Blind Love, page 1
Blind Love
Silver, Volume 5
Yara Gharios
Published by Yara Gharios, 2024.
This is a work of fiction. Similarities to real people, places, or events are entirely coincidental.
BLIND LOVE
First edition. October 29, 2024.
Copyright © 2024 Yara Gharios.
ISBN: 979-8227600271
Written by Yara Gharios.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
GLOSSARY
THE 7 DISCOVERIES
CONTENT WARNING
CHAPTER ONE
CHAPTER TWO
CHAPTER THREE
CHAPTER FOUR
CHAPTER FIVE
CHAPTER SIX
CHAPTER SEVEN
CHAPTER EIGHT
CHAPTER NINE
CHAPTER TEN
CHAPTER ELEVEN
CHAPTER TWELVE
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Episode 6
Other Titles by Yara Gharios
GLOSSARY
Aura: the life force of all living beings, human and supernatural alike. Most supernaturals can sense it somehow, but only Silver can see it as a glow surrounding the person’s body.
Blood exchange: a process by which vampires and vamphyrs feed on human blood and then have the human in question drink vampiric blood in return. The purpose of a prolonged blood exchange is to turn the human into a supernatural, while a short blood exchange is done simply to heal the human from the bite wounds and the effects of blood loss.
Blood-ring: an organized group of wild vampires who aren’t loyal to any vamphyr and use a legitimate business as a front to lure humans that they could feed on. Blood-rings often take on jobs from other supernaturals in exchange for money, which they use to expand their business. They also hire other wild supernaturals to join their group.
Estate: a large piece of land owned by a vamphyr. He lives there along with his vampire descendants, an army of werewolves working for them, and human servants.
Feeding: the process by which vamphyrs, vampires, and hybrids drink human blood directly from the source. For vampires and hybrids, feeding allows them to access and influence that human’s mind, but only while they’re drinking directly from them.
Hybrids: a mix of a werewolf and vampire. Hybrids aren’t immortal, but they live longer than any non-vampiric race. When they shift to their supernatural form, they become stronger and have better senses. Drinking human blood strengthens them further, but they don’t need to feed to survive. Their eyes are ringed in silver, and their signature is purple. When they’re in human form, aura perception makes them appear as though they’re made of crystal.
Hybrids are extremely rare and don’t often survive on their own in the wild. They’re considered the ‘scum’ of the vampiric community, with such prejudices leading to wild hybrids being targeted and killed.
Recruitment: the practice of vamphyrs acquiring more human servants via kidnapping.
Signature: a unique color of an aura, which is specific to each supernatural species. For example, Silver’s signature aura is silver colored, which is unique only to her as she is the only one of an unknown supernatural race. (Humans don’t have a magical signature, but their aura is a mix of yellow and orange)
Skinwalkers: humans who can turn into wolves (different from werewolves). They live a long life, though they’re not immortal. They’re also outside the vampiric community, having agreed to a peace treaty with vamphyrs to stay out of each other’s territories and businesses. They are typically referred to as ‘Chief’ by everyone, as a sign of respect.
In human form, they bear no outward signs of being supernatural, save for their aura. To someone with aura perception, the color of their signature is blue.
Successor: a male human capable of becoming a vamphyr. If he is willing to go through a prolonged blood exchange, he may take the place of the previous vamphyr, whose powers he then inherits along with all the supernaturals from that vamphyr’s line.
Vamphyrs: male immortal beings with formidable powers such as healing, mind control, and telekinesis. Vamphyrs eat human food but also need human blood to survive. They are referred to as ‘Master’ by their servants, ‘Father’ by their vampires, and ‘Lord’ by those who do not serve them but must show them respect.
They have full, gold-colored eyes. The color of their signature aura is unknown.
Vampires: initially, vampires are the biological children of vamphyrs, conceived with human women, but they can also be born from other vampires or turned via a blood exchange. Similarly to vamphyrs, common vampires are immortal blood drinkers, but aside from accessing the mind of the human they’re feeding from, they don’t have extraordinary abilities. They’re the only race who can’t survive in daylight as the sunlight kills them, and the only creatures who cannot consume any human food.
Their eyes are ringed in red, which is also the color of their signature aura. Vampires who are born can hide the outward signs of their nature (red-ringed eyes and prominent fangs) and appear human.
Volunteers: human servants who willingly choose to work for a vamphyr instead of being recruited into it.
Werewolves: human servants who underwent a prolonged blood exchange with a vamphyr, but due to them not being a successor, they became monstrous-looking creatures instead. Werewolves aren’t immortal, but they are more durable than humans, having longer lives, better senses, and stronger bodies. They can shift between their human form and their supernatural form.
Their eyes are ringed in gold, and their aura is a yellowish-brown color. Also, like hybrids, when they’re in human form, aura perception makes them appear as though they’re made of crystal.
Wild vamps: vampires who have left the employ of the vamphyr they used to follow and now live on their own in the human world.
THE 7 DISCOVERIES
Since the beginning of their existence, vamphyrs have made 7 discoveries regarding their branch of the supernatural.
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1st Discovery: Vamphyr Succession
Vamphyrs aren’t born or created; they are replaced. Their magic alerts them when they find a suitable successor, who is always male.
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2nd Discovery: First Gen Vampires
Vamphyrs can reproduce with human women. Their children are first generation vampires.
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3rd Discovery: Threat of Extinction
When a vamphyr is killed without a successor ready to take his place, his magical line dies with him. Anyone born from his magic dies, and anyone turned by it reverts back to their previous state.
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4th Discovery: Second Gen Vampires
Vampires can only reproduce with human men and women, creating second generation vampires.
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5th Discovery: Third Gen Vampires
Vampires can turn humans into one of them through a prolonged blood exchange.
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6th Discovery: Werewolves
Vamphyrs can turn any human who isn’t a successor into a werewolf through a prolonged blood exchange.
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7th Discovery: Hybrids
A mix of vampire and werewolf blood creates a hybrid.
CONTENT WARNING
This episode contains themes and references
to sensitive subjects, such as:
Child abuse
Physical torture
Suicidal ideation
Graphic psychological torture
Violence using fantasy magic
Trauma related to natural disasters
Trauma related to vehicular accidents
CHAPTER ONE
Eight Years Ago
day 37 since Shiloh’s capture
Master Benjamin didn’t generally care for the appliances at his estate, just as he didn’t care about his staff members. But when he found out that someone had broken a tray in the stables, he was livid.
The tray had apparently been part of a set gifted to him by his predecessor, a man he once greatly admired. He only brought it out for special occasions—like the currently ongoing visit from Lord Henry. Finding out such a prized possession had gotten damaged apparently sent him into a frenzy.
His office was in shambles when Shiloh and Drake were called in. Adam and Walter were already in there, but both stood still as statues, their expressions neutral. The vamphyr himself was positioned behind his desk, every part of his body language rigid while he speared Shiloh with a look. Her already racing heart went into double time the second he laid eyes on her.
Master didn’t need to interrogate her and Drake. As soon as they were in the room with him, Shiloh felt a brush of something cold against the back of her brain. Flashes of memories passed through her mind; Shauna thrusting the tray in her hand and running out to carry an urgent message to Adam, followed by Shiloh running off to the stables where she ran into Drake and thought he was attacking her.
“So,” Master Benjamin said in a cold voice, “instead of taking over the other servant’s duties, like you were supposed to, you chose to run off with my tray.”
Shiloh flushed a deep red, but she was too afraid to speak in her own defense. She simply kept her head down and prayed for the worst to be over.
That was when Drake spoke up. “Master, if anyone deserves to be punished, it should be me.”
His words shocked the vamphyr even more than his brazenness. “You would take this... this child’s well-deserved s
“The tray broke because of me. I deserve to be punished too, Master.”
Lord Benjamin glared at Drake, but for some reason, he didn’t immediately respond. Instead, he turned to Walter. “You discovered her. What do you think?”
Shiloh was confused at first, but then she understood. She’d been alarmed when the head vampire had called specifically for her about an hour ago, since she wasn’t scheduled to feed anyone for another few days. But he hadn’t taken much blood from her and had simply rifled through her memories. This must have been why.
“It did seem like she was only stepping away for some air, sir,” Walter said, his tone too impassive for Shiloh to feel any relief at his words. “She was intending to come back after a few minutes. It was the boy’s fault that she got held up and damaged your possession. I advise that they both face the consequences.”
The vamphyr didn’t seem happy with this answer, taking a seat at his chair and pensively stroking his chin. After a moment, his golden eyes shifted onto the only person in the room who had yet to speak.
“Adam, what about you? What do you think?”
Shiloh’s eyes went wide, her head whipping around to stare at Adam. Taking Walter’s opinion was one thing, but this... this was unimaginable.
“Me, Master?” Adam uttered, looking just as stunned.
“Is there another Adam in the room?”
“No, of course not. I only thought... well, I am also your servant. In these situations, I usually only make sure the sentence is carried out.”
“And now I’m asking you to weigh in on the verdict. Any wise leader knows to take counsel from others when faced with a conflicting decision. So since you and Walter are the only ones present, are you going to answer my question or should I punish you as well for disobedience?”
“Forgive me, Master, I would never dream of disobeying you,” Adam said contritely. “Since this is their first infraction, I think the reasonable course of action would be to put them both on probation.”
Lord Benjamin sat back in his chair and cocked his head. “Go on.”
“Your guests aren’t due to leave for another week. And I noticed Lord Henry’s children seem to enjoy horseback riding. Someone has to shovel the stalls and tend to the horses during the day.” His gaze fell on Shiloh and Drake. “One of them could do that, while the other waits on the vampires’ every demand during the night.”
“And how does that fix the problem with my tray?”
“Your tray snapped in half, Master. I can see about having it repaired, but there’s no returning it to its original state.”
Shiloh’s eyes nearly bulged out of their sockets. In that moment, she feared for Adam’s life more than her own.
Yet, he kept going. “But like Walter said, there was no intent to offend you or damage your property. And as the fair leader that you are, I’m sure you recognize the opportunity to teach your servants a valuable lesson. But of course, should something like this happen again, the next punishment would be more severe.”
Nobody spoke for the longest time, and Shiloh held her breath, watching the vamphyr’s expression closely. Walter passively observed the scene while Drake stood tensely beside her. Yet, Adam remained calm in the face of his Master.
It felt like an eternity later, though it was probably only seconds, that Lord Benjamin spoke again. “I want the girl to muck the stalls.” He then set his dark gaze on Drake. “And you will shadow the vampires. You must wake before they do and only get off work when they’re all asleep. Whatever they ask of you, you give it to them. Understood?”
“Yes, Master,” Shiloh and Drake said in unison.
“Get it done,” the vamphyr told Adam just before he dismissed the three of them.
Shiloh was only able to breathe when they were far away from Master’s quarters.
“That was wild,” Drake whispered.
“How did you do that?” Shiloh asked Adam.
He gave them both a serious look. “Never lie to Master. Especially not when he asks you a direct question.” His eyes briefly shifted to Shiloh’s for a moment. “He’ll always know.”
Shiloh hadn’t realized how valuable Adam was to Master until now. There was a good reason why he was the only human given a position of power at the estate, and she had a feeling no one could talk to Master the way he did. He must have gathered that Lord Benjamin would be in his mind as well, and trying to placate him with insincere answers wouldn’t work.
The cold feeling. Shiloh remembered with a start the sensation she had felt when Master went into her mind to search through her memories.
It was still there.
‘Tread lightly, child,’ Master’s voice whispered in her mind, just before the coldness finally retreated.
CHAPTER TWO
Eight Years Ago
day 41 since capture
Cleaning the stables was a tough, back-breaking task meant to humiliate as much as to teach a lesson, but it was eons better than the alternative. Shiloh would much rather stink of horse manure for a week than to find out for herself what a real punishment was like.
Servants like Shauna, who had carried out such a sentence at least once, refused to even talk about their time in the dungeons. But the one thing that seemed common knowledge among staff members was how terrible the conditions were: no food, no water, not even a proper toilet, and nothing to rest on but the cold, hard floor.
Shiloh would gladly muck out the horse stalls for a whole month.
It was tedious and disgusting, and it left her whole body aching after less than a day, but in a way, she enjoyed it. It gave her time to herself, away from the supernaturals at the estate. She also found that she loved being around horses. Their presence had a strangely calming effect on her anxiety.
But the best part was the loophole Drake found on their very first day on probation; their schedules matched up perfectly. He always got off work at the same time that she reached the stables. He visited her as often as he could without raising questions.
He never stayed very long, since he was expected to have breakfast with the other servants before going to bed. But it was enough for Shiloh to confirm to herself that she was indeed crushing on him.
Hard.
He made her laugh, frequently and effortlessly, which was something she had forgotten how to do for the past few weeks. His presence made it seem as though she was living a normal life, instead of being stuck in servitude for an evil vamphyr lord. Around him, she forgot all her worries about the supernatural world and her fear for her safety. Instead, she was pleased to feel normal, human concerns.
Like whether Drake thought she was pretty and why he came to visit her so often. Was it guilt over getting her in trouble, or did he feel a similar attraction to her?
Shiloh hoped it was the latter.
“So there I was,” Drake gesticulated as he spoke, “ankle deep in the freezing river, barely managing to walk with Dev’s weight on my back. Mind you, he was small for his age, but I wasn’t the strongest pre-teen either. Anyway, I was trying to stay upright, but the odds were stacked against us, so of course I slipped and fell on all fours into the river. Devon barely touched the water, just up to his knees, but the way he was screaming, you’d think I was forcibly baptizing him or something.”
Shiloh laughed at the absurdity. “Why didn’t you just walk back along the banks? Did you have to go through the water?”
“That would’ve taken hours, the sun was starting to set. Anyway, we got home a while later, soaking wet. Dad wouldn’t let us in till we stripped everything off.”
Still giggling to herself, Shiloh pictured the two brothers making their way through the river on piggyback as the sky changed colors around them. She imagined the look of disappointment on their father’s face when he saw the state in which they showed up at his door.
“Why would you guys go there in the first place? Isn’t it dangerous to go out into the woods by yourself?”
At that, Drake looked away with a sad but secretive smile on his face. “Devon really wanted to see a cave Dad told us about. Apparently, it was a special place for him and Mom.”
