CHAPTER 5: SOFIA

My eyes were glued to the young man Vivienne was embracing only moments ago. There was no question in my mind that it was him. He was the one Vivienne told Lucas that I was here for. He was the one the guards and servants were whispering about. He was Derek Novak.

Soon after Vivienne left me inside the dungeon, guards arrived to bring me to another area of the place they called the Blood Shade. I and several other women around my age were brought out of a network of underground caves they called The Cells. I assumed it was the Shade’s prison system of sorts. My first instinct was to try to figure out where we were.

All I saw were the tallest trees I ever laid my eyes on – I assumed they were giant redwoods that I’d read about in books. They surrounded us on all sides except for one – our side – which from what I saw, consisted of a huge mountain range, whose ragged cliffs spelled danger. It was in the intricate cave system of this mountain range that they managed to carve out dungeons that they kept us all in. I was impressed by how they were able to pull it off, but I couldn’t help but wonder if human blood was shed in turning the Cells into a reality.

From the Cells, we were guided through a well-traveled pathway across a dark, murky wood, before we arrived at a very large clearing at the center of what seemed like a massive forest. Whispers from the guards who were escorting us to our destination informed me that we were at “The Vale”. I assumed that it was the Shade’s center of civilization. I guess I could say that it was the Blood Shade’s main town, built up of several structures, whose architectural styles were the likes I’ve never seen before – almost like a mix of modern and Victorian architectural design with certain elements that looked like they just popped out of fantasy or sci-fi movies. I was still marveling at the places we were passing by when they ushered us to a place that reminded me of a spa Ben often dragged me to for massages.

It was at “the spa” that we were pampered, perfumed, and exquisitely dressed in gowns made of fine silk - the kind which I could only dream of ever affording.

We asked several times why we were being treated so, and received no answers at first, until one of the women styling our hair got tired of the questions and replied.

“Rumors are that you girls are to be part of the prince’s harem. All of the Blood Shade’s Elite have harems of their own. You girls are lucky enough to be chosen to serve the legendary Derek Novak himself. That’s all I’m going to say, so you best shut your pretty little mouths up.”

I had so many questions after that. Being a part of anyone’s “harem” sounded terrifying to me, but I knew that prying for more answers would most likely lead someone into trouble. So, I satisfied myself with keeping my ears open to the hushed whispers being exchanged around me. All I gathered was that the prince had been asleep for hundreds of years and that “the vampires” see him as some sort of “savior”.

I also realized that the women dolling us up were all humans. I wondered if they too were kidnapped like I was.

Once we were ready, the guards who had escorted us to “the spa” came for us. I’ll never forget the look on the face of one of the guards when he saw us.

“The prince is one lucky bastard,” he muttered beneath his breath, before instructing us to stand up and follow them.

We were marched along the Vale’s breath-taking structures on to a cobblestone pathway that led to another area of the dark forest surrounding the Vale. We eventually reached a clearing that led to a structure that reminded me of pictures that I saw of the Taj Mahal – only this one, I assumed, was a lot smaller.

“Welcome to the Sanctuary, ladies,” one of the guards said, a smirk on his face as he openly ogled us with his amber gold eyes.

They made us enter the front door. It was in the well-lit corridor in front of us that we saw Lucas and Vivienne. I could feel Lucas’ eyes on me, making my insides squirm. Vivienne instructed us to follow them and we did. We soon turned a corner and walked into a large candlelit chamber.

Standing there, I found myself unable to pry my gaze away from Derek Novak, wondering about all the fuss surrounding him. He was what every teenage girl would most likely describe as hot, which was rather ironic considering how pale and cold he looked. He had the same features as his brother, but there was something more refined about him, with a hint of boyishness in his features. I could instantly tell that he was younger than Lucas. I entertained the thought that perhaps I was indeed better off under his mercy than Lucas’. However, the words Vivienne spoke to me before she left still haunted me.

“Your best chance at survival and proving your significance is to win Derek’s affection… I’m not sure that’s even possible.”

“What is the meaning of this? Why would you bring them to me?” Derek spoke up. His voice was deep and powerful. He was breathing heavily as he said each word.

“Take them away from me.”

“We can’t do that.” Vivienne shook her head. “You’ll need to learn to control yourself with them. We will give you blood to feed on soon enough, but right now, you need to keep yourself in check when around them.”

“If you don’t want them to die, why bring them to me now?!” His voice rumbled through the cavernous hall.

Everything about his demeanor – the way his chest heaved, the way his fists clenched – made it clear that he was doing everything in his power to keep himself from attacking any one of us – perhaps even all of us.

I shuddered at the display of temper from this young man, whose immediate command we were going to be subjected to.

Vivienne didn’t seem fazed at all. In a calm, collected voice, she responded to her brother.

“Because you and I both know that if you are to face what lies ahead of you, you need to be able to control your impulse to satisfy your hunger. These women were handpicked to become part of your harem. They’re the loveliest among a recent hunt we made.”

Despite my predicament, my ears perked up at that last statement. Lovely was not something I’d ever been described as before.

Lucas chuckled. “This is cruel and unusual punishment, Vivienne. I told you that. Derek hasn’t had blood for the past four hundred years. He can’t be expected to not want to rip these girls’ heads off. Hell, I’ve been feeding for the last four hundred years and I still want to have my way with them.”

Derek, still looking like he was about to attack us at any moment, simply gave him a sideward glare before he roamed his eyes toward each of us girls – one by one.

“A harem? A hunt? Since when do we have these? Who are these girls and where exactly did you ‘hunt’ them?”

Lucas, Vivienne and the other woman present in the hall exchanged uncomfortable glances.

It was Vivienne who eventually answered the question. “They’re humans abducted from the outside world. We hunt humans from the outside world to become slaves here, to do the work necessary. Those who prove to be useless are fed on. The choicest and most beautiful among the captives are kept by the Elite as part of what we began calling a harem a long time ago. Some of the favored Lodgers also have one or two beauties of their own. The humans who form the harems are kept alive for a year and whoever owns them get to decide their ultimate fate after that.”

“It’s really just an excuse to be able to have them at their prime,” Lucas added with a smirk.

From the look on Derek’s face, he didn’t seem very happy about the explanation he’d been given. He eyed us from where he stood – the distance between us only a few strides away.

I couldn’t help but wonder what was going through his mind.

“I know what you’re thinking and no, you can’t let them go, brother,” Lucas spoke up, sounding like he was talking to a five-year-old. “They’ve seen the Blood Shade. We can’t afford to risk the coven. They stay or they die.”

Derek’s expression turned to complete disgust. “They can’t be any older than we were when we were turned.”

“I know,” Lucas grinned, speaking as though it were the most amusing fact known to their kind. “They’re all seventeen.”

“The knights and guards take them at that age, because as you know, blood tastes sweeter once they reach the fullness of their womanhood at eighteen,” Vivienne explained.

Lucas scoffed at the notion. “Please. It’s all the same, but really, Derek, enjoy them. Just looking at them is already a feast. After the year ends, imagine all the wicked things you can do with them.”

Derek stood to his full height – a couple inches taller than his older brother and began walking toward us. My very first reaction was to flinch as he approached.

At that moment, the only way I could think to describe him was hungry.

I stood there, sure that my knees were about to give way beneath me. I shifted my weight from one foot to the other and in doing so, found the back of my hand brushing against the hand of the blonde-haired girl standing beside me. I could feel her shaking. I grabbed her hand and squeezed it, hoping to both give comfort to and draw it from her.