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.

honest. I was getting to the good part when the other bastard

to be trained, but you did a good job at charming them, Baby.

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

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

injuries I made and charming them to go home without a complaint nor a word, I can’t help but stare at the wrecked wall on our left. Everything happened so fast, and I

old was

“What?”

guy, the one who

century old. I’ve never

I never want to be

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 enough action for today. Let’s go

more. This meeting with another vampire cooled me down big time. I walk back with Bart, letting him guide 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 quiet where it’s not buzzling with nightlife, and I can’t help but glance around at

nobody else will try to pull that crap on you again. That bastard will spread the word that Richard’s back, all the vermin are going

“…Is Richard that powerful?”

explained it all. “No vampire in their

those who created that guy?

on quickly. …But it’s more complicated than that. First, not everyone cares like Richard does about our “family”. Some Overlords actually create vampires without thinking twice, or worse, just to drop their offspring on another Overlord’s territory, their way to piss each other off without fighting directly. Imagine if you had woken up without Richard around, left to your own devices. …Scary, right? Well,

beast, slave of my thirst and with nobody to guide me, or

is

the Scotsman, Hera. Richard’s territory is

to ask Bart, but he seemed already shocked that Richard had gone to

when we walk in, cooking something else, but the cookies are

She asks

a killer!”

Her expression drops.

“Oh my god, really?”

“Baby did just fine for her first day. She’s got some

got really

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

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

silence takes place next, during which

going to shower,” I mutter. “Cata, how can

one for you! Any

I mutter, glancing down at my short, tight black dress.

“I’m on it!”

the kitchen and

to shower too,”

…Does that mean the room I woke up in is going to be mine from now on? I need to double-check with Cata.

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

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

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

“…Richard?”

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

are you?”

“…I’m Hera. I’m new.”