1 On the seventh year of my blood bond with the vampire, the curse flared. My master, Silas, was nowhere to be found. He didn't return until midnight, carrying an unconscious woman in his arms. He ignored me, curled in agony on my bed, and immediately carried the woman to his room, his voice tight with urgency as he called for the old butler. "Quick, check on her! See if she's alright!" The butler, Alfred, tried to plead on my behalf, but Silas cut him off, his voice sharp with impatience. "I'm in no mood to feed from her right now! She just needs to ride it out. It's not like she's going to die." My last hope shattered. I gritted my teeth, drew a blade across my own skin, and let the blood flow, my only means of saving myself. After what felt like an eternity of wracking convulsions, the curse finally subsided. I lay in a pool of my own blood, my consciousness fading. With the last of my strength, I sent out a mental message. "I accept your offer. Within three days, I will break my bond with him and bind myself to you." When I awoke the next day, my wounds were bandaged. The thick, metallic scent of blood was gone, replaced by the faint, lingering smell of smoke. Alfred had helped me. A wave of dizziness washed over me as I struggled to sit up. I pulled on a coat to hide the patchwork of injuries and went to thank him. I ran into Silas the moment I stepped out of my room. He looked me over, his eyes cool and distant. Seeing nothing out of the ordinary, he gave a curt command. "Prepare a meal for me." I nodded, another wave of dizziness forcing me to brace myself against the wall. Silas had already turned away. Following my usual routine, I prepared a bowl of animal blood and brought it to his room. The woman from the night before was lying on his bed. I averted my gaze and approached. But Silas only glanced at the bowl before his brow furrowed in disgust. With a sweep of his hand, he sent it crashing to the floor, splattering my coat with blood. "What are you doing? Get that out of here!" he hissed, his voice low. The noise, however, was enough to wake the woman. Silas was instantly at her side, his voice soft with concern as he asked if she was feeling alright. She seemed fine, but her stomach rumbled, and she let out an embarrassed little laugh. Silas's features softened. He gently pinched her cheek, then turned to me, his voice once again sharp. "Hurry up and prepare a proper meal." It was only then that I understood. The woman he had brought back was not a vampire. She was human, like me. I backed out of the room silently, but I could hear their conversation through the door. "Is she a vampire, like you?" a sweet voice—I now knew it as Cobie's—asked, her tone laced with curiosity. "No," Silas replied. "She's just my blood servant." "Because of our blood bond, I can only drink her blood. So you don't have to worry. I would never harm you." The bond between a human and a vampire was meant to last five years. I should have left long ago, but I had stayed for him, willingly. In his eyes, I was, and always had been, nothing more than a living blood bag. It had all been my own foolish delusion. I moved numbly back to the kitchen, stripped off my stained coat, removed the damp, sticky gauze from my wounds, and began to prepare a human meal. I heard footsteps behind me. The scent of my blood had drawn Silas. "Why is the smell so strong?" he asked. Then he saw the gruesome cuts on my arms. He grabbed me, his eyes a complex mixture of emotions. "Did you... do this to yourself last night?" When the curse takes hold, only the master feeding from the servant can break it. Otherwise, the servant must make seven deep cuts to bleed themselves out. The lucky ones survive. The unlucky ones die from shock. I was one of the lucky ones. Just as he'd said, I had ridden it out. I hadn't died. The only thing that had died was my foolish hope for him. I pulled my arm away. "It's nothing," I said, my voice flat. My detached tone made his eyes go cold. "You're blaming me for not saving you." "I wouldn't dare." He stopped me from washing the vegetables, turning off the faucet. "Don't get the wounds wet. Stop." That same commanding tone. I stubbornly refused to let go. After a few seconds of tense silence, he scoffed. "Do whatever you want." He turned to leave, but paused after a few steps. "Next time," he said, his voice low, "I'll save you." I didn't answer. Because there wasn't going to be a next time. The castle was as dim as ever, lit only by a few scattered candelabras. I went around lighting them, checking the blackout curtains. Even a sliver of the harsh light from outside was jarring. 2 I had been here so long I was used to the darkness. But Cobie, clearly, was not. She told Silas she wanted to go outside, to feel the sun on her skin. Silas’s eyes softened with affection. "Of course," he said. Years ago, when I first arrived, I had made a similar request. He had sternly reminded me that vampires couldn't be in the sun, that following the rules was the only way to survive in this world. Reading his moods had become a survival instinct. I never asked again. It seemed now that it wasn't about the rules, but about who was asking. Cobie pulled Silas over to me, a bright smile on her face. "Do you want to come with us?" I was taken aback for a moment, then lowered my head. "I'll stay here and prepare your meals." My refusal made her smile falter, a flicker of disappointment crossing her face. Silas noticed her change in mood and turned to me, his tone leaving no room for argument. "You're coming too. Just pack up the food and bring it with you." I looked up at him, the candlelight flickering across my emotionless face. He finally seemed to notice my bloodless lips, and his tone softened slightly. "You're injured. You don't need to provide blood for a while. Just prepare animal blood for me." Cobie enthusiastically grabbed the hand holding the candle, her warmth a startling contrast to my usual cold existence. "Come with us! You must not have seen the sun in ages!" The warmth of another human's touch after so long was disorienting. I didn't notice the hot wax dripping from the candle. Silas's eyes flashed, and he quickly pulled her hand away. A sharp pain shot through my fingers. I glanced at their intertwined hands, then silently switched the candle to my other hand. "I'll go get things ready," I said. After running my burn under cold water, I marked a circle on the calendar. Three more circles, and my blood bond would be complete. I would have one chance to break it. I packed the food and opened the main doors. Sunlight flooded in. My first instinct, after years in the gloom, was to recoil. But Silas, clad in a black robe, let Cobie pull him outside. I took a tentative step behind them, mustering the courage to step into the long-forgotten light. As the warmth touched my skin, an unexpected urge to cry washed over me. My gaze, as always, sought him out. I saw Cobie stand on her tiptoes. "Can I see your fangs?" she asked, her healthy, vibrant figure a stark contrast to my own frail form. Her smile was full of life. Silas steadied her, pulling back the hood of his robe. He smiled gently, his pupils narrowing as he revealed his two sharp, vampiric fangs. He wasn't worried about attacking her. My presence, my bond, ensured her safety. In a forgotten corner, I took two steps back, retreating into the shadows. I hid my sallow hair and gaunt hands in the darkness. As the sun began to set, my shift at the junction station approaching, I finally stepped out and told them I had to leave. Silas seemed surprised that I had been there all along. He opened his mouth to say something, but Cobie spoke first. "I should be going too. Will you walk me home?" Of course, he would. But then he turned to me. "I'll walk you as well." The junction station, a transit point between the human and vampire worlds, was where I worked my second job, a nightly patrol. In all my years here, Silas had never offered to see me off. I was tired. I refused his sudden whim. "There's no need. You should take Miss Cobie home." He sensed my mood and took a step closer, insisting, "I'll walk you." Cobie watched our interaction, a flicker of understanding in her eyes. She tightened her grip on Silas's arm. "If it's on the way, you should come with us," she said to me. "I hear you've known Silas for a long time. I'd love to hear some stories about him." Her words were a subtle, defensive wall. Silas patted her hand, clearly pleased by her possessiveness. I didn't know him, not really. The man he was with her was a stranger to me. But I stopped resisting. I gave a servant's bow. "Then I thank you, Master, Miss." When I straightened, my eyes met his dark, intense gaze. I was just doing as he had always treated me—as a servant. Though, he had never actually required me to bow before. 3 When we arrived at the junction station, I was about to head to the staff room when Silas grabbed my arm. "Wait for me. I'll take you back when I'm done." Done? Would he be coming back tonight? I didn't ask. Cobie's eyes were fixed on his hand on my arm. My pager buzzed. My colleague was looking for me. I gave a quick nod and hurried away. They boarded the night train to the human world and disappeared from sight. My shift was uneventful. The station's clock ticked on, the flow of vampires waxing and waning. By the time the last train arrived, Silas still hadn't returned. I went back to the staff room and collapsed onto the desk, exhaustion pulling me into a deep sleep. I wouldn't wait for someone who wasn't coming. I wouldn't hold on to a promise that was never meant to be kept. When I opened my eyes, I was staring at a familiar ceiling. Silas was sitting by my bed. The air was filled with a sweet aroma. I followed the scent with my nose and saw a slice of cake on the nightstand. "It's for you." I met his gaze in the dim light. Then I looked away, my voice flat. "Thank you." It clearly wasn't the reaction he had hoped for. He pressed his lips into a thin line, a hint of frustration in his voice as he explained, "I had an emergency last night. I didn't mean to make you wait. Cobie..." "It's fine," I cut him off, not wanting to hear any more. This was hardly the first time he had abandoned me. I hadn't eaten in a while and felt dizzy. I reached for the cake. Silas, still annoyed at being interrupted, spoke again. "She was right. All women love this sugary stuff. What else do you humans like to eat?" My hand froze. The cake was a leftover, an afterthought from something he'd bought for Cobie. That's what it was, wasn't it? I pulled my hand back and lay down, feeling sick. "You should ask Miss Cobie directly." "You..." He was at a loss for words, his brow furrowed. A chime sounded. An incoming message. His expression changed, and he stood up abruptly, leaving without another word. I drew another circle on the calendar. I gave the cake to Alfred, thanking him for tending to my wounds. After a small meal and a change of dressings, I headed back to the station. My colleague, also a blood servant, was surprised to see me so early. She told me she had just seen my master, Silas. "Some beautiful human girl wandered in here alone. The station was swarming with vampires. It almost caused a riot." "If your master hadn't shown up when he did, she would have been in real danger." "I saw them hugging. What's their relationship?" A pang of jealousy shot through me. I just shook my head and said I didn't know. I gave her some cookies I'd baked and asked her to confirm the conditions for breaking a blood bond. That was the real reason I'd come in early. She had successfully broken her bond once before and now served a second master. She was about to ask why I was asking, but then she saw the wounds on my arms and fell silent. She just patted my shoulder knowingly and told me everything I needed to know. After saying goodbye, I quit my job at the station and returned to the castle under the cover of the thick night. I pushed open the door and knew something was wrong. Clothes were strewn across the floor. The sound of heavy, repressed breathing filled the air. I followed the faint light to a wide-open door. I saw Silas, his irises a deep, blood-red, his fangs embedded in Cobie's neck. He was feeding from her. But Cobie wasn't struggling. Her arms were wrapped around his waist, her body pliant and trusting. The bag in my hand slipped, making a noise. Silas's head snapped in my direction, his gaze sharp and hostile. With a flick of his wrist, he sent a glass vase from the bedside table flying towards me. It struck my shoulder with a heavy thud before shattering on the floor. "Get out!" It hit me then what they were doing. The First Embrace—the process of turning a human into a vampire. The vampire would drain the human's blood, marking them as their own, then feed them their own blood in return. As Silas's furious roar echoed in my ears, I stood there for a moment, then bent down, picked up the bond chain he had carelessly tossed on the floor, and left the room. 4 The First Embrace was a long process. The sounds from the next room didn't cease until the following night. I was tidying up my room when Silas kicked the door open. He was livid. He grabbed my shoulders, his fingers digging into the bruised, swollen flesh where the vase had hit me. "You gave her the bloodletting kit, didn't you?!" His eyes were back to their normal black, but his rage was more potent than when he had been in his feeding frenzy. I winced, gritting my teeth against the pain. "I don't know what you're talking about," I said, my voice steady. My denial only fueled his anger. He sneered, his grip tightening. "I only recognize the scent of your blood. If you hadn't given her the kit, if it hadn't been tainted with your scent, I never would have lost control. I never would have done that to her..." "Seraphina," he hissed, his voice tight with rage, "I know what you were trying to do. But you had no right to harm her." Looking at his contorted, furious face, a profound sense of weariness and disgust washed over me. "You were the one who lost control. You were the one who drank her blood. You were the one who turned her into one of your kind..." I lifted my head, a mocking smile playing on my lips. "You should be happy. At least no one else can drink her blood now." Slap! My cheek stung, a burning heat spreading across my face. I blinked hard, forcing back the tears that threatened to fall. "You bitch!" He wrenched my chin up, his eyes blazing with fury and disappointment. "I should never have saved you," he spat. He was right. He never should have saved me. I let out a bitter, desolate laugh. All those years of companionship and devotion... it was all for nothing. "Blood!" a shriek came from the next room. "I need blood!" Silas's face changed. Ignoring my pained struggles, he dragged me into the other room. Cobie, her hair a wild mess, was thrashing on the bed. When she saw Silas, she burst into tears. "Give me blood, Silas! Give me blood!" Her nails scraped across the blankets, leaving a trail of chaotic scratches. The scene was so horrifying it momentarily made me forget my own pain. There was animal blood in the fridge. That could save her. But in the next second, I was dragged in front of her. Silas ripped open my collar. I realized what he was about to do and began to struggle wildly. My flailing arms were quickly pinned behind my back, my exposed neck presented to Cobie. My veins pulsed with the fresh, human blood that vampires craved. Cobie didn't hesitate. She sank her fangs into my neck, right where Silas's own mark used to be. She drank greedily, like a woman possessed. The blood rushed from my body. I convulsed in agony. "Let... me... go..." The wounds on my back, which had just started to heal, tore open again as I struggled. The sticky wetness of blood soaked through my clothes. The metallic scent was overpowering, making me want to gag. As Silas reached over to steady my lolling head, I caught a glimpse of his bare neck. The bond chain in my pocket dug into my side, a painful reminder of my foolishness. Seven years ago, he had saved me. This would be the last time. I was repaying my debt. My vision blurred, my strength draining away. I closed my eyes, resigned. My hand slipped limply from behind my back. Silas felt the sudden weight and realized I had lost consciousness, my face as white as a sheet. He snapped out of his trance and pushed Cobie away. She, lost in her own bloodlust, was about to bite again, but the force of his push sent her tumbling back, unconscious. He pressed a hand to the two deep puncture wounds on my neck, but the blood wouldn't stop. It streamed through his fingers. "Alfred! Alfred!" he shouted in a panic. There was no answer. He laid me on the bed, promising to be right back, and then ran from the room. I heard him searching, then the sound of the main doors being thrown open. I forced my eyes open, my hands trembling as I tore the bandages from my arm and pressed them to my neck. I stumbled out of the room, fighting a wave of intense dizziness, and fumbled through the drawer where the bloodletting kit was usually kept. It was gone. The grandfather clock chimed. Midnight. I tore the last page from the calendar, lit the fireplace that was never used, and, without a moment's hesitation, tossed the bond chain, stained with a drop of my blood, into the flames. The fire roared to life. I turned and walked out of the castle, and I didn't look back. 5 Every step I took through the darkness was heavy, my breathing growing shallow. Finally, my strength gave out. My vision went black, and I pitched forward. The last thing I remember was falling into an intensely cold embrace.
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