Lottie stood outside on the cobblestone sidewalk, her hand trembling as she stood in front of the house. She had dressed in her best outfit, a simple white summer dress with lace around the bust and sleeves, that made her seem innocent but lovely. She had even let her long cream colored hair down like the lady Carlotta had liked. Maybe if she could impress her once more, she may get work here at this awful house.
That morning after her mother had awoken and realized Thomas was gone, Lottie had explained her plan to find work and to get away from the Hayfields for good. But the moment Lottie mentioned the name of the house she was going to that evening her mother had dropped the fine china dish she had been holding in her hand.
"You cannot go there" her mother said trembling.
Lottie had felt her face squeeze tight in confusion "But why ever not?"
"Because" her mother said drawing her voice to a whisper "I've heard stories about that place Lottie" she said barely breathing "Girl go there, but then they never come back. And those that do are..."
"Are what mama?" Lottie had said feeling a shiver down her spine/
"They come back ruined Lottie" her mother said with her eyes growing in fear " Ruined."
Lottie had felt her throat swallow shut as she had leaned away from her mother and thought about what she had said.
Ruined? What did that mean? She had heard of brothels and the kind of women that lingered in those places, but when Lottie thought about the fine clothes Carlotta had been wearing, she figured that even if it was a brothel house, at least it was a high end one. And maybe she wouldn't even be one of the working girls, maybe she could just be a maid or a counter girl?
So she had sneaked out, telling her mother she was headed to the docks to look for work down there, when instead she had taken a carriage up north to the house. All she had to tell the coachmen was the name and he knew exactly where it was, although a twinge of fear lay hidden behind his eyes as he had turned from Lottie and snapped the horses into action. Now that she thought about it, he hadn't even dropped her off at the entrance, merely the road that led to the somewhat large estate.
So she had walked on, one hand on her small satchel she took with her and the other holding the small card that the lady Carlotta had given her.
But as she came upon the house, she saw what everyone else had hidden from her, and the reason their fear was so great.
It was a old white plantation house, one that must have been around for many years before even her mother and father had settled here. Dark vines grew along the ancient columns while dark trees overhang above the dusty road that led up to the house. The lawn was not very kept, with high grass shooting up from the ground and whispering every time a breeze dared to pass by. She could see even from the entrance that the windows were dark and boarded up. The place felt dark, dark and cold as the on coming night that was quickly beginning to haze in the horizon. Lottie wondered if there was anyone even there at the house as she looked above the gate that red the exact same name on her card.
"The House of the Rising Sun" she said out loud looked up at the iron letters above her.
She could feel the sun behind her, it's ever glowing warmth beginning to set behind her as she turned slowly to watch it fall beneath the Spanish moss that filled the trees.
But suddenly she heard the faint hint of laughter coming from behind and quickly turned to look towards the house, watching the shadow of night start to fall from the top of the roof as it slowly descended down upon the house.
And to her amazement, Lottie saw that as soon as the shadow descended down over a window, the window would light up from inside the house, a sign that life was in that dark place.
Quickly she stepped forward and inside the gate, but once she heard those iron doors shut behind her she felt the slight twinge of fear settle inside her heart. She took deep breaths, each one for each step she took towards the house. Lottie kept thinking in her head why she should do this, what it would mean for Remy and her mother and sister. What kind of life she was going to have if she actually gained work here in this frightening place.
Lottie thought about how she had always had to be the brave one because of her baby sister. She remembered the first time she really looked at her sister Catherine.
"Cath!" she had shouted as she looked down at the sleeping babe while her mother shhhed her to keep quiet so Catherine could sleep. But Lottie had been too excited, her many months spent watching her mother grow with life only to think that the stork would suddenly pop in from the window and poke a hole in her mother's stomach to let her baby brother or sister out.
But thankfully her parents had spared her the actual truth of child bearing and one day Catherine just was simply there crying in her mother's arms. At first Lottie had been a bit disappointed for not being able to see the stork, but after giving her sister a good hard look decided that she would love this little crying thing with all her might.
And she had. Lottie could remember taking the blame when Catherine would spill ink all over her school work, her mouth quickly exclaiming that she was clumsy and Catherine should get new paper for her teachings.
Catherine wasn't spoiled either from Lottie's protection. Every time father would yell at Lottie from some behavior default or another Catherine would always slip inside of his office and remind their father what good qualities Lottie had as well. Then later on Lottie could remember her father coming to her and apologizing for being so cross over such little things.
And now standing in front of this house, Lottie's chest hurt from the memory of her father. But it was now up to her to take care of mother and Catherine. She would take his place even if it killed her.
Which now looking at the grand old house before her, she was a bit frightened it would.
Slowly she walked up towards the door, her hand ready to knock and proclaim to whoever answered that she sought employment and would like to speak to the owner of the house.
But before her knock could sound out the door opened to reveal the beautiful Carlotta dressed in a fine blue gown that sparkled even in the darkness of twilight. Her dark black hair was down loose around her shoulders as her lips still were stained with blood red.
"Well well" she purred looking Lottie up and down "I thought that was you I smelled coming up the road."
"You... you can smell me?" Lottie said suddenly afraid she stunk in front of the fine woman.
"Of course I can smell you" Carlotta said coming towards her "You smell like fresh roses and exotic magnolias drenched in vanilla rum. How could anyone resist such a smell?"
Lottie felt her cheeks blush at such a refined compliment but found the words she had been planning to speak, although she wished she had said them more eloquently.
"I've come for work" she blurted out.
Carlotta smiled devilishly as she turned towards the door.
"Well work around here is desperately needed" she purred again "I shall set you up with the lord of this house and we will see where we can put you my lovely pet."
Carlotta's fingered pointed to Lottie and wiggled for her to move forward into the house. Lottie could feel her whole body tense but stepped into the old house none the less.
However trashy the outside looked, the inside of this estate was absolutely beautiful. The walls were a dark golden color while dark red drapes hung above the rafters while a sparkling chandelier hung above the foyer next to a winding grand staircase that led up to God knows how many rooms.
Carlotta watched Lottie as she stared up and around her before Lottie realized the woman was looking at her that strange way, as if she were a meal and not a person.
"Come my love" she said while turning to open some fine old wood doors "I'm sure Sebastian will love to have a look at you."
Lottie followed sheepishly behind her, still staring at all the fine and luxurious things around her as they entered a grand office like her father's, only this one was filled with artwork and an old piano forte.
There sitting at the desk was a magnificently handsome man, he could almost be compared to Thomas if you switched the piercing blue eyes with dark entrapping ones that looked at you with such mystery you could get lost in them.
"Carlotta" this man, who Lottie could only guess was Sebastian, or at least she hoped "What kind of lovely vision have you brought before me?"
"This" Carlotta said turning to Lottie in a poised stance "Is Charlotte Beaulieu, but I know her as my Lottie."
"Charlotte" Sebastian said as he tasted her name in his mouth "That's french is it not?"
"Yes sir" Lottie said nodding her head "My mother moved to the United States when she married my father. She named me after my grandmother."
"And did your grandmother go by Lottie as well?" Sebastian asked seeming to be genuine with the question.
"No sir" Lottie said shaking her head "That was the nickname my father gave me, and it just stuck after that."
"Just stuck" he said smiling.
"Isn't she just divine?" Carlotta said drawing close to Lottie as she played with her hair "Like soft milk and cream, with eyes as blue as a summer sky."
"Carlotta dear" Sebastian said "Leave the poor girl be for now. Lottie, come have a seat" he said offering a chair near his desk.
Lottie looked meekly over at Carlotta before moving over to the chair. Behind her she could hear Carlotta move around the room, like a bored cat just watching the two as if they were the ones intruding in her place.
"Now why have you come to us Lottie" Sebastian asked, his pale hands crossing as his jet black hair hung in a lavish ponytail with a red ribbon.
"I've come for employment" Lottie said nervously "Ms. Carlotta gave me the card the other evening when I accidentally bumped into her."
"Accidentally" Sebastian said now serious as he looked over at Carlotta.
Lottie couldn't see but she could tell that the aura of the room suddenly changed as Carlotta seemed to start moving around more, obviously agitated by Sebastian's look.
"Lottie have you heard the rumors of this house?" Sebastian asked now looking back at Lottie with those dark eyes.
"A little bit" Lottie said starting to shake "My...my friend told me girls come here but...but they don't come back."
"That is true" Sebastian said "We have had girls decide to stay with us rather than return home. Why do you need work though Lottie? And this time don't lie to me, your mother seemed like a wise woman when she told you to stay away from here."
Lottie felt her whole body freeze as she realized he had known the truth but her mouth decided to move anyway without thinking "My father had me engaged to a man I didn't love. I left him and now I need to take care of my mother and sister."
"Hmmmm" Sebastian said before leaning back and staring at Lottie, a little bit like how her father used to. Except this time it was a man, a young man that seemed very old in his dark eyes that stared right through her body and into her soul.
"This is what I can offer you Ms. Beaulieu" he said now very professionally "I can offer you work here, and provide your family with a monthly salary from your wages that will set them up with more than they will need."
Lottie's eyes widened as a smile began to form on her face.
"But on one condition" Sebastian said looking down at his desk "You cannot leave this estate, and you cannot breathe a word about what you see in this place no matter what. If you do" he said now staring up at her "You will die."
Lottie felt all the air from her lungs suddenly disappear as she stared at the man thinking about what he had just said. She could take care of her family...but if she left she was as good as dead...
She thought about her mother and sister, the way her mother hummed when she was rearranging the flowers in the household, the way Catherine would smile at her when they sat outside on the porch swing, just talking about their lives and futures. All of that would be gone, but they would have a future. She promised she would always take care of them, no matter what.
"I accept the offer" Lottie heard herself say.
"Excellent" Sebastian said now with a grin "I will have Carlotta show you to your room and I think tonight we will set you up to be ready for work. What do you think Carlotta? Should we set her up with Christoff?"
"Christoff?" Carlotta said from across the room "But he hasn't accepted anyone in years."
"Well maybe he will tonight" Sebastian said looking up at Lottie "Make sure she looks just the part."
Carlotta started to come forward but Lottie stood confused for a moment.
"But sir" Lottie said suddenly "You haven't told me anything of the work I will be doing? Am I having relations with these men or just merely providing company?"
"Oh my dear" Sebastian said "You will be providing a lot more than company. You will be providing your blood."
Lottie froze when she heard the word blood as her mouth dropped open and merely uttered out a "What?"
But as Sebastian's smile widened Lottie then noticed his teeth. They were not normal teeth...no...
Where his canine's were supposed to be were replaced with something even more terrifying that sent Lottie shaking in her shoes before she turned and saw Carlotta as well sported the horrible things that grew inside their mouths.
Fangs.