceased. He slipped his fingers into the breast pocket of his dark shirt to retrieve a gleaming silver key. The bright lighting caught its shine as he grabbed my hands and turned the key in the lock. The shackles fell to the ground with a heavy thud.
His fingers crushed my wrists, and he dragged me to the door like I was an empty sack of grain. I dug my feet into the ground, trying to gain footing, which was worthless against his immense strength. My wounded shoulder screamed, and a sharp gasp escaped my lips as another surge of blinding pain crippled me.
In a last-ditch effort, I mustered the courage to reach out, my elbows grappling with his legs. My wrists throbbed from the strain.
"Please… stop!" I pleaded, doing my best to ignore the pain.
The heavy desperation in my voice accomplished nothing, so I yelled at the top of my lungs, "My blood is in you now, and if anything happens to me, I can't guarantee your safety!"
I bumped into his legs when he stopped right in front of the double doors. Lord Fashire peered down at me, his eyes widening. "Unbelievable. Did you just threaten me?"
My eyes watered, and I pressed my quivering lips tight, refusing to tear my gaze away from his. For some reason, the intense pain and disorientation added a level of boldness I never thought I'd possess.
I had to stand my ground and fight for my family's life. It would all be over the moment I passed through those doors and he brought me before the other Lords.
His lips twisted into a sour grimace, and he withdrew his hand from the door. Silence enveloped us, the tension thickening the air as our gazes locked in a battle of wills.
"Please… I beg you to reconsider," I managed to force out, my voice trembling with a mix of fear and determination.
My good arm was beginning to go numb, and I had nearly lost all feeling in the wounded one. My eyes shifted, but I refused to look at it. My breathing was shallow enough. I didn't want to see how severe my wound had become.
A flicker of amusement danced in his eyes and an enigmatic smirk played upon his lips. "How quaint of you to think that you could threaten me."
My heart stuttered to a stop. He had a gleam in his eyes that made me realize he knew I was just trying to save my skin.
With one final tug, he pulled me out of his chamber. I squeezed my eyes shut, silently praying for a miracle.
A short burst of air raced past my ears, and in less than a moment, I heard Lady Gremlin's soft voice. "Oh, Venti… what is this now?"
Chills shot down my spine, and my eyes snapped open. I remained still, unable to raise my lowered head. The polished floorboards of the dining hall were unmistakable, along with the striking presence of the other Lords looming in the air.
Lord Fashire flung me forward. I tripped over my feet and crashed onto the floor. The impact caused a jarring pain to radiate through me.
My vision blurred at the edges and I couldn't even vocally express the pain I felt.
"Why is a human wearing our servant's clothing? An intruder?" a Lord spoke up, his voice dripping with sick amusement.
Another Lord chuckled and his voice was all too familiar. Lord Daniels. "They appear to grow bolder and bolder by the day."
It was then that I noticed what I was wearing. Had Lord Fashire dressed me up in my servant clothing before chaining me to his room?
"Are you blind, Venti? Or do you not see how you are soiling the floor with her blood?" someone else added, annoyed.
I finally took note of the dark splotches on the floor. They started to merge into a small puddle at my side. I blinked lazily, unable to feel my arm. That looked like a lot of blood. All in a few seconds.
Lord Fashire's deep-throated laughter pierced the heavy silence. The wicked sound mocked my misery as it echoed off the chamber walls. He finished with a sigh and raised his voice, "It appears the humans have found a way to masquerade as vampires."
My throat constricted at the deafening silence that followed.
The screech of a chair being scraped across the floor shattered the stillness, causing my heart to skip multiple beats.
"What?!"
"What do you have to say about that, young lady?" Lord Fashire's boots appeared in my line of sight. He reached down, clutching my cheeks with a cruel grip and forcing my face upward to the stunned audience.
My stomach shrivelled as my gaze settled on Becca's mortified expression.
The vampire Lords' faces were a silent battleground as their minds clearly struggled to process what Lord Fashire had just announced.
For a brief moment, Lady Gremlin's usually composed features shifted to distress. Matadre, normally stern and composed, stood rigid, her face etched with devastation. They both seemed at a loss for words.
"My Lord," Matadre finally spoke up, her hands gesturing helplessly at her sides. "That's... I find this to be impossible." She shook her head.
It was the first time I had seen such strong emotions from her, and it scared me.
She was usually so composed and aloof.
She placed a hand on her chest. "I vetted her myself, and..."
I averted my gaze. Lord Fashire's fingers dug into my cheeks even further. I winced as he jerked my head upwards, forcing me to look into his eyes. They emitted a faint glow with glints of red within the silver hue.
"Where did you find her?" he asked Matadre, all the while keeping his eyes on me.
My eyes watered and I mentally pleaded for the head maid to hear me.
'No. Please don't say a word.'
"She was recommended by a former servant who used to work... here," Matadre's voice trailed off as realization dawned upon her.
"What staff?" one of the Lords growled. I heard a deep crack, followed by the crunching sound of wood being gripped and crushed.
Matadre wasted no time in responding, distress coating her voice. "Her name is Strome. She retired six years prior. We worked together at the Northern stronghold decades before coming here." She paused, pain etched across her face as she squeezed her eyes shut. I had no idea she was close to my aunt. "I do not know which village she came from." She lowered her head, clasping her hands tightly at her stomach. "My mistake, my Lords."
A Lord rose from his seat, causing me to jolt at the sudden movement. His eyes blazed molten red, and as he took a step forward, the floor cracked underneath his foot.
Lady Gremlin stood as though to intervene. "Eden..."
But Lord Eden roared, bringing his hand down upon the centre table, and ramming it to the floor. The chamber trembled under the force of his fury.
Lady Gremlin glared at me, her green eyes blazing with contempt. I had never seen her so angry, and the contrast between her usual sweetness and this newfound fury sent fear prickling across my skin.
"Hold on. I do not smell her blood." She pointed at the wound on my shoulder and her frown deepened. "What is the meaning of this, Venti?"
Lord Fashire yanked me to my feet, and I gasped in pain. My arm felt as though it was on the verge of tearing off. Trembling under the scrutiny of the audience, I went rigid as I realized that the other pets were there too.
The little boy was strangely absent.
Lord Lorn spoke in a calm, soft voice, his words carrying a hypnotic quality. "Where are you from?"
I shook my head, taking a step back. Lord Fashire gripped my upper arm and whirled me forward. I wheezed, barely able to stand on my feet from the gnawing ache in my shoulder.
Unable to take the pain anymore, I clawed at his hand, my eyes watering. He could hold me anywhere but there.
"Matadre," Lord Fashire growled, his eyes livid as I stared back at him. "Escort the servants and pets out."