My body feels foreign to me as I wake up wrapped in luxury.
The soft sheets make me feel warm and cozy, an unfamiliar feeling that contrasts with the usual hard floor of the cells I am used to. My eyes adjust to the sunlight that pours through the satin curtains. I groan as my body sits up in my bed.
Just as I am about to get out of bed, I feel it.
The familiar feeling of the cells. The collar.
My hand grabs my collar out of reflex, the number tag still dangling from the collar. I scowl but shrug it off. I have nothing to do, so I decide to explore my bedroom. The room is fully stocked with a variety of nice clothes, perfumes, and even, strangely... lingerie.
I am confused as I inspect the clothes, which seem to be in my size.
A vampire servant girl knocks and enters my bedroom.
She holds an outfit in each hand, declaring I must choose one, as the Grand Duke wants to see me wear it. She tells me it is best if I do not refuse. The options are an elegant dress and a modest one. The choice is obvious. I choose the modest one despite the vampire servant raising an eyebrow at me.
The girl warns me, "The Grand Duke has an eye for beauty... and rebellion."
The vampire servant lets me get dressed in private. Once properly dressed, I walk out of my bedroom with the servant. She decides to give me a tour of the Bloodstone Castle.
The first thing I notice as we walk around the castle is the gothic architecture. The Grand Duke seems fond of silver, as I notice silver all around us. Intricate designs are displayed on the walls and in various art pieces.
I ask the vampire servant girl if the Grand Duke likes gold at all.
She shrugs. "The Grand Duke has always been more fond of silver. Many people who don't know him well think he prefers gold like the other vampire nobles. However, our Grand Duke isn't greedy, nor does he care about showing off. He only displays power when he wants something desperately."
"Interesting," I say in response.
She continues my tour around the premises. I notice her walk in front of me with a smooth stride. Other vampire servants we run into lower their eyes as we walk past them. It seems this vampire servant girl has some air about her.
"What is your name?" I ask.
"Victoria Bathory. You may refer to me just as Victoria. I am the Chief Vampire Servant of Grand Duke Bloodstone," she replies with a smile as we come to a stop in front of a painting.
The painting is of Xavier himself. Victoria explains to me this was made of him about a hundred years ago. Due to the Grand Duke being a high-ranking vampire, he doesn't age even in the slightest. The dark hair. The broad shoulders. The sharp jawline.
All remain the same from the moment I laid eyes on him.
"Woah," is all I have to say in response to this.
Victoria then guides me to the dining chamber. She tells me this is where she will leave me, as the Grand Duke requests my presence to eat breakfast with me. She disappears. I enter the dining chambers. Spots of sunlight pour through the tinted windows.
Some of the sunlight spots cascade on the standing Grand Duke, who is completely unbothered by it.
A power display of his pure blood and power? Maybe.
I sit at the other end of the long table. He waits until I am seated to sit down himself.
The food is quite delicious and lavish. I pause after each bite to make sure he didn't put something in the food. Xavier tips a sip of wine from the other end of the table as he notices my mistrust. He looks at me with intrigue.
"How did you sleep?" he asks with sincerity.
"Fine," I reply back as I take another bite of food.
"The modest dress? There wasn't anything wrong with the elegant one, was there?"
"Not at all. I simply felt like this was the appropriate one." I take a sip of water from my crystal glass, which feels unfamiliar to me. This amount of luxury is something I have long forgotten.
His gaze is intense as he studies me. "Interesting choice, princess."
He leans forward across the table while leaning his elbows on the table with a smirk on his face.
"Since you are acting good, you may have freedom to explore the majority of the castle. However, do not stray too far from the castle outside. Even if you tried to run, the magic on your collar binds you to me."
"What are you going to do, use the magic to get me back?" I reply as I roll my eyes like I didn't already know this information.
"No. I would chase after you. It's not fun if everything is so easy. You are free to test me," he says with a strong intensity. It makes my skin tense up for a moment.
"What is your goal with me?" I demand as I gaze back at him, challenging his dominance.
"To enjoy you. To learn every part of you. To make you mine, in ways you never imagined," he says as he finishes his breakfast and stands up from his seat. He walks over to me, and I stand up to glare at him to see his reaction. The back of his hand feels warm as it brushes against my cheek.
I flinch, but I don't pull away entirely.
"Later. For now, I recommend exploring the library. It's important," he says as he walks out of the dining chambers and leaves me alone standing. I touch my cheek. What is he trying to do? He knows that vampires and human slaves aren't allowed to be romantic.
That is the one cardinal rule in this world.
Vampires and their human slaves cannot be romantic with each other. They cannot produce offspring. It is illegal to handle a slave that way. Even some corrupt legal groups of vampires are fine with slaves being used in a sexual way, but never reproduction or actual romantic love.
It is unheard of for a superior being like a vampire to love a human.
I have no idea what Xavier Bloodstone's intentions are with me.