Chapter Four

Enter the blood code.

For the past hour, I’ve been staring at those words on my laptop screen whilst fingering the paper I’d taken from the box.

If I was sane, I’d have probably thrown the box and the paper in the trash but why would a letter with such unique gold ink be dropped at my doorstep?

It had to be something more than a prank so I raced over to my laptop and typed in the web address.

Shit, my hands must have slipped.

Suddenly I was logged into F******k and my eyes widened at the number of notifications I had. It was like a flood. A flood of tags and being mentioned in comments.

What an exciting turn my life took. I didn’t bother checking my inbox or notification. I rested my mouse on the ‘X’ that signifies the close of a tab and paused.

What if… if I find a clue about blood vessels and blood codes here? I knew immediately that the idea was far-fetched but who was it going to hurt?

‘You! When they can trace your location!’ My inner goddess said crossly.

There! I muttered after double-checking that the location was switched off and to be safe, I even used a VPN.

I scrolled mindlessly for a while, coming across a few posts that referred to the psycho employee of RainCloud until I came to a photo that made my scrolling finger freeze. A gossip media had shared a photo.

It was of Alexis and Alecia Kiss arm in arm as he lay in a hospital bed. With blonde hair, big blue eyes, fair skin, and full lips, she looked stunning and had the same adoring look I’d once had for Alexis as well.

The way they were dressed though, I thought perhaps they had an interview. Then I read the caption underneath.

We were right to Ship! CamKiss announces their engagement.

#Lighthouse couple

Their engagement?

Sixty days ago—not that I’m keeping tabs—our engagement had ended. And he’d already proposed to Alecia Kiss?

Maybe it was a click-bait article. My fingers trembled with anger as I moved the mouse around and clicked on Alexis’s homepage. There were thousands of congratulatory comments which he mostly responded to.

A picture of their joined hands also glared at me, showcasing the engagement ring on her fingers. My. Fucking. Engagement. Ring. My celebrity ex hadn’t even bothered to have the ring changed after I threw it at his face while he was still in bed with his flame.

I felt….to be honest, I don’t know how I felt. Sick maybe. Defeated. Frustrated. Hurt. Jealous. Fucking Sad.

Along with my life, my apartment, my job, and my safety, Alexis had taken away the one beautiful thing I believed in—true love.

 Leaning back in my chair, I shut my eyes, feeling the tears leak from my tightly screwed lids to the sides of my lips.

I truly loved Alexis, with all my heart.

Taking in a deep shuddering breath, I stood up after deciding to throw away the stupid note that’d dredged up this shitty feeling.

As I picked up the brown box, my eyes were drawn to a barely visible inscription at the bottom.

Squinting hard, I turned the box inside out and my eyes widened as an array of letters and strange symbols stared at me.

Could this be the blood code?

*~~*

Yep. I had lost my fucking mind.

Even if the moon shining overhead wasn’t enough, the fact I was standing in front of a strange towering, three-story house so close to midnight was a dead giveaway.

The place was downright ominous in the low moonlight, its windows gazing over the property like watchful eyes.

Braving myself to make the trip to the address on that site, blood vessel.com, was a secret death wish.

A warning trigger gathered in my chest as something in my psyche warned me.

I should lose my curiosity and just leave but the suspicion that something big was at play grew within me and a chill raced down my spine.

A lump formed in my throat as I recalled the letter that’d taken over my laptop screen after I typed in the blood code.

‘Dear Saratan Credi, congratulations. You have been chosen to serve your masters as a blood vessel. Please be at the attached address before midnight tonight. Further instructions will be sent to you.’

Don’t give me that look. That look you give white lead girls in horror stories when they go towards danger instead of running or calling the cops.

I’m not foolish either, I left a note on my desk, with the address on it. If anything bad happened, at least Kira would know where to start her investigation.

My phone buzzed, startling the shit out of me. I glanced down at the screen to see a text from the strange number that had been sending instructions for the past hour. 

You made it but a little late than I’d told you. You’d be brought in now but mind, the journey might be a little rough. It’s midnight.’

 ‘Follow me,’ the wind whispered and I whipped around as a flash of movement drew my attention. This was probably the most stupid decision I’d made in my entire life, but I let the ‘voice in the wind’ guide me and it led me down the south-side patio, the pond, and the garden.

The eerie voice quieted as I stopped in front of a door.

Just as I reached for the doorknob, cold fingers dug into my arms and my feet left the floor.

What I discovered a bit too late was that a vampire’s touch was not only cold but it left your skin crawling wherever they touched you. They are only able to mask your irritation by using their mind compulsion to make you more…pliable.

I was too shocked to scream and my fingers feeble struggled against the icy iron grip on my arm. I was fucking levitating, already three feet from the ground.

“Stay still, Vessel!” The female voice commanded and immediately I went lax against her even though instinct warned me to fight back. Why did her voice affect me so? Fucking Vampire Magic—Mind Compulsion. “The Dhampirs are awake now. You’ll be ripped apart if you take that front door.”

Without a warning, the vampire scaled the trellis to the second story in a single leap and propelled me onto the balcony, ripping a strangled gasp from my lungs.

From there, the vampire ordered me to climb on her back and after I did—holding on tightly as my life depended on it, which it did—she jumped up, grabbing the wrought iron on the third-story fire escape.

Her body swung in a graceful arc as she propelled the both of us onto the wide ledge of the bay window.

“We are here,” she finally whispered and I automatically slid off her back, catching my fucking breath. I literally flew on the back of a vampire. Could vampires fly? Even though I just flew on the back of one, I couldn’t believe my eyes.

I caught sight of a fang as a scowl twisted her lips.

It took me a second to realize why she was frowning. The window was latched. Someone must have locked it from the inside.

The woman didn’t waste any time in putting her fist through the pane and suddenly blaring sounds filled the air.

My eyes widened as I stared at her. What was the point of sneaking around and flying me over if she was going to ring the damn dinner bell after?

I tried to speak but it was as though my tongue was glued to the roof of my mouth.

“Come with me now!” she snapped and I climbed through the broken window right after her. A jagged edge of broken glass caught my arm and slashed the skin open.

The pain barely registered through the cloud of fear that washed over me. A warm trickle of blood ran down my upper arm and dripped from my elbow.

A hiss erupted from the vampire’s lips as she screeched to a halt.

My skin prickled as her narrowed gaze centered on the bleeding cut on my arm. The look in her eyes said it all. The scent of my fear and blood both repelled her and ignited her thirst.

“Chelle... would kill me if his vessels are broken,” she snapped, glaring at me as she tore off a piece of her jacket and tightly wound it around the cut. “Be careful.”

Taking a hold of my arm, our feet padded over the hardwood floors as she steered me over to a room.

The door was cracked open, and a sliver of light cut through the darkness like the slash of a newly-made sword.

Adrenaline dumped into my bloodstream as we neared the room.

The vampire eased the door open and shoved me into it, locking the door behind her.

It took a minute for my eyes to adjust to the bright lights of the room and when they did, I saw a woman donned in all-black latex seated behind a desk.

I finally got back my ability to speak and words poured out of my mouth like the slosh of fresh rum.

“Please, have a seat,” she demanded.

Scowling, I sat on a single couch facing her work desk and she cleared her throat, “I’m Judy, a human like you and I work for Feeders Corps,” she said in a way of introduction and stretched forth her hand.

A thought popped into my head and I blurted, “Did Alex put you up to this? Did he give my info to vampires so they’ll kill me?”

Looking at me strangely, she asked, “And who is Alex?”

“Oh,” I flushed, a sheepish look slipping on my face as I shook her hand.

Taking back her hand, she leaned in her chair and smiled softly. “Feeders Corp is an umbrella organization. What we do is simply employ humans to work as blood vessels for a master who purchases them.” She started in a calm tone, “And before you ask, we do not force any human to work with us. Humans like you and I are specially selected by the CEO himself and after the screening, you’d be bought by a master and be given sixty percent of whatever your master pays if you agree. Your consent matters to Feeders Corp.”

“By specially selected, you mean you prey on vulnerable humans. Isn’t it illegal for vampires to feed on real blood? Wasn’t The Essence created to stop vampires from hunting humans?” I arched a brow.

She snorted before bursting out in full laughter, “The Essence is the shittiest blood ever made and we both know that it isn’t enough to quench the thirst of a vampire. Anyway, to answer your question, vampires strictly abide by the laws of humans. They do not hunt anymore hence the establishment of Feeders Corp. Instead of hunting humans, we recruit willing humans who need a safe place to stay, food, and stable income to sell their blood to their masters over some time.”

“If I do not wish to engage in this...business…” I began testily, “Would I be allowed to go back home?”

“Of course,” she replied with a sweet smile, “but beware blood vessels should not be on the streets at midnight, especially if they do not have an owner yet.”

“Are you a blood vessel?”

She shook her head as a sad look slipped into her eyes, “I wish but my blood is too basic.”

I could see she terribly wished to trade places with me right now.

“Why me?” I muttered, “Why was I ‘specially’ targeted by your boss?”

“Do you want the truth?”

I nodded.

“Because your life is shit and nobody wants you, probably only two people will miss you when you’re gone. That’s mostly the criteria my boss uses to select the perfect blood vessel and it works all the time.”

Ouch. Was she right!?

“So you have a portfolio of humans who are going through a shitty phase in their lives and you recruit them to sell their blood?’

“Yup. Basically.”

“You are not scared that I will out your secret activities to the public?” I offered with narrowed eyes.

She shook her head, “Not in the least bit. There’s no evidence of the existence of Feeders Corp with you.”

I snorted, waggling my phone before her, “I have proof of our texts on my phone.”

A smirk pulled the sides of her lips, “Do you?”

My stomach twisted into knots and I quickly unlocked my phone, scrolling through the messaging app. Bloody hell, it was gone.

Every single text we exchanged. I didn’t have to check to know that the bloodvessel.com website would have been cleared from my laptop browser too.

She leaned over her desk and looked right into my eyes, “Feeders Corp is your best option.” She slid over a pile of paperwork, “Here, go through this. This is a contract Feeders Corp will sign with you. As long as you obey the rules, you are going to be a very rich woman in two years and no one will be able to hurt you.”

Her manipulation began to affect me, directing my thoughts to the current situation in my life. How I was holing in a rat-infested apartment with zero savings and death threats hanging all over me.

With my heart and mind colliding, I asked her how much money the vampire master will pay if I accepted to work with them.

“The least is 100k,” she replied. “After signing the contract, you’d be prepped for display and the auction will begin.”

“What? I’ll be auctioned off like a mindless inanimate object?” I said.

“Yes, I know it sounds bad but there’s no sugarcoating it. Luckily, you have the most wanted blood type so your buyers are going to pay handsomely for you.”

“Sexual activity wouldn’t be inclusive?”  

She shook her head as humor danced in her eyes.

When I realized I was about to walk into a trap and this lady wasn’t here to help me, I couldn’t help but laugh in disbelief. Judy used vulnerable humans to make money and coming here was a huge mistake.

“I’m not interested,” I rolled my eyes and started to stand from the couch.

“Wait, just read the contract at least.”

I didn’t look at her as I walked away. When my hand landed on the doorknob to open it, the door swung open and a male vampire walked in, freezing me to the spot.

His eyes were glowing, his body leanly muscled.

When our eyes met, a lump constricted my throat. The vampire then ran his eyes up and down, staring lustfully at me. Instinctively, my hand traveled to the cut on my arm, hiding it from his sight.

“I’ll buy this one,” he muttered.

“No, sir.” Judy shook her head anxiously, “You know how it works. They have to give their consent and then you purchase at the auction.

“But I like her,’ the vampire frowned, gazing at me.

What the fuck was wrong with these people? Talking over my head like I wasn’t there.

“I came here by mistake and I’d be leaving now sir,” I said politely, trying to move away but found my feet were glued to the spot.

“No one will offer you more than 500k. I’ll take her for 600.”

“But…”

“Leave.”

I turned around, watching how Judy bowed her head and walked out of the room, leaving me with the vampire.

And that, bestie—I use the term ‘bestie’ seriously because you’ve been through the ride with me—was how I became vampire food.