Chapter 4

We Are Thankful

We began by having a long drawn out lecture from Isis about the training itself and how the following years would be designed to shape us into suitable vessels of worship for the Dark Lords.

At the age of ten we were still considered too young to be used for purposes such as bloodletting. Isis explained that we as humans are merely cattle to the vampires, but in that respect they also needed us so they would treat us well. We were their very life lines. We were the cattle who waited eagerly for their throats to be cut. Isis explained that we would not be used for bloodletting until we reached the age of sixteen, for if we were used for our true purpose any earlier than that it would kill us within hours.

"It is their duty as our Gods to help us sustain ourselves, for we sustain them."

Our duties for now would be simple; we would help the older girls with their duties. We would be the ones to clean the blood from our masters' chambers (but only when they were not present). We would gather food for the worshippers and perform menial tasks for the benefit of those older than ourselves. Our duties would be monotonous and simple but there would be many. These two years of our lives would be to teach us discipline and to help us forget any luxury we had known before. This would be all we knew until we reached the age of twelve.

Isis' voiced became stern as the subject of punishment arose.

"If you displease anyone who is above your station then you will be punished. Your elders have the right to beat you for your behaviour and if your behaviour offends the Gods themselves, then you will be put before the Matriarch and she will decide your fate." I did not like the sound of that, so I decided that I would be on my best behaviour, if I never saw that vile creature again I would be happy. I hoped she couldn't hear my thoughts from where I was.

When all seven of us were the age of twelve, if we were still alive at that point Isis explained softly then our roles would change. We would become maids to the concubines, watch them perform their tasks, we would assist them with their make-up, their hair, their clothing and in doing so we would see what we were working hard to become. The official name for it was a 'Follower'.

We would spend four years learning from the feet of those we served as well as being taught other more elaborate things. Our schooling in dance, song and grace would begin here. This would continue until we were sixteen. Only then would we be ready to emerge from the darkness of the tunnels and serve our masters, as concubines.

However, if we performed our duties to the Gods exceptionally well, then we would once again be upgraded to the level of Higher Concubine. A prestigious role within the hierarchy.

"Not all worshippers are used for concubinage, only certain selected females are taken for this reason. We are worshippers, but we give them something else other than our blood, we are the next level of devotion." Isis did not elaborate on these details and I wondered what else we could possibly give the Gods that they would want, and why were only females selected for this?

"We are here to serve them and no others, that is your purpose from now on. Your bodies will be used for to sustain them and for their enjoyment, therefore your body must become your art and you must care for it. When you reach the desired age you will become a true worshipper, you will be used to sustain the Gods and you will be thankful that they have chosen you."

From here, Isis told us where we should go to perform our duties and we set off to start our new lives as base servants for the next two years.

I quickly went to my bedchamber and searched through my satchel. Mother had thought ahead for she had placed a piece of fabric in one of my shoes which I used to push my hair back from my face, it would be easier to work like that. I wrapped the band around my head and threw my hair back. I began to walk back when something struck me, something that Isis had said earlier that I hadn't taken in previously.

"Always present yourself as humble. You are here to serve them, and you are happy to be here." I was happy to be an apprentice worshipper; it was what I'd always wanted to be, but now the words I had used to comfort Thea suddenly seemed very empty. The future Isis described was so distant to me as a ten year old.

For the over a year I wandered through the Sanctuary performing my duties. I was often called upon to attend a bed chamber of one of the vampire Lords. These chambers were not used all of the time, only when they requested the attention of one of their concubines. I still did not know the meaning of that word. I was always careful to avoid the chambers if there was any evidence that one of the vampires was there, I had made that mistake once before and the beating I received from both Lord Zephon and his concubine were not easily forgotten, and neither was the image of what they were doing as I entered.

Today I had been called to the bed chamber of Turel. I carried a mop and bucket with me and several rags thrown over my shoulder to soak up the excess water. Another lesson soon learnt was not to leave the floors wet. Sophia's hand had been broken after she had left a small puddle in Lord Melchiah's chamber. He had threatened to cut the skin from her back to replace his scorched flesh but she had run away, tripped over her own feet and Melchiah had crushed her outstretched hand with his cloven foot, simply to have the pleasure of hearing her scream.

I was starting to tire of this. I felt as if I was constantly trying my best to please my elders and my masters but they would only hurt me and my friends. It seemed like so long ago that I'd had a full meal and my twelfth birthday was still so far away. Strangely we were never brought before the Matriarch; it seemed to me that the vampires would rather punish us themselves. Everything was starting to seem hopeless, despite my best efforts to tell myself that things would only get better. I wondered if this was the future my parents had been visualised for me after they'd sent me here smiling.

I reached the chamber and pressed my ear against the door. There were no sounds from inside, but that was not enough to convince me that the vampire was not there so I knocked as hard as I could against it. Nothing. I decided that I should take the chance and pushed the heavy door with all my might.

It was a horrific scene, but then I had come to expect that from the vampires. The white walls were covered in drying blood. That did not bother me, but what always got to me were the hand prints, human and vampire alike. There was something about it that I hated. The blood on the walls would be easily removed. The bed however... the blue silky sheets were drenched in gore.

Why did they have to use the bed? Every time! What was so good about using the bed? Did they all do the things Zephon did? Ew! I shuddered at the thought. I placed the mop and bucket out of the way and made for the bed. I stripped the sheets, finding pieces of flesh and long strands of hair in the folds. It was a gruesome process, my dress would be ruined yet again but I had no other way of moving the sheets. I lifted the load into my arms and proceeded to walk out of the room.

I had not been able to see over the mountain of washing and hit something which caused me to drop everything and fall to my backside. It hurt more than I thought it would.

"Filthy creature!" I looked up to see a young woman with enviable straight blonde hair standing above me, her pretty dress had bloodstains on it, I must've bumped straight into her with my gory load. There was murder in her eyes as she looked at me. Her name was Dinah, she was a higher concubine and her mood swings were well known to everyone, she of all of the concubines had a reputation of being particularly fond of beating the child servants.

"I'm so sorry," I pleaded, "I didn't see you there."

"How dare you speak back to me!" She raised her hand and slapped me with the back part so her knuckles met my cheek bone. I cried out.

"Dinah?" a voice called out, I clutched the side of my face and looked in the direction the voice had come from. It had been so long since I'd laid eyes upon him that I had forgotten his beauty.

"Raziel, this thing," she pointed at me "Look at me, my dress is ruined. This filthy little thing has spoiled my dress. You should punish her for this."

Raziel walked towards us and looked down at me; I quickly looked at the floor. I knew that my beating was coming, so I would not anger him further by looking at him.

"Dinah, you look stunning, in fact the blood suits you." He reassured her. She only huffed at his compliment, "head to the chamber, Dinah. I shall join you shortly." Dinah spat at me before heading away from us, stomping her feet like a spoilt child.

I could've cried. I had waited so long to finally meet Raziel again and here I was, covered in blood, dirt and now saliva, with tangled hair, surrounded by these filthy sheets. This was not how I'd wanted him to see me.

But instead of the expected beating, Raziel looked over his shoulder to make sure Dinah was out of sight and then offered me his hand.

"Come on" he said, "You're not hurt. I can tell." I looked at his clawed hand and slowly reached for it, once I had hold he lifted me to my feet. I looked at the floor and began to gather the things I'd dropped, "Look at me," he said softly.

Oh no! If I blush, I will just die of embarrassment, I thought. I raised my eyes to meet his. His features were perfect; he was even more beautiful than I remembered. My memories had obviously not done him justice.

And then he did the most unexpected thing. He knelt in front of me and looked into my eyes. I had not realised that his eyes were golden before.

"Those eyes? You were one of the girls from the citadel. One of the chosen seven," I stared at him in disbelief.

He remembers me? I think I stopped breathing at this point. He was talking to me, he was acknowledging me. I had never felt so important.

"What is your name?" he asked.

I felt like my mouth would seal up and I struggled even with the first letter.

"A..a...ana...stasia. Anastasia... my Lord." I could feel the blood rushing to my face and I wished that I could turn away.

"Anastasia? That's a nice name." He was smiling at me now.

Oh Gods, now I really am blushing.

"Tell me, Anastasia. When will you reach the age of sixteen?"

"Not for five years my Lord but I will soon become a Follower though, in another eight months." He nodded at my response.

"Do you know who you are to be given to once you come of age?"

I looked into his eyes, puzzled by his question, "I don't understand, My Lord…" a small laugh escaped his dark lips.

"Never mind," he checked over his shoulder again and rose to his feet, "I'll leave you to your duties, Anastasia." He gave me one last friendly smile and turned away, walking down the corridor to his bed chamber, to where his concubine surely waited.

I stood there, dumbstruck for what seemed like ages. I could not find it in myself to move from that point in case I suddenly woke up to find that none of it had happened. I started to cough and realised that I had indeed held my breath. My stomach was leaping around inside of me. I think a smile was gradually creeping across my face; I had not smiled for months.

I quickly picked up the bloodstained sheets and ran through the corridors back to the human chambers. I placed the sheets in the room where the washing was being done and threw them in there, I received puzzled looks from the girls who were in there already and as I ran back to gather the sheets I stopped briefly and entered a small chamber, upon the far wall was a painted image of Kain and surrounding his figure were the insignias of his lieutenants. At his feet the wall was a mix of red and brown from drying blood stains upon it. I knelt before the image and silently prayed my thanks to him for this wonderful moment. I began picking at the flaking skin on my bottom lip, suddenly I was very glad that I had not had much to drink as the skin came away in painful little strips until eventually my lip began to bleed. I pushed my hand to my mouth and tried my best to cover it in my blood, I even squeezed my lip to stimulate it more. When my hand was adequately covered, I pressed my palm to the wall and wiped my fresh blood over the other sacrifices offered here in prayer. This was only a small church, and only attended by slaves like myself who did not get the opportunity to appease the Gods personally, but right now it was enough. I thanked Kain again before I rushed from the room back to Turel's bedchamber.

The smile did not leave my face as I scrubbed the floors and climbed onto the furniture to reach the blood on the walls. I did not stop smiling as I retrieved new sheets and placed them upon the bed. The room was spotless and bone dry by the time I'd finished, the bed looked as if it had never been used.

My enthusiasm had returned at last, I wanted to be the best I could again.

Maybe Lord Turel will tell Raziel that his maid has done a good job and Raziel will request my services. This thought excited me more than anything and even as I ran past Raziel's bed chamber with my mop and bucket the sound of Dinah's low moans did not bring me down. I did not know what they were doing in there; all I knew was that I wanted Raziel to do it to me.