Chapter 2 New house, same cage

Dimitri broke off the handcuffs and clasped my hand tightly in new leather bounds. He was careful not to so much as let a hair on his skin touch me. He tossed me over his shoulder while Lukas followed quietly behind us.

He retrieved another weapon from his coat pocket. A blackjack this time. “Touch him and die.” It wasn’t a threat but a warning.

I wasn’t planning on it. Dimitri may not be as powerful as Lukas-but powerful nonetheless. He would have my head ripped out of it's place before his body fully decomposed.

Dimitri carried me to what happened to be a carriage. It looked grand and big. Bigger than the ones my late master owned.

I remembered the day my mother sent me to Master George. She held my face in her hands and said: 'Be good, Louise. Stay alive. I'll come back for you.' I was twelve. I'm still waiting.

Embroidery of flowery designs adorned the outline of the vehicle. Nothing less was expected from the vampire.

“Where do I keep her boss?” Dimitri asked like he couldn’t wait to get rid of me. Carrying me must have made him so uneasy.

“She sits with me. I want her where I can see her” Lukas answered maneuvering around us to the carriage door.

The coach man opened the door for him and he entered. Dimitri tossed me inside next and it took a while but I am finally able to sit comfortably.

The interior of the carriage is even more exotic than the outside. It smelled of jasmine and hyacinths. I fisted my hands and held myself tightly.

The seats are double mirrored. Facing each other. Lukas sat on one end and me, the other. My gaze was planted to the floor, I couldn't handle his intense gaze.

He stared at me lazily all the while. His expression bored. But I knew he was not. He must have been contemplating about all the hundred and one ways to carve me open and devour me.

After all, he was a vampire. Master George had been a lesser vampire. He was cruel enough but Lukas really took the cake.

A chuckle escaped the man on the other seat and my heart jumped. I didn’t realize how silent it was until it was broken.

My nerves were skyrocketing. Even with the cool air, I was still palpitating. I decided to look out the window to distract myself. The breeze hitting my face grounded me. A little.

We passed multiple trees. I could count on one hand, the number of civilians I sighted. Mostly lumberjacks splitting wood.

Suddenly I felt something nudging me. Dreading what it could be, I turned my head to the side. It was Lukas’s foot. He had placed it on my seat. Scooting closer to the window, I decided to give him room to place his foot.

That was until he dragged it closer still. I scooted further but his leg followed me. Soon I was at the edge of the carriage, almost falling and there wasn’t an inch between his leg and myself.

Oh God. What was he playing at now?

I stole a peek at him and he looked completely unbothered. Almost as if he was carrying out the act unconsciously. Just lazily checking his cloth for nonexistent lint.

His leg dragged its way to the top of my skirt and I jumped so hard that I fell to the floor of the carriage. The vehicle also chose to that moment to halt knocking me forward and planting my face on Lukas’s thigh.

Time seized. I scrambled to put distance between us. I covered my ears and squeezed my eyes shut. waiting to hear the sound of a blade being drawn. I was sure I was a dead woman that minute. I was so scared, I almost pissed myself.

The only sound I heard was the carriage door open. I opened my eyes slowly and was met with the vampire looking at me intently. As though he was surprised that I wasn’t dead too.

He dusted his coat , even as there wasn’t a speck of dust in it and exited the carriage. Dimitri’s face covered the entrance next. He must have ride with the coach man.

“Out” before I could pull myself up, he was already mauling me out by my wrists.

That was when I saw it. Lukas’s castle. Stories claimed that you could hear the screams of dead souls from the walls when you sleep.

Not only that but scratches decorated the walls too. Scratches from victims trying to escape.

But I saw nothing of the sort when I walked inside. Rather everything was shiny. The walls were spotless. No screams could be heard. You could hear birds chirping though. And humming sounds from the cleaners as they carried out their daily activities.

“Master Lukas!” A young woman-no younger than me- ran up to him , taking his coat off his shoulders. She had her blonde hair in a tight up do on top of her head. Her uniform appeared skimpy and her chest area was exposed.

Almost like she tried to intentionally blind us with her natural endowment.

“I told you to leave these things Stacy. It is Alfred’s duty to take my coat. Not yours” Lukas stated exasperated. He must have repeated this to her a million times.

“No Master” she started “ I am merely taking your coat. I am sure Alfred does not mind”

Behind her stood a man dressed in a monochrome colored suit. He wore a long black overcoat over it. Only the leg of his pants and his bow tie could be seen. He must be Alfred. And from his attire, he must be the house butler.

Master George had a butler as well. He was the first to die.

“If you insist. Draw a bath for me in my chambers and one for the girl too. Whatever you do, do not let her touch you. I’ll have my dinner in the dining room”.

Stacy turned to look at me. A frown etched upon her lips. “And who might this be?”

The look Lukas gave her had her shrinking in her tiny sandals. ‘You dare question me’ his eyes seemed to tell.

“I am sorry Master” she apologized and straightened her dress twinkling her eyes seductively. “Would you require my services tonight, Master Lukas?”

Oh. So they had that kind of relationship. Lukas spared me only but a glance before turning to her. “That won’t be necessary”

He turned on his feet and began to head for the stairs. He stopped at the top floor and turned back at us. “Whip up something for the girl too. Serve it in the dining room. She eats with me”