“Sit down, wolf-girl!”

“Jump like a monkey!”

“No. Make her bark, Diego. Can wolves bark like a dog?”

“Of course she can, Katya dear! C’mon, slave girl.” The one called Diego says. “Chop chop. Do as you are told, or your master won’t be pleased.”

They prod and poke. They laugh as I struggle, being shoved mercilessly from one vampire to the other. We are at a clearing in the woods where the vampires have assembled, ready to shift and fly back to the Shadow Lands. Damien and Vasili have fallen back and are in some deep discussion with some of the other high-ranking vampires. I am surrounded by some crude soldiers, who have decided it’s time they have some fun with me while the other slaves sit patiently at the edge of the clearing watching the drama.

The evening has descended, and rain has given some respite, yet I shiver through the thin white shift dress that barely reaches my ankles. My dainty white silk slippers are sodden wet, sharp rocks and sticks poking at my feet through the paper-thin leather sole. It’s been some time since we left the Peaks, since I destroyed my family and my pack and walked away with barely a scratch on my body.

Hours have passed. Mother must have turned to ashes by now. It was her wish for her ashes to be strewn around the Goddess’s shrine. I always joked that she will have to wait for years after death for that wish to come true. But she has gotten her wish already - not only are her ashes around the holy forest, but she also died and had her funeral here. She was lucky to have her wish, all thanks to me, her beloved daughter who caused her death.

My feet are laden. My brain is numb. I am barely aware of my surroundings. My mind still wanders on the peak, stealing the last glimpses of my family. A brother snatched by a witch, another forced to leave the pack. My baby sister slumped at my mother’s funeral pyre and Adam - my bravest brother and the pillar of my family - brought to his knees by the mess I created.

A tear slides down my cheek.

I could not glimpse at father. He was not present at his own wife’s funeral. He is gravely injured, maybe counting his last breath at this very minute.

My heart sears with pain. I brought this upon them. My one moment of weakness. One moment of utter stupidity and selfishness.

Did I think I’d go scot-free after rejecting the most powerful vampire in this world? The one who everyone fears. No one even utters his name lest they invite him into their life unwittingly. One who is the curse himself, whose savagery and cruelty are of legends themselves.

I should have known it was futile. I did know it, yet in that moment of fear, I let my emotions override my brain. It was my delusion, as I came to realize just in a few hours.

Now they are all gone. Destroyed and devastated by my utter thoughtlessness. I ruined my family and hence now I must face the consequence.

I stand in the clearing on the open clifftop as icy wind whips my ragged body. It’s nothing compared to what Danny went through, I tell myself. You must be strong. You must accept your fate.

“Bark!!” the one called Katya prods my ribs with a long stick.

“Woof, Woof.” I whimper, trying not to wince at the pain.

“Again. Louder.”

“WOOF, WOOF!!” I oblige, understanding their urge for revenge. More than that, it’s my urge for pain and humiliation that I fully deserve. “WOOF, WOOF, WOOF!”

“Again, again! Get on your fours!”

I slump in the mud on my hands and knees. “WOOF, WOOF, WOOF WOOF, WOOF, WOOF…..”

I keep going. It just an activity to numb my brain of any other thoughts. Barking is not bad. Dogs do it to protect their masters, their properties. It’s an honest act. A good one. Yes, wolves do not bark, but I am not a wolf any longer. I am a slave. A mere slave.

“WOOF, WOOF, WOOF…WOOF, WOOF, WOOF...” I gulp , and continue.

“Whoa! Good girl!” They laugh in delight, the relentless cackles filling the clearing. Long sticks poke me from all directions. Someone throws a stone at me that hits my hunched head. Someone raps my upturned bum, the slap sounding so hard, it echoes in the clearing.

"WOOF, WOOF, WOOF..."

“Enough!” someone shouts, and the ruckus dies down. I lift my head to see midnight dark robes flapping near my head. The person grabs a fistful of my hair and pulls me bodily to my feet. I whimper in pain, but the harsh grip on my neck does not slacken.

It’s Damien, his hazel eyes burning like hot embers through the foggy air. A blue vein is popped into his forehead that starts at his left temple and disappears into his silver hair.

“Master.”

“You! I’ll deal with you later.” He lifts me like a twig and drops me to his side, then strides forward. A swish sounds through the air as if lash of an invisible whip. In a fraction of a second, the vampires are on their knees, writhing in pain.

This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

“How dare you lay hands on my slave!”

I watch in surprise as he keeps lashing without even lifting a finger. The air crackles with an unknown power, as if wind-wraiths have been summoned to do the job. Sounds of whips fill the air as the vampires struggle in shock. Many are left bloodied while others try to scamper away, but something keeps them from escaping. Damien watches them with cool disdain, barely breaking a sweat.

“Damien! Control.” Vasili’s voice sounds above the ruckus as he appears by Damien’s side. His sapphire eyes dull as they scan the group–people writhing on the floor.

Damien stands erect, his expression firm, yet his eyes drop to his king’s feet in reverence. Vasili lets out an audible sigh.

“There is no need to be this severe, Damien. She is a mere slave. And they are just having fun.”

“I disagree, My King. They can have fun with their own slaves. It’s against our law to lay a hand on someone else’s property.”

“Really, Damien! Since when are we so rigid about laws…”

“We are from this moment.” Damien cuts him off. “If anyone lays a hand on one of my slaves, they will have me to answer to. And if you do not agree, My King, I am sure the Queen will.”

There is something about those words that makes Vasili pale.

“Goddess, Damien! You can be so unreasonable at times!” He purses his lips, looking annoyed as if a particularly irritating fly landed on his pristine face. “Alright. We will keep a note. No need to make a fuss out of nothing.”

He turns to the others as they scramble up to their feet. Many are shocked, some are clearly angry at the humiliation. Some look at Damien with pure hatred.

“I hope you have learned your lesson.” Vasili says to them in a stern tone. “I do not want any more rowdy behaviour. We have laws. We do not meddle with each other’s slaves.”

With a swish of a hand, he finishes the discussion. The group stays silent, a deep dissent etched on each of their faces. The air pulsates with a hatred so strong, even I am uneasy. I know in my bones this is not the end yet.

Sure enough, Damien turns to me, his hazel eyes slightly calmer yet no less forbidding. I am expecting some talking down, but the next moment, his palm lands on my face in a stinging slap.

“And this is for you for not knowing your job. You have caused enough trouble. Now stay out of it for your own sake or the next time you will not survive.”

I stare in shock as tears of humiliation spring into my eyes. Around us are satisfied chuckles as the vampires nod in appreciation.

“That’s good, Damien. Keep that one under control."

"Stupid arrogant bi*ch!"

"That wolf needs to be punished!"

Damien grunts and turns away. The vampires start shifting into their massive bat forms, followed by the gaggle of their slaves who are eager to follow their masters.

*****

The sun touches the west horizon, bringing an end to an eventful day. The darkest of my life and I have no one but myself to blame for it.

My cheek stings, a slight warm wetness blooming at the corner of my lip. My wolf body rushes to heal it, yet the pain lingers behind.

A kick lands on my left shin, jerking me forward. I fall to the hard ground, face first into the mud. I whimper in acute pain as another kick lands on my side. The boot that kicks me is fortified with sharp iron nails.

“The bitch deserves a lesson.”

Grabbing my side with one hand, I prop myself up with the other and turn to look at my attacker. Vasili towers over me with undisguised hatred.

“Do you know how many I lost today, wolf-girl?” He hunches by me, grabbing a fistful of my shaggy hair as his nails dig into my skull. “Hundreds. Your wolf brother alone killed half of them. Do you know how long it will take me to replenish my numbers?”

Replenish? I frown, squinting through the mud that leaks into my eyes, causing them to burn. My foggy brain tries to take in his words. What is he saying?

“My King! Please…” Damien tries to interrupt, but Vasili’s fist tightens.

“And that bitch of your mother. She killed my best commander. Do you know how hard it was for me to recruit Volodymyr? It took me years to track him and a gruesome fight to convert him, but you fuck**g mother killed him with a single bite. And all because he tried to touch your little sister. Good that I killed her. She deserved to die…”

“You…you killed my mother?”

“Of course!” he jerks his hand, making me whimper. “And your father, but he was saved by that demon of your brother. I must say he is an excellent replacement for Volodymyr. Just remember, Adam Stevens is the next on my list. I’ll either convert him or kill him. That’s my promise.”

My heart shudders at the impact of his words. His sapphire eyes bore into mine with a promise of vengeance. I never knew how many died. Or how long it takes for anyone to ‘convert’ to a vampire. Tracking and converting…it sounds like hunting?

A dread creeps my heart as I clench my shaking fingers. Damien steps forward.

“My King. Mercy.” Damien’s face is strained as he watches his king. Vasili leaves me with a disdainful snort to get to his feet.

“Alright. As I said, keep her in control. Teach her our ways. And make sure she does not stray. Because of she does, Damien, it will not bode well.”

“I understand My King.”

“One more thing.” Vasili says, his face curling into a sneer as I scramble to my feet. “You put the charm on her, but the Enslavement is still not complete. She is not yours until you perform the Last Rite.”

His eyes run down my ragged body, clothes dirty and muddied from the fall. Chilly night has crept in, bringing with it an icy wind that whistles and whips me around. The torn silk fabric of my dress wraps me like a second skin. Clutching at my dress, I keep rooted to the spot. There is not much left for imagination. The cold has pebbled my skin, drawing unwanted attention to my breasts. Vasili watches unashamedly, an oily smile spreading his face.

Damien’s face loses its sheen. “My King. I will complete the ritual when we reach. But she is mine anyway, as she is my mate.”

“She was your unclaimed mate until she rejected you.” Vasili smirks, emphasizing each word. “As you brought up the law earlier, let me remind it works both ways. You do not own her until you complete the Last Rite. The law clearly states that a slave is yours only when you complete the ritual.”

A moment of pause follows this as both the men level their gazes. Vasili’s sapphire clashing with Damien’s hazel. For a moment, the temperature drops by a thousand degrees. I shiver uncontrollably.

Vasili tilts his head. “Remember to complete it in the first instance and show us the proof. Or you deserve to lose her to any other worthy vampire.”

“Of course, My King. I will complete the ritual the moment we reach.” Damien looks defeated. Vasili smirks in satisfaction. With one last glance at me, he leaps into the air, transforming into a massive, dark bat and flaps away, without a second glance.

Damien watches him as he disappears into the darkening night, then whirls to me. I flinch, expecting another slap, but he grabs my arm, his hazel eyes boring into mine.

“Shift.” He orders. I follow meekly. Only this time, I turn into a swallow instead of my red wolf.

***** *****