THE PRICE OF BLOOD AND CHAINS
1277 Words
Samantha
The silence of the night was haunting, pressing against my skin like an invisible weight. Sitting in the back seat of this luxurious, shiny car, I felt no resemblance to a queen despite the appearance. Instead, dread curled around my chest like an iron grip, tightening with every passing second. Beside me sat a creature—not just a man, but something more monstrous than I could comprehend.
My heart pounded, louder and faster than the faint hum of the engine. The events of the past few hours replayed in my mind like a nightmare on a loop, each moment more surreal than the last. My head ached, a dull throb reminding me that this wasn’t a dream I could wake up from.
To distract myself, I turned to the window, focusing on the city lights flickering in the distance. The car soon veered onto a darker, deserted road. A sense of familiarity crept over me as I strained to recognize the landscape. If I needed to run, I told myself, I would find a way.
But even in my own mind, the idea seemed laughable. Run? From him? The thought alone made me want to scoff at my misplaced optimism. How ironic—dreaming of freedom when I’d been purchased like an object. If I weren’t so terrified, I might’ve applauded my enthusiasm.
Darkness soon engulfed the car as the city’s glow faded behind us, leaving only the sharp beams of the headlights cutting through the night. The vast emptiness of the road sent a shiver down my spine. My gaze drifted to the rearview mirror, where his shadowy figure sat rigid, exuding an aura of power and menace.
“Hey,” his voice broke the silence, cold and sharp like the edge of a blade. “You okay over there?”
I flinched, my heart skipping a beat. His piercing gaze flickered toward me, and I could barely breathe under its weight.
“Relax,” he drawled, his lips curving into a smirk that didn’t reach his eyes. “I’m not going to eat you. Consider yourself lucky—you’re with me, not some back-alley pimp or a bloodthirsty vampire.”
The word hit me like a punch. “Vampires?” I whispered, disbelief lacing my voice.
He turned his head, amusement lighting up his face. “What, you didn’t know?” He chuckled, low and menacing. “Guess humans really are clueless. Makes sense, though. You wouldn’t last a second in our world.”
I stiffened, trying to process his words. Vampires. Real, living—or rather, undead—vampires. My pulse quickened as I thought back to Sebastian’s fear when this man had appeared. Of course, he wasn’t human. The red glow in his eyes, his supernatural strength—it all made sense now.
“What are you thinking?” His voice snapped me out of my thoughts.
I quickly turned my head away, staring out the window once more. If I stayed quiet, maybe he’d lose interest in tormenting me. But the tension in the car was suffocating, and I was painfully aware of his predatory gaze lingering on me.
After what felt like an eternity, a faint glow appeared on the horizon—a cluster of lights illuminating a massive structure in the darkness. My stomach twisted as the car slowed, pulling up to a sprawling castle with ancient stone walls adorned with intricate carvings.
The man stepped out, his movements fluid and deliberate. He walked around the car and opened my door with an almost mocking flourish.
“Out you go, beauty,” he said, his tone dripping with condescension.
I hesitated, my body refusing to move. His patience lasted all of two seconds before he grabbed my arm, yanking me out with an alarming ease.
“Ahh!” I gasped, stumbling as he pulled me toward the towering gates.
“Don’t be so delicate,” he sneered, his grip like steel around my wrist. “You’ll need a thicker skin if you want to survive here.”
His words sent a fresh wave of terror through me. Before I could protest, he leaned in closer, his breath cold against my ear.
“Stick close to me, little human. If you don’t want to become a midnight snack, you’ll do exactly as I say.”
Panic surged in my chest, and without thinking, I wrenched my arm free and bolted in the opposite direction. The adrenaline coursing through my veins propelled me forward, but my escape was short-lived.
In the blink of an eye, he appeared in front of me, his expression dark with fury.
“Did you really think you could outrun me?” he hissed.
Before I could react, he grabbed me by the waist and tossed me over his shoulder like I weighed nothing.
“Let me go!” I screamed, thrashing against his hold, but he only laughed—a cold, hollow sound that sent chills down my spine.
Moments later, I found myself in a lavish room, its opulent decor doing little to calm my nerves. He threw me onto the bed, pinning me down with a hand on each of my wrists.
“Why did you buy me?” I demanded, my voice trembling.
His smirk returned, more sinister than ever. “Because I can,” he said simply.
“That’s not an answer!” I shot back, my fear giving way to anger.
He released me, standing over me with an air of disdain. “You’re mine now,” he said, his tone matter-of-fact. “A human slave is a rarity, and you should be grateful I chose you.”
“Grateful?” I echoed, my voice breaking. “You’re ruining my life!”
His eyes darkened, a flash of crimson replacing their usual hue. In an instant, he was inches from my face, his hand gripping my chin with bruising force.
“You should be careful how you speak to me,” he growled. “I spent ten million dollars on you. Do you understand what that means? You’re nothing but property to me.”
He released me abruptly, his expression unreadable. “Consider this your first lesson: in my world, everything comes at a price. And you, Samantha, will pay yours in full.”
With that, he turned and left, slamming the door behind him.
I sat there, shaking, tears streaming down my face as the reality of my situation sank in. I was trapped, alone, and completely at his mercy.
Landon
The scent of my brother’s anger reached me before he burst into my office, his golden eyes blazing with fury.
“Why?” Gage demanded, slamming the door behind him. “Why the hell did you bring a human into this house?”
“Calm down,” I said lazily, leaning back in my chair. “She’s just another slave.”
“She’s a human slave,” he snapped. “Do you have any idea what you’ve done?”
“I know exactly what I’m doing,” I retorted, my temper flaring. “I paid for her. She’s mine. End of discussion.”
“She’s a liability,” Gage said, his voice low and dangerous. “If the Council finds out—”
“They won’t,” I interrupted. “And even if they do, I have my reasons for keeping her alive. Trust me, brother. This human is more useful than she seems.”
Gage glared at me, his jaw clenched, but he didn’t argue further. As he stormed out, I couldn’t help but smile.
Samantha didn’t know it yet, but she was about to change everything.
- Writer
