On the way home, I contemplate how to use my ability to escape. If only I could make someone else take my place, neither my parents nor the Old Viceroys would be the wiser. The problem is that I cannot test my theory; after all, Azucena cannot be trusted to keep my secret.
The first thing Azucena does is inform my mother of my freeing of the slaves. I sometimes wonder if she has a dual personality. In the mornings, Azucena is all positivity, insisting we will find a way to escape the Old Viceroys. As the day progresses, she no longer hides where her loyalties lie; instead, she insists that I accept my fate.
"How can you waste what little money we have on buying slaves?" for someone bound by divine devotion, Mother isn't very pious.
"Where did you get the money?" Father suddenly appeared, greedy eyes looking me over as if gold were oozing from my pores.
Lady Marisol hides her smirk behind her fan; she clearly thinks I will be punished.
When my father goes to strike me, I look him dead in the eye, causing him to falter. For whatever reason, whenever I look anyone directly in the eye, it makes them hesitate, as if they were afraid of what they see. "If you leave a mark, the Old Viceroys will no longer want me, so go ahead, Esperanza can marry him instead."
Lady Marisol's smirk vanishes within an instant. Esperanza acts as expected and rushes to strike me; I bite my lip in the process, making it seem like her meager slap actually did some damage.
"Why would I ever marry such an old man? Only someone as lowly as you could ever do such a thing!" Esperanza shouts, lifting her hand once more to strike. This time, I bite down on my inner cheek, causing the blood at the corner of my mouth to stream down.
Lady Marisol pulls her daughter back, "Enough if she's damaged. The Old Viceroys won't want her, and we can't have him looking your way."
"Oh yes, precious Esperanza cannot be sacrificed for the family's sake, just poor old Renata. After all, not even her parents want her." I laugh, maniacally bloodied saliva streaming down my chin.
"Insolence!" Mother raises her voice, rosary in hand. How can you say we do not want you? We are doing what is best for you. This is what the Lord has chosen for you. Why must you deny his wishes?"
"If your Lord is so wise, why does he allow the traders to sell innocents?" I take the rosary from her hand and toss it into my heart. I'm sick of it all. You follow a faith brought on by those who destroyed our forefathers, a faith implemented by people who think it's right to snare others. Then, that same faith is used to force unwanted unions. Make it make sense!"
Mother screams in horror as her rosary burns, "The enemy must be controlling you. No child of the Lord would ever act this way."
"Is that all you care for?" I look each of them in the eyes and ask, "If the so-called enemy were controlling me, do you think I'd be living such a wretched life? Do you think I would be powerless to do with my life as I see fit? If I could be free from all of you, I would gladly give my soul to the so-called enemy."
"No." Mother falls to her knees, holding a hand to her heart. "Forgive her father. She knows not what she speaks."
"Enough!" I grave a porcelain vase and throw it against the wall, porcelain sprinkling everywhere like hale, "your husband frolics with the Marisol, and you do nothing but pray. your marriage is a sham, but you insist on forcing me to live a life worse than yours for what?" I pick up something heavy without looking, "For your husband and his mistress to save face? It's simply pathetic, all of you," and hurl it towards the chimney, causing sparks to fly; the rug catches fire, the flames licking everything in their wake.
Amid the chaos, I find Azucena trying what little jewelry I have. It's now or never, I tell myself over and over again. Picking up a candelabra, I hit Azucena in the back of the head. Then, with great effort, I try and conjure up the image I've seen in the mirror. First, her skin tone begins to change, then her facial structure until finally it looks as if I was the one lying on the rapidly spreading pool of blood.
"You wanted my life so badly," I take a cloak out of the truck at the foot of my bed, "you can have it. Of course, first, you must survive the night. Will they even think of looking for you?" I climb down the veranda and head towards where I've hidden the extract and dried datura. If I cannot escape in life, I will do so in death, but first, I will try to stay alive.
"You are rather impulsive," a silky voice whispers from within the shadows, "you just needed to wait for the Master to come get you." One of the Eastern men who waited for Lìxīn earlier.
"What does your Master have to do with me?" I take the dagger I keep hidden out.
The Easterner raises his hands to show me he is unarmed, "the Master won't hurt you; he simply wishes to be of service."
"Can he take me out of the country?" I ask.
"He can," the man says, "take you wherever you want."
"The destination is irrelevant as long as it's far away from here," I say as I tuck my knife away. "What should I call you?"
"Máquè," he says, offering his hand. I take it without hesitation and let him guide me down a path I never knew existed.
Lìxīn faces the moon as if praying to her, his handsome face iridescent under the moonlight.
I fight the urge to reach out to him and wait for him to face us.
"Master, I have brought the Madam," says Máquè while kneeling on one knee.
With a wave of the hand, Lìxīn dismisses him. Máquè disappears back into the shadows. "You're injured." Lìxīn's eyes seemed to glow a golden crimson, "Who did this to you?" his eyes remained fixed on my bloodied lip as his hand reached out.
"I did." I proclaim, "You could say it was a necessary evil." I take hold of his chin, forcing him to look me in the eyes. The warmth from earlier is gone. Now, all I can see in his eyes is hunger. "What are you?" I ask, for no ordinary man could ever have the gaze of a true predator. Like a jaguar calculating how to claim its prey.
"There are many names, but those that destroyed your lands call us Vampire." Lìxīn looked as if he was expecting me to rebuke his claim.
"I see," I let go of his face, "my grandmother used to tell me stories of such creatures. They live longer forever, youthfully, she would say, but also stronger. What we can do is nothing compared to what they can do." I pick up a stone and make it look like a pearl. "Illusions can only do so much."
Lìxīn smiles, revealing a set of sharp teeth. "How would you like to live forever?" Before I can answer, his fangs sink into my flesh. The world begins to spin, and all I can see is the moon dancing around us as if giving her blessing.