A Vampires Lover

-15-

Nine days. I've been entrapped in this manor for nine days. Each day is its own battle. Irene always reminds me I'm allowed anywhere but his bed chamber. The memory of his rules crawl through my mind. He'll be upset if I don't eat. He's excused himself for the day saying he has an important meeting to attend. I've been trusted to handle all the communications and reports, but I can't seem to focus. I've gotten so used to him being around. A sad self-reflection, I've begun to find normalcy in our banter. Well, my banter. I've called him almost every name in the book, lived up to the title Irene has gifted me, and yet he's always been a gentleman. Irene enters with my lunch. A simple sandwich and chips, "His grace wanted me to remind you to eat." She rattles me. Those very thoughts ringing through my head the same time they slipped from her lips. It's as if he caressed my mind encouraging me towards the meal I'd refused at first.

I couldn't help but listen, "Thank you Irene." I grab the plate from her setting it atop the stacks of papers overflowing on my desk. Irene peers over taking in the crazy.

"You seem a little out of it today, any particular reason? Or lack of reason?" She glances to the pristine, empty, desk of the Duke. Her eyes return to me staring well into my soul.

"You know I care nothing for the Duke." Lies. The more I'm around him, the more I'm lying that I don't want him. However, if I have any respect for myself I'll have to refrain. He has someone out there, and I'm not that. I won't be the woman he slept with in the past that causes future problems, "Just a little quiet in here. Bella's getting groomed today, and I just can't seem to focus in the silence."

"You and the Duke tend to have easy conversation." She remarks looking around the space. I snort, easy isn't how I would define it, but okay.

"What meeting did he have today that I couldn't be a part of?" I look at Irene who's slumped over a cabinet in the corner of the room. The gardeners give me a friendly wave as they pass by the large window, I return it with a tight smile, "Normally he drags me to everything."

"He's meeting with the Count of the Monsters. As you are human, it's dangerous to bring you near such things. They'll scent you, and the Duke isn't dressed for a massacre." She states it so calmly, "Of course of the monsters, not you, my Lady."

"What kind of monsters, Irene?" After learning of her half-blood-ed-ness, that doesn't make sense, I keep prying her for information. She's resilient to answer anything, but the more I press, the higher chance I have of winning the argument, "Just tell me one. Just one."

"Fine. Little brat you are." She curls her finger towards me dropping a different device on the counter. It looks like a record player, but I've never seen anything of the style, "I'll even give you an extra secret for free if you promise to keep it to yourself."

I cross my heart, my eyes showing promise. Irene nods pointing to the device on the counter, "The weaker monsters respond to technology. The stuff is like a horrid addiction for them. Human tech gives off radiation, at least most of it, and it only makes them stronger. When looking at the older monsters... they enjoy the bones of humans. They've no idea about the human civilization, nor should they. If the monsters were to find out that humans are civilized, in hoards and have massive amounts of tech that could make them stronger... then we would never win against them."

"So this..." I motion down to my dress and the very world around us, "Is to convince the monsters that humans are rare, and technology isn't what it is? Can't you do that without all the titles and such?"

"Yes. I suppose so... however it's easier. The vampires love this way of life. We all respect the titles, the economy has never been stronger, and life is simpler when there's less interference of the complicated social dynamic you humans try to make work, always failing miserably. We choose to keep this way, but there are background factors adding to it. Now, to break from the main topic, haven't you been sleeping better?"

I grab my chin to think, Irene isn't wrong, "Without all the alarms, phones, just the tech in general it's been... I've been able to breathe." The admittance is weird, "I've enjoyed my week here being able to disconnect when work is done and enjoy the sunshine. Let alone how comfortable these dresses are once you get used to it. And I always feel... well I always feel beautiful." The dresses, the expectation to dress according to your event, and the way the ladies run through the manor skirts always flying behind them. It's empowering in a wild way. And some women do enjoy the pant suits as well, and they look just as ravishing. No one has a reason to drop their chin, nor do I ever feel smaller than the next. Even the poorest of the vampires look jaw dropping walking through the halls.

"The world is more complicated than humans are led to believe. Now, this device is a sound machine. That's the title of it, not my ignorance showing." She's only grown up on this side of the wall, so sometimes I have to gift her the right words to reference things around me, "But it's based on magic. It'll play whatever you want to hear, you just have to ask." She sets a device down on the table between us, her hand waving over it. 

"And the monsters? Before you try to trick me away from it."

Irene smirks. She's been caught, "The weakest of them all is an ogre. An eight-foot green monster with boils that cover their entire body. They enjoy using trees as weapons, but they only have one eye so their depth perception is all wrong. To kill them you have to stab their eye, then slit their throat."

"That's the weakest!" I cover my mouth trying to process what she's shared. The Duke is right under seven, another foot of pure evil!

"And they enjoy bone meal. Human bone meal. If you ever get captured by one, do everything you can to hit the eye. It'll disable them."

My head tilts, "Is there any way I could be captured?"

"So what song would you like to listen to?" She turns to the sound machine. I drop into a frown. She's made it clear she's done talking about it, but a new fear etches into my bones. Somewhere in my mind I feel another caress, you'll always be safe in my home.

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Oh? The vampires protecting the humans? Who woulda....