Penelope woke up, blinded by the reflection of the sunlight. She groaned, annoyed. "Tracy," she mumbled, her eyes half-closed as she tried to shield them from the sunlight. However, she couldn't move her hands and legs. Frightened, she opened her eyes fully to find herself in a wide bedroom.
She lay on a majestic bed with velvet drapes and silver embroidery, surrounded by polished marble floors, plush cushions, and intricately carved wood paneling. Soft golden light, sweet incense, and vivid tapestries created an atmosphere of sumptuous luxury.
"Aaaaaaaaah!" she screamed at the top of her voice. "Help! Help me!!!!"
A guy appeared from the dark part of the room, where sunlight couldn't reach. His skin was the palest she had ever seen, his eyes looked tired, and his hair color was slightly red. He sat on a couch at the far end of the bed, hiding from the sun.
"Shut your mouth up," he said.
Penelope didn't stop. She kept struggling, screaming for help, and trying to wriggle free from the chains. But the chains' grip only got tighter, hurting her and making her scream even louder.
"Stop trying; you're only going to hurt yourself," he said his lips tightened "No one can hear your screams; the house is beyond human eyes."
The guy stood up and asked, "Do you need something?"
Penelope began to cry. "I want to go home."
"That will be impossible, darling," he grinned, and then disappeared into the darkness.
Penelope tried once more, crying out, but couldn't do anything. "Dad, Mom, Katherine, Tracy, Julius, I'm sorry; I shouldn't have left."
After a while, she drifted off to sleep, consumed by pain and thoughts of everything.
Meanwhile, at the door, a figure was sighted, staring daggers at Penelope's lying figure. "Why is she here?"
The figure walked into the living room, which exuded elegance. Plush, cream-colored armchairs and a velvet sofa in a rich, burgundy hue adorned the room. Polished wooden panels lined the walls, complemented by intricate, golden moldings. Soft, warm light spilled from crystal chandeliers, casting a warm glow on the room's luxurious furnishings. The lavish silk curtains were drawn down. A guy stood there, staring at the curtains, his back facing her.
"Why would you bring such a thing here?" She crossed her arms, her voice sounding irritated.
"Doesn't she smell delicious?" He sipped a thick, red liquid from a wineglass, slowly.
"I told you, we don't need her, Ryak. We can find something else." The girl clamped her jaw the veins on her forehead were bulging, very visible.
"Find something else? That's going to take another century or two. Do you know how long I've been waiting for this?"
He dropped the glass and spun around to face her. "I've waited 100 years for this sweet, powerful blood. Before my father died, he told me to do anything in my power to get her."
He paused, then walked slowly towards the girl, who was skinny and tall, with half-shaved, pink hair. She wore a black crop top, a blue shirt over it, and a pair of denim shorts.
"The prophecy has been in existence for thousands of years, but no one believed it except for my father. And now, I have it in my hands," he said, squeezing his hand into a tight fist and shoving it under her jaw. "Do you understand now?"
In defeat, the girl sighed and walked out. "He would never listen," she thought. Ryak grinned evilly.
After a few minutes, Penelope woke up to find her body aching. This time, the curtains were drawn down. She tried to sit up and succeeded, but she didn't know what to do. "Should I cry or scream?" she thought, but then she realized, "No one would hear me." She started crying, and just at that moment, the door opened to reveal a man holding a wooden tray filled with food.
"What's the matter?" he asked, walking close to the bed, which made Penelope shift to the other side, slowly.
"Relax, I've got food," he said, dropping the tray on the table beside the bed. He moved closer to Penelope, who began to shiver lightly in fear.
"Relax, girl," he said, reaching for her hands and freeing them from the chains. He also freed her legs, but in exchange, he put an ankle monitor on her left leg and a neck monitor on her neck. Stepping back, he smiled at her.
"Don't worry, there's no poison. I still need you," he said, staying there for a minute.
Penelope wondered, "Why is he staring? Did he put poison in the food?" She thought, "Come on, eat," he just gestured to the food.
"Alright then, when you're hungry, the food is there," he said, pointing to the door opposite her bed. "And that's the bathroom." He walked out.
Penelope rushed over to the food, sniffing it hungrily and fearfully. Scared that it might be poisoned, she stepped back a little, drooling slightly at the sight of the delicious delicacy in front of her.
On the wooden tray, a vibrant and aromatic dish lay before Penelope.Tender and juicy grilled chicken breast, marinated in a mixture of olive oil, lemon juice, and herbs like thyme and rosemary. A colorful medley of roasted vegetables, including sweet potatoes, Brussels sprouts, and red bell peppers, tossed with a drizzle of balsamic glaze.
"Oh my God, save me!" Penelope rushed over to the food, gobbling it down like a beast. She didn't even bother to use a utensil. "Mm, yum!" she exclaimed, reaching for the teapot and pouring herself some jasmine tea. She gulped it down in one go.
Penelope ate like this was her last meal before execution, which might be true. Some of the food crumbs fell on the ground, making a mess. Just as she was eating, Ivy walked in with an angry and annoyed face.
"Ugh, look at the mess you've made!" Ivy scolded, walking up to Penelope and pushing her hard on the face with her strength. The push sent Penelope flying into the wall beside the window with a loud thud. "Ouch!" Penelope winced in pain, reaching for her back as tears rolled down her eyes.
"Why did you do that? I didn't mean to mess up the floor. I'm sorry," Penelope pleaded.
"You trash! How dare you question me?" Ivy retorted, walking up to Penelope and grabbing her by her already messy French braid. She slammed Penelope's head on the dresser drawer beside her twice. Blood gushed down Penelope's head.
In pain, Penelope grabbed Ivy's hand and bit her, resulting in Ivy letting her go. "What the heck, you Vixen!" Ivy shouted.
Penelope crawled to the corner of the door in a hurry. "Please, I'm sorry. I'll clean it up!" she begged.
Just then, the door opened, revealing a furious Ryak. His eyes darkened, and his face glowed with anger. "What do you think you are doing?" he demanded, walking in.
Ivy pointed angrily at Penelope. "She messed up the floor and bit me!" She opened her mouth to speak, revealing her fangs, which were bloody from biting her lips to suppress the urge to suck Penelope's blood. Penelope, shaking in the corner, grew even more frightened at the sight of the fangs.
"Vampires?" she thought. "They're vampires. That guard was right."
A sudden sound brought Penelope back to reality. Ivy ran her finger over her face, feeling a thick liquid. She brought it to her face and found blood.
"Ryak, you slapped me!" Ivy exclaimed, shocked. Penelope was equally shocked, thinking, "Aren't they together?"
"Ryak, you slapped me for this good-for-nothing vixen!" Ivy stormed, stomping her feet hard on the ground multiple times and screaming while pulling at her hair.
"Yes, I did, and I'll do it over and over again," Ryak replied coldly, yanking Ivy by the hair and whispering in his deep, husky voice, "I told you... I told you I need her." He grabbed her by the neck, strangling her.
"Let go!" Ivy gasped, short of breath. She glanced over at Penelope, who was shaking like a leaf in the corner, scared and confused.
"Will he kill her?" Penelope thought.
Ryak let go of Ivy and dragged her away from the room, locking the door behind them. Outside, the sound of Ivy's screams was audible.
Penelope stood up, ran shakily to the bed, and jumped under the covers. She covered her ears with a pillow, sobbing hard.
"Please stop, please," she pleaded, as if her words could stop the screams. Suddenly, the screams ceased, but Penelope couldn't shake off what had happened. She thought of her parents, sister, Tracy, and Julius.
"Is this what my parents were protecting me from?" she thought before dozing off again.
A few hours had passed since Penelope slept. This time, when she opened her eyes, the curtains were drawn back, and the window was open, allowing the moonlight to cast an eerie glow. The room was dark, except for the soft, silvery light that seemed to dance across the room.
Penelope sat up, her head throbbing with a dull ache. "It hurts," she whispered, touching the bandage wrapped around her head. She knew it was Ryak who had tended to her wound, and a mix of emotions swirled within her.
"What a mean witch," she whispered sadly, but her thoughts quickly corrected her - "Clearly, she's not a witch, she's a vampire." Penelope felt a shiver run down her spine as she thought about Ryak and Ivy.
"Thank you," Penelope whispered to the air, hoping that Ryak had heard her. Deep down, she knew she had to be extra careful around them, especially Ivy.
Penelope felt like she was beginning to trust Ryak, despite what she had seen. "He saved me," she would remind herself whenever doubts crept in. "Maybe he's soft deep down and just hasn't found the right person to trust." She thought hopefully, "What if he likes me?" But she quickly shook her head, dismissing the idea. "Enough with the strange thoughts."
Penelope stood up and walked slowly to the window. "There are bars," she said, sighing sadly. "I'm trapped. Great, just what I needed." She grabbed onto the bar, feeling a sense of desperation. "I was really happy when I left the castle," she thought. "I thought I was escaping for freedom, but this is worse than the castle. I'm a prisoner."
Penelope turned to stare at the door, noticing the ankle and neck monitors attached to her. She tugged at the neck monitor, feeling a sense of frustration. "And there's a witch vampire who hates me and wants to kill me," she thought. "Where are my belongings?"
She ran to the bathroom door and opened it, searching for the light switch. When she turned on the light, she was surprised to see a serene bathroom with cream-colored tiled walls and floor. The room was cozy and intimate, with a sleek toilet, a towel on a wall-mounted rack, and a few essentials on a tiled ledge. But what caught her attention was the lack of a mirror and window. The bathroom was extraordinarily clean, sparkling in the light.
Penelope stared at the sink for a minute before bending to wash her face. "Maybe it's all just a dream?" she thought. But the pain in her head told her otherwise. She wiped her face with the towel, used the toilet, and returned to the bedroom. Pulling up the curtain, she turned on the lights and stood in front of the door, looking around the room. She noticed that the floors were clean.
Penelope slumped against the door, burying her face between her legs. The room was almost empty, with only a massive bed, a dresser drawer, a leather chair, and a table. "No mirror again," she thought, noticing the omission. "That guy's name is Ryak, right? That's what that meanie called him."
As Penelope raised her head, she heard the sound of footsteps approaching. "Who's that?" she whispered in fear, hoping it wasn't Ivy. She stood up and backed away from the door as she heard the sound of keys jingling. The door creaked open, and Ryak stepped in.
"You're already awake," he said, his eyes fixed on hers. "Are you okay?" Penelope nodded, trying to appear calm. "I'm fine," she said, walking over to sit at the edge of the bed. She stroked the bandage around her head lightly.
Ryak sat down on the chair, staring at the wall behind Penelope. "You might be wondering why you're here," he said, his voice low and smooth. "Well, the thing is, you have something that I need. Something very valuable to me." He leaned forward, his eyes glinting with intensity.
Penelope's voice trembled as she asked, "What's that?" Ryak's smile grew wider. "It's a secret, but if you're smart enough, you'll figure it out." Penelope's fear spiked as she wondered what Ryak could possibly want from her.
"Are you going to kill me?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper. Ryak's response sent shivers down her spine. "Maybe, Penelope, maybe." He seemed to be enjoying her misery, and Penelope's throat constricted as she swallowed hard.
"How do you know my name?" she asked, trying to keep her voice steady. Ryak stood up, his eyes glinting with amusement. "We go way back, Penelope. You just don't know it yet. I've been watching you since you arrived at the castle, when you were just two years old." Penelope gasped, shocked by Ryak's revelation.
As Ryak walked to the door, Penelope thought to herself, "I already know he's the cloaked shadow who kidnapped me."
"Do you need anything?" Ryak asked, his eyes glinting with amusement. Penelope hesitated, unsure of how to respond. "Nothing... How about going home?" she ventured, knowing it was a long shot.
Ryak's expression turned cold, his eyes narrowing as he emitted a dark aura. "You already know the answer," he said, his voice dripping with menace. Penelope stuttered, "I-I'm sorry."
Ryak's smirk grew wider, his eyes gleaming with evil intent. "Anything else?" he asked, his voice dripping with sarcasm. Penelope spoke up, trying to keep her voice steady. "What about my stuff?"
Ryak shrugged, his expression dismissive. "Oh, those? I had to burn them. Who knows, there might have been a tracking device hidden somewhere." Penelope whispered, "Okay," feeling a pang of sadness. She knew she couldn't argue with Ryak.
Trying to think of something to distract herself from the bleak reality, Penelope spoke up again. "How about a book to get rid of the boredom?" she asked nervously. Ryak turned back to the door, his hand on the knob. "I'll see what I can do about it," he said, his voice dripping with condescension.
As he glanced over at the dresser drawer, a hint of a smile played on his lips. "Get prepared," he said, his voice low and ominous, before walking out of the room.
"Prepared for what?" Penelope called after Ryak, but there was no response. The door was already locked, and there was no sound of footsteps. Penelope stood up and walked to the dresser drawer, curious about what could be inside that had caught Ryak's attention. She opened it and found a book titled "Can I Have You?"
Penelope's eyes widened in surprise. "Wow, was it here the whole time?" She took the book and went to the bed to read it. As she read, her mind wandered back to her conversation with Ryak. "Get prepared," he had said. "Prepare for what, Ryak? The worst? A feast or death?"
Penelope slammed the book shut, trying to shake off the dark thoughts that were creeping in. "Is this the end?" she thought, feeling a sense of desperation. She looked out the window and saw a figure with shimmering eyes staring back at her.
"What's that?" Penelope exclaimed, her shaking hands betraying her calm demeanor.