Nadine - The Beginning

4. Pets

I wake up early the next morning and walk out to the barn.

"Good morning Zacier."

Zacier stands up from a little table with his breakfast on it. "Oh good morning princess. How is your morning going?"

"I have to wear this stupid thing on my head."

He kind of chuckles. "Well I'm sorry Hypatia. Maybe a horse ride will make you feel better? I can get Dream ready for you. Star hasn't finished eating yet."

"I can get her ready. Sit down and finish your breakfast. Thank you though." I get a blanket and throw it over Dream. "How is Macie doing?"

"Oh she's doing good. Should be ready to give birth about any day."

I smile and hop on Dream. "I'm going to be out for a long time."

"Ok princess. Enjoy your ride and remember to go easy on her. She's not fully broke in yet."

"I will. Have a good day Zacier."

He smiles and drinks his blood as I walk out of the barn.

"Well Dream, we've been walking for over an hour. I can't even see our house anymore. Are you ready to go back?"

Just then Dream sees something that spooks her and she jumps up. I go flying off the back of her and land on my butt.

Dream takes off running back to the stables.

"DREAM COME BACK! It's safe."

I swear she just runs away faster.

I pull myself off the ground. "Well this is just a great look for a princess." I try to brush some of the dirt off.

Tre rides up beside me. "Are you ok princess? I seen that horse throw you to the ground." He holds out his hand to lift me onto his horse.

I give him my hand and let him lift me up. I sit between his legs and he wraps his arms around me to hold the horse cable.

"Thanks Tre. Always saving me." I lean back against his chest. "I just want to go home."

He turns the horse and starts walking us back to my house. "You ok? You seem upset."

"I just hate having to cover up."

"It won't be forever Nadine." He tightens his arms around me and we walk back like that.

It's really nice just riding with him. I love being in his arms.

My dad sees us riding to the house and walks over. "What's going on you 2?"

I jump down and scream. "I HATE THIS THING!" I take off running to the house.

I hear Tre. "She fell off her horse sir. She was pretty far out."

"Thank you for bringing her home my boy."

I run in one of the side doors to the castle. I find a stairway and run down. I look around and realize I'm in the basement. There's a few torches lit up but there's still not a lot of light down here. I seem to be all alone. I take the veil off. "Maybe I should just stay down here forever. Then no one will ever see me."

"Hello?" It's a female voice.

"Hello is someone here?" I start looking around. "Where are you?"

"Over here. I'm locked in here."

I walk a few more steps and finally locate her. "What are you doing in there?" She's locked in a cell with a window cut in the door.

She has a black eye and scab on her neck. She's a human. I remember that scent from when I went to school. She starts crying when she's sees me and backs up to the wall. "You're one of them. Get away."

"I won't hurt you. Why are you here?"

"This is where they keep me."

"Who?"

"The king."

"That doesn't make any sense. What did you do?" No way my dad would hold a human if she didn't do anything wrong. And this one isn't even hypnotized.

"I breath." She starts sobbing. "He sucks blood out of my neck and shoves himself into me." She puts her hands by her girl parts and hits her knees crying even harder. "Almost every day." She looks at me. "Please help me."

No way. She's lying. Probably a witch or something. I hear a door click and run and hide so I can see what happens.

It's 2 kings guards that come and pull her out of the cell. She is screaming and crying. Trying her hardest to get away but they just drag her away not saying anything.

As soon as they're gone I walk down the hall looking in more of the rooms. I find 2 more human girls but they don't say anything. They just try to hide. I'm going to tell momma.

I run to our part of the house. "Momma! Momma!"

"What is wrong child?"

"I found someone."

She pulls me to a couch and we sit down. "What do you mean child?"

"I found a human in the dungeon."

She gives me a hug. "Child you shouldn't be down there."

"There was a girl. She said daddy drinks her blood and shoves things" I point to my lady parts. "Into her every day."

My mom sighs and looks sad. "I wish I wouldn't have to explain this so early."

I reach out and hold her hand.

She looks at me and smiles. "That girl is what is called a blood pet. Or just a pet. It sounds like you found the kings pet. A couple of the other advisors keep one in there as well. They are strong men and have strong urges that these pets take care of for them. They help to keep us all safe my baby."

"But they're people and daddy always says we have to protect everyone weaker than us."

"Well your father is not wrong. But she is only 1 woman. Her sacrifice helps to keep us all safe. She keeps your father and some of the other advisors happy. Which keeps us all happy. We don't want them to go crazy princess."

I nod. I don't fully understand. But I do like it better when daddy is happy. I guess she's just 1.

"Child how did your dress get so dirty?"

"Dream threw me off. Tre was there to help like always."

She smiles. "Go get cleaned up a bit. I will start lunch soon."

"Yes momma."

I turn around and Mary is standing there. "Will you help me Mary?"

"Of course princess."

We walk back to my room and she starts messing with my hair.

"Oh child. Riding those horses always makes your hair so messy."

"Mary?"

"Yes little miss."

"What did that pet mean when she said he shoves things into her."

"You're still quite young to be learning about such things but, you are also getting older." She grabs something off the table and puts it in my hair. "When you find your mate and get married he will feel amazing in your arms. You will want to touch him more. He will do things that you don't fully understand. You just have to trust that he knows what he's doing." I give her a weird look. "It will feel good princess."

"What will he do?"

"He will put his boy part in your girl part. That's how babies are made. That's how you will start your family."

"So my mom and dad..."

"Yes child."

"Then why does he get a pet? He has my mom."

"Because he is a powerful man. He has strong urges and there is no way 1 female could keep up with them."

"Will he make another family with the pet?"

"No little miss. A vampire and a human cannot make a baby. That's why blood pets are always human."

"Does my mom have a pet? She's powerful too."

"I have only seen your mother take a pet if your father is away or very very busy."

"Do all married people have pets?"

"Some do. Some choose not to. It's up to the married pair if they want to or not. Some men take a pet before they find their mate."

"Really?"

"Yes. It's hard for men. They have powerful urges."

I throw my veil across the room. "So I have to cover all up and wear this stupid thing and never show any skin. But somewhere out there my mate is shoving his part into all kinds of humans? This is not fair."

"I agree that it's not fair that men do not have to wait until marriage too princess. But you have to remember they have urges that cannot be controlled. They would go crazy without having them satisfied." She gives me a crazy look. "Would you want a crazy mate?"

I bust out laughing. "No I don't think I would."

"Ok let's get you to lunch."

My mom is in the kitchen moving food to the table. "You look much better princess. Your father and brother will be here soon. I also invited Tre so we can thank him properly for helping you today."

I nod and start to help her.

I don't say much for the entire meal. I can't help it but I keep looking around wondering how many humans these men keep.

I know my brother doesn't have any. He's even younger than me. But what about Tre?

I wonder if we'll be mates someday. Does that mean he will put it inside of me?

"What's wrong my princess? You seem deep in thought." Daddy is staring right at me.

I decide to be careful with my words. "I found the blood pets today." He turns a slight shade of green and Tre's eye's widen.

I guess he does use them.

"Mommy told me about them but can I give them something to sleep on? I feel bad for them being on the dirt floor. They give you and the other advisors blood. We should at least make them comfortable."

Mom gets up and pours herself a glass of something that's not blood. She starts drinking and just looks at my father with her other hand on her hip.

I watch her for a second and look back at my dad. "You always say we need to keep those weaker than us safe. I just, I'm afraid they will get sick sleeping on dirt with dirty clothes. They need cleaned up. No one should live like that especially if they spend their lives giving you blood."

My mom takes another drink and raises her eyebrows. She will not look away from my father.

My father will not look at her.

Clay who has been shoving food in his mouth this entire time looks up. "What's a blood pet? Can I have one?"

My mom finishes the glass and pours another one.

Daddy laughs. "Not yet son. They are for adults to have fresh blood when we need it. You're still to young to need that yet."

Daddy looks at me. "Why were you even down there princess?"

"I was just taking a walk. I hate this stupid veil. I was looking for somewhere to be alone."

"I tell you what. If you promise to stay out of the dungeons, I will have the rooms for the blood pets fixed up." He looks at me. "But you have to promise."

"I promise daddy."

"Thank you princess. That is no place for kids. We hold real criminals down there. It's just not safe."

"Are blood pets criminals?"

"No princess. They are just humans we use for our urges."

I nod. I feel better about this. At least they will have somewhere to sleep and get clean clothes now.

Mom sits back down. "Now that that is settled. How about a game? I got a new one at the market."

Clay jumps up. "YAY!"

We all have fun playing the game mom got.

I walk Tre to the porch after we're done. "I'm sorry I ran off today Tre. It's just I hate this thing and I don't think it's fair."

"It's not fair princess. But hopefully it won't be on that long."

"Thank you for bringing me home today."

"My pleasure princess. Thank you for the lunch."

I look at him and smile. I wonder if he has a blood pet. "Do you.." I can't ask that.

"Do I what princess?"

"Never mind. Enjoy the rest of your day Tre."

"You too princess." He grabs my gloved hand and looks at me through the veil. "It's always nice spending time with you and your family."

I sit down on the step and watch him walk away again.

"I heard mom and dad talking."

I laugh. "Of course you did." I look at Clay. "What did you hear this time?"