My stomach twisted in utter despair.
Was this a joke?
"Are you joking?" I asked, just to be sure.
"I—I don't know, he just…" Becca's words tumbled out in a rush, her voice trembling with anxiety, "He just—he had so many questions about you, and I don't know—he was—I have never seen him so curious about anything."
She then lowered her head, downcast. "I just thought of… I don't know—there are some Lords who have personal vampire servants—I don't know—maybe we cannot be treated as human pets, but his curiosity about you was honestly frightening." Becca's voice cracked, tears threatening to spill from her eyes. "I didn't—I—he asked where you came from, what you really do, if you had a family. I couldn't answer some of those questions, but he kept pushing—did you—Hiln, did you do something? Are you sure you didn't do anything when you entered his chambers yesterday?"
I didn't answer Becca's tearful monologue. I couldn't control my breathing, either. I couldn't even understand half of what incoherent words she was spitting out. But I understood one thing.
I was in deep trouble.
Why? Why would he be asking of me? He didn't suspect I was human, did he? Even Aunt said that the most powerful vampire lords wouldn't suspect a thing, and I was certain I hadn't given anything away.
Hold on.
What if something happened during those times I blacked out in his chambers?
The hopeful words came out of my mouth before I could stop them. "Maybe you're reading too much into this. I mean, Lord Daniels was puzzled about me during my arrival. You know the Lords are at times curious about any new arrivals, and Lord Fashire hadn't noticed me till now."
Becca was overreacting. She had to be. Please, let her be.
Becca shook her head, her expression grave. "Hiln, no. This was different. Lord Fashire doesn't concern himself with the matter of us servants at all. He leaves that to Matadre. So I just hoped… I want to know if you'll be alright because I can't help the feeling that this won't be the end of it." Becca bit her lip. "He also said he wanted you to serve him tonight."
My blood cooled and for a brief moment, black spots dotted my vision as I felt dizzy and disoriented.
"Hiln? Hiln!"
||| ||| |||
I could not believe I fainted.
Becca's words loomed over me like a stormy cloud, and my mind remained in disarray when I came to my senses. It got worse the moment we returned to the castle.
On the way back, I had fought the urge to race to my village and my aunt's residence. Surely, there had to be a way around this. Why did he ask of me? I had done nothing. I thought hard about the possibilities of what might have happened during my blank state in his chamber.
Had he done something? If he sensed I was human, he could have attacked me then and there.
Or was he one to toy with his victims?
I could barely focus on my surroundings, and before long, I discovered I was drenched in a fine film of sweat. Becca noticed my discomfort as we walked through the hallway that evening.
"I'm sorry, Hiln," she softly whispered.
I stopped and touched Becca's shoulder, holding her in place. She looked up from the floor to meet me in the eyes. "You shouldn't bother," I told her with a shake of my head. "It's not your fault."
I was appreciative of her not withholding anything from me. She could have simply told me Lord Fashire just wanted me to serve him that evening. And while I would have been cautious, I would have gone to his chambers none the wiser.
"Girls."
Matadre approached us, her hands clasped together at her stomach.
"We were just about to prepare for the evening," I involuntarily let out, struggling to hide the shake in my voice. I wasn't looking forward to this evening.
Matadre smiled and waved her hand dismissively. "I am aware of that. Rather, something else has come up. I have told the others, but I wanted to let you know you won't be serving the Lords this evening. They will be going out for the night."
My knees trembled, and I held onto Becca's arm. An immense wave of relief washed over me and I had to hold myself up from collapsing to the ground. It was just one night, but it was a sufficient breather away from Lord Fashire. This was wonderful news.
My mood instantly crashed. I would still have to serve him the following morning or evening.
This was how it went. Most times, the other servants couldn't feed the pets without the presence of their Lords. We only abided by this rule when the Lords were out for extensive periods. Meaning that if they all didn't return after a whole day, we were obligated to enter their chambers and feed their pets.
One pet in the past tried using this window to escape… which was nearly impossible, considering that Matadre was a substantially powerful vampire herself. But this particular man slipped right past her.
He was caught shortly after. And killed by Lord Fashire.
"What about tomorrow morning?" I asked.
Matadre's eyes narrowed as she observed me closely, detecting my distress. "I thought it was exhaustion earlier, but you clearly look distressed over something."
"Oh." I straightened, letting go of Becca. "I—"
Before I could explain myself, Becca stepped in, offering a lighthearted explanation for my behaviour. "She's just nervous she has to serve Lord Fashire again."
"I see." Matadre's understanding gaze softened, and she stared off to the side before addressing us both. "You shouldn't worry. The Lords are most likely to hold a meeting tomorrow upon their return. You may serve them at the dining hall then, so you won't be alone. Ion and Tori will most likely join you too. Just focus on doing your job and everything will be fine."
A sigh of relief escaped my lips, and Becca offered comfort with a gentle rub on my back.
Matadre bid us farewell and headed outside while Becca and I retreated to our rooms in dire need of rest.
I quickly washed away the day's exhaustion, donned a light robe, and tended to my damp hair. The rhythmic motion of combing through the curls soothed my troubled mind, even if a few strands broke in the process. I reassured myself that it was nothing out of the ordinary—everyone loses some hair daily.
I patted my face and glanced at my reflection in the mirror. My red eyes were fading to their usual brown hue. I frowned and straightened. It hadn't even been two days yet. What was happening? The sound of my heartbeat thrashed in my ears. This had never happened before.
I rushed back to where I kept the vial and took another sip. With bated breath, I waited for the effects to kick in. They did, but mere seconds after, they began to wane.
No. No. No. No. Nooo!
A quick dash to the mirror revealed my suspicions. The potion was no longer working.
How?
Why?!
I choked back a sob and staggered back. I tripped over my ankle and fell, hitting my hip against the hard floor. I barely felt the pain as I cradled the vial to my chest. I wouldn't know what to do if I spilt it.
I needed to do something. My hands trembled as I placed the vial back in its hiding place. I slowly stepped back, taking long deep breaths to calm myself. Panicking would not help my predicament. I couldn't waste time on such meaningless actions. I started rummaging through my drawers for a dress. I needed to sneak out of the castle one way or the other. While the effects were remaining, I had to quickly see Matadre and tell her I forgot something in the village.
She trusted me. I worked well. I would be out and back by daylight. I needed to see my aunt this instant!
Having found an attire, I was dressing up when a sudden gust of wind swept into my room, rousing my senses.
I turned around, wondering if I had left the window open.
My heart lurched within my chest, freezing in place.
Perched on the windowsill, sat the unmistakable silhouette of Lord Fashire. His legs were crossed, and his hand tapped a steady rhythm against his thigh. I stepped backpedalled until my back was pressed against the wall, and a strangled whimper escaped my throat. His piercing gaze followed my every move, never relenting.
A low chuckle emanated from him, resonating with a depth that sent shivers down my spine. It was a stark contrast to the laziness of his voice during our previous encounter. This time, his words cut through the air with a decisiveness that penetrated the core of my being.
"I know you," he stated, his voice deep and velvety.
In an instant, he stood before me, his icy fingers grazing my throat, causing my blood to run cold. My mouth went dry as his words slithered into my ears. "That servant from the balcony." His eyes blazed with an otherworldly glow, and the air crackled with an aura of freezing intensity. "Now, since when were we accepting humans into our staff?"
A frigid tremor flushed through my system, and the world around me blurred into a dizzying white flash.