A monster in human skin

'Holy hell…'

Without thinking, I hurried back to the hallway I came from, hiding in it with my back fusing with the wall.

'What the hell is that?' my mind buzzed and my eyes snapped when I heard feather-like footsteps coming this way. 'No, fucking hell.' 

I held my breath and steeled my heart. 'Run!' my mind screamed, 'Don't grab anything or try to fight! You're not Vera anymore! You're Marsella now!' 

Marsella's body… this feeble body couldn't fight, no matter how skilled the soul was. I had to run, yes. But alas, my feet wouldn't move. It was as if this body wasn't listening to me... or rather, it was experiencing trauma. 

'Shit…' I breathed out, moving my eyes to find any weapon to fight whoever was coming in here. The presence grew stronger, sending a chill down my spine. 

Did Yves and Augustus warn me to not go out at night because a monster prowl around the Ross Estate? Even with the dark, I could make up that monster had a form of a human.

'A monster in human skin…' my eyes dilated even more as this reminded me of something in my previous life. I was uncertain, but on the battlefield, I slew the same kind of monster.

A monster who only goes out at night, had superhuman strength, one that looked human but not, and fed on human blood.

Vampires.

My eyes fell to my right, someone's shadow stretching over the hallway. This monster was getting closer and closer, and I could feel the knot in my stomach tightening.

'I had to run. I can't fight a vampire in this body!' I ground my teeth, punching my legs so they could move, but to no avail. My eyes went wide as I froze, sensing that it was already here… almost close… too close.

I jumped when I heard a voice. It was Augustus... of all people! Come on, luck! Don't do this to me!

"Harriet." My head slowly turned to my right to see two shadows now.

Harriet?

"What are you doing here?" he asked in the same low and cold tone. "You've fed enough. Don't cause any more trouble. Go back to your bed."

I couldn't hear what was Harriet saying as they came out as murmurs, but I watched her shadow go away. I heaved a sigh of relief, clutching my chest, but that didn't last long as Augustus soon spoke directly to me.

"I told you not to go out at night," he said before he stood at the end of the hallway while I just stared at him.

His crimson eyes that shared the same color as mine shone brighter in the dark. Like a beast in a deep forest, staring at his prey, waiting for the right time to feast on it.

"I, I…" My throat felt parched and my lips dry. "… I need to fetch some water."

The side of his lips curled up in a smirk. He trudged towards me; I wanted to back away, but couldn't.

Augustus stopped a step away from me, tilting his head, eyes on me. "Marsella, when will you listen to me?"

My breath hitched as he raised his finger, playing with the tip of my hair. Each light tug on my scalp pricked my skin as all my body hair raised.

"I… saw nothing…" I blurted out, finally finding my voice. "… brother."

"Brother?"

I pursed my lips into a thin line, stabilizing my breathing. He didn't like being called brother by Marsella. He never said that, but his action was enough to know that.

"Young master." I gazed down, correcting myself as I clutched on my skirt tightly.

"You're not afraid." He pointed out, placing a finger on my chin to force me to look at him. "Alarmed, surprised, and rage… that is what I see in your eyes."

"Should I be afraid, Young Master?" I blurted out, making him smirk devilishly. If he could tell that it was not fear that made my body tremble, there was no point in using this lame tactic against him.

Augustus bent over, eyes narrowed. "Yes, Marsella. You should scream and lose your mind like usual."

"Why?"

"Because it's entertaining to watch?" His smirk grew more sinister, making my blood boil. Was he having fun all this time watching Marsella lose her mind? This lunatic…! I will kill him, Marsella. 

"Hah... are you thinking of killing me?" he asked, startling me enough for me to hold my breath. "That's what your eyes show."

Augustus bent over even more and whispered in my ear. "Death. That is what your eyes seek, and I don't like it."

"Tch. You must have poor eyesight, Young master."

"Haha, funny." He chuckled, drawing his head back, and stood upright. "I will let you off tonight."

He withdrew his hand from the tip of my hair, his eyes still on me. "I will keep this as our little secret."

Augustus placed a finger in front of his lips, smirking before he turned and left. I remained in that same spot for a long time, unable to move until my knees gave way and I slumped on the floor.

'What the fuck?' my eyes dilated as my entire body trembled. 'I wanted to know what kind of dirt this family was hiding… but this is a little abrupt.'

The Ross Family was cursed? I didn't have that much knowledge about vampires, as those recorded cases about them were scarce.

A myriad of questions hovered over my head; how could they stand the sunlight? Am I one of them? How come no one knew about this? Was Yves also a vampire? Was this a work of a witch? 

But no answer. 

'No, instead of answers… I should get the hell out of here.' My eyes glinted as my hand against the floor clenched. 'Augustus… that lunatic. I knew what those eyes want... my despair. My fiance is really my ticket to escape this hell. This place I call hell just literally became one.'