A heart of the vampire

Chapter 24

Vlad's words echoed in her mind, each one a dark reminder of the torment she might endure if she didn't find a way to escape. The thought of being cut open, of her visions ripped from her against her will, made bile rise in her throat. Yet she couldn't let him see her fear.

As he straightened, the dark aura surrounding him intensified, filling the room with a suffocating dread. The flickering lights cast shadows that danced across the walls, mirroring the turmoil in her heart. She refused to back down, to show him any sign of weakness.

"Take her away," Vlad commanded the guard standing silently by the door. "Make sure she's... comfortable. We don't want her too damaged before we extract what we need."

She sank at the cold, calculated cruelty in his voice. "Comfortable?" she spat, the word dripping with sarcasm. "What a twisted sense of hospitality you have."

The guard's expression remained impassive as he moved to grab her arm. Serena jerked away, a surge of adrenaline fueling her defiance. "I won't go with you!"

Without hesitation, he grabbed her by the arm, yanking her back with a force that made her wince. "Enough of this. You're coming with me."

"Where?" she demanded, but he didn't answer. Instead, he dragged her down the sterile hallway, the sound of her heartbeat drowning out everything else.

They stopped at a heavy metal door, its surface lined with strange symbols that pulsed with a faint, eerie light. Serena's stomach churned with dread. This was it—the place where they would extract her visions.

The guard pushed the door open, and she was met with a room filled with sterile instruments, gleaming under harsh lights. Her breath caught in her throat, fear paralyzing her for a moment. She was trapped in a nightmare, and there was no escape.

Inside, standing by a sleek operating table, was a thin, tall vampiress with short blond hair, her expression cold and clinical. She wore a form-fitting uniform that showcased her pale skin and sharp features. The sight of her sent a fresh wave of terror crashing over Serena.

"Welcome," the vampiress said, her voice smooth but devoid of warmth. "I am Dr. Isolde, and I'll be overseeing your... evaluation."

"Evaluation?" Serena echoed, horror creeping into her voice. "You mean torture."

Vampiress'a lips curled into a chilling smile. "Such a dramatic term. We prefer 'evaluation' around here. It sounds so much more civilized, don't you think?"

The room was frigid as they forced Serena onto the cold metal table, binding her wrists and ankles with thick leather straps. She thrashed as they tightened the restraints, but her efforts were futile. Her pulse pounded as the realization sank in: there would be no escape from this nightmare.

"Just be good," she said, her voice cool and mocking. "Bad people end badly."

Reaching for a waste bin beside her, Isolde slipped a hand inside, pulling out a torn, blood-stained rag that looked like a shredded piece of red cloth. She held it in front of Serena, dangling it like a prize. "Do you recognize it? Look closely."

Serena's eyes widened as she took in the tattered fabric, realization dawning in slow, horrifying clarity. The rag was a piece of the uniform worn by nice woman, the maid who had cared for her so kindly at Lucian's mansion. The familiar fabric brought a pang of grief and fury to Serena's chest.

"No," Serena whispered, horror flooding her senses. "You didn't..."

Isolde's smile spread, cold and triumphant. "Oh, yes. She was so loyal to you, wasn't she?" Her tone turned bitter as she let the fabric drop back into the waste bin. "It was a foolish mistake."