His Beauty & Her Beast

The carriage jolted, pulling me from the quiet solitude of my home into the unknown. A slight scream escaped my lips as it lifted, rising into the darkening sky, carrying me toward the kingdom of the vampires. Below, the lights of my small town twinkled, fading as we ascended, revealing a sprawling landscape I’d only ever heard whispered about in fearful legends.
The air outside shimmered with magic, a spectacle of sparkling skies and unseen forces. But as the castle came into view, a stark white silhouette against the twilight, my heart hammered. The descent was abrupt, and the doors of the carriage swung open, revealing a world of opulence and fear. Magical creatures, draped in finery, flowed into the grand entrance, their eyes sometimes flicking towards me with a mixture of curiosity and disdain.
"Out! You filthy human!" a guard barked, yanking my arm. I stumbled, pushed roughly into a small, trembling group of fellow humans, all pale and wide-eyed. My breath hitched. This wasn't a party; it was a cage.
