His Fangs on My Neck

02 | A Survivor

It took me a couple of seconds to adjust to the light. And what welcomed me was a huge crowd of vampires, waiting for the ceremony to start. I looked around and everyone gives the same reaction—thrilled and excited. I couldn't help but be disgusted at how they love to see humans suffer for the sake of their entertainment. I clenched my hands. I want to wipe those looks on their faces with a punch, but I know I will never be able to do that.

"Walk faster!" The royal guard pushed me, strong enough to cause me to lose my balance and I ended up falling to the ground.

I bit my lower lip when my face hit the dusty ground. Some of my wounds reopened after that fall. It's painful. My whole body hurts. I want to cry it all out, but I will never do it in front of them. I will never let them see me suffer and cry in pain.

"Get up!"

My lips bled after I bit it too hard just to bear with the pain. The royal guard aggressively pulled me up. And when I got back on my feet, he had me walk to the center along with the other tributes.

I can feel it. I can feel the excitement swelling in the air. I can feel their unquenchable thirst for violence and suffering.

"Mom, I'm scared." My eyes widened when I heard a little girl's voice. I turned around and saw a child trying to hold her mother but couldn't due to the chains that restrict her movements.

"It's okay, sweetie. Mommy's here." I looked at the mother and she is just trying her best not to break down in front of her daughter. I can see the fear she's holding in her eyes just so she could act strong for her daughter's sake.

"What's going to happen to us now?" the little girl asked innocently and my heart crumbled into pieces.

"Silence!" the guards yelled before they started removing the chains but left the cuffs to restrain our hands.

"Everything is set," the host announced. "Let the festival start with a bloody feast!" he added and the crowd went wild.

The louder their cheers go, the stronger our fear grows.

"You can run if you want to," the royal guards said before leaving us in the center of the arena.

I tried to keep calm and act tough, but I couldn't hide it. I couldn't stop it—the fear, the anxiety, and the despair slowly crawling from the soles of my feet. I thought I am ready for this. I thought I had long accepted my fate. But no. I don't want to die! I don't want to die just yet!

I turned around when I heard a mechanical metallic sound behind us. And there, I saw the massive metallic gate slowly being lifted, slowly letting the light enter the narrow space behind it.

"R-Rogues!" One of the tributes screamed and everyone else started to panic. Some ran away to the edge of the arena, trying to climb their way out. Some tried to find an escape route, while some let despair eat them up and chose to wait for their death.

The ferocious beasts slowly walk out of their cage, quickly salivating after seeing a group of helpless prey.

"Mom, I am scared," I heard the little girl say. I looked at her and she was trembling in fear with beads of tears rolling down her cheeks. "I don't want to die, mom."

Her mother bent down and held her cheeks with both of her cuffed hands. "Mommy will protect you. I promise. I..." She wasn't able to hold in anymore. She broke down in tears while trying to keep her daughter as close as possible.

I clenched my hands and chose to turn around. I can't watch it. I can't bear to witness them die in my eyes.

Soon after, the whole arena was filled with agonizing screams, cries of despair, and pleas to be spared along with the howls and growls of the rogues. I can hear the blood splattering, flesh ripping, and bones cracking. I can hear the fading screams as they slowly die in pain.

I want to run. I want to escape. I want to save myself. But my body wouldn't move. My feet were glued to the ground as death closes to me.

"Mom! Mom!" I clenched my hands when I started to hear the child cry in pain. "Help me! Mom! Save me!" I couldn't stand it anymore. I turned around and rushed to the child but I was too late. A rogue lunged at her, biting her neck and ripping it apart before my very eyes.

My body trembled in horror and rage. But I couldn't do anything about it. I fell to my knees and waited for death to approach me.

The cries, the screams—one by one they fade.

I can feel the rogues surrounding me. I can feel their eyes on me. It seems like I am the last one left.

I closed my eyes and waited for them to feast on me. But seconds passed by and I felt nothing. Gently, I opened my eyes and saw a towering figure standing before me. The first thing I saw was his crimson cape and metallic boots.

Little by little, the arena was filled with murmurs and whispers until the whole crowd started buzzing in confusion. I looked around and the rogues aren't doing anything. They seemed like they were frozen in their places with their tails tucked in fear.

"P-Prince Vladimir, what are you doing?" I heard the host ask.

Prince Vladimir. I think I heard that name before.

My eyes widened in shock when I finally recalled who he is.

He is the second vampire prince. The one believed to have the biggest contribution to the vampire race; was the one who successfully drove the werewolves out of this land and fórced them into hiding in the woods outside the borders.

Why is he here?

"The bloody feast is over!" his deep, authoritative voice echoed all over the arena. Then he slowly turns to me with an intrigued smile. "What an interesting creature," he mumbled, looking at me with his fascinated, luminous, crimson eyes.

"B-But there's still one left, your royal highness. The feast won't end until the last tribute is dead," the host respectfully objected.

"I said what I said," he firmly responded without looking back. His gaze was locked on me. "This tribute is a survivor, the first I guess?" He grinned before he turned around. "This slave will be spared!" he announced and the whole crowd reacted. Some expressed their disagreement and some chose to stay silent but their objections show on their faces.

"B-But, Sir—"

"I will take her," he said, causing more ruckus. "Anyone who dares to object, step forward," he added in his deep, threatening voice. With that, the whole crowd went silent.

I don't know how to react. I am as puzzled as everyone. I tried to grasp the situation but it just won't sink in to me. I couldn't process everything.

Prince Vladimir turned to me. "Stand up, slave," he said, walking away from me. "Don't wait for me to drag you out of this bloody arena," he added.

I still don't know what's going on but I decided to follow him. With trembling knees, I walked behind him, trying to ignore the stares I am getting from the crowd.

I know I should rejoice after getting my life spared, but there's this lingering fear inside me knowing that I am following one of the most dangerous vampires in the land. Rumors have it that he's ruthless and shows no mercy to anyone, even vampires. Even nobles fear him and do not want to get on his bad side. I remember how my former master sent half of her slaves to his castle just to gain his favor, but was not even appreciated. I remember how she cursed him and took her anger on us.

Prince Vladimir follows no rules and has been viewed as the black sheep of the royal family but they just couldn't ignore the achievements he had and the glory he brought to the kingdom. He even surpassed the first prince in terms of achievements. If it weren't because of birth order, he could have inherited the throne.

I know all of it because my master used to be so obsessed with him and the royal family since she's from the lower class nobility and wanted to climb her way up by spoiling the royal family with gifts.

We passed through the dark hallway with just a few torches illuminating the path. I couldn't hear anything other than the sound of his metallic boots hitting the ground.

I have a myriad of questions but I couldn't bring them up. Even daring to open my mouth causes me so much anxiety because I am afraid it might lead me to my death. A mere slave shouldn't talk to anyone of higher status unless permitted, and what more to someone who holds one of the highest titles in the land.

"Human..." I stiffened when his voice echoed all over the hallway. He slowly turned around to face me. "How did you manage to survive the bloody feast?"

I looked down before I could even meet his gaze. I went down on my knees but immediately regretted it after my whole body started to ache like hell. I took a deep breath to contain the pain. And with trembling lips, I answered, "I apologize, your royal highness, but even I, a mere slave, have no idea what happened."

"I see," he replied. "Lift your head." I slowly looked up and I was welcomed by his dangerous gaze. "If you happen to be lying, I will not hesitate to send your head flying."

"I...I promise you, sir. I am telling you the truth!" I blurted out of panic.

He just threw me a cold gaze before turning around. "We'll see. Come with me."

I gulped before standing up. I don't know what's going to happen next. I want to run away. I don't want to be anywhere near him because he's far more dangerous than those rogues. But I don't have anywhere to go.

I shook my head.

Why am I even thinking of running away? There's no way I can escape him. Now that he had his eyes on me, I am good as dead like the other tributes. In short, I didn't really survive the bloody feast but was trapped in a far more deadly circumstance.