Chapter 459: "Move it!"
Normally, human slaves were sold out to rich vampires, but once a woman began to breed in the establishment, making more human babies, there was no way out of it for them, as they forever became breeding women. Once they grew to the age where they could no longer give the establishment babies, they were killed, for old women were no longer wanted.
The horror that came over Belle at the thought of being in such a place was so immense that she staggered backward, but the bars of the gate supported her. When she was in Aragonia, many young women feared this place like one would fear hell itself. It was a nightmare to humans, for once you fell into it, you no longer had the will to be your own person anymore, you became a tool to the night creatures.
"A piece of advice, my lady. Don’t overreact to the news and bring attention to yourself. Try to keep a low profile. By the way, I’m Andrea."
Belle could barely hear the other woman’s words as slave establishment rang in her head like a bell. She swirled around and clutched the bars, trying to shake them, but they were firm and unmovable. She called out into the dark hallway, her voice echoing, "There has been some mistake! I am not a slave! I am the duke’s wife, and he wouldn’t let this go if he finds out I’m here! Someone open the door! You can’t—"
The woman called Andrea moved forward and pulled Belle’s arm, dragging her back from the bars as she gritted out, "Shut up, woman! You’ll get us punished! The people in charge don’t take it well when new slaves raise their voices." She warned her harshly. Having spent years here, Andrea knew everything there was to know, and she wasn’t going to let a newcomer get her punished again.
Belle yanked her hand away from the woman, stepping back. "I am not a slave. I won’t let them keep me here. My family will be worried and—"
"And you think you’re the only one with a family?" scoffed Andrea. "We all had families, but the vampires don’t care. Once you’re here, you’re a slave, and you’ll be branded as one soon enough. The sooner you accept your fate, the better it will be for you."
Belle wasn’t going to accept anything. She didn’t belong here and wouldn’t let them force her to stay. Though Rohan might not know she was missing yet because the imposter was taking her form, he would eventually find out and trace her here. But how long would that take before he realized it? If this establishment was in Nightbrook, surely they knew who the duke was and wouldn’t dare to mess with him.
All the nightmares she had heard about places like this, she couldn’t afford to stay in it even for a single day.
"They’re coming," Andrea gritted out, drawing back into the shadows. "Act normal, lady, if you don’t want to be punished."
Belle looked at her in confusion, wondering what she meant, but soon the sounds of approaching footsteps could be heard, followed by the loud clanging of metal striking metal.
"WAKE UP! RISE AND SHINE, HUMANS!" called out the wardens as they hit the bars to wake the slaves for their morning routines.
Belle stepped back as two vampires came to stand in front of the cell, about to strike it with the rods in their hands, but they stopped when they noticed she was awake and staring directly at them.
One was tall and the other short. Both had dark red eyes, the mark of pureblood vampires, and they were regarding her like one would livestock they intended to buy that made her uncomfortable.
"Excuse me, sir, there has been a mistake. I am no slave. If you would please take me to the person in charge here," she said calmly, her voice steady despite the panic threatening to rise in her chest. She felt Andrea tug lightly on the chain between them as if warning her to stop talking, but Belle ignored it. She couldn’t simply accept the fate the other woman spoke of. How could anyone accept something so horrifying when there was still a chance to escape it?
If she could just speak to whoever was in charge, she could tell them she was the duke’s wife. Even if they didn’t believe her, they might at least send word to the duke that an insane woman was claiming to be his wife inside the establishment. That alone would alert Rohan and lead him to her.
However, the taller vampire, with dark hair and a narrow, cruel face, arched a brow at her words as though she had just insulted him. Then, quite suddenly, he grinned and said, "So you’re the one causing an early morning commotion in my peaceful haven. Don’t you know slaves aren’t allowed to raise their voices here? Slaves do not speak unless spoken to. You are not to ask for things or make requests. You are to remain as silent as a mouse."
He emphasized each word by tapping noisily against the bars with the rod in his hand, the sharp clang echoing through the hall.
"Master Kent, she’s the newbie Mistress sent here yesterday. She hasn’t been given the rules yet or taken to the Red Room," said the shorter warden to the tall man, whose red eyes glinted with amusement as he looked Belle up and down.
"I see. The one Mistress gave orders to keep an eye on. Interesting," he remarked, his tone carrying a hint of surprise as Belle locked eyes with him and demanded,
"Who is your Mistress? You don’t know what you’re doing by keeping me here. My husband won’t let you live if he finds out I’m here, he’ll kill you in the worst way possible, and it won’t be long before he does." She threatened with a calm voice.
She wanted to tell them again that she was the duke’s wife, but seeing how they disregarded her attire and how they had taken her from her own house, she was certain they weren’t ignorant of who she was. This Mistress they spoke of must be the imposter she had seen before everything went dark.
Belle’s thoughts came to a sudden halt as a realization dawned on her. Mistress... establishment... and who else had been running the biggest establishment in Nightbrook for the past year but one person? Cordelia Garth, a woman who hated her for no reason and had once tried to kill her!
Could she be the one behind all this? Was she the one who took her form and brought her here?!
Belle didn’t even finish digesting those thoughts when the tall vampire gestured for his partner to unlock the door.
"Time for your morning routines. After that, you will be in the Redroom for some lessons or two. You back there, take your place," he called out to Andrea, who came forward and stood behind Belle as their chains were attached together.
The gate opened with a crack, and the man tugged at the chains, ordering, "Move it!"