Chapter 5

Under my lashes, dim sunlight broke through. I shivered with pleasure, pulling the downy blanket tighter around me. I love sleeping naked, but in life, it rarely happens due to the constant presence of a strange man in the house – my stepfather. I hope now I'm finally in paradise? I opened my eyes.

No. I'm still in this mysterious Wurd. Damn! I even felt disappointed and sat up abruptly on the bed. The room was empty. Still the same white bedding. In the daylight, the room appeared quite lovely. Expensive pale pink floral wallpaper, seemingly not paper but fabric. Matching elegant furniture – a wooden chest of drawers painted in bright raspberry color and a large silk-covered armchair where the Master sat last night. Was it a dream, or did he actually come? I cautiously touched my lower lip – no pain. Strange. And then my gaze landed on the dried bloodstain on the pristine white bedsheet. No, it wasn't a dream after all!

I lifted the blanket – yup, I wasn't mistaken, no clothes. It seemed I concluded everything correctly. But how did I manage to survive? And wake up now full of strength and energy? I wanted to sing and dance like Snow White in the animated film, calling the animals and birds to join her in merriment.

Nevertheless, no time to ponder, I should at least get dressed before someone else visits me. The adventures, it seems, continue! And better this time to be dressed.

I quickly got off the bed and looked around the room – nothing anywhere. No blouse or any trousers. Empty. Even my own clothes were gone. However, I found a door that led to the bathroom! And there was a real, sparkling white bathtub on golden legs with an antique faucet. What a delight! Ah, to hell with them all! Who knows what awaits me next? At least, I can enjoy this! I decisively turned on the tap and let the water flow. Such a magical sound! Over the past few days, which I lost count of, I died several times, fell into oblivion, and suddenly, such bliss. Ordinary water and even a few bubbles with some kind of soapy liquid. I opened the pinkest one and inhaled the scent – mmm, lavender! Without sparing, I poured the entire content into the water.

After a few minutes, I was enjoying the hot water in the bathtub. I lay down, blissfully stretching my legs – oh God, thank you for this wonderful break! Submerged in fluffy foam, I watched the glimmers of sunlight on the pristine tiles and bathroom fixtures. This room is fit for a princess. I feel like a beggar who stumbled into a luxurious life! Any moment now, Professor Higgins from "My Fair Lady" will pop out from around the corner and start teaching me proper pronunciation and behavior in high society. Ah, it's a real fairy tale! I closed my eyes and continued my color game. It's a childhood amusement of mine – if you turn your head towards the sun and don't fully close your eyes, the moisture on the surface of your eyes starts sparkling with multiple colors.

I have no idea how long I lay there, foolishly smiling at the simple pleasure of bathing. When I got bored, I excitedly washed my new hair. It felt so unusual! I used to have hair like this long ago, but I cut it short. And now, it's all grown back. There was no electric hairdryer in the room, but I found three large, incredibly soft towels. Excellent! I wrapped one around myself and approached the vanity table, where I found a comb and started attending to my new hair. Then, I even brushed my teeth with some strange brush and powder – there was no toothpaste to be found. But that didn't bother me at all; in my childhood, when we ran out of money and my mom couldn't even scrape together enough pennies for a tube of toothpaste, I used regular baking soda, and it did the job perfectly.

With some interest, I examined myself in the mirror. My lip was slightly swollen, although there was no wound. I liked my eyes; they seemed even greener. I had lost weight and looked a bit thinner, but it suited me. I stuck my tongue out at my reflection. Whom am I demonstrating this to? The vampire?

"Do you even care about what your food is called?" Seriously? Why are all the handsome guys such moral jerks? Even if he's a vampire from another world, was it so hard for him to keep his mouth shut? I should've smacked him with that lavender wave, or whatever it really was. Impudent and rude people deserve a proper response. Well, I'll think about that later. Right now, I need to find a way out of here because I'm terribly hungry. Putting the toothbrush back on the table and adjusting the towel around me, I stepped out of the bathroom and immediately froze. I had visitors! There was a short, slender grandmother standing near the bed. She was dressed in a stern gray dress and an old-fashioned bonnet, under which her short gray hair was neatly gathered. With special meticulousness, she was arranging clothes on my bed. And what was it? Short white shorts with a black stripe and a black silk top!

"Hello!" – I decided to loudly announce my presence to the old lady. The surprise was clearly successful – the grandmother flinched and looked at me in astonishment.

"Indeed, she speaks!" – she said as if to herself. Apparently, one part of her saw everything immediately, while another part needed to communicate news through a special verbal message.

"I'm talking!" – I cheerfully confirmed. – "Let's introduce ourselves, my name is Ulyana!"

And then I faltered. I completely forgot that I'm food; my name doesn't interest anyone. However, the old lady turned out to be more polite than my nocturnal guest. Nodding politely, she replied:

"Call me Chara. Some also call me a nanny or caretaker."

"Whose nanny?" – I immediately asked to clarify.

"Yours," – the guest simply answered. – "And everyone else who is in the Empire. People. I am a nanny for people, not for vampires."

"Why do I need a nanny?" - another idiotic question from me, but I can't help it, I don't understand anything here yet. Thank God, the grandmother turned out to be patient and understanding, and calmly explained to me:

"You, girl, are in the world of vampires. And there are few humans here. Each person is a real treasure in the homes of wealthy vampires. But you are particularly lucky - you ended up in Empire, the palace of the Lord of the New Wurd, who will soon become the ruler of the entire Wurd, as the legend says, and we believe in it. Since there are so few of you humans, each person has a vampire guard. But here, in Empire, I am in charge of the guards and your schedule. We believe that humans should not be kept in captivity. You don't want to reproduce anyway, you die like flies. But if we give you the freedom of movement under reliable guard - the situation improves. Soon, you will get to know someone and have children."

At that moment, on the word "children," the kind grandmother grinned in a rather predatory manner. I looked at her with suspicion. She reminds me of someone in character. So kind on the outside, but rotten inside... Ah, yes, in Russian fairy tales, they call her Baba Yaga! A wicked witch in the guise of a sweet old lady.

"Why are you smiling, kiddo? Get dressed better," she scolded me and wagged her crooked finger, "Let's go to breakfast. You need to be fed and brought to your senses after transitioning to our world. Come on, I'm waiting for you right outside the door."

Pointing at the clothes for me, the grandmother left. Well, well. Hour by hour, it gets easier and easier. Happier and happier! Sighing resignedly, I put on everything they prepared for me. Under the short shorts, I found very beautiful lace lingerie, so I put it on as well. Looking at myself in the mirror in the bathroom, I chuckled again. Well, there you have it! The shorts are so short, and the top is so enticing - is this to make me want to reproduce faster? Or does someone want to reproduce with me? Strategists, what on earth!

I didn't resist, after all, you can't hide from vampires behind a door - I already figured that out. Besides, they promised me food. And I really want it! So, I hurried to leave my hiding place and immediately, at the threshold, ran into my guards - two huge vampires in black masks, covering their noses and mouths.

"Why are they wearing those?" - I asked the grandmother as we headed to the elevators.

"Prince's orders," the "nanny" calmly replied. - "You, kiddo, smell too delicious for us; not everyone can resist. But don't worry, the masks are enchanted. Besides, few will dare to attack a human under the prince's protection. And you bear his mark."

"Where?" - I began to inspect my hands and neck, as far as possible.

"Silly girl, it's invisible. We all sense its scent on you. That means until he himself gives you to someone, no one will get close to His Highness's toy."

I looked at the grandmother disdainfully, but she didn't react. After all, I'm just food to her. How did they sing in a children's cartoon? "We divided an orange, many of us, and he's alone"? Yeah, that's how they divide me like an orange.

The elevator made a melodic sound, the doors opened, and we stepped out on a floor. I got so engrossed in the old lady's moralizing that I didn't even notice which floor it was.

"Come on, come on, kiddo," the nanny gently pushed me forward. It was an endless corridor with numerous doors. The red carpet, seeming to have no end, muffled our footsteps. The dim lighting from the many antique lamps on the walls and ceiling emphasized the grandeur of the interior. Since there were no windows here, you could lose track of time. Now this was closer to the world of vampires that I read about in books and watched in movies.

I sensed him before I saw him. My own alarm system, which I completely forgot about this morning while luxuriating in the bathroom, suddenly blazed with intense force. The mark on my back was tingling.

I clenched my teeth. The last thing I needed was to start screaming!

Moments later, one of the huge doors we were passing by swung open, and the prince emerged. I mentally prepared myself for another encounter, to endure yet another meeting. The vampire leader only nodded slightly to the old caretaker, who folded herself in half, bowing to the high-ranking person, and continued his way down the corridor, away from us. Along with him, my pain vanished.

"Come on, come on," Chara nudged me. - "No need to stare, His Highness is busy with important matters."

"What kind of matters?" I asked without taking my eyes off his receding figure. In that moment, the memory of our nighttime encounter flashed in my mind. His insults. Arrogant disdain. And then... the bloody kiss. And the farewell to this life. A ridiculous chain of events. A ridiculous me, who even enduring the pain, inexplicably yielded to this cruel stranger. Moreover, a vampire. It's amusing that in this gray pinstriped suit, he looked nothing like a prince, let alone a fearsome vampire. A white collar, a stylish tie. A black silk handkerchief in the breast pocket, perfectly accentuating the jet-black silky hair and black eyes. Everything was impeccably coordinated with his perfect appearance. But even his presentable appearance couldn't make me forget the touch of his bare flesh, his rock-hard muscles against my unfortunate body. Damn vampire! The last thing I needed was to fall in love!

Ugh, I blinked, trying to shake off the obsession, but the haze didn't dissipate.

"What do you mean, 'what kind of matters'?" the old vampire lady grumbled. - "War is underway. We are about to claim victory over Ivrop! I've already told you, come on, keep moving."

Opening the door to some room, my escort pushed me inside. It turned out to be a huge dining hall. In the center of the room, there was a large, long table already filled with people. About fifty people, maybe more. By the looks of it, they were indeed humans, not vampires; they chatted and laughed merrily. The atmosphere here was very friendly. The interior seemed more human than vampiric. Bright tones, plenty of sunlight, and a lot of ordinary human joy. White tablecloths, napkins, and majestic decorative columns partly embedded in the walls. It wasn't just a dining hall; it looked more like a hall for grand receptions for a large number of guests.

"Why do you claim that humans don't talk? Or are these also vampires?" I whispered to the old lady. She glanced at me and reluctantly replied:

"Too many questions from you. Well, whatever. These are humans. They can talk, read, write - something primitive, elementary. But amongst themselves... You listen, sit next to me."

She pointed to an empty chair between two handsome young men. Everyone was sitting in a chessboard-like pattern, presumably to encourage faster procreation, much to the delight of the vampires. If it weren't for the dreadful introduction, I might have even wanted to get to know one of them. But...

I hesitantly took my seat. They greeted me:

"Hello!" said one of the guys, a bright blonde with hazel eyes. Broad cheekbones, sharp chin, and a slightly broken nose - a quite respectable representative of the male gender. - "What's your name?"

"I'm Ulyana, and you?" I smiled at him warmly, though I doubted whether I should even begin this acquaintance or not.

"My name is Norton," he replied briefly. And only now, when I heard the foreign name, it dawned on me that I was in a different world, yet I understood everyone and everything! How is this possible? Are they from my country here? Or... I need to ask Chara. I looked around - the old lady had disappeared somewhere. There were only those who were having lunch and several guards, all wearing those same masks. They looked like black crows among white swans, spoiling the feeling of a beautiful morning. Probably, everyone who guards humans wears such masks; otherwise, they would have eaten someone a long time ago.

"Enjoy your meal, Ulyana!" Norton friendly drew my attention to the food on the plate. I lowered my gaze and immediately felt my mouth fill with saliva. My goodness, I'm so hungry! Right now, I probably resemble a vampire myself. A vampire sucking human food! And here it is - delicious-smelling scrambled eggs, bacon strips, green salad, fresh bread, and butter - a full set. It's just astonishing where they got all this from, if it's indeed a world of vampires and not humans.

Deciding not to delay any longer, I took an antique fork and joyfully plunged it into the food. For the next five minutes, I saw nothing and no one around me. I realized that I hadn't eaten in a long time. It's remarkable how calmly I endured until this moment. With each subsequent hot morsel, my body came back to life, and when I drank a whole cup of hot black tea with lemon - I considered that I had somehow miraculously ended up in heaven.

"So, where is this astonishing miracle?" Suddenly, a hurricane stormed into the room! Despite everything, none of the other people reacted to it except me. They continued chatting aimlessly and having breakfast, as if they were under the influence of some unknown drug, dulling their consciousness. At the same time, the "hurricane" headed straight for me. Clearly, it was a vampire - moving too deliberately and swiftly. Although he didn't resemble any of those I had encountered before. Of average height, terribly thin, with long, straight white hair down to his backside. He'd look like an elf if his ears stuck out a bit more and he wore a uniform.

The hurricane swiftly approached, and before I could even squeak, he grabbed me by the throat with a powerful hand! Easily lifting me over the back of the chair on which I had been sitting just a moment ago, he pressed me against the wall. I hung in the air and gasped for breath - his hand cut off my oxygen.

"Mmm, darling, you smell truly stunning," he uttered, pressing his disgusting, long, white nose against my bare shoulder. "A new toy for Kir... Intriguing..." His voice was very unpleasant. High-pitched and grating...

His grip on my throat tightened even more, raising me slightly higher. I gasped and widened my eyes, trying to break free from his hold with both hands. The vampire bared his fangs, and I was already preparing to become an unwilling blood donor for this audacious creature. When suddenly, salvation appeared out of nowhere.

"Iy, let the human go!" I heard a familiar elderly voice from somewhere nearby.

"You don't give me orders, old hag!" my tormentor growled at the nanny. "You're all nobodies here! I am the son of Antigon! And you're just an old servant's wife! Go away, don't disturb me... while I'm having breakfast..."

"This is Kir's property!" the delicate caretaker tried to stop my assailant for the second time, but he didn't react. He viciously bared his fangs and was about to lunge at my neck when something swiftly flew past my nose, causing him to be thrown several meters away and crash to the ground in disgrace. "Maybe I'm just a marshal's wife, but I'm almost five times older than you, little one, Iy! Don't dare to compete with me!"

I, too, ended up on the floor since nobody's hand was holding me anymore, and I stared in horror at the "old lady" towering above us. Just a second ago, she was a petite woman, but now she looked like a formidable and powerful vampire! Next to her, this "Iy" indeed resembled an unruly puppy.

"You traitor! You betrayed my father!" the defeated vampire rose to his feet and crossed his arms over his chest. "I will conquer Wurd, and you will all submit to me!"

"Iy," the nanny said wearily, returning to her former appearance right before our eyes, "you know perfectly well that it won't work for you."

"I have the power of Antigon!" Iy protested, squealing. "I will still rule here! Tell me, old one, who is this person?! Why does Kir need her so much?" Now he was shouting about me, pointing his long finger in my direction. "Who is she?"

"It's none of your concern, Iy. That's enough. Get out of here, or else..."

"What? You'll kill me?" the young vampire sneered at her. "You won't be able to. The curse of Antigon will fall upon you! It will fall upon all of you!" Having completed his prophetic promises, Iy swiftly turned on his heels, causing his hair to form a beautiful wave in the air, and quickly disappeared through the dining room doors.

"Foolish Iy," the nanny grumbled to herself, shaking her head in disappointment. "Kir will crush him to dust..."

"Who was that?" I couldn't help but speak up again, though I realized it from the terrifying look the caretaker gave me in response.

"Finish your meal and mind your own business," she snapped irritably. "Not your concern, human."