"Take off your clothes," Friday ordered.
"All of them?" I asked with a much more frightened voice than I wanted.
"Well, you can keep your panties on," she joked. I took her seriously though.
I turned around so that she couldn't see my chest and waited for her to bind the corset. Her skilled hands moved quickly, almost too fast for my own vampire sight to see. I was squeezed in the corset, but found little discomfort.
"Being undead does have its perks," Friday told me as she took out a nice skirt. "Your body conforms to them easier. Atleast, that's what I discovered."
"You wore them before you were dead?"
Friday's red mouth turned up in a small smile. "All the time."
I made an "oh" noise and stepped into the skirt. It fell in layers of tulle on top of the other, with a black satin skirt in the middle. I swished around and giggled, unable to hide my amusement from my new friend. I looked up and met Friday's eyes. "I like it," I announced proudly.
"I want you to have it then," she said in a hushed voice.
"Have it?"
Friday closed in on me, "I like you, Georganna. I can get more skirts and corsets. I think these suit you better."
I gaped, unable to think of anything other than a feeble "Thank you" to say.
I was about to turn and leave when she put her hand on my shoulder, "Not yet," and then she closed in on me. I gaped over her shoulder as she kissed me passionately, pulling me into her hourglass figure. I blinked, unaware that I was kissing back.
Sucking on my bottom lip one last time, Friday pulled away and looked at me with large, doe-like eyes. "You can go back to your room now. And Georganna?"
I gulped warily.
"Please wear that to dinner tonight."
Five
Cain and his other wives stared me down when I entered the dining room. Friday looked pleased with herself, and quickly took my hand when I sat down. My eyebrows skyrocketed, and I gaped at our pale hands entwined between our goblets.
"For the ladies," Endelbrucht motioned toward the door. The old butler brought out a lamb and sat it on the table. I cringed as he sliced its throat open, and its infant cries died. Gulping I followed Friday smooth movements across the table. The others watched us passively, and I noticed Hannah and Lily seemed to be jealous.
I collected the lamb's blood and sat down back in my seat. At that moment, two men were brought out and laid out for the others. I concentrated on the lamb as they were slaughtered and eaten. Friday grasped my hand and leaned into me.
"I know how hard it is to watch. It gets easier."
"When?"
"When you realize you aren't one of them anymore."
I peered into her emerald eyes, shocked to see love there. I blushed, despite myself. I had never liked girls, the thought had always disgusted me. Now, however, I found comfort in Friday's company. Hell, I'd jump in bed with her any day to avoid Endelbrucht's perversions.
Dinner with the Adams Family went by quietly, and I found myself under the suspicious stares of Freya and Victoria. I wanted them to look at something else for a change. I hurried back to my room, striding alongside Friday, and tore off the decadent clothes as quickly as I could. I didn't want to be apart of this. I had never wanted to come here, but I was being sucked in by their way of life anyway. I hate Endelbrucht.
"How are you, my joy?"
I whirled around, looking at the devil himself. "Dealing," I answered hoarsely.
He smiled, moving toward me. He almost looked normal today. He wore black trousers, a dark sweater, a button-up beneath that, and a tie. His yellow eyes glittered. "You were beautiful today. I'm glad to see that Friday enjoys your company. It's been a long time since she was close to anyone."
"She's friendly, I don't see why not."
Endelbrucht grinned. "She's a bit of a heathen under that shy little smile."
I sank inside. He moved toward me again, towering over me. He took a strand of my dark, berry colored hair and sniffed it. "You smell wonderful, Georganna."
"Thank you for that observation," I offered coldly.
He chuckled, moving away. "Come here, my love."
I turned around and said, "No."
"You will not play hard to get. I must have you."
I faced him and snapped, "You have a hand, use it."
He growled, darting to where I stood, and grasped me by the throat. "I love it when they're insolent."
I gasped as he breathed down my neck, dragging me to the bed. I slapped him sharply across the face, and was given a barking laugh and a thrust of his hips. Furious, I hit him harder, striking him across the chest left and right. Endelbrucht bit his lip, grinding his erection upward as I pounded my fists into his stone-like flesh. I collapsed, and Endelbrucht got his crazed love-making out of the way long enough to leave me alone. I sank into a warm bath after he left, weeping once again. I was tired of being his sex slave, and that is what I had become. I stared down at my hands and thighs, still bearing bruises from his demanding hunger. Sniffling, I sank further into the water. I needed to escape. I just needed to know how.
***
Hannah and Lily smiled at me from their sofa, where they sat looking at fashion books and watching television.
"Did you rest well last night?" asked Hannah sweetly.
I shuddered at her sweetness, hearing how toxic it could be to other ears.
"Yeah, I slept okay."
"You know you don't have to sleep now, if you don't want to," Lily said over her book.
"Um, well, I like to rest. Helps me think." I replied.
They nodded, their lips turned up in a smile. My insides stung as I realized the smile I used to give others. Cold and fake. Nodding in their direction, I stood back up and headed back to the rose garden. Friday was there with a drawing pad and her tea. She wore a pair of intricate, fingerless gloves.
"I kind of like those," I said as I sat down.
"Thank you," she said happily, turning the pad around to show me her sketch.
I gaped down at the perfect drawing of the rose hanging over our table. "It's so good."
"I've had years of practice," Friday said cheerfully. "Endelbrucht tends to like them."
"Hmmm," I hummed, tapping my chin. "I'm beginning to wonder what he doesn't like."
Friday laughed, "Anything amuses him. You can insult him and he might kill you, or the next day think it's the funniest thing he's ever heard."
"So he's a bipolar vampire?"
Friday chuckled over her pencil. "Don't let him hear you say that." She looked up with sudden anxiety, "Really, don't. He will hurt you if you do something stupid."
"He murdered my friends, killed me, raped me--I think I could care less what he does."
Friday smiled grimly, "There are worse things for a vampiress to endure. Don't push him."
Sadly, I dropped my gaze from her drawings and looked up. "What's that?" I was pointing to a tower that rose high above the neighbour's fence.
"That's where the Crowleys live."
"Are they vampires?"
Friday laughed, "Nooo. The father, Andrew Crowley, is another judge in Atlanta. However, he's also a Judge in the local Senate."
"Ugh, like the State Senate or something?"
"No," Friday drew more vines on her pad. "The Senate that Endelbrucht's a Judge on is something that governs over our world. And other underwordly aspects. Such as werewolves and such."
I furrowed my brows, "There's an entire government for this?"
Friday shrugged. "It's always been around. Presidents have been in the Senate, and so have doctors and regular politicians. Not all of them," she added," Just the ones really apart of our world."
"Oh," I sighed. "So, what, keeping harems is acceptable?"
Friday snorted, "Not everywhere. But yes, vampires are generally okay with each other keeping harems. Female or male, on either side of the relationship."
"Huh," I clicked my tongue. "So if we strike out on our own,
we can capture hot guys and keep 'em as pets?"
Friday laughed, and I smiled. Her voice rang through the garden like a clear bell. I leaned forward and took some tea, never noticing Victoria glide in unannounced.
Victoria stood away from us, her cold eyes glimmering calculatively. She sat down between us and smiled, her teeth pearly and creepy.
"Hey," I offered. I couldn't help but notice how nice she looked. Her dark hair was in a simple braid, but crystal earrings hung from her ears. Her red, silk blouse was low, and showed her cleavage gratiously. Black, fitted pants swept around her legs, fastened with an elaborate silver belt. I looked down at her feet and saw a pair of gorgeous red pumps glistening with diamonds.
I smiled, fidgeting in my jeans and black tank top. I didn't look nearly as attractive as Victoria or Friday. I waited until she spoke again.
"Sunday we will be attending the Blue Moon ritual. You are coming, though I doubt you'll want to."
I raised my brows and looked at Friday, who shrugged and returned to drawing.
“You can't get out of it.”
I looked back at Victoria's pursed lips and felt my stomach drop. Was I in danger? I felt fear rise through me, and saw Victoria's lips turn up in a grin.
“Don't worry,” she smoothly taunted me. “You won't die if you behave.”
I swallowed my rose-flavored tea and nodded. This couldn't be any fun.
I would have went to my room and curled up in a ball, but didn't want Victoria to see me act cowardly anymore. I could tell she was extremely spiteful, and began wondering if she was one those women that wanted to stay with Cain.
I sniffed into my teeth, smiling (just like old times) and moved the conversation along. “So what exactly happens at the Blue Moon ritual?”
“Oh, the usual,” Victoria silkily grabbed a cookie from the tray. “We have a sacrifice to the Vampire King, and then have a feast. It's usually quite the party.”
“Oh,” I imagined blood-thirsty minions surrounding children with iron maidens. “Sacrifices.”
“It's not so bad,” Friday interjected. “They're much more civilized than they used to be.”
“Hmm,” I nodded, “glad to know mass murder is more humane now.”
Victoria grinned past Friday's frown, standing back up and moving away. “Just be prepared, little Georganna. You'll have a lot of pleasing to do.”
I watched her glide away and turned back to Friday worriedly. “It's not some blood-bath orgy is it?”
Friday snorted, “It can be.”
I shivered, wary of what I would find waiting for me at the vampire ceremony.
The wind bit my ankles, though I did not shiver, as we crossed the lot leading into a large mansion. I walked stiffly, unable to shake the feeling in my gut that something disasterous was about to happen. I sniffed, looking behind me, and startling at the sight of Victoria and Freya piercing me with yellow glares.
Wary, I walked closer to Friday, Lily, and Hannah. Cain led us through the white, arching porch and into a glittering, emaculate foyer. Men and women were there, chatting and smiling as they exchanged pleasantries. I craned my neck to look at the mirrors, and found them empty of life. My cold blood crawled, and I followed my sisters through their usual ritual routine.
Friday took me by the hand, garnering a few apprasing stairs from some women and men I never wanted to be alone with. I led her into the ball room, where a stage sat at the far end with a band playing. And altar stood in the middle of the room, white and covered in silver and crystal objects. I gulped.
“That's where they have the sacrifice,” Friday explained.
“Oh,” I shifted my skirt. It was long and full, snow white and decorated with satin ribbons that wound up the side. My corset was another one loaned from Friday—black with many silver belts running alongside the front. I blushed at the sight of my own cleavage, which appeared out of nowhere as soon as I put the damned thing on.
Cain had enjoyed it, much to my displeasure.
I sat down at a small table and watched everyone mingle. “Shouldn't we all be together?” I asked.
Friday smiled, “It's not necessary. Everyone has friends outside of the house, and Cain has to go through polite courtesies before he can join the rest of us.”
“Oh,” I sat back in my chair, fumbling with the black tablecloth. Everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves, like it was a normal party. I examined the ballroom, gulping at how decadent it really was. Nude statues of angel and maidens decorated the walls, and paintings of various wars and sex scenes hung from the walls. The chandeliers were black, and huge, with drapes hanging from them in luscious cascades of black, cream, and red. I noticed my glass was crystal, and that we also has a small silver bowl between us with a dagger and some dry grass-like plants.
“That's for the ceremony,” Friday said quietly. “It's not very pleasant.”
I narrowed my eyes at the dagger, wondering if we all took turns stabbing our victims. The chatter dragged on for several minutes, and I thought we would all die before the ceremony ever got the chance to begin. Just as I was beginning to suggest we go for a walk, the lights dimmed. I watched people hurry in and take seats all around us. Cain sat with Victoria at a table with an old couple. The four were talking so fast, I could barely make out their moving mouths.
Ding.
I snapped my neck to the dead center of the room. Within a second, it had gone dead silent. I watched quietly as an old woman in a red robe with golden insignias took the platform. She lowered her hood and revealed the ugliest face I had ever seen. It was furrowed, with sharp edges running along the side of her face. The flared, and had ridges. Her nose was pugged, and her teeth stood straight out of her mouth. Red, glimmering eyes glowed from her sagging, demonic face. My undead blood froze with fear, and I felt bile rise up to my throat.
“I want to thank all of you for coming to this beautiful ceremony!”
No one applauded or cheered. It was as if we were petrified, and unable to move.
“All of us here today are here to honor our King, our true Master!”
She motioned for someone behind her to approach the altar. “In the beginning there was nothing, in the course there was life, and in the end there is death. We, the chosen race, are perfection. The Master loves us all, and seeks to unite us with destiny!”
I watched a young man and woman be brought up to the platform. They were dressed in white robes, pearly and relfecting the lights cast off by the candles. They stood swaying, their eyes glazed over and their mouths drooling. I was repulsed as they were led to the table and laid down. The woman stood over them with her arms raised. “Reveal yourselves, children!”
I blinked, and screamed. Faces turned toward me, and I shrank back. A few of them smirked, chuckling at my ignorance. They were all like her now. I swallowed, turning to face Friday. Her furrowed face, yellow eyes, blinked sadly at me.
“You can do it,” she said encouragingly.
“No,” I murmured. “This is crazy!”
The vampires closest to us shifted, looking at me in irritation.
“Please, just relax your face.”
“Relax it? It is relaxed!”
“SILEEEEEEEENCE!”
Friday and I froze. I turned my body back to the altar and faced the angry old vampire.
“I said reveal yourselves,” she spat in my direction.
I gaped, holding my hands out, “ugh,” I tried relaxing my face. I could see Cain looking at the old hag, ignoring me. “I-I'm trying.”
“Take this heathen out, and keep her out,” she ordered. I watched terrified as a tall man with thick arms appeared behind me. He took me out of my chair and led me out. I stared back at the couple on the altar, fear and pity swelling in my gut.
“Let me go,” I demanded, struggling away.
“Stop it, slut.”
I bit my lip, but as the furrowed monster led me away I felt my blood run through my hands. I was a vampire too wasn't I? I looked down
at my thin wrists. I had these powers, these crazy abilities that all of them had. I just never wanted to use them. My heart hammered desperately against my chest. I wanted to help, but even I knew I couldn't fight off a vampire security gaurd. I sniffled, but as I thought about all the innocent people being dragged into these vampire parties and being mutilated, like I had been, I found myself getting angrier. It wasn't right. And I sure as hell didn't believe in whatever they were teaching in there. I felt muscles in my face contract, around my nose and eyebrows. Squinting, as he threw me outside, I pushed them.
My face wasn't covered in ridges, but my eyes were more furrowed. I could feel where my forhead had pushed out and down, and made my eyes look more animal-like. But the sides of my face weren't jutting out or narrow at all. A pattern had risen across my cheeks, that ran down my neck and felt hard to the touch.
I whirled around. “Hey!” I called.
The vampire continued walking, ignoring me. I picked up a stone, aimed for his head, and threw with every ounce of strength I could muster. I gaped as the stone smacked the back of his skull, cracking it. He crumpled. My teeth bared, I raced back in and peeked into the room. The woman was dead. Her naked body bled onto the floor around her, while her now struggling mate wiggled against his bonds. He had awakened just as she had screamed in agony. A knife was still buried in her gut, where she had been disembowelled. I curled my lip.
The old hag raised another dagger, silver and black, above the weeping man's head.
“For our Father, we make this sacrifice of human flesh in the hopes that our faith in the Master of the Night is known to all in the universe!”
I pushed myself threw the door, gliding past the others as fast as I could. It was obviously quite fast, as the hag gasped at me, “Heathen! How dare you interrupt our ritual!”
I looked up, my eyes glowering at her in loathing. “You know, I've grown quite tired of vampire rituals, and I've only been to one.”
She hissed at me angrily, motioning for the gaurds to come deal with me. She leaned in to look at me, and I watched as her eyes turned cold. “This thing is not one of ours!”
Decayed Page 5
