Chapter 16: The Vandyke ceremony.

*With one foot in the grave, beware of what they crave*

**Ocean**

I stand before the full-length mirror and wonder if I will ever see the spark in my eyes. Humans were told to have one when they feel happy, but I guess happiness as an emotion has never managed to reach me. All I can do is sigh and count the seconds until one of the brothers or maids beckons me to follow them. I don't want to wear another collar, and if I only had a chance, I'd run as far away as I could. As long as Vladimir was my owner, I never knew what would come next, and in time I found peace in the darkness and in everything he called terror. It's easier to endure torture than to live with the thought of becoming a slave. Stupidly, part of me hopes Octavius and Kieran will change their minds - there are so many women out there who would die to become their wives or slaves. But why me? A tear escapes my eye, and I waste no time in wiping it away. I may feel defeated, but I won't give them the pleasure of seeing me break. Ever.

"Miss?" Someone calls at my door and knocks on it seconds later. "The Vandyke ceremony is about to begin; I was told to escort you to the Grand Hall. Many elite members have already arrived; they're expecting you." the woman announces. What on earth is the Vandyke ceremony? Is that a fancy word to use when you become a slave to a vampire? But I don't think I've ever heard that before. Vladimir forced the collar on me shortly after he beat me up because, as he said, I was hard to handle. There were no vampires around to watch him do it, and there was no ceremony. But it sounds like the brothers are planning a big show in front of their friends while I get to say goodbye to my freedom.

"I- I think I'm ready," I stammer as I take one last look at my neck before a heavy collar covers it again. I walk to the door and reach for the handle. My whole body shakes with fear, but I can't let anyone see me in a state. Even if I've to stand in front of a bunch of vampires, I'll at least hold my head up as high as I can. *"Calm down, Ocean, you can do this. It's not like this is the first time you've had this thing on your neck. At least they're trying to have a stupid ceremony to make you feel better."* The pep talk sounds pathetic, but it's the best I can give myself. It's not like anyone is going to come here and make me down. I'm not a friend; I'm more of an enemy to all the women in the brother's house.

As soon as I open the door, I am faced with a frail-looking girl, around twelve years old at best. Immediately I wrap my arms around her neck and pull her to me as tears come, not for me, but for the girl. She's just a child serving the vampires. And I thought my life was worse than everyone else's. At first, I didn't notice how the girl wraps her arms around my waist and cries with me. "Shh, you poor little thing, why would they enslave a little girl," I whisper to her as my grip tightens a little. I couldn't care less about this damn ceremony, I have a child in my arms, and she really needs comforting.

"I'm okay, miss, I promise. But you won't be if we don't go to the Grand Hall now. Please, follow me." She releases herself from my grip and wipes my tears before wiping hers away. This is probably one of the most selfless acts I've ever seen. I can't move a muscle, so she reaches for my hand and squeezes it gently. "Live, for me." The girl whispers and pulls me onward through the corridors that resemble a maze more than anything else. I don't speak; I just watch as she leads me through the hallways until we stop in front of a massive wooden door. She looks up at me and repeats herself. "Live, for me." I gulp and nod, completely speechless and frankly unaware of how to respond. The girl doesn't bother to tell me her name or anything as she knocks on the door and walks away, leaving me alone. I have never felt so lonely as I feel without her small hand in mine. The door moves only a few inches, and already I hear the loud voices. There are many vampires, all trying to overpower each other. And yet they have the gall to talk about how filthy and rude humans are? God, give me a break. I look up and make sure I hold my head up high. No matter what, I am going to walk into that room and show them I feel no fear. I may have lost the battle for freedom, but they won't get my self-dignity.

"Ladies and gentlemen, Miss Ocean, rank fifty-five, formerly owned by Lord Vladimir Bartholomew." A loud voice booms through the Great Hall as the doors finally open, and I reveal myself to the crowd of bloodsucking monsters. Many of them gasp, but I pay them no mind. My gaze is fixed on the three girls standing next to the brothers. All of them seem fine if I ignore the huge bruise that has formed around Marissa's eyes. She may be a total bitch, but she is a woman and deserves far more than abuse. I close my eyes and exhale before my legs carry me to the brothers. I hate the smug smile on their lips; if only I could, I would gladly smack it off their faces.

I stop right in front of them, bow, and wait for Kieran or Octavius to let me join the other girls. Obviously, Octavius is the one who smiles and motions for me to spend some time with those closest to me. I let my gaze wander through the crowd, many vampires still stare at me, but thankfully others focus their attention on conversations. Their behavior suggests to me that it's not the right time for them to start the ceremony yet. I cast a glance over my shoulder to see if the brothers are busy, but none of them seems to be paying attention to me.

As soon as I get close enough, Sally and Freya pull me into a tight, bone-crushing hug. I can't help but let a soft wince pass my lips. Big mistake. The sound is barely out of me as Kieran appears behind my back, wraps his arms around my waist, and pulls me against his chest. "I'm warning you, humans," he hisses, shooting death glares at my friends. The way he says humans makes me feel like garbage. The hate and venom that drips from that one word make me sick. "If you pull a stunt like that ever again, I will drain you without hesitation! Understood?" Though he shouts, no other vampire looks his way. It's like they're used to drama or arguments. I watch as my friends nod quickly and move aside. No. I want to be close to them, not Kieran. Before I can protest, he whirls me around and places his cold hands on my cheeks as he scans my body for injuries. Kieran presses his forehead against mine and whispers, "Be careful; you're still healing. I don't want anything to happen to you." He says it in such a way one would only warn someone. Just like my friends, I nod, completely speechless.

Kieran lets go of me and returns to Octavius' side. I wish for nothing more than to run back to my friends and make sure that no one wrongs them, but even that small wish cannot be granted. A woman walks into the middle of the Grand Hall and claps her hands to get the attention of the other vampires. I don't notice myself getting closer to my friends until my shoulder collides with Freya's. I immediately mouth an apology for everything, but she just smiles. Maybe she'd be better suited for the role I am supposed to be playing? No, it's not because I am scared or would throw someone under the bus like that - it's because these girls deserve better. And I have it better; as bad as it feels, I am still the one in the best situation. I live in this luxurious house with two overprotective vampires. If I block out the things, I have had to see and feel, life could be reasonably nice. Maybe my friends deserve it; they deserve better- and being here is a lot better than being cooped up in that damn club. Along with the memories and everything that reminds them of Vladimir.

As always, a voice pulls me out of the rut of thought. Unfortunately, I still stand in a room full of vampires and wait for the inevitable. My gaze settles on the woman who addresses those of her kind. "Tonight, you are to witness the ceremony of a new era. Our hosts, Octavius Jude and Kieran Slora have freed the abused humans from the clutches of a monster. Tonight we are gathered here to bless the new owners and humans, wishing them proser and mutual understanding." she says, and the crowd erupts in cheers. Not me, not believing in them being happy about humans that were 'rescued' from a vampire. "We will begin with the youngest. Besides the star of the show, we have three beautiful women who will be blessed with the collars of Jude and Slora house. Dear guests, if the girls have piqued your interest, you are invited to come to the nightclub on the weekends. Remember, no touching or biting; these beauties are off-limits, no matter what rank you think you are. Watch but don't touch. Got it?" Alright, I have to admit it - I feel like my feet froze on the floor when this woman told the vampires to get into the club. She talks like my friends are nothing but food. However, I am grateful to her for playing by the rules. I admire the power she has; I admire how she can stand in front of everyone and boss them around. And most of all, I admire that she protects my friends, even if she doesn't know it.

The vampiress points her index finger at Sally and smiles. "Child, you first," she opens her arms as if she expects Sally to embrace her. I watch as Freya lets go of Sally's hand and encourage her that she'll be okay. I try to do the same, but silently, so I nod and send her a weak smile. We all watch as Sally walks in front of the woman, and within a second, Octavius is standing next to them. The vampiress waves to someone, and a maid brings her a beautiful, blood-red box. "With this," she says and opens the box. Octavius grabs a thin black collar and carefully places it around Sally's neck. "We accept you in the house. With this collar, we expect obedience and submission. With this, we promise you protection and a home. Welcome, Sally, you may return to your place."

I stand frozen, hold Sally's hand, and watch the same ceremonial speech as Freya and Marissa join the vampires. They all have the same collars- they look delicate, thin, and fragile, but I know better than assume that vampires will use anything easily breakable for collars. Impossible. One thing we can all agree on is that they are pretty - the little gold initials hanging from them make the collars look more like an accessory than proof of ownership. At least my friends are safe now; no sane vampire or human will go near those owned by Elite members.

"And now, ladies and gentlemen, for the main event. Miss Ocean, join us," the woman looks at me with such intensity in her eyes that I swear she stares into my soul. I gulp and leave the girls all wishing me good luck. As soon as I stop in front of the vampiress, Kieran appears beside her, and now both brothers are watching me like prey. Their stares make me feel even smaller than I already am. The woman doesn't seem to waste any more time, so she signals the maid to bring out another crate. For some reason, this box is different. Not only is it bigger, but the blood-red box is decorated with insane amounts of gold detail. On top of the box is a small, barely noticeable engraving of the brother's initials. I watch as the woman opens the box and steps aside. Octavius and Kieran don't move; I'm pretty sure they're waiting for something. "Miss Ocean, are you aware of the difference between high-rank collared humans and those of lower rank?" The vampiress turns to me.

I gulp and shake my head, but once I do, I understand that my refusal to speak could be seen as disrespectful. "I'm sorry, but I don't know the difference." I force the words out.

The woman just smiles and steps closer. "The difference is that high ranks live side by side with their owner. You're a lucky girl, Ocean, because instead of one owner, you've two of the best of them all. You are to obey their commands, meet their needs, and learn to become their perfect submissive. Any attempt at resistance or disrespect shall and will result in consequences of your owners' choosing. Do I make myself clear?" The somewhat nice woman disappears, and in her place is an angry vampire who hisses at me like I'm her next meal.

I'm not ready to die today, so I immediately agree with her words, and in the next moment, cold pieces of metal crash into the sides of my neck. There was no collar in the beautiful box, but two sides of a collar, and each of the brothers had theirs. My friends got reasonably nice collars, while I once again have to wear an electric one. I want to scream, to punch those bastards, but I can't do that while the rest of the vampires are watching. So much for making sure I never wear the same collar again. They call Vladimir a monster while they themselves are no better.

"We are aware of the human's poor health, so today, we don't ask for a taste, but we shall return in ten weeks. Be ready by then."