My stomach twisted in utter despair.
Was this a joke?
"Are you joking?" I asked, just to be sure.
"I—I don't know, he just…" Becca's words tumbled out in a rush, her voice trembling with each breath, "He just—he had so many questions about you, and I don't know—he was—I have never seen him so curious about anything."
She then lowered her head, downcast. "I just thought of… I don't know—there are some Lords who have personal vampire servants—I don't know—maybe we cannot be treated as human pets, but his curiosity about you was honestly frightening." Becca's voice cracked and her eyes watered. "I didn't—I—he asked where you came from, what you really do, if you had a family. I couldn't answer some of those questions, but he kept pushing—did you—Hiln, did you do something? Are you sure you didn't do anything when you entered his chambers yesterday?"
Becca's tearful monologue faded into oblivion as a tense ringing assaulted my ears. I could not understand half of the incoherent words she spat out. But I understood one thing.
I was in deep trouble.
Why? Why would he be asking of me? He didn't suspect I was human, did he? Even Aunt said that the most powerful vampire Lords wouldn't suspect a thing, and I was certain I hadn't given anything away.
Hold on.
What if something happened during those moments I blacked out in his chambers?
The hopeful words came out of my mouth before I could stop them. "Maybe you're reading too much into this. I mean, Lord Daniels was puzzled about me during my arrival. You know the Lords are at times curious about any new arrivals, and Lord Fashire hadn't noticed me till now."
Becca was overreacting. She had to be. Please, let her be.
She shook her head. "Hiln, no. This was different. Lord Fashire doesn't concern himself with the matter of us servants at all. He leaves that to Matadre. I just hoped… I want to know if you'll be alright. I can't help the feeling that this won't be the end of it." Becca bit the inside of her lower lip. "He also said he wants you to serve him tonight."
The world seemed to sway. I clutched the table, trying to maintain my balance as a wave of dizziness engulfed me. Black spots dotted my vision.
"Hiln? Hiln!"
||| ||| |||
By the time I came to, we were in a carriage headed back to the outskirts. Becca panicked, but my mind remained in disarray. This got worse the moment we returned to the castle.
I had fought the urge to race to my aunt's residence. Surely, there had to be a way around this. Why did he ask of me? I had done nothing. I thought hard about the possibilities of what might have happened during my blank state in his chamber.
Had he done something? If he sensed I was human, he could have attacked me there and then.
Or was he one to toy with his victims?
I could barely focus on my surroundings, and before long, I discovered I was drenched in a fine film of sweat. I was appreciative of her not withholding anything from me. She could have simply told me Lord Fashire just wanted me to serve him that evening. And while I would have been cautious, I would have gone to his chambers none the wiser.
"Girls."
Matadre approached us, her hands clasped together at her stomach.
"We were… just about to prepare for the evening," Becca spoke up.
Matadre waved a dismissive hand. "I am aware of that. Rather, something else has come up. You won't be serving the Lords this evening. They will be going out for the night."
My knees buckled, and I latched onto Becca's arm. An immense wave of relief washed over me. It was just one night, but was a sufficient breather away from Lord Fashire. This was wonderful news.
As high as my mood rose, it crashed immediately after. I would still have to serve him the following morning or evening.
"What about tomorrow morning?" I asked.
Matadre's eyes narrowed as she observed me closely. "I thought it was exhaustion earlier, but you clearly look distressed over something."
"Oh." I straightened, letting go of Becca. "I—"
Becca stepped in, "She is just nervous she has to serve Lord Fashire again."
"I see." Matadre's gaze softened, and she stared off to the side before addressing us both. "You shouldn't worry. The Lords are most likely to hold a meeting tomorrow upon their return. You may serve them at the dining hall then, so you won't be alone. Ion and Tori would join you too. Just focus on doing your job and everything will be fine."
A sigh of relief escaped my lips, and Becca offered comfort with a gentle rub on my back.
Matadre bid us farewell, leaving a gentle pat on my shoulder before heading outside. Becca and I retreated to our rooms in dire need of rest.
I quickly washed away the day's exhaustion, donned a light robe, and tended to my damp hair. The rhythmic motion of combing through the tight curls soothed my troubled mind, even if a few strands broke off in the process.
I patted my face dry and glanced at my reflection in the mirror. My red eyes were fading to their usual brown hue. I frowned and straightened. It hadn't even been two days yet. What was happening?
My pulse quickened. This had never happened before.
I rushed back to where I kept the vial and took another sip. With bated breath, I waited for the effects to kick in. They did, but mere seconds after, they began to wane.
No. No. No. No. Nooo!
A quick dash to the mirror revealed my suspicions. The potion was no longer working.
I choked back a sob and staggered back. Tripping over my ankle, I fell, ramming my hip against the hard floor. I cradled the vial to my chest, the pain flaring at my side. I couldn't let the rest go to waste.
I needed to do something. My hands trembled as I placed the vial back in its hiding place. I slowly stepped back, taking long deep breaths to calm myself. I couldn't waste any time panicking!
I rummaged through my drawers for a dress. I needed to sneak out of the castle one way or the other. I would take the potion again and while the effects were remaining, I could quickly go see Matadre and tell her I had to do something very important in the village.
She trusted me. I worked well. I would be out and back before daylight. I needed to see my aunt this instant!
Having found an attire, I was dressing up when a sudden gust of wind swept into my room, rousing my senses.
I turned around, and my heart lurched within my chest before freezing in place.
Perched on the windowsill, sat the unmistakable silhouette of Lord Fashire. His legs were crossed, his hands resting on them. A finger tapped a steady rhythm against his thigh, the only sound in the deathly quiet that had engulfed my room. I stepped away until my back hit the wall. A strangled whimper escaped my throat. His piercing gaze followed my every move, unrelenting.
He chuckled, the low sound resonating with a depth that sent shivers down my spine.
"I know you…"
In an instant, he stood before me, his icy fingers grazing my throat. My blood ran cold, and my mouth went dry as his words slithered into my ears. "That servant from the balcony." His eyes blazed with an otherworldly glow, and the air crackled with frost. "Now, since when were we accepting humans amongst our staff?"
A frigid tremor flushed through my system, and the world around me blurred into a dizzying white flash.