The Servant Trade

Chapter 4

Bethesda POV

                I returned home with two children that lived lives of agony. I’ve done this thousands of times, but it still angers and saddens me to see the fearful toddler and infant struggling to hold onto life. Both children were emaciated. My first task was to clean them up and feed them. In a few days, I’d learn little about them and give them new names for their new lives. They wouldn’t get surnames until they reached the age of twenty and had their turns at the auction. I tried to keep siblings together for life, so the girl would go to auction a little later than normal.

                The school was quiet with everyone asleep already. On a typical night, I spent the first few hours after waking playing with the youngest children. After they went to bed, I began the lessons for the older children. There were phases in my boarding school for vampire servants. Until the age of six, the children lived as close to a normal childhood as I could provide. They had toys, games, playtime, schedules, and plenty of affection from me and the older children. From the age of six until puberty, the children were taught etiquette and simple household chores.

                When adolescence began, my students learned about their bodies. They took on more responsibilities with keeping my home immaculate and helping care for the younger children. That was also when I started their combat training. Many human servants were expected to protect their vampiric masters during the day. Therefore, the servants I sold were strong fighters.

                The final phase of my school started when my students turned eighteen. That was when they were expected to start feeding me. They would need to feed their future masters, so I acclimated them to that responsibility. I tailored their diets to keep them strong and encourage blood production in the body. In addition to feeding, my students were taught about my kind’s lust. Most supernatural beings had supernatural libidos. However, vampires were the most likely to seek mortals for gratification. Maybe, it’s because we were human at some point, well most of us were.

                “How old are you?” I asked the girl.

                “This many,” she answered cautiously, while holding up three fingers.

                “How old is your brother?”

                She thought for a minute. She was obviously terrified about giving a wrong answer. Then, she timidly held up a single finger and informed me her brother had a birthday last week. It was worse than I thought. The baby was so malnourished, he could barely sit. Neglect and starvation inhibited his development significantly. I searched the kitchen for the gentlest formula, for the baby. He would need solid foods too, but his body needed to adjust to having proper nutrition. The girl was helpful, as she held her brother in her lap and helped him eat. I prepared a small meal for her. She needed to acclimate to eating well too. I could tell she was bright.

                “Your new name will be Marie,” I told her. “I knew a Marie a long time ago, who was very smart, just like you.”

                “It’s pretty,” Marie said with a smile.

                Marie and her brother started to doze when their bellies were full. I typically separated children by age group and gender, but I decided to put these two in the same dorm. My night guards helped monitor the kids and keep them safe. They fed the infants, when we had them. When the two new additions were sleeping comfortably, I went to my study to wait for Brian. I hated knowing he had such a long drive when I knew he was sleep deprived. My scouts tended to overwork themselves, not because I told them to. I firmly believed that my human servants needed to have balance to stay healthy and live long lives. It touched me that they were so dedicated, but it worried me too.

Amelia POV

                I’m not entirely sure when I fell asleep or for how long. I opened my eyes to a pair of cool hands gently stroking my exposed skin. My initial response was panic. I pushed the hands away and tried to move away. It was futile though. I heard the deep, melodious laugh as the hands grabbed me again. I recognized my master’s voice and relaxed. The room was too dark for me to see him. But I didn’t need to see him. I was already familiar with his body.

                “Are you awake now?” he asked.

                “Yes. Is something wrong?” I asked.

                “It seems you were having a nightmare. Do you want to talk about it?”

                “I don’t remember it, I never do,” I told him. “I’m sorry, if I disturbed you, Mas…”

                “David,” he corrected. “You didn’t disturb me. Remember, I’m nocturnal. Could your nightmare be about this?” he touched my hideous scar.

                “Maybe, I don’t know. My scar doesn’t repulse you?” I asked feeling anxious.

                “Not in the slightest, my pet,” he said and kissed the tip of my nose.

                The gesture of affection was endearing and hilarious at the same time. I repressed a giggle, until he dug his fingers into my sides again. I have no idea how I’m so ticklish. My father nearly beat me to death, when I was an infant, which resulted in my scar. I’ve also had years of intense combat training. I sparred for fun and to relieve anxiety. It seemed like my nerve endings should be less sensitive, but they aren’t. David took full advantage of my ticklishness, while he rekindled my arousal.

                I felt for his face in the dark and pulled him to me. He was amiable as he pushed his tongue into my mouth. I got a lot of practice kissing him before I fell asleep. I felt safe with him in the room and slept deeply, even with the nightmare. That vague dream usually woke me up. I pushed all thoughts of it from my mind as David’s hand reached for my most sensitive spot.

                “You’re so wet already,” he mused.

                “My master is handsome and good with his hands,” I replied, earning a laugh from him. I liked his laughter.

                I really liked his hands too. He rubbed my c**t with his thumb as he penetrated me with two of his long, slender fingers. I rocked my hips to feel the stimulation deeper and more intensely. He lowered his head and bit the side of my neck, without using his fangs. The dull, pinching pain shot right to my core. I reached, instinctively for his c**k and began stroking it as my orgasm edged closer. He bit harder, causing my orgasm to erupt inside of me. I clung to him and screamed his name to the ceiling above us.

                “Is your other hole as tight?” he asked, causing me to shudder. I felt pressure on the other hole. It was pleasurable enough. “I’m going to claim all of you before we get on the road.”

                “Yes, please,” I replied. David effectively tapped into my lust. I wanted to know everything I could to maximize his pleasure because he gave me orgasms that made my head spin and throat raw.

Bethesda POV

        I was disappointed when David didn't drop by after our newest residents were clean, fed, and sleeping. That disappointment faded when he told me why. I honestly hated trafficking humans, but it was a better alternative to serial murder. That was what we did before the trade began. It was easier for everyone involved, if we simply cultivated them from a young age. A majority of them lived long, happy lives, if they were well trained. That's my goal for every child that enters my manor.

        When Amelia called me from David's car, she told me every detail of her night with him. I smirked because I was sure I knew exactly who the offender was. He bought Faith and returned her dead body to me within an hour, trying to demand a refund. My merchandise was "defective" he said. The audacity of some people. Even the strongest humans can't live, if you drain every drop of blood from their body. At least he can't leave me a bad review, if he sought out trouble before leaving the review. Of course, I have cameras everywhere, except in the room reserved for my maker. The Council owns the building, but I run it, like I run the school.

        "Are you going to stay up all day?" Brian asked as he walked into my study. There was concern in his eyes. "What happened, Beth?"

        "Faith was murdered by her buyer," I sighed.

        "That's terrible," he gasped. "And the others?"

       "David bought the others. They'll be safe as long as they don't cross him," I smiled.

       "And you were worried no one respectable would take Ames," he chided.

       "Correction, she was worried, and it was for nothing," I said. "I was hoping, she’d be passed over, remember? I couldn’t think of a better master for any of my students."

       “I’m glad it turned out. How is Ames taking it? Is she relieved?” Brian asked.

       “She’s content. She knows that her master will protect her at all costs. There was an incident before David returned to her last night. Or just as he returned, as he witnessed the whole thing. One of the other patrons tried to take advantage of Ames. Now there's a head on a spike outside his door, and Amelia's future at Kingston Manor is secure," I explained. "She even offered to take the offender out, but I guess the i***t bruised her. David didn't like that at all."

       Brian laughed as he sat at my feet. I propped the sole of my foot on his shoulder and leaned back in my chair. Perhaps I should bring him to bed. He's been awake going on 36 hrs. It's the curse of a vampire's acquisition scout at times. I let him pleasure me until I climaxed. Then I led him to my room and returned the favor before we both fell asleep. I didn't have s*x with my students because they were only mine temporarily. I had fifteen scouts and two dozen permanent guards. I used them for pleasure as well. Brian was the most frequent occupant in my bed. When I woke at sunset, he was still sleeping next to me. I smiled and nudged him gently.

          "Mmmm?" he mumbled and opened one eye, so I knew he was joking. "Are you hungry for love or blood, Beth?" He was the only one of my humans with enough balls to call me by my name.

          "Tell me, have you ever wanted to taste my blood, Bri?"

          "I would make a hideous vampire, Beth," he said and stretched out next to me. "But living forever would be nice with you to love."

          "Do you really love me?"

          "With every fiber of my being, Beth. You rescued me from the hell that made me hideous. Then you raised me with the love I never knew before I met you," Brian said sincerely. He cupped my face with both hands. He was also the boldest of the humans I took to my bed. He wasn't dominant, but he wasn't afraid to make a move that turned me to mush. "And when it was my turn on the auction block, you didn't hide it well that you didn't want me to go. Your happiness that I didn't get bought healed my worry that I let you down. I love you. I will love you until my last breath; it doesn't matter if I die tomorrow or a thousand years from now."

          "Vampires don't do marriage, Bri," I said. "You will tire of me, and I you. But I will love you as I love David, for eternity. Tell me you want this."

          "I want it, Beth. I want you to turn me, so I can love you longer," Brian said urgently. "I will help with the school, until we need a break from each other."

          "We have children to rescue, first," I said. "I'll have Ember for dinner. It's her eighteenth adoption day."

          "I'll fetch her right away," he said. He kissed me with enough passion to arouse me then left the room.

          I sighed heavily as I got out of bed. That was another thing that only Brian had the balls to do. I loved him for it though. I would take the frustration out on him when he had a little of my blood and became virtually invincible. Beheading was the only sure way to kill a vampire, without fire or the sun. Because I am so old, Brian would be strong as a fledgling. My sire was only a few centuries old, and I was reborn stronger than many fledglings. Rebirth, that's what we call turning. Most of our human lives are forgotten. All I cared about was that Brian didn't forget how much he loved me. I didn't want that heartache.

Brian POV

        I couldn't believe it as I ran through the house. Bethesda wanted to turn me. It was beyond my wildest fantasies of her. All of my fantasies were of her. I lived many of them because she was so amazing. But because I wasn't a vampire, I couldn't fully satisfy her. Vampires were wild lovers, but they had to be gentle with human lovers because we are fragile. I didn't want to be fragile for my undead beauty.

           I found Ember holding the infant boy we rescued last night. He was not named yet. Bethesda gave us new names to begin our new lives. The girl did have a new name already, Marie. She was cowering near her brother. Her hair was washed, but there was still a big lump and a cut on her scalp. I was happy to watch David and Bethesda kill the fuckers that would beat a child like that.

           "Is she going to kill us?" Marie whimpered.

           "No, Mistress is the nicest person," I assured her. "She will love you and teach you a new way to live. It's better than living with a mean mom and dad."

           "Did you need something, Brian?" Ember asked.

            Ember was an aptly named beauty. She had hair the same fiery red as Bethesda's. Her skin was darker because one of her parents was mixed. The combination made her look exotic. She would make the school as much money as Amelia did. I smiled at her and relieved her of the infant.

            "Happy adoption day. You have the honor of feeding the Mistress tonight," I explained.

            "Does it hurt?" Ember asked nervously.

            "Not at all," I said with a smile. "I fed her last night. Then I f****d her." Ember laughed nervously. "Don't worry, she won't take your innocence, just a little blood. It's honestly euphoric."

            "Okay," Ember said. "I'll go now."

            I watched her willowy figure retreat quickly. Ember had a high metabolism. No matter how much she ate, she never gained much weight. Of course, she trained as a fighter, we all did. I trained more than I did when I was a student though. I've fought a few supernatural hunters since I became Bethesda's permanently. I cherished her, so I would never let harm befall her.

            "Let's get you some food," I said to the girl.

            "Who will feed Dalton? Mama's dead."

            I was a little surprised. That wretched woman breastfed the baby? I assured Marie that I wouldn't let her brother starve. We had a full array of formula. We just had to find the one that agreed with him the most. Breastfeeding explained why I didn't find any formula in the disgusting apartment. The kids had been in the school for a day. There was a canister with a note that said "new infant". It looked like we already had a winner. While Ember fed our Mistress, I fed the smallest children and myself. I decided to fully enjoy the last human meal I would eat.

Bethesda POV

        It was a long and bloody night. I was engorged and wouldn't need to feed for at least two days. Brian handled the bodies with a team he called in. I took the children to their new home. I would spend the next couple of days naming them and getting them settled in. It was nearly dawn, when Brian returned home. I set up his room in the basement of the manor. It was where he would spend the next week. I smiled when I realized something.

                "You look mischievous," Brian accused with a smirk. "Did you change your mind?"

                "No, follow me," I said and took his hand. I knew exactly how to get rid of my engorgement.

                He followed me up the stairs without resistance. His long, slender fingers intertwined with mine affectionately. He brought my hand to his lips and nipped my fingertips lightly. His dull, human teeth sent shivers through my body. He took the lead suddenly and pulled me into my room. I laughed at his audacity. It was a trait that would have made him a bad servant for anyone else. As soon as he closed and locked the door, I jumped on him and wrapped my legs around his waist tightly.

                "I'm going to f**k your brains out," he said. "When you come, David will hear you in his fancy Canadian mansion."

                "I can think of better uses for that bold mouth of yours," I said sternly. He just grinned and nipped my neck. "Okay, f**k my brains out. Then, I'll turn you. Tell me again that you want this."

                It wasn't a decision to be made lightly. Vampires that were made against their will or with uncertainty were feral and a menace. I didn't want to have to kill my first offspring. That's right, I said my first. Over a millennium of life, and I haven't turned a soul. I have over a hundred brood mates with offspring. David is prolific. I was the first he turned though. I believe I'm still his favorite.

                After the passionate s*x, I was snuggled in Brian's arms. I would miss the warmth of his body, but I wouldn't need to hold back with him anymore. He assured me that he was certain in his decision. I nudged him, when I felt like he was dozing off. I had an excess of blood to offload. It wouldn't be unlike when David turned me. My body was flawless, from head to toe. Only David knew the extent of the torture I endured before he saved my life. I didn't remember it, but I did remember what my body looked like just before I was turned.

                First, I used my fangs to puncture veins on my forearm. When the blood was flowing onto the bedding, I bit into Brian's axillary artery. I needed to drain him, while he fed on me. I could give him enough blood to make him know how beautiful he is to me. The fools at the next auction would kick themselves for overlooking him, and he'd be mine forever. Of course, he'd be free to come and go as he pleased, but our hearts would always be connected. That's how it worked, even if the vampire hated the maker.

                "I love you, Beth," he murmured as he drifted off. I licked his wounds closed. I felt lighter. His body was cool, but it would warm up, when my blood started working its magic.

                I laid my head on his chest to ensure I didn't take too much blood. His heart was still beating. It wouldn't take long for my blood to start changing him. I let my eyes close. It was time for my daily slumber. My heart felt full and led to blissful dreams of how Brian might look when he woke in a few days.