Chapter 8 : Requests

Night couldn't come fast enough, and as soon as the sun set, I was wandering the stupid place trying to find Nia.

I say wander, but really I'm stumbling. I really had too much to drink.

When I bump into Nia, I can't help but giggle and lean against the wall. Oh, I drank too much. This is awful, and I can't bring myself to care.

"Hemera! A-are you drunk?" Nia groans and pinches the bridge of his beautifully sculpted nose.

I giggle and lean forward. "Yee. I am. James gave me an entire bottle of wine once I learned you and Luther Orsova were vampires. And that you wanted my blood. I didn't have anything better to do with my time."

Nia goes to say something when I trip over my own feet and fall into him. He gasps and helps right myself. "Oh, you're completely sloshed!" he exclaims, a hint of an unfamiliar accent coming out.

"Yes, but that's not the point. You're a vampire." I hold up my hands and make claw shapes while I hiss. "I vant to suck your blood! Blah!" I cackle in a horrible vampire accent.

Nia groans. "That's it. We'll talk tomorrow. For now, you're going to bed until you sober up."

"No, I'm not, and you can't make me."

Nia raises a brow and simply picks me up like I weigh nothing, and carries me down the hall.

Okay, maybe he can take me to the bed.

When we get to my room, he gently places me down on the bed and takes off my hat. When did I put that on?

"Now rest," he orders as he stands above me dauntingly, his broad chest in full view. He sighs softly and starts to move away. I grab his hand and stop him with a huge grin. When I pull his arm, his sleeve pulls back to show a hint of a black, swirling tattoo on his arm.

"Not until you answer my questions."

"Hemera, you're sloshed. I'd be shocked if you remember this. Rest."

"No, you're a vampire, and I demand to know what you intend to do with me." I sit up and stare, looking straight up at him. "Also, I'm not in the right clothes for bed. I don't want to be in this dress anymore. I don't like sleeping in dresses."

"I'll have James get you something else to wear. Now, as to what I intend to do with you... I'm this close to using my vampire magic to make you sleep so you can sober up. I promise I will answer all your questions, but for now, you're far too drunk to have a decent conversation with."

Nia pulls his hand away and goes to leave.

"Please don't go."

He pauses and looks back at me. "What was that?"

"Please don't go. I don't want to be alone anymore. I'm afraid." I admit something that I only say because of my current state. Nia double-takes and merely gawks at me in bewilderment.

"I know you're a vampire, and you honestly scare me, but you did protect me yesterday, and I'm tired of being alone." I fall back and stare up at him.

Nia stammers for a moment before snapping his jaw shut. Wordlessly, he comes back and sits on the edge of the bed.

I yawn as my eyes start feeling heavy. When did I start feeling tired? It's not even that late. "You're pretty," I mumble into the pillow.

"You're sloshed,"

"Yeees." I giggle.

Nia sighs again and messes with the edge of his sleeve.

"Nia?"

"Yes?"

"Can you use your vampire magic to make it so I don't have any nightmares?"

With a surprising amount of tenderness, Nia puts his hand on my head, keeping it in place for a second before stroking my hair once. "Sleep peacefully, Hemera. Dream happy memories." And just like that, I'm out like a light.

***

When I wake up next, I'm alone with a splitting headache. I groan and blurrily look around the room. Next to the bed is a tall glass of water with a note and a couple of pills on the nightstand. Pain meds, I assume.

I down the meds without thought and read the note after I completely drained the glass. It's just saying that James brought me something for my hangover.

After a few minutes, I attempt to get to my feet, and I find a small bundle at the foot of the bed. It's a few random clothing pieces, a couple of shirts, both short-sleeved and long-sleeved, and a couple of different pairs of pants. I guess they wanted me to have some choice in new clothing. None of it will fit me, but it's better than the dress I've been wearing the past few days.

I slide into the fresh clothes and adjust my hair so it's in a bun before stumbling out to the kitchen. Need coffee.

"Hemera! You're awake." James screams. I groan and bring my hands up to my temple.

"Please don't yell. It hurts."

James apologies, but I hardly notice when I find Nia sitting at the kitchen island. He's looking over a book with a blood pack in his hand. I can't help but watch as he brings it up and bites into it.

"He doesn't know I'm here, does he?"

"No, he's lost in the book. Plus, his senses are dulled at the moment. Nia is fighting the urge to sleep." He explains a little about vampires' sleep schedules as he turns away.

I plop down next to Nia once I have my coffee and continue to watch as the pack empties. Without looking up, Nia tosses it perfectly into the nearby trash can.

I lift my hand up and poke his bicep.

He doesn't react.

"It'll take more than that to pull him out," James chuckles.

Before I can try anything else, James snatches the book away from Nia and drops another blood pack on the table.

"Earth to Nianor, are you there?"

Nia glares at him as he snatches the blood pack and sinks his teeth into it. When he turns away, he finds me sitting there. His grip loosens on the pack, and bits of it dribble down his chin. He coughs and adjusts his grip.

"Enjoying your blood?"

"Ah, well, yes." Nia clears his throat as he wipes his chin with a napkin. So vampires use napkins then. "Are you feeling better?"

"Yes. Is that my blood by any chance?"

"No, it's pig's blood. I assure you I would not drink your blood without your consent. Especially so soon after you donated it."

I rest my head in my hand and move on. "I want to go home."

"No. It's far too dangerous."

"I don't care. I hate being in clothes that aren't mine. Besides, I don't have anything to do here. I want to go home so I can get my things and then I'll come back here. Trust me, I know I'm safer here. I just want my things."

"How about I send James to get them? Or if you prefer, I can ask one of my female proxies to get it?"

"You have more than one proxy?"

"Every vampire does. I do get sick, and vacation days, you know. Vampires are very good to their employees. I even get dental and vision. Full coverage. I didn't have to pay a dime for my glasses, and they have all the bells and whistles. Plus, it all extends to my family," James boasts with a grin. I whistle as he lists everything. That is pretty d*mn good.

Nia nods and gestures to him. "Yes. James is my primary proxy, but I have someone else come in when he's out. On average, he takes about sixty days off a year." Sixty days? d*mn, that's more than I get. I whistle again after hearing that. Maybe I should be a vampire proxy.

"Huh, nice, dude. But anyway, no. I still want to go myself. I'm sorry, but I don't trust any of them to handle my supplies properly. I have several spells set up, you know. I don't want anyone touching them, let alone moving them."

"Spells? Oh, right, you practice witchcraft. Yes, I suppose that's fair. However, it's still going to be a no."

"By that reaction, I'm guessing witchcraft isn't actually a bunch of crap?"

"I am a vampire, Hemera. I have certain magic myself. Why would I even think it's wrong? Besides, I don't know sh*t about the universe. Who am I to say what's real or fake? I'm just an assa-a contractor."

James sighs as he starts washing his coffee mug. "I'll make a call to Zeanon security and have a team come over at once. They can go with Hemera so she can go to her apartment and gather her things."

"James!" Nia snaps.

"Just offering a solution." He shrugs.

"Ha! I can go! James said he's your trusted advisor, so if he thinks it's safe for me to go, then I'm going." I cheer. I need some fresh air, at least.

Nia groans into his hand. "Fine! But I'm coming along."

"Sir, you can't-"

"I've done it many times before. I can do it again. Leave it alone, James. I've gotten by for centuries."

Centuries? "Hold old are you?"

"Five-hundred-twenty-nine."

I squint at him as if I'll suddenly be able to see his age. He's so old, yet he looks in his mid to late twenties. "Alright, grandpa. Let's go."

James bursts out in laughter while Nia turns to me, glaring daggers.

"Do not call me that again."

"Whatever you say, old man."

James begins laughing even harder. So much so that he has to excuse himself and leave the room.

"You know, perhaps I will use my vampire magic and make you have nightmares tonight," Nia deadpans.

"Try it, old man. I'll hex ya if you do." That's a bluff, but I'm willing to bet he's not going to take that chance.

"Let's just go as soon as that security team gets here."

I giggle and practically vibrate from excitement to leave the place for a short time.

I suppose I should be a little wary, but it's day, and how could the Orsovas know that I'm going home? It'll be fine!