#vampire venom

Hayden stared at the ceiling, which currently seemed to be spinning. It had been quiet for a while now - Master and Sam must have gone to sleep. Hayden's muscles still ached from the hours spent in the restraints, but worse than that was the pangs in their stomach. They were so hungry, and thirsty too. Hayden whimpered a little.

They eventually dozed off on the hard wooden floor. The next thing they knew the door to their cell was opening.

Shit.

Hayden immediately scrambled up to their knees, mind still bleary with sleep. They planted their palms to the sides and lowered their head so that their forehead rested on the floor. Their heart was pounding and for the first time they were grateful for the hours and hours of training they had been put through to encode the posture of submission into their very bones.

"Ah, you're awake," Master said. Hayden stayed where they were, every muscle tense. They weren't allowed to move until Master had given them permission.

"You can sit up," Master said. Hayden raised their head from the floor but didn't look at Master. Instead they stared at their hands in their lap.

Master sat down cross legged in front of Hayden. 

"I called for some food and clothes for you," Master said. "They'll be here soon, but you must be cold. Here, use this." Hayden looked up to see that Master was holding out a blanket. Hayden took the soft fabric from them and wrapped it around their shoulders. Immediately they felt a bit less anxious.

"Thank you, Master," Hayden said quietly.

"You're welcome," Master said. "I thought we should get to know each other. Since we'll be spending a lot of time together for the foreseeable future." Master laughed a little at that. "Do you have a name?" they asked. 

"My name is whatever you want it to be, Master," Hayden said carefully. It had been made very clear in training that their Master would treat them however they wished, including deciding whether or not to give them a name.

"Well, can you tell me what your name was before?" Master asked.

Hayden paused a moment before answering. That seemed like an odd question.

"Hayden," they said.

"I like that name," Master said. "I want your name to be Hayden now as well." Hayden looked up at that, eyes wide. Quickly they looked back down. 

"Thank you, Master," they said with a catch in their voice.  

"You're welcome, Hayden," Master said. "I want to set out some rules for you to follow," they continued. "Hayden, you are allowed to look at me. I would prefer it if you do."

Hayden recognized an order when they heard one and they instantly raised their eyes to meet Master’s. They thought they saw the flash of a smile at Master's lips, but it was gone so fast they must have imagined it. Master looked relaxed, their hair damp and a light purple robe covering them. Their hands were braced behind them and Hayden was struck by how different they seemed than their brothers. More... laid-back.

"I am the only one who will ever feed on you, Hayden. If anyone else ever feeds or tries to, you are to tell me immediately. Do you understand?"

Hayden nodded. It made sense that Master wouldn't want to share their blood bag.

"You are to tell me if anyone hurts you in any way, or if you feel ill. I want you to be healthy."

That also made sense. Hayden sat still as they watched Master. Their eyes were focused somewhere off to Hayden's left and they were biting their lip. Hayden could see the tip of their fang. A fang that would soon be buried in their neck. They gulped as a wave of anxiety hit them. This was what they had been trained for. To be a blood bag.

Master continued after a moment. "You must be wondering what your life will be like with me. Daily, you will be given meals and I expect you to eat. You also are expected to drink water and get an adequate amount of sleep. Can you do all that?"

"Yes, Master," Hayden said. The mention of food made their stomach growl audibly. They immediately wrapped their hands around their stomach as they felt a blush rise in their cheeks.

"Your food should be here soon," Master said. "You must be starving, huh?"

Hayden just nodded and Master cringed.

"I'm really sorry about last night. I should have had someone untie you and bring you food. You won't go hungry again, I promise."

"Thank you, Master," Hayden whispered.

"In terms of your duties, I will feed from you two or three times a week. You will accompany me to social events occasionally. Besides that, you will spend most of your time here in my quarters. Do you have any questions?"

"No, Master," Hayden said. Or at least they couldn't think of any over their hunger.

"I’m going to remove this collar," Master said moving towards Hayden. Their hands were gentle as they unfastened the golden collar around Hayden's throat. Hayden held still for them. They were being good. 

Just then a knock sounded from Master's room and Hayden flinched. "Shh, it's just your food, nothing to be scared of," Master said before getting to their feet and leaving the cell. When they returned, they held a plate of food.

Hayden accepted the plate from Master. The food was so good, the bread soft and fluffy, the cheese rich and the grapes sweet. They ate quickly, neatly setting the plate in front of them when they were finished and folding their hands in their lap. Some of their anxiety had dissipated. They were comfortably full and warm, and their eyes began to close. 

"Hayden." Immediately their eyes snapped back open. Master was standing before them, their face soft. "Did you get enough to eat?" 

"Yes Master, thank you," Hayden said. 

"I'm glad," Master said with a smile. "I got you clothes as well."

Hayden took the clothes from Master, running their hand over the silky fabric. They had never felt anything so soft. The shirt was low cut and sleeveless, but it offered some warmth in the chilly room. They slipped the trousers on and tightened the drawstring around their waist. For the first time in months they felt like a person. Hayden blinked back tears as they knelt on the floor.

"Thank you so much, Master," they said.

"Of course, Hayden," Master said. "Now that you've eaten, I would like to feed," Hayden’s heart skipped a beat, but they nodded. It was bound to happen sooner or later. This was what they had been trained for, after all. "Please lay down on the bed."

Hayden obeyed, shakily getting to their feet and walking to the bed, heart pounding. Hayden climbed in, the mattress bowing under their weight. They laid on their back, eyes focused on the ceiling. Thud thud thud went their heart. You’re a blood bag, this is your duty, they told themself.  Even still, their eyes began to fill with tears. They were terrified. They had never had a vampire’s fangs puncture their skin, never had their blood taken from their body. They had never been prey.

They flinched when the mattress dipped next to them and couldn’t quite suppress the whimper that leapt from their throat.

"It’s okay Hayden," Master said quietly as they straddled them, brushing a cold hand against their cheek. At that Hayden sobbed.

"I’m sorry Master, I’m sorry, I’ll be good, I promise I’ll be good" Hayden said through their tears. 

"I know Hayden, I know. You’ve already shown me that you’re good," Master said. "It’s alright if you’re scared. Can you take some deep breaths for me?" Hayden looked up at Master, their gray eyes kind and face soft. They didn't look angry at all. Hayden took one deep breath, then another. Slowly, their sobs quieted.

"That’s it, good job." Master thumbed away Hayden’s tears. They were so patient. Hayden felt a burst of devotion. They would do anything for this vampire, who was kind and gentle and didn’t beat them like the trainers had. 

Master moved their hand to Hayden’s throat. "I’m going to bite right here," they said, fingers resting on the side of Hayden’s neck. "You’ll feel a bit of a pinch. When I bite, I’ll inject a dose of venom. It takes effect within a few seconds. It does two things: it will relax your mind so you feel calm, and it will also relax your body so you won’t move while I’m feeding and hurt yourself. After I am done, I will lick the punctures, which will seal it. The venom will make you tired, so I want you to sleep afterwards. Does that make sense?"

"Yes, Master," Hayden said shakily. Master nodded. They brought one hand to the side of Hayden’s head, the other to their shoulder. Hayden stared past them at the ceiling as they leaned down. They gasped at the stab of fangs. Then the venom hit them and their fear and pain floated away. They could see Master bent over them, but they couldn’t feel their fangs in their neck or the blood leaving their body. 

Soon enough, Master was sitting back, a thin trickle of blood staining their mouth. Hayden’s blood.

"Thank you," Master said, running a hand through Hayden’s hair. "You can sleep now."

Hayden obeyed, closing their eyes and drifting off immediately.

When they awoke, they were alone. They raised a hand to their neck. They could feel the scabs from the bite marks, the small bruises. Hayden didn’t know what to do. It was dark and they couldn’t see much of anything. Master wasn’t here and hadn’t given them any instructions besides to sleep. Hayden would stay in bed until Master came back and told them what they wanted them to do. Hayden realized with a start that Master had covered them with a blanket. They pulled the blankets tighter around themself. For the first time, they felt like things might be okay. They looked up when Master entered the room. They started to kneel and were immediately hit by a wave of vertigo.

"Don't move," Master said. "Your body is still weak from the venom and blood loss." Hayden lowered themself back down. Master approached the bed. "Drink this," they said, handing Hayden a cup. "It’s important that you stay hydrated after I feed."

Hayden nodded and drank the water. When they had finished, Master took the cup and set it on the bedside table. They reached out and cupped Hayden’s cheek. Hayden leaned into the touch. This was a reward, this meant Master was pleased with them. This meant they wouldn’t die. 

"You did very well tonight, Hayden," Master said.

"Thank you Master," Hayden said softly. 

She supposed she should be more afraid, or at least apprehensive, of what was coming, but she couldn’t find it in herself to be scared. All she felt was a strange sort of calm as she went through the day, enjoying what being human had to offer. 

She walked the city’s streets with no particular destination in mind, exploring whatever caught her fancy. She used the funds she was given to buy rich food, savoring the flavors. She would miss that the most, she thought. Elodie and the other vampires had never been able to fully describe the taste of blood to a vampire, but Celeste doubted it was the same as eating as a human. 

As the sun sank towards the horizon, she made her final preparations. She bought herself a sweet, wanting that to be the last flavor on her tongue. She gave the last of her funds to beggars, wanting to help them as almost no one had helped her. 

She headed back to the blood house, ready to end her life as she knew it. 

Everyone in the house knew of the night’s plans. They gave her reassuring smiles and comforting touches as she went to change into the simple shift she would wear for the process. 

Celeste didn’t need reassurance. She wasn’t afraid. Perhaps she should have been— there was no guarantee she would survive the process of turning, after all. Not all humans did. 

She was going to die tonight. Whether or not she came back was still in question. 

But Celeste felt no fear as she descended to the lowest floor of the blood house, below any floor that customers would see. It felt right, like this was where she was meant to be.

The room she approached wasn’t one she had seen before; it was off-limits to humans every night but their last. The door was heavy, wood and steel making a strong barrier against entrance or exit. The keyhole seemed to wink at her as the door opened from inside. 

The vampires of the blood house welcomed her in with sharp-toothed smiles.

Madame Lucienne looked otherworldly in the flickering candlelight. She gestured for Celeste to kneel in front of her, in the center of the room.

“Welcome,” she said, voice rich and deep. 

“Welcome,” the other vampires echoed.

“My children,” Madame Lucienne continued, “we have gathered tonight to welcome another into our world of night. Celeste, you are here to be offered a gift: a chance to leave the daylight world behind and be reborn as part of our family. Be warned, though: it is a chance only. There is no guarantee here. Will you accept?” 

This was it, Celeste knew. This was her last chance to back out. She could still say no.

(Except she couldn’t, not truly. She had to repay the training she had received; nothing in life was free. If she couldn’t repay it by working in the blood house, she would end up in the same situation as all the patrons who had debts they couldn't pay off.)

“I will,” she said, quiet but firm. 

“Then let us begin.”

The youngest vampire approached and knelt alongside her. He took her hand, turning it to expose her wrist and the delicate lacework of veins there. He brought it to his mouth and placed a kiss on the thin skin. 

Then he bit down. 

Celeste let out a small gasp at the sensation. No matter how many times she was bitten, the feeling never got less intense. Both the pain of the fangs and the bliss of the venom were as potent as the first time she had felt them. 

The vampire withdrew quickly. This wasn’t about having a meal. 

The next youngest vampire took his place, repeating the process on her other wrist. Vampire after vampire bit Celeste, taking a small amount of her blood and pumping her full of their venom. Her arms were swiftly covered in bites, making the more senior vampires get creative with their placement. 

Elodie was the one to lay Celeste down on the floor. The combination of vampire venom and blood loss meant her head was spinning too much for her to keep her balance any longer. Elodie then pushed the shift up Celeste’s legs, baring her pale thighs. The vampiress licked up the inside of one thigh with a wicked smile before biting down, her mark left nearly to the crease where thigh met body.

Finally, after every other vampire, it was Madame Lucienne’s turn. She sank gracefully to the floor and pulled Celeste’s head into her lap. By that point, the girl was nearly insensate. The vampiress smoothed Celeste’s hair back from her face with a small smile. 

“I do so hope you survive, mon petite ange,” she murmured. 

Her choices usually did. She chose her candidates well, and prepared them well. She made sure they were well-fed and healthy, bodies strong enough to withstand the strain of the transformation. By dosing the candidate with as much vampire venom as possible, she mitigated the pain of transformation that was sometimes too much for fragile humans to handle. 

Still, just as she had said: there were no guarantees. 

Madame Lucienne brought her wrist to her own mouth and tore it open. She held the bleeding wound to Celeste’s mouth. The girl drank easily, almost greedily— a good sign of how suited she would be to her new life. 

Then it was her turn to drink. 

She turned Celeste’s head to the side, exposing her as-yet-unmarked neck; hers would be the only wound to adorn the girl’s throat. 

The vampiress bit. She drank deeply, continuing until the girl’s heart no longer pumped blood through her veins.

Celeste was dead.

Now, they would wait to see if she would be reborn.

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The arms around Zenith felt familiar. Wayln always wore a gray cotton sweatshirt whenever they weren’t around guests, and they smelled like musky chemicals, some kind of strong cologne. Their long hair brushed his face, making him try to scratch his nose. His arms were too heavy to move. There was a flowery scent in their hair, it had just been washed and had nearly dried. All these scents almost mixed with Wayln’s natural smell, the one that humans have, each one unique but unmistakably human.

He was brought to a new room, and set on a low table surrounded by comfy looking couches. At least the drug was wearing off, enough for him to at least try and resist. He pulled his arms away from the bindings that were apparently connected under the table. The moment he pulled his wrist from Wayln’s hold, he felt a weight on his chest.

They were leaning their knee on top of him, using a hand to pin his other arm. “Still.”

They looped his hand through the slim chain, he’d of been able to break under normal circumstances. He felt the sharp tug of the chain being pulled under the table. A lock secured the chains tight against his wrists, and Wayln took their knee off his chest. He glared as they wrapped more chain around his ankles, connecting to the legs of the table.

“Now behave yourself, and maybe you’ll get something to drink”

“You think you can just, make me do whatever you want?” Zenith pulled the chain on his wrist, making the metal creak. “I’ll drain you dry. You’re insane— Mmh”

He was interrupted by leather being clamped over his jaw, pulled tight and buckled behind his head. He pulled his head away from the hand that carded through his hair. “If you continue acting like this, you’ll get your venom taken out again. I believe you remember what that was like.”

Zenith stopped struggling and looked up at Wayln in fear. He shook his head slightly and closed his eyes. The hand returned to his hair, the gentle touch sent a shiver down his spine.

“I’ll leave you here to calm down while I get ready for our guests.”

The tight leather made his jaw ache. His ankles hurt from kicking against the chains and knocking into the table. But the most prevalent pain was the headache, caused by the alcohol and whatever drug he’d been given.

All he’d accomplished in the past hour was tiring himself out.

“He’s just through here. Since I can’t give him the tranquilizer for this, he may be a little resistant, but that shouldn’t be a problem for you.”

These clients were different from the ones he had hazy memories of. There were two of them, both wearing formal attire. They smelled like vampires.

Zenith was suddenly very aware of how little he could move. He had no escape from them.

“I’m gonna take my leave then,” Wayln stepped away, closing the door behind them. He couldn’t have possibly imagined that Wayln leaving the room would make him feel less safe, but with other vampires around..

The chains clinked, he struggled against them with renewed energy. He strained to see as the two sat on either side.

“Would you look at this cute little morsel,” the taller vampire said, grabbing Zenith by the chin. They wiped the tears from his eyes then held his head towards the shorter one. The other took his wrist, making sure that Zenith was watching before sinking their fangs into the vein.

The venom lit his nerves like a fire.

He gasped and struggled, but fighting the vampires grip was useless. He still couldn’t help pulling away, even though it just hurt his arm.

He could no longer contain the screams as another set of fangs sank into his neck.

The burning spread from the punctures, a sharp ache radiating out. He couldn’t feel the fangs anymore, only the venom.

He couldn’t hear his own cries anymore. Maybe his voice had broken? Or he’d lost his hearing, all senses replaced with pain. It blurred everything. The sound of clinking chains was indistinguishable from his own screaming. He couldn’t tell when he stopped feeling the table, cool and polished smooth turned to void. There were no surroundings.