l examined the door and l was awed at how perfectly the door blended with the grey wall. l stood there, lost in my thoughts wondering if l should or should not trespass but then, l heard the grunt again and at that point, l knew l had to see for myself what the source of the noise is. Slowly but steadily, l pushed the door open and the door swiftly opened as if it had been expecting my being. The door opened to reveal a dark walkway with a fleet of stairs leading downwards. l gasped when l realized that the stairs must be leading to the underground. What have l gotten myself into now? l should have known better than being unnecessarily nosy. Well, l am in it already and l must get to the root. l nervously took lazy steps towards the stairs with my heart beating erratically in my chest. The only source of light in the walkway is some lanterns sitted on the wall at intervals to each other. The grunt had surprisingly stopped since l entered the walkway. Is someone trying to play games with me? It might be that creepy Lord Micael. Damn! l am so going to be annoyed if it turns out he is the one. I increased the pace of which l climb the stairs thinking Lord Micael is the brain behind all this. The staircase is long and exhausting however, my curiosity kept me going regardless of my protesting bones. 'I will have to get to the end of all this' l thought with determination. The fleet of long stairs before me seems unending as the stairs spiralled to straightness and back to spiral again. l was beginning to go out of breath when the end of the stairs finally came to view making me hasten my steps. The stairs led a huge room painted in grey that channeled to other rooms. The place was getting more illuminated as the candles here are double of the candles at the beginning of the stairs. l walked to the middle of the room and considered calling out Lord Micael but l decided against it. 'I won't alert him. l need to know why he was grunting that way' l thought, though the grunting had long stopped. l had this feeling that l am being watched so l looked carefully around. l hope you are not in some kind of trouble Vanessa. You know very well that curiosity kills the cat yet you ignored the warnings....I decided to check out what is behind the doors before giving up. There were over four doors in different corners of the room and also a corridor that led to a pathway with doors on either sides.. 'l have lots of exploring to do' l thought. l started for the first door and l was surprised to see an empty bright orange coloured room. l checked the other rooms and they were all brightly coloured but empty just as the first one. l was getting tired and exhausted when l felt the presence of someone behind me. l turned immediately and almost screamed at the sensation. What is happening? My pupil dilated as my heart began to beat rapidly. My fingers began to shake in fear. l opened my trembling lips to utter whatever l could say
"Who is there?" l said in a small voice, looking from my right to left trying to find a clue...any clue
l stayed for a while, looking here and there, hoping to find the disturbance. l was beginning to successfully persuade myself that it was all imagination when l saw it. Bold and clear! The head maid!!! I stilled automatically, my brain forgetting to function
"Head maid!!" l screamed instinctively. My scream seems to strike a cord in her as she stopped her inhuman movement to stare bewildered at me. Now she knows l am a maid and she won't hesitate to kill me the way she did to the other maids. l am dead meat! l began to take cautious steps backward, calculating her movement with my instinct screaming run! l took to my heels immediately, running towards the corridor, deeper into the underground house. l looked back at intervals trying to see if l will catch a glimpse of her but l did not. l opened one of the numerous doors that lined the corridor and dashed in making sure to lock the door securely behind me before heaving a sigh of partial relieve. I turned to examine the room l entered and my eyes almost fell out of their sockets. my breath hitched in my throat and my whole being went numb. Gabbriel...
He was looking famished and... dangerous. Why are his eyes red? He had this killing aura around him and l shivered in fear..what is going on? l am supposed to be happy at the turn of events but it seems l am more worried, disturbed and scared. His eyes have not left mine since l entered here and it is definitely not the tender, love-filled look l am familiar with but a predator-prey look that got me doubting the person before me. Is this really Lord Quinn?
"Ga..b..b..bri..el" l stuttered in uncertainty. There was silence after my call after which the Lord released a grunt from the depth of his throat. I immediately knew something is wrong...l began to take retreating steps backwards...my hands restlessly looking for the door, my eyes fixed on him to know his movement. He was however still sitting, unmoving. I finally found the door and proceeded to unbolt it. My whole being was beginning to shake in fear as l peered at the man l so much admire from beneath my lashes. l contemplated staying to ask what was wrong with him or sprinting out of the goddamned room. He was looking exhausted, weak, beastly but he had on a clean cloth that failed to portray his mental state. He was looking like a normal person but his eyes, frequent grunts and aura was saying otherwise. He is Lord Quinn. He will do much more than cowardly running away if he was in my position. l need to stay, l need to help him. Without further hesitation, l rushed to him. He seemed startled at my sudden intrusion. 'Do he want me gone?'. l began to slightly regret my decision to come back as l look directly into his bloodshot eyes. Is he drunk? Why are his orbs so red? l carefully studied his reaction and he seems to be in sheer discomfort. Is he in pain?
"Gabbriel?" l called softly..trying to get something out of him. Hell!
"Let me have a taste please" Lord Quinn said in agony. His voice came out hoarse and deep
l kept staring at him, confused at his statement and heavily disturbed by the evident pain in his voice
"What do you want to have a taste of?"
"Your blood....."
★★★
My nose caught this extremely sweet scent that had me salivating. Who owns the scent? Micael scent is nothing near this! My fuggy mind tried reminding me that l know the owner of the scent very well but my primal hunger for blood has caged my mind and my soul. l needed blood...l wanted blood. Only blood! Damn! There is a particular period in every lunar eclipse where l am driven by my animalistic mind. The mind of a vampire. It does not happen to all vampires but every pure blooded vampire experiences this. The animalistic mind of a vampire is alloted a day to rule the being and it commands the vampire to seek blood. However, while it lasts for a single day in others, it lasts for days in me. My parents noticed this when l was at a very young age and they presumed it will change but it did not. Now, l experience it for three, four or five days depending on how long it wishes to rule. Times like this, people flee from me because l am dangerous to the society. l feed on both vampires and non vampires. l also disrupt the balance of the two worlds by possessing excess blood from the blood market. To avoid punishment and to not misuse my power by going scot free after breaking rules, l decided to task my right hand man, Micael to always lock me up in the dungeon whenever l am in this state. He brings blood to me but it is never enough. His blood has been contaminated by dirn so that l will detest it and stay away from him. Dirn is a substance that is used to contaminate the blood to prevent it from being desired by vampires. Dirn however, does not work for every blood and it is temporary in some blood.