Chapter 7

Olivia’s POV

When I started to come back to myself, I could tell that I was lying on a comfortable, soft mattress. It was much plusher than any of the mattresses in my pack’s town, which confused me. Where did Mom get mattresses so luxurious?

I blinked my eyes open, expecting to see my familiar ceiling of the bedroom in the home I shared with Mom and Keri, but I didn’t immediately see any cracks or dust in the paint.

Here, everything looked like it had just been painted, and the light fixture wasn’t just a dangling single lightbulb on a wire, it was a crystal chandelier on a golden chain.

Was I dreaming? Was I dead? Had I been welcomed into the warm embrace of the Moon Goddess?

The pain in my arm and my head told me no. I had to be alive to hurt like this.

But then… where was I?

“Oh, you are awake. Good.”

A female voice drew my attention to the side of the bed, where the vampire servant Sophia stared down at me with an annoyed expression.

“Well, wolfless, you’ve done it. Vampire Duke Damien has decided to select you as his blood pet,” Sophia said. Under her breath, she muttered, “Though I haven’t the faintest idea why.” Louder, she continued, “You are to serve him tonight for dinner.”

Vampires didn’t eat like other creatures. They needed blood to survive, preferably straight from the source. The tributes were mainly selected to be those blood wells. As werewolves could generally heal quickly, I imagined vampires could feast on them many times before the tributes finally succumbed.

Knowing that, and knowing that I was the tribute selected to be Vampire Duke Damien’s blood pet, I guessed serving him for dinner meant that I would personally be the food, with my blood on the menu.

Sophia lifted a hand and snapped her fingers. Immediately, two more vampire servants stepped forward from the shadows. They were more demure than Sophia, and not as finely dressed. In terms of vampire rankings, they must have been pretty low, especially to be assigned to someone like me.

“You will be washed and clothed to Vampire Duke Damien’s liking,” Sophia said.

“I like my own clothes,” I said, though, looking at them now, I could see how they were torn and stained from my near death experience. As I glanced at my clothes, I also noticed that the worst of my wounds had been cleaned and bandaged. I still felt a little light-headed though.

“You will be dressed as Vampire Duke Damien wants you dressed,” Sophia said sharply, a warning in her voice. “You would do well to serve the Vampire Duke as he commands. Else your life will be forfeit.”

She said that, but I had little to no faith that Damien wouldn’t just suck me dry anyway at the first opportunity. I had already lost so much blood, I was still woozy from it. Could I even afford to give more? How much could I realistically give before they would stop being able to revive me?

Sophia turned to give more direct instruction to the two servants. With the three of them distracted, I knew I had to act quickly. No matter what, I couldn’t serve Damien tonight, or I would die. Of that I was absolutely certain.

So, I tore at the bandage on my arm and forced my wound open once more. Blood started draining out of me. It was slower than the previous gushing, with the wound in the process of healing.

I wasn’t sure I was losing blood fast enough to be anymore cause for alarm. That meant I would have to do some acting instead.

Clutching my wrist, I cried out, “My bandage has come loose. Oh, Gods!” I pretended to try to stand, instead, collapsing on the floor. “I don’t feel well…”

Sophia turned and looked down at me in disgust. “Wolfless are so useless,” she muttered. She didn’t seem all that surprised to find me on the floor. It was more as if she had expected me to be there, sooner or later. “What is it? Is your wound infected?”

“I need a doctor…” I said weakly.

Sophia sighed, long suffering. To herself, she grumbled, “How could the Duke take a liking to such a useless and lowly good?” Then, louder, she said to the other servants. “You. Report to the Vampire Duke what has occurred here. You, retrieve someone who can carry this sorrowful creature to the PET hospital for examination.”

I stayed still as the servants dispersed.

Then, I feigned weakness as I was lifted onto a medical bed and carried out of the castle proper and into one of the smaller buildings outside the main one, while still within the castle walls.

Things were darker in here, cheaper, not freshly painted or as well kept. Still, I was wheeled into a makeshift hospital room.

As a nurse inspected me, she explained, “The doctor will be here soon. He is a changed werewolf, but holds tightly to his werewolf heritage. He is responsible for treating all the werewolf pets in the castle.”

“Thank you,” I said, though it felt strange to say such a thing to a vampire nurse. She must have thought it strange as well because she looked at me sideways with a furrowed brow.

Neither of us verbally addressed the comment however and soon she left the room, leaving me alone.

I knew I couldn’t stay here. The minute the doctor arrived, he would know that I wasn’t actually sick. Not wanting to be caught, I slipped out of the bed and quietly moved to the door.

I opened it quickly and tried to sneak through.

To my surprise, I walked straight into a man.

I looked up into a pale, cold face. Red eyes that somehow seemed oddly familiar looked down at me with a blank expression. The man was very tall, over six feet, with wide shoulders and a straight, noble posture.

He wore a black suit with a black shirt and black tie. His dark hair was swept back.

He was so well put together and respectable looking that he had to be the doctor.

Gods help me, he was also handsome as the devil himself, but I didn’t have time to dwell on that in this moment. I just needed to get away.

“Why aren’t you still in your bed?” the man asked, his voice deep and commanding. It sent a shiver down my spine. “Where you planning on going somewhere?”

“I’m so sorry, doctor, but I can’t stay here,” I said. There was no time to think of a lie. I could only hope he still felt connected to his werewolf side enough to feel sympathy for me.

He was difficult to read, his red eyes revealing no emotion.

“I have to escape, or I’m sure to die. Please, just let me pass and don’t tell the others…”

The doctor tilted his head ever so slightly. His expression didn’t change, but I got the impression he was… curious. I hoped that meant he would be on my side.

“Why should I help you?” he asked.

“Vampire Duke Damien has killed so many people,” I said in a rush. “But I can’t die. My family needs me. If I’m tortured to death by him… I don’t want to think about what will happen to my mom and sister. Please. We’re both werewolves, right? We can help each other. If you keep this secret, I’ll find a way to repay you when I’m free, I promise.”

The man watched me a moment more.

I held my breath, unable to tell what he was thinking.

Finally. He said, “Very well. I will help you.”

“Thank you,” I said in a rush, my relief somewhat palpable with the lifting of weight off my chest. “I won’t forget you.”

I started to walk around him, to try to find my way down the hall.

Before I could take two steps, he spoke again, stopping me in my tracks.

“I will go with you.”