A Shade Darker ✔️

{Chapter Twenty}

Who knew Vamps Could Be Cocky?

June 25th, 2017

Ashley

It's been two weeks since the whipping took place, since I witnessed my own husband be treated like he was some kind of animal.

"Go on, take your shirt off and let me look at them" I sigh, snapping my fingers and ordering Mike to slip his shirt of his shoulders so I could check the wounds and make sure they were healing okay.

Along with Lucile's help, I had been able to create a medicine that would heal his wounds quickly since he couldn't drink my blood and be healed like I could him.

He reluctantly slips the shirt of his shoulders and I'm left with pink and red scabs staring back at me.

I lightly touch them, asking him if it hurts.

"They're still very sore. They should take a while, my Queen. Wounds like these, you will find, do not heal quickly" He turns, making my hand drop to my side while he started intensely at me.

Something he had learned to do that would make me fight my smiles and hold back my laughs.

This time though, I roll my eyes.

"Look, I actually have found that out. You know, since I've been waiting on you hand and foot like you're slave instead of your wife" He raises his eyebrows and shrugs.

I almost felt as though our attitudes were rubbing off on each other. He was gaining my attitude, I was gaining his way of speaking properly most of the time.

"You haven't been acting as though you were my wife, either. If you'd like to be so picky about things. But since you think you've been acting as my slave, then I believe it's bath time. And I feel rather dirty" I raise one of my eyebrows, shocked at the words that just came out of his mouth.

I laugh, doubled over and holding my stomach.

Hearing him say such things was hilarious. A guy who still thought he was stuck somewhere back in the eighteenth century is talking like he was born in mine.

"Never mind. Bath time is not my job. I'll call Lucile to do that for you" He smiles at me and it makes me feel warm inside, like we were on our way to being friends.

To being trustworthy of each other.

"So, let me just go get Lucile, okay? Then, hopefully, you won't be so dirty. I'll tell her to take it easy with you" He nods and I smile a little before closing the door behind me.

Almost breathlessly, I truck down the stairs and hop onto one of the stools in the kitchen. Despite the nightmares occasionally, I learned how to move on from my old life and accept this place as home.

Lucile smiles at me as I hop up and place my hands on the counter. She was another woman I could trust, one that I almost saw as my mother.

She looks at me over her shoulder.

"What does the King request this time, my lady? A glass to drink?" I shake my head and sigh, almost laughing again.

"He requests bath time. I left that duty up to you" Lucile laughs like I did, her rosy face growing even more pink.

I smile, joining in with her giggles.

"That sounds like a job for the wife, my lady. Unless of course you have earned your monthly blood" I start to lean away from that subject, but shake my head.

"No. It is not because of that" Lucile looks around, a serious expression on her face.

"Do you reckon you are with child then, my Queen?" When a puzzled look comes across my face, she places her hands over her mouth as if she were excited.