I jolted back in surprise, but my mistress kept a firm grip on me and pulled my body closer against her. It was almost too hard for me to breathe. The more I pushed her away, the tighter her hold became. It was of no use. She was a vampire. She was too strong. All I could do was fidget in her arms like a helpless prey. Once you're in the hand of a predator, you cannot escape.

Anastasia stepped towards us. Her face was so intense; it almost looked pained. I had no clue what she was thinking, but I already felt disgusted with myself.

"Morning, baby sister," Alexandra said without turning her face away from me. "You want to join the breakfast with me?" Her eyes still lingered on the area of my throat. She smoothed my hair like I was her adorable pet. My mistress was enjoying her little show she was creating with me. I looked away, biting my lips not to cry.

"Let her go, Alex," the younger woman said, sounding almost like a growl. "Aren't you ashamed of yourself trying to take advantage of a helpless human?"

"I'm not taking advantage of her," Alex said with a casual shrug. "She agreed."

Her word made my face turn red with humiliation. I did agree to let her take my blood. What else could I do as a slave?

"It didn't look like that to me," Anastasia argued.

"Tell me one good reason why I shouldn't hurt this girl, sister."

Anastasia seemed taken aback. Her golden eyes glittered in hesitation as if she was searching for the right answer. It was typical for them to do that to us, humans. We all knew that. Yet it was the first time I had heard a vampire defending me.

"This is not a slaughterhouse, sister. You can't do whatever you want with people. You have to know that this is wrong!"

My mistress burst out laughing. Then she moved me off her lap, and we both stood up. I couldn't bring myself to look at Anastasia while her sister was literally breathing down my neck. My heart pounded in my chest like a tribal drum.

"Is that all?" Alexandra said, "Then watch this."

She tilted my head to the side, and I felt a sharp pain pierced through my neck. Her fangs bit down on me like a vicious snake's. My scream echoed in the hall. I felt my blood drawn out of my veins.

"No!"

I didn't see but I heard a crashing sound and the air whizzed past my ear. Then I was released from the piercing pain. My knees buckled to the floor. The world spun around me. I could feel the warm liquid streaming down my shoulder. I pressed my hand against the wound and looked up to find Anastasia pinning her sister against the wall. Her hands clutched around Alex's throat.

"I told you to let the girl go!" she hissed in fury.

For the first time, I caught a glimpse of Anastasia's white sharp teeth snapping at her older sister. Her eyes were burning like furious flames. But Alexandra merely smirked as if the threat had no effect on her.

Then she effortlessly pried Ana's hands off.

"You like my human slave, don't you?" my mistress said, which surprised me. Anastasia just stood there blinking hard. Then she released her sister and stepped back. Her head turned to me as I was sitting on the floor with a blood-soaked shirt.

"Can't you see that, Anastasia?" Alex whispered beside her sister. "I'm telling you, her blood is richer than the god's nectar. Her scent can raise the demons in your gut all the way from hell. I can see it in your eyes. You want to feed off her just as savagely as I do. It's in our nature, sister. Why are you holding back? Go on, I promise you won't regret it."

For a moment, Anastasia's face went blank as if she was under an evil spell. Her eyes shone from bloodlust as she looked at the red oozing from my neck. But then she clenched her jaw and squeezed her eyes shut. Her fangs restricted and when she opened her eyes again, there was a calmness in them.

"Just go, Avery," she said in a low voice, I almost couldn't hear it. Alex stood there with a confused frown on her face, but some sort of recognition registered in her mind.

But I didn't wait to be told twice. I picked myself up frantically then hurried out of the hall.