Standing at my door were three elegant, equally beautiful women, their arms full of shopping bags. The tallest of the group stepped forward, looking over my shoulder with a sly smile. "Well, aren't you going to invite us in?"
I stepped aside, allowing them to bustle in, dropping the bags onto the bed. Suddenly, a loud scream pierced the air. I turned to find Theo attacking the toes of two of the women. They shrieked, hopping on the spot, until I rushed over and locked Theo in his cage.
"I am so sorry, he has a lot of energy. And excuse my rudeness, but who are you exactly?" I asked, trying to steady my breath.
The short blonde woman stepped forward, holding a red rose between her fingers. "My name is Anett, this is Vena," she pointed to the tall woman, "and the quiet one is Melinda."
I greeted them warmly, but Anett gently tucked the rose behind my ear.
"It's for tonight," she explained, grinning. "Since you'll be accompanying Victor, you get the red one." She winked as if I should understand something unspoken.
"Thank you," I replied, slightly confused but grateful. As I looked around, I noticed the others had different colored roses tucked into their hair or tied in their ponytails.
"So, are we doing something today before the gathering? Is that why you're here?" I asked, sitting on the bed.
Melinda and Anett looked to Vena, who began pulling out jewelry, perfumes, and luxurious lotions from the bags.
"We're going to help you get ready for tonight," Vena explained. "Victor didn't want you to be alone after this morning's events."
I nodded, feeling a little more at ease. I sat down in front of my dresser as they began setting up their supplies. "Do you mind if I touch your hair?" Melinda asked, reaching out tentatively.
"Of course, go ahead," I said, a little embarrassed. My hair was still a tangled mess from the day's earlier events.
As Melinda gently combed and curled my hair, she added red rhinestones and delicate jewels, turning my curls into something fit for a queen. Yet, I couldn't help but notice how distracted she seemed, casting furtive glances at the open window.
Mrs. Corpt knocked at the door and brought in finger sandwiches and fresh lemonade, which we sipped as the hours passed. The process of grooming, though long, was somewhat calming. By the time they were done, I felt like a different person—my hair, makeup, and nails all perfect.
Once they finished, they thanked me for doing my own eyeliner and eyeshadow. I let Theo out of his cage, and he immediately whined at the door, as if he missed the ladies' attention.
I went to the bathroom and couldn't help but admire my reflection. The curls of my hair were piled high, and my dress felt like it weighed a ton, but I looked stunning. I turned once in front of the mirror, then twice, just to be sure. As I admired myself, my phone buzzed with messages from my group chat. I sent them a picture of my outfit before tossing my phone onto the bed and slipping on my heels.
A knock at the door interrupted me. When I opened it, there was no one there—but a black triangle box sat on the floor. Inside, I found a note in cursive:
I opened the box and gasped. The necklace and earrings were breathtaking, their jewels catching the light. "These better be fake," I muttered to myself as I carefully put on the earrings and fastened the necklace around my neck.
After giving Theo a treat and telling him to stay in the room, I left for the dinner downstairs. The house was full of guests, and in the crowd, I spotted Victor. He stood waiting for me, dressed sharply with his hair slicked back, and he beamed when he saw me.
"Don't fall, don't fall," I whispered under my breath, my nerves escalating as I descended the stairs. The room fell quiet as all eyes turned to me, and I couldn't help but glance over at Victor. He smiled widely and made his way toward me, taking my hand.
"You look amazing," he whispered in my ear as we walked into the ballroom.
We danced for a while, and though the crowd around us cheered, Victor eventually had to step away to greet some of his parents' friends. Vena, Anett, and Melinda soon found me and gasped in amazement at how I looked.
Vena grabbed my arm and pulled me toward the main hall. "So, Ayana, do you mind showing us your office?" she asked with a mischievous smile. "We're curious about the... crime scene."
I hesitated. I didn't want to go back to that room, but I didn't want to appear rude either. "Okay," I agreed reluctantly, leading them down the hall.
When I opened the door to my office, I was taken aback. The room was completely clean, the chaos from earlier gone. The broken roses had been replaced by fresh ones, and the place looked as if nothing had ever happened.
Vena strutted inside, flopping onto the love seat and surveying the room. "These roses," she said, smiling knowingly. "They're from Victor, aren't they? He's taken quite the liking to you." She raised an eyebrow. "What does he taste like?"
I blinked in confusion. "Excuse me?"
Vena laughed softly, as though I should already know what she was talking about. "Pierre tastes like morning dew, but I wonder what Victor might taste like. Maybe cherries... or something like the roses in this room."
I stared at her, more confused than ever. Then she gestured to the wine glass in Anett's hand. "You can taste them in the wine, you know?"
Melinda shot up from her seat, looking agitated. "Vena, please be quiet," she said sharply, but the implication of her words struck me like a punch to the gut. —it had been in the wine, the water, and, to my horror, the tonic I'd been drinking since I arrived.
"You don't understand, do you?" Vena sighed, rolling her eyes. "She doesn't know what's happening here, does she? She has no choice."
With a final, condescending glance, Vena and Anett left the room. Melinda stayed behind for a moment, her face streaked with tears, but she followed them out, leaving me alone to process what I had just heard.
I barely noticed the small piece of paper sticking out from the dirt of the flowerpot, its yellow edge catching my eye. I pulled it free, and when I unfolded it, a white polaroid slipped out and fell to the floor. At first, it seemed blank, but when I turned it over, a chilling message was scrawled on the back:
My hands shook as I read the note. I turned the photo over. There was Victor, smiling down at a woman who was looking into the camera. . But my hair was white, and I was holding a bouquet of flowers. In the corner of the photo, the faded inscription read: "Elizabeth and Victor Belmore, First Anniversary of 1826."
I collapsed to the floor, clutching the photo like it was a ticking time bomb. My mind raced as the dinner bell chimed, snapping me back to reality. I jumped to my feet, trying to shake off the dizziness. I needed to leave, but I had no idea how to escape.
I hurried down the hall toward the dining room, trying to act normal, but everything felt wrong. The two guards by the door stared at me as I passed. I tried not to let my fear show.
Inside the dining room, I took my seat at the head of the table, surrounded by strangers. My mind was spinning, but I forced myself to focus on my wine glass. The metallic taste... had I really been drinking Victor's blood all this time?
Victor smiled at me from across the room, winking as dinner was served. The sight of the chicken and potatoes made my stomach churn. I felt nauseous, as though everything was spinning out of control.
I glanced at Melinda, who was sitting beside me, tears running down her face. Before I could comfort her, she shook her head, warning me to stay quiet. The room fell silent. Then, one of the men stood and approached Melinda. He began massaging her shoulders.
"Don't touch me, Avery!" she shouted, throwing his hands off her.
Suddenly, the men all stood, surrounding Avery and Melinda. They clapped, laughed, and hummed in unison. Then Avery grabbed Melinda by the hair and pulled her head back, exposing her neck.
I couldn't tear my eyes away. The room fell deathly silent. Avery sank his teeth into Melinda's neck, and at first, it was slow. Then blood began pouring out, splattering the table and even hitting my face. The sight was so grotesque, I couldn't breathe.
Victor appeared, a smile spread across his face.
"Don't run," he yelled over the chaos, "I'll be right there!"
With my heart pounding, I kicked off my heels and bolted toward the doors. They were locked. Panicked, I ran up the stairs, to my room, locking the door behind me. Theo was whining on the bed, sensing my distress. I quickly fashioned a rope out of curtains and lowered Theo to the ground.
"Run, Theo! Go home! Get out of here!" I cried.
He seemed to understand, darting into the tree line. My heart ached as I watched him go, but I knew he'd be safer than I was.
The door to my room clicked open, and there stood Victor, James at his side, holding a set of keys. They looked at the curtains, then at me.
"You saved your dog instead of yourself?" Victor said with a wicked grin. "That's... touching. But now, let's go thank our guests for their participation in our union."
I froze. Fear and defiance churned within me. Victor's grip tightened on my wrist, pulling me toward him. "Shhh, I'm not going to hurt you, my dear. As long as you behave. You can jump, but breaking something will be nothing compared to what I'll do to you."
I stopped struggling, weighed his words carefully. He was right. There was no escape from this place—not yet.
"Good," he said, smiling with satisfaction. "Now, let's go bid our guests a good night. We've got a big week ahead of us."
Victor led me down the hall, deeper into the shadows where anything could be waiting. The darkness was closing in, and I was utterly, completely trapped.