The Servant Trade

Chapter 3

Brian POV

                My name is Brian Kingston. I have vague memories of when I went by another name and lived a different life, but I don’t remember the name I was given at birth. What I do remember is being terrified and in great pain. I still have the scars as a reminder of that life. My scars and memories were the reasons I decided to become a scout for my mistress. My life changed for the better the moment she rid me of my abusive parents and decided to raise me, herself.

                Bethesda owned me and would until my last breath, but I wouldn’t want it any other way. I loved her with everything I had for what she did for me and countless other humans. She rescued us from lives filled with pain and fear. The pain and fear were given to us by the very people that gave us life and were supposed to love and care for us. Bethesda gave us love and purpose. I know that there are countless people that feel they have no purpose. They trudge aimlessly through life. I never had that problem. My initial purpose was to learn how to serve. When I was passed over at auction, Bethesda gave me a new purpose. I served her now.

                My purpose is changing, but I don’t have any hard feelings about the new job. The purpose I served for the last eight years was fulfilling. I was finishing my last night as a scout. I had an apartment in the building with the family I was watching. I brought the reports to Amelia, thinking she’d have the school ready for new residents, the job would fall on a new pair of shoulders. I had a good idea of who it would be.

                The family that was my current objective had two young children. I first noticed them while watching a local playground for signs of abused children. The older of the two children, a girl, was about two or three years old. She always had dark, ugly bruises when she visited the park. The kids were dirty and underfed, which led me to renting the apartment across the hall from them. I listened and watched through the windows near the fire escape. After about a week of observation, I had concrete proof that both children were abused. The infant was neglected. The toddler was beaten and yelled at by both parents. This was the life I escaped when I was about the same age as the girl.

                The scenario I observed was one I’d seen many times in eight years as a scout for my mistress. My work led to over a hundred children passing through the doors of the school. There would be more tonight and the following night. After returning to the apartment, I waited in the parking lot for Bethesda to catch up. The abuse would end for these children tonight, and they would find lives full of purpose.

                When I returned home, I would assume my post as Bethesda’s personal guard. She was powerful enough that she didn’t need much protection when she was awake, but she was vulnerable while she slept, during the day. Vampires had many enemies.

Bethesda POV

        By the time the auction ended, I only had time to visit one of the residences on my list. It was a small apartment in Detroit. The benefit of vampiric speed is that I can travel vast distances in minutes. This apartment had two young children that were the victims of abuse. My scout, Brian, met me outside. I rescued Brian when he was about three. He was so badly scarred, that I couldn't sell him. So, he became a scout in my employ. He had faded scars on his arms, legs, and torso. To me, he was as beautiful as any other child I raised. He was a grown man now and one of my best personal servants.

        "Beth," he said with a wide, goofy grin.

        "Staying out of trouble, Bri?" I asked with a quirked eyebrow.

        "I was saving that for you," he said and winked.

"I'm so popular," I gushed. "David swooped in and cleaned me out. Then he did things..."

                Brian laughed with me. He was one of my most trusted scouts and most frequent lover. I didn't consider it a loss when no one bought him. It was a huge boon for me. I allowed him a kiss and smiled when he tilted his head to the side. I had to decline though. I did have a snack earlier, courtesy of Brian. I knew he was tired and needed his full strength to complete our current mission. I did love how he catered to me though.

                "Saving your appetite for the kid beaters?"

                "You know me well," I said. "I can hear the bastards yelling at that little girl."

                "Let's get 'em, Beth," David said as he materialized beside me. Brian jumped then laughed at himself.

                "Bri, this is David," I introduced.

                "It's a pleasure, Sir," Brian said and extended his hand.

                "Likewise. Beth raves about you," David said and winked.

                There is a mythology that says vampires are asexual. It's hilarious and couldn't be further from the truth. We have libidos that rival werewolves. Most of us are also bisexual. A long life leads to a LOT of experimentation. I teach my humans to accept both men and women. Brian learned well and smiled invitingly at my maker. Some humans were born bisexual. I believe that Brian was.

                "Fight first, boys," I chided.

                They laughed quietly as we moved in. The building was barely habitable. It smelled like sewage, vomit, and drunks. I'm sure there were junkies inside too. There was so much arguing, it was difficult to focus on the abused children crying for help. Even the infant was screaming. Luckily, we had Brian. He knew exactly where the apartment was. The infant stopped screaming just as we reached the door. That wasn't good. David kicked the door in, making the adults inside jump and fall silent. The girl still sobbed in a dark corner.

                "Stay," I ordered Brian. One of the occupants had a gun aimed at David. He was immune to bullets, even silver ones, but Brian wasn't.

                The woman holding the gun didn't have time to register David's movements. He held her firmly by the hair and sank his fangs into her neck. She didn't make a sound. Draining our targets makes the clean up so much easier because there's no blood left. The blood usually doesn't taste good though. I realized the reason the baby stopped screaming was because his father was trying to shut him up with a pillow over his tiny head. The screaming started again when I pulled the man off and puncture his neck with my fangs. I was hungry after only have a light meal before the auction.

                The little girl whimpered in the corner, staring at us in wide-eyed horror as we literally sucked the life out of her monstrous parents. Her golden hair was matted with blood. She had tears and snot running down a face that would have been round, if she'd been fed properly. Brian moved in when the threat was eliminated.

                "Hey, sweet pea," Brian cooed and scooped the girl up. "Why did they hit you this time?"

                "Dalton started crying and wouldn't stop," she whimpered. "I didn't do it, but they said I lied."

                "Why was Dalton crying?" Brian said. It was a terrible name, that would change.

                "He pooped," the girl said.

                Brian moved to the screaming baby and wrinkled his nose dramatically. The parents were dead. I let go of the piece of s**t human and went to the girl. We would clean up the children before we disposed of the bodies. On second thought, I guess, David already thought of disposal because he was gone, and so were the bodies. The entire apartment was disgusting. Brian, miraculously, did find a clean diaper for the baby. When both children were in my arms, I took them home.

Amelia POV

                I was almost asleep, when the door of the room opened. The food was delivered by one of Bethesda's scouts, so I knew I could trust him. I didn't trust anyone else. A few vampires requested to come in. But this was David's room until we left, and I belonged to him. He made it clear that I wasn't allowed to give my blood or body to anyone else. Maybe, other servants were disloyal, but I wouldn't be. David was sweet to me. Maybe it was a spell, but I was content to belong to him.

                When the door opened, I couldn't make out who the silhouette belonged too. The room was dark. The hall was lit with torches. My human vision was a joke compared to a vampire's. I was sure that whoever was in the doorway was a vampire. He was looking right at me. I was sure of it. David didn't tell me to get dressed, so I was still only wearing the boots. I pulled the comforter up to my chin, like it would do any good. The intruder already saw me.

                "Finally, something good to eat in this dump," the man said.

                "You're not supposed to be in here," I said. "This is my master's room."

                "Where is your master now? It looks like he abandoned the damaged merchandise," the vampire said. I still couldn't see him. I didn't need to, to know I didn't like him.

                "He's coming back any moment now," I said confidently. "He doesn't want to share me."

                "You're an insolent one for a slave," he said and had me pinned to the mattress with a hand on my throat. "Don't you know, you're beneath me?"

                "YOU don't own me," I growled through gritted teeth. "I am HIS alone," I added with conviction.

                David was so tender. I wanted him to be happy with me. This vampire on top of me was scaring me. I couldn't show it, even though I knew he could smell my fear. If he took me by force, would David believe me? Or him? I struggled against my assailant. I knew I couldn't win, but if I got injuries for fighting back, my story would be more plausible. The vampire howled in pain, suddenly, and jumped off the bed.

                "You, b***h! I'll kill you," he seethed.

                I had no idea what I did to hurt him, me a measly human. I felt a surge of pride though. "I'm sure that would go over really well with the Council," I said sarcastically. "I can imagine that my master would just look the other way too. I mean, he can just get another pet in a year, when Mistress Bethesda's next batch will be of age. I the money he'd lose is just pocket change. Think about it real hard before you make your next move. It's my job to protect him and what belongs to him."

                "Who is your master?" the vampire asked.

                "I'm not stupid enough to answer that," I said. "He's stronger than you. He is better looking too. You might as well just kill me, because I'm going to tell all, when he comes back."

                Victory!!! The vampire disappeared. The door closed behind him. I got off the bed and saw that the lock was broken. Now, I can't sleep, like David ordered because I'd be left defenseless. Maybe, whatever spell he put on me would protect me. I know I didn't hurt that vampire. He was holding his arm like he was burned. My skin is actually quite cool. I looked toward the window and saw him. My new master was silhouetted by the moon.

                "I'm so glad you're back," I said honestly.

                "It seems, I came back just in time," he said. I was sure he was smirking. "He was about to pounce until I let him see me."

                "How long have you been there?"

                "I was here the whole time he was," David said. "That spell doesn't work without loyalty."

                "I belong to you, David," I said. "I don't want anyone else to own or touch me."

                "You performed flawlessly, but I have to deal with that vagrant," David said. "No one steals, or attempts to, steal from me."

                "Can I go with you? I don't feel safe here anymore," I said.

                David nodded. He grabbed me around the waist lightly. I clung to his loose-fitted shirt as he went after my assailant. I wanted to see what David would do to him. If he'd seen the whole encounter, then he knew I was innocent. I knew that meant he heard the encounter as well. He looked at me as if a joke played in his mind. Then he set me on my feet next to him.

                "Your grip is as tight as your cunt," he said quietly, as he faced the vampire that was recently threatening my life. I stared at him for a moment before I started to laugh. His humor was vulgar, but I knew the joke was a compliment. "Now, Ames, tell me again how this vagrant accosted you."

                David made me feel brave. "Well, Sir, he broke the lock on your door, startling me from a sound sleep," I began. "All I could see was his silhouette, but I knew he wasn't you."

                "How did you know?"

                "Sam told me that you had the only key to the room. Why would you need to break the lock, when you had the key?" I explained. "He told me to lock the door, if I was going to rest, like you ordered. Anyway, I told this guy to leave because the room is yours."

                "That's right," David said as he started tracing my shoulder. "The room and everything in it belongs to me, including this woman." I shuddered under his light feathery touches. "And her desire. It's all mine. Ames, what happened next, my pet?"

                I looked from the unknown vampire, who was trembling, to my master. David was so much better in every way. I was lucky that he bought me. I moved closer to him, which earned me a soft smile from his lips that were red now, from a recent meal. His body was warmer now too. And his hands were kindling my desire again. It really did belong to him. I sighed as I prepared to answer.

                "When I asked him to leave, he refused and called me damaged goods," I said.

                "Why on Earth would you call my woman damaged?"

                "W-w-welll... just look at her," the vampire stuttered.

                "I've looked her over quite thoroughly and rather enjoyed the experience," David said casually. "Why did you encroach on my territory and threaten my woman?"

                "S-s-she's j-j-just a s-s-slave."

                "She's MINE," David yelled. I have to admit that I liked the way he called me his woman rather than slave. I risked hugging his waist. He seemed to want me to be comfortable with him, and I was. "Do you want to defend your honor, Amelia?"

                I was stunned and looked him in the eye. He smiled and kissed my lips affectionately. That was all the encouragement I needed. The other vampire pissed me off. He pissed David off. I knew vampire law. I knew the consequences for breaking those laws. If David wanted to kill me, for any reason, it was within his rights per their laws. However, this random vampire threatened David's property, me, his life was forfeit because David had more power.

                "She asked for it," the vampire said. "She begged me to come in because you discarded her. She wanted to die."

                "Tsk, tsk," David said. "I know, and you know, that is not what happened. Did she have the strength to break the lock? A human? Really now. And that spell, the one that burnt your hand would have burnt her to a crisp, if she betrayed me. Please, explain how she turned it around to appear innocent. She is strong for a human, but she is no witch."

                Okay, that freaked me out a little. I had no intention of betraying David, but he obviously didn't trust me. We did just meet, so I guess it makes sense. I repressed a shudder. I just needed to prove myself to him. I stepped away, just half a step and squared my shoulders. He wanted me to defend my honor. Maybe he just wanted to test my fighting skills. They weren't much compared to a vampire, but I could kick the life out of a human, literally. My fists and legs could at least make a vampire uncomfortable until he got a good meal, if I landed a good hit.

                "I want to defend my honor, Sir," I said. "And your property." I motioned to my neck, where I was sure there were still fingerprints from having my throat squeezed.

                Too late. David flew into a rage. The other vampire didn't have time to process, neither did I to be honest. The next thing I knew the offender was headless, with his body limp on the floor. David held the head with one hand and held me around the waist with his other arm and returned to the room. He impaled the head on a spike outside the door. A message to others, I knew. I also knew that I was safe as long as I stayed on his good side. If I messed up, I was toast, literally.

                "Can I do it next time?"

                "What?" he asked.

                "Defend my honor. It was a bit wicked to offer then not let me do it," I said boldly. I was angry but not at David. "That bastard hurt ME. He simply offended you."

                "I will relent to your request, if and when there's a next time," he said. "I was just so livid. He bruised you, Ames."

                "Maybe, if you kiss it, it'll feel better," I said suggestively.

                I screamed from surprised when he threw me onto the bed from across the room. It was a little frightening but exhilarating at the same time. He was on me kissing my neck in a way that tickled. I couldn't contain myself. I wiggled under him and laughed until tears formed in my eyes. Then he dug into my sides to tickle me. When I was breathless, he stopped.

                "Damaged goods, my ass," he scoffed and kissed my forehead. "You're everything a bored, lustful vampire could want. And you are my woman."

                "I'm your lustful woman, and I want YOU inside me," I said assertively. His responding grin made my inside turn to goo. I think I might already be in love with him. Bethesda said she loved him immediately as well. She remembered the events leading up to their meeting and her turning but nothing else of her life as a human.