JACK

Jack's heart raced like it was about to jump out of his chest. His hands were almost shaking as he desperately tried to calm his nerves. Jack leaned onto the table and chugged down a goblet of red wine. He tried to compel her, he tried to make her invite him to her chambers. He wanted to suck her dry.

Jack looked at Giselle across the room. She stood next to Lord Adam as Rosa talked to him, probably explaining they need to leave the ball. Unnerving feeling flowed through Jack's veins, usually he was able to restrain himself. Tonight, this girl made him unravel.

Like a predator ready for his next meal, Jack had to hold the table behind him because he would otherwise run for the girl. This beast within he had no control over.

"Lord O'Neal!" A strong, rumbling voice called for him. Jack closed his eyes willing signs of his hunger off his face.

It was Lord Beaufort, a huge mass of fat and muscle, dressed in purple silk finery. Pitcher of mead in his hand, leftover food on his dark beard. He was immensely fat and Jack could imagine the taste of his blood, thick, salty and clogged.

"Lord Beaufort." Jack murmured.

"We barely had a chance to talk! Have you met my beautiful wife?" Lord Beaufort pushed forward the slight girl. She was so small compared to Beaufort.

"Lady Beaufort, we haven't been properly introduced." Jack took her little hand and kissed it lightly. Amalia blushed.

"I am so sorry for the outburst earlier today, Lord O'Neal, Lady Giselle and I have our differences." Amalia said, her lips forming a benevolent smile.

"With all due respect, Lady Beaufort, but you attacked a woman that is unable to have a child. I like to think I am chivalrous enough to defend a young woman's honour." Jack found himself getting angrier, his hunger emerging again. He desperately wanted to drink every drop of blood out of Giselle's body, but he also wanted to save her.

"We appreciate your chivalry." Lord Beaufort said, emphasizing the last word, adding a touch of disgust. "But I believe my wife is indeed right when she accuses Giselle for deeds that go against God. She has always been strange and that mother of hers," Beaufort smirked, "she never knew her place."

"I'm afraid I never knew her mother." Jack said. The sudden need to protect Giselle took him by surprise.

"She went mad, just like her daughter most likely will." Lord Beaufort leaned towards Jack like he was sharing a dirty secret with him. Amalia still had the same dumb smile plastered on her lips. Jack wanted to kill them both.

"Time will tell." Jack said.

"Oh, no, we cannot allow the Devil's spawn roaming through our beautiful Carcassonne. As soon as her father dies, we are talking to the castle priest. That is, unless we find strong evidence sooner." Lord Beaufort smiled, showing his teeth.

"Excuse me." Jack said suddenly. He had to leave, he had to move or otherwise he would tear off their limbs right in front of everybody. The Monarchy didn't allow it, killing the innocent humans for food. But Jack was never taught how to control himself.

He had to warn Giselle. He had to get to her, even if he had to tell her what he was. Jack rushed past noblemen not bothering to explain his sudden departure. His mere existence allowed him to act on impulse every now and then without justification. Every ounce of his mind wandered to the poor, sick girl who would be so wrongly accused. You don't even know her, Jack said to himself, you're going to fall in a trap again. No, not Giselle, she was innocent, she was pure. She deserved a second chance at life and he would provide this for her. Against his Madame's wishes, against Lord Adam's desire for children. Jack would turn her into a Night-Child, he would turn her into a vampire.

Not needing anything but the leftovers of her scent, Jack found her chambers. His heart in his mouth, he knocked once.

"Rosa?" A voice came from within.

Jack opened the door and their eyes met. Hers full of fear and his wide open, craving.

"Lord O'Neal." She whispered barely. His entire being wanted to devour her right there and then. Her dress was off, nothing but see-through undergarments on her. She was in the middle of changing.

"I didn't know you were indecent." He said simply to be polite. He didn't care about manners, he would've entered if she was completely naked. All of her bones showed, but she remained mesmerizingly beautiful. A mixture of a woman and a ghost, already on her way to the afterlife. Jack found it interesting how he couldn't feel her witch aura. Perhaps she didn't inherit her mother's power or she was already so weak her power simply died.

He took a step forward and Giselle stood frozen. Jack's vampire abilities allowed him to see her small shivers, unnoticeable by the human eye.

"I won't hurt you." Jack said, approaching. She formed words with her lips but no sound came out. Still, Jack's heightened sense of hearing allowed him to understand.

"Repeat that, darling. I already know what you said." Jack insisted.

"You cannot hurt me." The strength in her voice surprised Jack. The spite, courage. And so he came closer.

Jack looked down at the girl and caressed her cheek. She swallowed, her throat bobbing. The need to sink his teeth into that throat consumed Jack. But he kept himself in control. He lowered the finger on her cheek, tracing the outlines of her face all the way down to her collarbone. Putting his other hand on her waist, Jack leaned in, still looking into her eyes. Giselle let out a soft moan at the touch, he cursed himself for forgetting to warm up his hands. Jack wanted to kiss her, but he was afraid to taste her, afraid to put his mouth on her skin. So he kept tracing lines of her body with his finger, slightly touching her breast, feeling her heart beat beneath it. He came closer, leaning into her until their whole bodies touched. Desire surged through Jack, clear, unsettling desire.

"What is going on here!?" Rosa's voice came from the door. Jack was so lost he didn't hear her come in. Giselle moved away from him, startled.

"Nothing." Giselle murmured.

"Jorge is outside, Giselle. He is ready." Rosa eyed Giselle meaningfully and Jack didn't understand what's going on.

"I need to put on some clothes. Jack, you need you leave." Giselle said and immediately went for her wardrobe. Jack stood dumbstruck in the middle of the room. Didn't they say Giselle needed to rest because she was sick? He asked himself.

"What's going on?" He asked and he could swear to God Giselle rolled her eyes at him.

"Giselle is dying of mercury poisoning!" Rosa suddenly blurted. Jack's eyes on Giselle, he saw how surprised she looked. Surprised and angry. Right as Rosa opened her mouth, Giselle interrupted.

"We believe Amalia poisoned me." She said, her voice cold. Not knowing where to look or what to think, Jack glanced at Rosa. The black haired girl's face was so shocked he was certain Giselle never told her this. Pure rage came over him. He could feel his teeth aching, coming out, wanting to claim any meat they can find.

"Giselle..." He uttered, his voice sounding threatening. "If this is true..."

"I'm not sure. But I think it might be."

"She wants to kill you. I was there when Lord Beaufort and Amalia planned it. As soon as your father dies." Jack said without thinking it through.

An expression of disappointment creeped up on Giselle's face, almost like she didn't believe it was true, Amalia hating her that much.

Giselle seemed much calmer than Jack, he felt like he could kill this entire castle right now. His breathing shortened and he glanced from Giselle to Rosa back and forth. A peculiar expression was written all over Rosa's face, her eyes were wide and she simply searched Jack's face almost like she was trying to say something.

"You need to leave, Jack." Giselle said. She fetched a shirt and pants from her wardrobe and Jack frowned when he noticed. Where is she going? He thought to himself. Just as he was about to insist to go with them wherever that might be, Giselle approached him hastily and planted a kiss on his lips. The softness of her lips was his undoing. He had to get out or he would drink every drop of blood from her body. And he would not spare her friend.

"I have to..." Jack tried to say, feeling his teeth probing his lower lip. She tasted like water and he didn't drink anything for days. Jack stumbled over his own feet, trying not to look at Giselle, trying not to think about her.

"Leave." She said. "Rosa will guard my room all night long."

Jack nodded. He couldn't focus, his eyes escaped from her eyes to her half naked body and he grunted. Turning away from her seemed to have taken up all of his strength and once he exited Giselle's chambers, he knew he had to drink something.

Staggering down the stairs, Jack found himself in the servants' corridor of the castle. He fought the urge so hard he was certain he would bite himself if he didn't sink his teeth into anything made of flesh. You cannot kill them. He said to himself. If you kill anyone, unnecessary attention is on Lerra and her plans.

The corridor was mostly empty, every single person attending the ball and it was so convenient that Jack had to laugh roughly. Then he saw her, a tiny, sweet girl, a servant. Her hair was golden and it was enough for Jack. He could pretend she was Giselle.

As soon as the decision was made, Jack's drunken staggering turned into a confident predatory walk. It is against his nature to stay away from the hunt. He has been shoved into a way of life he hated, having to stay away from the sweet flesh of an innocent mortal.

"Good evening." He said to the girl, she bowed deeply the moment she saw him. That's right, Jack thought. Bow, my little servant, bow for me.

"Good evening, my, my Lord." The girl stuttered.

"Do you fancy a stroll?" He asked, looking deeply into her eyes. Yes, you do. He sent a message with his eyes and watched the girl's pupils dilate. She nodded, fear spreading all over her face. She knew these thoughts weren't hers, but Jack didn't care. Fear tasted good.

He took her by the hand, leading her to the darkest corner of the castle. He would take his time, he would make her feel good. Her last moments would be filled with ecstasy, exhilaration. And he would watch life disappear from her eyes and Jack would feel powerful, just as it is supposed to be.