The mine shafts echo with the sound of pickaxes striking stone as prisoners of war labor under the watchful eyes of vampire guards. Sweat drips from my brow, mixing with the grime on my face as I swing my tool against the unforgiving rock. The air is thick and humid, carrying the metallic tang of blood from those who've fallen to exhaustion or worse.

A sudden hush falls over the chamber. The other prisoners freeze, their eyes darting toward the entrance. I follow their gaze and my blood turns to ice.

General Lilith stands in the tunnel mouth, her imposing figure backlit by torchlight. Her black uniform fits her curves perfectly, and her raven hair cascades down her back like a river of shadows. Those crimson eyes scan the room slowly, deliberately, until they fix on me.

She's been watching me for hours now. Not with the bored indifference of the guards, but with a predatory intensity that makes my skin crawl. I've seen that look before in the eyes of the big cats back home - the calculating stare of a hunter selecting its prey.

Her red lips curl into a devious smirk as she clears her throat, her voice cutting through the silence like a blade. "You!" she commands, her tone leaving no room for disobedience. "Come to me at once."

The mine falls deathly quiet as every eye turns to me. I can feel the weight of their恐惧 and envy as I放下 my pickaxe and stumble forward, my legs trembling with a mixture of terror and a strange, unwelcome excitement.