Chapter 2
Odessa’s POV
I had to show my supervisor the notification, even though he looked less than impressed.
He had his blood match, and from what I’d heard, it wasn’t all warm and fuzzy like my parents.
Maybe I was being too hopeful, but I really wanted a blood love.
It may sound ridiculous, but I wanted ‘a love for the ages’. Was I being too optimistic?
Because it was a blood match, employers were expected to allow employees to leave without repercussions.
I would have to return to work tomorrow if my blood match was a low blood born.
If he was a mid blood born, we would be able to discuss if my stay would be more beneficial to our circumstances, the combined income.
Although my supervisor, and some of the other employees were less than friendly at times, I generally enjoyed my work.
Even though it was considered menial labor.
I hoped he was a nice man. That’s all that I asked for. A nice man who would eventually be compatible until we fell in love.
I was allowed to return to my flat in the singles’ complex.
They were more like studio apartments in the human world.
I know because I used to look information up on the humans on my cell phone.
I couldn’t afford a computer, laptop, or tablet, but I did have a phone.
I paid for the highest service I could with the money I made from my two jobs.
But as a low blood born, we usually made just enough to pay for our little flats, which included the utilities, as well as basic food needs.
I worked two jobs so I had the extra money for my phone services as well as a little extra when I wanted to go splurging on one of the little restaurants in the low blood born sector.
My favorite was Mexican food because of the spices.
I changed into something a little more presentable.
For both of my jobs I had a uniform. I had on a simple long skirt, with a pullover cream-colored off-shoulder blouse that went well with my pitch black hair.
I decided to leave my hair down as I felt it was my best asset.
My tresses were straight and ran down to the middle of my back.
There were two types of vampyrs: those with black hair and those with brown hair.
Unlike with humans, vampyrs rarely had any version of blond or red hair.
It’s another thing that made us unique. Unlike those ridiculous movies the humans made and watched, vampyrs did not all have pale white skin.
Some did if they remained indoors more than out, but vampyrs could tan as dark as a human.
I personally always loved the darker skinned vampyrs.
I unfortunately was lighter skinned. Not pale mind you, but lighter.
My parttime job as a delivery person allotted me some sunshine time a couple of hours per week.
My main job however was indoors as a packer, which contributed to my lighter skin tone.
I glanced over my appearance on my little wall-mounted mirror and hoped I looked pretty enough for my blood husband.
I stopped for a moment and noticed I was shaking a bit.
I had grabbed my phone prior to leaving, and hesitated.
I was going to text my parents and let them know about my blood match, but I decided it could wait. Let me meet him first.
I tried to shake off my nerves as I left my flat and walked to the nearby transit. Low blood borns traveled mostly by transit, bicycle, or walking. Due to our lower status and low pay wages, we generally could not afford a vehicle unless we were blood matched.
I anxiously sat in the middle of the transit, fidgeting and tapping my fingers on my lap.
I usually enjoyed the ride when ever I did get the opportunity, which wasn’t often.
Usually only when I went to visit my parents once a month since they lived at the far end of town, where the matched couples lived.
Would he want me? Would he be a low blood born or a mid blood born?
Would I be able to adapt to a mid blood born lifestyle?
I had worked since I had turned 18 years old, as was the way of our status.
I did not know much about how mid blood borns lived or worked.
Yes, I knew they were referred to as ‘suits’ because they wore suits and ties in the workplace, but otherwise, I had little knowledge of their lifestyle.
Would it be that hard to adapt? Maybe I was better off with a low blood born match?
I was starting to get more and more anxious as we approached the Facility.
I came into the city once a year simply for my blood draw.
I would wait in this sterile, white room with others, but talking was deeply frowned upon, so there was no socializing.
You waited your turn, had your blood drawn in a private room, and had your information confirmed each time to ensure no changes.
Though I wasn’t sure what kind of changes could even occur.
Its not like you suddenly became another status level.
Well, except for that one young man, Onyx Trudeau.
He had somehow managed to work his way up from a low blood born status to a mid blood born status.
He was working in a ‘suits’ position for the past six months.
I was both impressed and terrified of this ability. I didn’t know what that meant for us low blood borns, if anything at all.
I could see the outline of the Facility coming up through the front window of the transit, making my pulse thrum in my neck.
I could feel the nerves ramping up, my hands starting to sweat, and my finger tapping increasing.
As the transit pulled up into the drop-off lane, I slowly rose to exit.
My legs were shaking, but I pushed myself forward.
I had to walk about half a mile to the entrance of the Facility.
Once inside, I walked up to the front desk and the smiling receptionist. She glanced me over, her face tightening a bit, but I ignored it.
Even though this woman was a mid blood born and not a high blood born, some of them still looked down on us low blood borns.
Its not like I asked to be born into my status. It just was what it was.
I tried to keep my voice from shaking, when the woman asked the usual greeting. “What can I do for you, miss?”
“Ummm yes. I received a notification that my blood match has been identified.” I tried to sound as formal as I could to keep this woman from looking down on my further than necessary, but I knew she would have her opinion of me regardless.
“Oh yes. Name please?”
She didn’t sound too excited for me and I wasn’t sure if that was a status thing or maybe she hadn’t found her match yet. But I couldn’t think about that. I had my match to focus on.
Blood matches were meant to be discreet and confidential. It was up to the couple to declare, or not, their matching.
The woman turned her attention to her computer and began clicking keys. I saw a flicker of surprise, then frustration, then anger cross the woman’s face quickly. She quickly masked it, when she glanced at me, but she was gritting her teeth. That was odd.
“Yes. You will meet your match in Private Room 2. Use the elevator behind you, go to the second floor. It will be the first door on your right.”
For a moment I thought I saw anger again, but I brushed it off. I was anxious, so I was probably reading too much into her behavior.
I nodded. “Thank you so much.”
She muttered, “Um huh” with that plastered on smile.
Okay, that was a little weird, but I didn’t have time to figure it out.
As I was in the elevator, which I had never been in one before, I was shaking my hands out next to me to shake off the nerves. I was about to meet my blood match! I was terrified and exhilarated.
When I exited the elevator, I took a deep breath and made my way to the second door. I held my fist up, ready to knock, when I literally had to talk myself down.
“He’s your match. You’re made for each other. You will make it work so it becomes a love match just like mom and dad did.” I took another deep breath with my eyes closed, then opened them with resolve and knocked.
I waited for what felt like a really long time, making me become more anxious, when the door finally opened and their in the doorway stood my blood match. My blood soul.
My first thought was, oh my goodness he is gorgeous.
My match was much taller than me. I was about 5’4” and this man was easily 6’1” or 6’2” with really broad shoulders.
And he looked to be in very good shape. He was wearing a very nice buttoned down, long sleeved shirt with black slacks, and his dark brown hair appeared to be slicked back.
He had a strong jawline, with deep brown almost black eyes.
He had an older, rougher look to his skin which was darker than mine.
The other thing I noticed was he was dressed like an aristocrat. That couldn’t be possible!
I was shocked, and by his expression, I couldn’t tell if he was shocked too, or there was more. He had a small smile.
In a gravelly, husky voice that made my insides melt, he said, “Hello Odessa. I am Devareaux Hautbois.”
My heart was hammering in my chest, and I could feel drool start to pool in my mouth.
I stuttered out, “Ummm hello. Nice to meet you.” Oh my goodness, that sounded so lame.
He smirked at me, making me flush all over my body.
“Come in and let us get to know each other so we can decide when you will move with me.”
I felt my heart flutter.
“Move with you?”
A look flickered across his face for a moment before he schooled it. “Well, of course. You are to become my blood bride.”
I felt my heart flutter again. His blood bride. I liked the sound of that.
“Yes, yes I do believe that would be the right thing.”
I had no idea what I was saying, but he chuckled and led me into the room.
Today was going to be the start of a new life.