Harrison scoffs. “I brought something that will change your mind.” He moves through the door, returning seconds later with the source of the smell. A woman, no older than me, is pulled through the door. Her hands are bound, and a gag covers her mouth. She looks terrified and not, all at the same time. I close my eyes as her scent fills my body.
“Eat, my dear. You are hungry.”
“I…I don’t want to eat. I’m not a monster like you,” I spew.
He takes the gag off the woman’s mouth. “It’s okay. You can drink from me.” She smiles warmly. “I like serving you.”
Harrison unties her hands, and she extends an arm toward me. The scars that cover her skin are sickening. Remnants of times she’s been used for food. “Dorothy is a donneuse. This is what she wants,” he says, encouraging me to drink.
I move closer. “Does it hurt?”
“Sometimes,” she answers softly. “Not if you lick first.” I wrinkle my forehead, unsure what she means. She giggles. “But I like it to hurt.” I try not to think of the implications of her words. This woman willingly feeds vampires and enjoys the pain.
“Eat, Violet,” Harrison encourages.
The sound of blood rushing through her veins and the smell of her life force are more than I can handle. Without another thought, I grab Dorothy’s arm andsink my teeth through her skin. The warmth that fills my mouth is more exhilarating than anything I’ve felt before.
“That’s it, Violet. Take all you need.”
I continue drinking, filling my body with what sustains hers. “That’s enough,” she whispers, trying to pull her arm away. I ignore her words, continuing to ease the hunger.
Dorothy falls to the floor, pulling me down with her. The beating of her heart begins to slow the longer I drink until the thumps stop completely. I pull away, wiping blood from my mouth.
“Dorothy?” I shake her arm with her name. “Dorothy?” I shake harder, hoping to wake her.
“She’s not going to answer, Violet. I’m afraid you’ve killed her.”
FOUR
the onboarding service sucks…literally
Killed her?I step away from the pale body of the woman. “Dorothy?” I continue shaking her, hoping she’ll answer.
“Do you think she’s going to answer the longer you shake?” Harrison asks.
“I’m so sorry,” I whisper toward the woman.
“For what? She was nothing more than a donneuse. I have more.” He turns, moving toward the door. “Bring the body down with you,” he orders before closing the door behind him.
I’ve never felt so helpless in my life. Dorothy’s lifeless body hasn’t moved, no matter how much I will it to happen. Harrison’s right. I killed her. I killed a human. Sitting next to her, I wrap my fingers through hers. Where my skin is flawless, hers is covered in cuts, scars, and unhealed wounds.
I’m no better than Harrison Chamberlin. I’m nothuman. I’m a monster. The reality hits me like a ton of bricks. I stare at the woman in front of me. Is her family worried about her? Are they searching the city in hopes of finding her? Have they given up hope of ever seeing her again?
I sit with Dorothy longer than I realize. The beam of sunlight that highlighted the few specks of dust on the floor has now risen to the wall behind me, shining on my face. I close my eyes at the realization that sunlight does nothing to me. My face hasn’t melted from my body like the stories warn. How many other beliefs about vampires are wrong?
“Violet, come down here and bring the body.” Harrison’s voice is no louder than a whisper but clearly audible from my position on the top floor.
I wipe silent tears from my cheeks and carefully lift the woman I murdered into my arms, making sure to support her head. Her body is weightless. Rather from the gauntness of her body or the strength of what I’ve become, I don’t know. I exit the room, moving down the stairs toward the location of my maker. My maker…where did that title come from?
“Ah, I was beginning to think you fell asleep.” Harrison laughs at his humorless joke. “In case you’re wondering, vampires don’t sleep.”
I move to his side, holding the body close to me. “What will you do with her?”
Harrison looks confused by my question. “Thiswoman is nothing more than a donneuse. I don’t plan on doing anything with her.”
I stare at the creature in front of me. “Then I will take care of her.” I turn, moving toward the front door.
“Violet, where do you think you’re going?”
