I was the most hated person in the castle. That shouldn't have been a problem but unfortunately for me, it was. It had been three days since Leslie's body was discovered and I had been suffering for it. Even though I wasn't a vampire and was incapable of committing such a heinous act, they blamed me for it.
That same day Leslie had been found dead, I found a white lily on my bed that was coated with Leslie's blood. It was no doubt the doing of my stalker. That not so romantic gesture was not accompanied by a note.
The servants at the castle had made it their mission to make my life miserable. They slid death threats and all sorts of insults into the small space beneath my door. To top it all off, they told me they would kill me to my face and I had to constantly look over my shoulder.
I was scared to the point that I had to eat and shower after everyone else. I didn't want to show my face and see if they would follow through with their threats. Madam Athena had been no help because she had yet to address me or acknowledge me.
A bang on the door pulled me from my thoughts. The bang was delivered to almost all the doors so I guessed it was a call for us to get out of our rooms. I hurried outside so I wouldn't get in trouble for anything else.
We each stood outside our doors with our hands behind our backs and our heads down waiting for the next step.
" Bitch! " The person in front of me said and spat at me.
Madam Athena was nowhere to be seen so felt free to say to me whatever she wanted to. I ignored her and kept my head down. I didn't want to give people more reasons to hate me.
I heard Athena's footsteps but I didn't dare look. We all started kneeling and I heard her talking. It felt like she was choosing people. I had heard rumors that the King was back so he was probably the reason we were being chosen.
She walked past me and then stopped and turned.
" You! Get up and follow me. " She said to me and walked away.
I got up and followed the other girls as she picked some more. Finally, she led us outside her office and asked us to wait outside. She called us one at a time into the office. Some came out while others didn't. I was quick to notice that only strikingly beautiful girls had been chosen by her.
I knew I was pretty, but I didn't think there was anything special about me. I had long caramel hair and dull caramel skin. My jade green eyes looked unusual and unlike most girls in the lineup to Athena's office, I had curves. The only thing I was proud of was my diamond-shaped face that I had inherited from my mother.
" Leela! " Athena called out.
I walked into her office and shut the door behind me. The girls who went into Athena's office and didn't come out were kneeling near her desk with their heads down. She asked me to step on the scale so she could know my weight. Next, she measured my height.
" Take off your clothes, " she said.
I looked at her with shock but still did what she told me to do. I was afraid of the consequences of refuting her. I stepped out of my ragged and baggy cream dress. My round, firm, and ample breasts were on full display but I had on my panties.
" Turn around, " she instructed and I obeyed.
After assessing me for a few minutes, she asked me to put on my dress.
" What is your age? "
" T-twenty-one."
" How many sexual partners have you had? " She asked again.
Shocked, I hesitated for a while before answering her. She seemed agitated and impatient and it scared me.
" None, " I answered shamefully.
It's not like I had no experience. I had done everything else with men but I had never gone all the way. I viewed sex as an intimate moment that should only be shared with someone you fully trusted and loved. Someone who respected you and your body.
Athena nodded her head and asked me to kneel with the other girls. They all looked uncomfortable. Probably because they had been kneeling for a while and they constantly witnessed people being asked uncomfortable questions.
Three girls later, we were asked to follow her. She took us to the East wing of the fifth floor. I recognized where she was taking us. I remembered going there to clean and I felt nervous about going back.
Athena was taking us to the master bedroom. I tried not to remember what had happened there. That room was the root of all my problems.
She opened the door for us and we entered the dark room. It had dim lighting that only illuminated the room a little. My heart was beating very fast against my chest. For a reason unknown to me, I felt giddy. I should have been scared but all I felt was anticipation.
The five of us kneeled beside the bed and Athena left the room. Suddenly, I felt a dark presence enter the room. It made sweat trickle down my body and my heart race even faster. A man passed by us but I knew he was far from human.
I didn't dare look up, afraid of what I would see. From my periphery, I saw a girl rise and start walking out of the door. I was the last in line, something I saw as an advantage.
I saw girls leaving one by one and soon, it was my turn. His feet were bare and they circled me. He stood in front of me and held my chin up with two of his fingers so I was looking at him. Electricity shot through me at the contact. Even though I was looking at him, I couldn't see his face.
Half of his face was covered by a hoodie. The only thing visible was his sharp jawline and full lips. He was muscular and tall and he held an aura of danger that intrigued me. He was like a fire burning and it begged me to step in and get burnt.
He also exuded dominance which made me assume he was the King of Vampires. But why was he when he looked like your typical 24-year-old? He dropped my chin and walked to sit on his bed. It tingled where he had touched me. His feet were apart and his fingers were interlocked in between them, with his elbows on his thighs.
I looked to my side to see I wasn't the only one in the room. There were only two of us left. I didn't look to my side long enough to see who the other girl was but I knew she was a redhead. I wondered what we were still doing there. My question did not remain unanswered for long because the door opened and I heard Athena's familiar footsteps reverberating through the room.
She stood right in front of him and I dared look up. I saw him pointing at the two of us. Athena nodded her head and turned to us.
" Get up and follow me, " she said.
We stood up silently and followed her out. Before I left the room, I looked behind me. Curiosity had gotten the best of me. I saw the king on his balcony. He was leaning on the rails and facing my direction. I knew his eyes were covered but I couldn't shake the feeling that he was looking directly at me. His mouth turned up into a smirk and I rushed out.
My heartbeat was back to normal and I could finally breathe properly. Instead of leading us downstairs, Martha led us to the West wing on the fifth floor.
" These are your rooms, " she said while pointing at two rooms.
One was bigger than the other. The redhead went to enter the bigger one but Athena pulled her back. Why would she charge into the room like that? Did she not have questions?
" That's hers. Yours is that one. " She said and pointed at the smaller one.
The girl sent me a quick glare. It seemed to me like she was all beauty but no brains. Only a fool would not question why we had moved to other rooms that were bigger and visibly better.
" You two are the King's mistresses. You exist in this house solely for his pleasure. Settle in your rooms because your only job is to please him. " Athena said and I fought the urge to scoff.
I didn't want to lose my virginity to some ruthless king who believed that human beings were made to be servants. However, it was a life and death situation and I had to choose life. In the castle, I had no say in what happened to my body.
As I went to enter my room, Athena held my arm and pulled me back.
" You're his favorite so don't screw up or I'll have your head on a platter. "
His favorite? He had only seen me for what? Two seconds?