Around six or seven, I could not tell which I could hear the door unlock from the outside. They knock before entering, "Hello!" Dominique welcomes me.
Chara and another man dressed in grey behind her shoveled in through the doorway.
"Did you rest well?" Chara asked me.
I nodded, unsure how to react to everyone piling into the room, the man in grey was bald and holding a clipboard full of documents.
"Good evening, my name is Collin."
"Hello, Collin?" I responded confused.
"Thanks to Dominique you were saved, but we also learned you might belong here in the first place." He stated snatching me by the wrist showing the mark to everyone in the room out of pure observation.
"I get it! Just tell me what you want!" I shout taking my hand back.
Collin and Dominique close in on me, only smiling while Chara looks away in disbelief, I push them off me angrily.
"Christian, Christian." Collin says.
Furrowing my brow in anger, he hands me the clipboard, "What is this?"
"We are vampires and you are a human, you can assist us and we can protect you." Collin clarifies.
I don't even want to think yet here I am being offered to give up my life to this compound made of strangers, I hand it back without signing.
"What exactly do I need protection from?" I asked.
Dominique holds up the clothes I was wearing in the office, he pulls out a pair of handcuffs hidden in my trousers.
"Vampire hunter scent is all over these."
I have forgotten they wanted to take me somewhere. I am handed another set of papers that had been signed. Quickly scanning them I am shocked.
"Alice agreed to stay here? Why?"
"She doesn't want that disclosed yet..." Chara chimed in.
"Look...even if we let you go, something else is going to get you," Dominique explained with a serious face.
Feeling like I had no choice.
"Fine...give me the clipboard," I asked motioning for it.
Looking away I just sign in the places Collins shows me handing it back as soon as possible. Chara clutches my hand taking a pin trying to prick me.
I retracted, "I said I would sign it, not give my blood!"
She pricks my finger anyways rolling it against the document.
"I am sorry..."
"So is that it? What happens now?" I asked.
"Sometimes you will be contacted to give blood," Chara stated.
"Feel free to roam around the compound," Dominique replied, happily waving his hand around in the air.
I did not feel too happy about this deal, but perhaps it was safer for me to be here for the time being, if only a little more, "Yeah... I will later..." I respond sadly.
Standing in the doorway, Dominique beckons me to come with him.
"Christian..."
Sitting on the edge of the bed, I do not stir, "I am not going..." I say softly.
"I understand this might be a lot to adjust to Christian."
Being assured gave no comfort to me.
"Maybe a little walk would help you."
"Maybe I want time to myself...please... " I plead.
They all depart leaving me alone in my new room, barren walls, no possessions to call my own all, because of vampire hunters.
Liam had been killed, apparently many had been killed from the office alone.
It is only irony that had saved me and Alice; somehow we are connected by an unseen bond. Does Alice also have a mark?
I want to stop thinking. Plopping back down on the bed, I lay there staring up at the ceiling before peeking over at the cabinet. I see gauze poking up through the cabinet where the extra clothing is.
Grabbing hold of it I wrap my hand completely covering the mark as though it, never existed, I wanted nothing more to do with it.
Already feeling like an asylum patient in the clothing they dressed me in, the wrapping shouldn't feel out of place, I laugh to myself.
Isolating myself won't help me make friends, I exit exploring the small compound mainly composed of doors going down long corridors.
Wondering what door is Alice's, a larger door with a window I could tell is the kitchen so, I push in to see how it looks.
"It is a kitchen!" I yell.
Everything is basic, since why would a vampire need a fancy kitchen in the first place?
The room contained a small fridge, a medium white classic stove that sits in the corner and a steel kitchen sink.
The floor is sticky and greasy so I choose to clean the mess starting by locating the bucket, filling it up with soap and water to scrub the tiles on my own accord.
I would wash the dishtowels wiping down the dirty counters someone opens the door while I am cleaning, "Oh you are here?" Chara exclaimed puzzled.
"This kitchen is horrible!" I scold, showing her what I was working on.
She begins to laugh at me, "You seriously came in here to clean?"
I freeze setting the mop to the side, "I have nothing better to do?"
Saddling up beside me, she looks around despite no one actually in the room with us.
"By chance are you good at cooking?" Chara asked.
"I lived by myself so of course I do."
"Would you mind helping me cook?" Chara questioned watching me.
I am easily excited by the opportunity to help.
"What are you working on today?"
Chara stared at the cooking supplies, thinking to herself minutes before turning to me.
"What do you feel like?" She responded in laughter.
Opening the fridge I see mostly chicken piled up in the freezer, I glare at Chara.
"Chara, you mainly have chicken stocked up!" I shout not impressed.
On the floor where I was mopping, I noticed bags of rice, and on the table is a large number of eggs sitting on the counter still tied in their crates.
I could feel my stomach growl just thinking about it, I swipe one of the frozen chickens from the freezer while looking for a bowl to thaw it out in.
The house is maid is very quiet, staring down.
"Chara?"
She looks up at me coming out of whatever trance she was in: holding her head Chara turns away from me while still in thought.
"I am sorry, it's been a very long time."
"Long time?" I asked.
"Since we had human guests..."
Automatically I could sense a deep sadness in her I could not explain. I am only relieved she wasn't tempted to bite me as an afternoon snack.
"I see..."
"But you and Alice aren't typical human guests."
Once again I hear that, I wanted to run the second she said that but instead, here I am standing contemplating what to cook, "That again...look Chara."
"Christian, you might have a hard time adapting if you aren't willing--" her words are interrupted by shouting out front.
Chara dashes for the door, I run after her to the front where the double doors stood open, I have to push my way through the large assembly of clan members.
They are all standing there gawking up at the night sky.
That's when it hit me, the sky is red very red! The dense clouds evaporated behind how crimson the lining of the atmosphere was.
In the distance high above I could see something in the sky gliding along, even squinting I could not see what everyone was gasping about.
The intensity of the sky made it hard to see anything, I was forced away by rough hands making me stumble backward, "Hey!" I shout.
"You should be inside!" The short man stated bluntly.
Recognized his bright grey eyes right away, his messy brown hair caught my attention immediately, "Says who?" I argued.
He points above at the stationary black dot high in the sky, "That is a witch...you will be dead before you know it."
"A witch? Witches are real?" I asked more confused.
Watching Chara run past us gathering a broom sitting behind the door, she makes several long sweeping motions before it stands on its own, "Master Alex, I am ready for orders." Chara says.
"Okay, let's get going then!" Alex yells as she steadily pushes out through the door soaring above him on command strolling past all the ones that gathered.
"Welcome to our new life Christian."
Turn to see Alice with her hands behind her back and a large smile on her face.