Such a Prize

La Tua Cantante

Carlotta listened to her surroundings and asked, "Do you think Caius is okay now?"

Athenodora sighed and looked at her. "You're really concerned about him, aren't you?"

Carlotta nodded. "He doesn't seem like a man who would cry. I wanna make sure he's okay."

Athenodora looked at the door and asked in a normal voice, "Caius? Are you up to having a little visitor?"

Carlotta listened and heard Caius mutter, "Sure."

She hopped off the bed, about to run out the door, but Athenodora grabbed the back of her shirt and pulled her back.

"What?" Carlotta asked.

"I want to come with you. Okay?"

"Okay."

Athenodora picked Carlotta up and walked through the halls until she reached Caius chambers. Carlotta reached over and knocked on the door with Athenodora.

Caius opened the door and the first thing Carlotta noticed was that he wasn't nearly as intimidating as he normally was.

Carlotta reached over and held her arms out to Caius. "You want hugs?"

Suddenly Caius looked like his old self. "Since when do you want to hug me?"

"Since you were cryin-"

Athenodora covered the child's mouth.

Caius glared at her. "Why don't you announce it to everyone?"

Athenodora removed her hand, and Carlotta knew at this point to keep her mouth shut.

Athenodora sighed. "You have to remember, Caius. She just a-"

"Yeah, I got it!" Caius snapped. "She's just a child! Does she want to come in and check on me or is she going to just-"

"I'm not bringing her in if you're going to act like this." Athenodora said calmly.

Caius growled and marched over to his desk. Grabbing the edges of the oak desk, he held his head down and took a deep breath.

Athenodora slowly walked in and set Carlotta down. "Give him a minute before you start talking, okay?"

Carlotta twiddled her thumbs and slowly walked over to Caius. He was still hunched over his desk breathing deeply. Carlotta could tell he was really trying to calm down.

"Did you feed recently?" Carlotta asked quietly. "Sometimes daddy got upset when he was thirsty."

"Carlotta, come sit by me." Athenodora said uneasily, sitting on Caius' bed.

Carlotta ignored her and tried getting a good look at Caius' eyes.

"BACK UP!" Caius shouted.

Carlotta jumped and ran to Athenodora.

"I may have missed a meal, alright?" Caius then let go of the desk and faced Carlotta.

She got a good look at his eyes and could barely see his pupils.

"You want me to get Vanessa for you?" Athenodora asked.

Carlotta looked at her. "You mean the human at the desk?"

Caius rolled his dark eyes. "No, the vampire with blood in her veins!"

"I can get her for you, Caius." Carlotta said softly. "I can trick her into thinking you'll turn her. Then she won't struggle while you feed."

Caius glared at her. "Maybe I would like her to struggle."

"I can make sure that happens!" Carlotta said happily. "I can control her and have her put up a fight for you! Would you like that?"