Sweet Blood

Chapter 1

The knife clattered to the floor. Dark red liquid started too ooze from the gash in my arm. I didn't make a sound. He rose from his throne and started to walk toward me. My mind was panicking, but my body wouldn't. He gently licked the blood from my wound.

"How clumsy of you," he said in between licks. My face was set in stone. I was not permitted an expression. Then a door slammed.

"Leo, what in the world are you doing," asked a very accusing, calm, male voice.

"Tasting the cuisine, of course," replied Leo, a smile stretching across his bloody face. The other man became incredibly irritated at this. His face remained the same, but Leo's contorted in pain and agony.

"Come on," said the mystery man grabbing my arm and lightly pulling me along. He brought me to a bathroom and put me on the counter. He opened the drawer to get the First AID and started bandaging up my cut. I winced as the gauze stuck to my skin.

"Did he force you to cut yourself?" he asked, apparently forgetting Leo commanded me not to speak.

"I give you permission to speak," he granted his eyes flashing anger.

"Yes, Leo forced me to cut myself," I replied very straightforward. The unknown man nodded and continued working on my wound. He had messy dark brown hair and nimble fingers. From the quick glances I saw of his face, he was also very cute. He got up, finished with the First AID and called a servant, to watch over me, and someone else. But they were talking in hushed tones so all I heard was Leo mentioned. He then sat in a chair waiting for a servant to arrive.

The question burned desperately at the back of my throat wanting know why he didn’t lick my wound to seal it. The vampire tapped his foot, a frown crossing his face.

“I’m sorry he drank from you. It’s just with the Event nearing and all…” he implied, gazing into my eyes.

“I understand.”

"You don't look old enough to have participated in the Event. I'm sorry this is your first impression of it."

“Its alright. I understand. He was hungry. Is he young?”

“Compared to me, yes compared to most other vampires, no,” he stated matter-of-factly.

“Its just his self-control seems to be very childish,” I said plainly, making him laugh and the stress release from his tense shoulders.

"You're Herald's child, right?" he asked after laughing, a twinkle in his still evident.

"Yes. I didn't know he was so well known," I answered.

"He's not as well known as you are. Many of the other kingdoms have been talking about your superb breeding and the potential of your blood, as well as all the council members. Your father is also in the spotlight, though," he added at the end noticing a spark of fear in my eyes.

“I fear his ego is beginning to get too large and he might not be able to squeeze through any doors,” I joked, causing him to chuckle.

A human servant then entered the room and the vampire stood up to leave.

"Thank you..." I started to say, but realizing I still didn't know his name.

"Aidan," he finished for me. "And you're welcome." He smiled at me. The door closed behind him and I turned to face the servant.

"Are you all ready, miss?" she asked tentatively.

"Yes, let's go," I said sweetly trying to make her less cautious of me. She guided me to the doctor’s office where an old graying man sat reading a medical book while his glasses slipped down his nose.

“Ah, Michelle! How lovely to see you, again. How are you? I heard you had a nasty run-in with a vampire,” he softened. The servant slipped out the door.

“I don’t know why you needed her to bring you here. Now where were you injured?” The doctor had an excellent bedside manner and managed to stay cheery even though age was weighing his face down into little bags.

“Oh, it seems someone already cleaned and dressed the wound. Well, I’ll just sew you right up and you can get back to making that sweet blood of yours.”