ROSES FOR RACHEL: EPISODES 1-10
EPISODE 3
The woman rolled her eyes and patted the bed, motioning for me to sit there. Once I did, sitting as far from her as I could, she nodded to Fern and she readied the needle. I turned my face away from it as she stuck it into my arm and the woman smiled at my slight wince. “Trust me, you’d rather us do it this way than the alternative.” She winked.
“Where am I? What is this place?” I asked again.
“You’re under ground.” She said flippantly. “Deep, deep, deep, under the ground. This is where we live…where we’ve always lived.”
“Vampires?” Even I am was little surprised out how calmly my voice came out.
“Yes.”
“You live in caves?” I asked.
She rolled her eyes at me again. “This isn’t a cave, this is an underground network of cities. We have been beneath the ground, under every single country, for hundreds of thousands of years.” She told me. “As you know, we have reached out to the upper world now, too. Vampires are in control of it all now. We no longer have to reside below anymore, but it’s easier.” I winced again when Fern pulled the needle back out of my arm and the woman placed her hand on my leg. “You were picked from one of our feeding schools.”
“Feeding school?” I repeated in terror.
“Yes.” She said unapologetically. “One of ten other schools just like it. The girls and boys of these schools have one purpose and one only.” She nodded to me. “Feed us.” She shrugged and I wanted to vomit. “Your keepers kept you healthy and well fed until the age eighteen when you would have been sold off to the vampire with the most money, but you, you lucky little girl, you have a chance to not face that fate. If the prince chooses you, you’ll stay here, at his side, ruling as his princess.”
“And if he doesn’t chose me?” I asked weakly.
“You’ll go back out to the auction and be sold. What your master choses to do with you at that point is not up to me.” There is zero sympathy in her harsh voice.
“So my options are either get chosen or die, huh?” I asked mimicking her uncaring voice and expression.
She shrugged her shoulders and stood from the bed. “Pretty much.”
ROSES FOR RACHEL: EPISODES 1-10
I spent so long crying in my ridiculously extravagant bed that I lost track of the slight idea of time I’d been trying to hold onto. Having my blood taken had made me a little lightheaded, but knowing what they were doing with it was what really made me feel sick. Everything I’d known had been a lie. I squeezed my eyes shut tightly trying not to think of all of the girls I’ve known for years back at Drighten that will soon become meals, or slaves, or both. My mind wandered to Greer and I wasn’t sure what I should feel. Of course I was happy that she wasn’t sold, but at the same time I didn’t want her to be here either. The realization set in that it is me against her like a sinking rock in my gut. Me, Greer, and four other girls, pinned against one another for the affection of some creepy prince who wants to marry one of us and drink our blood.
I shivered in the bed.
There was a soft knock on my door and I sat up quickly, wiping the tears from my face and trying my best to look composed even though my insides were all in knots. “Come in.” I called out strongly, even though I wasn’t even sure if I get to give permission on whether or not people enter my room. I didn’t have to give permission for them to take my blood, so I’m guessing I probably don’t.
Regardless, Fern waited outside until I told her to come in. “Hello, miss.” Fern said timidly as she strode gracefully over to the bed. “Didn’t you get any sleep at all?” She said disapprovingly as she shook her head at me.
“No.” I said flatly, then sighed. “I tried, but I couldn’t.” I lied.
Fern smiled lightly, moving closer to me and pressing her fingers to the big bags under my eyes. “The ball will be tonight at seven, so you’ll need to start preparing yourself soon.”
I furrowed my brows, leaning out of the way of her icy probing. “What time is it now?” I asked. I knew it had been some time, but I hadn’t realized it had been that much time.
“It’s about four in the afternoon, Miss.” She looked around the room with a confused expression for a moment then shrugged. “I’ll get you a clock for your room, Miss. They must’ve forgotten it.”
There was another knock on my door, and two women pushed carts packed high with clothing bags into the room and over to the empty racks. Behind them, a man came in holding up six long dress bags, and despite myself and my situation, I couldn’t help get a little excited at the sight of them. I’d worn the same drab ratty hand-me-down clothes for eight years now.
“Let’s get you cleaned up.” Fern said in a chipper voice while I continued watching the people hang up all of my new clothes.
“You’ll want to look your best.” She cooed, drawing my attention.
“Tonight it very important.”
Right. Make the prince like me, or die. How could I forget?
I nodded mechanically and followed her on jelly knees into the washroom while everyone else filed out of the room in a hurry, none bothering to give me a second, or even first glance. She walked around the large tub and went over to a small panel on the wall and typed something into it. As she turned back to me, I jumped when the water began to slosh into the tub, but instead of coming from a faucet or overhead, it filled from the bottom out of the small jets. When the water was nearing the top, Fern quickly pulled a small vile out of her pocket and she let two big green drops fall down into the water. On impact, the water began to sizzle and a flowery aroma filled the air, wrapping me in it. I closed my eyes and I could almost imagine I was outside.
“What is that?” I asked curiously as the surface of the water continued to ripple and fizz.
She smiled at me while she tucked it into her pocket again. “Our little secret,” she whispered, watching the door carefully. “The prince will loves this sent.” She said tapping her hand on top of her pocket. “I figured it couldn’t hurt to give you a little edge, not that your beauty doesn’t give you one already.” She giggled and I blushed under the praise. “Don’t worry though, it’s only an oil, it will make you smell delightful, and I also find it makes your skin so soft.”
“Ok.” I pursed my lips, then I inhaled it deeply again. Daisies, lilies, fresh grass, even sunshine. I’ve never thought before what the sun should smell like, but this is how I’d imagine it. “It does smell good.” I admitted to her and you could tell be the sparkle in her dark eyes and her quick smile that she was pleased.
Fern helped me undress and get into the tub. Back at Drighten our keepers were always around, so undressing in front of her wasn’t anything unfamiliar. We also were only allowed three minutes in the communal showers, and our soaps were all scentless and slimy, so this opportunity to take an actual hot bath was not tarnished at all by a complete stranger being in the room. Not even a vampire one. Soaking my body in the hot, silky feeling water was the nearest to heaven I’d ever felt. After forty-five minutes of perfection, and once my fingers and toes were shriveled up like raisons, Fern cleared her throat and delivered the bad news that it was time for me to finish getting ready. I got out reluctantly, but was a little less sour when she wrapped me in a fluffy robe.
I actually begin to feel a little like a princess when she sat me down at the vanity and she and two other young girls began brush out and dry my hair, styling it into large bouncing curls that frame my face and shoulders. I looked at my face in the mirror, it was clean and looked refreshed. Fern and the other girls smiled as they turned me so that I couldn’t see my reflection anymore and they busied themselves with applying my makeup.
When they finished they smiled, pleased with their efforts, and turned me back to face myself once again. My breath hitched in my chest and I lifted my hand to my face, making sure the girl in the mirror was really me and not a trick. My eyes looked big and strikingly blue with long black lashes, and my lips were plump and shimmering with some kind of gloss. I’d been told I was beautiful plenty of times in my life, but right in that moment was the first time I’d ever actually felt it myself. “Woah.” I whispered, still touching my face gently, and Fern and the girls giggled again, covering their mouths with their dainty hands.
They snapped their mouths shut instantly, and straightened their postures as Master Pedro strode into the room
unannounced wearing a sharp looking blue suit. “Girls.” He said with the tilt of his chin in our direction. The other two girls scurried from the room after a quick bow of their heads, and Fern stood up right beside me. “Miss Rachel, I must say you do look astonishing tonight.” He purred with hardly a glance my way. He walked fluidly over to where the dress bags were hanging and one by one he unzipped them, peeked inside, then zipped them all back up. I was craning my neck to try to see inside any of the bags, but he was blocking my few. He spun to face my way quickly and caught me looking, to which he narrowed his eyes knowingly. “The third one, please.” He crooned to Fern and she rushed over to grab the dress as Pedro checked his watch and stomped out of the room.
“It’s almost time.” She said excitedly as she brought the dress over to me. “Are you excited yet?”
The butterflies in my stomach kicked up and I had a strong urge to vomit, even though I hadn’t eaten since breakfast a day ago, but I fought back the nerves. I couldn’t verbalize any actual words so I just shook my head and stood. Fern gave me a shy look then dashed back over. I watched closely as she unzipped the long bag it. As it opened I didn’t want to blink in fear that the beautiful dress in front of me might disappear.
“That’s…That’s…whoa.” I was at a loss for words.
I removed my robe quickly and stepped into the dress, letting fern wiggle it up my body and then zip me up in the back. Fern stepped back to admire me just like I was in the mirror. “Whoa was right.” She said while she fans herself. “You look very beautiful. The prince won’t be able to take his eyes off of you.”
I wasn’t so sure that was a good thing, but I did a turn in the mirror to distract myself.
The dress was a liquid like silver that clung tightly to my curves and accentuates my small waist and long legs. My shoulders were bare, putting my freckles on full display, and small triangular cutouts on my sides gave a peek at some more of my skin. “I’ve never worn something like this before…ever.” I whispered under my breath.
“Well, if you’re chosen, you’ll get to wear things like this for the rest of your existence.” She grinned broadly. “Finishing touches!” She squealed, turning back to the dress bag and pulling out two smaller bags from inside. The first bag had some silver sparkly bracelets, and large teardrop shaped diamond earrings, while the second was home to a pair of high heeled strappy silver shoes. Fern checked the time, then quickly finished me up. “You look perfect, Miss. Let’s get you down to the ball room, you don’t want to be the last to arrive.”
“Are we already late?” I asked surprised. It hadn’t felt like it’d been hours, but she nodded hurriedly as she pushed me towards the door. The butterflies were back in full fluttering force. I didn’t know what to expect, but I did know I did not want to go to some ball, or meet a prince, or be surrounded by God only knows how many vampires. I didn’t know much about them, aside from what I’d been taught at Drighten, but I did know that they drink human blood, and really that was the only piece of information necessary for me to know I wanted no part in this.
Nonetheless, I followed Fern down the winding corridors and many passages, trying to mentally memorize the way but finding quickly that it would be impossible to keep track of. I was easily struck by the beauty of the rock and stone all around me. We passed plenty of people, most only paying me a very minimal amount of attention, but the others seemed to stop their lives entirely to watch me with wide eyes as I followed quickly behind Fern.
We rode the elevator back down to the first floor, and before the doors were even opened entirely I could already hear the music. It was romantic and soft, but not in a depressing sounding way. Voices hummed over what sounded like a microphone and there was laughter coming from every direction. As I exited the elevator I felt my whole body going a little numb with nerves, but my heart spiked in panic when I noticed that fern was staying on the elevator. I raised my eyebrows and looked to her, praying she wasn’t about to say what I thought she was.
“I’m not allowed to go any further, Miss.” She said, sadly, confirming my fear that I’d be doing this alone. “Just go to the left, you can’t miss the ballroom.” She told me with hardly a breath to spare before the doors slid shut in front of her and I was left all alone in vampire territory.
I seriously considered running the opposite direction from where the laughter and voices were coming from, but as I thought, the smell of something heavenly wafted into my nose, making my stomach grumble restlessly, and I followed the smell to the left. Fern hadn’t been exaggerating. There was literally no way I could possibly miss the two story tall giant doors to the ballroom. I walked timidly towards them, smiling politely at the guards standing on both sides of the closed doors. “Name?” The older looking one asked gruffly, not even bothering to meet my eyes as he spoke.
“Um, I’m Rachel.” I muttered more like it was a question than a fact.
The two men whispered something that I couldn’t understand as they each pulled open the enormous doors for me.
I stepped forward and froze like a statue right at the top of the most spectacular staircase I’d ever seen. The music was still going, loud and upbeat, but I felt like every one of the hundreds of people in the large ballroom had stopped what they were doing and all turned to look at me. I could feel my cheeks burning like fire and my legs began to feel even more like gelatin as my eyes swept the elegant crowd. I was more than just tempted now to run in the other direction, but I was pretty think my body wasn’t going to cooperate with my mind at this point anyway.
ROSES FOR RACHEL: EPISODES 1-10
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