A slave's worth.

    The Instructor's smile faltered, and he took a step back, his eyes darting nervously to the witch before returning to the vampire. "I-I was simply trying to... motivate her," he stammered, his voice trembling slightly. "She's been a difficult student, and I was attempting to...   

    "A student"? The man asked staring at the Instructor with cold eyes. "When the did the slave market, become a learning institution."? 

    The Instructor's face paled, and he swallowed hard, his eyes darting nervously to the vampire. "I-I meant, of course, that she was a... a challenging asset to manage," he stammered, attempting to correct himself. "Not a student, per se, but rather a... a slave who required special handling." 

    The vampire's gaze remained fixed on the Instructor, his cold eyes boring into him like ice picks. "Who are you to determine what my property is?, in my eyes everything, you are less than a slave in my eyes, and She's my property, everything I own is important to me, so how can you who's less than a slave belittle my own things." 

      The instructor felt like vanishing into thin air as he didn't know how to please this man, The Instructor's face turned a sickly shade of green as he trembled before the vampire's wrath. He seemed to shrink into himself, his eyes wide with fear as he stuttered out a reply.

"I-I apologize, sir... I didn't mean to... I was just trying to..." The vampire's gaze remained fixed on the Instructor, his cold eyes unyielding.

"You were just trying to what?" he asked, his voice low and menacing. "Belittle my property? Treat her like something less than worthy?" The Instructor shook his head frantically, his eyes darting back and forth.

"N-no, sir... I swear it... I was just trying to..." The vampire's gaze seemed to bore into the Instructor's very soul, and he knew that he was in grave danger.

He fell to his knees, his hands clasped together in a pleading gesture. "Please, sir... forgive me... I'll do anything..." The vampire's gaze lingered on the Instructor for a moment longer, before he turned to the witch.

    "Now, you will apologize to my property," the vampire said, his voice firm and commanding. The Instructor's eyes widened in horror as he stared at the vampire, his face pale and sweaty. He couldn't believe what he was being asked to do. Apologize to a slave? It was unheard of.

But the vampire's gaze was unyielding, and the Instructor knew he had no choice. He slowly got to his feet, his legs trembling beneath him. He turned to the witch, who was watching him with a mixture of curiosity and contempt.

The Instructor's eyes dropped to the floor, and he mumbled a barely audible apology. "I-I'm sorry..." The vampire's voice cut through the air like a knife. "Louder," he growled.

The Instructor swallowed hard and tried again, his voice slightly louder. "I'm sorry... for my behavior... for belittling you..." The vampire's gaze remained fixed on the Instructor, his eyes burning with intensity.

"Look at her," he commanded. The Instructor's eyes slowly rose, and he met the witch's gaze. She was watching him with a cold, calculating gaze, and the Instructor felt a shiver run down his spine.

"I'm sorry," he repeated, his voice barely above a whisper. The vampire's gaze lingered on the Instructor for a moment longer, before he turned to the witch. "Are you satisfied?" he asked, his voice gentle.

The witch nodded. "Yes, I'm satisfied," she replied, her voice husky he read still bowed. The vampire nodded, his gaze returning to the Instructor.

"Then it's settled," he said, his voice cold and menacing. "You will remember this lesson, and you will treat my property with the respect she deserves." The Instructor nodded frantically, his eyes wide with fear. He knew he had narrowly escaped a terrible fate, and he was determined to never cross the vampire again.

       The man ignored the Instructor that was now cowering in fear, he walked over to The witch , who still had her head bowed, he squat down to her level, using his finger to lift her chin, forcing her to meet his gaze. "From now on, you will keep your head high," he said, his voice firm. He pulled her from the shoulders so she could stand up, he couldn't believe how light she was, without dwelling much on it, he snapped his finger having the shackles in her ankle and wrist break into pieces. 

          For a moment her eyes widened but dimmed again. 

     " Follow me. "He said as he turned around. 

     Her gaze settled on the Instructor, who appeared as though he had beheld a malevolent spirit. His terror was palpable, and she felt an overwhelming sense of satisfaction at the sight. The Instructor was not a benevolent soul, having treated the slaves under his care with contempt and cruelty. He was notorious for his swift and merciless punishments, often doling out beatings for the slightest infractions. His demeanor was always one of superiority, as if the lives of those in his charge were of little consequence. Now, as he cowered in fear, she couldn't help but feel a sense of vindication.

   She diligently trailed after the man, she was led outside into the cold winter air. The icy wind whipped through her hair, and she shivered, her thin dress offering little protection against the chill. She hadn't been outside in... she couldn't even remember how long. The darkness of the slave quarters had been her only reality for what felt like an eternity. The bright sunlight was almost blinding, and she squinted, her eyes adjusting slowly to the light. 

    As she walked, her bare feet crunched through the snow, the icy chill seeping deep into her bones. Yet, her face remained a mask of calmness, her expression unreadable and stoic. Even when she stepped on a sharp object hidden beneath the thick layer of snow, she didn't flinch or show any sign of pain. Her eyes didn't narrow, her eyebrows didn't furrow, and her lips didn't curl into a grimace. She simply kept walking, her footsteps steady Without limping.

    But the vampire's keen eyes missed nothing. He suddenly paused, turning around to face her. "Do you have an injury?" he asked,as his gaze swept over her entire body. That was when his eyes caught sight of the snow trail behind them, where her footsteps were visible, stained with tiny droplets of crimson red.

        Her voice was husky as she spoke, "I'm sorry, Mister." The words were laced with a subtle roughness, a quiet sensuality that seemed to reverberate through the cold winter air. The vampire's gaze lingered on her, his eyes narrowing slightly as he took in her demeanor. For a moment, he said nothing, his silence hanging in the air like a challenge. Then, his voice cut through the silence, firm and commanding.

    "Look at me," he said, his eyes gleaming with an otherworldly intensity. She slowly raised her head, her eyes meeting his, her gaze steady. The vampire's eyes seemed to bore into hers, as if searching for something hidden deep within. After a moment, he nodded, his expression unreadable. "I paid alot of money already, I won't want more Inflictions on you." 

    With that, he swiftly removed his cloak, wrapping it around her shoulders, the thick, velvety fabric enveloping her like a shroud. The cloak was enormous, swallowing her whole, its hem trailing behind her like a dark cloud. She was completely covered, her thin dress and bare feet hidden from view, as if she had been swallowed whole by the cloak's darkness. The vampire's eyes gleamed with a fierce intensity as he swept her off her feet, cradling her in his arms. She felt a rush of surprise, her heart racing in her chest, as she was lifted off the ground. The vampire's arms were like steel bands, holding her close, his chest a solid wall of muscle. She felt tiny, fragile, and utterly at his mercy. As he strode through the snow, his long legs eating up the distance, she felt like a doll, a fragile, delicate thing, wrapped in the darkness of his cloak.