My Wee Mate

23 - A Vampire With Table Manners

Ailsa

I'm careful not to let the blood slosh as I carry it through the near pitch darkness. There's not much natural light inside the castle, but the courtyard and fields are flooded with milky moonlight that touches everything underneath the sky.

I observe the moon with a small, sad smile. Seeing it only reminds me that Fraser is locked away from such beauty.

Nearing the door to the dungeons, I freeze when a group of men shuffled through the halls. I slip behind a door and clutch the bowl to my chest even as my lunges rattle in my chest.

They might hear my broken breathing, or smell the metallic bite in the frigid, night air.

But they don't even turn their heads in my direction as they barrel past me, stinking of ale and sweaty body odor.

I exhale in relief, still trying to keep myself as quiet as possible. Lucky enough for me, the men of my clan didn't notice the lantern I had left next to the dungeons.

The oil lamp flickers with live flame, the illumination is constant as it casts shadow across the otherwise drab walls.

I decide quickly to bring the blood down first, even though I can't see a scarce thing in the obsidian underbelly of our home.

Since visiting Fraser as often as I do, I've counted the exact number of stairs it takes to reach the level floor at the bottom.

38 stairs, a level where the staircase turns, and then 20 more. I count each one, holding the bowl tightly in my hands that are beginning to shake and tremble from the effort of such a heavy task.

I don't give up though, even when I reach the landing and my arms are burning from wrist to elbow, all the way up to my shoulders.

I may ache tomorrow, but I will not come to regret it.

Anything done to help Fraser is beyond worth the trouble.

Once I'm standing on the bottom floor, I take 50 paces to make it to the front of Fraser's cell. I turn to the right, clutching the bowl out in front of me before gently bending at the knee to place it down.

I can't see a thing in the darkness, but my ears detect the rustling.

"Ailsa? How are you..? What are you...?" He babbles like a bird, trying to grasp a sentence and failing.

Here I am in the pitch black night, barefoot and placing a brimming bowl of hog's blood on the ground, pushing it towards my vampire friend who is imprisoned by my own father.

I do not blame him for sputtering like a fool.

"Can you see me so well in the dark?" I wonder out loud, already knowing the answer deep in my heart.

"Yes. I can always see you perfectly, Ailsa, even in the dark." He has the audacity to sound sheepish. A terrifying creature that feasts on the blood of men, but he is shy to speak of his own power.

I roll my eyes, just to test him. He laughs.

So he really can see me. I should be the one feeling timid. Nothing, not even darkness, can hide me from his scrutiny.

"My eyes are much more powerful than a mortal."

Something inside me jangles at the word mortal.

"I'll be right back." I supply quickly, turning on my heels and practically sprinting away.

"But... what?" Fraser is speechless again. It's sort of adorable.