SV02-06. Slave to a Vampire

by Katrina Kahler

  “I do not want you to lose your humanity so easily,” he snapped. “Do you?”

  Catherine didn’t understand what the difference was being turned now or waiting until it was absolutely necessary to save her life. There was no reason for him not to turn her now unless...her eyes widened in surprise and even more anger as she took a step back, wishing in that moment her eyes could flash just as fierce a red as his in her fury.

  “You think I’ll turn into Victoria if you change me.” The words were quiet, but she knew he heard.

  His whole body stiffened and he averted his gaze.

  “That’s what you’re scared of. You’re worried I’ll turn into her, that I’ll be evil like her!”

  “You don’t understand. People change when they’re turned,” he said. “Victoria was like you before I made her. She was kind and gentle, she was loving and then she turned into a monster. She killed for sport,” he spat out and stalked around the room, his voice growing deeper in his rage. “I watched as she fell into that darkness and I could do nothing to pull her from it because I teetered on the edge myself!”

  His back was to her, but she saw every tensed muscle in his body. He really thought he would lose Catherine to this same darkness? Did he have no faith in her whatsoever to stay true to who she was now? To trust in their love? It had been enough to pull him back from the brink of that darkness, that endless anger he had when they first met. It would be enough for her.

  “Bastian,” she said and walked to him, laying her hand on his shoulder. “I will not turn into her, but you can’t take away my chance to help you.”

  “Yes I can,” he growled and turned. “You, my love, are not ready for this.”

  “No, you’re not,” she snapped and yanked her hand from his. “I love you, Bastian, I’m ready to marry you, and if this is what has to happen next so we can be together, then I will go through it for you.”

  His eyes flared again. “No, you will not. I will not turn you Catherine and no one else on this island will.”

  Catherine glared at him and before she realized what she’d done, she smacked him across the face. Her hand left a red mark, but he didn’t do anything in retaliation except stare at her. “Get out,” she whispered, fighting to hold back the angry tears threatening to fall. “Just go and leave me be then.”

  She turned her back on him and glared out the windows across the room. She wanted to be with him for the rest of her life, be there to help him and he thought he could simply take that away from her? Just like that? Silence fell over the room and for a long moment, Catherine felt his intense stare at her back. Then the door closed and when she turned, she was alone. Furious at once again being a helpless human, she paced around the room.

  Why hadn’t he seen her reasoning? Victoria was going to come after her, she knew it and so did Bastian. She didn’t want him dying to protect her. Losing him would destroy her…as much as him losing Catherine, would break him. She finally sat down in one of the chairs and stared out the windows over the sugar cane fields. No slaves were working today and she wondered about her brother, about her friends.

  She had survived through so much already. She was going to make it through this one way or another.

  ***

  Liam looked to the main house as the sun was high in the sky, only now beginning its downward descent. He had tried to gather the slaves for the rebellion, but with each shack door he knocked on, his anger grew.

  None of them remembered the monsters from the night before. They recalled the wedding starting and how beautiful his sister looked, but before it could even start a terribly storm had hit the island and they’d all had to take shelter. The wedding would happen again that night and everyone was excited for it.

  But Liam knew the truth and cursed with each slave who slammed their door in his face, laughing at his absurd claims of vampires and evil women carrying around heads. Liam wandered through the sugar cane fields, trying to come up with a new plan, any plan to get his sister out of that house and take her and Mary with him. It was the perfect chance for them to slip away. All of the overseers had gathered around the main house and the guest house.

  There was no one to guard the docks or the boats. Liam could leave the island and never look back.

  But not without Catherine. His sister had been manipulated somehow to love their master. She would never willingly marry one of them and Liam was going to get her back, even if he had to knock her over the head and hope some semblance of sense returned to her mind. If he was going to get inside the house, he needed a distraction, but there was nothing he could do to pull those monsters out during the daylight. Once the sun set, however, he could set fire to the fields or the house itself. If their master truly cared for Catherine, he wouldn’t let her burn to death and once she was out with him, Liam would kill Bastian, take his sister and make a run for it.

  For the moment, he’d find Mary and tell her the plan. Then he’d return to the house when it was dark and see to it that monster could never touch his sister again.

  Chapter 4

  Charlotte stepped out of the shadows the moment the sun disappeared behind the trees. Her body had never felt so alive and she had already fed much throughout the day thanks to Victoria bringing her fresh bodies, a few slaves that would not be missed. She’d taken them the night before to ensure her and the others were well sated before the sun set.

  As her eyes flared red for a moment, thinking of what was to come, Charlotte waited for the others to join her. Victoria had only shown Bastian three of the vampires with her, but there were so many more lying in wait. This island was a buffet, as was the other one. So many humans for the taking, so much blood waiting to be had. It had been hard for so many to resist, as Victoria had told Charlotte, and they had joined her willingly to see such a sight.

  Out here in the middle of the Caribbean, no one would hear their screams.

  But first, Charlotte had to carry out her part of the plan. She willed herself to calm, her red eyes fading so she appeared human once again, and strolled from the trees to the house where those having their monthly bleed resided. She heard their heartbeats through the walls, seven in all. The overseers were still near the main house and left them unguarded. Such a pity.

  While the others closed in around the house, Charlotte made her way to the front door and knocked. Rose’s face appeared as she opened the door, smiling. “Charlotte! Come to join us for the week have you?”

  “I have,” she said and stepped into the house. The other girls were all close by, talking quietly with each other, giggling behind their hands as they sewed or drank. “But I have brought some company this time.”

  Rose frowned. “Company?”

  Charlotte grinned, flashing her fangs, her eyes flaring red as Rose staggered backwards in fear. “Yes, my dear sweet Rose. So many friends.” She lunged forward and buried her fangs in Rose’s neck as the other vampires poured into the house behind her, men and women, brought here by Victoria. The girls tried to flee, but they were no match against the supernatural beings of the night. Charlotte’s eyes rolled back as she gripped Rose’s shoulders, taking in her blood quickly, gulping it down like red wine filled with life.

  Rose’s body shuddered as it died in her hands before collapsing completely. Charlotte pulled her fangs back with a snarl, tossing her head back as she let the blood fill her. Then she used her dress to wipe off her mouth and using what was left in Rose, spread it across her body, making it look as though she’d been attacked. Ridley came over and she tilted her neck.

  “Victoria said to make it look vicious,” Charlotte reminded him.

  “With pleasure, love,” he said then with a growl, attacked her throat, tearing it as he bit into her. She groaned, but didn’t scream and when he was finished, she looked as though she’d barely escaped an attack with her life.

  She would heal quickly so she gathered up her skirts and ran from the small house, through the cane fields, and stumbled and staggered her way
to the main house. She cried for help, screaming as Dion and another overseer rushed to help her.

  “The girls,” she said with a ragged breath, forcing herself to breathe, “they were there…so much blood!”

  Dion helped her get to the front porch as he called for his men. “The girls! Get to the girls!”

  All the overseers ran off to try and save the poor girls already dead or dying in the hands of the attackers. The overseers would be the next to go. Charlotte stood and brushed her dress down as the front door opened and another vampire stalked out.

  “You,” he snarled and crouched down ready to attack.

  A blur shot passed Charlotte and she watched as Anton fell on the vampire, ripped his head from his body, and tossed it aside. “I sense two more inside,” he said over his shoulder.

  Haddie and Victoria appeared out of the shadows, the latter grinning darkly as her eyes glowed. “Perfect. Let us go get out guest of the evening then. I do not wish to keep her waiting.”

  ***

  Catherine paced around the room unable to sit still. Bastian had sent Ivette to guard her door, but she had remained in the hall after letting Catherine know he would be absent from the island ‘til nightfall. She’d asked where he went and how with the sun beating down, but Ivette had assured her there were safe paths and underground passages all over the island and a covered boat to get them across the channel. Bastian and Tula had gone to ensure the other island was secure.

  The island where their food source came from.

  She tried not to think about it, even though if she were turned, she would be partaking in what happened over there. At least she knew Michael was no longer being used as a food source. It gave her some solace, but not enough to stop her incessant worrying. She heard nothing from outside the door or the windows. Night had fallen. Surely Bastian would have returned by now—

  A scream broke the silence and a moment later, the door opened as Ivette rushed in, closed and locked it, then told Catherine to back away.

  “What is it?”

  “Victoria,” Ivette snarled, her eyes fierce, as she faced the door. She crouched down, ready to attack whoever came through that door. “I’m sorry Catherine. I may not be enough to protect you.”

  “Where is Bastian?”

  “He hasn’t returned yet,” she muttered. “I told him not to leave! He never listens to me.”

  Catherine looked around for anything she could use as a weapon, but there was nothing. She couldn’t stand there and let Ivette fight them alone, but what could she do against vampires?

  A knock sounded at the door followed by a voice she did not expect to hear. “Catherine? Open the door my dear friend. I wish to speak with you.”

  “Charlotte? Why are you here?”

  “I have come to check on you, is that not allowed now that you are the master’s whore?”

  Catherine bristled at the insult as Ivette growled. “I am no such thing. You only speak out of jealousy.”

  “Jealous? Why would I be jealous? You simply stole the heart of the man I wanted to bed and wed to be free of this place,” Charlotte growled and Catherine felt the blood drain from her face. “But now I know true freedom. Come, join me.”

  “Victoria? She turned you?”

  “She made me so much more,” Charlotte called through the door. “She showed me what it is to live. Now, open this door and come with me now.”

  Catherine shook her head in disbelief. “No, I won’t. You can go straight to hell!”

  “Only if you’re coming with me.”

  Silence fell on the other side and Catherine held her breath, waiting. Ivette didn’t move except to crouch lower, readying for whatever came through that door. A growl sounded on the other side before the door was bashed in and a blur of a body rushed in, straight for Ivette. They rolled across the floor, snarling and hissing as Catherine tried to keep up with their attacks. Anton. That was Anton attacking Ivette.

  He slashed at her face, but Ivette kicked him off, sending him crashing into the far wall. “Catherine! The window!”

  It was a moment of distraction and Anton took advantage of it. He dove across the room and latched onto her back, sending Ivette crashing to the floor. Catherine watched in stunned horror as he bashed her head against the floor again and again until with a vicious yank and twist, Ivette’s head came free. He rolled it across the floor to land on Catherine’s boots.

  Catherine gagged at the sight and a scream of terror was ripped from her throat.

  “That is quite enough of that,” Victoria snarled and the moment Catherine’s gaze found hers, she lost her voice. She choked as she sucked in air, but no sound came out of her mouth. “Now then, my dear sweet Catherine, let us see how much Bastian truly loves you.”

  All Catherine would do was stand there as Victoria, Charlotte, and Haddie closed in on her.

  ***

  Bastian and Tula had finished tying up the boat at dock with the three overseers when the scream tore through the night. Bastian’s ear twitched at the sound and his body tensed.

  “Catherine.”

  He took off, sprinting as fast as he could through the night, crashing into the underbrush until he reached the fields and finally the main house. He sped over the body of the two guards he left and when he entered his bedroom, he sank to his knees, an anguished howl bursting from his chest. Ivette’s headless corpse laid before him, her head across the room.

  And Catherine, his love, was gone.

  “Bastian,” Tula said behind him. “The slaves…the whole island is under attack.”

  He heard, but the words rolled off of him. Catherine was gone. Victoria had taken the woman he loved. His anger built as he stood, using the wall as support as Tula continued to tell him others needed their aid. Bastian growled and smashed his fist through the nearest wall. Victoria had not returned with only a few vampires. She had brought and entire army down on his home, attacking those under his protection and care.

  When he found Victoria, he was going to tear her limb from limb and then feed her body to the sharks.

  “Tula, gather the vampires. Have them get the slaves to safety.”

  “Where? If she attacked here, the other island is undoubtedly under assault as well.”

  “Damn that woman!”

  He snarled and sprinted back out of the house. He sniffed the air, scenting Catherine and Victoria on the breeze, but screams for help had erupted from the slaves’ quarters. Catherine, he needed to find her, but he froze. Her brother was amongst his slaves. If he let Liam be killed, she would never forgive him for not trying to save her kin. Victoria could not get far and if he lost this island, those he turned, those loyal to him would have nowhere to go.

  Though his feet wanted him to follow Catherine’s trail, he forced them to turn when they reached the front porch and made his way to the slaves’ huts instead. It was chaos as the slaves ran from the attacking vampires. Bastian saw his overseers and those loyal to him struggling to protect them, but Victoria’s force was overwhelming. Several were already dead on the ground and Bastian’s fury grew until he unleashed it on the enemy around him.

  He reached for a vampire’s neck and yanked him off of a dead slave girl. Bastian snarled as he dug his fangs into the vampire’s neck, holding his thrashing body as he twisted and turned trying to get away, but he was young, too young. Bastian ripped his throat out and removed the rest of his head with one furious pull. He threw the pieces aside, blood dripping from his mouth and charged deeper into the fray. Tula stayed close by, an efficient enough fighter, but not as blood thirsty as Bastian. He tore through vampires as if they were nothing, splattering himself in their blood. A female latched onto his shoulder with her fangs, her hands furiously scrabbling at his face and Bastian growled, but didn’t feel the pain. He yanked her off by her hair and as Tule rushed by, he tore the female’s body. She came apart and the two moved on.

  The vampires rallied to Bastian’s side, fighting in an ever moving line now ag
ainst those who had invaded their sanctuary in the Caribbean. The overseers, those still alive, managed to slice and stab with the silver stakes in their hands as they struggled to get the slaves to safety. Bastian heard a young man’s yell over the crowd and his eyes zeroed in on several slaves fighting off four vampires. There were already headless corpses around them, but now they were being forced back towards the tree line. The man in front held a shovel, dripping with blood, his face covered with it. The look of fierce determination in his eyes told Bastian exactly who he was. Liam. Catherine’s brother.

  Bastian charged forward, tackling another of Victoria’s vampires down to the dirt. He pounded his fist into the vampire’s mouth, shattering his fangs before he lowered his mouth and ripped his throat out. Down at this level he saw the bodies of his slaves and overseers, far too many than he ever wanted to see dead.

  When he got to his feet, he was right behind the last few vampires that hadn’t made a run for it yet. Liam drove the shovel into the vampire’s chest and as it snapped its jaws trying to get free, Bastian reached forward and wrenched its head off, tossing it aside.

  His eyes met Liam’s as the latter pulled his shovel back and held it chest level. The few slaves beside him, also young men, flanked him, holding their fists high ready for a fight.

  “Your sister,” Bastian said, “she has been taken.”

  Liam stared at him then lunged forward with the shovel. Bastian caught the handle and snapped it like a twig. “It’s your fault! You changed her! Made her fall in love with you!”

  “I did nothing to your sister,” Bastian said calmly as he tossed the other end of the shovel aside. “She is not under any influence from me.” He bared his fangs, leaning closer. “Your sister saved me from myself, I love her and will do everything I can to get her back.” Bastian growled with each word, his need to find Catherine driving him to the edge of the darkness he’d been so close to falling into before.

  Liam glanced over his shoulder at the other slaves. He nodded once. “I believe you.”