Pallido

Three

I ran down the steps, my curls bouncing against my bare shoulders. I went into the kitchen and took a deep breath before opening the fridge.

I was expecting there to be lots of blood in the fridge but there wasn't. Only one drawer contained blood and it was labeled as such.

I pulled out a large pack of bacon and looked around for something else to use. There was a shelf with just fruits and vegetables on it, only the pineapple sticking out to me.

I grabbed it and set the ingredients on the counter.

I got started with cutting the pineapple and making sure each piece was small and the same size as the rest. I couldn't mess things up when he was counting on me.

I realized I didn't have what I wanted and groaned. That meant I'd have to call Mr. Adams and ask for ingredients.

There were twenty other things I wanted to do than call him but I had no other choice. If I wanted to make good appetizers and make him happy, I had to call him.

I grabbed the phone and found his cell number in the list of contacts.

He answered on the first ring. "Yes?"

I took a deep breath before I spoke. "I need an ingredient, sir."

"Go ahead."

I cleared my throat. "I need Cremini mushrooms. Large ones."

"Anything else?"

"No, that's it."

"I'll send that for you right away."

"Thank you, sir."

The line went dead and I finally felt like I could breathe again. I put the phone back on the receiver and started getting out all of the alcohol. I wasn't sure how long the mushrooms would take to get to the house so I figured I should do something else while I waited. I didn't want to be caught sitting around doing nothing.

I was on my last trip to the dinning room when the doorbell rang.

I jogged over and peaked out to see who was there but no one was in sight. There wasn't even a car that I could see.

It had to have been a vampire.

I opened the door slowly and glanced around. Still no one there. But there was a box on the doorstep. I grabbed it and ran back inside, slamming the door shut behind me.

It was almost ten thirty and I knew Mr. Adams would be getting back sometime before one. I had to start cooking if I wanted things done on time.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"It all smells very good." Mr. Adams said, entering the kitchen.

I tensed up and lowered my gaze.

"Maybe you won't be such a waste after all."

I hated that he treated me so poorly. I especially hated that I couldn't do anything about it.

He adjusted his tie just as the doorbell rang. "Go get the door."

Wanting to get out of the room, I quickly headed for the front door. 

Standing in the doorway were three vampires, all males. One of them held a bottle with a bow tied around the neck but that was all the had with them.

"Come in." I said softly, moving out of the way.

The vampire didn't even hand me the bottle. He walked over to Mr. Adams and handed it to him.

I shut the door and walked into the kitchen, needing a space to breathe where the vampires weren't.

As the night went on, more vampires came and went. Most came, asked for the alcohol, then disappeared. I could hear a rowdy bunch in the dinning room and I knew Mr. Adams would be involved.

I was cleaning up the food when the door to the kitchen opened behind me. I turned around and met Mr. Adams eyes.

He walked over to me and pushed me up against the edge of the counter. "I don't like someone who plays by the rules." He grabbed my hair, which was pulled into a bun on top of my head, and yanked my head to the side, revealing my bare neck. He sunk his fangs in and the all too familiar feel of his teeth in my skin, sucking the blood out, came to me. My eyes fluttered shut and my knees buckled.

Mr. Adams' hand was the only thing holding me up.

He pulled away and grabbed my wrist before I could collapse. "You're done for the night. Go to my room and go to bed."

"I-in your bed?"

"You have five seconds to go before I make you sleep on the floor."

I nodded quickly and left the room. My steps were sluggish as I headed up the stairs. I collapsed on the bed, still in my dress and make up, and went to sleep.