by Klara Raškaj
"No," she protested. "I can keep him under control. He wouldn't hurt me."
Claude stroked her cheek and showed her the blood left on his fingers.
"T-that was an accident," she said. "He doesn't know what he's doing."
"And neither do you, apparently," Claude added with a stern expression on his face. "Leave this matter to the professionals. He belongs to the brotherhood, and as his superior, it is my job to make sure the next time he walks out of that room he is cured and ready to return to serve his master, Raphael Oda."
"Then I'll buy him off you. How much?"
Claude chuckled. "We don't sell our servants here. We assign them to the worthiest person interested in their services. Their potential master has to pass a series of tests. If they manage to pass all of them with a higher score than the previous contender, then the servant is assigned to them instead."
"I asked how much!" she protested with a determined gaze.
Claude leaned loomed over her with a menacing grin. "You can't save people with money here, Miss Dietrich," he told her. "The only currency we accept is obedience...and flesh."
• • • •
Four vampires in black robes stood before Justine in a dark room, surrounded by stone walls. Two of them concealed their faces with their hoods, while the other two left them revealed as they smiled.
They both had bald heads, which made it a bit harder to distinguish them, but fortunately, their eye colors differed. One of them was definitely Claude, but there was no telling who the other, violet-eyed man was. Though, his face did radiate a strange and subtle kind of warmth that Justine never picked up from Claude. And it was...strangely familiar.
"Welcome to the first part of your examination, Miss Dietrich," Claude announced. "If you wish to hire one of our servants, you must meet the following conditions. Number one: You must be prepared to pay a monthly sum of ten thousand dollars to the brotherhood. Number two: You must pass the three tests we will set for you. And number three: If you wish to hire Moria specifically, you must outperform his current master, Raphael Oda."
"One question, darling--" said Justine with a skittish smirk.
Claude squinted his eyes as he continued to stare at her with an unrelenting grin.
"Is it at all possible for you to take this collar off me?" she asked. "I keep almost impaling myself every time I try to scratch my nose."
"If there's nothing else, allow me to go over the rules," Claude continued. He opened one of the doors and led a smiling vampire with a clean-shaven head wearing a black suit and a black shirt underneath into the room.
The vampire in the black suit and gloves stood before Justine with one hand on his abdomen as he bowed his head to her.
"He will be your partner for the remainder of your examination," said Claude as he motioned his hand towards the trainee.
Justine reached out to him with her hand. "So nice to meet you, darling," she told him.
He shook her hand. "You honor me," he said.
Justine gave him a warm and friendly smile. "So, what's your name?"
"My name is Edward," he replied. "It's an honor to serve you."
She chuckled. "Come on, darling, there's really no need for all that. If we're going to be partners, you don't have to treat me like I'm any better than you. You mind if I call you Eddie?"
"It would be an honor, ma'am."
With swift movements, Claude took out a long whip from under his robes and struck Edward on his back, making him kneel from the force of the impact.
Justine jumped back with a gasp, staring at Edward, unbelieving. Her heart rate increased tenfold as adrenaline rushed through her veins. It was all so sudden that she couldn't even focus enough to think about what had just happened.
Claude smiled at her. "My apologies. That wasn't part of your test. I was merely punishing Edward for having disobeyed you."
"Disobeyed me how?" asked Justine with worry and agitation in her voice.
"You asked him to speak more informally with you," Claude explained, "did you not?"
Edward didn't make a peep. He just continued to smile as tears spilled down his cheeks, and blood trickled down his back and onto his clothes through the tear in his suit.
After having slightly recovered from the shock, Justine immediately fell to her knees, ripped off the bottom part of her dress, and used it to wipe away the blood from Edward's back as she held him.
"Allow me to explain the rules of the first test," Claude continued.
"How can you just stand there and smile?" she asked him with a baffled glare. "He can't do the test with me anymore! He's hurt!"
"He's been through worse," Claude told her. "Need I remind you, Miss Dietrich, that you are a guest here? If you won't respect our house rules, then I will have to kindly ask you to leave. Now, then...shall we proceed?"
Justine sighed as she helped Edward up while keeping enough a distance so as not to hurt him with her spiked collar. She closed her eyes and forced on a smile so as to mask her anger. It would do her no good to fight them on this. Not yet, at least. After all, she had Moria to think about. Who knew what they were doing to him even as they spoke? "Of course," she said.
"Very well, then. I won't go too deep into the details, but let us say that this morning, Edward has broken one of the aforementioned rules and must now suffer the consequences," Claude explained and held out his whip towards Justine. "You must punish him, or be punished yourself. That is the test."
A bead of sweat dripped down Justine's cheek as she glanced at the whip, and then back at Edward, who stood with his back straight, and a big, wide smile on his face as tears continued to trickle down his cheeks.
"I can't make that choice without knowing what he did first," said Justine, struggling to keep smiling.
"It's irrelevant," Claude answered.
The other non-hooded overseer glanced at him from the corner of his eye.
"I would still like to know," Justine continued. "Just out of curiosity. You can indulge me in that, can't you, darling?"
Claude lowered his head as his glare and smile intensified. "You do not wish to test me, girl. I am nothing if not relentless. Try as you might, but I have never yielded to anyone, and I don't intend to start today."
"He's been covering for his colleague so that he may have rested while battling a sickness," said the other overseer.
Claude glanced at him, then looked back at Justine. "Well...there you have it, then. Quite fortunate for you that Sombra insisted on accompanying me during your examination." He looked at Sombra. "However, should he assist the examinee further, I'm afraid he will have to be replaced."
Justine sighed and walked over to Claude with trembling hands. "He doesn't deserve to be punished for that," she said and turned around as she lowered her dress down to her waist.
"Are you certain about your decision?" asked Claude.
"I only ask that...you be the one to do it," she said as she smiled back at him, "darling."
Claude's irises widened. "I'm intrigued by your bravery--I'll give you that..." he told her. "You've earned my respect." With slight hesitation, he lashed his whip at her.
It was like a strike of thunder or the sharpest blade. The pain only intensified the more time had passed, building up into a horrible stinging sensation that felt like it couldn't have gotten any worse.
With a loud grunt, Justine fell to the ground, using every last bit of her strength to stop herself from showing in how much pain she truly was as her tears dripped down her cheeks.
"Congratulations," said Claude as he was putting away his whip. "You've passed the first test." He turned around and headed for the door, along with the other three overseers. "You're both dismissed until we send for you again."
Sombra glanced back at Justine and Edward before he left, then closed the door behind himself and the other overseers.
Justine's arms shook uncontrollably as she slipped the top part of her dress back on, her wound bleeding onto the fabric. She
smiled at Edward. "I hope he went a little easier on you, darling," she said with tremor in her voice. "I never knew how much something like this...really hurt..." She chuckled as she stumbled.
With a concerned expression on his face, Edward caught her and helped her walk out of the room. As they trod through the empty and dark hallway, he turned to her. "Why didn't you just pick a lenient punishment for me?"
"You can do that?" asked Justine, then laughed. "I wish I'd have thought of that. But honestly...when I saw what he did to you, I just couldn't think straight anymore. I...didn't want you to get hurt again because of me."
He smiled at her. "Thank you... That was...very kind of you."
"You're welcome, darling," she added. "So, where exactly are you taking me?"
"To the basement," he replied. "We have a secret hiding place where you'll be able to heal in peace."
"Too bad vampirism doesn't come with more pain tolerance, huh?" She chuckled. "Thank you...for everything. I still can't help but feel bad that you got roped into all of this, though."
"It's not your fault, Miss," he added. "If it wasn't you, it would have been someone else. Most people who come here to hire us are kind, but they still rather choose to have us take the punishment out of fear... I'm...very grateful for your sacrifice."
"Don't mention it, darling," she told him. "Besides, I'd say this makes us even."
Soon enough, they approached a heavy wooden door at the bottom of a steep stairway. He knocked on it and said, "I hope nobody's in here."
Suddenly, the lock clicked, and Edward entered the darkened room and locked the door behind him.
"For an old, run-down fortress, you sure did take the time to install a lot of fancy gadgets," Justine commented as he helped her sit onto the floor by the wall.
Edward smiled lightly as he sat down in front of her. "If we didn't know anything about modern technology, we wouldn't have been able to serve our masters that well, since they're surrounded by it every day."
"Very true," said Justine.
After a moment of contemplative silence, Edward looked at her with a timid gaze. "Did you...ask for anyone specific?"
"To be my servant?"
He nodded.
Justine sighed with a smile. "Someone very dear to me is trapped here, and I came to rescue him."
Edward's face sunk. "I... I understand..."
"I'm sorry, darling," she told him.
He lifted his head up and smiled. "No, no! Please, don't apologize. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said anything. It's just that...you're very beautiful and...you've treated me so kindly... And I..."
"Don't mention it," she said with a smirk.
With a light smile, he stood up, bowed his head, and walked out of the room.
Justine sighed and leaned her head against the cold stone. She felt terribly sorry for poor Edward, but at the same time, she couldn't deny her feelings for Moria. There was nothing she could have done to make him feel better in that regard. Besides, he probably would have become infatuated with any woman that showed him a bit of kindness. Who wouldn't if they were forced to live in a place such as this?
But Moria...he and Edward were so much alike from having been raised here, but she still felt like she could have told Moria apart from even a sea of vampires who lived here. She could sense in his heart how much stronger his feelings for her were. And when he finally had a taste of her but knew he couldn't have her, the strength of those feelings manifested into a horror no one could have fathomed even in their darkest nightmares.
But she couldn't allow him to remain in unrelenting torment. If she wanted to save him, she had to get her hands dirty. There was no escaping it. Not this time.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
Child of the Night
AFTER HAVING RESTED enough, Justine sat up and traced her hand around her back to check whether the wound from the whip was still there. Fortunately, it managed to heal up pretty quickly.
It wasn't long before Edward's voice sounded from behind the door as he recited the secret words and entered, carrying a glass of blood.
"Is that for me?" asked Justine with a smile.
He approached and handed it to her. "It's not a big wound, but...healing can still take a lot out of you. I thought this might make you feel better."
"Thank you so much, Eddie," she told him, took a sip, and exhaled. "You're my hero."
He smiled and sat down next to her. "I wish that word meant something different to you."
Justine sighed. "Eddie..."
"It's Moria, isn't it?" he told her as his lips relaxed into a frown and turned to stare into the blank space in front of him. "He's the one you came to rescue."
She glanced at him with a stern expression.
"You have no idea what he is," he continued. "He has no soul. He's incapable of love. He wants nothing but to serve his master... There's no person underneath. He wants nothing, and he fears nothing. The only reason he would show affection would be because it would please his master. Nothing else."
"How do you know all of this?" Justine asked him with a curious, but stern expression.
He sat there in silence for a moment. Then, he got up. "There's something you should know..."
As he headed towards the door, Justine reluctantly pushed herself onto her feet and followed him.
He took her to a small room crammed with shelves holding masses of audio tapes and turned on the single, dim light hanging from above.
Justine got closer to the shelves to try and read off the tapes.
The titles ranged from "Christopher's First Blood" to "Bram's Evaluation IV."
She could have only imagined what kind of beastly things were recorded on them.
Edward search through one shelf and pulled out of recording called "Moria's Initiation." He placed it into the audio recorder and hit the "play" button.
The audio hummed and crackled at first, slightly distorting the voice that spoke.
"Hello, Moria," said Claude. "Are you excited for your initiation?"
"Yes," replied a young boy's chipper voice.
"I'm glad to hear it." Claude chuckled. "But before we begin, I'd like to ask you a few questions. Is that all right?"
"Yes," Moria answered.
"Very good," Claude continued. "Now, give me your hand."
Silence.
"Would you like me to bring you a drink?" asked Claude.
"No, thank you," said Moria.
"Is there anything else you'd like? Anything at all?"
"Could you please tell me what you'd like me to do?" Moria asked.
Claude paused for a moment and let out another light chuckle. "Just answer my questions for now. Tell me about your dreams, Moria. Do you have dreams?"
"Your dreams are my dreams," said Moria.
"What about your graduation gift?" Claude continued. "What would you like?"
"Nothing."
"Then, what will you choose?"
There was another pause.
"Could you please choose for me?" Moria asked.
"I'm afraid I can't do that, Moria," Claude told him. "You will have to make your own choice in that regard."
"Then please show me something to choose from, and I will choose," said Moria.
"That, I can do," Claude added. "I have to say, Moria...I'm very impressed."
Moria giggled with delight.
"You've told me everything I wanted to hear without seeming disingenuous. Now, it's time for the real test. This is a very special test I devised just for you. If you pass, we'll start teaching you all the necessary skills you'll need to be a good servant."
There was a thump--like a heavy object falling onto a wooden surface.
"Cut off your right hand," said Claude. "Don't worry, we'll--"
But before he could finish his sentence, there was another thump, much louder than the one before.
"...sew it back on afterwards..." Claude mumbled.
"C-could you please tell me if I did good, Uncle?" asked
Moria with a trembling, though not even the slightest bit less cheerful tone of voice.
Silence.
"Moria..." said Claude through an almost sobbing voice. "You are perfect."
The recording stopped there.
Edward removed it from the machine and put it back on the shelf from which he took it. "Do you understand now?"
Justine crossed her arms, glaring at him. "I haven't the slightest idea of what you're talking about."
"I can't tell you whom to like," he told her as he approached her. "But you've helped me, and now, I'm trying to help you. Leave while you still can. You can save him from this place, but you can't save him from himself."
"How do you know he wasn't just pretending?" argued Justine. "If I lived here, I would have probably cut off my own hand, too, if it meant having the overseers trust me enough to leave me alone!"
"He's not like us!" Edward shouted. "We used to be human once, and there's still some of that humanity left in us! He was born a vampire! He's a monster! An abomination against nature!"
She shook her head in confusion. "What do you mean he was born a vampire?"
Edward sighed. "I heard stories from the graduates... The overseers brought in countless women to the fortress twenty years ago...but they weren't clients," he explained. "We...vampires I mean... We're much more perceptive than humans. We can detect even the slightest changes in people's mood and react accordingly. But...I guess we weren't good enough for the overseers. We still had many flaws that were passed on from our human lives to our new ones." He sat down onto a chair in the corner, staring at the floor. "Female vampires can't bear children, but the males can impregnate human women. And they turned different women at different stages of their pregnancies, hoping one would carry a child to term. Out of the hundreds who perished, one managed to give birth to a living child before dying."
"Moria..." Justine whispered with a concerned gaze.
Edward glared at her. "You can't help him. No one can."
"You're wrong," Justine argued.
He stood up. "Were you even listening to me?"