After the meeting was adjourned.

Maxwell went to the secret chamber to check on his beautiful prisoner. He was craving for her intoxicating blood. Her blood can give him a different high. He had tasted different kinds of human blood all his life, including animal blood, yet Ivy's blood is the best of them all.

There's something unique about her blood.

He entered the secret chamber and instructed Zonora to leave the room.

The slave exited the room and closed the door behind her.

Maxwell watched his most prized human prisoner Ivy, staring at the view outside the window.

He specifically made an illusion of a beautiful garden of flowers outside the window to cheer her up.

"How is your day, Ivy?" he asked her.

Ivy tore her eyes away from the window and looked at the source of the voice. She looked at his handsome face with disgust. This vampire creature and his brothers have been feeding on her blood a lot of times that she can remember. She was wondering why she's still alive until now?

"I want to get out of this room! I want to go home!" she demanded.

Maxwell sighed.

"The earlier you accept the fact that you can never get out of this castle alive, the sooner the better. But don't worry, if my plan succeeds, I might be able to get you out alive from here as long you cooperate with me," he winked at her.

Ivy's eyes brightened. "Tell me... what do you want me to do, as long I can go home safely I will follow your order," she said.

Maxwell shrugged. He was just lying. The truth is... now that he found her and tasted her blood, he will never let her go. He was planning to make her his woman and his wife for eternity.

After he can resurrect his father and bring him back to life, they can finally break free from the curse of the castle, at last.

Then...

He and Ivy will travel the world.

During that time, he will gather all the vampires scattered all over the world and wage war on the Nephilim realm. He won't rest until he can execute his revenge on those winged creatures, they are the sole reason why they were being imprisoned inside the castle for a thousand years.

"My dear Ivy, you will know your great contribution to our cause of getting our freedom back from this castle soon. But right now, I can't let you go, because even if I wanted to, you will die early if I set you free and what a waste of life you had," he explained.

Ivy broke down in tears in front of the vampire. Her face was swarmed with tears. She had no idea how many days had passed since her imprisonment inside the room. The scenery outside the window is always sunny, there's no darkness. She realized long ago that the beautiful scenery was just an illusion. The darkness always resides in her room, even the lights she had in her room are the ones produced by the candles that never dies.

"I wanted to go outside! I need fresh air, please, Maxwell, let me see the outside of this room!" she begged. She wanted to see what's outside the room so that she can plan her escape.

"I'm sorry dear, the outside of this room is dangerous. Many creatures are hiding in the dark ready to devour such an appetizing human like you. I put you here inside the room for your safety. I hope you understand why I have to do this," Maxwell elaborated, trying to convince her that putting her inside the room was for her best interest.

He lowered himself into the bed and patted the area beside him. "Come here, sit beside me. I'm getting thirsty for your blood. I want to sink my fangs into your skin and drink your blood. Hurry up!" he commanded.

"No!" Ivy refused to obey his order. She remained rooted on the spot.

Maxwell grinned. "You should know by now that I can drink your blood anytime... if I wanted to... whether you like it or not!" he spoke angrily.

Ivy didn't move an inch.

Maxwell sighed and rose to his feet. He directed his right hand to the stubborn woman and used his power to put her in a trance.

Ivy's feet moved on their own accord towards the bed.

Maxwell scooped the submissive woman in his arms and put her in the bed. He holds her left arm hungrily and sank his fangs on her skin.

Ivy groaned, feeling the pain. She tried to push the vampire away using her right hand but her arm isn't cooperating, to put it precisely, she's not in control of her body. She feels weak and useless. She closed her eyes and endured the pain, she was hoping that the bloodthirsty vampire will finish drinking her blood quickly so that he will leave the room.

A few minutes later.

Maxwell was done feeding on Ivy's addicting blood. He stared at the woman lying on the bed. A single tear escaped from Ivy's right eye. He knew she was crying inside. He wiped her tear with his thumb.

"Sleep well, my dear," he said softly and left the room.

~~~0~~~

Esmeralda appeared out of the blue outside the wooden house. She saw the girl sitting in the trunk of the golden tree.

Kate saw her benefactor appeared like a flash of light. She ran to her side. "Granny... how's the meeting?" she asked.

Esmeralda released a deep sigh. "Not good. Everyone is asking for more humans for their food consumption..." she answered.

"Huh? You mean those monsters in the pit want to be feed with more human?" Kate asked, eyes wide with horror.

"Yes...If I give in to their demands the nearest village including the place where you Aunt and your sister will be rid of humans."

Kate's heart was struck with dread. "No! Please don't do that, Granny! Don't feed my fellow villagers into the pit especially my Aunt and sister!" she pleaded.

Esmeralda was shaking her head.

For many years, she instructed the centaur people living in the thick forest to raise animals to help sustain the monsters' survival in the forest as a supplement so that human sacrifices will be limited to a few lives only.

But now they want more...

Based on her calculations, they would be killing each other in the pit due to lack of food, unfortunately, they found a way to reproduce and managed to survive with little food ration they got every month.

"Granny, instead of humans, why don't you feed them with animals or plants?" Kate suggested.

Esmeralda shrugged.

"We're already feeding them animals ever since...unfortunately they don't like plants... but then the animals raised by the centaurs in the forest below and were given to them every month are not enough. I'm trying to feed them a handful of humans every month, but as always they aren't satisfied with their share. They want more!"

A brilliant idea popped up on Kate's mind. "Granny, I have a good suggestion to end your problem with those monsters!"

Esmeralda smiled. "What is it, do tell me!"

Kate looked at the old woman intensely in the eyes. "Kill them all, Granny! You are powerful, you can end their sufferings. Why don't you just annihilate them all and your problem will be solved!" she suggested smugly.

Esmeralda shook her head. "It doesn't work like that, Kate," she said sadly.

Kate's face darkened. "But why? They are bad creatures, they will kill humans mercilessly. Don't tell me — you would rather save them and continue feeding them animals and humans every month just to keep them alive? I don't understand that stupid kind of logic, Granny!" she said indignantly.

Esmeralda took a deep breath. "Things here are not as simple as you think..." she said to silence her.

Kate was deeply saddened by the old woman's refusal to annihilate the monsters living in the pit.

Esmeralda took a step towards the house. "I'm going to rest in my room. Don't disturb me," she said and continue walking.

Kate watched as the old woman entered the wooden door and disappeared inside.

She looked heavenward and blew an air of exasperation.

She felt useless and hopeless.

There's nothing she can do but stay beside granny for as long as she lives.

Although she is not a prisoner, granny's place is small, she had limited freedom to roam around. She can't go out and leave the place because there is danger hidden everywhere.

Now she knows that the creatures living in the dense forest below are the Centaur race, they are creatures with the upper body of a man and the lower body and legs of a horse.

She walked slowly towards the edge of the floating piece of land, wanting to see below if she can spot a centaur.

She's getting closer to the edge.... she halted on her steps and took a peek below...but all of a sudden a strong gush of wind blow in her direction knocking off her feet making her lose her balance and she plummeted down... falling rapidly into the forest below...

Kate screamed for help. "Grannyyyyyyyyyyyyy... helpppppp... meeeeeee!"

She closed her eyes awaiting death.