Castle Vitale

Part 5: So Close But So Far

DARIUS POV

Thank God I'm half vampire. I get to see sunrise.

I liked getting up in the morning. I looked forward to it more these days.

"T" was why.

I wanted to call her Charlotte. She looked like a Charlotte more than a "T" or "Tigris." She had dark hair, soulful eyes. She moved through the house with a grace that made her look like she floated, especially in the gowns she wore. I let her pick them. I got them for her. I just wanted her comfortable.

So far so good. My theory had been working with the Vitales. We were the most successful blood slave house on the continent, maybe the world. At most places, they were treated as captives. They weren't fed well. They were treated more as prisoners. And quite a few were kept drugged. The vampires-even the human government-didn't care, and just extracted blood for use and sale...until the blood quality became poor. Their moods and hormones sung in their blood, at times making the experience negative. Ours were content, so vampires achieved a better high.

"Good morning, Josie."

Josie's kind eyes regarded me warmly as she brought in food. "Good morning, Darius. How are you feeling?"

"Alright." I watched her put the food on the tray. "Is that...uh--"

Josie gave a knowing smile. "Yes, this is Charlotte's."

"You call her Charlotte?"

"Yes?"

I felt a loss. She won't let me call her anything but "T."  I managed a smile. "I'll take it."

"Darius?"

I took the tray. "Yes, Josie?"

"She wants to go out," Josie said gently. "I think she wants you to take her out."

"Really? Okay." I walked toward her room. "Thanks, Josie."

Josie smiled and I took a tray to another room.

I knocked. 

"Josie?" I heard Charlotte's voice say.

A wave of nervousness came over me. "No, its...it's Darius."

"Come in!"

I walked in. "Brought your breakfast." I found myself taking a deep breath as she got out of bed. The gown more than covered everything, but it just clung in all the right places, places where my eyes shouldn't be. I lowered my eyes, and the second I looked up, those dark eyes were meeting mine.

"Hi!" she smiled at me.

"You know--you know what you're doing, don't you?" I asked, setting the tray down at a small table. "You're going to get me in trouble, girl."

Her expression was coy. "I don't mean to, but I have do have gifts." She sipped her coffee, and her eyes rolled closed, making me laugh. "The little things."

"Speaking of the little things, I thought you'd like to go upstairs today, tour the grounds?"

"So they're happy," she nodded.

"What?"

"The uh, clients?" she asked. "They are happy about....the product?"

"Over the moon."

"How do you feel about it?"

I lowered my gaze. "I haven't had any."

She narrowed her eyes. "Why?"

I shrugged my shoulders, grateful that she could read feelings but not minds. "In appreciation for your cooperation, I thought you would like to go upstairs, sit by the waterfall?" When her eyes lit up, I knew I'd made a good choice .