I shook my head, taking a hesitant step back. "No, I..."
What was I doing?!
"The servants despise you." He clasped his hands behind his back and approached me, leaning forward with a slightly menacing tone in his voice. "So do the pets. I cannot guarantee that you will remain unscathed even with the other Lords. Considering all this, do you really want to stay?"
Pain shot through my shoulder at his closeness. I shuddered before shaking my head to release a breathy whisper, "No."
"Splendid!" He straightened and clapped once, chuckling as he walked away. My legs wobbled but Matadre's palm gently supported my back, preventing me from toppling over and falling.
"You have to follow him," she said. Her voice cracked slightly before she cleared her throat, correcting her mistake.
"Goodbye," I whispered without looking at her face.
A chilling emptiness consumed me the moment her hand left my back.
My last semblance of support had just left me.
I walked after Lord Fashire, trailing behind him as we made our way through his wing. My heart ached as we passed through the hallways. He could have easily whisked me away in a matter of seconds. Why were we taking this prolonged stroll through the castle's corridors if it wasn't to humiliate me?
Even with my head lowered, I could feel the multiple gazes boring into me. It made every second filled with torment.
It took a while before I even realised Matadre was silently trailing behind us.
Stepping onto the moonlit castle grounds, a cold gust of wind greeted my face. It flapped the folds of my dress and irritated my already dry eyes. I stopped short, looking upon the imposing black carriage stationed by the main entrance.
Two monstrous horses were harnessed to it, their eyes glowing a sinister bloody red beneath the night sky. The dark sheen of their coats rippled over powerful muscles. These were Hoards, the special steeds of vampire Lords, possessing strength and abilities far beyond those of ordinary horses.
I dragged my feet along the rough cobble-stoned ground, dreading giving the castle one last look. The servants would undoubtedly be watching from the top balustrades and balconies. So would the pets.
Lord Fashire's fingers grazed my chin, and I stiffened as his hold became firm. He turned my face towards the castle. My heart plummeted.
"Why don't you bid your friends farewell?"
"Wait—please..." I whispered, but my plea fell on deaf ears. I was forced to look back at the looming structure, now more foreboding than ever. My eyes instinctively sought out the figures perched atop the castle's battlements, and though they remained distant shadows, I knew the servants were watching.
My eyes watered, blurring my vision as my spirit felt crushed. Lord Fashire released me and stalked past.
He dramatically flung the carriage door open.
A mocking tone laced his words. "Ladies first."
He beckoned me closer and like the obedient slave I was, I followed. My feet grew heavier with each step, and when I was close enough, he seized my wrist in an iron grip and deftly tossed me into the carriage.
I stumbled onto one of the seats and pressed myself into the far corner.
Lord Fashire entered after me and took the seat opposite mine. He crossed his legs with nonchalance and looked up to the moon, his eyes emanating a faint silvery glow. The hoards outside snorted and impatiently pawed at the ground with their powerful hooves before propelling us forward into the night.
The carriage jolted at the sudden movement, causing me to clutch the cushioned seat.
I stole a glance through the window. In an instant, we were no longer within the castle grounds but outside the iron gates. As the carriage swept through the dense foliage, I imagined the distance between myself and the castle growing wider. A solitary tear rolled down my cheek and I wiped at it with my sleeve.
I sat rigidly, enveloped by a suffocating silence that pressed against my nerves. My eyelids grew heavy and I fought against the drowsiness.
He could do something to me within that window of unconsciousness.
"How old are you?"
I jerked upright to find Lord Fashire redirecting his attention from the window to focus on me. His eyes sized me up.
Clutching my hands tightly in my lap, I instinctively avoided his penetrating stare. "Twenty-six, my Lord," I managed to utter in a hoarse whisper, suddenly aware of the dryness in my throat and how thirsty I was.
A raised eyebrow, and a look of surprise danced across Lord Fashire's face. "Really? You look like a malnourished child."
A rush of embarrassment flooded over me, mingled with shame. Even if I hardly possessed the curves that defined femininity, I had still managed to eat well in the castle.
I wasn't malnourished.
I simply mumbled, "Yes."
This earned a scoff from him which gave birth to a low chuckle. From that, he burst into hearty laughter. It seemed as though the laughter itself shook the very confines of the carriage, joining the cacophony of the rattling wheels.
He went silent shortly after and all I was left staring at were the suede black of his knee-high boots.
As time dragged on, the weight of exhaustion settled upon my eyelids. But I struggled, trying not to close my eyes.
I couldn't allow myself to fall asleep, not here, not under his watchful gaze. I didn't need to look up to feel the searing intensity of his stare. He had been studying me intently for most of the journey.
My nails dug into my lap, pinching myself in an effort to keep awake.
But I soon found myself drifting off only to jerk awake from time to time.
The insides of my throat felt like wrinkled paper and the reflexive swallowing made it itch.
I was thirsty. I was hungry. And I was exhausted.
I closed my eyes. Why was I even struggling? My life was already done at this point and sleep would be a nice recluse against my endless thoughts. The hoards were very fast, but the vibrations of the carriage were soothing enough to lull me to sleep.
I succumbed to my body's plea for rest and eventually drifted off.
"Are you planning on making my carriage a second home of yours?"