Annalise fluttered her eyes open when a splash of cold water struck her face. Her lashes trembled, blinking rapidly as clarity returned to her vision. She shivered, soaked and dazed, the chill seeping through her skin to her bones.
"How are you doing?"
Her father's voice slithered into her ears, sharp and too familiar. She turned her head, slowly, cautiously, toward the direction of the sound. The moment their eyes met, her jaw clenched. She tried to stand up, her body aching with effort, but a sharp clinking noise stopped her.
Chains.
She looked down and gasped. Her wrists and ankles were bound to the arms and legs of a cold metal chair. Panic flared in her chest, but she masked it with anger.
"You're a fool if you think this would make me listen to you!" she shouted, her voice echoing off the empty concrete walls.
Aston merely smiled.
He crouched down to her level, eyes locked onto hers, his expression calm in a way that sent a shiver down her spine. "You don't have a choice."
His words were simple, but the threat in them was undeniable.
Then she saw it.
His eyes.
They changed.
The familiar dark irises of her father flickered—blood-red for a heartbeat before settling into that strange, unnatural glow. Her breath caught.
"What happened to you?" she whispered, voice trembling now. Her defiance was still there, but fear had rooted itself, curling in her gut.
Tears pricked her eyes as she stared at the father she no longer recognized.
"I got revived," he replied casually, like he'd just returned from a long nap.
He stood, brushing dust from his sleeves before adding, "But that's a story for another day. For now, I'll be taking you to my mansion. I suggest you behave."
Annalise gulped.
"I'm not going anywhere with you."
Her words were laced with steel, but her heart was thundering.
Aston tilted his head, amused. "You really amuse me, Annalise. Do you think I'm asking you?"
He raised a brow, and before she could respond, he barked an order.
"Put her to sleep and get her ready."
The door opened.
Six women stepped in—elegant, graceful, deadly. Their eyes glowed crimson. Vampires.
Annalise's heart dropped.
They were stronger, faster. There was no escaping them. Her chains clinked as she struggled, a last futile attempt to fight.
But it was useless.
They moved swiftly, unnaturally so. One touch, and darkness consumed her.
—
When she woke again, sunlight streamed through tall windows. She blinked against the light, groaning. Her head throbbed, and her body felt heavy, sluggish.
She sat up slowly.
No chains.
She looked around, confused. The room she was in was... extravagant. Luxurious curtains, an enormous bed, marbled floors, and golden accents lined the edges of antique furniture. The walls were a soft ivory, the scent of roses thick in the air.
Then she noticed her clothes.
She was dressed in a silk nightgown.
Panic gripped her.
She scrambled to her feet and examined herself. Nothing seemed out of place, but the unease was there, gnawing.
What the hell is going on?
Footsteps echoed in the hallway.
She leapt back onto the bed, faking sleep. The door creaked open, and heels clicked against the floor.
A woman's voice broke the silence. "She's very beautiful."
There was no cruelty in her tone, just detached observation. The woman hovered by the bed for a moment longer before turning to someone behind her.
"Let her rest. Don't wake her up. Allow her to sleep to her heart's content."
The door shut.
Annalise's eyes flew open.
What the fuck is going on?
She sat up, scanning the room again.That's when she saw them.Six women.
Three on each side of the room. Standing still, smiling politely, dressed in matching uniforms.Her heart thudded.
She quickly checked their eyes—human. No red.She exhaled in relief.
"What is the meaning of this?" she demanded, standing.
They bowed slightly. "Good morning, madam," they greeted in unison.One stepped forward. "Madam, please, you need to get ready."
"Get ready?" Annalise narrowed her eyes. "For what?"
The women exchanged glances. Finally, one replied, "Master Aston and Mrs. Alexandra are waiting for you at the dining table for breakfast."
Breakfast? All this drama—for breakfast?
Annalise scoffed. "I'm not going anywhere. Now all of you, leave."
Her tone was final, commanding.They hesitated, but her glare sent them scattering.
Once the door clicked shut behind them, she rushed forward and locked it. Her fingers trembled.
She pressed her back to the door, heart racing.
What was this place? Why was her father doing this? Who was that woman?
Her stomach growled. It felt like she hadn't eaten in what felt like days.
She turned toward the room. Everything looked surreal. The wardrobe was filled with expensive clothes, designer brands she only saw on runways. Drawers were lined with jewelry. There were perfumes, shoes, and more accessories than she could count.
It was too much. Too elaborate.
And all of it made her suspicious.
She scanned every corner of the room for cameras. None were visible, but she didn't trust it.
Nothing here made sense.She sighed and collapsed onto the bed. Her head ached, her thoughts tangled.
She needed to think.She needed a plan.She couldn't let herself be caged, even in velvet chains.
Then—a knock.
Firm. Sharp.Her body tensed.
A familiar voice followed.
"I would have adhered to everything I was told if I were you. But what can I say? Apart from being graced with so much beauty in every nook and cranny of your body, you're as dumb as your mother."
Aston.
His voice was like acid, cold and mocking.
"Get out of that room in the next five minutes if you want to dine with your mother."
Her breath caught.
Mother?
No. That couldn't be.
Her mother was back at home. What was she doing here?
Was he bluffing?
Annalise's mind reeled.
Her hands shook as she scrambled off the bed.
She couldn't risk it. Not if there was a chance her mother was here—alive—and vulnerable to her father's twisted games.
She rushed to the wardrobe and pulled out the simplest outfit she could find, her heart hammering.
If he touched her mother, she'd never forgive herself.
Her fingers fumbled with the buttons, her mind spiraling.
What had he done to her mother to bring her here?
And why now?
The questions piled up, unanswered, thick as smoke.
But one thing was clear—
Whatever Aston had planned, it was just getting started.