Laced in Black (chp.6)

Ever since the opening of the Academy, centuries ago, the vampires who were born as pure blooded would have the special privilege within the castle. A sort of a host club was created in order for them to be respected by others and just to show how noble they were among the rest. The existence of the club is something very unusual for the other vampires whereby if they do not come from the respective bloodlines or descendants, they could kiss their dream goodbye of being in that club. It’s exclusively for those coming from the unique generations. Little that everyone knew, the club itself may hide some unpleasant secrets while the others were blinded to see as the truth was covered well enough. To bring a single soul of the pure ones down would definitely not be in question even though they tend to go against the rules of immortality.

“One is missing, the eldest.”

“Keep track of the twins, I’ll try and find her then.” The phone line was cut and without a moment to waste, Bill started his Black Camaro engine and drove away on the empty streets for a little hunt.

A twirling iron rod that is alike to vines, intertwined together to shape a little box containing a beautiful crimson rose with a little note of invitation was on her hand while her eyes just gaze at it momentarily without blinking. Ever since Strify gave Annika the box, she couldn’t seem to stop admiring the beauty of its look. Such a weird thought, Annika felt as if the invitation box was actually meant for her. Standing in front of the doors carved with an art of ancient crescent moon ornamentation intertwined with swirling vines, Annika still couldn’t figured out why she had the guts to make herself appear again not as a girl who desire for an encounter but as a victim of pleasure in the eyes of the pure blooded vampire prince. She could just walk away but to see the man who handed her the invitation, opened the entry doors, she knew it was just too late to back down.

“And so you came.” Strify flashed an irresistible smile that made his beauty of a face, glowing in cheerfulness. “I was expecting you to make the right decision. Please, welcome in.”

For the second time she entered the place, she felt rather uplifting than before, bearing with a sense of guilty on entering without permission seemed alike to a criminal that broke into a house. Although, her presence was greeted with a warm welcome, the scene she viewed immediately after her feet stepped inside has triggered her fangs. Of course, it wasn’t only the scene that aroused her hunger, she could even breathe the scent of the delicious human blood filling her nostrils.

The night was dark as always but for the vampires, it is the right time for them to be lurking around without feeling an itch of fear running under their cold skin. For a little secret to share, Amorette found herself following Aurora footsteps into the tall bushes surrounded the academy.

“Where are you taking me? Oh God, you know how I hate walking especially on this booties!”

“Quit whining. Who asked you to wear them, anyway?”

“Fyi, I have a date tonight and thanks to you, I had to postpone it a little bit late.”

“It’ll take only a few minutes. Don’t worry, when we’re done, you can carry on with your succubus act, freely!”

“Look who’s talking? Aren’t you a succubus too, my dear twin?”

“Oh no, I’ve retired. Too much intercourse with the male species has made me lose my interest on them!”

“Like I’m gonna believe that!”

“So, here we are. This is the place that I was telling you about.” Aurora revealed the graveyard she found the night before to Amorette by pulling her out from the thick bushes.

“Wow. This is wicked. An abandoned graveyard, who would have a thought?”

“Creepy, isn’t it?”

“Like hell yeah!”

“Now, that’s where I saw someone doing magic or some sort? Idk, I have yet to found out. ” Aurora was pointing to the same gazebo she saw before, with that one shadow casting sparks of light in the thin air.

“You know what, Aurora...I think you should just leave it that way, don’t get involved in this. You might pull yourself into a serious danger!”

“Oh please, how could it possibly put me in danger? I’m just gonna investigate a lost harry potter in a vampire world.”

“Don’t say I didn’t warn you, twin!”

“I wonder if I can get through this gate.” The gate was tight with chains just like before but Aurora couldn’t help to shake it off as to let out her dissatisfaction feeling of not getting it unlocked.

“What are you doing?”

“I wanna get inside! But this thing won’t open! Well, obviously because it’s locked right?” She forced a little more shake on the gate and somehow, it has made a disturbing sound in that quiet place.

“I order you to stop what you’re doing or I’ll let out this gunshot straight to your heart!” To their surprise, someone has caught them from behind while pointing a revolver right to both direction of where Aurora and Amorette stood.

A sound of a predator sucking the blood out from its prey was echoing in Annika’s ears and better yet, it gave her the chills as the irony of it hit her really hard. For all, it got her to think of how long had she been fed properly ever since her last traumatic incident.

“Nathaniel, could you please enjoy your meal, somewhere else more private?” Strify demanded his mate who was bearing his fangs on a flesh of an innocent mortal lady. Nathaniel hesitated to stop which annoyed Strify to the core. “Do you mind? We have a new visitor here!”

With one swallow of the warm blood down to his throat, Nathaniel took his fangs away and shot a glance to both, Strify and Annika with those crimson hungry eyes of his. He then, grabbed his victim and led her into the dark corridor through an archway entrance. Beyond the corridor, rows of silver plated doors seemed to be shining brightly within the darkness. One of the doors was opened and slammed, giving the sign that Nathaniel has found his room to continue his unfinished dinner.

“Sorry about that, Nathaniel is most likely to be the lustful beast among us, often grab his victim straight when she enters our lair. Have a sit.” Strify explained and somehow, he seemed rather friendly which made Annika feel comfortable to receive such polite treatment from the used-to-be-arrogant pure blooded vampire.

Surrounded by greystone walls, the waiting lounge glows dimly as if they weren’t expecting any guest to come when they actually does. Only candles were lighted on the lampshade to act as the source of light to that room while there was a small window opening shines the moonlight inside but then again, the room still cast an ambience of mysterious as the essence of darkness filled in its air.
Annika took a seat on one of the velvet settees while Strify made his way to the antique bar counter at the corner of the room.

“I’m sure you’re quite thirsty by now after witnessing Nathaniel and his dinner.” Two empty wineglasses were taken off from the rack and a bottle of rich red wine was cap-opened to pour down for a drink.

“I was wondering about that. I thought you guys only fed on the same kind of blood?” Annika finally broke off her silence after the shocking encounter she had with Nathaniel and his feeding act upon an unlucky mortal.

“We do. But don’t you think human’s blood is a lot tastier?” He handed Annika a glass of the red wine and settled himself on a single couch opposite her.

“Well yeah but we aren’t exactly allowed to drink straight from them. It amazed me how you guys have the permission to do so.”

Strify let out a short laugh and with full boast, he continued, “Never underestimate the power of the pure ones, Annika.”

“Wait, he’s not gonna drain her, isn’t he?”

“Of course, not. We know our limits and to commit a murder is not an act that we consider to portray. Well, I’ll let you know a little secret, Annika. Actually, we don’t mind drinking some cold blood from the plastic tubes supplied by the blood bank but then we need to look presentable as to carry our title of hailing from the original descendants, hence feeding straight from the human is essential to us or should I say fresh blood is essential to us. Before we could present our pleasure away to any one of you, half blooded, obviously we would want to have that glow and also, strength if I might add.”

“That’s one hell of a secret you just spilled. Are you sure you wouldn’t mind sharing with me?”

“Don’t worry, after all you’ll be compelled to forget about it by the end of the pleasure session, just like we always did to the rest.” Strify threw one of his sinister grins and took a sip of his wine.

“So, that’s how this host club works?"

“Yeah..we give you the pleasure, you give us blood, we give you our blood, you’ll give us the pleasure, as easy as that.”

“Look, I came here only to...”

“Apologize. I know. You did the right thing showing up here, Annika.”

“I just think I owe him an apology.”

“You will have that chance to have a decent conversation with Bill, here, I can guarantee you on that. Might if I mention, he always turned down his guest of pleasure, anyway. So, no intimate session is involved for you this evening.”

“Is that so?”

“Yeah, of all the sudden, he decided not to invite anyone as his special guest anymore. For hell, we don’t know what the reasons are. We couldn’t do anything but to agree. Then again, I think it’s rather foolish of him. As his loyal comrade, I had to bear and see him in such agony to fight with his lustful desire.”

“And you think by bringing me here, he’ll actually get it on with me? May I remind you, I’m not looking forward to get laid with him, sorry.”

“You may say that in front of me but I know deep down inside you would want to have a little taste of the prince. I mean, who wouldn’t? Besides, there’s a reason why I chose you to be his guest for tonight.”

“And why is that?”

“Haven’t you noticed, Annika? You’re not like any other girl he sees. There’s something in you that makes him secretly longing for you. I can tell by the way he looks at you or even stare at you from quite a distance.”
Those words said by Strify made Annika to wonder, “Why on earth would I be the one who attract the attention of the one and only vampire prince living in this academy?” She felt strange and confusion started to rain in her mind. There was only one way to find out the answers to it for she yearns to know, certainly not to hear more words from Strify but to hear the truth from Bill himself.

~*~