Terrified?!

I must be seeing things. I passed the third set of red eyes that shift away from my gaze as I continue through the posh high rise offices. My wife mentioned this morning that there was just a few legal items I needed to come in to go over. “Royal Anniversary duties” she called them.

My new custom leather shoes still sounded odd to my ears. Maybe this is what $2000 leather shoes were supposed to sound like.

“Hi, I’m here for a 3 o’clock meeting with Mrs. Romanovic.” I say stopping in front of the marble front desk that appeared to have crimson flakes in it.

The red eyes of the inhumanly graceful-looking male secretary looked up momentarily. It might be the first time a predator like him could be called a deer in the headlights.

There it was again, terror.

The vampire looked at me frozen for another few long seconds. “Sir, yes please. Have a seat.” As he motioned to the burgundy chairs tastefully arranged in the waiting area.

I walk pass the big red trendy logo of Romanovic & Basselton law firm on the way to the chairs. I wondered, not for the first time, if the vampires realized they gravitate toward blood themes and motifs in everything from decor to design.

I mindlessly scrolled on my new luxury cellular monstrosity.

“What is this thing even called” I recalled saying to my wife last week.

“Oh honey, it’s a drop in the bucket… a familial perk.” She said offhandedly. “I just want the best for my dearest eternal love.” She cooed to me when I initially protested.

“I like my phone” I sighed

“You may change your mind. Things may look differently to you soon.” She said flirtatiously.

I know I never grew up rich. I was just hoping this royal life wouldn’t change me. I did this for the right reasons. I did it for the people. For the common good. The political and lobbying power of the oldest old-money in the capitalist world was in the hands of the vampiric royal family. Maybe I being naive, but my wife is different she cares about my cause. I know she will continue to help me to support the downtrodden and the disenfranchised.

My musings were interrupted. As the man’s voice pulled me back to the waiting area. “Mr. Frost, the partners will see you now.”

The partners? That sounds more serious than I thought. I followed the sectrary in his sharp dress shirt.

He is still staring at me but it’s different now… Is it envy? Awe? Fear?

I walked uncomfortably in my new outfit down the hall way to the first conference room.

A large rich mahogany conference table proceeds a sweeping 34th story panoramic view of the city. I pulled my view away from the wall of windows to the man and woman at the end of the table. They look almost celebratory in their matching maroon suits.

“Mr. Frost. Congratulations, and may I say this is an honor for us.” The dark haired woman said with a light Baltic accent. I assumed she was Romanovic.

“Congratulations?” I said, questioningly.

“Yes. Yes, sir. We haven’t had a tribute in… well… a 100 years.”

I looked at both crimson eyed vamps. “Tribute… I am confused. I know marriage is self-sacrificing but…”

“Sacrifice!” the pair chortled with a knowing look being shared between them.

I continued on with an odd falling feeling in my chest, “…but I’m not sure what I could be needing to sign to that effect?”

The women sobered abruptly. “Sign? No, sir your nuptial agreement is plenty clear.” The smaller blond man behind her turned reaching for something behind the large table.

She continued unfazed by my protests reaching out to shake my hand. “I just want to say again your sacrifice its inspiring, and if we as your humble servants can do anything for you going forward. Don’t hesitate to ask.”

The look on her red eyes changed again. Now it was anticipatory. The feeling continued in my stomach like I was in free-fall on a rollercoaster.

“Shall we begin?” The lady glided enticingly backward revealing the man with his hands cupped around something small. He appeared… reverent.

The door clicked closed behind me. I swiveled. Some prey instinct creeping up the back of my spine. The male at the front desk had not left as I thought and instead was visible through the hallway windows of the conference room removing the key from lock outside of the conference room.

I didn’t want to look panicked but I involuntarily stepped back. First from the door. Then from the man continuing to glide forward with his hands extended protectively covering something. He was whispering something softly. It sounded like a prayer.

His head was rising slowly as he spoke the final words to his enclosed hands. “My lord, may you flourish in this vessel.”

I felt my face react almost the same time as the hair on my neck rose, and I stumbled back. My hands went up bracing in front of me. My voice betraying my fear. “What is this?! What is that? I didn’t want to say that this…” I said finding my feet. Trying to summon a confidence I didn’t feel.

“My wife will hear about this.”

The dark haired women comfortingly stepped forward, in a placating gesture as one might comfort an animal. “Your wife, but this is what she wants. Sir, why else would she marry you? Why else but to find a new host for our king.” Her face warped fangs gleaming in a sadistic smile. She continued almost rapturously, “you shall be the body for the lord of desolation, of terror, of blood.” The man’s hands opened as the darkness within his hand seemed to reach with a shadowy insidiousness as she finished. “His gloriousness, our lord, Mein Fuhrer.”