Misha the Beast Tamer.

Emrick looped his arm into mine and we walked along the stone lined streets until we came to a stop at the front of a two storey greystone building with a door made of oak. He removed his arm and knocked on the door with the knocker in the shape of an upside down horse shoe.

The door groaned as a small, elderly butler with glasses as thick as ice upon his face opened the door.

"Ahh! Sir Emrick, welcome! What do I owe the pleasure?"

"My dear Derek, I wish to introduce my lady companion Misha to my favourite sacrifice of all, Jamie. Is he free?"

The elderly man nodded, and replied

"Yes sir, he is free. Come inside. Jamie is in the library as usual, sir. Would you like me to accompany you and announce your arrival?"

Emrick shook his head,

"Thank you for the offer Derek, but I think I will be able to do this without your assistance."

Derek bowed,

"As you wish sir, I will prepare refreshments for your lady companion and Jamie. Would you like a goblet of Jamie's blood to match sir?"

Emrick smiled, shook his head and politely said,

" I've already had dinner Derek, I'm already very well satisfied. Thank you again."

Once Derek left, Emrick turned his attention to me.

"Just a warning Princess, Jamie is...well...how can I say...ahhh...strange. Yes! That's the best way to describe him, Strange.

He is not only strange in his speech and mannerisms, he is also strange In appearance. He is twenty-two years old, but looks like a teenager, his voice is that of someone younger too. He has the whitest hair and the darkest brown eyes, that almost look black. Please, don't let that warp your view of us. He speaks slow, and dreamy like. His eyes, well, they look as though theres nothing behind them. But there is, he is actually quite an intelligent young man.

He belongs to a long line of special people. His blood will always taste as though he is an untouched virgin, untouched by man, woman and like no other vampires fangs have pierced his neck.

In normal people these things will taint or change the taste of blood that pumps through their veins. Not Jamie though.

He also seems to get turned on as soon as a vampire's fang brushes his neck and this sweetens his blood even more. You would think he was trained for the sole purpose of being a sacrifice. He wasnt though, he was born and raised here on the island. No one has trained him to be what he is, its just the way he is. He will shamelessly flirt and may even kiss me. This is no indication of anything. He does it with all of us who have chosen him for our sacrifice , there's seven of us too, by the way, Ronin is also one of them. But as you are well aware, I no longer have the need for blood, he is only my sacrifice for appearances sake. I've never tasted his blood, but I did feast on the blood of one of his ancestors regularly, many years ago."

I nodded, I didn't understand how seven vampires could share the one sacrifice. How did Jamie handle six hungry vampires demanding to drink from him.

We arrived outside the library, before we could push on the door, it creaked open revealing a boy who looked as old as me. He smiled, his eyes blank revealing nothing, his smile seemed empty and haunting to me

"Sir Emrick, I smelt you coming." He yelled excitedly, but his eyes did not reflect the tone in his voice. He threw his arms around Emrick, embracing him.

"Please say you've finally come to feast upon my blood Sir Emrick. I find myself fantasizing about how nice and warm it would feel when your fangs pierce my neck. But sadly you've never drank from me that way, its always been through the bottle. Why? Doesn't my blood taste better fresh from my veins sir or does my appearance repulse you?

Is that why you never drink straight from my neck, because I'm too ugly for you, sir Emrick?"

Tears welled up in Jaime's eyes, but again there was no show of emotion behind them. It was starting to become creepy, the boy felt no emotion, but mimicked emotional responses to things. It seemed he was a soulless doll, that could only feel lust when the vampires feasted upon his blood.

Sir Emrick sighed, he bent down a little to make eye contact with Jaime. He gently wiped the tears from his eyes,

"Jaime, you'll always be my favourite sacrifice. Your blood is superior to my other sacrifices. There is nothing wrong with your appearance, you're as cute as you've always been and you will never repulse me, ever."

"Really, Sir Emrick? You mean that." Jaime said.

"Of course." Emrick replied

Jamie leant in and with surprising speed he planted a kiss on Emricks lips. Emrick didn't budge and soon they were making out.

Feeling uncomfortable I coughed, they separated as fast as their lips touched.

Jamie giggled,

"She didn't like it when we kissed. Is she jealous of us Sir Emrick?"

Emrick gave me a warning glance. And then focused his attention back to Jamie

"Actually Jamie, this is Misha. I wanted to bring her here tonight because she saw Ronin and I drinking blood and didn't believe that it was given to us with permission. I wanted to show her how well we look after our sacrifices, and that the blood is always given to us with permission."

Jamie looked over at me with his dark blank eyes. He giggled, like a child

"Sir Emrick and Ronin would never do such a thing. You're a silly Princess, Misha."

His creepy child- like laugh echoed around the room. My heart was stuck in my throat, how did he know I was a princess. Emrick didn't tell him.

"Sir Emrick, the silly Princess seems confused. I think we should show her how a sacrifice willingly gives blood. Plus, I think you need a nice long drink from me Sir Emrick. You seem..tired. Please..."He begged Just like a child would for toys.

I wanted to get out of there, the souless doll and emotionless man-child was making my skin crawl.

Emrick nodded quickly

"Okay Jamie. I will grant you your wish and drink directly from your neck tonight."

Jamie smiled and led Emrick over to a chair. I remained where I stood. Emrick took his seat and Jaime climbed onto his lap. Jaime had his back to Emrick.

Emrick started to undo Jamies shirt for better access to his neck.

"Stop Emrick. We mustn't continue if the silly Princess cannot see the full ritual of a sacrifice willingly giving blood to his vampire. Come and stand in front of us Princess."

I was going to refuse but Emrick motioned for me to do as Jamie requested. I took my place in front of them. Jamie's shirt was unbuttoned and I saw his nipples and navel against his pale white skin.

Emrick looked at me and nodded. Jamie smiled as Emrick tilted his neck to the side and ran his fingers delicately across Jamie's neck. As soon as Emrick's fangs brushed Jamie's neck he groaned quietly. Emrick closed his eyes, his now visible fangs bit into the pulsating vein. I gasped and looked away.

"Don't look away silly Princess, you must watch everything. Then you wont think so lowly of Sir Emrick and Sir Ronin" Jamie whispered through moans and groans.

I forced myself to watch. I watched the river of red run down Jamie's neck, down his chest, and stain his pale skin and pure white shirt like blood on snow. I saw Emrick's golden eyes, reflecting sadness and apologies as he forced himself to drink from Jamie. I saw the way jamie's body reacted. It was quite obvious that he did enjoy being feasted upon by his vampires.

Emrick stopped and licked the wound on Jamie's neck. It was the first time since I arrived that Jamie was quiet. Emrick's venom had put him to sleep.

"Join me while I return Jamie to his room. After that we need to leave and quickly. I will become sick soon." We tucked Jamie in his bed, and left.

"Take me to the ocean, I need to expel his blood from my body. It will need to be washed away, so no other vampire can sniff it out. No evidence must be left."

I comforted Emrick as we waded into the ocean. Emrick bent over and shoved his fingers down his throat. He heaved violently, Thick, dark blood swirled around us as Emrick expelled every last drop into the silver ripples of the ocean as it reflected the moon.

"Emrick, there is something wrong with Jamie. He is not strange, he is evil."

I whispered,

Weakened from expelling the tasty but toxic blood and suffering the mild after effects . Emrick held onto me as he stumbled back home.

" Yes, he is evil. That's why his blood has the effect it does on us. Come, we must hurry home. Tell Ronin what happened tonight. I will need him to help me through the sickness that will follow." Emrick whispered as he drifted in and out of consciousness. I nearly dropped him numerous times before we finally arrived home.

I helped Emrick to his bed, and went on a quest to find Ronin. I found Ronin sitting in a high backed wooden chair in the library. He was reading a book and a fresh glass of blood stood in the centre of a side table next to the chair. I waited for him to look up from the book or say something. He didn't.

"Sorry to interrupt you Sir Ronin, but I need to talk to you about Sir Emrick." I said, trying to sound confident and not show that I was struggling to get the words past the lump in my throat.

Without a single sign of concern in his voice, and not removing his eyes from the book he replied,

"Yes? What has Emrick done this time?"

"He drank from Jamie tonight..He..."

Ronin cut me off,

"What! Why did he do such an idiotic thing, knowing what happens when he feasts upon human blood, especially Jamie's blood? " Now Ronin's voice was etched with concern.

"Where is he Princess? Did he expel the blood from his stomach? Was he conscious when you brought him home?"

I made a calming motion with my hands,

"Sir Ronin, he is in his bed chamber. He is asking for you. Yes, the blood was expelled. He was drifting in and out of consciousness on our way here. Please, go and see him."

Ronin nodded and left. I returned to my room, I was becoming more nervous with each passing minute. It meant I was a minute closer to discovering who I was, beyond just a Princess.