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.

able to stop, to be honest. I

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

supposed to be hard? Not to gloat but it felt rather instinctive to

their thirst, some have talent for charm, others for domination. Some have it all, some never get good at any. From

to go home without a complaint nor a word, I can’t help but stare at the wrecked wall on our left. Everything happened

how old was

“What?”

who

maybe a century old. I’ve

to be that helpless

but doesn’t say anything. I just wrap my arms around myself. I print that image of the destroyed wall in my head, I want to remember

think you got

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

bastard will spread the word that Richard’s back, all the vermin are going to flee the City as

“…Is Richard that powerful?”

Overlord,” he shrugs, as if that explained it all. “No vampire in their

those who created that guy? Don’t they

just to drop their offspring on

beast, slave of my thirst and with nobody to guide me, or protect me, at the mercy of

London is Richard’s

“He’s the Scotsman, Hera. Richard’s

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

opens the door for me. Cata is still in the kitchen when we walk in, cooking

asks with a

a killer!”

Her expression drops.

“Oh my god, really?”

Cata, I’m joking!” He rolls his eyes. “Baby did just fine for her first day. She’s got

I never got really good at it,” Cata

it for,” Scoffs Bart. “You never leave

only makes a sorry smile, and focuses on her cooking again. It’s like she just can’t stop for a minute. The second she puts whatever she was baking in the oven, she grabs more utensils, visibly starting another recipe.

awkward silence takes place next, during

shower,” I mutter. “Cata, how can I get

I’ll bring one for

down at my short, tight black dress. “Something comfortable, if

“I’m on it!”

walks out of the kitchen and upstairs, and Bart

going to shower

ways after going upstairs, each to our own room. …Does that mean the room I woke up in is going to be mine from now on? I need to double-check with Cata. I make a stop to check the

much relief take a good shower, erasing all the traces 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 couple of outfits, probably from my fellow female vampires’ bedrooms again… I go for denim jeans and a simple black knitted sleeveless turtleneck top. Funny how I’m attracted to

help but glance in the mirror again. My face looks a bit more colored, but I 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

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

“…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 books. Just books, everywhere, from floor to ceiling, on every piece of furniture. There’s one in her hand too, but I can’t read the title. She frowns behind her round glasses, and stares

are you?” She asks

“…I’m Hera. I’m new.”