The sun was merciless, each ray scorching as though it sought vengeance on me. With every step I took, I felt the world tilting, my legs heavy and trembling. My throat burned with thirst; I hadn't had even a single drop of water in two days.
My hands were bound in chains, the iron biting into my skin with every movement, leaving raw, angry impressions. My body was wrapped in filthy fabric, so tattered it barely covered me. My feet, bruised and bloodied from the long journey, were encased in worn shoes that offered little protection, each step a sting of needles pressed against my soles.
I limped forward, one painful step at a time, unable to pause. Behind me, two vampire slave traders trailed with cruel, leering eyes, whips poised for any sign of hesitation. The previous beatings had left my skin a map of scars and bruises. I knew that a single lash now might leave me lifeless. The burning dread in my chest was the only thing keeping me upright.
The two men had led us from the Southern Kingdom, across miles of barren bush paths, and now marched us toward the Northern Kingdom to sell us. In this world, humans and vampires coexisted under a rigid hierarchy. At the top were the Pure-blooded Vampires, elite and feared, the absolute rulers of both kingdoms.
They were followed by Elite Humans—those born into wealth, influence, and power, tolerated for their lineage and connections. Beneath them were the Turned Vampires, humans transformed into vampires, neither fully human nor fully elite, occupying the uneasy middle ground of society. Average humans filled the next rung, living mundane, regulated lives. And at the very bottom—where I belonged—were the slaves.
This hierarchy had persisted for decades, unwavering. It was a cold, brutal system that crushed those born without privilege, and here I was, bound and powerless, caught in its unforgiving structure. My life was nothing more than a commodity, a piece of meat to be traded for silver.
Our journey had lasted two excruciating days, marked by relentless travel and moments too brief to catch our breath. Hunger twisted my stomach into knots, and I could feel my intestines rebelling against the emptiness, a hollow ache that made concentration impossible.
Beside me, two girls walked in silence, both bound like me. One of them, Kate, looked frighteningly pale, her skin almost translucent beneath the grime and sweat. I couldn't help but pity her. She was too young for this world, too fragile to survive its endless cruelties. The other, Beth, was older, perhaps closer to my own age, and she simply stared ahead, her eyes empty, resigned to her fate.
I kept my gaze fixed on the ground, counting the dust motes and stones, using the meaningless task to distract myself from the pain and the sheer terror of what awaited us.
As the sun began to set, the air cooling slightly and casting long shadows across the dirt paths, we finally reached a bustling market. It was a chaotic, vibrant place, brimming with life and color. The scent of roasted meats, sweet spices, and pungent dirt hit my senses like a physical blow.
The stark contrast between the vibrant, well-fed traders, the leisurely townspeople, and our miserable, chained procession could not have been greater. People recoiled as we approached, shunning our presence as if we were contagious. Their eyes brimmed with immediate disgust; some spat on the ground near our feet, while others muttered sharp curses under their breath.
But I was used to this. This world had never treated me kindly. I was a slave; in their eyes, I was filth, less than an animal. The hatred was a familiar cloak, cold and heavy.
I tried to focus instead on the market's splendor. The Northern Kingdom was a different world entirely from the one I had known. The air, despite the market smells, felt cleaner, the colors brighter, the people refined and poised. Women draped in vibrant, exquisite fabrics moved with an air of careless elegance, their jewelry catching the fading light. Men in finely tailored attire—silks and fine wool—exuded authority and confidence, their movements deliberate and proud.
Rumors had spoken of this kingdom's immense wealth, of its vampire population outnumbering humans, and it seemed true. Countless pairs of piercing red eyes swept over me as I passed, never a normal human gaze in sight among the well-dressed elite. These were the True Bloods, the ones whose very presence made the air vibrate with power.
My fearful thoughts were brutally interrupted when Kate slumped to the ground without a sound, a dead weight in the dust.
"Kate," I whispered, my voice raw and trembling, a desperate plea.
One of the men beside her yelled, "HEY!" The sound was like a gunshot. He didn't hesitate, kicking her hard in the ribs. Still, she didn't respond.
Panic clawed at my throat. "IS SHE DEAD?" the other man demanded, his voice laced with annoyance rather than concern.
The first man squatted down to inspect her, poking her with his foot. "She is dead," he said coldly, standing back up and spitting a glob of phlegm onto the ground near her head. "Stupid weak humans."
My heart froze, locking itself in a block of ice in my chest. I couldn't believe it. Just like that. Gone. Tears blurred my vision as I glanced at Beth, who mirrored my grief silently. Any sound, any overt display of emotion, could earn us a fatal beating. We had to swallow the loss whole.
"You take care of the body. I'll take care of these two," one man said.
The other nodded, a gesture that sealed Kate's fate as a footnote in the dirt.
"MOVE!" The whip cracked across my back and Beth's, a sickening thwack that sliced through the fabric and bit into my already scarred skin. We pressed forward, swallowing the pain like poison, forcing our exhausted, trembling legs to comply.
From the corner of my eye, I saw Kate's body being lifted and carried away, an inert sack of flesh, unnoticed by anyone else in the bustling market. That was the world I lived in, a world where a human life, especially a slave's, had no value beyond its ability to labor or be sold.
We walked until the massive black gate of the palace loomed ahead, towering and imposing, a shadow swallowing the twilight. Guards flanked the entrance, their forms rigid, their gaze cold and sharp, radiating an aura of lethal efficiency. The iron doors looked ancient, dark, and hungry, guarding secrets I feared to imagine. My heart thudded painfully against my ribs, each beat a drum of sheer terror.
Could I survive what lay beyond?