Run! Hurry!
I ran through the giant forest under the soft glow of the moonlight, the cold breeze wrapping around me like a ghostly embrace that made my skin sting. I didn't even know how long I had been running anymore. I can feel my heart pounding wildly against my ribs, and every breath I took was scraping my throat like shards of ice. The trees loomed above me, tall and skeletal, their twisted branches clawing at the sky as if trying to trap the moon itself.
But this wasn't some dream. This was a nightmare… One that I couldn't wake up from.
I ran because I had to. Because something behind me reeked of death. Its presence clung to my skin, heavy and suffocating. The sound of my own footsteps and the frantic thud of my heartbeat filled my ears, but somewhere behind that, I could hear other footsteps. It was slow, deliberate, and far too calm for a chase.
This was a run-or-die situation. If I stopped even for a breath, I knew I'd never move again.
The forest that surround me was anything but magical. Shadows stretched like black veins across the ground, and the air carried the stench of damp soil and decay. Crows rested on the twisted branches, their eyes glinting like pieces of coal as they silently watched me pass. The only thing keeping me from this complete darkness was the pale moonlight, it lit my path with an unsteady silver glow.
My legs burned, my lungs ached, but I pushed forward anyway. I never thought that I could even run this fast, because I never needed to, but fear had a way of turning weakness into strength.
This is crazy... I thought between gasps. What am I even running for? My life? My eyes blurred with tears, the cold wind drying them before they could fall. Is there even anything left to live for? If it's death who's chasing me... maybe I should just let it take me. Then I'd finally be free from this cursed world.
My pace slowed. My knees trembled. The fear that had once driven me drained away like sand slipping through my fingers. I stopped. The forest fell into a heavy silence.
It's not like I have anything to live for anymore...
The sound of footsteps grew louder, many of them, approaching fast. A rough hand clamped down on my arm, cold and unyielding. I didn't scream. I didn't even flinch. This is it... I thought, taking one last deep breath.
When I turned my head, my eyes widened in horror.
Behind me were a group of vampires, all of them surrounded me, their eyes glowing crimson in the moonlight, their skin a deathly pale complexion, fangs sharp like thorns. Each of them radiated a hunger that made my heart freeze. This was my first time seeing one up close, and for a terrifying moment, I couldn't tell if I was breathing or not.
This world had long fallen into darkness, a place where humans and vampires coexisted, but never as equals. Vampires ruled the cities, their power absolute, while humans were hunted like prey. Some were used as slaves, others as food, and only a few lucky ones managed to hide in the ruins and shadows, clinging to the fragments of freedom left to them.
I had been one of those few, until now.
Now that they had caught me, my fate has already been sealed. Whether I became a blood bag or a servant, it wouldn't matter. Either way, my life no longer belonged to me.
A chill ran down my spine as one of the vampires whispered something I couldn't understand. The world tilted. Then, everything went black.
___________________________
I don't know how long I had been unconscious.
When I stirred awake, my body felt heavy, and my wrists ached. A cold clinking sound echoed when I moved, I realized that metal shackles bound my hands together.
"Huh... Where..." My voice cracked as I tried to sit down. I blinked my eyes open only to find myself inside a metal cage, the bars glinting faintly in the dim light of torches mounted on stone walls. The air smelled of iron and something metallic… Blood.
Two figures stood outside the cage, unmoving like statues. Guards.
"Help! Get me out of here!" I shouted, slamming my fists against the bars. The sound echoed across the chamber, but neither of them moved. They didn't even glance my way. My eyes widened in fear, I wanted to die... Being trapped here meant only more suffering…
"Stupid," I muttered bitterly, my voice breaking into a laugh that didn't sound like mine. "Of course they wouldn't help. They're vampires too. Why did I even think they would?"
My shoulders slumped, my hands falling limply to my sides. I knew what this meant. Every human who ended up in a vampire's prison knew. This place wasn't for punishment, it was a feeding ground. Humans were nothing more than blood in a bottle.
My heart sank as I realized there was no way out.
Days passed or maybe weeks, at least that's what I thought. The light in this place never changed so it was impossible to tell, the only sign of time passing was the sound of footsteps outside my cage. They still gave me food and water, surprisingly clean and fresh, even bathed me every other day. It was almost... humane.
That confused me at first. Why bother caring for a human when they'd drain me dry anyway?
But on the third day, I saw it, the truth.
A new prisoner was dragged into the room, terrified and screaming. The guards restrained him easily. Then, one of them pricked his arm, drawing blood into a small glass vial. They took it away, labeling it with strange symbols.
That's when I began to understand everything.
This wasn't just a prison. It was a business. A market. Humans were being sold here, like cattles, tested, sorted, and priced by their blood type.
I pressed myself against the bars, my stomach turning. "This is... This is a slave market..." I whispered to myself. Days blurred together after that. I stopped counting. I stopped hoping.
Then one day, footsteps echoed down the corridor, heavier, slower, it was a lot more deliberate than the guards. A man in a dark cloak appeared before her cage. His voice was low and gravelly.
"Her. She's the one with A positive blood," he said, gesturing toward me. "Humans like her, with rich blood, are a luxury. Hard to find these days."
I blinked, my mind spinning in confusion. A positive blood? What does that even mean?
In the corner of my eyes, I saw another man step out from behind him, I instantly knew that he was no ordinary vampire.
He was tall, dressed in a high-collared velvet coat the color of deep crimson, embroidered with intricate black patterns that shimmered faintly in the torchlight. A silk ruffled shirt spilled from his throat, its brightness contrasting the darkness of his attire. Silver buttons glinted down his chest, and a blood-red brooch pinned his collar like a drop of frozen blood. His hair was dark as night, his eyes the color of wine, sharp, intelligent, and ancient.
His very presence made the air colder.
The cloaked man bowed slightly. "Ten gold coins, as promised."
With a graceful flick of his wrist, the vampire tossed a pouch of coins toward him. The metal jingled as it landed with a heavy clink.
"I'll take her," the vampire said.
The cloaked man chuckled, collecting the pouch. "Take her, Great Prince William. She was always meant to be yours... wasn't she?"
Prince William turned toward the cage, and the lock clicked open. My body stiffened as he stepped closer.
My heart thudded painfully in my chest, every instinct screaming at me to run, but there was nowhere left to go. I glared up at him anyway, my body shaking, refusing to look weak.
William tilted his head slightly, studying me as though I were something rare, something fragile. Then, his lips curved into a faint, chilling smile.
"Human," he spoke softly, his voice smooth as velvet yet colder than the grave. "You belong to me now."
And with that, my blood ran cold…