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2. Once-in-a-lifetime show

Nightclub "Bloodlust."

Ocean

"Gentlemen, after tonight's show, I would like to invite everyone to my office; I have an offer to make. And believe me, only a fool could resist it. But for now, I proudly present to you the first rank fifty-five acquired in the last five decades. So, without further ado, please welcome her with a round of applause. The one I named Ocean." Vladimir jumps off the stage and sits on the chair he deems to be his throne. Everyone seated in the VIP area cheers, thrilled to feast their eyes upon the delicacy during the live performance. Each of these men spent the value of an entire servant to purchase a ticket to a once-in-a-lifetime show.

I step on the stage as carefully as I can. The vampires can't see that I'm injured, or Vladimir will make my life a pure living Hell. The room falls silent, all eyes fixed on me, the bodies of the men almost frozen. Vladimir snaps his fingers, and the slow, sensual music booms from the speakers. Some women might feel shy standing in front of a crowd of men, but sadly for me, the sight is too familiar. Each of them eyes me with nothing but lust and desire burning in their eyes. I exhale and hold onto the pole beside me, slowly leaning my body back. Pole dancing had never appealed to me before, but after the stunt Vladimir pulled, I need all the support I can get. I bend my knees and lower my body as my palm moves from my neck down to my breasts. The Count told me to undress but to avoid showing my neck. His request seems a little odd, but I have no say in the matter nor the right to contradict him. My wide hips sway from side to side as I manage to perfectly mimic the moves a vampire dancer once taught me. I claw at the pole as I straighten my body and slowly walk around it. Fighting the pain emanating from my ribs, I bite onto my lower lip to distract myself from crying, but the vampire cheers, taking my action as teasing.

I reach for the button of my shirt, undo it and let the fabric slowly slide off my shoulders. I will do anything to avoid further punishment from the Count, even if it means standing before a crowd completely naked. My eyes take in the demonic faces as I slip off the strap of my bra. Before I can reach for the other strap, Count Vladimir jumps up from his seat and stomps towards the stage. My eyes widen in shock, but I don't dare stop dancing. My body continues to move and bend in desirable poses as the vampire leaps onto the stage. Vladimir snaps his fingers, and the music stops.

"Gentlemen, I see that entertainment has aroused the interest of many. Everyone has had just a mere taste of what is to come. The show is over, for now. Please follow the guards to my office; we will discuss the proposal, the promised surprise, and other details in a private room. Then, Ocean, return to the dressing room and wait for me there." Vladimir's cold words sent chills down my spine. The Count had never interrupted my performance like this before; I've been his most prized possession, the most expensive thing to own. If the vampire played his cards wisely, he could become one of the elite members by the end of the year, all thanks to my shows.

I am many things but not a fool; I won't linger in the area if Vladimir has told me to leave. I quickly bend down to reach for my shirt but manage to land on my knees, pressing my hand against the throbbing. A hiss of pain leaves my lips before I manage to stop the sound. My eyes fill with tears, but I refuse to let them fall - even if the vampire came back, I would rather die than let him break me. Even though my vision becomes blurry, I notice the dark figure on the balcony. Startled, I fight the pain, grab the shirt, and stumble off the stage. I have to get back to the dressing room before a guard, or worse, Vladimir caught me. Whoever was watching me from the balcony couldn't be a person who meant well. As soon as I reach the room, I clench my hand into a tight fist and knock on the door, expecting one of the other girls to open it. Luckily Sally, a fifteen-year-old girl, is the one closer to the dressing room door.

"Oh God, Ocean, what happened to you?" She gasps and quickly grabs me by the shoulder to pull me inside. "No, come in first." She whispers, eyeing if there's any guard around the locker rooms. When Sally has made sure they have some privacy, she sighs and adds, "We can talk inside, come on, move!" I gladly cooperate with the girl and let the others help me move to the nearest sofa. My body aches, but other than the occasional hiss or faint moan, no other sound passes my lips. As soon as my body collides with the soft seat, I find myself in a somewhat blissful, ignorant state – I forget the things that have happened and enjoy the little comfort given.

"What on earth has happened to you? Did- did he let them touch you? Ocean, did he?" Sally stutters as her eyes fill with tears. The younger girl had always feared what her future would hold. She must work as one of Vladimir's waitresses and ignore the men who try to touch her whenever she walks by, but she still thinks dancers have it worse.

"He sent me out," I exhale and grab onto the side as the sharp pain spreads around the area of my ribs. It's taking too long for my liking - it's the first time the pain hasn't subsided within a few hours. "I think Count Asshole is going crazy, for real this time. I was just on my way back when he showed up to play with the damn remote, and that's not the worst of it. Don't turn your back on him, ever. He almost bit me, but I reminded him he wasn't supposed to, and that's why this happened," I lift myself off the couch to show the girls the huge bruise on my ribs. "He slammed me into the wall of one of those old brick buildings. I think he broke a few ribs again; at least the cracking sound was pretty impressive this time." I giggled and continued to pretend I didn't feel any pain. I wanted to claw at the walls and scream my head off, but the girls can't see me like this, especially those afraid of Vladimir.

Sally bites her lip and helps me sit back down before glancing at the girl sitting in front of a mirror. "Marissa, get some ice; we need to fix Ocean up. Oh, and don't forget the first aid kit. Who knows what other injuries she might have."? She calls after the woman.

With a raised eyebrow, Marissa takes one look at the distraught girl and snorts. "Why would I help her?" She asks Sally as her voice drips with spite. The woman could help any of the girls, but not me – she believes that I'm her biggest competition.

Sally gasps and stares at the dancer. How can one be so full of venom and jealousy to refuse a helping hand when needed? She gathers her thoughts and lets out a deep breath before her lips part again. "Because that time she took the beating for you! That time when a guard caught you trying to sneak off with that boy!" Sally calmly explains.

Marissa crosses her arms in front of her chest and smiles as if she is being worshipped. If there's one thing she loves, it's the center of attention. Even when I'm hurt, all the girls give Marissa exactly what she wants. "Well, I never asked for her to do that. Besides, it's not my fault that I'm the most popular girl here. Vladimir can't stand her guts; no wonder he keeps hitting her, not us!" The words leave her lips as a matter of course, giving her a chance to savor the aftertaste of the poison she just spewed on everyone.

At last, Freya has had enough. The woman rises from her seat and stomps towards Marissa, raising her hand above her head; her posture screams danger. "And yet she did it! She stood up for you and your bullshit! Favorite, huh? Alright, how about I scratch her face and call for guards. Let's see how the Count will react when he finds out a dancer attacked his most prized possession. Do you remember the auction? It doesn't matter, because I remember! He paid five hundred for each of us while he plunked down fifteen million for Ocean. Shall we discuss favorites anymore?" Freya shouts in Marissa's face. Even if I never ask for her help, Freya will stick around and wait until she's needed. She's not the one to get involved in another argument, but for me, she does. Besides, she knows that I heal quickly and can take a lot of pain. We grew up together, well, in opposite cells. I always stuck up for her, and soon Freya returned the favor with the same attitude. Now no person can separate us - Freya owes her life to me, and that is one thing she would never forget.

Startled, Marissa jumps up from her seat and whispers, "I'll get the first aid kit," as she runs out of the locker rooms.

A chuckle leaves Freya's lips, but her amusement fades as her gaze falls on me. "Where do you think you're going, young lady? You need more rest now than ever!" She scolds me as she watches the door, waiting for Marissa to return.

Honestly, Freya, or any of us, wouldn't be surprised if Marissa brough a guard, or exposed their attempts to help me, but such an action would backfire - none of us would stand by her side ever again. Marissa is known for her restless nature, and if there was no one there to take care of her, she wouldn't survive for longer than a few days. She liked to think she was favored by the Count, but her idea was as delusional as it could be. All the girls had done nothing but stand up for her, take the blame, and beatings for Marissa's actions. Marissa herself is sure she had never done anything wrong. Truth be told, she is constantly running around telling everyone that the Count is secretly in love with her, and so is she. Her nightly escapes and constant sleeping around with vampires and humans have diminished her value. Now, Vladimir doesn't care about her existence. She is there to serve as his meal once she reaches the age, and so Marissa is to face a huge disappointment about her place at Vladimir's side. Fortunately, none of the girls notice what I found while they were fiddling around.

I smile at my friends and shake my head as if everything was nothing but an amusing misunderstanding. "Don't mind me, I remembered I have to go to our Count Asshole. I'll be back in a few minutes; wait for me here. I could use some help later," I announce, limping towards the door. Freya and Sally couldn't help me - if the Count demanded to see either of us, we had to go, no matter how we felt or what happened.

I go straight to the great hall, where the vampire spent most of his time. I know Vladimir is in his office, so I can sit down and wait. But as soon as I set my foot in the huge room, Vladimir turns to me and grins. Whatever was happening in his office ruined the vampire's mood. Not that I ever cared. I clear my throat and tilt my head to meet his eyes. "Here, I have a key to your heart," I left the key in my palm, metal, and skin together. I stumbled upon the ancient artwork in the locker rooms. It caught my attention because of its resemblance to a dagger, so I took it and waited for the perfect opportunity.

"Silly girl, that is not the key to my heart. Pathetic attempt." Vladimir growled in disgust. If I'm lucky, I'll be unleashed by the end of the night.

Taking the first step toward my destruction, I grin and move my hips in time with the slow music in the background. Vladimir swallows, his Adam's apple bobbles in his throat. The vampire's eyes focus on the crook of my neck as I stop directly in front of him. I place my palm on his chest, guide my fingertips down to his abdominal muscles, a corner of my lip twitches in disgust. When he closes his eyes, I take the opportunity to plunge the key directly into his heart, smiling as his eyes shoot open and he looks down at me in horror. "Are you still convinced I don't have the key to your heart?" I ask, grab him by the collar, and pull him closer, my lips lightly grazing his ear as I whisper, "It fits."

"Bravo! The passion, the emotion, truly magnificent! I'm so glad I got here in time; only a fool would miss a show like this!"

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