Into the Darkness (Prequel to The Hunters Saga)

Chapter 7: Master

A/N: Hey, readers! Chapter 7 is here ;) Major important chapter with a LOAD of foreshadowing at work :D It's okay if you don't sense it yet ^_^ You will <3 Anyway, hope you enjoy this chapter!!

Chapter 7: Master

    My body felt trapped between a sea of blood and black eyes. My lone heartbeat stuttered at the sight of Charlotte Blackwell, the current master of Manhattan. She'd invited me here... right? Or had it really been her husband in actuality?

    As the blonde immortal stood before me, I had the sudden urge to run. Something told me not to, but the feeling remained. Charlotte's tinkling laugh hit my ears, and I barely remembered to keep my eyes lowered. I couldn't afford to be compelled by one as old and experienced as Charlotte Blackwell. No, it'd be the death of me...

    "Ms. Drake?"

    Biting my lip, I nodded in acknowledgement. "Y-yes?"

    "How are you enjoying the party?"

    Instead of answering her idea of dinner conversation, I took a breath before getting to the point. "Why am I here?" I heard Charlotte sigh just a bit. "My husband invited you, actually." She ended with a small laugh.

    The sound made my stomach clench. "And why is your husband here in New York?"

    I felt Charlotte move - glide, really - until she stood before me. I kept my gaze down on the tiled floor. I wouldn't look, no. I couldn't...

   "You do know it's rude not looking people in the eye, don't you?" Another laugh. "I promise not to compel you. There's no need to be afraid." I felt her step back slightly, as if giving me space. "You're our guest."

    I wanted to tell her, to protest the fact that she wasn't a 'person'; she was undead. My tongue felt heavy then. I briefly heard Nicholas chuckle at my back. "Cautious, isn't she?"

   "She has a right to be," I heard Heidi muse. "We're powerful compared to her. She must feel like a scared little rabbit with nowhere to run."

   I didn't appreciate the comparison, and I sure didn't enjoy the hand on my shoulder. Another cool hand brushed my face, and I openly flinched. No...

   "As for Oliver's reason for being here," Charlotte's voice was near my ear, and I shivered at her whispered words. "That'll be revealed very soon."

   I so didn't like the sound of that. Her words meant that Oliver was actually here, for one thing. I shouldn't have been surprised, really. Charlotte laughed once more. "I take it you like the dress?"

    "Y-yes," I managed to answer shakily, my sweaty hands clutching at the silky fabric. "Thank you."

    A chuckle reached my ears, and it was Nicholas who spoke to me next: "Don't thank our master; thank the third member of the Crimson Guard: Sibyl Graves."

    What a strange name for a vampire...

    Just then, I heard the door open, and new footsteps hit my ears. What...

    "Ah, Sibyl, perfect timing. We were just talking about you," Heidi greeted, a smile evident in her voice. I swallowed tightly as a new power pushed against my mortal body. Another maser vampire... Great.

   It must be Sibyl...

    "Antoinette Drake, this is Sibyl Graves, Oliver's youngest creation." At Charlotte's prideful words, I'd finally looked up to see the new vampire. I hadn't meant to look, but the curiosity was finally kicking in.