“Mom no!” I screamed as the masked men ripped me from my bed, the carpet burning my skin as they dragged me across the floor.

“Luna... I'm sorry.” She whispered, sobbing into a piece of tattered tissue.

The masked men lifted me from the ground, the larger one throwing me over his shoulder, his green eyes piercing through me, even in the dark room; the only light coming from a small lamp in the corner. My heart thumped recklessly within my chest, unable to contain the fear that I felt. What was going on? Why didn’t my mother stop them? I thrashed my entire form against the stranger, hoping that he would let go, that he would allow me to get to my mother one last time, ask her myself what was going on. Yet, his grip only tightened as he excited the room, my mother standing completely still in the corner, blocked by a dark figure wearing a suit, though I couldn’t get a better look, nor could I hear what he was saying over the sound of my petrified screams... I tried to calm down, to watch my breathing and listen, but the bulky man forced me from the room; saying nothing as he began the decent down into the living room, my head beginning to hurt as all the blood rushed there.

Too afraid to protest, I allowed the man to shift my form on his shoulder, his grip once again tightening around my petite waist. I knew that I would be unable to overpower such a man, his strength more than I could ever obtain, even with my power. A vampire was a creature that a witch must bow to, we have no rights when in the presence of these creatures, they owned us. My own feelings were pointless in their company, they didn’t care how I felt, how my mother felt; they only cared about what they could obtain from us, and now it seemed that the prize was me. But why? Why were they taking me from my mother? What had I done?

Tears slipped from my eyes as the creature placed me onto the floor by the front door, my entire frame trembling in horror, I knew that I couldn’t escape, there would be no use in trying, in running from the house barefoot screaming for the neighbours to come to my aid. They wouldn’t leave their homes, not for me, not for my mother. They would only see the bikes outside, and the limo with blacked out windows, that would be all that they needed to know. That would tell them that interfering would mean death. For everyone.

The bulky vampire with green eyes scowled down at me, his tone dark and stern. “Calm yourself witch, he will not be pleased if you run.”

I look a long breath, attempting to do as he commanded, but my body disagreed, fighting against my wishes; the shaking becoming more violent. How could I calm down? This situation could only end one of two ways, my mother’s death or my removal. All I knew was that whichever they chose, my life would change forever, I would either be orphaned, or forced into the work camps to pay off our debt. The debt that my father created. Now that I was fully awake, I could grasp what was going on, but only just. I should have realised sooner who it was that was dragging me from my bed. I should have sensed it. Yes, I was a young witch at only fifteen years old, but my mother had taught me better than that, she had tried to get me to understand. Yet, I didn’t, I didn’t understand this at all. I needed my mother; I needed my father, but he was already gone. They had disposed of him two years ago when he tried to run with us, he wanted us to have a better life; not this one. Not the one they chose for us.

I took another breath, knowing that if I refused to answer, I would see the back of his hand. “I won't run sir, so please; please allow me to see my mother.”

My heart skipped a beat, I made that sound like a demand, my kind cannot demand anything from them, we cannot ask for such things, we must wait until it is offered. I took a step back, only the find the wall behind me, the coats that hung from hooks promising me no comfort. The vampire took a step towards me, placing his overly large hands at either side of my head, my breath now shallow and raspy. What had I done? I needed to learn to keep my mouth shut, and I needed to do it fast. There would be no second chances where they take me, there would be no talking unless strictly given permission. So why did I think now was any different? Why did I think that I could see her one last time? I lowered my head in an open sign of submission, praying that it would spare me from whatever punishment was coming.

His green eyes pierced my soul, I could feel them watching me even as I clenched my eyes shut, his voice only adding my horror. “You think that you can demand something from me witch? Is that how you think this works?!”

“No sir, I just meant that …”

“I am not interested in your excuses.” He interrupted me, but they could do that, after all; we were lesser beings. We were nothing but slaves to them, something they could use to their own gain.

The second vampire descended the stairs and came to where we were stood by the front door, his voice less terrifying than the green-eyed creature. “Stop scaring the girl, she is young and afraid; of course, she will ask for her mother.”

“She must learn her place; her traitorous father is the reason we are here.” Said the green eyes being as he took a step back, roughly patting me on the shoulder.

I noticed that the second creature had eyes the shade of fire; three colours rolled into one. “That may be so, but the girl is afraid. I am sure that you can spare her this once.”

“Who are you to tell me what to do! I only answer to my king!” Bellowed the first vampire, squaring up to the other creature as he growled; challenging them.

“I wouldn’t challenge me if I were you.” Warned the fiery eyed creature.

How could he be so calm? The green eyed man was far superior in size and muscle, how did the smaller vampire think he would fair in a fight with him? Surely, he knew that he couldn’t win with strength alone? I took a side step towards the door, ready to run at the first sign that they would fight, it may give me a chance to escape, depending on how many of the creatures were waiting outside. My pulse increased when silence fell, not sure what I should do in such a situation, I had never witnessed a vampire fighting another one of their kind, though it was not unheard of. In fact, it occurred more often than a vampire having to fight a witch, but that may have something to do with fear. Witches knew their place within the hierarchy, where we stood in the great scheme of things, there was no need for us to fight, no sense in it. It only happened when a witch rebelled or did something out of line, something similar to what I had done.

The fiery eyed vampire removed his masked hood, my terror-stricken state spiking dramatically, his raven hair, and high cheek bones something that could not be misunderstood, I knew exactly who the creature was, and so did his foe; the green of his eyes barely holding colour as he also recoiled in fear. The raven-haired creature took a threatening step towards the first vampire, knowing that he had won, the bulky vampire could do nothing to harm him. If he did, it would surely mean his death. Everyone knew his name, his face, it was engraved deep into our memory, it had to be. We had to know who ruled over us, we had to recognise them so that we could act appropriately. Silas, that was his name.

“I am your prince soldier; do you wish to fight me now?” Snarled Silas, the prince of the undead.

I dropped to my knees, bending my back forward so that my forehead was placed onto the cool wooden floor, unsure of even myself I remained there, unmoving as the silence grew. What would he do to the green-eyed vampire for challenging him, would he spare him because he didn’t know his identity? I was too petrified to lift my head, my heart racing in reckless motions throughout my chest, my breathing fast and desperate. All I could hope for now was a quick death.

“What is your name soldier?” Silas asked, his tone demanding a swift answer.

“Noah majesty.” was all he could say.

I felt the wooden floor creek beside me before my ears were assaulted with a sudden cracking of bones, Noah’s body crashing into me, pinning me to the floor boards; my breath only getting faster as I couldn’t move; couldn’t see what was happening. I knew that a simple broken bone would not kill a vampire; even if Silas had broken Noah’s neck, it would not kill him. Not so easily. But, then again, the power of the royal bloodline was unmatched, not even the oldest of creatures could face them and come out the other side alive. I prayed to every god I had ever heard of, even the gods of the mortal humans who lived around us all; never the wiser. Mortal's weren't allowed to learn of us, they couldn’t know that the supernatural existed, it would crush them, turn them insane; and the vampires still needed their blood source. Whether it was willing or not.

The body of Noah was pulled from my trembling frame, a small sigh of relief escaping through my clenched jaw, I didn’t know how much longer my back would have coped with his bulky weight, especially seen as though I was only four-foot-eight. My extremely petite form barely having a chance to grow, I had a year left before I would be fully developed, if I lived that long.

“Get up, witch.” Came the furious voice of Silas.

I did as he commanded without hesitation, using the front door to aid me as my legs began to shake and bend at the knee, my fear making it increasing difficult to obey; all I wanted to do was run. I wanted to get as far away as I possibly could, hide and hope that no one finds me. But that just wasn’t possible, my father had tried to run, he had tried to take me and mother with him, but we were caught at the border of Scotland, we never made it to the free tribes and he was foolish to think we would. He had tried to fight them off when they came, he had been rebellious until his last breath, never once showing fear; though I knew that he had been afraid. I could sense it. Since then, my mother had been placed onto a list, a donor list. She had to give them her blood regularly, and use her ability to read a mortal’s mind to aid them whenever they asked, never really having a choice. We are one of the rare families that are owned directly by the crown, but not the mortal crown. No, this was much different, and I didn’t understand why he had come all the way from across the ocean just to see us. It made no sense. We were already on constant watch; we had a vampire with us at all times. So, what had gone wrong, what had changed?

I turned to look down at Noah, his entire form coated in his own blood, he had been foolish to challenge royalty, to think that he could bully another vampire into submission, that is not how they worked. Not how any of them should act. His bulky frame was unmoving and utterly broken, every bone seeming to have been broken in one way or another, his heart no longer residing within his chest. I took a long breath, holding it in my lungs for a few seconds before allowing it to exit my mouth, attempting to calm my heart rate down. I knew that with their heightened senses, Silas would be able to hear my heart beating within my chest, and he would know how afraid I was, and depending on the vampire, that would either piss him off, or please him.

“Did … did you kill him?” I asked bravely, or stupidly; I wasn’t quite sure which as I found my balance, finally able to hold my own weight.

“Yes, I did.” He said slowly, taking a step towards me as he continued. “You are old enough to know what happens to those who disobey the crown?”

I nodded, bowing my head in a sign of respect, “Yes, sir.”

“Good.” He smiled, baring his fangs. “Now follow me.”

Silas moved past me and opened the front door, revealing several vampires on the lawn, each one staring at me; waiting for me to run. But I had no intention of running, I didn’t want to die, and that is all running would get me. Besides, I wouldn’t ever make it down the path before they caught me, the vampires were much faster than me, they had an unnatural speed that no one else could master, at least; not that I knew of. I looked down at my beauty and the beast nightwear and sighed, there would be no time to change, or even put on shoes; I would have to go to wherever they had planned as I am. They didn’t care that it was a cold night, they couldn’t feel the cold, not like I could.

After a brief moment, I looked back at the stairs, wishing that I could say goodbye to my mother, and hoping that they didn’t kill her. She had done nothing wrong, only ever doing as they asked without hesitation; she wasn’t like my father, she understood that she had no choice. That running would only mean death, for the both of us. Fear didn’t matter, not in this life, even if you run from them because you are afraid, the outcome would be the same. Your life would be over.

“That was not a request Luna Marshall.” Silas growled deeply, viciously grabbing my arm.