The night I slept in Duchess Arenia's mansion for the first time, my sleep was nothing but torment. The moment my eyes shut, I was plunged into darkness, a vast, empty space where I couldn't breathe. Then, I saw her.
A version of me.
She stood across from me, made of marble, cold, sharp, unfeeling. Her eyes glowed with a malevolent red, the cracks in her skin glowing like embers. Her lips twisted into a smile, revealing black teeth—sharp, pointed, and menacing. She grinned at me, her eyes scanning me from head to toe, as if assessing my weakness.
She looked like a true vampire, if a little more evil.
I wanted to look away, to run, but I couldn't. She was me. She was what I had become, or what I would become, if I wasn't careful. She leaned in, her black teeth glinting in the half-light.
"You wanted power," she whispered, her voice like ice. "This is what you wanted, isn't it?"
"N…no I…I did it to save them"
I opened my mouth to speak, but nothing came out. She reached out, her cold fingers brushing against my skin, and I shuddered as a wave of darkness swept over me. I wanted to scream, but I couldn't.
I stood frozen in place, staring at this nightmare version of myself.
Her eyes narrowed, and she smiled again, that same, wicked smile.
I awoke with a start, gasping for breath, my heart pounding in my chest. I was back in the mansion, in my bed, but the memory of that creature—the cold, evil version of myself—lingered in my mind. I wiped my face with shaking hands, trying to shake off the dream, but it wouldn't leave me.
I didn't want to be her.
A cold voice in my head whispered.
"You have no choice"
---
The next night, Duchess Arenia came for me as soon as the sun dipped below the horizon.
There was no time to breathe, no time to prepare. She appeared at my door, regal and composed, as if she were the queen of everything in her path.
"It's time," she said, her voice cold but controlled. "Your grooming must begin immediately."
I had no time to question her. She was already moving, her hands swift as she led me into the next room.
I was disoriented as she put a dress over me.
The walls were lined with mirrors, and when I saw my reflection, I barely recognized myself. The gown was exquisite, made of shimmering fabric that glowed with an almost supernatural beauty. Arenia made no effort to explain what she was doing, but her hands never stopped moving—adjusting, fitting, pulling, tightening.
I struggled to keep up, not just with her pace, but with the sheer extravagance of it all. I had never seen such dresses, such jewelry. She was trying to drag me into this world of wealth, of power, of cold, indifferent beauty.
Arenia was meticulous, as if each tiny detail mattered more than anything else. Her voice never faltered, as she went on and on about how every single thing I did would reflect on her reputation.
"You are mine now, Lyra. Every movement you make will be a statement. Every breath you take will affect how the court sees me. You must be perfect." She paused, her eyes narrowing as she looked me up and down. "And you will be the best of the best. Nothing less."
The weight of her words crushed me.
She was right, of course. I was already here, trapped in a web of my own making, and every misstep would be a chain around my neck. I had to be perfect, or I would disappear.
But as I struggled to keep up with Arenia's demands, a sickening feeling twisted in my stomach. Every time I looked at her, I saw the cruelty behind her cold smile, the indulgence she had in watching others serve her. And her treatment of the staff—it was unbearable.
They were nothing to her. Just tools.
A servant made the mistake of fitting my gown a little too tightly. Before I could even take a breath, Arenia turned to her, her eyes flashing with fury.
"You think you can make mistakes with me?" she hissed, her voice low, almost a growl. "You think I'll let you ruin this moment?" Her fangs were elongated as she stalked towards the girl.
The poor girl flinched, her hands trembling. She opened her mouth, but Arenia didn't give her the chance to speak. She raised her hand, and for a moment, I thought she would strike her down. The servant was visibly shaking now, and I felt a pang of sympathy—one that quickly turned to dread.
I stepped forward before Arenia could act, blocking her path.
"Arenia, please," I said, my voice unsteady. "Don't."
Arenia froze, her eyes flashing with surprise. She looked at me, then at the trembling servant. For a moment, I thought she might lash out at me instead.
But she didn't.
Instead, she lowered her hand and let out a sharp breath. "You are fortunate, girl," she said, her voice ice-cold. "I won't kill you. But understand this. This is not how things are done. When you make mistakes, when you fail, you must learn the cost. You must learn the price of your errors." She turned her gaze on me. "Remember that, Lyra. You are better than them. You are not to treat them like equals."
Her words stung, but I didn't respond. I couldn't. I was in no position to argue.
---
For the next few days, Arenia went on and on about the customs and traditions of the vampire court. I couldn't always focus on her words. My mind kept drifting back to my goal: the royal garden. The flower.
How could I get there? How could I get close enough to get it? How would I use it?
Arenia's voice droned on, and I barely heard her. She was teaching me how to act, how to move, how to speak. Everything I did had to be measured. Every glance, every word had to be perfect.
She made sure I understood the vampire hierarchy. "You must always act with grace. Vampires are not like humans. They do not tolerate weakness. They respect power. And you, Lyra, must show them that you belong. You must show them that you are worthy of their attention."
But I didn't care about their respect. I didn't care about their traditions.
I needed that flower. And I needed to get close to the royal court.
The tension in my chest grew with every passing day. Every lesson from Arenia. Every minute spent in this gilded cage.
Then, one morning, I woke to the sound of a knock at the door. Arenia entered swiftly, her expression hard as stone.
"We've been summoned to court," she announced, her voice low. "It's earlier than expected. You're not prepared. We are not prepared."
I froze. "But—"
"It doesn't matter. The summons is final." Her lips tightened. "You will embarrass yourself, Lyra. There's no helping it."
I swallowed hard. I wasn't ready for this. I had no idea what to expect. I hadn't even had time to fully adjust. But there was no turning back now.
I took a deep breath, I would be in front of all the vampires in the vampire court. The old ones, cruel with all the power of their immortality.
What if they sensed my magic immediately, I would most likely be put to death for my deception.
I would just have to hope for the best, that my magic held.