The female vampire nearest them turned her head, her crimson gaze locking onto Jake. She was strikingly beautiful, with pale, flawless skin and hair as black as a raven's wing. Her lips curled into a predatory smile, revealing fangs slick with blood.
"Speak up, little slave," she purred. "You seem upset."
Jake stiffened, his jaw set, but he didn't answer.
The vampire rose from her seat, her movements languid but dangerous. She towered over Jake, her presence suffocating. "When I ask a question, you answer."
Luke's breath caught in his throat as the vampire's hand shot out, striking Jake hard across the face. He staggered but didn't fall, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth.
"You dare to defy me?" she said, her voice like silk over a blade.
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Luke clenched his fists, rage boiling inside him, but he forced himself to stay still. Acting out would only make things worse—for both of them.
The vampire grabbed Jake by the collar, dragging him toward the exit. "I'll teach you what happens when slaves forget their place."
Jake didn't struggle. He cast a single glance at Luke before disappearing through the doorway.
The rest of the meal passed in a blur. Luke moved mechanically, clearing plates, refilling goblets, and avoiding the eyes of the vampires. But inside, his mind churned with rage. The image of Jake being dragged away burned in his memory. He wanted to rip that vampire apart, to tear her fangs from her mouth and make her bleed the way she made Jake bleed.
But he couldn't. Not yet.
When the meal finally ended, Luke's duties shifted to escorting the pets back to their quarters. The vampires retreated to their private chambers, sated for the moment, leaving the room heavy with the scent of blood and fear.
Luke led the pets down a dim corridor, their chains clinking softly. Some walked with their heads high, their expressions blank, while others stumbled, their legs weak from blood loss.
He couldn't help but glance at the auburn-haired girl Jake had noticed earlier. She was quieter than the others, her eyes downcast but alert.
"You'll be fine," Luke murmured to her, his voice low enough that the guards wouldn't hear.
She didn't respond, but her fingers tightened briefly on the chain she held. It was a small gesture, but it gave Luke a flicker of hope.
By the time he returned to his cell that night, the rage hadn't left him. If anything, it burned brighter. Jake was gone, taken to face whatever horrors the vampire had in store for him. And Luke knew one thing for certain: this couldn't go on.