Chapter 4: four

Olivia

As we stepped out of the car, I felt a sudden tightness in my chest. The building before us was massive, yet breathtaking. It towered ten stories high, its brick facade softened by the tendrils of ivy that clung to it in places.

I couldn’t begin to guess how many vampires and humans resided within its walls. I was so absorbed in my thoughts that I barely noticed Cole attaching the leash to my collar. He allowed me a moment to take it all in, for which I was grateful. He didn’t rush me, didn’t tug me toward the entrance.

Suddenly, a shrill voice pierced the air. “COLEEEEEE.”

We both turned sharply toward the sound.

My throat constricted, and I stumbled backward. Cole, sensing my fear, quickly moved to shield me.

He was tall, but not as towering as Brutus, so I wasn’t entirely hidden as a blonde-haired vampire came bounding toward us.

“Annabelle,” Cole greeted her, his tone flat.

She seemed unfazed by his lack of enthusiasm. Her gaze dropped to me, and her eyes widened in surprise.

“Cole! Did you buy her for me? How did you know I wanted a new pet? Hand over her leash,” she demanded, reaching out to snatch the leash from Cole.

But he was quicker.

“Excuse me, ~Anna,~ but there seems to be a misunderstanding. I didn’t buy you ~anything~. Olivia is my pet and ~mine alone~,” he growled at her.

I exhaled a breath I hadn’t realized I’d been holding. Annabelle’s face twisted in anger and embarrassment.

“Cole. Give me my fucking pet. That is ~my~ human,” she hissed.

“Oh, is she? That’s amusing because I’m the one who purchased her; therefore, I believe that makes her mine.”

His voice was calm, but I was trembling. The last thing I wanted was to be caught in the middle of a dispute between two irate vampires.

Unfazed by Annabelle’s fury, Cole began to stride toward the entrance. He took hold of my arm and guided me to walk in front of him.

“Walk ahead of me, little dove, and don’t stop unless I tell you to,” he whispered in my ear.

I obeyed, feeling his presence just a step behind me. I kept expecting Annabelle to lunge at me.

I’d barely taken a few steps when she appeared in front of me again, a disconcerting smile on her face as she addressed Cole.

“Let’s discuss this with my father, Cole. I’m sure he can resolve this.”

Cole chuckled. “I’m sure you believe your father will let you have your way, Annabelle. But not this time. By all means, let’s go.”

Suddenly, another vampire appeared before us. He was strikingly handsome, like all vampires, with dirty blonde hair. He was shorter than Cole but still towered over me.

He looked at me with gentle eyes and a warm smile, which oddly made me feel safer, despite him being a stranger.

“Brayden, take Olivia to my room. She needs to shower and get dressed. Afterward, bring her to Lord Cain’s office,” Cole instructed, handing my leash to Brayden.

Brayden tugged gently on my leash, and I had to quicken my pace to keep up with him.

The interior of the estate was as stunning as the exterior. Cream-colored walls were adorned with flowers in the windows.

Vampires were milling about. It wasn’t overly crowded, but it was enough to make me feel uneasy.

“Don’t worry, sweet girl; they won’t bother you. Well, as long as you wear a collar,” Brayden reassured me with a kind smile.

After what felt like a thousand stairs, we finally reached Cole’s room. It was spacious and grand. Brayden unclipped my leash and removed my collar.

I stared at him in shock.

“It’s okay, Olivia. We need to take it off so you can shower,” he reassured me.

He guided me into the bathroom, a large room with white walls and a dark grey tiled floor.

Brayden started the shower for me, checking the temperature before turning to me.

“Now, hop in. There’s soap and shampoo for your hair. Put that dress in the hamper over there,” he instructed, pointing to a basket in the corner. “Here’s a towel for you, and I’ll leave your clothes on the counter before you finish.”

Before I could respond, he was out the door.

I stripped off the white dress, now dirty from the cage. We were only allowed fresh clothes and showers once a week at the pet shop.

Stepping into the warm shower, I couldn’t suppress a moan of pleasure. I reached for the soaps and began to scrub my skin clean.

The soap had a sweet scent, though I couldn’t place the exact fragrance. I quickly moved on to my hair, which was long and tangled from being confined in the cage.

Once I was done, I stepped out carefully, not wanting to slip and embarrass myself in front of Brayden.

I dried off with the fluffy towel and found the clothes Brayden had left for me. First, I slipped on the white lacy panties. There was no bra, but I wasn’t particularly bothered by it.

Instead, there was a light blue dress with lace detailing. It fell to my knees and was surprisingly soft against my skin. It fit perfectly.

The final item was a pair of knee-length white socks. Pets weren’t allowed to wear shoes, presumably to hinder any escape attempts. But who would be foolish enough to try to outrun a vampire?

I pushed the thought aside, a new one taking its place.

~How did Master—no, Cole, know my sizes?~

I swung the door open, peering out. Brayden was perched on the edge of the king-sized bed, engrossed in his phone.

“Ready, sweet girl?” His gaze lifted to meet mine.

I simply nodded in response, watching as he rose to his feet and fastened my collar back in place. We were nearly out the door when I reached out, my fingers curling around his arm.

“What about the leash?” My voice was barely above a whisper, my eyes fixed on the floor.

In truth, I didn’t want it. But I also didn’t want Brayden—or anyone else—to face repercussions because he’d forgotten it.

“We don’t need it. We’re not going far, and besides, I can’t see you trying to run off.”

I lifted my gaze to his. He was smiling.

A vampire, smiling. That was a new one.

“Running would be pointless. You’d catch me before I could even take a step.”

I think my response took him by surprise, but he merely hummed in agreement, and we set off to find Cole.