🩸Beautiful Blood -- Sadistic Vampire Keeping Human Pets

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   Nyx let the body drop to the floor, not even bothering to drink the blood before waving a dismissive hand at the other servant who stood petrified with fear against the far wall.
   "Clean this up, will you?" She ordered in a bored voice, completely unconcerned. "I assume you won't make the same mistake they did?"
   The servant nodded so fast it almost gave them whiplash, hurrying to follow the order as Nyx turned back to Asher, that deceivingly patient and pleasant smile back on her face, completely composed. A little unnerving how easily her expression could change. She was totally unpredictable.
   "Pfft, don't look so horrified," Nyx scoffed at the look on his face. "You don't have to worry about that happening to you, if it's any reassurance. You are indispensable." She unchained his hands, giving him free movement, before spinning around and gesturing beckoningly for him to follow her out of the room, stepping carefully around the dead servant's pool of blood to keep her shoes clean.
   Asher barely kept himself from vomiting at the sight as he reluctantly followed her out.
   Nyx led him out into a massive mansion full of luxurious comforts and giant extravagant sofas, and a few well-dressed collared humans here and there, who all avoided eye contact and scurried out of sight upon Nyx's arrival.
   It was almost a small hike to cross to the other side of the gargantuan mansion and up a giant marbled staircase that must have cost a fortune to build. But eventually, Nyx stopped, gesturing at a side room, which turned out to be a massive bathroom complete with a swimming-pool sized hot tub and many excessively lavish comforts.
   "Get yourself clean, you're filthy with all those bloodstains and dirt and I don't want it getting on my couches and carpet. I already had a fresh pair of clothes set out on the counter for you when you're done to replace your current ones. The colors I picked match the house, for aesthetic reasons. You can take a moment to relax, but don't try to get out of the shock collar. I say that because it's always the first thing newcomers try, and it never ends well for them."
   She rolled her eyes. "It tires and annoys me. So don't do it. Once you're all cleaned up, you'll find a servant waiting for you right outside the door, and they will show you to my quarters. I'll let you know what to do from there and show you where you'll be staying for the night. Any questions?" Her voice was edged with danger.
   Asher kept his mouth shut and nodded, getting the feeling that he was walking on very thin ice. He held his breath as he walked into the bathroom, closing the door gently behind him, before sinking to the floor against it, letting his facade finally fall apart as Nyx's footsteps walked off. His shoulders shook and he couldn't help the few hiccuping sobs that escaped him. How did he end up in such a horrible situation? He went from being a quirky boy with an unnatural gift trying to find his way through life, to being a pet for a vampire, a cheap bit of entertainment. It was humiliating. After a few minutes, he composed himself enough to stand up, taking in all the fancy luxury around him.
   There was a giant mirror above the marble countertop where the sinks were, and Asher cringed at the sight of himself. Nyx was right. He was filthy. He was covered in dirt from when his kidnappers had attacked and dragged him away, and drenched in sweat from fear. His short blonde hair stuck out chaotically in all directions. And the fresh bloodstains... oh, it was horrible. Asher could barely recognize himself. He felt even more miserable than he looked, alone and trapped in a vampire's mansion as a walking bloodbag.
   Asher undressed and took a quick hot bath, which soothed the after-ache of the wounds he'd gotten earlier, that had already healed over thanks to his gift. But it was hard to truly relax considering the circumstances. Once he was clean and dry, he found the clothes Nyx had left him, that looked expensive as ever, and slipped into them with a shudder.
   It wasn't long after that there was a soft knock at the bathroom door, and Asher cautiously went and opened it. There he found what he assumed was the servant Nyx had sent him.
   It was an unusual human boy with heterochromatic eyes, one blue and one brown. He couldn't be older than 16.
   "Oh! Uh--H-Hi, Nyx assigned me to be your personal guide and assistant for now," the human said. "I-I'm Callum. If you'll please follow me, I'll take you straight to Nyx. And... uh... I can... I can answer any questions you have along the way?" He averted his eyes, fidgeting anxiously with the edge of his shirt, before turning and walking down the hall, pausing to glance over his shoulder expectantly at Asher.
   Callum led him through the winding maze of halls in the mansion, before finally stopping at the door of one room, knocking before pushing it open.
   Nyx was lounging lazily on a long couch in the back with a wine glass in hand when they arrived, which she set down upon seeing Asher. "Ah, there you are! I was wondering when you'd show up." She waved away the several humans catering to her, sending them hurrying out the room, but flicked her hand at Callum, gesturing for him to stay.
   "I assume you're enjoying the amenities so far? This is what everyday life could look for you, if you so desire. A much better life than all the other human servants under my command." She let out a satisfied sigh.
   "Privileges can be both given and taken away, however. And you said so yourself, you gave me permission to your blood, in return for 'privileges'. And I'll honor that." She gave Asher a fang-filled smile. "As much as I'd like to toy with you some more, I think you've had enough action for one day. I'll let Callum show you to your room. He will be your sole assistant for the most part from now on. He will be able to get you anything you need such as food and drink." She waved a hand at the two of them. "You are dismissed."
   Callum dipped his head respectfully and stepped out of the room, and Asher scrambled to follow him, not wanting to be left near the vampire for one second longer than he had to. An uneasy shiver rippled down his spine as he begrudgingly followed the servant, who led him down the hall.
   "So... h-how does this whole thing with Nyx work?" Asher finally mustered the courage to speak as Callum rounded another corner in the gigantic mansion. It would be easy to get lost in such a big place.
   "What do you mean?" Callum said over his shoulder.
   "I mean... is she always this cruel and terrifying?"
   Callum barked a dry laugh. "I'm assuming that was rhetorical, but I'll answer anyway... if you end the day alive and in one piece, consider yourself lucky. That's how it works around here. Often the newest servants wind up dead or worse within the first few days of working here. Only the most resilient ones get the 'honor' of being Nyx's favorites and earning her mercy." He gave Asher a sideways glance.
   "I was one of those 'lucky' ones. The first few days were pure hell... but I survived, and since then I've learned exactly how to stay on Nyx's good side, to keep her pleased with me. It's a fine balance to maintain, but I've been her servant for over a year now... so her cruelty is nothing new for me. I've learned tricks to live with it. But even so... I occasionally make mistakes." Callum visibly winced, as though recalling some horrifying memory, then stayed silent as he stopped at a door and unlocked it.
   Asher still had so many more questions, he wanted to gain as much useful information as possible -- but he was exhausted after such a chaotic day, and a bed sounded nice. He could ask his questions tomorrow.
   Callum walked into the bedroom and Asher followed, whose jaw practically hit the floor. The room was huge, fancier than he'd ever imagined. A large bed dominated the back wall, and there was even a work desk and bookshelf nearby, along with a full-sized bathroom. He was pulled from his thoughts when Callum started talking.
   "Nyx ordered me to give this to you," he said, and handed Asher a black bracelet with a small red gemstone on top. "Press that stone to summon me, and I'll come straight away. As your personal assistant, it's my job to help with anything you need and care for you, as well as show you around." Callum held up his own wrist, where a similar black band rested, though his lacked a red gem.
   "Nyx has a device she uses to call me too," he explained. "This band vibrates if you press the stone, and I'll immediately know where to find you." He gently helped Asher put the bracelet on. "With this, you can reach me at all hours, day or night."
   Asher stared numbly down at his new accessory, the red gem catching the light.
   "Is... Is there anything else I can do for you before I go?" Callum offered softly.
   Asher shook his head sadly. "No... I'd just like to sleep now."
   Callum nodded and turned to leave, only pausing to throw a last sentence over his shoulder. "I will come to get you early in the morning, Nyx wants me to give you a tour of the mansion so you know where everything is." And just like that, he was gone, leaving Asher on his own to reflect on everything that had happened in the past few hours.
   It was surreal. Going from a boy with a gift, to being a pet for a literal vampire. A plaything. A toy.
   Asher let out a weary sigh and sluggishly approached the bed, crawling onto it. The exhaustion hit hard, and he didn't even bother taking his new clothes off as sleep quickly claimed his mind.