My head spun with overwhelming thoughts.
My upbringing had been relatively normal, and my ageing father had always told me that my mother died when I was born. But could that have been another lie?
Was it possible that my aunt held resentment toward my father for some other reason? He was considerably older when I was born, and her sister had chosen to be with him, despite their vast age difference.
'"Just one drop… they all died."'
They had died, but I was fine.
They had all died. All those innocent people.
With a sudden jolt, I leaned forward, my stomach lurching as I dry heaved. The pain tore through my abdominal muscles, but I welcomed it. I had to expel this sickening feeling from within me, no matter how agonizing it might be.
They died. All of them. And it was because of me. I shouldn't have been so careless.
But where had I even gone wrong?
'No. No. It isn't my fault. I didn't do anything to them! Lord Fashire was the one who did that to the villagers. It wasn't me!'
My thoughts collided, and I covered my face, tears streaming down as I shook my head and sobbed, "No..."
Matadre remained silent, and without looking, I could feel her stare burning through me.
The water was drained and replaced to rinse me off, and Matadre proceeded to towel me dry. Before long, I found myself dressed in a dark cotton turtleneck dress with long sleeves and floor-length skirts.
My hair was hastily gathered into a messy bun, causing my scalp to ache from the rough combing. Perhaps beneath Matadre's composed facade, she, too, seethed with fury and pain over being deceived.
A sense of alarm washed over me. I had never seen the other "pets" wearing such heavy clothing. Why was I being dressed like this?
It was settled.
I was destined to meet a slow, agonizing demise.
Nothing good could come from being a subject of experimentation, especially at the hands of Lord Fashire.
My fate was sealed.
The door slammed open and I flinched, fear taking hold of my startled heart in a tight grip. Lord Fashire strolled in with an air of leisure, completely disregarding my presence as he glared at Matadre. His stormy silver eyes revealed a foul mood.
Every fibre of my being screamed at me to step back, to distance myself from Matadre so his gaze wouldn't inadvertently fall upon me. Yet, I remained rooted in place, paralyzed by the fear that even the slightest movement would draw his attention.
"You're slow," he chided.
With a small bow, Matadre responded in a strangely dry tone, "My apologies, my Lord. I am attending to her as swiftly as I can."
He grunted and rolled his eyes, but then his gaze shifted to me. His face contorted into a sinister smile and my blood went cold.
I was staring at the face of a demon.
"Your things are in the carriage. Come along now."
My body turned to ice. I hesitated. I wanted to flee. Oh, how I yearned to escape the scornful eyes of the pets, the disappointed and perplexed stares of the servants, and worst of all, the furious gazes of the Lords. But if I were to leave now, I would be one step closer to the dark future that awaited me.
My heart pounded, pumping heated blood through my veins as my pulse quickened. Yet, my legs remained rooted to the floor.
His eyes narrowed slyly, his smile widening further. "What are you doing?"
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 you remain unscathed even with the other Lords. With that, do you really want to stay?"
A surge of pain shot through my shoulder at his proximity, causing me to shudder. I shook my head, releasing 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 and 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 entered his bed chamber. It didn't appear barren, but with its closed closets and shaded corners, how was I to know?
We made our way through his wing, and 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. And for once, it felt as if other unseen eyes were watching, apart from the servants, pets, and Lords. Every second was tormenting, but no one approached us.
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, flapping the folds of my dress and irritating 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 had never been in such close proximity to them before, and the sight was both terrifying and mesmerizing.
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?"