Part 3. The Vampire’s Maid

Here is the text with meaningless numbers and the recommendation section removed, preserving all the original novel’s text:

I woke with a start in the early morning light. My face was pressed up against the grey, lumpy pillow which was now dry of tears. I knew immediately that the horrors I’d experienced hadn’t been a dream; I could feel the metal brooch beneath my pillow.

I lay very still in my bed, not wanting or daring to move. The duvet on top of my body was very thin, barely more than a sheet. The white nightdress I wore itched uncomfortably around the neck but I ignored the discomfort. I was waiting fearfully for something that was bound to come.

After what seemed like half an hour the beeping of an alarm clock sounded, only to be silenced straight away. The alarm was the first piece of technology I’d encountered in the house. I stayed where I was with my eyes closed. I could hear people stirring, the sheets rustling and clothes wafting.

“Do you think we should wake her?” A foreign accented voice asked.

“Nah, leave her. The more time she has of sub-consciousness the better.” A confident sounding voice replied.

“We should take her clothes to Dane? No?” The first voice came and I placed her accent to be Italian.

“I suppose we should. One of the vamps will take them if we don’t.”

So there were vampires here. I’d wondered if Joe had been joking; I’d hoped more than anything that he had. Any doubt I’d had was erased by the next words spoken.

“Do you think this new girl knows that they’re vampires?” A new, quieter voice spoke.

“She’ll find out soon enough.” The Italian said sombrely before her voice brightened. “I heard she’s Ashley’s new maid.”

“You say that like it’s a good thing Abriella.” The quiet girl spoke again.

“I’d rather serve him than any of the other vampires.”

“Yes, that’s because you judge on appearances.” The quiet girl whispered.

“As far as Maria’s concerned… you don’t think they’ll have done anything to her?”

“The vamps? Nah.”

I heard the sound of my clothes been scraped off the floor and then the door creaking open. The girl’s voices mixed with deeper ones but then the door banged shut and I was left alone in the silence. I sat up in my bed and just remained there, absorbed in my own thoughts. Who was Maria? I can’t tell how long I sat cross-legged on my bed but eventually the door re-opened. Dane’s skeletal, unnatural face peered around it. His pale green eyes fixed on me and a shiver of repulsion was sent through my spine. So this was what a vampire looked like? Just knowing what he was made him look all the more threatening.

“You’re awake. Good.” He wheezed inphysics://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ashley_Sancruor”>Ashley Sancruor. I felt my eyes widen in surprise. He was pale and intimidating like his father but he was also drop dead gorgeous. It felt wrong to think that when I was in such a position but it was undoubtedly true. He was tall and lean with dark blond hair that fell messily over his face. His eyes were much darker than the other vampires I’d met; they were a deep, intense green.

“Hello Dane,” Ashley’s voice carried all of the authority of a prince.

His voice brought me back to reality and I felt myself blush as I realised how stupid I was being. He was a vampire. I was amazed at how quickly I’d come to terms with what they were. Vampires.

“Good morning, Master Ashley.” Dane’s head bowed respectfully as he spoke.

A sharp nudge in my side told me that I should stop gazing at Ashley stupidly and show some sign of respect. I bowed my head, mimicking Dane’s actions.

“This is your new maid.” Dane told Ashley, pushing me forward as though I was an object.

Ashley’s eyes flickered to me for a second and then he looked back at Dane. My cheeks burned with humiliation. The way he’d looked at me made me feel so small and inferior. Nobody had ever glanced at me as though I was a meaningless object. Back in my village, there’d been very few pretty teenagers and I was treated better than anyone. Here, I was treated as though I was dirt.

“Thank you, Dane.” Ashley replied.

He turned and walked into his room and for the first time I looked at something other than Ashley or the floor. His room was huge, larger than my Grandma’s whole house. The walls were the same mahogany as the rest of the house but the carpet was a rich cream colour, making the room seem lighter and less daunting. His bed was not somewhere I’d normally choose to sleep. The bed cover was black and silky and the pillows were red. If I had to choose between my lumpy bed in the attic and this one, however, I would not hesitate to collapse into Ashley’s.

“Well, come in.” Ashley snapped at me.

I started and realised that I was expected to go into the room. Dane pushed me in the back and I stumbled forward as the door closed behind me. Ashley turned around as I was regaining my balance and shot me a condescending look. Furious at my blunder I stood up proudly and stared defiantly into his face. He seemed shocked that I wasn’t worshiping him as his previous maid had presumably done. His eyes widened slightly as I regained my posture.

“What’s your name?” He asked not out of politeness but as though he had an ulterior motive.

“Elizabeth.” I told him with as much dignity as I could.

I was glad for the first time that I’d been called Elizabeth. I’d thought that it was posh and pretentious growing up in a village where my best friends were called Nadine and Tracey. Now though, I was happy that Ashley couldn’t sneer at it. Whichever way you said Elizabeth, it could never sound common or undignified.

“Elizabeth.” He whispered with a haunted look in his eye.

I blinked at him, wondering why he’d suddenly changed. A second later though I was sure that I’d imagined it because the pompous look was back on his face.

“Run me a bath.” He ordered.

I just stood there dazed for a second. Of course, I’d expected him to give me orders but not so rudely. Ordinarily I would have argued but I just held my head high and marched through the door which I assumed led to the bathroom.