NIKOLAS POV
Walking alongside Luca, I could not shake off the feeling of unease that had settled in the pit of my stomach. We are being led to the slave quarters that is surrounded by the towering stone walls and guarded by menacing vampires at every corner.
Luca's voice cut through my thoughts, "Do you think you will be used as a blood bank?"
I shot him a sideways glance, "Why do you say that?"
He shrugged, "Well, because of the way all the vampires present at the processing reacted to your blood. They looked like they wanted to devour you whole."
I shuddered at the memory, recalling the way the vampires' eyes had turned red and their fangs bared in hunger. "I don't know, Luca but I just hope I am not their next meal."
The guard leading us stopped in front of a large wooden door that is adorned with iron hinges and a heavy looking iron knocker in the shape of a snarling lion's head. He pushed the door open, revealing a dimly lit corridor .
"Welcome to your new home," The guard sneered, his voice dripping with malice.
stepping inside the place I caught sight of more guards stationed at every corner, their eyes watchful and cold. I felt like a prisoner trapped in a living nightmare.
"Stay close, Nikolas," Luca whispered, his voice barely audible over the sound of our footsteps echoing off the stone walls.
I nodded, my heart racing with every step. "What lay ahead", I had no idea, but I knew I had to be prepared for the worst.
The guard pushed us into a room at the corner of the corridor, I stumbled forward my eyes adjusting to the dim light within. The air was thick with the scent of old stone and dust. I saw two other boys roughly my age, joined together in the corner. They looked up at us as we entered, their eyes wary.
I take a deep breath and introduced myself, trying to sound braver than I felt. "My name is Nikolas, but you can call me Niko."
One of the boys, with messy brown hair and a scar above his left eyebrow, nodded. "I am Marcus and This is Leo."
Leo is a quiet looking kind of boy with piercing blue eyes as he smiled weakly at me.
Luca ever the charmer, flashed his famous smile. "Hey, guys! So, what's the deal here? What is going to happen to us?"
Marcus shrugged. "We are not really sure. We were brought here a few days ago and No one has told us anything."
I frowned, "Do you think we are in some kind of danger?"
Leo spoke up, his voice barely above a whisper. "I think we are meant to be entertainment for the vampires."
Suddenly, the door creaked open, and a tall imposing figure loomed in the entrance. His piercing blue eyes scanned the room, before locking onto me , Entirely caught off guard, I felt a wave of fear as the guard's firm grip wrapped around my wrist and started pulling me away from the only people I had formed a connection with in this forsaken place. I stumbled forward, trying to regain my balance as the guard dragged me towards the door.
"Hey, let him go!" Luca shouted, stepping forward to intervene.
But the guard was too strong With a single push, he sent Luca stumbling backward. "I am taking this one to another room," he growled, his voice devoid of any emotion.
I struggled to free myself, but the guard's grip only tightened. "Where are you taking me?" I demanded, trying to hide the tremble in my voice.
The guard didn't respond. He simply continued to drag me out of the room leaving Luca, Marcus, and Leo behind.
As the guard continued to drag me through the corridors, I saw my chance and wiggled my hand out of his grasp. I take off in a sprint, my heart racing with fear and adrenaline. I spotted a door ahead one that I hoped would lead out of the slave quarters and to freedom.
Pumping my arms and legs as fast as I could with my breath coming in ragged gasps , I could hear the guard shouting behind me, his footsteps pounding the stone floor.
Just as I reached the door, it suddenly swings open, and I crashed into a solid wall of muscle. I stumbled backward gasping for breath ,
As I looked up, I was met by the most piercing blue eyes I had ever seen They were like two sapphires shining in the dim light of the corridor. The face that accompanied those eyes was chiseled and handsome with sharp cheekbones and a strong jawline.
But my admiration was short-lived, as the eyes suddenly turned red, and I knew I am staring into the face of another vampire.
"Let me go!" I demanded, trying to wriggle out of his grasp.
"Your Majesty,Your Majesty, I am sorry for the inconveniences, the slave was trying to escape " the guard who had been dragging me said, addressing the person holding me.
And that was when it hit me that I am in the hands of the king, the one person I hated the most, The ruler of the vampires and all other supernatural, the one who had enslaved my people and treated us like nothing more than cattle.
.
My eyes darted to the guard, then back to the king . "Y-you're the king," I stammered my voice trembling.
Quickly I tried to make a run for it, but the king was quick too as he tightened his grip that is holding me in place.
I spat at his feet. "I will never bow to you," I snarled.
The king chuckled, his red eyes glinting with amusement. "We will see about that," he said, his grip on my arm tightening even more.
"And Where were you dragging him to?" the king asked the guard.
The guard hesitated before answering, "Your Majesty, I was ordered by Lord Cadoc to take the slave to Lord Cadoc's room for the night."
The king's expression darkened, "Tell Cadoc that this slave is coming with me," he growled, his grip on my arm tightening.
I tried to struggle, but it was no use. The king's hold was like a rock , unyielding and unrelenting. All this while his eyes did not move from mine as if daring me to defy him.
"What do you want from me?" I spat, trying to keep my voice steady.
The king's smile was slow and sinister. "Oh, sweetheart. I think you know exactly what I want. "
I shuddered and tried to struggle, but it was no use because now I am trapped, at the mercy of the monster who had destroyed my life.