1Chapter 19

It had been over a week now that Michelle had been at the castle. Not much had happened since. She had more discussions with Aleera, the red haired vampire. She discovered that Aleera was sent to follow Joseline, the vampire that had captured her. But Aleera had turned back not long after when she got hailed with weapons from villagers. Marishka was sent out instead, just after Joseline got back.
But Michelle hadn't heard of Marishka for a while. Aleera looked upset for a few days, and when she spoke of Marishka, Michelle could tell she was uncomfortable.
On one day, Michelle heard commotions coming from outside her red room in the corridor. She rose from the red velvet couch that she used as a bed and wandered over to the door. It was shut, and locked, but Michelle placed her ear up against it and could hear arguing female voices. By all the different tones she suspected there was at least five, maybe six.
The voices were muffled, so Michelle put her eye at the keyhole. It didn't provide her with all that much sight of the outside, but she could see straight ahead of her. There was Aleera, and the vampire that kidnapped her, Joseline. There was another vampire but she didn't know who that one was. She could tell the difference between the vampires and humans by their clothing. The three humans were dressed in plain tunics and skirts. There were scratched and had bruises and dried blood over their faces, arms, and legs. The vampires were dressed in elegant gowns, the cloth hanging down from the arms delicately to the floor.
"Don't push me!" one of the humans called. This girl had green eyes. Her hair was such a blonde colour that Michelle was unsure if it was white. Her face was freckled, and she stood tall and proud. Gold hoops hung from each ear.
Joseline, who had been holding on to this girl let go, but kept her gaze on the girl.
"My God, Narumi. Calm down." said one of the humans. This one was a boy. Michelle couldn't distinguish how old he was. He had tossled dark hair that fell around his green eyes. He was tall, taller than vampire that was holding him secure. He didn't seem to be struggling. He was quite calm about all this.
"Oh shut it, Chipeº. It's your fault we're here. We should of never followed you." said Narumi.
"Well if you followed me then how is this my fault?" argued Chipeº. The vampires were getting annoyed with the two quarrellers. Meanwhile, Michelle noticed a smaller person keeping to herself in the grasp of Aleera. She looked upset, but then again, who wouldn't be in their position.
"Shut it, both of you!" shouted the third vampire that Michelle had no clue of her name.
Narumi and Chipeº quieted immediately and stood there in silence, as if they were all awaiting something, or someone. Next thing Michelle saw was Dracula descending the stairs from the left side of the corridor. Everyone in the hall looked up at him. He carried about him a sense of command.
"Evening, my brides." said Dracula. He held out his hands to welcome all three of them. He ignored the prisoners.
"Evening, Master." replied the brides. They kissed his hands and bowed deeply. Dracula smiled and now turned his attention towards the prisoners.
"Ah, Chipeº, you're a common face here. Noble of you to come back. And you brought friends." Dracula spoke softly. Chipeº was released from his vampire's hold and he bowed down to Dracula.
"Traitor!" yelled both of the two female prisoners. Chipeº looked at them in anger.
"Traitor? If it wasn't for me you would be dead!" yelled back Chipeº. He stood and glared down at the two girls.
"You're the Keeper? But why? How?" asked the smaller girl. She paused, and then spoke again. "So then is it your fault... Dragoste is dead?" she asked. Both girls looked up at Chipeº with questioning eyes.
Before Chipeº could answer though, Dracula spoke. "Dragoste is not dead, as you may think. She is alive, in a matter of speaking." Chipeº looked up at Dracula questionably.
"She's alive? But you told me she was dead!" Chipeº lunged at Dracula in anger, but Dracula reached out his finger and caught him under the chin. Chipeº stood still and stayed under the control of Dracula.
"I said she was technically not alive, but she isn't dead either. Two different things. You should listen more carefully to what people say to you, Chipeº." replied Dracula. He was smiling.
"What shall we do with them, Master?" asked Joseline. She was looking at the humans hungrily.
"Bring the girls to the red room, but bring our Keeper to the cells down below." replied Dracula. The unknown vampire grabbed Chipeº by the collar of his shirt and pulled him out of sight down the stairs to the right.
"No! No, you can't do this! I helped you! I gave to you what you needed! Let me see Dragoste! Please!" the boy was struggling.
"Verona, on second thought, do let Chipeº see his dearly beloved, it might be more painful for him. And yes, Chipeº, you have provided me and my brides with what we needed for the past year, but you have failed me in bringing two live humans. We cannot let them go free with you. That was part of the contract... Remember?" said Dracula. Verona smiled, turned and dragged Chipeº up the staircase past Dracula.
Michelle could see through the keyhole Aleera and Joseline coming towards her with the two prisoners in front of them. Michelle backed away from the door and sat down on the red velvet couch, pretending like it was a surprise when the two girls came in followed closely behind by the vampires.
The girls were pushed to the ground and the vampires disappeared back through the door. Michelle went to help them up but they pulled away and got up themselves, hurrying away from her.
"Who are you? Are you a vampire?" asked Narumi. She was scared and Michelle was repulsed that this girl thought she was a vampire.
"No! I'm a prisoner, just like you." replied Michelle. Michelle sat back down on the sofa and looked down at her lap.
"Oh... Sorry. How long have you been here." asked Narumi. She sat across from Michelle now in the armchair. She couldn't find it comfortable like Dracula did so she moved to a smaller sofa not far away. The smaller girl followed.
"A week, if not more. But my sisters are going to save me. So I don't have to worry." Michelle put on a smile and looked at the two girls. They looked at each other and smirked.
"So then why are you here?" asked the smaller girl. She didn't look like she was too young, and like the boy, Michelle couldn't tell her age.
"I was kidnapped, apparently because of my sister. But I don't know why. So... What is a Keeper?" asked Michelle. Narumi leaned back with a smile on her freckled face.
"So you were listening ,eh? Well... A Keeper is..." Narumi paused. She didn't look like she wanted to talk anymore so The smaller girl took up the talking.
"A Keeper is a person who is in leagues with Dracula. There are only seven towns with Keepers. Chipeº apparently was the Keeper of Bran-Brasov, a city just south of here. A Keeper decides who will be taken as food for Dracula and his Brides. The Keeper secludes them from the town and somehow contacts the vampires of his accomplishment. The vampires come and feed. In return Dracula will not attack any of the residences that are not chosen by the Keeper, so his family and friends are safe, or so we thought." The girl was a good talker. She was leaning forwards with a grim expression.
"Why do you say 'or so we thought'? What happened?" asked Michelle.
"We followed Chipeº, wondering what he was up to. He was keeping from the town for a while, ever since his lover Dragoste had disappeared. We didn't know he was the Keeper. We had noticed he had several strangers with him. Apparently he led them out and soon four flying beasts came down from the sky and carried them up. They came back around, bodies gone, and took us too, along with Chipeº. And here we are now." said Narumi.
"Oh." said Michelle. She never heard of Keepers before. She wondered who would volunteer to help Dracula in the murder of others, but then she realized that she herself would do anything to save her family, or what was left of them. So why would the boy Chipeº be any different. He had simply made a mistake, that may cause harm to ones other than himself.
"So how do you know Chipeº?" asked Michelle.
"I was one of Dragoste's best friends. Chelsea here is her little sister." replied Narumi. Chelsea yawned and leaned back on the couch. They didn't seem as panicky as before.
They didn't talk after that. Apparently they had to think about what might happen next. Little did they know that the outcome of their futures were riding with three travellers making their way upwards on three bays towards the menacing castle of Dracula.