Lost

"What is this thing doing here?" Brian demanded, his tone laced with disgust.

I lowered my head down.

"Calm down, I brought her here," the stranger said coldly.

Brian looked between me and the man, and my heart thumped. I was certainly getting punished today.

Brian is my father's first child, first son, and my elder brother ,stepbrother. He doesn't treat me like his sister, just like his maid. No one cares about me.

No one.

I am just a lost parasite looking for where I belong.

I'm used to being alone. My mom died two days after she gave birth to me, and somehow, in a way, I still remember her voice.

"Didn't you hear what I said?" Brian's voice boomed, and I flinched. "Get out!"

I bowed despite the pain of my injuries, every movement sending a sharp reminder, and walked out. But I could still feel the stranger's eyes on me.

I walked through the halls toward my room the storage room.

"Yes... oh my god, he's so hot," I heard one of the maids say.

"I heard he's single," another one said. I think her name is Jessica.

"Two hot bachelors living in the corners of this castle... God, I think my eggs are going to burst out if one of them doesn't fertilize them."

I winced, not because of my injuries, but at their cringing words.

"I heard he's a prince from the vampire kingdom," Jessica said.

Who are they talking about? I walked to one of the pillars, hiding myself.

"I'm so glad we have an ally from the vampire kingdom," one of them said. I don't quite remember her name she has red hair.

"Only one night would be enough for me. One night, and I could melt his cold heart," Jessica muttered dreamily.

"Don't say those kinds of things. He won't even want to be in the same presence as a maid," another maid said as they continued their kitchen work.

"Aren't you curious?"

I gasped at the sound of the voice ,it belonged to Dimitri, one of our elite guardsmen.

"God, you scared me," I whispered, holding my chest.

"What did you think? That I wouldn't catch you eavesdropping?" he asked, his southern accent lacing his words.

"Aren't you supposed to be resting?" he added, while inspecting my bruised face.

"Shhh, don't be loud, they'll hear us," I whispered.

He raised a brow. "Then let them."

I wanted to scream, but I quickly covered his mouth with my hands, my eyes widening in shock at what he was about to do.

I winced, the pain I had momentarily forgotten in my back returning with force.

Dimitri removed my hands from his mouth. "Dina, are you okay?"

He looked down at my feet.

Blood...

"Shit," he muttered under his breath. He carried me on his back.

"Dimitri, put me down. You're gonna get yourself in trouble," I muttered weakly.

He didn't listen. He carried me into the storage room.

An abandoned storage room…

No wonder I felt comfortable within its four corners,dark walls stained with dried blood.

My blood…

This room held so many memories. The haystack, my bed, lay heavily on the side of the room. This room was the only thing I could call mine.

Dimitri removed his suit jacket after lowering me gently onto the ground. He spread the jacket over the haystack.

"Lay on your stomach, Dina," he muttered softly, turning to face me.

I stared at him, wondering what my reflection looked like. I hadn't gotten the chance to see myself in the hallway, and there were no mirrors here.

Either way, I was sure my face was bruised and swollen.

I guess it was obvious from how I hissed earlier when talking to Dimitri.

I bent down slightly, wincing at the pain, and picked up his jacket, handing it back to him.

He stared at the jacket, then at me. "What are you doing, Dina? You're meant to be resting."

"Thanks for bringing me to my room, but I don't need this. I'm fine by myself," I said softly, placing the jacket back into his hands.

"You need to be taken care of, Dina."

I walked around him and sat on the haystack, its prickly texture pressing against my skin. I was used to it. I was used to the pain.

I was used to not being taken care of.

He wouldn't know that. He had only been working in the castle for what, four months? He didn't even know the rules of this castle.

The first rule: Make Dina your slave. Use her however you want.

And the most important rule: Don't make her your ally, your friend, unless you want to be punished.

I sighed. "I'm capable of taking care of myself. I've been doing it for years. And besides, you'll be punished if you're seen here."

Dimitri rubbed the back of his head. He had a buzz cut, making it easy for him to run his hand over his scalp without worrying about tangles.

Unlike my mundane, blue hair, which tangled every single time.

"You're being stubborn, Dina. Okay, fine. Then who's going to clean your back?" he asked.

I found it cute how he worried about me, not knowing the dangers of his actions.

I smiled. "This isn't my first rodeo, Dimi. I'm fine, I promise."

"But I can't leave you alone. You're hurt."

"Look, if I need anything, I'll call you first. Okay? Now go before you get punished," I said.

"You promise?" he asked, and I nodded.

"Tell me if you need food. I'll send it to you. Just rest," he said.

I nodded, smiling gently.

He walked toward the door of the storage room, then turned to face me. I smiled softly, and he returned the gesture before leaving and closing the door gently behind him.

I stared at the door for what felt like hours.

Tears streamed down my face.

I couldn't even tell him how much pain I was in because it would endanger him, and I would be punished.

Of course, I needed help. I couldn't lay on my back, the only position I was comfortable in.

A sob escaped my lips as I removed my t-shirt, stained with blood. I wet a dry towel in a bucket of water, the only way I could bathe.

I used it to clean my back, which was incredibly hard due to the pain.

I was used to every type of pain. I felt numb to it all.

But it didn't stop my emotions from revealing how broken and lonely I felt.