Veekee_Lee

*Excerpt*

"Argh..." Ellie forced herself to stop moving, and she pushed the man dragging her away by her arm with all the strenght she could muster. "Aren't you listening to me? He's only a child. Please." she pleaded.

The man was as solid as a concrete wall, and although he barely moved a step away despite the force she used in pushing him, her actions seemed to have made him stop dragging her.

Or maybe not.

Because the next second, she heard the sound of the sole of a shoe hit the ground, then another, and another...

Turning around in apprehension, she realized the painter had finally turned from his painting and was walking toward her. 

Her bones froze instantly. His face... She had no words to describe how beautiful he was, even though his skin was almost white. His dark brown hair fell over his forehead, almost covering his dangerously cold dark grey eyes.

His steps were slow and majestic, making him look like a top ranked demon walking out of hell with just one agenda — to end her miserable life. He reeked of bloodlust, and the aura around him radiated death and destruction.

The hairs on her skin stood up in reaction to the threat approaching her, and knowing she couldn't outrun him, she fell on her knees.

"P-please, I-im s-sorry for disturbing you a-and pushing him. My brother is only a child. He's sick and I'm the only one he has. If you must imprison me, then I beg you to at least take him to an orphanage." Ellie pleaded, stuttering for the first time in her life, her eyes fixed on the floor.

A moment later, she felt a cold finger touch her chin, pushing her head. 

When that was done, he took off her mask, exposing her face.

Ellie's heart was beating wildly by this time. There was no trace of warmth, neither did any emotion register on his face upon seeing her complete facial features. It was just plain, cold, blankness.

"You are in no position to make demands." His lips finally moved, and the words that came out of his mouth crushed Ellie's heart.

"It's not a demand. Just a request. I don't want him to die." She persisted.

"What makes you think I would grant such a request?"

"Because it's the right thing to do." Ellie gave the obvious answer, but his face twisted like she just spit poison at him.

"Do I look like someone who gives a fuck about doing the right thing?" 

"No!" Ellie answered truthfully. "I'm sorry. I made a mistake. Saving my brother is not the right thing. It is the wrong thing. In fact, I can assure you it is the wrongest thing to do." She made a quick U-turn, and the painter's brows flew up in surprise for just a second, before his next order jumped out of his mouth.

"Take her away."

***


Life dealt Ellie Sander a cruel blow when her parents suddenly died in a car crash, leaving her to cater for her five year old anaemic brother, whose ability to walk was affected by the same crash.

With no money, no stable job, and no help coming from anywhere, she was forced to take advantage of the insecurity in their town to fend for herself and her brother. 

Being a waitress in the day and a fake Vampire at night, she raised enough money and all went well until one night when she met with the real vampire, and her freedom was taken away.

Waitress in the day, Vampire at night

Ellie's steps slowed down when the main palace came into her line of sight. Although what happened was still vivid in her mind, it seemed the sight of the very location where it all happened heightened everything: the images, the fear, and the questions.

Mary, noticing how she suddenly slowed down, reduced her pace as well to match Ellie's.

"Are you okay?" Mary probed, and Ellie nodded in response. "You don't look like it." Mary pointed out and this time, Ellie sighed.

"I'm just a little scared, that's all. I'll be fine. After all, I was the one who decided I have had enough rest."

"You sure did. Not too late to change your mind."

"I'm not changing my mind. I can do this." Ellie decided, speaking in assurance, more to herself than to Mary. She drew in a long breath and released it slowly through her mouth in a bid to calm her already racing heart.

Strange phenomenon