[Jaykobell]

His head was pounding. He felt incredibly disoriented, and quite frankly, he couldn't quite remember what had happened. Besides the pounding headache, he was also extremely uncomfortable, feeling something hard and cold right under him. He didn't know where he was now, nor what was going on. His memory was kind of a blur still.

His first reaction was to try to pull himself together, but his heart stopped when he was unable to move his arms and his legs. His eyes shot open then, ignoring the headache, and he moved his head this way and that. He gasped when he noticed his wrists and his ankles were bound. He tried to force them, but when he heard the clinking of shackles and metal, he figured there was no way he would be able to force himself out of them. What in the world was going on?

Looking around nervously, he seemed to have landed in some sort of laboratory, or at least, something akin to that. It was only then that his memory finally came back, and he held his breath at the thought. The last thing he remembered was having gone to a hospital for the sake of a checkup, since it had been suggested to him, and just for the sake of making sure that everything was okay with him...

But considering this situation now, everything was just completely wrong.

[Middy]

'I wonder who this new guy is?' 'Shh...  be quiet, do you want him to hear you!?' 'Quiet... I hear him coming'

Faint whispers could be heard in the dimly lit laboratory before fading into the background as sounds of heavy steps approached the thick iron door that separated the lab from the rest of the mansion. The sound of the door creaking open sent whatever remained in the room skittering back to the shadows.

The lights in the cold musty room brightened, making many of the various jars filled with unknown parts and fluids become apparent on the many shelved that lined the walls. "Ah, so my newest guest has finally come to consciousness". Doctor Drez sauntered up to his newest captive, taking a good long look of his form. "Most interesting, I can already tell that you might last a little longer than others... I hope," he pulled down his bloodied surgical mask with a wolfish green, before moving aside to dig through one of the nearby drawers.

He rummaged in the drawer for a short time before pulling up a scalpel, shining it to the light to watch the silvery gleam dance across the instrument. "So, before I start work here, I would like to know your name. Not that it is too important I suppose."

[Jaykobell]

If there was one thing that was nice about being a non-human, it was the fact he had abilities that humans didn't have. In his case, he did have acute hearing, as well as an excellent vision that went beyond the normal vision capabilities of a human. He held his breath to listen to the sounds he was hearing from outside this room, though he couldn't really make any sense of them. Wait, who was coming?

He continued to hold his breath as he heard footsteps getting closer, and before he knew it, the room brightened. He shut his eyes tight, bright lights being something he never liked, considering how much they could burn and blind him so suddenly and so easily. He honestly didn't care to see much of what was in that room, apart from someone who would come and untie him so he could go back home and forget about this weird event.

Things didn't quite turn out that way when he heard a voice close by, and that was the only thing that forced him to open his eyes. He wasn't bothered by the sight of blood, considering he had to drink it to actually survive, but he knew for a fact humans weren't supposed to really wear it like that. He stared back at that stranger with wide eyes, wondering who in the world that was. "Newest guest"? And wait, what was that about lasting longer than all the others—

His body automatically jerked when he saw the man come back from his drawer with a scalpel in his hands. Oh, this was not a medical checkup at all! And quite frankly, this man was absolutely terrifying. His words made it all the worse. "H... Hamilcar," the captive answered out of fear, only to realize that was not what he was supposed to say or ask. "W-wait, what's going on right now? What... what work?"

[Middy]

Drez chuckled, he always loved seeing the fear and panic in his subject's eyes. It was just another delightful bonus that came to his work, and something that even brought excitement to his overworked body. "You are about to become my best work yet, a being that will stand above any other". he turned back to his captive... Hamilcar was it? Well that surely was a new name to him, such a shame that part of his identity would be stripped from him soon.

He looked him over again, his eyes being drawn to Hamilcar's. How odd... there was something about those eyes that seemed so strange, so inhuman. Where had he...? Oh yes, that was why they had a tinge of familiarity to him.

The doctor pocketed the silvery instrument in his stained lab coat, then placed a firm grip on his captive's chin. With a gentle pull downwards, he was able to get a look inside his mouth. "Hmm... interesting. I didn't think I would get another of your kind in here. A damn shame too," he released his hold on his chin, his frown twisting into a devilish grin, "well, if I can't use you for my planned project, then maybe I could still make use of you in other ways, I will be back shortly."

Dr. Drez ruffed the man's hair before heading back to the door. With one last look at his prize, he left, leaving him alone once again.

[Jaykobell]

As much as the scalpel scared him — it was just difficult for someone as pale as Hamilcar to get even paler — he couldn't look away from it. His eyes shifted between that insane doctor — was he a doctor? — and the scalpel in his hands while his heart drowned out any other sound around him. And those unsettling words: what did they even mean? What was even planning on doing to him?

"N-no no, see, I'm already..." He would've mentioned what he wasn't human, and that, frankly, he was already above a lot of other things. He stopped mid-sentence because he noticed the doctor putting away the scalpel, but that didn't make things any better when he grabbed Hamilcar's chin. He barely needed to do any effort to bring his mouth open, considering Hamilcar was ready to keep his mouth open in shock the whole time. Well, yes, he had been about to mention he was a vampire, and not a human.

Apparently, him being a vampire had saved him from whatever "work" this doctor had wanted to do with him. He held his breath when the doctor let his chin go, which was a relief, but when that twisted face changed to a devilish smile, Hamilcar's heart stopped again.

He was shocked to get his hair ruffled up, and had it been any other situation, he probably would've laughed and brushed it off as a nice sign of friendship. In this case, it just traumatized him, and so did the doctor's look before he left Hamilcar alone in the room, once again.

He still held his breath even after the doctor was gone, his mind going a few miles per hour. Oh, this was terrible... very terrible... he couldn't stay here! He had things to do, someone to take care of. There was no telling what that insane doctor would be doing to him, or when he would even be back.

[Middy]

'No one ever escapes...' another faint whisper sounded. 'You could become a servant...' said another. Another began to talk, but was quickly quieted by the iron door sliding back open as the doctor returned.

"Glad to see you are still here, of course, I don't know where else you could have gone," Drez came back over to Hamilcar, reaching back into his lab coat. Instead of pulling out the scalpel, he had a key instead. "Now, just because I am releasing you doesn't mean you are out of the woods just yet," he smirked, undoing each shackle as slowly as possible to further antagonize his captive. He knew he must have felt some hope for freedom, so taking his time in releasing his bindings must have made the experience that much more torturous.

The final shackle was undone, but even so, Drez wasn't going to lose any control over the vampire. His lips curled into a cruel smile again, "Now, make this easier on yourself and sit up. I know you have been wanting to for a long time now--- oh and if you try to escape I won't hesitate to butcher you."

[Jaykobell]

Hamilcar sighed, relaxing maybe for as long as a split second before he started hearing more voices. His eyes flickered this way and that, and he did try to move his head a little, as much as he could afford while being bounded on his back. Wait... where were those voices coming from? He noticed some jars on the shelves, filled with things he didn't want to think about — not that he knew what was in them to begin with.

His heart skipped a beat when he heard the door open again, and his hope for a sane savior to walk in was completely crushed when that crazy doctor came back instead. Hamilcar's body tensed and readied itself to jerk again when the doctor reached in his pocket, expecting the scalpel. He was almost relieved when a key appeared instead of the tool, and as the doctor said he was releasing his bounds. Once again the hope that he would be let go was destroyed when the doctor mentioned Hamilcar wouldn't be quite out of the woods yet. Ah, he'd never wanted to be in them to begin with...

Hamilcar held his breath as the doctor took his sweet time releasing the shackles. One... two... three... and then four... at an agonizingly slow pace. Hamilcar couldn't even guess what this man wanted to do to him, and why he was making even the smallest, most banal of things seem like frightening overshadowing.

Once he was free, nothing could've stopped Hamilcar from retaliating. He was a vampire, and he did have powers of his own. But he was also a coward, and someone who couldn't just jump into the fray. Maybe if he cooperated, that doctor would let him go relatively soon, and still in one piece... And really, with the doctor being so close, it just wouldn't work to attack him. If he wanted to go that route, he would need an opportunity to distract the doctor and then make a mad dash for his life. But now was not this opportunity.

He hesitantly sat up, as instructed by the doctor, that comment on how he wouldn't hesitate to butcher the vampire giving Hamilcar an even worse feeling in his guts. "H-hey, listen... I don't know why you're doing any of this, but I... I have a life, you know? I-I mean, I have a family, and a foster daughter to take care of..."

[Middy]

"Still your tongue!" Drez barked, placing a hand firmly on Hamilcar's back. Without hesitation he retrieved a small collar out of his left coat pocket, pressing a small button to make it extend. "Since you are a vampire, I think you would be a lovely pet, as well as something to be studied," he quickly snapped the collar around his neck and forced him down on his back.

"There, now that I have you as an underling in a way, I want you to get off that table and follow me. Oh, and don't try anything, I have many guards lurking in the shadows so it's in your best interest to behave like a good little pet," he gave a mocking laugh at him before starting towards the exit of the lab. He knew his little pet would have to follow him sooner or later, as staying in the lab while it was dark could be... hazardous.

[Jaykobell]

Hamilcar gasped when the doctor harshly told him to keep quiet. He legitimately started to panic when his captor continued to speak, and even more so when he felt a hand firmly on his back. His whole body, including his face, showed just how this whole situation was alienating him, and his body wanted to do nothing more than to jerk away from this doctor. He gasped when the doctor described him as a pet, and that collar in his hand was nothing Hamilcar wanted near him. "Wh-wha—" He gasped with a high-pitched voice — where it sounded more like a squeak than anything else — when the collar was forced around his neck, and as the doctor forced him back down on his back.

Hamilcar stayed on his back for a few seconds, trying to take in what in the world was going on. There weren't even any words to describe what was happening, and he was truly starting to fear for his life. He couldn't be anyone's pet! Not only did he have no interest in that, but he was a human being. Well, technically speaking, he was not a human, but a vampire; still, the point was that he had a conscience, he had feelings, he had the ability to make decisions. He wasn't just an savage animal ruled by his instincts, and quite frankly, that decision-making ability of his made him disagree with this whole pet situation whole-heartedly.

Still, the doctor's words, along with his mannerisms, kept Hamilcar from retaliating effectively. "Ugh..." he complained as he forced himself back up again, looking positively defeated, as well as scared. Where were they going now? Not that it really mattered, because he had no choice but to follow that doctor if he even wanted to have a chance at escaping or being released — whichever of the two came first.

Hamilcar resigned himself to follow the insane doctor, slowly and hesitantly walking towards his captor. That mocking laugh had given Hamilcar goose bumps, and he could only hope that, somehow, whatever this doctor had planned was just embarrassing — like having him walk around as a "pet" — and that it wasn't going to be painful.

[Middy]

Drez grinned wickedly at Hamilcar, loving how easy he was bending to his will. He always loved watching people become broken by his hand, and despite how many times he has done this in the past, it was always exhilarating. The doctor licked his lips, feeling overwhelming joy envelop him as he stared down at his helpless little pet. "Good boy, I like to see one so obedient to my wishes, oh think of all the fun we can have now," he almost wanted to attach a chain onto that collar to yank it whenever he wanted to give his pet punishment, or a command--- for now just words would have to do.

The doctor lead him outside into a hallway, one that connected the two wings of the mansion. Large glass windows lined the hall, showing the courtyard that sat outside. Drez kept checking behind him to make sure his prisoner was still following him, just in case he had to double back and grab him with force.

"You know Hamilcar, I have decided I am no longer interested in slicing you up. Instead, I think I have other things I would like to try, and who knows... I might still try to perform an experiment on you."

[Jaykobell]

They clearly didn't have the same definition in terms of what "fun" was supposed to entail. That made Hamilcar all the more nervous, and he just hoped that "fun" meant "embarrassing him by walking him as a pet".

He quietly followed along as the doctor lead him out. Out of curiosity, he did try to look down at that collar and touching it to see what it was. Not that it would help, and that he could afford to take it off. If he did, there was no telling what that doctor would do. He was clearly off his rocker, and Hamilcar didn't want to know just how far gone he truly was.

When they passed by the windows with a view of the courtyard, Hamilcar looked out, despite the fact he knew that they weren't going there. Well, probably not, at least. Still, seeing the outside made him scared all the more, because of the fact he wasn't supposed to be inside. What of his family and those he knew, now? What was going to happen to him? This was not how things should've turned out, and his mind was still going at a few miles per hour.

As if on cue, the doctor starting speaking to him. Hamilcar was a little surprised to hear him refer to the vampire by name. He would've expected that doctor to call him "pet" or something equally dehumanizing, but honestly, he didn't know if that was a good or a bad thing. "I... I'll do whatever you want. Just... just let me go," he said quietly, though it was only after it was said that he didn't even know if that doctor wanted him to answer. Still, if he'd referred to him by name, that meant he wanted an answer... right?

[Middy]

The doctor threw his head back in laughter at the notion of just letting him go. He had never let any of his victims escape, and even if they did they were damaged for life. Oh no, he wasn't about to let this vampire off easily, he still wanted to have some more fun before he even considered it. Come to think of it, how far could he push him until he reached his breaking point? How he did enjoy seeing people break under his will.

Drez opened the door to the foyer, a typical room with two flights of stairs leading to the upper floors. The decor spoke of extravagance, such beauty that would only come from someone who had ample wealth. The doctor's steel toes shoes clacked against the polished marble floor, hearing for the steps of his pet behind him.

"See? Not everything in this mansion is so dark and crude. I am a classy man by nature, but you know-- I can't always keeps parts of my mansion clean all the time," he purred, ignoring Hamilcar's previous pleas for freedom. He waved his hand and started up the stairs, "Come, I would like to show you around, since you will be spending quite a long time here."

[Jaykobell]

If it had been possible for Hamilcar to turn any paler, he would've done just that. That doctor's laugh when he asked for him to let Hamilcar gave the vampire the bad feeling that he had no intention of doing that. He felt his heart falling to the pits of his stomach, and his anxiety was forming a disgusting ball in his stomach. What was going to happen to him?

He continued to follow, albeit miserably, as the doctor lead him to an extravagant foyer. At first glance, it was a beautiful place, and one he would've appreciated. On second thought, it just made him feel so much worse, because his parents had plenty of wealth to own a place similar to this. Seeing something this wealthy just reminded him of his own family, and how he might not be seeing them again any time soon — if ever. He would do everything in his power to prevent the latter from becoming a reality, but...

He continued to mess with the collar around his neck, which was far from being comfortable. He felt his heart getting squeezed tight when the doctor said he wanted to show him around, since he would be spending "quite a long time" here. That was just... Why was any of this even happening?

But the fact remained that Hamilcar was currently stuck until he found a good opportunity to retaliate and, potentially, made a run for it. He avoided looking at too many things as he followed that crazy doctor up the stairs, lest he get even more depressed.

[Middy]

The more Drez looked at his little pet, the more interested he became-- and not just in a scientific point of view. The boy's physique was easy on the eyes, and his cowardly yet obedient mannerisms made him much more of a catch. Perhaps he could skip a tour and just lead him to a guestroom for further 'inspections'.

"Follow me pet, I am going to show you where you will be staying first. I hope it is cozy enough for you," and so he lead him up the hall, turning to one of the doors with an empty name plaque. He rested his hand on the door knob, giving a sly wink at Hamilcar, then opened it.

The bedroom also spoke of someone who had too much wealth. A four post bed with a thin fabric drape, a fireplace at the other end, a mini lounge complete with a coffee table, sofa, and chair. Rich rugs and tapestries also decorated the area, and much of the furniture was decorated with elegance and intricate carvings. It wasn't bad for a guestroom, Drez mused. Nothing like his own sleeping chambers, but still rich enough to make any guest feel like a king.

"You will be staying here. I hope it is to your liking," he said with a false sense of friendliness.

[Jaykobell]

Hamilcar didn't fail to pick up on his being called "pet" by that crazy doctor. He was fine with having pet names between friends and just as a joke in general, but this doctor was convinced that he would be keeping the vampire as a legitimate pet. It wasn't the first time Hamilcar had been the victim of unpleasant comments, being a non-human, but being so dehumanized was a different story.

What kind of place would that look like? As fancy as this all looked, Hamilcar doubted this doctor would give his "pet" a legitimate room. Maybe just a closet. Or the floor. With that doctor giving him a disturbing wink before opening the door, the vampire got a bad feeling about the room. Would he even have a floor? He didn't know what to expect anymore.

Admittedly, Hamilcar was proved wrong when they entered the room, which did also look incredibly wealthy. He blinked when he saw it, and besides the large bed and the superfluous elements of the room, he also noticed the fireplace. It clicked in his mind right away, as that would be a possible weapon for him. He didn't know what he could possibly do to effectively distract — or even incapacitate — the doctor in order for him to escape, but the fireplace was definitely something that might be able to help that.

But he had to play the part first. Let the doctor think he would cooperate. Attacking or struggling now could cause a problem and put him into even more trouble. He had no time but to bind his time and wait for the opportunity.

He didn't quite know if he was supposed to talk, still. It wasn't like the doctor had been trying to uphold an actual conversation with him; it had mostly been one-sided. "It's... nice," Hamilcar struggled to say, basically saying the words just to say something. It was nice... he just didn't want it.