BloodLust

Ch. 9 🩸Domestic🩸

Timothy Steward stepped into his quaint little coffee shop at precisely 4:45am just as he did every morning. The older man diligently changed the sign to 'open', gave the entire shop a once over to ensure everything was in place and the containers were full to the brim of creamer, sugar, utensils, and napkins before making his way into the kitchen to start up the coffee pot and get the ovens heated for some fresh breakfast pastries.

The old man hummed to himself as he prepped the kitchens, setting aside the handful of small orders he needed to get out today. As he waited on the ovens to preheat and the sweet smell of freshly brewed dark roast permeated the shop, Mr. Steward rolled out the half frozen dough balls he had left in the refrigerator the night before for the morning's jam filled pastries, a favorite amongst the breakfast "rush".

As the man moved about the kitchens he couldn't help but notice the box he always left in the corner of the counter where he would place the excess goods to keep them out of the way and the way the pile continued to grow with each passing day. Y/n hadn't visited in a few weeks now which was highly unusual and Mr. Steward had begun to worry about his young friend, contemplating paying her a visit at her home soon. However, his train of thought was cut short when at promptly 5:30am the musical jangle of the bell over the door alerted him to the first of his regulars entering the shop for their morning cup of joe before a long, tiring day of work.

                                     — — —

I was awake surprisingly early the next morning, dawn barely peaking through the barred window, gulls chirping loudly as the soared across the sea. For some unknown reason I found myself drawn to trying the padlocked cellar door this morning as I waited around to be needed, and to my great surprise found it open. I hadn't actually expected the vampire to forget to lock the door, or perhaps she had just been too drunk to realize, either way I found myself creeping across the creaky old floors through the manor on silent feet, half expecting the monster to be lurking in the shadows just waiting to pounce.

Quietly I made my way into the kitchens, pouring an extra scoop of the fine German coffee grounds into the coffee maker for myself this morning. I hadn't had coffee since I had been here and dear Gods did I miss that bitter, caffeinated, dirty bean water. Waiting on the pot to brew I found myself gazing longingly out the window, falling prey to my rampant thoughts.

Had anyone in the town noticed my absence yet? It wasn't like I was missed at work or by friends, but had Mr. Steward noticed I hadn't been in the shop in a few weeks? Or had he and the rest of the glossy eyed, melancholic village simply forgotten about my existence in the doom and gloom of their daily lives.

There was also the matter of last night. Alcohol did not seem to affect the vampire's memory as it did mortals. Would it be weird this morning? Would she regret her actions and unleash her rage on me for taking advantage of her in her drunken state? Or worse, would she expect me to take care of that particular need more often now.

The coffee pot groaned as it released its contents into the bowl below, the intoxicating smell of fresh coffee filling my nose. I poured myself a small cup, making sure to leave more than enough for the other woman, and sitting down at the kitchen table with a sigh.

Adding cream and sugar to the steaming liquid I almost felt normal. The mug was warm in my hands as I gently blew over the top of it, dispersing the steam and absentmindedly staring out the window at the backyard.

I had managed to tame the worst of the weeds and thick brush out there but still had some work to do. Now that the rain had stopped perhaps that was what I'd work on today while the vampire was gone.

Sitting at the kitchen table drinking coffee and thinking about yard work was such a strangely mundane thing to be doing right now and I let out a silent snort at the depravity of it all. The collar at my throat rubbed at the fresh bite marks on my throat, reminding me that this was anything but ordinary, and a thump on the stairs caused me to release another much less contented sigh as I moved to prepare the monster's breakfast and my rare moment of peace was disturbed once again.