Bound to the Vampire

Chapter Two

Elena knew something was wrong the moment her father stopped looking at her.

The stranger's words hung heavily in the small room.

Then you give us something worth sixty silver coins.

Her eyes moved between her parents.

Neither of them spoke.

"Father?" Elena whispered.

Tomas looked down.

"Elena.."

Her stomach twisted.

"No."

She didn't know what he was about to say, but she already knew.

"No," she repeated, taking a step backward.

Mara covered her mouth, tears gathering in her eyes.

"I'm sorry."

Those two words broke something inside Elena.

She stared at her mother.

"Sorry for what?"

Mara couldn't answer.

The stranger stepped forward.

"Your debt will be cleared once she is delivered."

Elena's heart pounded.

"Delivered where?"

No one answered.

"Mother?"

Mara finally looked at her.

"We don't have a choice."

Elena laughed bitterly.

"You always have a choice."

Her mother flinched.

"Elena."

"You can sell the house."

"We already owe money on it."

"Then sell father's tools."

"He needs them to work."

"Then I'll work!"

Tomas finally looked at her.

"You don't understand."

"Then make me understand!"

Her voice cracked.

"I am your daughter. How can you just give me to them?"

Tomas eyes filled with tears.

For a moment, Elena thought he might change his mind.

Instead, he whispered, "because I have failed you."

The stranger grabbed Elena's arm.

She immediately pulled away.

"Don't touch me!"

Mara rushed toward her.

"Elena…"

"Don't!"

She stepped away from her mother.

The anger in her chest was burning now, overpowering the fear.

"You knew?"

Mara began crying.

"We found out three days ago."

"And you didn't tell me?"

"We were trying to look for another way."

Elena looked at the empty cupboards.

At the broken chairs.

At the thin blanket covering Noah.

At her father's worn boots.

She remembered every night her mother had gone hungry so they could eat. Every morning her father had left before sunrise looking for work.

She knew they were poor.

She knew they were desperate.

But knowing that didn't make this hurt any less.

"Did you even try?" She whispered.

Tomas closed his eyes.

"Yes."

Elena looked at him for several seconds.

Then she looked at her mother.

Part of her wanted to scream at them.

To hate them.

To tell herself that they were monsters for selling their own daughter.

But another part of her remembered her mother's tired hands.

Her father's exhausted face.

The nights they had gone without food.

Maybe they hadn't stopped loving her.

Maybe they had simply run out of choices.

And somehow, that hurt even more.

Because Elena couldn't decide whether she wanted to hate them or forgive them.

The stranger pulled out a pair of iron restraints.

Her eyes widened.

"No."

Mara grabbed her hand.

"Elena, please."

"Don't let them take me."

Mara's face crumpled.

"I love you."

Elena stared at her.

"If you love me, don't let them."

Mara couldn't answer.

That was when Elena knew.

No one was coming to save her.

The restraints were placed around her wrists.

The cold metal made her shiver.

Noah stirred in the corner.

"Elena?"

She turned quickly.he

Her little brother was awake.

He rubbed his eyes and looked at the strangers.

"Where is she going?"

Elena's throat tightened.

She forced a smile.

"I'm just going somewhere for a little while."

"Where?"

"I don't know."

Noah sat up.

"Can I come?"

Elena almost broke down.

She walked over and knelt beside him.

"Take care of mama and papa for me."

His little face twisted with confusion.

"Why?"

She hugged him tightly.

"Just promise me."

"I promise."

Elena closed her eyes.

She wished she could stay like that forever.

But the stranger pulled her away.

"Time to go."

She looked back one last time.

Her mother was crying.

Her father stood frozen beside the table.

And Noah was calling her name.

Elena was taken outside.

The rain had stopped, but the sky remained dark.

A carriage waited at the end of the muddy road.

She was pushed inside.

As the door slammed shut, Elena caught one final glimpse of her home.

The tiny house.

The broken window.

Her mother standing in the doorway.

Her father beside her.

Then the carriage began to move.

Even sat alone, her wrists chained in front of her.

She stared through the small window as the village disappeared behind her.

She didn't know where they were taking her.

She didn't know what awaited her.

But she knew one thing.

Her life would never be the same again.

And as the carriage carried her farther away, Elena whispered the question that had been haunting her since the moment she left.

"Should I hate them?"

She didn't know.

And perhaps that was the cruelest part of all.