Chapter 15

We arrived at the mansion, and the driver quietly parked the car in the garage. I hadn't even realized I'd dozed off–my head resting against Vlad's shoulder the entire ride. 

(Reader's POV)

Vlad turned to Annette. "We've arrived–" he began, but paused as his eyes landed on her sleeping figure. Blinking in surprise, he gently poked her on the shoulder. "Anne?" He called out softly.

There was no response—Annette was fast asleep. A faint smile tugged at the corner of his lips as he carefully lifted her into his arms, holding her close. 

Without a word, he carried her inside the mansion, heading straight for her bedroom. He pushed the door open quietly and stepped in, still cradling her sleeping form 

He approached her bed and gently laid her down on the soft mattress, her body sinking into its warmth. Carefully, he pulled the blanket over her and sat on the edge of the bed, watching her for a moment. With a gentle touch, he tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear, his gaze lingering on her peaceful face.

"Goodnight, Anne," he whispered.

Vlad stood and turned to leave, but just as he took a step, he felt a light tug on his hand. Startled, he looked down to find Annette—half asleep—her small pinky looped tightly around his.

He chuckled softly, amused. "Let go of me now," he said, though his voice held no real insistence as he carefully tried to free himself.

But Annette mumbled in her sleep, her voice fragile, laced with fear. "Don't go.." 

"..."

Vlad sighed softly and sat back down on the edge of the bed, not bothering to untangle her pinky from his. He just watched her, silently. 

"..Stop it.. please.." Annette whimpered in her sleep, her voice barely above a whisper. A small tear slipped from the corner of her eye, trailing down her cheek as she squirmed slightly, caught in the grip of a nightmare. 

Vlad's expression darkened ever so slightly as he watched her. Without saying a word, he stood up and walked over to her nightstand. From underneath the desk, before grabbing the soft, custom-made plushie from inside and placing it on her nightstand.

 He tapped a few times on the plushie's right eye, a small, red light flickering before quickly fading away.

"That should do it."

He took the plushie and walked over to Annette's bed, gently lifting her arm and tucking the toy beneath it, positioning it so it looked like it was embracing her. 

A soft smile played on his lips as he patted her head, his touch light and slow. Her whimpers began to fade, the tension in her face slowly easing as she sank deeper into sleep. 

"Sweet dreams," he whispered, almost too softly to be heard, before stepping away and quietly closing the door behind him.

Vlad made his way down the hall to the study, his footsteps silent on the polished floor. He shut the door behind him and approached the entrance to the old, sealed laboratory. After entering the passcode, the lock clicked open with a soft hiss. He stepped inside and reached into his coat pocket, pulling out a small syringe, its contents glinting under the sterile light. 

An older man, strapped to a filthy, blood-stained bed, froze the moment he heard approaching footsteps. His eyes widened in terror, muffled screams bursting behind the tight muzzle clamped over his mouth. 

"Mm…mmftt!!" 

Vlad stepped into view, his eyes cold and unfeeling as they bore into the man's trembling form. "It's time for breakfast," he said quietly.

He pulled out his syringe, injecting it into the man's arm with chilling precision. Without a second thought, he yanked it out, letting the blood drip freely from the fresh wound.

"How much longer are you gonna torture us like this…?" 

The voice of a shaky older woman cut through the silence. Bald patches littered her scalp, and her frail body was mottled with bruises from the shackles digging into her wrists and ankles. She looked like a walking corpse—skin stretched tight over brittle bones.

Vlad slowly turned to face her, hands slipping into his pockets as he approached in silence. He crouched before her, his expression unreadable.

Without warning, he seized her chin in a cruel grip, forcing her hollow, digusted eyes to meet his. Despite the thick tension, Vlad's voice remained gentle. 

"Do you want breakfast as well? I have a lot in store," Vlad said softly, his grip on the woman's chin tightening.

Her eyes widened in fear as she slowly shook her head. Her gaze flickered to the man strapped to the blood-stained bed—her husband—now slumped unconscious.

"Look at me."

Vlad's cold voice snapped her back to reality. She hesitantly returned her terrified gaze to him.

 "Your daughter got herself into a lot of trouble today," he said, a chilling smile curling at the corner of his lips. "Perhaps, you could pay for her sins, Mrs Ellsworth?" 

[Annette's POV]

Ding!

"Ugh.. Who keeps on messaging me…?" I groaned, slowly sitting up in bed. I reached for my phone and squinted at the screen. "Kaitlyn..? Oh right, I forgot about her..!" 

Biting my lower lip, anxiety rushed back into me as last night's chaos played through my mind. "What do I do now..? I muttered, dragging my hands through my hair in frustration. 

I was just about to get up when my arm brushed against something soft.

"AHHHH!" I shrieked, leaping out of bed in panic.

My sleepy eyes focused on the object, finally making out the shape of a small, smug-faced monkey plushie staring up at me. "Who put this here..?" I mumbled, cautiously picking it up.

"Did.. Vlad buy this for me..?" My heart fluttered at the thought. Even when he was mad at me… he still left something cute..? I hugged it tightly to my chest. I'm definitely keeping this forever.

"Out of all the plushies in the store, this one caught his eye?" I giggled, taking a closer look at the plushie's silly little face.

I held it up, grinning. "Aw, you look just like Vlad, little guy."

I sighed, hugging the plushie one last time before placing it gently on the nightstand. "I'll have to make up for last night somehow…" I mumbled, dragging my feet towards the closet. 

With a tired breath, I opened the doors and started looking for something to wear, trying to mentally prepare myself for the day ahead.