Castle Vitale

Part 19: Farewell, Fae

LONG, BUT OH WORTH IT!

DRAKE POV

"You don't seem very thirsty these days, Drago."

I looked at Fae. "You don't seem to have red hair anymore."

"Girl's gotta change," she drawled. She reached out to caress my cheek and I moved away from her hand. "Especially when someone loses interest."

I took a deep breath. "I am thirsty, Fae." I offered my hand, and she gingerly placed hers in mine. I took it and sank my fangs into her forearm. She gasped. It wasn't sharp like it was when I used to thrust into her and bite her at the same time, but this was fine. Fine by me. It was a method to heat her blood, increase her flow. 

"Don't you miss it, baby?"

I pulled out. "Miss what?"

"Us."

I gave a chuckle that held no humor. "I miss nothing. You still give me what I need." I sank my fangs into her again, and she cried out softly, this time making it sound like we were having sex.

I got my fill, and rose from the side of the bed.

"You won't stay with me?" she asked. "You used to stay sometimes."

"Things have changed, you know that."

"No it hasn't," she retorted softly. "You still like me."

"Yes, you are delicious, thank you." I left the room. I thought about getting rid of her, but she was a good blood slave, and when we sold her blood, vampires bought it because of her looks. We almost put a picture of her on her vials.

But then when Charlotte got pregnant, we decided to keep her on. It was absolutely against our policy to extract and sell the blood of anyone with child. I couldn't wait until she left for the islands as she did every winter. I hoped to fill her space with someone else, anyone else really. 

***************

CHARLOTTE POV

I couldn't find anything...anything!

The more I tried on dresses and they didn't fit, the more aggravated I became. I stared at the pile of gowns to be taken back, and took a shaky breath. 

"Charlotte, you okay?"

I looked to the doorway of my room to see Fae standing there--skinny, blonde/blue, runway model with a New York crew, Fae. "I'm okay."

"No, you're not," Fae said with concern. "Do you need help?"

"It's hard to find really cool maternity clothes," I shrugged, trying to compose myself. "Guess I'm pickier than I thought."

"Well it's hard when your husband doesn't pay attention."

I frowned. "He's been busy with things--"

"No man should be too busy for his wife," she said firmly. I stood there numbly. "Sorry, ahead of myself! Fiancee? Has he even proposed?"

"He loves me."

"Ah, you're a pet, then," she shook her head. "like me."

"You're not a pet, you're a blood slave," I told her. "You do not wear his blood around your neck. You are not under his protection."

"Or bound by a collar and leash, either," Fae pointed out. "I've heard about those, I've managed to stay out of them, being paraded like that."

I swallowed hard.

"And...isn't Darius spending more time with Shanti these days?"

"It's good," I nodded, knowing she didn't know I fed on Drake. "The family circle is just getting tighter, and you're not part of it!" I was shaking, fighting the urge to throw her into a wall.