A soft knock interrupted my thoughts, piercing the quiet of the room and drawing me from the somber depths of my own mind. I leaned back, shifting my focus from the vast window overlooking the estate gardens.
"Enter," I commanded, my voice steady, decisive.
Swain stepped inside, his every move measured. There was a familiar calm to his expression, yet I sensed a flicker of unease beneath his usual control. He bowed his head in respectful acknowledgment, but the glint in his eye hinted that this was no routine matter.
"Forgive the intrusion, sire," Swain began, his tone almost apologetic. "However, a recent hire has come to my attention—one I thought might interest you personally."
I raised an eyebrow, half-curious, half-impatient. Staff matters seldom warranted my involvement. Swain knew that, so this interruption must mean something unusual. "Continue."
He approached, extending a thin dossier. Most personnel files were dense with details, histories, references, assessments. But this one was notably slim, practically skeletal in comparison. I took it, flipping it open, the name on the first page catching my eye.
"A human?" I didn't bother to hide the hint of disdain in my voice. "For a position typically reserved for hybrids or vampires?"
Swain nodded, ever-composed. "Yes, sire. She applied for a housekeeping role. Most of our kind would overlook a human for such a position—she lacks the inherent… resilience. Yet something about her caught my eye. She's unusually persistent. A determination I rarely see among her kind."
I allowed my gaze to drift down the scant details within the file. Iris Catherine Galloway. She sounded unremarkable on paper, nothing but another human toiling under her mortal struggles. But Swain's judgment was rarely clouded by whims. He was not one to bring inconsequential matters to me without reason.
"You went ahead and hired her?" I asked, the edge in my tone intentional, enough to signal that this deviation from the norm would need justification.
"I did," he replied calmly, his eyes meeting mine, unwavering. "She's a skilled worker, and while it's atypical for a human to serve directly under our estate's roof, I found her… unique. I thought it best to inform you before others took note.She is the two victims of that accident's relation, she noted that her father is experiencing complications and I felt compelled to give her a chance, especially since she was honest about her motivations. She has deep loyalty to her brother and father and I feel she would be an asset to you in that way."
I studied Swain. His reasoning was clear, though there was something in his expression—a curiosity, perhaps? Swain's decisions were usually calculated, and he knew the weight his word held with me. If he had hired her, there was more to this than a simple staff shortage.
"And what makes her so special?" I asked, allowing a hint of intrigue to slip into my voice as I closed the file but kept it in my hands.
Swain's voice grew softer, his tone measured. "She's hiding something, sire. I can't quite place it, but beyond that… the staff has already taken notice. Despite her human fragility, she possesses an odd charisma. There's something about her presence—almost a command of respect. Curiosity, at the very least."
I allowed the thought to settle, tapping the closed file lightly with my finger. "A human," I repeated, the word almost a murmur, my mind drifting through the implications. "Commanding respect among hybrids and vampires. Interesting."
Swain remained silent, patient, knowing better than to push further. His purpose here was merely to inform, not persuade. I leaned back, the weight of this strange new knowledge balancing in my thoughts. A human among predators, willingly placing herself in a den where her mortality was both an anomaly and a liability. Either she was desperate or foolish—or perhaps, there was something in her even she did not yet understand.
"Allow her to remain," I finally said, my voice firm, decisive. "But watch her closely. If she stumbles or becomes a distraction, she'll be removed swiftly. Weakness, whether mortal or otherwise, has no place here."
Swain nodded, his expression a touch more satisfied. "Understood, sire."
With that, he turned to leave, but I found myself lingering on the name in the dossier. Iris Catherine Galloway. A human, willingly choosing to step into this world, even if she had no idea what that truly entailed. I leaned back in my chair, watching Swain's retreating form, pondering the strange scenario unfolding before me.
Humans in our estate were, of course, not entirely unheard of. We'd employed them occasionally, though usually in positions that require little interaction with the household's main inhabitants. They often lasted a few weeks at most, overwhelmed by the magnitude of their circumstances, or quietly removed if their weaknesses began to inconvenience the staff. Yet, here was one deemed worthy enough to be brought to my attention, a rare thing in itself.
The file remained in my hands, her name a faint whisper in my mind. Swain was right—there was something about her that felt different, even though I had yet to meet her. The idea of a mere human holding her own in this place, intriguing as it was, bordered on the absurd. Yet, Swain saw something, and Swain was seldom wrong.
I placed the file on the desk, contemplating what sort of human would willingly work here, where the balance of power was so distinctly skewed against her. Fear was typically the hallmark of mortals when faced with our kind; they could sense the danger in us, even if they didn't fully understand it. Was she immune to that innate fear, or merely better at hiding it? Time would answer that question.
A knock echoed from the door again, quieter this time. It was Swain, who had returned as promptly as he had left, his usual efficiency never faltering.
"One more thing, sire," he said, catching my attention. "She's due to start immediately, and I thought it prudent to keep her position under close watch—unless you'd prefer to observe her from a distance."
I tapped a finger on the desk, thinking. "No need for immediate action. Let her settle. If she's as resilient as you suggest, she'll find her way through the initial weeks. However, make certain she's closely supervised. Report back if anything unusual arises."
Swain nodded, his gaze steady. "As you wish."
He exited once more, leaving me alone with the question in my mind of why she would willingly face possible death daily?
I had been given a Polaroid of her face and I studied it intently. With her deep set brown eyes and jet black hair and red lips she looked like the classic variation of the famous fairytale. The intensity of her look made it apparent that she was used to handling things on her own.
Iris, Iris, Iris…. I mused to myself, how long will you last in this place?