An Uncomfortable Breakfast

Time passed slowly because Vanessa hadn’t been able to get enough sleep. How could she sleep in the territory of blood-sucking vampires?

She combed her hair and quickly straightened the front of her uniform.

“Be strong, Vanessa. You will be fine,” she muttered to herself and walked out of her room after checking if both sides of the hallway were clear of any lurking infected vampires.

As soon as she got to Prince Klyde’s office, she stood and stared at the door as she tried to gather herself to face the prince yet again. She had to thank him. He did save her life, despite however little value it must hold to him.

Just as she raised her hand to knock on the door, an impatient voice ordered, “Come in already, little butterfly. Stop your doddering.”

Huffing, Vanessa hurriedly opened the door and entered, only to stop short when she almost walked into the prince who was standing just inside. Before she could open her mouth, he raised his wine glass to his lips and sipped slowly.

Clenching her hands, she spoke in a low tone, “Master, thank you for saving my life.”

Klyde paused mid-sip and cocked his head, looking at his slave intently. He didn’t like this submissive behaviour, he decided. He liked her better last night when she was a bit impudent.

Vanessa clenched her hand out of nervousness as she wondered if she had made a mistake in coming inside to thank him. She should have waited outside the office… He had yet to break his fast. He would not drink blood from her now, would he?

As she thought of how she could make her exit, she felt his finger touching her neck. She stiffened.

The first touch was electrifying. She thought of the way he had bitten her to bind her into the blood contract. Would she feel a similar sense of pleasure when he bit her and drank her blood?

Klyde smiled at the way she was panicking. He rather enjoyed the sound of her heartbeat.

“My little slave. Are you scared that I am going to drink from you?”

Vanessa shook her head, but as she looked into his piercing eyes, she could only nod her head slowly before looking down at her clenched hands. This little slave had been so bold to question him, kicked and tried to fight off a feral vampire but now that he had merely touched her, she was terrified like a rabbit.

It would be fun to tease her.

“You are too thin. If I eat you now, there will not be much meat on your bones to enjoy. Don’t worry, I will raise you well and then eat you...”

Klyde watched as her eyes widened like saucers before chuckling.

“Vanessa, I don’t drink human blood.”

“Y..You don’t?” Vanessa stuttered.

Klyde nodded and spoke, “While blood is a vampire’s main source of nourishment, it doesn’t have to be human blood. We can survive on animal blood as well. And I prefer animal blood to human blood. So, you can stop behaving like a little scared rabbit fearing that you will be used as a source of blood.”

“Then you are like a human?” Vanessa asked incredulously.

This caused Klyde to chuckle as his sharp canines glinted against the moonlight that covered the room, reminding Vanessa that his eating habits maybe like a human, but he was a vampire.

She would do well not to forget that.

“Vanessa, you are new here and a curious one. Quite brave for a slave and very unsuitable,” Klyde remarked. “Before we go to the breakfast room, ask any questions, and I may just answer them for you.”

Klyde waited for the slave to ask the questions that she had. And she did.

“What is the blood contract that you made me sign?” she asked him.

Klyde’s mouth kicked up in a small smile at her question.

“The blood contract is for your safety, of course. As long as you do not do anything to endanger the people of Transmere, you will not be harmed by this blood contract. But if you do have any malicious thoughts… On the other hand, the blood contract also warns all other vampires that you belong to me and only I am allowed to drink from you.”

Her hands moved to her throat as she covered her neck and murmured, “You said that you don’t drink…”

“Yes. I don’t drink, but that does not mean I allow others to drink from my possession. If anyone dares to take blood from you, they can look forward to their doom.”

***

Three others were already seated at the dining table when they arrived, golden cutlery placed on each side.

As Prince Klyde walked to where he would sit, Vanessa could feel three sets of eyes fixed on her. Suddenly, she felt self-conscious and pulled the collar of her dress up to protect her neck. Maybe if they couldn’t see her neck, they wouldn’t feel the urge to bite it.

One of the men seated let out a burst of mocking laughter. Vanessa knew that one. She had been unfortunate enough to bump into him and almost be killed by him.

“She thinks if she covers her neck, she will not entice us,” Prince Kaine laughed.

No one answered him. Prince Klyde sat down beside the only lady in the room and signalled for Vanessa to stand behind him.

“Stay there,” he whispered, but audible enough for her to hear him.

“Hmm. Your new assistant?” the lady asked Klyde as she nudged him with her elbow.

“Yes.”

Vanessa felt the other man’s gaze burnt into her face. She dared to glance at him and saw that he was actually staring at her. He looked sickly, much paler than the others, his eyes tired and body frail.

‘Does he not know that it’s wrong to stare for that long at someone?’ Vanessa thought.

Here she was, trying to pretend that she did not exist, but this man was not making it easy.

“Stop staring.” the lady said. She turned around and faced Vanessa. “I am Princess Klarissa, and my brother that can’t control his eyes is Prince Kaleb,” she said with a small smile on her face. “It came to my notice that you are already acquainted with Prince Kaine.”

She rolled her eyes at Kaine and returned her gaze to Vanessa, who only nodded. ‘Acquainted’ was not the word she would have used.

“What’s your name?”

“Vanessa,” Prince Klyde replied before Vanessa could utter a word.

“Ooh... so protective of his new, little human toy. People lose toys, you know. One day, you’d wake up to realize that you had misplaced it and someone else had picked it,” Prince Kaine said as he stared directly at Vanessa, covertly challenging Klyde.

Silence filled the room as Prince Klyde stared at Kaine.

If Vanessa had an option, she would have darted out of that place. However, she knew that her station was behind Prince Klyde. If stares could kill, she was sure Prince Kaine would be dead by now.

“So!” Prince Kaleb suddenly shouted. “I heard that we would be served my favourite today... Livers!” His voice was a little bit too high. In his desperate attempt to reduce the tension in the room, he seemed to have multiplied it. He looked every bit as awkward as Vanessa currently felt.

“I hope we get to actually finish our meals like civilized vampires,” Princess Klarissa mused. She had hoped that her expression would be able to get rid of the tense atmosphere.

However, her efforts had fallen to the ground as she opened her eyes and saw Klyde and Kaine still staring each other down. Why did they have to do this all the time? They always found something to argue about!

“Urgh,” Klarissa grunted and threw her hands in the air. She gave up trying to distract both of them. At that point, she was ready for a fight to break out so that she could then finish her meal.

Their meals were served, and Kaleb pounced on it like he had not eaten in a decade.

“Take it easy, Kaleb. You know what happens when you stress yourself, and you are stressing yourself right now,” Klarissa warned. Prince Kaleb nodded and tried to slow down his chewing.

“Come here, slave. Would you like to know how your liver tastes? Come and have a bite. A pansy like Klyde only eats pig livers, so you won’t be able to taste your own kind with him,” Prince Kaine taunted.

“Leave her alone, Kaine. I won’t say it again.” Prince Klyde uttered just before he put a piece of raw pig liver in his mouth. Vanessa averted her gaze to look up at the decorated ceiling. If she did not see, then she could ignore it, right? It was too full of blood…

“Or else what?” Kaine asked sinisterly.

Pushing back his chair, he walked over to where Vanessa stood, making her gaze snap to him. Klyde cocked his head to look at Kaine but otherwise made no movement to prevent his brother from coming closer.

“Will you fight me, little brother? For a slave? I am sure the King will be thrilled that his youngest son holds such huge respect for his rules.”

Kaine tightened his hand on the fork in his hand for a moment before he calmly replied, “And what would Queen Andromeda think of her son coveting a human slave?”

Kaine paused for a moment. Of course his mother’s hatred for humans was known among them but he could handle her. Smiling, he stepped forward and placed his fingers on her chin as he continued, “You need to teach your slave to not look at me… she looks so nervous that I just want to have more fun with her…”

This time, Klyde stood up and stalked towards his slave and thundered, “I told you to stay away from her.”