1814

Mr. Stanton crossed the narrow corridor to the chamber.

As the butler of Coldmount House, he knew every little corner of the castle, every room and the exact location of every object in the dependencies. He had been serving Coldmount House for more than 79 years.

"Excuse me, Master." He said, knocking at the main chamber door.

"You may enter."

Mr. Stanton opened the oak door.

The Master of the castle was close by the window, staring at the cliff that surrounded the whole castle, and the sea bellow it.

"You may speak, Stanton."

"Master, the traveling salesman is waiting for your attention at the great hall. He has goods available, if Master happens to be interested."

The Master moved his eyes from the window. And he said no more words. He walked across the chamber, and crossed the corridors till the main stairway to the great hall.

The traveling salesman was there, lowering his head in front of the Master. The fact was, no one dared to look straight into that man’s eyes. Across the villages, people used to say that a glare from him could trap your soul in 100 years of damnation.

"Show me your goods."

"Yes, yes, master." The humble salesman said. "I have a few slaves just captured, in excellent health. I also have a special item, an angel was found by Carleston’s villagers and I though Sir would be interested."

"Angel?" Master asked.

"Yes," the man smiled, "only good quality product. I can assure. My slaves are outside, if Sir wishes to see them…"

—-

You were so weak.

You could barely open your eyes. After days of traveling without food, without water, without rest, you felt like death was way too close.

Inside the cage carriage, together with others as exhausted slaves, you looked at the reddish full moon with tears in your eyes.

"Here, Sir." The voice of the traveling salesman echoed in the castle entrance.

All the slaves got scared, including you, but you had no strength left in your body to show any reaction.

"Here is the angel."

The traveling salesman pulled your chin. You opened your eyes and, on the other side of the cage, you saw that person behind the salesman. He was so majestic, so powerful, surrounded by a darkness only your eyes could see. He was a creature of the night. He was a vampire. Vampires were easy to spot, they had blood in their eyes.

"I’ll have it." The vampire said, buying you as his slave.

—-

After weeks, Mr. Stanton finally declared you healed.

He would visit you everyday in your room, bringing you a feast with all types of food and desserts. He would also treat the bruises that the villagers had caused while capturing you. Mr. Stanton was a good old man, always a gentleman.

But, that night, he asked you to follow him.

For the first time, you left your room. The vampire was nowhere to be seen. Since the day he bought you, you had not seen him again.

"Mr. Stanton," you asked while crossing a long and narrow corridor beside the butler, "where are you taking me?"

"Master wants every person inside Coldmount House to be treated with the best reception we are able to give. Miss, you are not a slave in the castle. You are a guest. And, that is why, I’m showing you your new room, much bigger and comfortable."

You knew he was lying about the slave part. And about the new room. You had a terrible intuition about all that.

At the end of the main corridor, Mr. Stanton opened a big door for you.

"Mr. Stanton?"

"Please, Miss."

Obeying Mr. Stanton, you entered.

The room was as dark as the night, no candles, no colors. Behind you, the door was closes and locked. You tried to open it.

"Mr. Stanton, let me out!" You screamed more than once.

Across the room, you heard a small noise, which made you face the room, putting you back against the door.

"You can see what I am, don’t you?" A voice in that shadows asked. His voice was compelling, as expected.

"You are a night creature." You said, aloud. "You are evil."

He moved away from the shadow, walking heavenly in your direction. He put his hands on the door around you, trapping you, and facing you. His eyes were pit black and they had the ability to enchant anyone alive, making them his puppet.

"Accurate." He said, smiling.

Suddenly, you felt too calm, as if nothing would really happen to you and you could trust the Master. He was the one forcing you to feel that way, but fighting against it was impossible.

"I won’t hurt you." He whispered.

Soon after, he touched your neck with his lips. Your whole body getting tense from the touch. Fast and skilful, he bit you. From the initial pain, only an extreme pleasure lasted. The Master moaned, drinking your blood.

Against his nature, he parted from your neck.

You opened your eyes to see him cleaning a drop of blood at the corner of his mouth.

"The blood of an angel." He said, walking to the window. "I’ve never tasted anything like you." He returned to the shadow. "You may leave."

When the door was unlocked, you were escorted back to your room.

—-

After three unsuccessful escape attempts, Mr. Stanton moved you to the dungeons.

Your cell was small and smelled like rat.

To Mr. Stanton surprise, Master would visit you everyday, walking in front of your cell with his haughty posture.

"If you don’t ever try to escape again, I could let you go back to your room. Or, maybe, have a bigger room if you wish for."

You laughed.

"I’ll never stop trying to get away from you."

"I’m not as bad as you think. The world outside is a quite dangerous place. Murders, wars, trials, torture… The humans were mean to you, they treated you as a mere slave, they hurt you, they almost killed you. On the other hand, in Coldmount House, you are an important guest."

"Until I have no blood left."

Master looked at you, he seemed offended.

"I wasn’t like this from the beginning, you know. I was just a villager when I was cursed. My mother used to call me Leo." He made a pause. "Leo. I had even forgotten how my name sounded. Isn’t that amusing?"

"You have a strange sense of humor."

—-

The Master’s visit, slowly, turned into the most awaited hour of the day to both of you. One of those days, you caught yourself truly laughing at his stories.

He also enjoyed your company. He enjoyed the dungeon more than his fancy chamber.

"How long have you been turned?" You asked.

"It was 912 years ago, but seemed like yesterday."

"Are you serious?"

He hid his eyes.

"No, immortality is a curse. We are both cursed. Angels, vampires… we are the same. We are the creatures that will never be touched by the natural death, so we’ll never know what life truly is."

There was a long silence.

"Hey, Leo." You said, surprising him. "My blood. You must be weak by now, you can take my blood."

"Are you trying to deceive me, angel? I won’t fall for such trick."

Through your cell’s bars, you offered him your arm, showing your pulse to him. Leo looked away, avoiding the temptation.

"Don’t be rude." You said.

Leo stared at you with wide opened eyes.

"You really are something, aren’t you? Seems like you have no fear at all! People kneel before me, they don’t even look at me in the eyes…"

You rolled your eyes.

"I’m changing my mind."

But, before you could bring your arm back, he held you hand. His skin was like snow. So white, so cold.

"You are something!" He said, really annoyed.

Leo kissed your pulse many times and, at last, bit it. You could see the passion in his expression. He moaned again. The most arousing sound to ever be heard. He took his teeth away and, between the bars, he pulled your head closer to his and looked into your eyes. This time, he compelled you to desire him.You closed your eyes and met his lips halfway.

Leo didn’t know that the compelling was unnecessary. You already wanted him as much as he wanted you.

—-

The next morning, everything happened in a different way.

Instead o Leo, Mr. Stanton appeared in front of you. He unlocked the cell.

"What is happening? Where is Leo?"

"Just… keep calm, Miss." He said, assuring you. "It’s alright."

Mr. Stanton guided you to the great hall and, after, to the entrance. Leo watched it all from afar, with a cold expression. A tear of blood in his eyes.

Mr. Stanton lead you to the entrance of the castle until the bridge that connected the castle to the mainland.

“Why did you bring me here?”

Mr. Stanton put in your hands a bag full of gold and stones.

"Master set you free."

"What!? But… I wasn’t a slave, you said that. You said I wasn’t a slave. I’ll go back. Let’s go back right now."

"Please, Miss, you cannot go back. Master asked me to set you in a comfortable place. I’ve arranged a good residence for you. If you don’t like, I can find a better place. I also arranged servants. They are ready to take you to your new home…"

You didn’t let Mr. Stanton finish.

Walking past him, you entered the castle and crossed the great hall. You spotted Leo in the second floor, watching you with an astonished face.

"What are you thinking?" You screamed, walking up the stairs. "You think you can erase your mistake with gold? You think you can buy me again?" You stood in front of him and pushed him. "What is it? You don’t need me anymore?" And you pushed him again. "I don’t want your gold, you can have. I don’t want servants, I don’t want a new house… I don’t know why this made me so mad. I wish I could simple cross that bridge and never see your face again."

He looked at you, smiling, not really bothering with your rage.

"Now what!?" You asked, giving up.

Leo looked down, at Mr. Stanton, in the great hall.

”Stanton, close the door.” And looked at your eyes. “I gave you the chance to escape, angel. But you returned to me. Seems like I can finally take you out of that dungeon. I hate that place.”

He said and walked away. You followed him.

"I can’t believe. You were playing with me!?"

"I was not playing, I was bluffing."

—-

 

2014

After the sunset, you walked through the apartment where you lived, and opened the bedroom door.

"Time to wake up." You whispered.

He was sleeping peacefully, but, hearing your voice, made him cover his head.

"Everyday is the same ." You complained, jumping over him. "Wake up, wake up, wake up…"

Leo opened his eyes and grumbled.

"Damn."

"Sun is gone. I miss you during day, come on, wake up. We have places to go and work to do."

He pulled you closer to him, under the cover, cuddling. His cold breathing in your neck made you shiver.

"Sleep." He said, using his compelling power.

And you fell asleep in his arms.