The man threw me to the ground.
"As agreed, she is yours," he said nonchalantly.
I could barely lift my eyes to look at the hem of a blue dress.
This is too much.
finally, I understand.
I remember dying.
I'm a monster now.
I've been a monster for four days.
I drink blood.
I am cursed, an abomination. The people in the corridor are all priests.
I killed a priest.
That boy that first night, I killed him too.
Before that, one of my last few nights as a normal person, I...he...did something to me.
It wasn't a nightmare, I was very aware, like I knew I should be hysterical but I couldn't, I should be wishing for death but I wasn't. Something inside me was broken.
Old age may have finally taken away my sanity, but what flows through my consciousness now and moves my heart is not the spirit of a single person. The weather is much colder.
My tears have dried on my cheeks. The panic had subsided, replaced by calm certainty. I am no longer the same Ariana who danced and drank wine that night, no longer the same Ariana who endured pain, fought, begged for freedom and then quickly died. I'm not her. not completely.
I'm a vampire and I want to live.
I may have been deprived of the future I longed for, but I won’t give up on this pathetic excuse for living until I fulfill the promise I made to myself. I'm Ariana. I am myself. I want to live, I want to go home. They can't take this from me. I won't let them succeed. there has never been. As Jimena said, patience and determination will stay with me.
Jime
a.
She helped me. She showed compassion, kindness, and honor. Aren't they all monsters? I turned my head to the left. There she was, her armor stained with blood but unharmed. She looked forward like a soldier on a parade. As I watched, she turned to me briefly.
Long enough to see the pity in her eyes.
I need to think, I need to evaluate. I need time.
"Don't worry, you old monster. Do you think I'm stupid? You want me to believe that Maul's servants betrayed us and you had nothing to do with it? You both plotted our demise!"
"These are ridiculous accusations, Gaspard, and you should know better."
"You are all blind and can't see, but I don't want to be a fool!"
"Careful," the Master said, and the clearing fell silent. "It sounds like you insulted me twice."
"Do you know what honor is? You hide behind false codes and evil witchcraft!"
"Oh? Little Gaspard, do you believe that my arms are weak? Are you willing to bet your immortality?"
"You will regret these words, you old man! I accept your challenge. No magic, just our swords and ourselves."
I turned my head in disbelief and looked at the blond bearded man. Gaspard, representative of the Roland clan. Is he serious? Can't he see how exceptional he is?
"Witnessed by the Iken family," the tall black man said in a low voice.
"The Cadiz family witnessed it all."
Witnessed by the House of Lancaster. Goodbye, Gaspard, I can't say I'll miss you. continued Mrs. More, her voice cold and cold.
Everyone moved away, and I squeezed in front of Mrs. Moore's cold eyes.
"Okay, are you still going to hold on to the dirt like a maid?"
I stood in front of her, gritting my teeth silently. I don't know the rules that govern vampires so I don't know how freely she would be able to kill me. I had to convince her that there were more benefits to keeping me alive than killing me.
"You serve me now."
"Yes, Mrs. Moore."
"Do you want me to discipline you?"
"No, Mrs. Moore."
"Hmph! At least you know your place now. It seems even monkeys can be taught."
That slut, I really want to twist her head off.
ah.
This is it.
I could feel my own thoughts, twisted and corrupted like the surface of the lake, and there was something else, something deeper. I get angry easily when I'm alive, but this is different.
It's like a twisted thing lingering beneath the surface, ruthless and predatory. This is the part of me that fought those priests and raided the Grain Terrace, and it wouldn't come out with harsh words if I unleashed it.
Now, it does nothing for me. Any resistance on my part was met with swift and ruthless counterattack.
Mistaking my silence for complacency, Mrs. Moore walked away with a silly smile.
"follow".
I know, finally taking a moment to look at the people around me.
We stood in the middle of a beautiful garden. Towering mansions may once have been a sight. Now, only blackened beams and collapsed walls remain. Someone dug a path from the outside to the huge iron door in the center of the gate.
The corpses of those fighting priests were scattered across the grass, though most seemed to have died at some sort of defensive line. Collapsed tents and slain beasts formed a horrific scene somewhere on the edge of the estate. I could see servants in the distance packing their belongings on the carriage, it looked like some of them had survived.
The vampires formed a silent circle. It seems that each lord has two to five followers standing behind them. I wanted to join the masters, but I stood behind the Lancastrians. Melusine turned to me and smiled cruelly. I had no reaction.
Two fighters enter the arena. Mrs. Moore picked up a white strap and let it go without ceremony. I could see every detail in Lord Roland's haughty face: his pride, his contempt, the certainty of his victory.
I would never be as clueless as I was now, so I made a promise to myself to keep this beast under control.
What follows is a lesson, and this lesson is not for Gaspard. For the rest of us, that is.
One moment the Lord is standing on the edge of the circle, the next he is standing next to the Master doing a perfect lunge. His black-edged sword kissed the edge of the master's dark blue coat without touching it. The master held Gaspard's sword arm with one hand and the other deep in his chest.
Gaspard's expression changed from triumph to surprise, to pain, to fear. A stream of black blood poured out like raindrops on the ground, and the representative of the Roland family staggered and staggered, standing only in the master's steel hands.
The master calmly let go of the sword and it fell to the ground. Then he grabbed him by the throat.
What happened next is something I will never forget.
The sound of flesh and blood tearing, the sound of bones breaking, the sound of suction when the head is being pulled, the spine showing itself to the world with painful slowness.
It took ten seconds for the man to die in a flash of blue flames. Ten seconds later, the master showed his true colors: he was completely fed up.
It's nothing to him, just another insect that needs to pull its wings so other pests know not to piss him off.
The local masters didn't even guarantee their satisfaction with the killing. He is so gullible.
The Master raised his eyebrows and turned to the silent congregation. Mrs. Moore bowed to him.
"Melusine will show you your ship, my lord."
I got a little satisfaction from the pitiful fear on the little whore's face.
Unfortunately, when the master turned to leave, I couldn't help but take a step forward.
"Owner……"
I know I shouldn't, but I have to give it a try. He completely ignored me. He left without saying a word or even looking. I do not understand. I've always been a good girl. I did what he said, I tried my best! Why, why...
The other vampires fell completely silent, so my outburst and subsequent embarrassment was visible to all. Just when I thought it couldn't get any worse, I felt two claws grab my neck. Mrs. Moore's cold breath in my ear made me shiver.
"I've been at work less than ten minutes and you've embarrassed me in front of my colleagues. It seems you still need to discipline yourself. Take off your clothes."
"What?"
Her vicious claws sucked blood, and I twitched in response. Ah! This really hurts!
"Don't make me say it again."
As I gritted my teeth and slowly removed my robe, most of the vampires went off to do other things and I could only be grateful. Soon I was standing in the middle of the clearing in my little clothes, thankful that my naked body was still hidden behind the green curtain. It was the most unseemly thing I had ever been forced to do.
I wince as a memory creeps into my mind. In fact, it's the second most indecent thing I've ever experienced.
God, why did I have to die like this? What did I do to deserve this?
Why have you forsaken me?
I got no answer, nor did I expect one.
I didn't have to wait long. A bearded man quickly approached us. I recognized the crazy blue eyes that greeted me in the cell that first day. He was ogling me shamelessly! I tried to hide it as much as possible.
"Haha, it seems Nilali knows how to choose..."
I hissed angrily and he flinched.
"That's enough Baudouin, you can't tame her."
The man looked at me thoughtfully, then tossed me another piece of clothing, a plain white linen. I would never let a servant of the manor walk around in this rag, but I cherish it because it is the only thing I have now.
I believe Mrs. Moore did not want me to be naked simply because the potential threat of such a situation deterred me from going against her wishes.
As soon as I was dressed we departed and joined the procession of carriages leaving the fort grounds. The remaining Roland family members walked ahead of us, and I recognized the twins. It seems the death of their leader has not affected them at all. I was terrified when I saw where I was being taken.
Mrs. Moore turned to me, expecting a reaction, but this time I managed to remain silent.
In a cage.
They were going to put me in a cage like a circus animal. Oh, I really want them to suffer, but I need to be patient.
A pair of shackles hung from Baudouin's shoulders. They were heavy iron objects, and I was not going to let him get close to me as long as I could help it.
Mrs. Moore gestured to the door, and I entered without saying a word. I was grateful that the cage was clean, a testament to my situation.
Lambert rode silently up to me. He ignored me on purpose, and I gladly returned the favor.
The Lancastrians were the last to leave the fort. Only a dozen servants were left to clean up the battlefield. Our procession, consisting of six carriages and four carts, including my own, we departed in silence.
Despite the situation, I couldn't help but look around curiously.
This was the first time I really appreciated the bayou at night. The oppressive humid heat of summer was mercifully suppressed at night, and perhaps I no longer suffered from it.
The sounds and smells formed a great harmony, and I spent considerable time observing the strange arrangements of leaves and bark of the cypress trees, and the ripples on the brackish water ponds.
Every insect and plant had a new fascination for me, as if I had never seen them before. I suspect that vampire vision is far superior to that of humans and can help us perform some evil deeds, which brings me some comfort that my new senses can be used for more than just evil.
It was also my luck that the road was very muddy, otherwise I would have swallowed the entire caravan's dust. It's July and nights are the only time the weather is bearable.
So I'm a vampire.
I don't know what that means. I've never heard of such a thing. It's hard for me to admit that monsters can live among humans, move faster than the eye can see, and dig into people's chests at will without anyone noticing.
Surely people would have questions about drinking their own blood? If those war priests knew about us, why didn't they ask the colonial militia to give us cannons? I'm completely confused. There are many things I don't understand. Literally, I became a toddler again.
Think about it, can I still have children?
Do I still want to do this? Are they twisted things like me?
I gave up on this line of thinking. I wasn't going to let Lambert see me cry a second time in one night. I don't want to ask questions either. It seems that speaking without permission is frowned upon.
My car was at the end of the line and we were moving at such a snail's pace that we eventually lost sight of the rest of the group. I figured that so many carriages gathered together in the middle of the night would attract unnecessary attention, so I was left with only one human driver and the ever-taciturn Lambert.
Fortunately, the night was filled with new experiences until we encountered a patrol of three armed militiamen. They looked at me quizzically.
At this point, I don't want to resist. Jimena's promise was still fresh in my mind, and I had no doubt that if I attempted a forced rescue, Lambert could incapacitate them in an instant.
So I had to listen to him explain that I was the son of a tailor who ran away from home to an unknown father after he found out I had a child.
Apparently I killed the baby when he was born so I could continue my depravity. As Lambert told his story, the faces turned from alarm to shock and finally disgust. He was just as good an actor as I thought he was, and I said to myself, I would never believe a word he said.
We left the patrol behind and passed through a small village. The night is full of humanity. Underneath the stench of sweat and unwashed body, there's an energetic aroma that makes my jaw ache. I licked my fangs with my tongue and realized there were 8 of them.
They replaced all of my canine teeth, and the outermost ones are also very sharp. Ximena mentioned that the appearance of my bloodline was unquestionable. This is of course the reason. My memory is clearer now, the other vampires had four.
This is serious news. This meant that I had to absolutely hide my teeth from view, lest my ancestry be immediately discovered.
I mused as we left the village and met another patrol. This time, Lambert told them a story, saying that I killed an old man who welcomed me to his home, poisoned him, and lured his son to steal the family property.
Once again, the look of horror on their faces was shocking and I wondered why Lambert was so calmly lying when it had absolutely no benefit. He was not happy at all.
After some time the land gradually changed and we found ourselves next to a large colonial house. For a while I smelled the faintest hint of salt on the wind and I remembered that the Lancastrians were interested in maritime trade. I think we might not be far from New Orleans.
The place where I died.
Lambert opened the cage and let me out. I followed him silently through a grand entrance and a series of corridors. We walked past tastefully decorated rooms and a few obedient servants in blue uniforms to a closed door. Lambert knocked on the door and we entered.
The room was a large boudoir, lit with candles. Several vampires were lounging on a comfy couch.
What I feared was not their numbers but their immobility. There was no sound of fabric moving, no sighing. They weren't even breathing. I was stunned and started holding my breath.
I still held it as Lambert led me to the front. I still held it when Mrs. Moore stood up from her throne-like seat to address the crowd.
Vampires will change their posture to show attention. I felt like I was watching a puppet show, their movements were so unnatural. I counted seven in total.
In addition to Mrs. Moore, Melusine, and Lambert, there was a villain with a weasel face, a woman who looked like a cow-toad, a silly-looking girl with crooked teeth, and a Bald beast.
I finally realized that Louisiana was more than just a place of human exile.
"My dear kinsmen of the family, the conclave yielded a favorable outcome and the House of Lancaster once again rose to the top. The successful negotiations I conducted solidified our control of New Orleans, cementing its wealth and bounty of livestock. Ours Success is guaranteed.”
The scary robot clapped politely, like an obedient dog.
However, this victory also came with disappointment. As you know, we lost Caitlin and was betrayed by Onitai, may his soul burn forever. "
There was no reaction from the assembly. I don't believe such a miserable bunch of people could have any sympathy for each other.
"We have received a new member as payment for the services rendered by Lord Nirari himself. The Devourers are the most important clan in the land, and he has favored us in business, and we will reap the benefits for years to come. "
Unless I can help it.
"Welcome Ariana to our loving family."
I felt like a piece of meat dangling in front of a pack of hounds.
"She's still very young, so it's up to Melusi
e develop her into a valuable and contributing member of our community, for the benefit of all.
I noticed that the old red-haired woman had the meanest, cruelest smile on her face. Ah, seriously, I need to control myself as best I can.
"With that, I'll take my leave for the night. I have a lot to do."
As she left, others stood there. Melusi
e walked up to me, grabbed my arm as if we were best friends, and dragged me out of the room. I was surprised to find that I was a little taller than her, but that didn't matter. She knew I was on her hands. This will be difficult.
