AWAKE

KIRA

I lunged up into a sitting position in the unfamiliar room, wide-eyed and gasping.  I glanced around, almost frantic, and jumped when I saw a figure towering over me.

''Oh, you're awake.'' A woman who looked to be about my age, maybe older-said. She wore a short, black dress with grey heels matched with a dark, leather jacket. Her blonde hair was styled in a slick bun with a few baby hairs sticking out.

Needless to say, she was gorgeous.

''What happened to me? Where am I? How did I get here?'' I questioned in rapid succession. She just chuckled and stuck a thermometer in my mouth. ''My name is Emily and you're in Castle Bellfonte. How are you feeling?”

Like my body got run over by a truck and I had a fight with stray cats and lost.

“Terrible,” I croaked. My throat burned from dehydration. I scanned the room again for water or any liquid I could drink but there was none.

“You must be thirsty.” Emily said. I nodded wordlessly and in an instant, a knock was heard.

“Come in.”

A pale looking Asian woman faded into view. Her clothes were casual- a plain white tee and blue jeans. I would have thought she was human but her ruby eyes were a dead giveaway that she was one of them.

“My Lady,” She held a tray containing a glass of water and what looked to be crackers. She dropped the crackers on the bedside table and gave me a small, pitiful smile.

“Thank you, Colette.” Emily grabbed the glass from the tray and held it to my lips. I drank it greedily, letting the cool contents sink in my throat. It felt like I hadn’t been alive for days.

What exactly happened to me?

Emily removed the glass from my lips and handed it back to Colette who takes a bow and leaves the room.

 “You had quite the fever back there and you were out cold for three days thanks to my idiotic brother, but you're good for now. You just need a lot of bed rest and more of my healing serum.''

Three days? Healing serum? Brother?

I decided to voice out the question that deserved the most priority.

''Your brother?''

''Yes, my brother. Don't you remember Dante Rosetti?''

At the mention of his name, the memories came rushing back to me in hot flashes: the auction, the sale, the limousine. The bite.

I instinctively put my fingers to my neck, trying to find the two holes that were created by Dante when he drank from me but I felt nothing but a smooth plane. ''I see you remember now,'' I nodded my head in affirmation. ''If you're looking for the bites, they're gone. I healed you.''

''How did you…?''

''I'm a witch, Kira.''

''Witches are real?'' Of course they are real, Kira. How can they not be? Vampires are real so nothing should surprise me at this point.

''Definitely, and-''

''That's quite enough now, Emily. I believe you've said enough.''

My eyes widened as my new master approached us with slow, long strides. He wore a white shirt, which was tucked into his dark three piece suit, the jacket of which was placed on his left arm. His dark brown hair was swept back with what I believed was cream because it was glossy and shiny. The prominent pale skin which was common among the vampires faded into view, and normally I would have found it repulsive, but on him, it looked good.

''Hush up, brother. Kira and I were just having a chat.'' she chastised, her blue eyes twinkling with mischief.

''Really?  And calling me an idiot in front of my pet is one of them?''

''To be fair, you are an idiot.''

''No, I'm not.''

''Yes, you are.''

''No, I'm not.''

''If you weren't an idiot, you wouldn't have almost drained the life out of Kira barely twenty-four hours after buying her.''

I think I like Emily.

He showed no emotion as his sister called him out. I had to stifle the laughter that was threatening to erupt from my mouth because I was still wary around him. He had almost killed me back then and I had barely said anything to him. If there’s one thing I know about vampires, it’s to always thread cautiously around them. They had all the power.

Emily seemed like a nice person, but him-Dante-Master…not so much.

''Leave us alone, Emily.''

She removed the thermometer from my mouth with a nod, satisfied with my current health status. ''Your fever has gone down drastically and your face has regained its natural colour,'' she turned to her brother with a stern look. ''Be nice to her. I mean it. If I find out that you hurt her, I’ll turn you into a wild boar.'' He rolled his eyes at her threat and she disappeared in a pile of smoke right before my eyes.

I guess she really was a witch.

How is her brother a vampire?

''Kira.''

I peaked at him through my lashes and sunk back into the warm bed, trying to bury my body into the covers in a desperate attempt to conceal myself. The memory of his assault was still fresh in my mind, spinning like a vinyl record. He kept a healthy distance between us. No doubt he sensed my apprehension towards him. He held an unreadable expression on his face as I waited for his next words.

''I would like to apologize for my behaviour in the limousine. It was uncalled for and it would never happen again.''

He apologized?

To say I was shocked would be a massive understatement.  These creatures never apologized for anything. They were selfish bloodsuckers who only did things for personal gratification, nothing else. To put icing on the cake, he looked remorseful and genuinely sorry. That was something I never expected from a vampire.

Who is Dante Rosetti?

''It's fine, Master.''

His lips curled at my mention of the title. ''I see you haven't forgotten.''

How could I forget? ''Now that that's out of the way, I guess I have to explain why I bought you.''

I furrowed my eyebrows. Why else would a vampire buy a human other than to be a slave or sex toy?

''You're going to be my personal pet,'' he said with seriousness, his lips pressing into a firm line.

I'm sorry, what?

''You would be moved to your chambers once you are fully recovered and you are not to leave the premises unless I instruct you to.''

Okay?

He clapped his hands. ''Thomas.''

A scrawny boy with mocha skin came in and bowed his head. He had on faded denim shorts and a loose black T-shirt that looked like it'd been passed down several generations. ''Yes, Master.''

''Get Kira a glass of water and food from the kitchen.''

''Yes, Master.''

With that, he left the room and closed the door behind him. I looked up at the infamous man, trying to wrap my head around my job description. What does he mean by I'm going to be a pet? Why do I have to stay in all day? More importantly, why is he being…nice? All vampires are like Austen: mean, incapable of human emotions and ruthless.

At least, that's what I thought.

''Kira,'' he started. ''Who-''

I looked up at him, waiting for him to continue but he held back his tongue. I was too afraid to urge him to ask his question. His body turned rigid again, his face wiped of every emotion, just like how he entered the room minutes earlier.

''Never mind that. Thomas would be here soon with your meal.'' He took a quick glance at my neck and for a second, I could have sworn his eyes changed colour, but he controlled himself. With a last look at my direction, he headed towards the door. 

Once the door clicked shut, I heaved a sigh of relief,  got out of bed and stretched my sore limbs. I’d been out of commission, literally, for three days so my body could use the little exercise.

 I hadn't really noticed my surroundings until now, but God, these creatures live in luxury but subject us to slavery.

The room looked like a combination of five rooms at The Pet Shop. My old room before the vampire takeover couldn't even compete with this one. The walls were painted turquoise which ironically happens to be my favourite colour; the carpets were designed in an Arabian format that sprawled from the door to the windows, which by, the way looked like they were dipped in real gold. Next to the bed was the black flat screen television showing some random program I've never seen before. The last time I watched television was six years ago. Funny as it may be, I still recall the last program I binged on a streaming service- The Originals.

If only Klaus and Elijah were here to save me.

''Your food and water, Miss.'' Thomas had come in and placed the tray at the foot of my bed. I offered him a small smile of gratitude because I was starving. I looked at the tray and my mouth immediately watered at the aroma.

''I haven't had rice in such a long time,'' I said as I scarfed down a spoonfool of food in my mouth. The only thing The Pet Shop offered was bland oatmeal and an apple twice a day. According to Austen, humans are not 'worth spending money on.'

''Thank you.''

''I'm glad you like it. Master would be pleased to hear that,'' he smiled and turned to leave but I stopped him, ''Can I ask you something?''

''If you must.''

''Master mentioned that I would be his personal pet. Do you know what that means? He explained it but in very little detail.''

''I'm sorry, but I can't divulge any information that is none of my concern.''

''But-''

"Goodbye, Miss.''

I need to get out of here.

Fast.