Garden of Shadows

Raffaello pulled me closer to him and leaned my head to the side. It happened of quick and the pain came so suddenly. He bit into my neck. Once my adrenaline started I was snapped out of my trance like state and I started to scream and shove at him to try and get him away. It just cause him grip me tighter putting me in more pain, I didn't care I continued to fight.
“Stop it! This hurts! Stop it!” I yelled at him.
Finally he released me and I collapsed onto the chair feeling blood flow down my neck and soak into the dress. I started to touch my neck trying to put pressure on it. I just wanted the pain to stop. I could feel my body getting heavy to where I could barely keep my hand on my neck. I managed to look up at Raffaello and the whole time he was just standing there looking at me with no emotion he didn't even wipe the my blood off his lips.
“Why..” Was all I got out before I blacked out slumping in the chair.
That's probably why there is plastic on the furniture.
When I woke up I could feel the warmth of a blanket over me and the comfort of the bed I was on. As I looked over to my left I felt a tightness on my neck I reached up and felt a bandage over my wound. It was still sore. As I went to sit up I realized I was not wearing any clothes. It caused me to grip the blanket close to me and I sat up looking around the room. I was in a canopy bed with curtains shielding me from the rest of the room. I reached out and touched the curtains that looked like gold and they were so soft and light. Where was I? I found an opening in the curtain and I moved to the edge of the bed and looked out into the room. It was really spacious. I stood up taking the blanket with me causing me to walk around with a long train. There were hardwood floors and big floor to ceiling windows. There was a large scale wardrobe and then a small writing table with a single chair. I saw a single door which I assumed was the exit. I crept over and slowly opened the door expecting to see a hall way but was surprised to see a bathroom. Where was the door to leave? I turned around and looked around the room and saw no other door. So, how do I leave and how did I enter? I began to walk around the room feeling the walls looking for a crack or feel some air flow. I wasn't until I was at the space next to the bed when I felt a small crack. I followed the crack and sure enough it was a door. I began to push at the door and door around it but nothing was happening. Then the door flew open and hit me throwing me to the ground. I looked up startled and seven people walked in both men and women and crowded in front of me.
“W-who are you?” I asked quickly pulling the blanket over me.
“We are here to help you get prepared for tonight.” One of the women who actually looked nice said.
She bent down and helped me up and walked me over to the bed and pulled the curtain back and sat me on the bed. Then the others started to move and one of them walked over and set this black lace dress next me and I saw someone else place these blood red pumps on the floor.
“What is going on tonight?”
“Well dear tonight is very important for the master because tonight is the Garden competition.”
“Competition!? I'm not going to try and impress the “master” he kidnapped me a-and he bite me!” I yelled standing up.
“Now calm down. For if you do not compete then you shall be killed in front of everyone and not quickly. Everyone in the audience will one by one bite into you and slowly all of them will drain you of blood.” She said lowing her voice and looking down.
I felt the blood drain from my limbs and I fell back onto the bed not believing what was happening to me.
“...What will I have to do?” I asked in a whisper not wanting to hear the answer.
“Not much dear. The main thing is the final part. Do you have any skills?” She asked while pushing my hair back and started to apply make-up.
“A skill? Like singing? I guess I can sing OK? What will I be doing before that?”
“Singing is good, very good. The beginning will really just be you walking around and people will be inspecting you.”
Great. Now, I had compete for my life. I hope my singing will be good enough, but what if I'm not? I will be murdered if it isn't good enough! I sat there in silence as everyone got me ready. I had been moved into the bathroom where make-up was still being put on me and someone else was behind me doing my hair. I don't even know what the bathroom looks like all I can focus on is looking in the mirror at my emotionless face. I missed my family. I wonder what they are doing right now, are they still looking for me? I'm sure they are. What if I'm no longer in Italy? How are they going to find me?
“All done and you look beautiful! You'll be sure to win!”
I was kicked out of my thoughts when she spoke and I looked over in the mirror and that black lace dress did look pretty. I was a full lace dress with three quarter sleeves but it had something unusual to it. It has this lace hood that was already over my head. And I turned around and saw it had an open back. It was a very pretty dress I admit. My hair was in curls and was pushed to one side, to cover up the now bandageless wound. My make-up was flawless they gave me a pinup look with red lips that matched my heels.
“You look breath taking.”

My breath caught in my throat and my heart stopped once I heard that all too familiar smooth voice come from behind me. I turned around and gasped in shock when I saw him to be standing right behind me. He looked too handsome. His dark hair was pushed back but some of it had fallen slightly. He wore a solid black suit the only color he had on him was the blood red rose that sat in his left breast pocket. Then those green eyes seemed even more penetrating than normal. Even in my heels he still towered over like a skyscraper to a modest house.
“Let's go.” Was all he said as he turned and a walked out.
I followed him trying not to fall in these heels. We walked out into the hall and soon we were standing in front of an elevator. When the doors opened it was empty though I didn't really expect anyone to be in it. When we stepped in I saw that there were only four floors and we were on the fourth floor. He pressed for the first floor. The ride was quiet and it was so suffocating that I had to say something.
I looked up at him nervously and said, “I'm nervous.” Fuck. Really? Why did I say that? What if he just kills me himself to save him from the embarrassment from me losing.
He looked down at me and smiled as if he knew something I didn't and responded with, “You should be.”
I could have died right there. We arrived on the first floor and it opened up to reveal hundreds of people all standing around. Once the elevator dinged open all voices stopped and everyone stopped to look over at us. My legs started to shake as we stepped out of the elevator and onto the ballroom floor. Then Raffaello grabbed me around the waist and pulled me closer to him and whispered to me “Better smile.” So I did. Someone immediately came over to us and handed me a tall campaign glass and one to Raffaello but his was filled with red liquid. Blood. I took a drink of my regular campaign, thoughtfully. I looked around and I could see other men with women next to them drinking regular drinks. They were my competition and now we were all fighting for our own survival. People started to come up to us and chat with Raffaello and would look at me and would occasionally make me do a twirl. A lot of them complained that I was too thin and could possible not supply Raffaello with good blood, but then were pleased to here from him that I had AB- blood. Then they begged Raffaello for a taste. When they first asked I looked up at Raffaello in fear that he would comply, he never did. It was a hard realization when I knew that he was my only salvation in a room full of people who wouldn't think twice of killing me. We met with other men who had a girl in this Garden Competition and all claimed to have the best in show. When we talked to them no questions were asked to have the girl to do a twirl or about her blood type. During these conversations the girls and I would just look at each other with the same apologetic look. We knew one of us would be killed at the end of the day, and no one wanted it to be them.