Vampire King's Consort

Chapter 15: Livia

She twirled the short, sparse piece of hair between her index finger and thumb, eyeing as the hairs crinkled, the noise a pleasure and a cringe to her ears. The hair was too short to stay put between her digits. She frowned at her appearance in the mirror. Her fingertips from her free hand brushed just barely over her cheek. It was covered in thick makeup. The powder sticking to her peach fuzz. She looked ridiculous. Biting her bottom lip, frowning, was all this even worth it?

Her once-long cascading blonde locks had been replaced with a wild and unkempt black-brown mop. Her piercing green eyes were the only part of her that remained untouched. She nervously glanced at the contact lenses that her coworker had brought back from the city. It seemed so foreign to her, almost like it was from another world. While she was drawn to the lights and potential freedom of the city, something in the back of her mind held her back. Fear of the unknown and an instinctive dread kept her away from a place she couldn't quite understand.

But that didn't matter to her. Using these items meant to make life easier and quicker just felt alien to her. And she wasn't ready to accept it so easily.

Looking in the mirror, she saw a face that resembled a clown's - slightly more defined and prettier, yet it still made her cringe. She knew she had done something wrong, but it was nothing compared to the day she was first introduced to the makeup and beauty trends world. All the maids laughed and teased her, not in a mean way; instead, like an older sister watching her younger one fail in an innocent way. That moment was when she felt like she finally had sisters who genuinely cared about her.

Opening the contact lens cap, she gently poked the plastic film, admiring its bubble-like shape illuminated by the low sunlight that barely filled her room. So small and cramped that there was hardly enough space for her to move without bumping into the old, weak dresser or bed frame, which brought back memories of what her life once was before being here.

She had been forced to live in the woods away from the vibrant and bustling Lycan colony she had once called home. Even though she could not deny that the old house was a huge contrast to her past life, it lingered in her mind like an unspoken reminder of the sorrows that lay deep within her heart.

She shuddered in disgust at the thought of living out her life alone, isolated from everyone else, in the Lycan kingdom. She tried to push away the hurtful memories by shaking her head, but they were quickly replaced by another memory.

The gothic Victorian room seemed to be haunted by its own darkness- thick dark curtains shielding her from any sunlight and furniture as black as a moonless night. But there was something else, an eerie presence that seemed to lurk just beyond her conscious perception. The idea of someone watching her while she was asleep made her anxious yet strangely enthralled at the same time. Her cheeks began to flush rosy, masking the delicate porcelain skin underneath.

It was desire-a potent craving to feel those eyes roving over her body, almost caressing her-a wet sensation pooling between her legs from her arousal.

Clenching her jaw tightly closed, she furiously shook her head. How could she be thinking such forbidden thoughts? Had all the trauma made her go mad?

It had been months since her daring escape and newfound life in the human kingdom. But she still remained guarded and fearful. Fearful that this newfound joy of hers would be taken away just like it had so many times before in her life. When she first arrived, they embraced her with open arms, telling her that extra hands were needed in the kitchen and with manual labor. A few of their workers had become injured on the job and were rushed to the nearest health facility, a building where many nurses and doctors worked tirelessly to care for the sick and wounded. Without any questions asked, work was immediately assigned to her, along with fair pay.