Jannah's Choice

"Jannah!" I heard the Lady of the house, Mary, call for me.

"Yes, my Lady!" I answered as I walked down the hallway to her bedroom.

I was a human in a vampire's world, so that made me automatically become a vampire's servant. Yes, you heard right, a servant. I have always thought that I wasn't meant to be only a servant, but something greater. Nothing about me was submissive, I was confident and always went for what I wanted. But then why was I still a servant?

Well, like I said we live in a vampire's world, so vampires rule us. They came to our lands and enslaved us since they were stronger, so all humans had to serve them, no questions asked or you get sent to the dungeon. No matter what, I still believed that I was meant for something greater.

So I hoped everyday for this all to change and for a better world where we could live in harmony with vampires and werewolves. Surpringly, werewolves also existed. They came after the vampires enslaved us and have seemed to pity us by giving some of us jobs in their lands, but the vampires were not pleased with it. So to maintain their peace, they let us serve them without interfering.

It made me sad, especially since I was an orphan, so I have never had a life of enjoyment or freedom. I was raised in an orphanage then as soon as I was old enough at eight years old, I was sent to this house to serve its Lady. She was married to the Lord of the land, and they were both nice people on good days.

However on some days, they weren't so good and would drink my blood. That was one of the things that I disliked while serving them. I gritted my teeth as I reached her door as I remembered how she drank from my wrist yesterday even though they receive blood supplies from the blood bank every week. It was still healing, so a bandage was wrapped around my wrist.

"Jannah!" She yelled again.

I lifted my hand and pushed the door open as I unclenched my teeth and answered, "Yes, my lady?"

As I stepped into the room, I saw that she was standing in front of the mirror. She turned around to me with a scowl on her face, "Where did you keep my fancy brooch? I need it for the brunch that I will be attending today."

"It is right there on top of your dresser, my Lady." I replied, pointing at it sitting on top of her dresser like it always was.

I didn't know if she was doing it on purpose or she had forgotten where it usually was, but I didn't say a word or else, she would do worse than drink my blood. A cringe made its way to my face at the thought of her smacking me or her husband. So I quietly watched as she walked to her dresser and picked it up. She turned around and glared at me, "What are you still standing there for?!"

"I am sor-" I started apologising, but she cut me off with a wave of her hand.

"Leave!"

"Yes, my Lady." I replied and clenched my jaw as I turned around. I walked out and pulled the door close. Anger and embarrassment washed over me for how she was treating me with so much disrespect and disregard for my feeliings. I sighed, this was now a vampire's world and no human would ever get that from anyone except another human.

The doorbell started ringing as I started down the long, hallway. It was still morning, I didn't know who would come at this time, but I quickly made my way down the hallway and to the door. I opened it as soon as I reached it, and I was surprised to see a man dressed in the Vampire King's guards wear. He snarled when he saw me and gripped the bunch of letters in his hands.

"Are you the only female servant in this house?" He asked in a pompous voice because he believed me to be lower than him and unimportant. He might have seen me that way, but I saw myself as an equal to everyone and just as important.

I shook my head, "No, but they have left for the stores, so I am the only one here."

"Alright, servant. How many are you?"

"Three, Sir." I replied, and he immediately took out three letters out of the many letters in his hands. He handed them to me with a cold look.

"Here, from his Majesty to all the human women."

I took it from his hands with furrowed brows as I felt curious and confused that the Vampire King will send us a letter. Fear suddenly traveled down my spine at the thought of something bad in those letters. Were they killing us off like how baby girls were killed when they were born in some cultures in human history? I swallowed my fear and smiled at the guard, "Thank you, Sir."

The guard looked surprised at first that I would smile at him while he was being so rude to me. His expression then turned into scowl and he turned around to walk away without a word. I quickly tore one of the envelopes open and pulled out the letter that was inside. I started reading aloud with anticipation.

Dear Human Women,

As you all know, the King's mate is selected through a competition, and we have decided to include human women for my selection. We want to make sure that we find out who my mate and Queen is, so you are free to act as the other vampires in the competition. Come to the castle as soon as you can and you will be let in. The competition is starting the next day.

Your King,

Vlad

The King's stamp was placed in his name spelt with bold letters. That showed that it was truly him.

A smile spread on my face as I realized that I could get a chance to stop human slavery and make everyone equal. Our suffering would finally come to an end! I didn't care about gaining power or the King or that he was unnaturally good looking.

All I cared about was bringing change and freeing our kind from the clutches of their kind. My dream was coming true, to become something greater than a servant, something greater than a slave. I slammed the door shut and placed the other letters on the mahogany table beside the door.

I ran towards another hallway that lead to the servants wing and stopped at the only door there. I pulled it open and ran straight to my box of clothes beside my metal bed among the two other metal beds. Picking it up, I stood up and looked around the small room if there was anything of mine laying around.

There was a pile of clothes on top of Lydia's bed that she had washed and dried that morning. However, Lenna's bed didn't have an article of clothing on it except for the bedsheets that was wrinkled. I moved my gaze around the room again and my gaze landed on the small mirror on the wall opposite to where I was standing.

It showed my small face framed by my dark hair and my petite body covered in a long sleeved, grey gown that reached my ankles. I sighed, knowing that even though I was beautiful, the other female vampires had so much beauty. I hoped on my luck to help me win so that our kind will finally be free again.

Seeing that there wasn't anything of mine around the room, I gripped my box of clothes in my right hand and the letter in my left, and walked out of the room. I had to get out of this house as soon as I could, so I wasn't going to wait for Lydia and Leanna to come back from the stores. They could meet me there after they read their letters because I couldn't stand being treated like dirt now.

As I reached the end of the hallway, I turned to the hallway next to it which led to Lady Mary's room. I had to tell her I was going or else, she would cause trouble for me. Making my way to the door to her room among the other three doors, I knocked thrice on it, gently.

"Lydia? You have returned so early." I heard Lady Mary say through the door in a cheery tone.

"No, my Lady. It is I, Jannah." I replied through the closed door since she didn't tell me to go in. If I did without her permission, she might get mad and have me punished.

"Oh, then do come in, Jannah." She replied, still in a cheery tone. She must be excited about getting her new dress that she had sent Lydia to get for her while Lenna was getting groceries.

"Yes, my Lady." I answered as I lifted my hand and twisted the door knob.

I pushed the door open and walked in. She turned around to me from in front of the mirror and frowned. Her gaze was on my box in my hands, she moved it to my face and asked, "Why do you have your box with you, Jannah?"

"The servants and I received a letter each from the King to join the selection of his mate and Queen, so I am leaving, my Lady."

Lady Mary looked at me as if I have lost it and burst into laughter. When she saw that I wasn't laughing, she sobered up. "Oh, you are serious? But how could it be when only vampires are allowed into this selection. Where is the so called letter?"

I walked forward and held out the letter to her, "Here it is."

She took it from me and quickly scanned its content. Her eyes widened when it reached the end where the King placed his stamp. She handed the letter back to me with shock and confusion written on her face. I took it back from her and waited for her to comment before I left.

"Alright, since the King himself made this decree, you may go, but come back as soon as it ends." She said as if I needed her permission to go, and she said the last part, showing that she didn't believe that I would win.

My jaw clenched in anger at how she was treating me, but I took in a deep breath and let it go. "Alright, thank you, my Lady."

She waved her hand at me with a grimace, "Yes, yes, now leave me. I am already unsettled with this decree because I would have to find more meale servants since only Fred and Finn wouldn't do."

"Yes, my Lady." I turned around and walked out of the room, pulling the close with my hand that was holding the letter.

I ran down the hallway and made my way to the door. Pulling it open, I stepped out of the house and slammed it shut. A grin spread on my face at the thought of winning and gaining freedom. I walked in a fast pace and made my way out of the compound then turned right onto the street and walked straight as cars passed by me.

I didn't have any money on me to take a taxi since I was a servant to the vampires as all humans. But thankfully, the Lord and Lady have gone to the castle multiple times while having us accompany them as their servants, so I knew the way by heart.

The other humans on the road were quiet and didn't say a word to me as I passed them, and I didn't either. We were taught to mind our business and always be quiet. Even if you weren't timid, you had to be quiet and keep to yourself or else, they would punish you.

The few vampires that walked the streets turned their noses up at me and any human that they saw. I ignored them and concentrated on making my way to the castle. Soon, I arrived at the very large, black castle gates. Four vampire guards with two by each side were in front of it in their guard uniform which consisted of white trousers, white shirts and black jackets.

They grimaced when they saw me since they hated humans so much. Nevertheless, I smiled at them since I was happy to be joining the competition.

"Good morning, Sirs. I am here for the selection." I said even though I was sure that they were aware that was the only reason a female human would come to the castle on that day.

They didn't say a word to me, but two of them pulled the castle gates open for me. I glanced at them as I walked in, "Thank you."

They ignored me once again, and I walked further into the compound of the castle. I was amazed as I always was whenever we visited the castle. It was so beautiful and mangificent. The very large, white stone building of the castle was sitting at the middle of the compound with a large, equally beautiful garden surrounding it.

Flowers of all types; poenies, lillies, red roses, pink roses, white roses and more were designed in squares and circles beside shrubs that were cut into lions and tigers. I made my way to the white front door and pressed the button of the doorbell as I kept looking around the garden. It didn't take long before the door opened, and I moved my gaze to it.

A very handsome man was in the doorway dressed in a soldier's uniform with stars and medals pinned to his breast pocket. He smiled when he saw me, his canines were slightly more pointed than normal, and I knew immediately that he was a vampire. Of course, I should have known, humans couldn't be soldiers. We were only allowed to be servants until now.

"Hello, there. Are you here for the selection?" He asked, still smiling, and I frowned, confused at why he was acting friendly when he was a vampire. Didn't all of them hate humans?

"Hello, yes, Sir. I received a letter and I came as soon as I can."

He stepped out of the doorway and strode closer to me as he raised his brows in surprise. "Oh? Are you that excited to have a chance at becoming the King's mate and Queen?"

I shook my head, "I am excited, but not because of that. It's because of a personal reason, you see, Sir, and I wouldn't like to trouble you with it."

He looked amused as he stared at me which was surprising to me since all vampires I've known have only looked at me with hatred. Even Lady Mary and her husband, Lord Merlin. "No, please trouble me. I would like to know more about you."

Confusion coursed through me once more, "But why?"

"What do you mean why?"

"I mean that you're a vampire and I'm a human-" I started, but was cut off by another figure in the doorway.

"Good morning, General Colton." A plump woman greeted him in a grey dress that served as the uniform of all servants.

He turned to her, maintaining his smile, "Good morning, Marta."

She turned to me, "Hello, you rang the doorbell? You must be here for the selection then."

"Yes, Ma'am." I replied with a small smile touching my lips.

"Come in, and I'll take you to where you'll be staying." She said with a small smile as well.

"Yes, ma'am." I answered and glanced at the vampire that she addressed as General Colton.

"Good day, Sir."

"Good day..." He trailed off, showing that he wanted me to tell him my name.

"Jannah." I replied as I walked past him and stepped inside the castle where Marta was waiting for me as she looked curiously between me and him.

"Jannah." I heard him mutter as she led me farther into the castle.

I looked over my shoulder to see that he has already left and the door was closed shut. Looking back forward, I saw that Marta was leading me down a hall way. I looked around the room and saw that it has a very high roof with tapestries on the walls. Expensive paintings of several vampires were hung on the wall including the King's and his parents.

It has been more than a century since the vampires came and enslaved us. So since then, every few decades, a new King was crowned. After, the selection was done among vampire women to compete against each other and become his mate and Queen. However for this King, Vlad, things were different.

His father was killed by demons in a war between vampires and demons, but Vlad made sure to win the war. So he was crowned King a year ago after his father's death. But he did not give the word for the selection to begin until a week ago, and today, he decided to include human women. I wonder what made him change his mind and the vampire culture.

Marta turned left and I followed. A very large staircase came into view, and she started climbing it. I followed her lead and started climbing it as well. It was painted cream in color and had stairs split in the middle to go left and right. We were climbing up the left part and almost at the middle where the first floor was.

Marta looked over her shoulder at me before looking back to the steps in front of her. "That vampire you were talking to is General Colton and as a slave, you are not allowed to interact with him or any vampire except the King and the other vampire women in the competition. If the King finds out, he might get angry and give you a severe punishment."

"I understand, Ma'am. Thank you for telling me." I replied briefly with a slight grimace at the thought of any punishment from the King. It was hanging, beheading or torture in the dungeon if you disobeyed his laws. I did not bothering to explain that General Colton was the one that was trying to interact with me. There was no point since I was the slave, not him, so I should stay away.

As we reached the top of the stairs, a blur zipped down from the stairs of the second floor and stopped at the first floor where we had stopped. As soon as the blur stopped moving, I realized that it was the Vampire King himself, Vlad. He was staring at me with an unreadable emotion in his eyes. He glanced at Marta, "Leave us."