Dark Mates

2: Fealty

Vampire Mates

2: Fealty

“I, Rosea, swear fealty to Enoch.”

Just as the words left my lips, a wave of energy came rushing over me in full force, and I stumbled backwards due to the mighty impact. The air left my lungs as I struggled to catch my breath.

I felt weighed down, like I had an anvil sitting on my shoulders. I felt this urge to bow down before Enoch, to sing praises of him and glorify his name.

It wasn’t a very nice feeling, to say the least.

“Oh, Rosea,” Enoch said breezily, his voice stronger, filled with even more power and authority. He sounded even wiser. God; what have I done? “Good girl… now we have the bond…” he ushered to my hand. “And…”

I didn’t pay any more attention to him. My eyes were as wide as saucers as I stared down at a drawing of a black rose had been imprinted at the back of hand. It was a pretty tattoo, but what made me gasp in shock was the cursive phrase was printed beside it, the writing looped prettily. My eyes scanned over the words imprinted across my hand. My eyes blinked rapidly as my mind spun.

For a second, I was sure that I was hallucinating. This wasn’t happening. This couldn’t be happening. I closed my eyes and opened them again. But it was still there. The bold, black words stared back at me: Of Enoch’s – Rosea.

I had been branded. Like cattle.

“You did understand what I just said, right?” Enoch asked me, making my hand drop to my side. “You’re to do everything I ask you to; no matter how frequent my orders are.”

“Yes,” I said impassively, my voice airy as my eyes darted over to my hand. Rosea… of Enoch’s…

“Master,” Enoch snapped making my eyes gaze back to where the sound came from. “You are to call me Master. Got that?”

“Yes, Master,” I said, my lips twisting lightly into a sneer. The word felt weird coming out of my mouth. I felt dirty, I felt used. I felt like a slave.

“Good. You’re excused now,” Enoch said simply. When I made no signs of moving, Enoch hissed. “Get out! Do you not understand what I say?”

I scrambled onto my sneakers and walked out of the cottage quickly, not daring to give it a second glance. Seth was outside, leaning against a pillar, waiting patiently. He gave me a once over before walking away, gesturing me to follow him back – the Dark Forest was a place that only a few knew much about.

I followed him quietly, both of us walking abreast towards the direction of camp. As we walked in comfortable silence, I noticed the single word written on the side of his arm that I had never noticed before: Enoch.

We walked silently back to our base, none of us daring to mention the fact that we both had something in common.

We were slaves.

Slaves to Enoch.

Slaves for life.

====

“Oh my God,” Scott said the next day when I saw him during training. He let out a low whistle as he tried to touch my face. I growled and slapped his hand away. “What happened to you?” After further examination – and a few attempts of poking my badly bruised face – Scott chuckled lightly. “Did a truck fall on you or something?”

Self-consciously, I touched the purple spot on my left cheek. It stung painfully from the impact of my finger and I winced, immediately dropping my hand.