Chapter Seventeen
Sebastian led Daphne through the mansion's main entrance and down a corridor. Then they entered a room where a woman in her early forties with greying blonde hair and blue eyes was waiting for them. To Sebastian and the other men there, she was known as the Dressmaker. The Dressmaker looked directly at Sebastian, unimpressed.
"You are to wait outside," the Dressmaker said sharply.
"I'm sorry," Sebastian said quickly, closing the door behind him.
The Dressmaker looked at Daphne sharply.
"Take off your clothes," the Dressmaker said. "I haven't got all day,"
"How about you ask me politely first?" Daphne asked back, offended. "I don't like being spoken to like that,"
The Dressmaker walked closer to her. Daphne found her intimidating, but she was determined to stand her ground.
"Do you have any idea how important this gathering is?" the Dressmaker asked.
"Y-Y-Yes," Daphne said nervously.
"Then stop wasting my time, take off your clothes and put on the dress on the rack behind me," the Dressmaker said.
Daphne looked at the dress and saw it was a blood-red evening gown. What troubled Daphne the most was that it was designed to show more cleavage than she was comfortable showing.
"A-A-Are you sure that's the dress you want me to wear?" Daphne asked.
"Are you sure you want to be the next Queen of Gemonia?" the Dressmaker asked sharply. "Stop wasting my time and take off your clothes,"
Feeling uncomfortable, Daphne removed her dress and kept her bra and underwear on. Then she reached for the dress, but the Dressmaker grabbed Daphne's right hand.
"I told you to take off your clothes," the Dressmaker said. "Remove your bra,"
"I really don't want to," Daphne replied quickly.
The Dressmaker let go of Daphne's hand and grabbed her shoulders so Daphne could face her. The Dressmaker studied Daphne's face carefully.
"I know for a fact that you've met Queen Gemonia," the Dressmaker said. "Do you know how much power she carries in this country?"
Daphne began to shake a little.
"T-T-This is my first time here," Daphne admitted nervously.
"You may be next in line for the throne, but you're a guest in this country, and guests need to learn to do what they're fucking told!" the Dressmaker shouted.
She let go of Daphne's shoulders, and Daphne took off her bra. Then Daphne put on the dress quickly. As predicted, the dress showed plenty of cleavage, but it prevented some movement like a bra would.
"Now, was that so difficult?" the Dressmaker asked sarcastically.
"N-N-No," Daphne replied nervously.
"Then get out there and enjoy the party," the Dressmaker said as she opened the door.
As Daphne walked out of the room as fast as she could, she wondered if a life of royalty was worth it. Sebastian was waiting down the hall, wearing a suit and mask.
"You look beautiful," Sebastian said. "But then again, you always do,"
Daphne looked at Sebastian closer and realised he was wearing dark blue contact lenses, just like all the other men.
"Why are you wearing contact lenses?" Daphne asked.
"It's part of the gathering," Sebastian said. "Now, are you ready to meet some friends of mine?"
Daphne was far from ready, but she knew she had an obligation to be the perfect guest.
"Sure," she lied.
"Excellent," Sebastian replied before looking at ten other men staring at Daphne the entire time she entered the room. "Harrison, Mark, George, Steven, Michael, Christopher, Robert, Jack, Chris and Al, this is Daphne Blake,"
As they all rushed forward to shake her and make small talk, Daphne looked at the dates of these men, and all the women had blonde hair, either professionally or unprofessionally done. Daphne was familiar with the phrase that blondes have more fun, but as all these men were creepy, she couldn't see any truth to that expression.
XXXXX
Following the initial meet and greet, the dinner conditions worsened. Most of the time, Daphne sat at the dinner table, and the men stared at her and spent little time conversing with their dates. Daphne looked at Sebastian, concerned that he wasn't doing anything about it.
"Sebastian," Daphne said quickly. "Your friends are staring at me,"
"It's probably because you're so beautiful," Sebastian said dismissively.
Daphne sighed impatiently.
"No, I don't think that's it," Daphne said, annoyed. "None of your friends are smiling at me. They're just starting at me like they're imagining me naked,"
Sebastian sighed dismissively.
"It's just the way they are," Sebastian said. "Pay no attention,"
"That's easy for you to say when you're not the one being stared at," Daphne replied.
Sebastian placed his cutlery on the table hard.
"Daphne, this is a very important dinner and drink up," Sebastian said. "The night hasn't even gotten started yet,"
Frustrated that her concerns were being ignored, Daphne drank up. Considering the position she was in, she needed a stiff drink. Sebastian felt she needed something more.
XXXXX
Because all the phones were monitored within the Royal Palace, Mrs Blake knew she couldn't make a private call to her husband. Even her cell phone could be monitored. To deal with this, Mrs Blake found a telephone booth downtown and prayed the Royal Family didn't bug it. She hoped she got the time difference right when she called her husband. A moment later, Mr Blake answered the phone.
"Hello," Mr Blake said.
"It's me," Mrs Blake replied.
Mr Blake smiled.
"Hello darling," Mr Blake said. "How's Gemonia?"
"It's beautiful, but I need to know if you've got the money yet for the campaign yet," Mrs Blake replied.
"Not yet, but I'm sure it'll be in my account soon," Mr Blake said. "Why do you ask?"
"I don't trust Sebastian with our daughter," Mrs Blake said.
Mr Blake sighed.
"I don't trust him either, but we've got to," Mr Blake said. "In the long run, it'll be worth it,"
"It better be because he's making a slut out of our little girl," Mrs Blake replied.
XXXXX
Before the dessert was served, Daphne began to feel dizzy and had difficulty falling forward. As she looked around at the other women at the table, she realised that all the other women were also struggling to keep themselves from falling forward onto the table. Then Daphne the expressions of all the men. They were smiling, and a few were even laughing. Realising the horrific truth, Daphne turned to Sebastian, who was also smiling.
"Jeepers!" Daphne said weakly. "Why…have you…drugged us?"
The effect of the drug kicked in, and her head fell forward onto the table, but Daphne didn't become unconscious. The Men stood up and draped their dates over their right shoulders so their heads faced forward. She never felt so scared and betrayed as Sebastian draped Daphne over his right shoulder.
"Sebastian," Daphne said weakly. "I thought…you…loved me,"
Sebastian said nothing as he and the other men walked into a basement where chains were on the floor, and shower heads were dangling from the ceiling. There was someone in the basement they were all expecting: A vampire known as The Man.
"Welcome, ladies and gentlemen," the Man said. "Everyone here will be tested in due time to see if you're worthy to join the ranks of my league of vampires. Your Royal Highness, will you please come forward?"
Sebastian walked to the Man.
"Did you bring Daphne Blake?" the Man asked.
"Yes, I did," Sebastian replied proudly.
The Man grabbed Daphne's cheeks with his right hand and lifted her to see her face. Even in her drugged state, Daphne was scared of the Man.
"Ah yes," the Man said reflectively. "I remember coming to your school seven years ago when you were ten years old when I gave a lesson about vampires, and you were the only one that was receptive,"
"What?" Daphne asked, confused.
"I'm sorry for the way you were punished by your mother back then, and I would love you to become one of us, but you're still too young," the Man said. "When you're older, you will become one of us, and you won't remember this conversation,"
The Man's eyes glowed red, and Daphne fell asleep. Then the Man looked at Sebastian.
"You may do with her as you wish," the Man said.
Sebastian couldn't believe what he was hearing.
"Wait a second," Sebastian said. "You told me to go to Coolsville as an exchange student, form a relationship with Daphne, get her to come here, and you would make me a vampire as well,"
"Your Highness, you will become a vampire, too, when the time is right," the Man said. "But until then, you have a little growing up to do, and like I said, you can do with Daphne as you wish,"
Without saying another word, the Man turned around and began talking to the other men. Frustrated that the Man wasn't going to start the process of becoming a vampire that night, Sebastian took Daphne to the nearest set of chains and lowered her onto the floor.