Bound

Bound. That's what they call it? How could anyone ever what to stay in this atmosphere? This is a suffocating, shameful servitude. Once a family member accepts the terms, the rest of his or her descendants are forever in a clan. Those who are in this situation call it degrading. Then there is me. I do not seem to fit in any of this confusion. I, Zapphire, am in another kind. What kind of mother and father would send their daughter to live with these monster? When you are called on, no matter what you are doing you answer. It did not matter if you were in the middle of. Dying? Nope, not when you were theirs. This, a lot of the time ended with half-breeds being born. They would have some variation of the clan's trademark eyes, and sometimes they might even be born with a gift. Half-breeds were usually the ones that were called upon when witches attacked. Their blood was stronger than their human parent or other family members. It enhanced the vampire's own abilities. Oh, but don't worry the humans were allowed to replenish the dewindled human numbers, should no new ones be found.

"Elizabeth has fallen from favor." Hearing Crystal's familiar friendly voice snapped me out of my brooding mentality. "I'm sorry Crys, what were you saying?" The roll of her chrome diopside green eyes showed just how often I think about how I had came to be a cattle slave for the Emerald clan. "I was saying that Elizabeth made Vanaura so upset that she actually went crying to David. You know the heir to the Opal clan?" I just stared at her as if she was the craziest lady to ever live. "Phire? Are you okay? You have been zoning out quite a bit lately?" To hear the genuine concern, made me slighlty smile. "I'm fine Crys. Do you want to take a walk to the garden so you can tell me about it," I asked with the deepest desire to get out of the Quarters. I stood up to begin grabbing my covering when I felt a strong grip on my right shoulder. I didn't even have to look to see who it was, Crys's bowed head and attempt to not tremble said it all. I spun around so quick grabbing the guard's wrist that if I was a "pure-blood" his ulna would have been piercing skin. "I have said this before, do not touch me," I snarled. The smirked that slowly grew showed nothing but amusement. In the flap of a hummingbird wing, his grip was around my neck and my backside on the ground, "As long as you are in our Quarters, you follow our rules. You would think that growing up here that by now you would know them by heart." Just as I was about to show how much my fight skill had improved, the door opened and Danq was there.

"Andreo sent me to pick another carer for Vanaura while she and David visit. Will all humans and half-breeds line up?" As he shouted the question, you would have been ashamed of the school girl like behavior from the females and the hatred from the males. "That includes the half-breed you have your claws on" he said with such authority. The guard reluctantly released me. I stood up and went to line up with the rest of those called. I was able to get between Crystal and Flower. Flower was one of the oldest humans still alive in this castle so she was allowed to stand wherever she pleased. Danq slowly started walking towards the human part of the line. We all watched as he would look at each individual up and down and start into their windows. With each person he would pass, he or she would remove his or her person from the line. With each passing person, he would move closer and closer. I closed my eyes and prayed to whomever or whatever was listening. I did not want to risk the consequence of upsetting Vanaura. When I opened my eyes, the sight I came to was what I always met. "What is you name," Danq asked. "Zapphire," was my reply with such force that he was moved back. By what? My tone alone? Nope. My windows. "You know the eyes are the windows to the soul right?" "Of course. You know that's one of the oldest sayings in the bool right," I backlashes. He stood there for a moment, obviously deciding what to do with the half-blood who dared to talk back to a pure-blood. "With icy aquamarine eyes like yours, Vanaura will be intrigued with your intentions." With that one statement, my whole life was about to change. For the better or for the worst, I was not going to find out for years to come. . .