Emptiness pooled within me, consuming the dread that had gripped my heart. I slumped weakly against Lord Fashire's iron grip, my eyes welling up as the hollow feeling inside grew. It was over. This was the end. I was going to die.
What would become of my father now?
"Oh, well." Fashire held me by my elbow and dangled me like a rag doll. "My fun is ruined."
I didn't have the strength to hold myself up anymore. My body followed whatever direction his hand shifted. The flaring pain in my shoulder dulled to an ache as I grew faint. I prayed to at least die from blood loss before he could do anything further.
"Venti," I heard Lady Gremlin speak up, a hint of panic in her voice. "You said something about her..."
"Don't be dull, Elaire," Lord Fashire addressed her. "I said what I said and you heard right!" He let go and I crumpled at his feet, dazed. "Then again, it truly was worthwhile watching the display of emotions this girl spat out." A wicked chuckle resonated within the hall.
"You're disgusting, Fashire," the bespectacled Lord said, rising from his seat.
"As you've told me numerous times, Lorn." Fashire grinned, a disturbingly gleeful tone in his voice.
Lord Lorn's gaze shifted to me. "If I recall correctly, your words were 'humans have found a way to mask as vampires' and the fact that she trotted around the castle grounds without us knowing says so. How did you come to know about this, Fashire?"
Lord Fashire chuckled in response.
"Venti, if you're telling the truth, then this is no laughing matter!" a Lord yelled, and the walls and floor rattled. "There are several unanswered questions about that... 'thing', and you mentioned something about humans..." He paused, lowering his voice. "Who is this Strome that dares recommend a human to work here?" He faced Matadre, pointing an accusatory look her way. To my surprise, she didn't flinch. "And you..."
"Stop it. Do not fault her in this," Lord Lorn faced the other Lord, annoyance in his tone. "Unless you mean to say my servant is more observant than you are, then be my guest."
"Well, I don't particularly care," Lord Fashire announced, deadpanned, earning silence from the puzzled audience. "And I am sure I can leave it to you to get to the bottom of it all." He waved dismissively.
My shoulder throbbed. What did he mean by that? I didn't want anything to do with him, but the prospect of being thrown to a bunch of angry Lords was just as terrifying.
"Venti! You sick..."
Their violent outbursts faded into a rapid blur, just like the background and air around me. I found myself back in Lord Fashire's chambers and I collapsed to the ground as he dropped me. My stomach flipped and I dry heaved, nauseated by the sudden movement. My vision swam.
"Look at me," he spoke calmly, quietly, thoughtfully. But his soft half whisper caused an instant wave of chills to ravage my body. I raised my head, forced against my will, and met Lord Fashire dead in the eyes.
"To the door on your left is the washroom." He gestured to the entrance on the side, the door he had passed through to clean my blood from his mouth earlier. "Strip and wash that nasty blood and sweat off you," he commanded, obvious disdain in his tone at the mention of my blood. Then his voice dropped lower. "If I catch you 'trying' to escape, I will head into that sweet little village and your dear old man will meet a fate far worse than death."
My blood went cold and my eyes widened. Despair set in. He knew. Within that short time he had gotten the vial, he had been able to track down my father. No... This was bad. If he could find him and the others now knew about me, nothing was stopping them from finding him just as quickly and finishing him off.
I opened my mouth to speak and stilled. Nothing came out. What was I even going to say? This Lord didn't bat an eye when I pleaded on my knees. There was no telling what slight mistake I would make that would lead him to kill my father. From his interaction with the other Lords, he was that fickle.
'No. You have to ask!'
My throat tightened and my eyes watered with fresh tears. "They will find him," I whispered hoarsely and raised a shaky hand to my throat. It felt like needles had been shoved down there. Was it from all the begging and crying?
"Shh," he hushed, bending down on one knee before me. His cold palm touched my head and I stiffened, instinctively lowering my gaze. Chills relentlessly clamoured across my scalp as he brushed my head down, continuously patting me. What was he doing? I couldn't make sense of this action.
He whispered, "I couldn't find the sweet relative of yours who made this potion. And their residency has been vacant for over a year now..."
My blood went cold at the numbing dread that spread through me.
No.
What was he saying…
That wasn't possible.
A vial only lasted a few months and I had collected around three from her... making this my last dose. Had she planned to abandon me from the start? She had never said anything about leaving. What if he was deceiving me to bring out a reaction from me?
His hand came to rest at the base of my neck, a satisfied mocking smile spread across his features. I heard a low sizzle and started to smell burnt flesh. His fingers must be touching my blood, but I couldn't find any flicker of pain in his features. He looked impassive.
My pulse rose.
He was trying to build resistance to my blood.
"She abandoned you. I see you have realised it too," he said. I sniffed, and a fresh batch of tears flowed down my cheeks. "Now, now, little lady." His hand tightened at my neck. "You look quite horrid when you cry."