BloodLust

Ch. 5 🩸Risky Business🩸

I didn't wake until the next morning, grey light from the cloudy sky already filtering in through the barred window as I groggily came to. I was back in the dungeons but had no recollection of how I had actually gotten down here. The last thing I remembered was the image of my vampire captor hovering above me, lips curled into a sinister grin that dripped red with my own blood.

I rapidly blinked away the sleep as the memories of last night flooded in, the skin of my wrists still sore from struggling against the leather bindings. Reaching up to my neck my fingertips grazed over the ice cold metal of the collar that had been put back in place, a sore spot rapidly growing beneath it as metal and flesh ground together.

Two little holes penetrated the thin skin, crusted over with dried blood but seeming to have already begun the healing process in the few short hours I had been unconscious. My fingernails reflexively dug into the small wounds, trying to clean them of the old blood and just causing more uncomfortable friction against them instead.

The collar was a bit of a nuisance as it rubbed against the two little pinpricks, chafing the exposed area and I tried to adjust the contraption to be more comfortable with no luck. While I couldn't really tell without a mirror I was sure there was also some colorful bruising around the area that wasn't helping my comfort levels. Once the monster had left for the day I would get into the shower and at least get some of that old blood off my skin and the underside of the collar to try and alleviate some of the chafing.

A loud 'thump' above me caused me to startle, my eyes shooting upwards fearfully at the sound of Ms. Black being up and about for the morning. I had to swallow the bile rising in my throat, dreading facing the other woman after the events of yesterday.

Up until this point I had certainly had a healthy dose of respect for the monster that could and would decimate me in a matter of seconds should she so choose. However, this was the first time she had given me a reason to be truly afraid of facing her. I sat stock still, every muscle in my body tensing in anticipation as I waited to be fetched for breakfast.

The door squeaked open, the sudden bright light making me blink rapidly as my eyes adjusted and I huddled at the bottom of the rickety stairs.

"Well come on then. You know the drill." Ms. Black let out an impatient huff, tapping her foot until I made a move to follow her.

My eyes never left the monster at the top of the stairs until she turned and walked off, heels clicking rapidly as she made her way to the kitchens and I slunk after her like a beaten animal. There was a drizzly rain falling from the grey skies this morning making the manor particularly cold and full of shadows, an uneasy chill settling deep in my bones as I crept around the corner into the kitchens.

Ms. Black was sat with her back to me this morning, one leg crossed over the other and one foot slowly bouncing up and down, completely nonchalant. Inching around her to the stove I took notice of the empty vial sitting next to the coffee mug in her hands, a red sheen of the mysterious potion painting the inside of the glass like fresh blood.

"Sleep well?" The vampire purred, a small smirk on her cherry red lips, a playful lilt in her voice.

"Yes mistress." I responded with a catch in my own voice, immediately turning to face the stove so she wouldn't see my shaking fingers as I prepared the pot to boil her eggs.

Ms. Black 'tsked' her tongue, the grating sound of a chair scraping across the floor assaulting my ears as she stood behind me. The other woman covered the distance between us in a matter of seconds, my shoulders tensing as her presence engulfed me like a thick, poisonous fog.

"Let's see how you're healing shall we?" Icy fingers forced themselves between the collar and my skin, sharp nails lightly scratching at the puncture wounds she had left there mere hours ago.