Jack's face stood frozen at the sight of the bloodless baby lying on the floor. Quinn had just dropped it, his face void of any remorse. Jack remained on his knees, paralyzed by fear.
"What are we going to tell the other girls, Quinn?" Jack whispered, voice trembling.
"Tell them she terminated her contract," Quinn replied, brushing dust off his coat.
Jack shook his head. "That won't work. Anna and Rachel were close, like sisters. You should've told me before doing your stupid bloodsucking... Anna and David..."
Quinn's expression darkened. "What did you just say to me?"
Jack looked up. Quinn loomed above him like a nightmare—a dark shadow with long black nails and glowing green, inhuman eyes. Jack stammered, "I-I didn't mean it like that..."
He was sure he'd urinated on himself. Quinn's presence was that terrifying.
"We will make a new rule," Quinn announced. "You shall round up all the girls. Tonight, they will move into our castle."
"I don't think they'll agree to that..." Jack began.
"It's not their choice!" Quinn barked, his voice thunderous. "Do as you're told. Make it happen tonight."
With a gust of unnatural wind, Quinn vanished. Jack sat still, trembling. "Damn... what do I do now?"
---
Later that night, Jack called all the women to his house. Within the hour, they arrived, half asleep and confused.
"Why did you call us here at eleven at night?" Indovah yawned.
Jack rubbed his neck nervously. "Well... it seems you girls are moving into the contractor's castle."
"What?" Rachel gasped. "Where's Anna?"
Jack's heart pounded so loudly he thought it might burst. He couldn't speak. Her name replayed in his head like a curse.
"Jack? Where's Anna?" Rachel pressed.
The words became echoes. Jack's vision blurred. His chest tightened. Was this a panic attack?
Jane quickly poured tap water and handed it to him. Jack sipped, his breath returning.
Then—knock knock knock.
Everyone froze.
Jack opened the door. His stomach dropped—it was Kwada and Durban.
"Are the girls ready, Mr. Silverfork?" Kwada asked with a smirk.
"W-we're still discussing. Come back later," Jack whispered, hoping the girls wouldn't hear.
"Time is running out," Durban said firmly.
"Jack? Who's at the door?" Rachel asked.
"No one," Jack lied.
But Kwada and Durban pushed past him.
"Hello, ladies," Kwada said with a grin. "We're here to take you to your new home."
Both wore sharp blue suits. Their handsome appearances only made the situation more disturbing.
"Who are you?" Indovah asked.
"We're the ones who gave you the contract," Durban replied. "Anna broke it, and now she and her son are dead."
Rachel gasped, hands covering her mouth. Tears spilled.
"You monsters," she cried. "You killed my sister!"
"You don't have a choice," Durban said. "You're coming with us."
"No!" Rachel screamed. "To hell with your contract! I'm not going!"
She grabbed a nearby glass bottle and smashed it over Durban's head. Blood streamed down.
"You imbecile!" Durban snarled. He backhanded Rachel so hard she flew across the living room and slammed into the wall.
"Rachel!" Devorah screamed. She lunged, broken glass in hand. Durban caught her mid-air and punched her unconscious. She dropped like a stone.
Jane and Indovah tried to run, but Durban struck Jane with his fist and delivered a brutal roundhouse kick to Indovah's face. They collapsed instantly.
"Was the kick necessary?" Kwada muttered.
"You didn't help, did you?" Durban growled.
We gotta go get the babies, kwada said.
Yeah but first things first we should round up this mortals in the truck, Durban replied back.
They hauled the unconscious girls out. Jack just stood there—useless, broken—watching it all.
---
At the truck, Amanda sat in the driver's seat.
"Throw them in the back," she ordered.
She spotted Jack trailing behind.
In a blur, she was in front of him. She grabbed him by the throat with one icy hand and lifted him into the air.
"What are you doing, mortal?"
"P-please," Jack gasped. "I just wanted to see where they were going."
"Your job is done," Amanda hissed. Her cold grip made Jack feel like death was already here.
"I'm sorry—please..."
"Go home. Unless you want to die."
With inhuman strength, Amanda hurled him. Jack crashed into the wooden porch chair where he once sat welcoming these vampires. It shattered on impact. Pain crushed him. He couldn't get up.
The truck roared to life and drove away.
---
Indovah was the last to wake. Her head throbbed. A shrill ringing filled her ears.
"Ugh..." she groaned, sitting up on a soft mattress.
"You're awake," said Divorah.
Indovah looked around. They were in a giant wooden warehouse, empty except for four mattresses. A large metal gate sealed the entrance from the outside.
"We're trapped," Indovah gasped.
"Yeah, thanks for noticing," Jane replied bitterly. "The real question is: how do we get out?"
"Guess that jerk of a mayor sold us out," Rachel muttered.
Just then, the gate groaned open.
Amanda entered, pushing a stroller.
"I don't think we've been properly introduced," she said. "I'm Amanda Driscoll. Because of your friend's recklessness, we had to get... creative."
"Who are you people?" Jane whimpered.
"Vampires," Amanda said casually. "Night Walkers."
"You're monsters!" Rachel cried.
"Anna tried to steal our food. After months of feeding and shelter, she broke our trust. Now she's gone."
"Don't you dare talk about Anna that way!" Rachel screamed.
"Or what?" Amanda snapped. "What can you pathetic creatures do?"
She paused.
"Here's the new deal. You'll stay here and nurse your babies for five months. You'll get food and water three times a day. A bucket for waste. Your payment is your life. Refuse... and die."
Amanda's eyes scanned their stunned faces. Silence stretched.
Rachel moved first. She walked to the stroller, picked up her baby, and sat silently on her mattress. One by one, the others followed.
Amanda smiled, revealing her fangs.
"Good. That's more like it."
She turned and left. The gate clanked shut behind her.
The girls remained silent, clutching their children, the weight of their new reality pressing down like a tombstone.