Feral Bonds

Chapter 7

By her second week at the mansion, Lily no longer escorted her to Vincent's room when she woke. Natania tugged at the collar of her shirt, Lily had given her the option of dresses or suits, and she had picked the less revealing suit, but she couldn't get used to the constricting fabric around her neck. She'd have to ask the tailor to loosen it. Which was not something she had ever expected to have to worry about.

Since Vincent was going to feed on her anyway, she unbuttoned the jacket portion and shrugged it off, folding it into her arms.

She walked into Vincent's room without knocking, as she had been instructed not to, and stood midway between the bed and the door. Regardless of what he was doing, the vampire always made her wait a few minutes before he held out his arm. Natania noticed Lily sitting on the edge of his bed, wearing nothing but a brilliant pink robe that matched her hair and deeply focused on what looked like knitting. Natania watched her for a moment, surprised the vampire had picked something so mundane as knitting, before turning back to Vincent.

This time, he was gazing at a small, purple vial, turning it over in his hands. Natania twiddled her thumbs for several minutes until he summoned her, taking his blood quickly, then traced his fingers over the scars on her neck. She tried not to recoil at the feel of hands on her neck. She'd gotten used to the teeth, but her heart still pounded in her chest if their hands touched her throat.

Vincent came around to her front and held out the vial. "For your scars," he said. "Put this on whatever ones you don't wish to keep. Or put it in bath water if you want them all gone."

Natania accepted the vial hesitantly and he added, "I can help you if you can't reach them, or you may ask Lily." He gestured at the other vampire but she was too engrossed in her knitting to react.

Natania dipped her head. "Thank you," she murmured.

He nodded once, then took several steps away. "I have a task for you today."

~

Natania bowed low as she opened the door, sweeping out her arm. "Welcome," she greeted their guests.

"My, my," the strange vampire stared her over as he stepped into the home, his red eyes flaring brightly. "Aren't you a tasty one?"

You can't show any fear, no cringing, and certainly no cowering. He is less than dirt, and I won't let him harm you.

Natania flashed her fangs when his hand closed around her throat, finding that since the order had been given before the anxiety hit, it was effective at stopping her fears. Vincent was at her side in an instant. "Put a hand on my children, Dario, and draw back a stump," he threatened coolly.

Dario stiffened ever so slightly at Vincent's abrupt appearance, his hand falling away, but he kept his tone loose and friendly as he purred, "come now Vincent, surely you would share a drink with an old friend?"

"I've had some others prepared for you," Vincent intoned dryly. "My dear, show our guest to the parlour room." He put one hand on Natania's shoulder.

"Yes, master," Natania purred in a sultry tone, internally rolling her eyes at the farce he'd asked her to put on. She bowed again. "If you would follow me."

"Of course, dear lady," Dario returned her bow with an extra dramatic flourish. She led the way to the space where Vincent held meetings with his children and stood to the right of Vincent's chair. He joined them moments later, followed by an assortment of his feeder humans, young, old, male, female.

"Take your pick," Vincent offered before sitting in his chair and dragging Natania into his lap. He took a long, deep drink from her neck, then gently pushed her off. Natania sank to her knees beside his chair, facing the visiting vampire.