Chapter 3 Awakened by Blood

How many times will I still fall asleep and wake up with fear in my chest? No matter how many times I close my eyes and think that all of this is just a long nightmare, nothing changes.

I know that at any moment, someone will pull the thick blanket I am using, and another man will appear in front of me. Is he a vampire?

Impossible. I thought they were just made up stories. What the hell? How else can I explain the two times my neck hurt when his lips touched it?

Fuck! But I am still not convinced. Maybe this man is just too obsessed with vampire shows.

I didn’t realize that my hand had already moved to my neck to check the bite mark he left. There was no pain anymore, no sign that someone had bitten me.

Am I dreaming inside another dream? Damn, this is not good.

“Don’t think too much, Saera…”

I heard the familiar voice of the man. If I’m not mistaken, he is the chained man I saw before. Instead of hiding under the blanket, I bravely stood up and quickly pulled the thick blanket to cover my thin clothes. Damn, I could feel that I wasn’t wearing underwear.

“Who are you?” I asked directly as I saw him sitting at the edge of my bed.

“Don’t you recognize me yet?”

In a blink, he was suddenly close to me. How did he do that?

“Stay away from me!”

I kept backing up until I hit the headboard.

“You look prettier with long hair.”

Long hair? I was shocked when he gently slid his hand through my hair. My eyes widened when I saw that it was now long.

My short brown hair had turned into elegant, curly brown hair. I froze when he softly kissed my long hair but my hands moved on their own. I slapped his face hard, and the sound echoed in the room.

“As far as I remember, you called me a prostitute! Fuck you! Do you really expect me to believe you?” I shouted.

I quickly got off the bed, still holding the blanket tightly around me.

“That’s the third time you slapped me,” he said seriously while touching his cheek.

“Where am I? I want to go home. I don’t want to stay in this place.”

I especially didn’t want to stay with this man who easily caught my attention. Damn. I’ve seen shirtless basketball players at my university, but none of them had a body as perfect as his. Fuck.

“You will never go back, Saera. You belong here. You belong to me.”

I stepped back even more.

What the hell?

I couldn’t find words to answer him. He was about to move closer again when a soft knock interrupted us. Should I be thankful?

He turned to the door, annoyed, and it opened from the outside.

“The first prince is waiting. Your other siblings are waiting as well.”

I frowned at what I heard. Princes again?

I looked around the room while the old woman spoke in a strange language with him. Grandma taught me one thing, when you don’t know what to do, act normal and don’t scare yourself.

I will try to talk to him calmly and explain that I am not the person they are looking for. I looked around the room filled with old but elegant furniture, things rarely seen in modern houses.

A crystal light that didn’t shine too brightly, candles in every corner, small statues with strange designs, and an old clock that looked familiar.

Why is this room designed like this?

I felt chills. But my breath caught when my eyes landed on a mirror that showed my whole body. It wasn’t the mirror I fell into, but it was clearly antique.

My feet moved on their own until I stood in front of it.

I couldn’t believe my reflection. Is that really me? Why did I only notice now that I wasn’t wearing glasses? Why can I see clearly?

My hands loosened their grip on the blanket. I was stunned by my skin. I was already fair before, but now it looked brighter. My lips were red. I wiped them, thinking it was lipstick, but they stayed red like apples. My body looked more defined.

What happened to me?

“You are my newborn mate, Saera. The most beautiful vampire in this empire.”

I froze when arms wrapped around me from behind. I felt the warmth of his body. I didn’t even know why I was allowing this stranger to hold me when I was almost naked.

I stared at the mirror while watching his movements.

What is wrong with you, Saera? Grandma didn’t raise you like this.

“Help yourself, Saera. Wake your vampire blood. I’ve been dying for your fangs. I need your bites. You need to bite me back.”

I shivered when his hand slowly moved across my stomach. Even through the fabric, I felt his warm touch.

My heart raced, and my breathing became difficult when I saw his eyes change color. I remembered the red moon in his eyes.

“Stop!” I shouted with my eyes closed when his hand moved lower.

I heard him laugh softly, then he stopped.

Fuck! Do something, Saera!

“I know you can’t resist me. Get dressed. I will introduce you to the whole empire.”

When I opened my eyes, he was gone. All that was left was a dress I never imagined wearing in my life.

I ran to the window to see where in the Philippines I was, but when I opened it, I cursed.

“Where the hell am I?”

I was high above the ground, surrounded by buildings with strange designs I had only seen in fantasy movies.

“What the fuck? This sounds childish, but fuck, am I in a castle?” I whispered.

I seemed to be at the center of everything. Where are you, Saera? How did you get here?

I sat down and grabbed my hair. So many things were happening. It was just my birthday. How did this happen? Is this really a vampire’s home? What the hell? I want to wake up.

“Hurry up and get dressed. We’re getting impatient.”

I looked up and saw the woman who pushed me in the bathroom before.

Shit. This is a nightmare, Saera. Just accept it and go with the flow.

I stood up and picked up the dress, confused by its layers. It was heavy. How do they wear this properly?

“As expected, my brother couldn’t wait. How many times did he bite you?”

I chose not to answer and changed in front of her.

She raised an eyebrow when she saw me. I didn’t care. She helped zip my gown. Once dressed, she dragged me outside. Uniformed women bowed as we passed. I was amazed.

I was really in a castle.

The huge doors opened. People stared at me. Five beautiful and handsome faces sat in front of me.

Who are these people?

Six pairs of eyes stared at me. I recognized two faces, the gray-haired man and woman who pished me in the mirror. A new man bit his lip while staring at me. Twin children smiled. The woman who brought me raised her brow.

Are these the ones waiting for me?

“Welcome back. I thought you were going to die, Kaizer,” the gray-haired man laughed.

I turned and cursed when I realized Kaizer was the man from the room.

“Is this the one you said was dying? He’s stronger than a carabao!”

They laughed, except the oldest man.

“You should not joke about vampires, newborn.”

Everyone stopped laughing when another man arrived and sat down.

Seven pairs of red eyes studied me.

“Vampires? Stop it. I don’t believe in vampires. I want to go home. I am not the woman you’re looking for,” I said bravely.

I had been thinking about what was happening to me, and no matter what, I still could not believe that vampires existed.

Yes, I felt a sting in my neck, but maybe I was just bitten to make it look convincing. Even what I saw on this man’s lips could have been shows. Maybe these people are actors and want me included? Damn.

“She’s funny,” the oldest man said coldly.

The room went silent.

Thunder struck. The lights went out. I trembled when their eyes turned red. Lightning flashed, showing sharp fangs.

I screamed.

“I don’t want this! Stop!”

I lifted my heavy skirt and ran, but I fell and hit something hard.

Red eyes stared at me.

“Please stop. I’ll leave. I didn’t do anything wrong.”

My knees gave out, and I cried on the cold floor.

“What is wrong with you?! Why did you scare her?!” Kaizer shouted angrily. “It’s okay, Saera. I’m here.”

I pushed his hand away.

“Stop! You’re vampires!” I screamed.

“See? She believes now,” someone laughed.

“Saera, you’re one of us. I bit you twice. Soon you’ll crave my blood. Accept who you are.”

What? Fuck. What did he do to me?

“You turned me into a vampire?!”

Tears poured down my face. The simple life I dreamed of disappeared like a bubble because of this man’s bite. I shudder at the thought of drinking blood. Fuck. Never!

“Yes. This kingdom has been waiting for you. I’ve been waiting for you.”

He slightly knelt so that our eyes met. Waiting? Me? What do I have to do with vampires?

“I don’t understand…”

“I am Kaizer Alaric Lancaster, the second prince of this empire. The born prince destined for you, Saera Yvaine Merriley.”