Locked Away

The old mansion outside of town was once a magnificent family home belonging to Superintendent Satsuki Amora. The sprawling estate boasted sprawling gardens, a grand entrance hall, and numerous rooms, each one decorated with lavish furnishings and antique artwork.

But years of neglect had taken their toll on the once-majestic property, and it now stood as a shadow of its former self. The gardens were overgrown and untended, the paint on the walls was peeling and chipped, and the once-pristine floors were now covered in dust and debris.

Satsuki stormed into her daughter Akane's room, her eyes wild with fear and anger. "Akane, I need to know the truth. Are you responsible for the attacks in town?" she demanded.

Akane sat on her bed, her eyes wide with fear as she looked up at her mother. "No, Mother. I would never do anything to hurt anyone. You know that," she said softly.

Satsuki sighed, her anger fading into sadness. "I'm sorry, Akane. I'm just scared. The attacks sound like something a vampire would do, and with you being what you are...I don't know what to think."

Akane looked down at her hands, feeling a sense of shame and guilt wash over her. "I promise you, Mother, I have done nothing wrong. I have stayed in this house like you asked me to."

Satsuki's eyes narrowed as she looked around the room. She noticed a small crack in the wall and a broken toy on the floor. "Akane, have you been leaving this room?"

Akane's face fell as she nodded. "I'm sorry, Mother. I just wanted to see what was outside. But I never hurt anyone, I swear it."

Satsuki's heart ached as she looked at her daughter, so young and innocent despite her curse. "Akane, you know you can't leave this house. The world is dangerous for you out there. You need to stay here where it's safe."

Akane nodded, tears streaming down her face. "I understand, Mother. I'll stay here. I don't want to hurt anyone."

Satsuki hugged her daughter tightly, her heart breaking at the thought of her child being confined to this house for eternity. "I'm sorry, Akane. I wish things were different."

Akane looked up at her mother, her eyes filled with a childlike wonder. "It's okay, Mother. I still have you, and that's all I need."

Satsuki's heart raced as she checked the doors and windows once more. "I can't believe this. How could you be so careless, Akane? You know the risks of leaving this house."

Akane looked up at her mother, her eyes empty and void of emotion. "I'm sorry, Mother. I won't do it again," she said, her voice monotone.

Satsuki shook her head, her frustration clear on her face. "You can't keep doing this, Akane. You're putting us all in danger. If anyone finds out what you are, it will be the end of us."

Akane's face twisted into a scowl. "I know that, Mother. But I can't help it. I need to feed," she said, her voice growing more erratic.

Satsuki sighed, running her hand through her hair. "I know you do, Akane. But you have to control yourself. You can't just go out and attack people. You have to find another way to feed."

Akane's eyes narrowed, her tone becoming more hostile. "There is no other way, Mother. You know that. You've kept me locked up in this house for years, feeding me on vagrants and drifters. I'm sick of it. I need fresh blood."

Satsuki shook her head, her expression softening. "I know, Akane. And I'm sorry. But we have to find a way to keep you under control. We can't let you hurt anyone."

As her mother left the room, Akane's face contorted into a grimace. "Control? Who needs control when you can just give in to the hunger?" she whispered to herself.

She paced back and forth, her mind racing with thoughts of escape and feeding. "I need to get out of here. I need to hunt," she muttered, her voice growing louder.

As she looked out the window, she saw the moon rise above the trees. "Tonight. Tonight I'll escape and feed. And there's nothing Mother can do to stop me," she said, her voice growing more manic.

She cackled to herself, the sound echoing through the empty halls of the mansion. "They'll never catch me. I'm too powerful. Too strong," she said, her eyes wild and unfocused.

Akane's grip on reality was slipping, and she knew it. But she didn't care. All she wanted was to feed, to satisfy the thirst that burned within her. And she would stop at nothing to get what she wanted.

Akane sat in her room, her mind racing with thoughts of the hunt. "The hunt... the hunt... it's all I can think about," she muttered to herself. "I need to get out of here. I need to feed."

"But mother said no," a voice in her head replied.

"I don't care what mother said!" Akane snapped back. "I need to feed. I need to feel alive again."

"But what if you get caught?" the voice persisted.

"I won't get caught," Akane said with a wicked grin. "I'm too clever for them. I'll slip in and out without anyone even knowing I was there."

"But mother will be angry," the voice said hesitantly.

"I don't care about mother," Akane said, her voice growing louder. "She never loved me anyway. She only keeps me locked up like an animal. But I'm not an animal. I'm a predator."

Suddenly, Akane's eyes widened and she clutched her head in pain. "What's happening to me?" she cried out.

"The hunger... it's taking over," the voice replied.

Akane fell to the ground, writhing in agony. "No... no... I can't... I won't..." she gasped.

But the hunger was too strong. Akane's body began to convulse as she gave in to the thirst. "Yes... yes... I need it... I need it now!" she screamed.

She stood up, her eyes glowing red. "I'm going to get out of here," she said with a cold smile. "And no one will stop me..."