The Silent One: Cursed Daughter (Book 1)

Forgive Me

(Alex’s POV)

I couldn’t stop myself from wanting to keep drinking from her. Even as her body became limp beneath me, I felt compelled to bite deeper. She no longer felt so tense. At first I thought that I had killed her, but I still heard her heart beating and felt her pulse.  

I then forced myself to stop, and Damon walked over to me. He handed me several photos. All of them were of Anna and I. They would’ve been amazing pictures if only there wasn’t blood running down her neck and chest.

I didn’t enjoy seeing her like this. It wasn't right. She didn't deserve this, but if I didn't do it, Kane would've done even more horrendous things to her. My brother would call me weak, but I just have more sympathy and compassion than he does. I always have. That's what makes us so different. I handed the pictures back to Damon before asking him to leave.

“I need you to track down Alice, and find a way to secretly deliver the pictures," I said to him as he turned towards the door.

"Don’t get caught!” I said firmly while grabbing his arm.

"Wouldn't dream of it," Damon says with a smirk.

Damon and I became close friends after my father died. Without him, I wouldn't have survived this hell I live in. He and I are alike in many ways. He dreams of a life beyond the gates of this place. Though, he won't admit it out of fear of what Kane would do to him. After all, he is supposed to be a noble soldier of the clan. I could use his help to plan an escape.

Once he left, I quickly attended to an unconscious Anna. I looked down at her, admiring her beauty. She looked so peaceful, or at least more content earlier. When I first came back to the room, she was tossing and turning in the bed. Whatever she was dreaming of, it must have been terrible. She cried out for her friend.

After I could no longer stand to see her this way, I unchained her hands. Her skin had turned cold, and I knew it was time. Time to change her. I grabbed a blade from my pocket, before sliding it across my left hand. As blood slowly trickled through the space between my fingers, I sliced Anna’s right hand, before pressing them together.

The fairytales always got it wrong. There needs to be a blood bond formed. It's the only way to make someone a vampire. It didn't happen by being bitten, that only works for werewolves. The process is rather quick, but also painful. Her body tensed as she squeezed my hand.

I was able to see the changes almost immediately. Her hair was no longer black it was now light blond. The cream skin she once had became very pale. I wasn’t able to tell what color her eyes were, because they weren’t open. Her small soft lips became more luscious and a shade of rose red.

Once she finally was at ease and the change was complete, I lifted her cold body into my arms. After carrying her into the bathroom, I laid her on the floor, while running bath water. She was covered in blood, but her wounds were now healed. I still wanted to clean her, to wash away the blood.

When the water was warm enough, I carefully removed all of her clothing, before sitting her in the water. Her head is leaning against the rim of the tub. I grabbed a soft sponge, and gently wiped the blood off her face, neck, and body. Then I washed her soft hair.
While rinsing the conditioner from her hair, she began to stir and her eyes fluttered. So, I lifted her out of the water, before wrapping a towel around her. After gently laying Anna on the bed, I called for Damon’s slave, Maria. He treated her kindly, after finding Maria and her little sister under a bridge where homeless people took shelter.

Damon and the other guards were raiding the bridge for fresh blood sources to bring back to the clan, when he stumbled upon them cowering behind a tarp. Their parents were nowhere to be found during the raid.

After realizing they had been abandoned, he made the choice to spare their lives. Claiming them as his servants. Though he would never feed off of them. Their purpose was to clean and cook for the clan. In a way they were saved, but they also lost their freedom.

“Good evening, Alex,” Maria greeted me at the door.

Her sister peeked out from behind the cleaning cart. I kneeled down to tussle her hair. She smiled at me, before hiding behind her sister again.

“Good evening to you both,” I said before allowing them into the room.

Maria walks to the bathroom, gathering trash from the bin, as well as dirty towels and clothes from the floor. Her sister Grace follows behind me. When her eyes land on Anna, she’s intrigued.

“Wow, she looks just like sleeping beauty,” Grace says while running up to the bed.

I stop her before she reaches the bed. She looked up at me with sad eyes. I kneel down in front of her, and she looks down at the ground.

“I’m sorry if I’ve upset you, but we mustn’t wake up the princess,” I whispered to her.

She looked up at me with a smile.

“She’s really a princess?” She asked cheerfully.

“Yes, she is,” I said as I smiled back.

“I’m so sorry, Alex. I don’t know what she’s done, but I can assure you I will speak with her about it in our room,” Maria says as she approaches us.

“No everything is fine, Maria. She hasn’t done anything wrong,” I assured her while standing up.

Grace apologizes to Maria, before taking the full bag of trash off her hands. She leaves the room, taking the cart with her.

“Anything else I can do for you?” Maria asked me.

“There’s going to be a feast tomorrow. Could you bring me a whole new wardrobe for Anna?” I asked her nicely.

“You want me to bring anything specifically?” she asked.

“Just some casual clothing, and an elegant dress, that’ll be fine,” I said with a shrug.

Maria nods her head, before turning away from me. She walks out of the room, closing the door behind her. After she left the room, I looked over at Anna, who looked so peaceful in her slumber. I sat on the bed next to her, taking her hand in mine. Hopefully, when she wakes up, she won’t be so mad at me.

It wasn't long before Maria and Grace returned, with boxes upon boxes full of clothes, accessories, shoes, and makeup. Everything that we had acquired for our clan members over the last few years. Our kind didn’t leave the safety of our home very often. When we did, it was because we were on a mission. Usually it was a hunt or disposing of the dead.

After they dropped off the boxes, I dismissed Maria and Grace. When the door closed, I heard a faint moan. It was Anna. She had started to wake up. I’m unsure of what to say to her.

Knowing that she’d be angry with me, I was afraid to tell her. It’s not something I could just hide from her. She would find out, one way or another. I hope she can forgive me.