As she abruptly sat up, I placed the medicine beside her, and I couldn't help but admire her remarkable agility—it felt as if her health was on the upswing.
With a sudden flourish, Tulip lifted the bottles and let them rain down over my pristine white dress, her actions purposeful and cruel. She hurled a silver plate in my direction, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears. 'You foolish girl,' she spat, 'I can see that grin on your face; you revel in watching me decay and suffer on this bed.'
Just then, my mom and Zeal burst through the door, rushing to my sister's side, their expressions painted with disgust as they caught sight of me. My mother ordered me to leave the scene, just as Tulip aimed another plate at me, one I barely managed to evade.
Submissively, I retreated to my room, where my thoughts whirled in a chaotic dance—I realized my life was teetering on the edge of a knife.
✨️ ✨️ ✨️
Broud Town
Laughter echoed through the halls as Davis made his entrance clad in his jester's garb. Having lost the game, he was now fulfilling his role as a source of entertainment, the mild punishment adding a playful flair to the atmosphere.
The air was thick with the scent of premium whiskey, as Broud Beers exclusively sourced the finest, freshly crafted varieties. However, the patrons frequenting this establishment were primarily focused on leveraging the games for financial gain.
Chess and Go were the store's standout offerings. They claimed to be there for the competition, yet the sheer volume of drinks consumed during the matches was astonishing. The owner was well aware of this tendency and always kept a cup nearby, knowing they would sip it absentmindedly while engrossed in the game.
"Check this one out," Ken said as he grabbed her hair firmly. He had just faced another loss at the board. Vill, his opponent, scrutinized the girl to ensure she was without any imperfections. "She'll do," he concluded, satisfied with his assessment.
The girl gasped in pain as the realization struck her: she was about to be traded as a commodity to this man. Whispers about Vill circulated widely; they hinted at his ruthless nature, suggesting he would eliminate her without hesitation and sell her off to his contacts.
She seized a glass cup from the table and hurled it at Ken's face, forcing him to release her grip. With her legs propelling her forward almost instinctively, she dashed toward the door, unsure of her own actions. A surge of gratitude washed over her for her body's instinct.
However, the jarring sensation of a sharp bite and an indescribable agony on her neck abruptly halted her flight, sending her crashing to the ground. As she sank down, she beheld her own blood trickling beside her. Before her stood a man, greedily savoring the blood that stained his lips.
"Tastier than I imagined," he remarked, glancing over at Vill, who was now lingering nearby, observing as the girl's eyelids fluttered and then fell shut forever. Vill hoisted the girl across his shoulders, nonchalantly slipping some bills into the man's hands.
"It's nice to see you still remember how to do your job, Alex," Vill said as he ambled out with the lifeless body. He never lingered at Broud Beers for more than half an hour. Alex closed his eyes and shook his head in dismay, muttering to himself, "Just an old nuisance."
"You best not be talking about my top customer" a voice called from behind. Alex turned to see his father, Aaron, polishing a glass cup. "Just because they pay doesn't mean they're all good people, Dad," Alex replied, his tone firm.
Aaron placed the cup neatly on a vacant corner of the shelf, enjoying conversations with people as long as his back was turned. "I never claimed they were the finest individuals, just the most valuable customers," he retorted, a hint of pride in his voice. Alex couldn't help but smirk at his dad's comment; he imagined his father felt as if he were channeling Shakespeare in that moment.
His gaze shifted to the staff meticulously cleaning up the blood from the floor. Alex recognized that his bold actions had certainly elevated his status around here. His attention then drifted to Davis, who was prancing around in a court jester outfit.
He chuckled at the sight; Davis loosing a game of chess to an amateur like him was already embarrassing enough, so the customers weren't really surprised when he started prancing around in a jester outfit. To Alex It was a mild punishment, he would choose a laugh over everything any day.
He flashed another grin before ascending the staircase to his room, hoping his father wouldn't summon him for another chore once he settled in. Aaron had transformed what was supposed to be a grand living room into a bustling restaurant after depleting half his life savings.
Though he managed to reclaim all his lost funds, his daughter Aaliyah frequently attempted to engage Alex in conversations lamenting how intolerable their dad was. Despite having no interest in the topic, Alex patiently listened, not wanting her to feel isolated merely due to their differing genders.
Alex yearned to escape the aging, dilapidated building as swiftly as possible. He had enlisted a group of men to help him find a more suitable place to live, but it seemed a curious coincidence that each of them suddenly had a family member afflicted with some mysterious illness.
Alex was fully aware that his father was bribing them alk, forcing them to speak without truly contemplating their words. While Aaron didn't wish for his son's absence, to the general public, he appeared to be just a loving dad; Alex, however, understood his significance in the business realm.
As he reclined against the pillow, he thought, "This is going to be a challenge," all the while hearing his father's mocking laughter from downstairs. It was the same derisive chuckle he let out whenever someone struggling came into the store or if a customer complained about their drink. It was a laughter that implied, "You idiot."
Feeling a wave of nausea, Alex hurried to the bathroom, where he expelled a significant amount of blood, each heave leaving him breathless. He recognized that he had overindulged, especially considering his body was still adjusting to even small quantities.
Though he identified as a vampire and understood the expectation to crave blood, he simply didn't. His desire lay elsewhere, far from the crimson liquid of his unfortunate prey.
Alex took one look at the blood before pressing the flush button.
"Curse Them All".