章 9: Chapter 9: The Lesser of Two Monsters

Casey weaved through the crowd of people, careful not to spill any blood from the glasses she carried on her special dress.

The second dress Lavinia gave her, this one was a deep red and left her neck and shoulders bare. She had been unsure about it but Lavinia insisted, stating that there was no time to make another.

Now, she wove through the loud, dark room lit only in red and full of mingling people. When Lavinia said they would be going to a vampiric party, Casey expected elegance and refined lawn parties at night. Perhaps a ball room. She very much did not expect a club to be the location of the party.

It seemed to be a safe space for people who were part of the hidden world. As she wove toward her mistress, she saw vampires but there were far more strange people that Casey would be asking about later. She also saw other servants.

Everywhere she turned, people covered in scars shadowed their vampiric masters. Some in worse shape than other.

Casey passed people who knelt at the feet of their master. Some were dressed extravagantly. Some wore almost nothing. Some bore scars of not just bites, but beatings too. It was terrifying and disgusting. Most had tired, restrained looks. Casey could only assume they hid fear.

Lavina never treated her like that. Sure, she owned her and was harsh sometimes, but she never beat Casey or tried to force her to do anything.

Casey shivered.

The masters of those people were sadistic.

That was not to say all the servants seemed miserable. Some sat beside their vampire and some even were having amicable conversations with them. It seemed some enjoyed their lives.

That was all too evident as Casey reached the alcove containing couches and a few tables where Lavinia sat with a small crowd of people.

A woman who seemed to be in her mid thirties had her mouth wrapped around the neck of a man who lay across her lap, giving her better access. He was smiling softly, eyes closed, seemingly content.

Lavinia, in a black dress cut much too high on her hip, turned to Casey. It was quieter here so Casey had little trouble hearing her when she spoke.

“There you are.” Lavinia’s mouth turned up slightly. “I was worried you had gotten lost.”

Casey handed a flute glass to Lavinia first. “I’m sorry, mistress.” She made a half-assed bow. “There was some wait.” She moved to the couch opposite Lavinia, next to a woman beside the pair who were feasting.

She was shorter than Lavinia, and her voice was high as a bird's chirp. “Thank you…Casey, was it?”

Once the flute had left Casey’s hand, the woman pulled Casey down onto her lap. “Liv, you’ve caught such a cute little mouse.” She smelled Casey who began struggling to get up.

The woman’s grip only tightened on Casey’s wrist.

“Elizabeth.” Lavinia’s voice carried across the gap, dangerous and sharp. Casey looked at her master and found her stock still. Her eyes never strayed to Casey.

The woman’s small fingers danced over Casey’s shoulder and slid along her neck. “Come now, don’t tell me you keep her locked away just so she can be all yours.” The fingers stopped abruptly.

Elizabeth’s gaze turned on Casey, who struggled again. Her hand grasped Casey’s face. “Now, now, little mouse. I won’t hurt you.”

She turned Casey’s head this way and that, studying her. Her eyes widened and she looked at Lavinia and smiled. “Liv.” She chuckled. “She isn’t yours, is she?”

Lavinia only stared. Casey stayed very still. The gaze Lavinia gave Elizabeth was truly terrifying. Her features remained neutral, but her eyes were filled with fire. She flicked her gaze to Casey and the girl saw fear slide across her features briefly.

Elizabeth gasped. “She isn’t!” she cackled. “You haven’t bitten her yet?” Casey was so confused but the mention of being bitten turned her blood to ice.

Lavinia hadn’t tried to bite her since that first night and had never brought it up. Casey had almost forgotten.

Elizabeth’s hand grazed Casey’s cheek, cold as winter. “Poor, little thing. Unclaimed. Cast adrift in such a scary world.” She nudged Casey’s face until she was looking into Elizabeth’s eyes. “I suppose anyone could claim you, couldn’t they?”

Glass shattered as Lavinia stood, dropping her glass. “You forget yourself.”

Casey could hear anger rising in her master’s throat.

Elizabeth laughed and it was at that moment that Casey decided to make a break for it. She ended up squirming out of the woman’s lap but couldn’t find her feet, resulting in her landing on her hands and knees. She hissed in pain as one hand landed on a piece of glass.

Elizabeth got to her feet. “Oh my!” she mocked.

Lavinia reached down for Casey but Elizabeth ended up being victorious. Standing between the two vampires, who were glaring daggers at each other, Casey was terrified.

Elizabeth turned her gaze to Casey.

“Little mouse,” Elizabeth put on a scolding tone, “you’ve cut yourself.” She raised Casey’s palm and pulled the piece of glass from it. Casey hissed again. She was not gentle about it.

Casey could hear her heart in her ears as she watched her palm begin to slowly fill with blood. Elizabeth touched her palm before raising it to Lavinia. “Here, better late than never, hmm?”

Lavinia pulled her head back slightly. That being said, she inhaled deeply and glanced at Casey’s palm. “You will never touch Casey again.” Her hand gently touched Casey’s shoulder. “Am I understood?”

Casey shied toward Lavinia, getting as close as possible to the apparent safety of her mistress. Elizabeth smiled and sucked the blood off of her finger.

“She isn’t yours, Liv.” She closed the distance. Casey turned, not wanting to put her back to the woman. “She isn’t anyone’s.” She smiled. “But she could be.” She touched Casey’s arm.

Lavinia tightened her grip on Casey’s shoulder. Casey heard Lavinia’s breath deepen. “Elizabeth, I’ll only tell you once. Don’t.”

Elizabeth seemed not to care or not to hear. “Come with me, little mouse. I’ll-”

Casey felt a sharp pain in her shoulder, where it became her neck, and yelped in both surprise and pain. She felt Lavinia’s mouth, warm and sharp, as it wrapped around her. Something warm trickled down her back. Lavinia’s grip tightened to the point of pain as she held Casey still.

Lavinia bit me, Casey thought before her vision swirled and she fainted.

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