Bloody Wrist

I was left sitting by the corner in the room for another minute or two before i heard a knock against the door startling me slightly. Another knock was heard once again before the door was pushed open when i made no move on my part to get it. I inhaled sharply thinking it was the Prince but was relieved when i realized I was staring at a younger girl and even more, she doesn’t look like one of the lycan.

The young girl was average and structured like a normal human girl. She had a tray of food in hand as she came forward and placed it before me. “His Highness, the Prince asked that you be fed and if it’s not enough, I can bring more”

I looked away from her face and back at the plate of food placed before me in shock, even more surprised to be staring at mashed potato and some fruits, which is exactly what i had like two days ago. Fresh tears stink my eyes as the thought of my parent crossed my mind once again but I quickly sniffed them away.

“thank you” I told the girl, not sure how to address the young girl who only nod at me before exiting quietly out the door.

I took a little bite out of the fruit and chew carefully and then swallowed hard. It taste just like the ones from my father’s farm, prompting me to take another bite before sipping from the glass of milk and found it to be equally refreshing as well. I paused for a moment, wondering if other slaves were being fed as well and more so why the prince was treating me differently. 

My  heart sank into my stomach wondering if this was going to be my last meal before I’m killed or locked away in the darkest of the palace dungeon.

The sheer thought of something like that happening was enough to make me loose whatever little appetite i had left as I carefully pushed the plate of food away before crawling into the corner with my knees folded to my chest.

It wasn’t long before the sun start to set outside, bringing total darkness to the room where i sat and still no sign of the Prince which was good. I was dreading his arrival to the room once again, not knowing what to expect. Or maybe the dread is due to the knowledge of what was to come.

Shortly afterward, I heard the door crack open and start to panic. “who is there?” I demanded, my voice high and breathless.

“It’s me” I  heard the Prince voice called back before a candle was lit and placed against the nearby barrel.

I peeped through the now lit room and back at his face and found him staring at me with something unrecognized in his eyes. He matched forward and grasp my chin gently before I could scoot out of his reach and lifted my face to look into his dark eyes. “Did you eat?” He questioned and i answered with a nod.

He released his hold from my face before they made it down to the base of my neck slowly and then paused. “That's good because I don’t want to have to fight you off in the middle of the night trying to steal blood from me”

He pushed away from me abruptly and I heard myself gasp at his insinuation.

“I will have you know that my diet does not include blood. I have never had blood and don’t have appetite for one. I’m a vegetarian” I said firmly and he just burst out into an uncontrollable laughter. The sound of his voice filling the room and leaving me even more confused.

“you are a what?”

“a vegetarian. I don’t eat meat or drink blood despite what you might think” I said in anger, my voice a lot louder than I intended and he just kept on laughing at me still.

“You are hilarious Iris. I don’t know what the Monet have told you but Vampires are no vegetarian. It’s simply not in their nature to be one so you can stop deceiving yourself”

“Well then, you are staring at one. I’m what I am whether you believe it or not” I said firmly.

He eventually stopped laughing and then pulled out a smaller blade from his left boot and I was forced to gasp and flinched away but instead of attacking me with it, he cut his wrist with it and soon, thick red blood was rushing out of his wound before his eyes snapped at my direction once again.

“What do you say Iris, let put that theory of you being a vegetarian to the test right now, shall we?” he said with a mischievous grin plastered on his face.

“What?” I squeal in alarm as he began to stroll towards me determinedly, my heart starting to race within my chest, feeling trapped like a deer caught in headlights. He closed in on me, his bloody wrist raised to my face as he continued to peered down at me.

“Go on Iris, this is your chance. Take a bite, a lick, a sip if you want, I won’t tell anyone, it’s just me and you here” He cooed at me and offered me his wrist even more. I inched away from him until my back met with the wall and stopped, unable to move any further, I let my eyes clenched shut so much so that I didn't anticipate his next move until my necklace was ripped off my neck abruptly and my eyes snapped open to stare back at him.

"Go on now, you have nothing holding you back. Not even your necklace"

“Please, I can’t”. I begged, turning my head away but he pull me back to face him.

“You can’t or you don’t want to. Which is it, Iris?”

“I can’t” I said with bitter pile rising at the pit of my stomach as I start to feel all the more nauseous and light headed at the sight before me.

“No need to think too much about this. I mean, this is the best offer you are going to get to embrace your true form Iris. Loose this chance now and it’s for ever”

His voice rang through my ears once again and in between his words, I could hear my parent voice even louder. “Never give in to temptation no matter how good it looks. Always remember who you are. You are who you choose to be”

I let those very words wash over me before looking up at him once again, my glowing eyes back to normal with my facial expression showing total indifference to whatever he has going on, on his own face. “I'm sorry your Highness but your wrist look pretty bad, you should get it fixed before you bleed out. I don’t suppose you want that or do you?”

A moment passed by with neither of us saying anything else before a small smile appeared on his lips. “Alright Iris, You win for now but don’t think I believe you are what you say you are. I have seen first hand what your kind can do so don’t even think for a second that you can deceive me with that vegetarian nonsense because it’s impossible” He said and threw my necklace back at me before he grab a piece of clothing across the bed and wiped his wrist with it before tossing it to the bin.

My eyes moved to his wrist and was shocked to see that, in its place lay a smooth skin, not even a fading scar was left behind.

I guess it’s true what the books I have read said. Werewolf can heal just as fast as vampires do. I wonder if the same thing apply to me too. I mean, will I be able to heal in that same manner or would it require me to drink blood to heal. Either way, I pray I don’t get caught up in a moment where I have to drink blood just to survive or I might just die.

I really hope I don’t, with all my heart.

“You can sleep on the sofa, Iris. it’s all yours” His voice startled me once again and I turned to watch him slide into bed before putting out the candles all together and leaving us both in total darkness.