The Dark Secret of the CEO by Sofia de Orellana

“Too bad,” he whispers. “I could have kept a cute one like you as a pet…”

A pet? Another chill crawls down my spine. I don’t know what that fucker’s thinking about, but that’s a huge no. I finally manage to utter a faint, pathetic hiss, but he chuckles. He’s only steps away now. I’m screaming for Bart or Richard to show up, but it’s all in my head, not a single sound comes out of my mouth.

“Thanks for leaving some for me,” he chuckles, stepping right in front of me. “I’ll enjoy them right after I get rid of y-”

He suddenly disappears out of my sight. In the blink of an eye, I just have time to see a black shadow before the guy is violently thrown against the opposite wall, the bricks making a horrible sound. The pressure I felt until a second ago is gone, and Bart appears. He grabs the guy by the throat, pulls him away from the wall for just a second before brutally slamming him against it again. I can hear the guy’s skull break in at least a dozen places, and he croaks, his throat crushed under Bart’s clutches.

“What was that you said you were about to do to my little sis, exactly?” He tilts his head with a furious look.

The guy’s eyes open wide in horror as he realizes his mistake. He glances at me, then back to Bart. There’s nothing left of the guy that was terrorizing me seconds ago. I’m still shaking, but I’m also fucking relieved, and a bit impressed at how easily Bart just destroyed the guy’s throat and crushed his dominance. A bit scared, too, but I’m glad he’s on my side… The stranger pathetically tries to grab Bartholomew’s hand to have him release his grip, but even I can tell that’s not going to happen. The difference in strength is far worse than he and I.

“I…” He wheezes. “I didn’t… The S-scotsman…”

…The Scotsman? Does he mean Richard?

“Yes, you pathetic piece of vampire shit,” hisses Bart. “She’s a Heartgraves, and the Scotsman’s back. So you’d better scram the fuck back to whichever shithole you came out from, and if I ever get sight of your pathetic mug again, anywhere near London or near us, I’m wiping those streets with your fucking intestines. Are we clear?”

The guy can barely wheeze some faint approval, but the terror in his eyes is good enough. Bart slowly lets go, still glaring furiously at him, and we watch the guy vanish at record speed. I let out a sigh.

“…You alright, Baby?”

“Don’t you ever be late again,” I mutter, almost a cry.

I try to wipe the blood off my face, but my hands are still shaking. I don’t want to imagine what would have happened if he had been just a minute late… Bart walks up to me, and takes out another tissue to help me out.

“I’m sorry,” he said. “I didn’t think you’d be unlucky enough to cross paths with this kind…”

“What kind is that?”

“The scum of vampires,” he scoffs. “Scavengers. Those guys are pathetic. They hunt easy targets, leave a mess behind them and usually target young vampires like you to kill them and have less competition, or worse, force them to do their deeds. They are partially the reason why there aren’t as many vampires as before.”

I faintly nod. I had no idea…

“Are there many?” I ask, my voice a bit raspier than I would have wanted it.

“Normally, no. But he probably thought he could have a good time while the local Overlord wasn’t around.”

“…The Scotsman he mentioned, is it Richard?”

“Yeah, that’s one of the names they know him by. Though I’m pretty sure he’s older than that…”

What does that mean? …He can’t possibly mean older than actual Scotland? Bart turns around to go and check on the two guys I left like that. He grabs them to look at their necks, and chuckles.

“You did this?”

“I managed to stop myself on the first one,” I protested, slightly hurt.

“What about the second one?”

I get worried for a second, but I realize I can hear the passed out guy’s heartbeat. I shake my head.

I would have been able to stop, to be honest.

good move. …Your hunger’s still to be trained, but you did a good job at charming them,

to be hard? Not to

on the vamp,” Bart shrugs. “Some are better at holding back their thirst, some have talent for charm, others for domination. Some have it all, some never get good at

a word, I can’t help but stare at the wrecked wall on our left. Everything happened so fast, and I

how old was

“What?”

the one who

I dunno, maybe a century old.

to

myself. I print that image of the destroyed wall in my head, I want to remember what

I think you got enough action for today. Let’s go

me in silence while I reminisce about what happened. He doesn’t seem to mind the silence, but it takes me all the journey back to really calm down. The streets are calm, and I guess the air is cold on this October night. London is

that crap on you again. That bastard will spread the word that Richard’s back, all the vermin are

“…Is Richard that powerful?”

“No vampire in their

that guy?

just to drop their offspring on another

of New York, hunting like a beast, slave of my thirst and with nobody to

is

Scotsman, Hera.

vampires to crawl into his home city, but why? What pushed him to go overseas? I hesitate to ask Bart, but he seemed already shocked that Richard had gone to New York, he probably doesn’t know either. Cata doesn’t seem like she’d pry into the Patriarch’s matters either. …Perhaps I should ask Richard himself? He sort of

when we walk in, cooking something else, but the cookies are nowhere to be seen. What did she do with them?

was it?” She asks with a bright

a killer!”

Her expression drops.

“Oh my god, really?”

did just fine for

I never got really good at it,”

use it for,” Scoffs Bart. “You never leave this house

was baking in the oven, she grabs more utensils, visibly starting another

silence takes place next, during which Bart

to shower,” I mutter. “Cata, how can I get another…

one for

that’s nothing like this,” I mutter, glancing down at my short, tight black

“I’m on it!”

walks out of the kitchen and upstairs,

to shower

I need to double-check with Cata. I make a stop to check the wardrobe, but it’s empty. Shit, do I get to do some shopping later? I want to have my own clothes, I

and remaining smell of blood off my skin. I try turning the temperature hot or cold, but the only clue to tell where it’s at is the steam… Damn, I really can’t feel a thing. I don’t spend too much time in there, just enough to smell like the peach soap and wash my hair. When I step out, I grab a couple of towels to wrap my hair and body in, and find the clothes Cata left for me on the bed. She visibly handpicked a

can’t tell if it’s from the blood I drank, or the shower’s heat. My hair is so freaking long… I kind of want to cut it soon. I need to ask

shower still running above. …Should I try exploring a bit? Nobody said anything about anywhere in the house being off-limits, and rooms that I shouldn’t go in will be locked anyway, right? I decide to walk around, still intrigued by all the rooms. After climbing the stairs to the next floor, I realize there’s sound coming from one of the rooms, something soft at regular intervals. I can’t help but walk over, a bit intrigued. None of the rooms have any names on them, or anything to signal it’s occupied. The noise, again. It’s coming from a room upstairs. Is it Richard? I climb to the last floor, finding the door behind which it’s coming from. It’s so faint, but after a few seconds, I hear it

“…Richard?”

steps, and someone comes to open it. To my surprise, it’s not Richard, but a female vampire, with the palest skin I’ve ever seen under her Victorian style clothes. Behind her, I get a glimpse at her room… and it’s like I’m looking at a library. There are

you?” She

“…I’m Hera. I’m new.”