BLOODLUST

Part One

Underworld

"Master did a number on you."

A grotesque creature pulled the heavy chains, dragging the victim along. A young girl, no older than eighteen stumbled inside the dungeon and fell to her knees. Her eyes shut down in pain however it didn't feel as bad as the torture she endured in the other room. Her hazel eyes opened and scanned the grimy hallway adorned with cells, the hairs on her body rising in fear. She looked in the puddle of water at her feet, noticing her face dotted with purple and bluish spots and her swollen lips.

She had been kidnapped a few days ago, after enjoying a great summer day with her boyfriend at a fair.

Her memory was a little foggy but all she remembered before being kidnapped was the feeling of being watched and a pair of red eyes watching her from afar.

When she woke up, she was in a dark room with many other girls and boys her age, locked in a cellar. Some of them were just as scared as her and some were staring blankly as if they witnessed terrors no one could ever see. There she was told by a monstrous creature that resembled a twisted combination of an ogre and goat that she was to serve the prisoners from now on.

The terrors she had seen these past few days felt surreal. She felt like she was trapped inside a nightmare where she was a slave under the creatures she found out were demons.

Unfortunately, nosiness was one of her negative traits and she couldn't help but try to find more about what surrounded her. From the hushed tones of the demons or servants she found out that the Master was kidnapping people, the reason unbeknownst to her. She also heard bits and pieces about the Great War, leaving her with more questions than answers.

Why was the Master kidnapping humans and what were they needed for?

But most importantly, did the Royals lie when they said that the portals were closed?

She was never going to know the truth.

"Get up girl!" The demon snapped at her and pulled the chains harder, dragging her across the floor. The girl in rags ducked her head and squeaked a weak apology before stepping inside a room the demon opened. The door unmasked another hallway filled with cells and what she saw terrified her.

Dirty and feral creatures stared back at her with eyes of different shades but all of them had one thing in common, the manic sneer all of them gave her as if she was their meal to pounce on.

The girl took a deep breath and took a step forward only to jump back in fright when a creature jumped toward her but thankfully, the cell kept it inside.

Her eyes welled up with tears and her bottom lip wobbled in fear as she stared at these creatures, wishing she was dead.

Sometimes, wishes do come true...

She wanted to be back home, to get yelled at by her mother for being lazy, play with her siblings and stare at the horizon with her boyfriend whom she loved very much.

The demon slammed a metal tray into her chest, almost making her stumble. "Bring this tray to the last cell on the right. I will be waiting there to return you to the servant chambers."

The girl in rags looked down at the tray and saw something that resembled porridge and raw meat, her nose crinkling at the sight of it.

The girl took a deep breath and started to walk, looking forward and trying to ignore the prisoners who were watching her hungrily, some of them even clawing at the metal doors that separated them from her. Her steps got faster and faster until she reached the end of the hallway where there were fewer prisoners.