She lead me by the hand through dimly hit halls, ornate and fanciful. The floors were well carved wood, black as night. Over them were carpets that where clearly worth more than my entire apartment complex. The halls themselves were crafted from the same metal of the castle itself.

On the surface the place seemed almost homely, welcoming, yet there was something about it that sent warnings down my spine. I tried to open my mouth to speak, to question what was happening and where I was, but a single angelic finger met my lips before I could even put the words together.

"Hush, pet." I shivered in pleasure at her words, and at the power they had over me.

It was strange. I knew something was wrong, I knew that this was all beyond my understanding, but I could not bring myself to argue. I couldn't bear the thought of refusing any desire she had, knowingly or otherwise. Things only grew stranger as we moved deeper and deeper into the castle.

We passed a banquet hall, where dozens of beautiful people danced just too quickly, and to the sound of music just too high pitched. Men and women dressed in clothing straight from the Renaissance looked at me in amusement as she led me past them and down another hallway. Thirteen guards garbed in blackest plate moved in unison as we passed them by, bringing their right arms over their hearts in salute. Twelve against both walls, staring across from each other, and one by the door.

I slowed as my eyes met one of the guards own, pale blue and stilted like a cats, he wheezed quietly at my passing. I looked back to her in time to catch a smile.

"Almost, Donovan." She said it with a hint of amusement even as my head tilted at the word. I don't remember telling her my name, but I must have. Of all the oddities I've noticed, the most distressing was that she hadn't told me hers. Still, I did not speak.

At the end of the hall a door waited for us, and a garland of roses hung over and around its border. It opened, and she guided me into a bedroom I could only imagine belonged to her. Red carpeting, embroidered with images of battle and horror that almost seemed real. The same black iron walls, and in the center of the room a bed with soft white sheets.

The angel who had stolen my will looked back to the guards with a smirk. "I am not to be disturbed until the celebrations are well underway. Tell my love only if he asks directly."

My shoulders slumped at her words. Love? There was someone she loved? "Who is your love?" The honest hurt I felt was enough to make me defy her wishes.

Her head whipped to me in an instant, honest confusion striking her face."Not a word." My mouth closed with an audible click. It didn't matter anyway. I could show her my worth, and I would not have to hear of any other love but my own. I nearly laughed at my own thoughts.

I hadn't believed in the concept of love at first sight before now, but it was with all the certainty in the world that I believed in it now. It was all consuming, Shakespearean in a way. She had given me a reason to live in the few moments we had together. My life had been empty for months now, and in a few short minutes, nearly an hour, she had turned it all around so fiercely it was impossible for me to ignore.

Even in the haze I was slowly starting to recognize around my mind I knew it to be true.

The guard nodded, stepping back and allowing her to close the door with the sound of something locking. She stepped into me a moment later, drawing me into a kiss and lightly pushing me towards the bed, when I reached its foot she stepped away. "Take off your shirt." she breathed.

I nearly tore it off in my desperation to comply. Her eyes looked over my chest in a moment, before looking back into my own. She made tsked at me after a moment. My heart dropped at the sound. The handful of women I had spent time with never complained before. Sure I was no superstar, but I was lucky enough to be somewhat attractive without the kind of effort some people had to put into it.

I used to be proud of that, but now I could only wish I had done more for myself.

"No matter." She sighed. I let out a breath of relief as her hands went behind her back, tugging at the knot that held up her dress. I found myself waiting and watching as she slowly peeled the dress off. There was no preamble or hesitation, only agonizing slowness and an ocean of anticipation within me.

It was even more than I had imagined, Long, perfect legs leading up to a toned stomach and a pair of perfect breasts. She took a step forward, laying her hands on my shoulders. With a smile she lightly pushed me, and I toppled on top of the bed. I didn't move, only watching as she crawled easily on top of me. She laid a kiss on my cheek before sitting up with a sly smile.

"Have you ever been with a woman like me?" I was confused for a moment, before I caught the mocking tone. She already knew I hadn't, she just wanted to bask in it.

"Never." How could I have? Every other woman I had met, seen, even heard of paled in comparison.

She smiled, before a pout came over her. "Do you love me?" I nodded. "Would you die for me?"

"Yes." I didn't even hesitate. I would die for her, a thousand times if I had to. Her smile grew for a moment, before it fell away into a pout. She leaned into me, whispering into my ear.

"Then why did you ignore me? Pass me over for someone so mundane?" I tilted my head. Trying to remember what had happend when I first saw her.

"Ignore you?" Had I? It was the wrong thing to say. Her thumbs, once trailing lightly around my shoulders, buried themselves in my flesh. I grunted, managing only to gasp out some air as her thumbs dug deeper into my shoulders.

"Yes. Ignore me, now why did you ignore me? Am I not perfect, everything you could ever dream of?" She snarled at me, her eyes growing black as she spoke. Even then she was beautiful.

"I-" I grunted as her fingers dug deeper. "-I couldn't find a way to catch your attention over the others. I needed you to look to me, and I knew that only someone who could look you over would catch your eye." She smiled again, only this time it was cruel.

"Well it worked, you have my full attention. For tonight, tomorrow, and however long you last after." She pulled her thumbs out of my shoulders, giggling at the sound of my pain. "Perhaps I'll keep you even longer."

She drew away from me a moment later, drawing a wickedly curved knife from under the bed. Part of me wanted to flee, to struggle as she began to carve against my skin, as the knife led a burning trail of white hot pain across my body. I didn't.

I couldn't. Even now I couldnt bear not to do exactly as she desired, and she wanted me to lie still, and cringe under every flick of the dagger. It was an ocean of pain washing over me, yet I found that sometimes she let me feel just a hint of pleasure as she did her work.

Even as she flayed the skin from my chest she grinded against me, even as my blood began to pool around us both she wouldn't forget to whisper into my ear promises for more. It was all with a kind of intimacy and closeness I hadn't expereinced even in my closest relationships.

It was agony, but agony I was willing to take, to trade for those moments she smiled at me. Those moments she looked at me as if I was the only man in the world. Even through the worst of it the most movement I managed was slight twitching as the blade bit particularly deep.

It must have been hours as she worked her artistry along my flesh, using more and more of my torso as a canvas of pain, and eventually, like all things it came to end. She had stopped for a moment, taking the time to lick at an exposed rib I distantly recongnised as my own.

Somehow it was pure ecstasy. She giggled huskily, opening her mouth to say something to me, before the door opened with a boom. She flinched at the sound, before smirking at the man who stormed inside.

"What is the meaning of this!?" He roared as he caught sight of me, and more importantly the woman leaning over me. His voice was cultured, and thick with an accent I figured as Spanish.

Her "love" probably. I hated him immediately.

The man had a similar feeling to him as the angel on my lap, but not as strong, not as natural.

He had a handsome face, a more olive skintone and strong arms to be certain, but the feeling he produced was jilted, and as I looked at him it was difficult to tell why he came off as attractive as he did.

Combined with my own sexual preference and growing hatred it was easy to look over. If anything the air of unnatural attractiveness made it easier to justify my anger.

An angelic, mocking tone met his roar. "I simply wanted to enjoy my meal in the comfort of my own bedroom. Is that not acceptable my love?"

His eyes once again met my own, this time studying us more closely. He spoke again, this time with far more control.

"Then why hide him from me? Why tell the guards to inform me precisely before the celebrations would begin, and the last of our guests would arrive?"

She let out a laugh. "A punishment, and a reminder, love."

She stood up, licking the blood from one of her fingers. "You've forgotten yourself, drooling over the duchess Farnal like a animal in heat, 'speaking' to her alone and for hours on end. "

She snarled, flashing fangs at the mongrel. "It was I who saved you from my father's ire! Who accepted your advances over the other suitors, and you can always be replaced!"

His hand flashed out, faster than I could follow, locking around her neck. "Well, consider the warning heeded. However, if I ever find you've betrayed me in the manner you've hinted to our guests, I'll tear your throat out."

He lifted her into the air for a moment, and for a second I thought he would do just that.

He dropped her shortly after, gritting his teeth at me before smiling at her. "Come then Trua, the parties already begun. We don't want to be poor hosts do we?"

"No, we don't." Her voice was cold, emotionless, but she grabbed her dress, and followed him out the room.

"Stay." Was my only order. I was left to bask in my pain, and process how my night had gone. I was conflicted.

I didn't move, following her order, but as time began to pass me by things began to become more clear.

I wasnt the superstitius type, but I had seen and felt more than enough to have an idea of what was going on. These "people" were vampires. The fangs, the cruelty, the blood, and the presence of them were evidence enough.

That brought up several glaring existantional issues, but I forced myself to put them aside for more important things.

At first I had been determined to show her my value with subservience, to show her my love was such that I would take any pain for her.

No more. That was something she wanted from prey. I needed to prove my worth in a different manner. I knew she was inside my head, twisting me so I would comply.

At first I had been accepting of that fact, knowing it would make her happy. Now though, I could see the truth of it.

She would be happy to see meat obey, allow her to feed as she wished. But that would mean allowing that man free reign, letting him take a place at her side.

And that...that was unacceptable.

My fingers twitched, and my fist clenched.