"Aaa...….h, I hate the mornings, I want to sleep more and this bed it's too comfy then usually " she added "wake up woman it's time to work"
evryn said to herself make her body up heavy from the bed, she opened her eyes on a place did not recognize, her eyes were rolling into the room that was new on her.
"This definitely not my room " evryn said while moving her hands on the bed beneath her.
It was large and solid. The mattress was soft, much softer than anything she had ever slept on before. Heavy sheets covered her legs; a dark blanket was folded neatly at the foot of the bed.
She sat up carefully and looked around.
"Where am I ??, is this a joke from that stupid servants "
The room was not locked with chains or bars. There were no visible weapons, no obvious guards. And yet, the space felt contained.
As Evryn sat there, taking it all in, one thought became clear:
This was not a servant's room.
This was not a guest room.
And she had no memory of how she came to be inside it.
Then she froze, her chest was not moving, she waited then nothing, her hand went to her chest. She pressed harder, then harder still. Panic rushed through her, hot and fast.
No heartbeat.
"No... this isn't possible," she whispered.
She forced herself to take a breath, but it felt strange. Empty.
Her ears suddenly filled with sound. The small candle nearby crackled loudly. Every noise felt sharp. Too close....
She closed her eyes, she slapped her face once and twice to wake up if she was dreaming.
"i'm not dreaming " this is real she tried to remember anything happened before Nothing came.
No accident.
No pain.
No memory of falling asleep.
Just darkness.
She opened her eyes and saw herself in the mirror. She stepped closer without thinking.
The face looking back at her felt unfamiliar , she put her hand on her mouth trying to not scream her hair caught her attention .
Orange.
That was not her hair color ,her skin was pale, almost white, her eyes golden...
Her breath caught in her throat.
"What's happen to me? Did my eyes were always golden color" she whispered to her reflection.
"I'm a maid," she said aloud, her voice shaking. "I work in the palace. I clean rooms. I carry food."
The door behind her opened quietly.
"You woke up sooner than expected."
Evryn turned quickly.
A man stood in the doorway, he closed the door carefully behind him then moved calmly, like nothing surprised him , his eyes watched her closely.
He was broad-shouldered and well-built, his posture straight but controlled, as if strength was something he kept carefully contained. His brown hair was slightly unkempt, not styled for court or ceremony, and his hazel eyes studied her with quiet focus…with assessment. He looked neither kind or cruel. Just alert. Present.
"Who are you?" she asked while she tried to moving back slowly to reach a silver decor on a meuble.
He lifted his hands a little. "My name is Asric Drael."
The name meant nothing to her.
" okey asric , who are you again " she added "Where am I?"
"In the palace," he answered with a smile "You are safe."
"what palace ? and why am I locked in this room?"
"For your protection."
"That's what people say when they're lying." She laughed under her breath. "Safe people don't wake up locked in strange rooms."
He didn't argue. He simply nodded, as if accepting her anger then smiled slightly. Not in a cruel way, but calmly.
"You are scared," he said. "That's normal." asric said while he stepped forward her.
Evryn noticed then she grabbed the metal toward him "don't think to get closer "
He stopped then make his hand up like he won't harm her.
"This room is for your protection," he said. "You were not ready to wake up outside it."
Her voice rose. "Not ready for what?"
She stepped closer to him, anger pushing her fear aside. "My heart isn't beating," she said. "Explain that."
"Yes," he said. "I expected you to notice, just now, your heartbeat will back any moment "
She stared at him in disbelief. "You say that like it's normal."
"It isn't," he answered. "But it was necessary."
She shook her head. "Necessary for who?"
He hesitated, then spoke carefully. "You were dying , evryn"
The words hit her hard then she said "stop lying , I don't remember that."
"You wouldn't," he said gently.
"Why not?"
"Because you were changed." He met her eyes directly. "to A vampire."
She laughed once, sharp and short. "That's not funny."
"I'm not joking."
Her smile disappeared. "I would remember something like that. I didn't ever ask to change to vampire ?"
"yes you did , The change takes something in return," he explained. "Any memories connected to vampires you knew before are erased."
Her chest tightened. "So I knew vampires."
"Yes."
"And now I don't."
"No."
"That's cruel."
"It's survival, you need to rest , I will be back soon " asric said before he went out.
The room became silent again after the door closed.
Evryn stood still, staring at the empty space where Asric had been. She tried to remember his face from before. Nothing came.
Still, something about him felt familiar, like a memory hidden deep in her mind then she looked at the mirror again. Orange hair. Strange eyes. No movement in her chest.
She turned away.
She searched the room.
Drawers. Cabinets. Under the bed. Behind the curtains.
The room was expensive. Velvet curtains. Polished furniture. Silver decorations. Everything looked untouched.
Her hands shook as she opened a small chest near the fireplace. Inside were clean clothes, dark and elegant. Beneath them was a wrapped bundle.
She opened it ,not her diary it's Just a book with empty pages, she dropped it and searched again.
Nothing.
Then she realized it ,her diary was gone. She always kept it with her, Every night , Every thought , Every secret..
Except...Someone did not want her to remember to know what's happening to her.
Her fear turned into anger ,she grabbed the silver goblet from the table and threw it to the door.
The silence stayed, But something inside her broke.
"I know I wrote it," she whispered. "I know I did. , i wrote anything , every time , everywhere "
The door opened again.
Evryn did not turn around , she stood near the mirror with her arms crossed tightly.
Asric entered quietly. This time, he carried a goblet. It was golden, older, and decorated with twisted designs.
"I thought you might be thirsty," he said.
"I'm not thirsty, I don't even know you ,why would I trust you ?''
"you need it now or your pain will be worse a moments later" he said
"I don't want it."
"You will"
His voice was calm, not threatening.
Her throat burned and her mouth felt dry a deep hunger activated , she can smell it now , want it badly.
"I'm not a monster" she said.
"No" he replied. "You're new"
She hesitated, then took the goblet , It was warm she couldn't resist she knows now what's meant to be vampire...
"…Who did this to me? This is against the law , I know it's need permission " she asked.
He did not answer.
"Drink."
She raised the goblet and smell it her body couldn't resist anymore and took a small sip.
The feeling hit her instantly. Heat spread through her body. Her muscles tightened. Her breath caught. Her teeth ached.
She drank again.
By the time the goblet was empty, her lips were red she felt herself breathing , a live ... not because she needed to and already wanted more.
Asric stepped back. "You'll learn to live with it."
Then he left her alone.
Asric stood in the hallway outside the room.
Through a narrow opening in the wall, he watched Evryn wipe blood from her mouth. Her hands were shaking.
She was fragile.
Perfect.
He walked away and stopped on a balcony overlooking the palace hall the sunlight reflected off a stone fountain below.
He reached into his coat and pulled out a small leather book.
Evryn's diary.
"She'll remember," he said quietly. "Just not yet, not until I make it harder on him , suffer a little "