2 Chapter 2: A new home

Alice's fate had taken a strange turn. One moment, she was sure she was going to die. Granted, she sought it, rather than whatever else awaited her in the future. And the next, she was spared.

Spared was the wrong word. More like, cared for.

That vampire, Joshua had wanted to kill her. He was going to kill her. He would have killed her, were it not for this buyer. Whoever she is.

"Vampire queen..." she muttered, tasting the term on the tongue. Sounded dangerous, slightly alluring and....powerful. Definitely that last one. Vampires feared only other vampires, stronger ones. While in one of his cells, Alice heard Joshua's men talk about him being a former Confederate soldier (figures), so he had to be....what....250. Math was never her strong suit.

"She must be scary." muttered Alice in consideration.

"She is." shocked out of her thoughts, the girl turned her sight towards the vampire, who was cleaning her body inside a small bathtub. Michael, she thinks his name was. "Her name is Geraldine von Staufer. An ancient and powerful vampire, hailing from Germany who now runs the entire east coast of North America. And almost a third of the continent come to that."

"Why tell me this?"

"Thought you would want to know, who saved you."

"Saved? You mean 'bought'?"

"She is not the worst. Most of our clients would have rather watched Joshua beat you to death and be happy its for free. Probably got impressed by your character, more than your looks. You might fit in. Or you could try pissing her off till she kills you. I don't care either way."

"Then why were you so adamant to stop him from hurting me further? You could have broken me and fixed me with that blood of yours and no one would've known."

"Because" He scrubbed her back faster "We can't bring people back from the dead. Chances of you dying are high with your big mouth." She let out a whimper at his roughness and he slowed down. "And if you died, we would be pissing off a vampire queen. That usually ends with death. For all of us."

"Oh, you deathless vermin. You puff your chest up about your power, yet you are so scared of dying." Alice couldn't help but gloat.

Michael grabbed her shoulders tightly and, for a moment, Alice thought that her tongue would finally land her in a shallow grave. Instead he hissed in her ear. "Amuse yourself for as long as you can, meat sack. I hear Geraldine likes to play with her toys as well. In less....conventional means. She will break your spirit and you will finally learn your place." He tossed the sponge back in the bathtub. "Finish on your own. There are clothes in the adjoining room. I will pick you in half an hour."

And so she did. The clothes they gave her weren't bad either. Oh, who was she kidding, they were dreadful. Black heels, fishnets, a rather short leather skirt and a white shirt. Her hair was curled and perfumed. Apparently, Geraldine did not like her slaves dirty, or so Michael said. Then again, everything was better than looking like you had lived with pigs in the last couple of months.

They put her on a bus, alongside the other sold slaves. Her eyes were covered and so was her mouth, legs and arms bound with thin yet durable chains. She did try a few times after all. All that totally contrasted the feeling of cleanliness she left Joshua's auction house with. Nevertheless, Alice had a vague idea that not all slaves had the same treatment, because the person next to her smelled awfully.

Before long, the bus stopped and they led her out by the hand.

"Enjoy your new home." she heard Michael say in his sardonic voice as he pulled off her hood. A man, who was dressed as a butler, approached him and signed off on a few documents (vampires at least do documents, even on shit like this).

"Congrats, she is all yours now." he added in that same infuriating tone.

"She better be in pristine condition, Mr. Brown, otherwise She will be very displeased." the older looking vampire hissed at Michael, who quickly changed tune.

"Y-yes, of course. We have prepped her just as instructed." Even if these people were to be her new tormentors, Alice loved the fear, written on Michael's face.

"I hope so. It is for your own good, after all." Alice watched the slaver get on the bus and observed its leaving. "Now, my dear." the butler addressed her and shook her out of her thoughts. "My name is Mr. Sterling, adjutant to your new owner, our shared master. Let us lead you to your quarters and I shall explain the rules to you."

As Alice was led to the gate, it opened to reveal a vast white palace. Parts of it were ruined, but she could recognize it from her mother's stories of the world before the vampires. This was the White House, a former seat of power for humanity. Now - the residence of a vampire overlord.

Upon entry, she noted the countless soldiers and servants running around the place, but she paid them little mind.

Her room was quite spacious and luxurious and on that front, she was beyond happy. Hell, Alice would have been jumping with glee if she were alone. And, of course, if she could forget the fact that she was a slave. Still, even the eternal pessimist that she was, Alice could not complain about her accommodations. The room was large and had a large and comfortable bed, plenty of space for two, maybe even three people. There was even a TV. The balcony was rather large also and she judged that all this was because of the powerful humans who lived here. Save for the lattice, which covered everything. You could easily see the outside, yet it was forever beyond your reach. Something told Alice that this was done by the most recent owner, who did not want their guests leaving.

"Mrs. von Staufer will be back within two days. She is a busy woman, yet as soon as she noticed you at that video auction, she said she had to have you. You should feel honored." spoke Sterling, who distracted her yet again from the trappings of her own mind.

"Why?" she asked. "Why me? What makes me so...special?" she couldn't help but ask.

"If she feels generous, she would tell you. However, it is worth to note that I have never seen her so excited about purchasing slaves as I saw her then. As to the rules, they are quite straightforward. You are to stay here until her return. Then, when she comes back, you will be branded as her property so that all know what you are."

"No, no, NO! I AM NOT SOME FUCKING ANIMAL!!!" she shouted at him. Alice wanted to tear her hands off the shackles and hit him, yet all she did was sprain them.

The vampire barely reacted. Noting the sudden bruising of her wrist, he punctured his thumb upon his incisor and wiped it on the hurt place, making the pain go away.

"A painful process for tender flesh, I know, yet in a building full of vampires you will be immensely grateful for her mark." he finally said. "You best relax, dear, lest you got yourself hurt."

He stared into her eyes, as he said the last sentence, and she felt her head grow heavy. Alice fell asleep, right on her feet, and did not feel Sterling's hands gently catch her and put her on the large bed.

"Perhaps you are worth it after all.", he muttered and left Alice to her sleep.