Consciousness spun back into existence; my body was hot, almost on fire, and heavy. Pain was pulsing and throbbing from my shoulder. My stomach was churning. Something in me felt taut, like my body had turned elastic and something was pulling it from one direction. I let out a groan.

Whispers filled my ears as hearing returned now, too, and the rustling sounds of people shifted around. With another groan and I pushed my heavy eyelids open, expecting to see a hospital room and doctors and nurses trying to figure out what happened to me.

Instead I was greeted by six pairs of glowing, bright red, worried eyes.

“Hey there,” one of the owners spoke softly, their voice very smooth. Everyone crowded around me with curiosity. “You’re awake, can you remember where you came from?”

My throat was stuck, my heart rate rising. Who are these people, where am I, what...? These questions ran through my mind but were unable to leave my mouth. An intense sense of danger radiated around the room, which was dim and currently only lit by the moonlight pouring through a single window and the soft red glow of these people’s eyes. Something about them was strange, alien even, like curious animals meeting a creature they’ve never seen before. They were very pretty, and their voice hushed and pleasant. That wasn’t enough to calm my thoughts.

I must have died. Maybe these were demons, trying to put me at ease with their smooth voices and attractive faces.

They began to murmur amongst themselves as I reacted. “You’re scaring her.” “She’s definitely not from the castle.” “Think she will be okay?” “She’ll have to be okay.” “What’s going to happen to the young Lord?” “What’s going to happen to us?”

“Alright, out out!”

From the back of the room the door opened, and a squat older lady with normal green eyes and bright red curly hair began to shoo everyone from the bed I lay in like creatures being herded away. To my huge surprise they responded sheepishly, as if caught red-handed somewhere they weren’t supposed to be.

“Jeez, let the poor girl breathe you silly things,” the lady continued to berate as they walked out the only door in the room. “She’s had a huge shock, we don’t need you exacerbating her condition.” After the door shut behind them she turned gently towards me. “How are you sweetheart? How do you feel?”

“My body’s on fire,” I croaked, my voice surprising me by how raspy it was.

She handed me a glass of water from a bedside table and placed a hand to my forehead. “Yes, you’re quite warm, your body must not have been ready for the sudden changes.”

I stiffened. Ch-changes?

She checked my pulse, her hands warm and clammy. “Heart rate is normal, well done. Let’s check on that bite now.

“Hold on, bite?!” Suddenly my memory came gushing back as she unwrapped a bandage from my neck and shoulder. The woods, the dark, the chill, the creature, the pain, the castle-

The castle.

I’m inside the castle.

I winced as she gently touched a red inflamed crescent mark that throbbed right between my shoulder and my neck, just behind my collarbone. The hairs on the back of my neck stood on end as a strange sensation rose across my skin and made me light-headed. I started to shake.

“What…what happened to...what happened to me? What’s going to-- what’s going on?”

She shook her head. “It’s...hard to say, dear. We’ve never had a situation like this before. The bite is healing nicely, but...there are other things that need to be decided before we can give any definitive answer, I’m afraid.”

She placed a gauze patch over the bite and applied medical tape to hold it on. I bit my lip in worry, feeling that strange pulling sensation grow tighter, like I was being stretched to the limit. What’s going to happen to me? Is this just a nightmare? Or am I...am I going to die? My mom’s face filled my mind. I don’t know how long I was out. Hours? Days? It was still night out. She must be worried sick. My bag was missing. I thought about how high up we must be, whether the window could be opened, whether I could tie tight enough knots to the bedsheets to escape, whether I would even be able to get out of here. I didn’t know what was going on. What bit me?

“Well, aren’t you alert and attentive,” spoke a new voice laced with sarcasm.

I jumped, seeing a tall, well built man probably in his early twenties standing in the doorframe, his eyes a darker red than the others that were in here before. He had short brown hair and a square, firm chin. The lady from before was gone, I don’t remember when she had left.

“There she is,” he smirked. “Good morning princess, did you have a nice rest?”

I swallowed, feeling my throat tighten in fear again. This man was different from the ones before. He felt very dangerous.

“We need to decide what to do with you asap, so I’m here to escort you to a little meeting of sorts,” he explained boredly. “A pain really, I don’t see what’s to discuss but,” he shrugged. “My orders are clear. So, you should get on up and follow me, alright?” He then smirked mischievously again, adding, “Unless of course, you need some help getting out of bed?”

My hackles raised and I jumped from the bed immediately, ignoring the protest from my spinning head and instinctively ready to fight a useless battle.

He chuckled in amusement. “Thatta girl. Now come on.” He walked out the door, leaving it open.

I stood for a moment, deliberating. This could be an opportunity, an opening. If I comply now I may be able to watch for an escape route, or at the very least get my bearings.

Tentatively I stepped through the frame into a dimly lit hallway. A dark red carpet ran down the center of the hall in either direction, framed by the kind of fancy carpet style you’d find in only a rich person’s home (of which I could only think of a Kazak carpet due to the similarity and the fact that is was my mom’s favorite design). That man stood just outside the door, waiting for me. He gestured to follow and I did.

“Oh, and don’t even think about trying to slip away. Just so you know, I’m veeery fast and enjoy a good chase.”

I swallowed, believing him. My shoulder throbbed, and I remembered that creature that bit me as I put a hand to the bandage. These people didn’t seem...normal. Maybe not even...human. What if...what if whatever he is, whatever they are...what if thats what bit me… My first thoughts were two things that they could be, and only one that I would think would have red eyes. I started trembling again, worried. If...if it’s true then… the one that bit me was so fast…but there’s no way, right?

Before I knew it he had stopped in front of a set of very large oak doors. That strange elastic pull I had been feeling was now pulsing too, almost dragging my body towards this door. I felt very distressed, very scared. The man waited at the door, almost as if he were thinking to himself, and then turned to me.

“Alright princess, you’re up,” he said, opening the giant door with ease and gestured for me to walk through.

I swallowed, dread filling my insides and a tightness in my stomach making me feel sick. I complied and walked across the threshold, into the room where my fate would be decided.

There were many murmurs that suddenly stopped as I walked in. The room was huge, and filled with many of those pretty people with red eyes, which were now turned towards me in hushed worry. Everyone was in beautiful formal attire. Nerves fill me to the brim and I stumbled, feeling like my legs would give out at any moment. I tried to ignore the eyes and the ideas of what they are, and focus on what was in front of me instead. Across the reflective caramel-marble floor stood a very small group of people; about five men and six women with formal, almost military attire, and two people that looked to be about my age, a boy and a girl.

The girl looked very distressed; she didn’t have red eyes, but instead her eyes were bright blue and tearful. Brownish blonde hair was swept back in a loose bun with white flowers woven in, and she wore a gorgeous white-gold gown and gold strap heels. She looked to be on the verge of hysterics. The boy-

That strange knot yanked at the center of my being as everything faded away except for my attention on this guy. His hair was a soft, bronze color with low-swept bangs that hung slightly over his face. He was dressed in similar militaristic clothes as the adults but with something more...important about him. His eyes were still turned towards the girl, bright red and upset as well, guilt and sadness weighing heavy in his gaze. The strange pulling sensation was moving my body on it’s own; with every step tilting my world, my very being, towards this guy. I wanted to comfort him, tell him it’ll be okay. I didn’t want him to be upset or unhappy. I suddenly cared so much about him as if he were an extension of myself.

As if sensing me, his eyes turned towards me, slowly, as though the world had all but come to a stop. A pit dropped in my stomach as I saw his expression transform, and tears filled my eyes as all I wanted now was to disappear. His eyes became cold as they fell upon me, narrowing in a red glare of hatred. A vicious voice filled my head.

This is all your fault.

My legs shook and I fell to my knees as a sensation fell over me that I had felt once before but never so bad. Tears rolled down my cheeks and my chest filled with a hurt that spread to my entire being. Pain filled every place of emotion I had. This was my fault. The boy’s expression changed for just a split second to regret and worry as he made a motion towards me, and caught himself in anger and frustration. The girl’s eyes widen and welled with tears of disbelief.

“It’s true,” I heard her croak. A soft “dammit” was uttered from the boy as he covered his face, and the rest of the room came back.

Then suddenly the spell was broken; I don’t know why I felt so upset. I knew nothing about him, had never even seen him before. Anger tried to fight the feeling back; it was like I just had my heart broken. Why is this my fault? Why should I be feeling guilty? I’d didn’t want to be here. I didn’t want to be anywhere but home. I just wanted to go home. I pressed my lips together, trying to stop the tears while wiping them away. How is this my fault?

One of the adults sighed as the boy comforted the now sobbing girl. “I’m afraid it’s been confirmed now,” he said gravely, gesturing for me to come closer. “The connection appears to be fully established; this girl has become our Lord Zain’s Bride.”

“Hold on what?” Reality snapped back in place as all other emotions of anguish or danger was shoved forcefully to the back at the sound of that word. I was barely aware of the man from before helping me back to my feet. All eyes had turned back towards me in surprise from my retort. “What on earth is-I never agreed to be any-what’s going on?”

I was amazed at my own sudden fearlessness. My body once again moved towards them on its own, but this time I was in control of the faculties of my mind. As I joined the group in front of me, feeling strange being so close to such strange people, the one who had gestured to me asked a careful question.

“Miss Morris, are you aware of where we are?”

We’re in that legendary castle; I was fairly confident of that now. But something else had my hackles raised.

“How do you know my name?” I demanded, taking a surprised step back.

“We know a lot of things you don’t,” spat the boy under his breath in the same voice I had heard in my head. A pang hit my chest from the anger in his voice, and he flinched subtly. I tried to push the feeling aside.

“Could someone please tell me what the heck is going on?” I questioned in frustration. I was beginning to feel the burst of courage waver as the indignity began to subside. My body was starting to tremble again. It felt like I already knew the answer.

“Miss,” the gentle man began carefully, “are you aware of...what we are?”

My head reeled back to the thoughts I had on the walk here. His question appeared to confirm that they were not human. Which means...which means they…

“I think the princess figured it out,” said the one who escorted me, looking at me from the side with an amused, toothy grin. My vision zeroed in on his mouth. His canines were extended well beyond what would be considered normal.

My head snapped forward and at everyone around me, my heart rate rising. Everyone with red eyes, who were now murmuring in wonder and worry amongst themselves, I saw. Flashes of fangs.

Red eyes. Fangs.

My hand went to my shoulder as I stumbled back.

I was bit.

I inhaled sharply and then couldn’t breathe.

A strange expression seemed to over take the boy as the world began to spin downwards. I heard him shout, “She’s fainting!” as I fell backwards into darkness.