Chapter Two

Man of shade manor 2

     My breath comes out in pants as my mind races with what to say. I close my eyes taking in a couple of deep breaths.

     "I...I-I'm alright," I whimper.

     I watch as he wipes the blood off his hand into his clothes. He sighs, running a hand through his long hair. He begins to undo my restraints. His soft fingers lightly caress my wrists as he removes the ropes. Once I'm released I bring my hands to my chest running my fingers over the raw flesh. The man offers me a hand pulling me to my feet. My legs tremble beneath me but the man continues to hold me upright.

I glance curiously at my savior. His face is contorted in anger, while he looks around the cellar.

     "I have taken care of them, my lord," a light female voice sounds from behind the man.

     He turns around, allowing me to glimpse the woman who spoke. But the creature that greets me is no woman. She is tall, with skin and hair that are as dark as charcoal and has large pointed ears like that of a bat. Her facial features are hard to make out except for her eyes which are pure white. She has long and slender limbs, and her hands are adorned with white claws.

I have never laid eyes on such a dreadful creature

     "That is good to hear. Help me get these humans into the carriages so we can take them to the manor," the man commands.

Peering past the strange woman, I see the bloodied corpse of my captor laying in the gravel. His soulless eyes stare back into my own, causing me to cower back. The man shifts to look at me, then glimpses at the dead body.

"You are safe now, he can no longer harm you. I will return you, and the others here, to where you came from," he assures me.

"A-Alright," I murmur.

The man takes me by the hand gently leading me out of the cellar.

Has this man really come to save me? If so, it's only right I thank him.

"May I...I ask for your name m'lord?"

"You may call me Pyotr," he replies.

"Thank you for s...saving me m'lord," I say gratefully.

"No need to thank me. I am simply performing my duty as a lord," he dismisses.

"B-But you still helped me," I whimper, meeting Pyotr's fierce gaze.

Pyotr doesn't answer me, he simply guides me out of the cellar, and to a carriage, helping me in. He steps into the carriage with me, but avoids my gaze by looking out the window. I cast my eyes down, staring at the peeled flesh on my wrists. The carriage lurches off, the sound of horses following soon after. I look out my window, and see several other carriages following behind us. The weight on my chest lifts, as it finally sinks in that we’re safe.

The silence weighs heavy around us. Taking a deep breath I look at Pyotr.

"A-Are you a dark elf?" I ask.

Pyotr turns to look at me letting out a soft sigh.

“I am a blood Fae," he states.

My mind spins at those words. I clench my fists as my body starts shivering. I got away from one monster just to end up with another.Tears prick my eyes, and I take in deep breaths trying to keep them from falling.

"S-So you're a vampire. Does this mean I…I’m going to d-die?" I wobble out.

Pyotr's eyes narrow as he scoffs.

"Why would you think that?" He growls almost sounding offended.

"B-Because everyone knows that a...all vampires are good for is killing," I murmur as tears slide down my face.

"I will not claim to be innocent, but I will not take a life that is not worth taking," he bites out.

     Frost fills my veins at his words causing me to avert my gaze. I shouldn't have said that.

     "I-I'm sorry," I mumble.

     He sighs dragging a hand through his long black hair.

     "It is alright. I can understand why you must feel that way," he says.

“I apologize for my harsh behavior,” he continues.

We both go quiet after the exchange. I stare out the carriage window trying to distract myself. Silence slices through the air and I find myself practically choking on it. My skin crawls in discomfort and I wish to break the silence so I say the first thing that comes to mind.

"A-Are you working against the traffickers m'lord?" I ask.

"Why else would I have saved you?" He raises an eyebrow at me.

     "Then, m'lord, may I-I help you find the vampires d-doing this?" I ask. Almost instantly I regret my words, but it's too late to take them back now.

     "Why would you want to do that?" Pyotr questions, his intense gaze piercing through me.

     "B...Because I don't want others to go through what I-I have," I answer.

     "You could die, do you still want to join me?" He asks in a dooming tone.

     "Yes I...I-I do," I say trying to sound confident.

     I don't like the thought of dying, but a small part of me wants to stop this from ever happening to others.

"Fine then. I will not try to stop you, but if you die it is not my fault," he states coolly.

     "I understand," I respond as confidently as I can.

     Pyotr gazes at me with unreadable eyes, and I find myself squirming under his scrutiny. After a moment of just looking at me, he averts his gaze out the carriage window. A breath of relief escapes my lips. The rhythmic thumping of the carriage fills my ears. My body begins to tingle as sleep drags me into its clutches.

                                 ***

     I'm stirred awake by the feeling of being lifted. Peeling my eyes open, I look around and realize I'm being carried by Pyotr. His strong arms are wrapped around me as he walks us to a dreary-looking manor.  I look up at his face meeting his gaze, his orange eyes shimmer in the moonlight.

     "You are finally awake," he says under his breath.

     "Yes," I respond in a hushed tone.

     He doesn't respond, just continues to carry me to the manor. I shift in his arms as a cold breeze blows past us. When I shiver he tightens his arms around me, bringing me more warmth. I peek behind Pyotr's shoulder and see the rest of the people who were taken following behind us.

     I shift my head, now looking at the manor. The manor has a way of belonging to the land it graced. Its walls are varying shades of grays and browns hidden behind tall withering black trees. The moonlight cast upon it makes it look as if it were glowing. I would be in awe of such a grand manor, but this place is not a house from a fairytale, but rather a nightmare.

     The black trees surrounding the manor look almost alive, and feel if I look away for even a moment they will move. My heart hammers in my ears and I unconsciously grab onto Pyotr's clothes. He looks down at me, releasing an annoyed sigh.

     "It is not much, but it is where I live. If I could immediately return you to your home, I would. But unfortunately, I am unable to leave the Shadow Moore," Pyotr tells me.

     My heart skits at the mention of the Shadow Moore, a place where monsters roam and feed on the innocent, or so the stories say.

     "I-Is it safe here?" I choke out.

     Pyotr sighs once more, "I would not bring you here if it were dangerous."

     "I…Is that so," I mumble.

     "Yes," he replies.

I go quiet, staring off ahead. Pyotr is quite curt, but he seems nice.

When we enter the manor, I find that it's quite different from the outside. A grand staircase sits in the center of the front room, with small sitting rooms on either side. The interior is painted pearl white with small red designs. Thick black rugs line the floor. Pyotr carries me up the staircase and into a small room.

He sets me down gently on the bed. Moments later, there is a knock on the door. When Pyotr says to enter, another one of the dark creatures from before walks into the room. This one is male, he has his long black hair pulled into a low-hanging ponytail. Two silver earrings dangle from his pointed ears. He approaches us with a small wooden box in hand.

Pyotr takes the box from the creature, dismissing him from the room. I watch as Pyotr opens the box revealing that it's a small medical kit.

"Let me see your hands," Pyotr says, holding a hand out.

I place my hand in his, watching as he dips a cotton ball into some sort of clear solution. He wipes the cotton swab across the wound on my wrist.

"Ouch!" I cry out, jerking my hand back.

Pyotr catches my forearm, looking up at me.

"If I do not clean your wounds they will get infected," he tells me.

I nod my head in reply, closing my eyes. As Pyotr once again begins to clean my wound, I fight the urge to not yank my hand back again.

     "If such a small amount of pain bothers you, how do you expect to help me stop the other vampires?" He questions.

"I will help any way I can, m'lord," I mumble pouting slightly.

     "Even if it means death?" He presses.

     The look in Pyotr's eyes screams that he wants me to give up, and probably for a good reason too, but I don't wish to face the embarrassment of going back on my word.

     "Yes," I reply firmly.

     Pyotr looks away from me, a disappointed look passing over his face. Did he think I'd give up so easily?

     "Suit yourself then," he murmurs.

     I watch as he goes back to cleaning my wounds with careful hands. Once he's done, he looks up at me. I find myself once again ensnared by orange eyes that seem to reflect the sun within them. I reach out the tips of my fingers almost reaching his face before I quickly retract.

     "I will have someone bring you fresh linens, and water to wash your face," he says standing up.

     "Thank you," I say in a hushed tone.

     Pyotr gazes at me giving a curt nod in response. I admire his tall slender figure as he leaves the room his raven hair sways back and forth. Moments after he leaves there is a knock on the door then the same male creature from before enters the room, holding clean clothes, and a water bowl. He sets the clothes on the bed, and the water in the vanity, then leaves.

     After changing, and cleaning my face, I climb under the covers and fade into a deep slumber.