"You will be put through a series of tests to determine where you will be put in the Sanguis. While undergoing these tests that, you shall be put in the section of Lunatiks, since you are deemed dangerous to the Regular. This was determined by the behavior you demonstrated when you first arrived."
"Determined is your favorite word," chuckled the now purple Bella.
This was graciously ignored.
"You are dismissed."
When the chains are locked with a key,
Don't despair,
The chance for redemption, the chance to see,
Is near.
A rather short Vampyre led her to her final living quarters. It all looked the same to her, and she had no idea how she would find her way anywhere. The Vampyre decided to respect her wish to walk everywhere, making their speed as slow as a human's. From she had gathered, this was where they put the broken and the maniacal and the stupid.
Bella was both, and she knew it.
"You will have your own room for your safety and the safety of your peers."
Bella nodded.
It was a padded room with sound insulation. She immediately found out why, as a scream sounded from a far off hallway.
"Wait, you are putting me with the actual lunatics?" she asked, disbelief evident in her tone.
So that's why they called them Lunatikis. They have been to the moon and back.
"Yes, we are. Anyone who attempts the life of one our Vishevas is put here."
The Vampyre's tone held an air of distaste and jealousy. Obviously, he didn't care for these Vishevas. Bella immediately recognized the Russian roots of the word. It meant higher than you. Renee had spoken only Russian with Bella until she was ten years old; She had switched to English because the government wanted everyone to be fluent in English (Bella didn't speak English as well as would have been liked) for safety reasons.
"Anyways, good-bye, and I will hope to see you on my dinner plate."
The Vampyre gave her a single shove into the room and closed the door behind her.
"If I could feast on your head, I would." Bella called out, knowing all too well that he could hear her.
Then, nothing but silence that was filled with holes made of anguished screaming.
Soundproof, but not soundproof enough.
Time ceased to have meaning, leaving Bella with nothing but an empty stomach and the memory of a Vampyre's lips on her wrist.
…
"Rise and shine my dear. You have a beautiful day ahead of you, filled with learning your duties and learning about the joys of being a cow."
Bella was jerked awake by a rather musical voice, a human musical voice.
Her eyes focused on a man, who was standing a couple of feet away from her. He looked only a couple years older than her. He had bronze hair.
"I am the caretaker of the Lunatiks, and a rather good one if I do say so myself myself. Now stand up, dearest, let me take a look at you."
Within moments, the tall man was on her, lifting a rather stupefied Bella from the floor. She had not been provided with a bed.
"What the fu-"
The man put a finger on her lips.
"Tut tut, love, we mustn't swear, for the Vampyres shall have your head for such an offence."
He had such beautiful green eyes, soft and curved, like a cat's.
"Hmm, small figure…. Might not be tall enough… Wonderful breasts…. Beautiful legs, and oh god, such beautiful hair… might be on a little bit on the thin side…"
He had stepped back and was examining her with an artist's eye. She stood still and quiet, sensing a dangerous urgency in his tone. She could get used to being examined, if he was examining her. Of course, he was quite the looker himself, tall, lean and graceful. He had a pianist's fingers. Finally, she interrupted his musings.
"What is your name?" she asked.
He looked up at her, startled.
"You have a Russian accent," commented Edward. "That should protect you for at least thirty seconds."
Protect from what?
"What is your name?" she repeated, crossing her arms over her chest.
"Edward. Now come, dearest, we have a long day ahead of us."
His huge, graceful hands wrapped around her shoulders and led her out of the room.
"Everyone else is already up and eating breakfast. After that, they go to their jobs which takes up most of their day, then they report to the Sanguis, after which they promptly go to bed."
"What's the Sanguis?"
The hallways loomed before her again, each one no different the last, stretching on in an endless repetition of the same crude pattern.
Edward only shrugged and proceeded to tell her about the menu, which mostly consisted of porridge and the occasional lump of cheese. Everything was so bland, that Bella had the impression that it was on purpose. Apparently, the Vampyres didn't want the Lunatiki to get any ideas.
When they reached the door, Edward turned to her, his lecture about how the Vampyres make the best tea. Bella stared up at him expectantly, thinking that he would push her out into the room.
"No, I am not going to push you out there to fend for yourself. I like you too much for that, although I have done that with the countless before you."
He frowned, obviously remembering something that brought a bad taste to his mouth just as Bella figured out why he was in here.
He was a mind-reader.
"Anyways, darling, I stopped here so I could show you that there are maps posted next to every door if you should ever get lost, which most everyone does."
He grabbed her arm and dragged her into the cafeteria.
It was a sad sight. There were Vampyres standing around the edges of the room guarding the doors. Inside, everything was a bland manila color from the floor, to the round tables, even the light fixtures which hung above each table, like a restaurant. It hurt Bella's eyes because it was simply so unattractive.
There was a girl sitting in the center, tapping in Morse code. She had multiple responses from people around the room. A man was sitting in corner, seemingly sleeping, kept on scratching his hair in one particular manner. After living so long in a rebel camp, it was easy to recognize every form of communication. Seven others sat in the same manner, a nonchalant dozing state, while finding ways to communicate.
There were just so many people, and each one of them was communicating in their own way. I
Bella understood the Morse code, but the messages were vague and riddle-like.
Did you see the rose last night?
Under the mountain she hid.
With the sun just shining over the top.
The bloom was beautiful.
Edward tugged on her arm just as the tapping girl looked up. Her eyes were mismatched. One a regular shade of blue, but the other was a red scar with a pupil sticking out, black with hardened blood.
Bella sucked in a breath.
"Your arrival is great celebration in the Vampyre world. They finally captured every male and female on the planet, " Edward chuckled wryly
Edward handed Bella a white plate and filled it with some porridge-like substance, while simultaneously filling his own. She gagged.
Edward appeared sympathetic as he handed her a cup of wine.
"Wine?" she asked.
"When Vampyres are happy, we are fed wine to symbolize the leash that they have on us. Red for blood. Red for love. They love us for our blood."
Bella had the feeling that she wouldn't be eating or drinking anything for a long time.
"Don't think about starving yourself. " Edward said, shuddering.
Bella looked up to see him studying her intently.
"Look, you are a candidate for the Sultan's Ball," Edward said."If you aren't in pristine condition you may not survive the first hour."
They sat down at the farthest table from any Vampyre, which happened to right next to the one-eyed girl.
"What is the Sultan's Ball, anyways?" Bella asked, only staring at her food. Edward picked up his fork and started to eat as though it was a New Year's feast.
"The Sultan is the leader of the Vampyres, and once every hundred years or so, the title is passed to someone new. Twenty years ago it was passed to a man named Jasper. Humans aren't allowed to know last names, for whatever reason."
"And?" Bella prompted.
"The Sultan needs a Sultana. This Sultana needs to have a perfect body and t perfect blood. You, my dear, have passed the blood test, but the body test…"
Bella crossed her arms over her body. She was small. It had bothered the doctors when she had been a child, but she never knew that it would be a matter of life and death.
She straightened. No, her life wouldn't be the mercy of some marriage joke. If she had come this far, alive, then she would stay alive.
She shook her head and started to laugh. Vampyres had been portrayed as creatures of power and frightening grace. Yet, all they cared about was vanity and their own desire.
When they wanted something shiny, they took and if they didn't like it, they killed.
Why had anyone ever been afraid?
She thought they were smart bastards.
She thought they had power.
Here she was, subjected to their "power" which was to take a bride from the supply of cows and show her off like trophy.
Bella could only imagine what they would say.
Look at this cow. Hear her moo and think how beautiful she is. She also provides the best milk.
The giggles became laughter, and laughter became coughing. Tears were pouring out of her eyes.
If only she had known that this whole war had been for vanity. She would have gone on the battlefield and laughed her head off until a bullet flew into her mouth. The best joke of a century, and only she had the honor of understanding it.
Edward was looking at her nervously, since the laughter caught the attention of one of the Vampyre guards. He was looking at her suspiciously, as though laughter could infect everyone, even himself.
"Darling, please calm down," Edward smiled with her, but panic shown in his eyes.
"You're scared of him?" she laughing as she pointed at the suspicious guard. "Dude, c'mon, he probably lusts after our blood right now. He is probably thinking about taking us into a small corner and sucking it all up in one gulp. But he doesn't. Why? Because he has a job to do. He is stuck in the social caste that humans once had. Don't you see? These Vampyres are just a copy of us. Soon enough, the monarchy will be overthrown and yadda, yadda, yadda."
Edward sucked in a sharp breath, his eyes staying on the motionless guard.
Bella smiled.
"They say you are what you eat, " Bella stared straight into the red eyes of the Vampyre.
If there was a noise for Vampyres cracking, then that silence would be it.
She found herself shoved onto the table, pale hands holding her neck.
"Listen here, you little shit," The Vampyre hissed. "You have plenty to be scared of. Like, my teeth sinking into your flesh, over and over. Just because you are a candidate, doesn't mean I won't hesitate to eat you. No one will notice you are gone, you little wisp."
Then he was done. He was back at his post as though nothing had happened.
Edward helped her up and sat her back down. Her throat would have bruises, but she would welcome them.
For now, she knew what she to do.
She would return the Vampyres' favor.
By making their lives a living hell, in any way possible.
Beta'd by 4MeJasper.
So, yeah.
Thoughts on Edward? I really don't know what to think of him myself, yet.
Until next time.
Cvaboda
