Dreams of the past

Recently, Olivia had been starting feel increasingly hungry. Not even the potatoes, slices of bread and the odd fish could fill her up. Usually, she would feel content with her meals, even with the amount the De Vere household gave her. Although the quality wasn't the best, they never held back on quantity giving them enough to be satiated. Yet, this was no longer enough.

"The maids keep looking at me weirdly," Ivan complained as he handed over a couple of fresh buns wrapped up in cloth.

Olivia hurriedly started snacking as she blinked at him innocently, "I can't help it if I'm starving."

"Don't you eat with the Givers? How could you still be hungry after getting 3 square meals?" Ivan asked in confusion. Currently he was clipping the horses hooves while Olivia sat on a stool, munching on her food.

"I don't know what's happening to me either. All of a sudden my appetite grew larger and larger," Olivia looked down at her stomach in puzzlement as she finished her last bun.

"Anyway you can't back out," She stood up and grabbed a shovel, "I told you I'd compensate you by cleaning up after the horses."

Ivan hummed not refuting her comment.

As she continued with her work, Olivia asked, "And what do you eat?"

"More or less the same food as you do, along with our daily doses of blood,"

Olivia thought for a while before saying, "What happens if you don't drink your daily dose?"

Ivan paused. He looked over at Olivia causing her to stop her actions and stare back at him, "We end up losing our sanity and feeding on anyone we come across, not being able to distinguish people apart."

Olivia looked startled after hearing his answer. She never thought things could become so grave for vampires. No wonder the notion of Givers came about. She suddenly thought of something. It seemed to occur to her that she had yet to see Alexander drink any blood. Although she wasn't with the man at all hours of the day, nothing had indicated he had any. Neither did she see any of the Givers being used by him.

Later that evening after washing off her sweat and filth, Olivia walked back into Alexander's room, closing the bathroom door behind her. Usually, she would briskly walk out of his room and enter hers again but this time she loitered around. She noticed that Alexander sat in his usual seat, sipping the same cup of tea she had always seen him with. Except this time, Olivia had her own suspicions.

She approached him from behind and took a seat opposite. Her eyes currently fixed on the tea cup in his hand. Alexander ignored what she was doing and continue to savour his drink. While she was observing him, Olivia alarmingly discovered that there was no teapot, but a lone teacup.

"What are you drinking?"

Alexander cocked an eyebrow as he looked at her, "What do you think?"

"Blood?" She hesitantly replied.

"Clever girl," Alexander complimented.

Olivia's lips twitched as she ignored his comment, "You don't seem to have a Giver so…" Where did it come from?

"You seem to be awfully chatty today, aren't you tired?" Alexander did not need to look at Olivia for her to know that he was starting to get annoyed by her constant questioning.

"Very well," She sullenly replied as she walked out of his room and into hers.

That night Olivia had a dream. It wasn't a happy dream neither was it a nightmare but rather one of her past, before she became entangled with Glenn and Miran.

-----

[Olivia, Aged 9]

A young Olivia ran through the back alleyways to get to The Black Swan. It was currently the early hours of the morning. The hawkers had yet to start selling their goods and the shops were still shut tight. There was about half an hour before sun rise, so the only things that were illuminating the streets were the dimly lit lights fuelled by gas in their glass containers.

Olivia continued to run through the familiar alleyways, navigating through the corners before reaching a tall, brown building with the simple words 'The Black Swan' splayed across the board on top of the door in plain black. Olivia went around the front, slipping into the side door, before making her way up the stairs.

"Well if it isn't Olivia!" A young woman sat on the edge of the bed. A lit cigarette between her lips.

She had a youthful face. Her hair was a dark brunette and was currently in a messy, half undone, bun. The only piece of clothing she had on consisted of a single, beige coloured chemise. The rouge she always wore, was at the moment, rubbed off and starting to fade. Her face, however, continued having a pale hue thanks to the generous amount of face powder she had smothered on earlier. Olivia walked into the room, not bothering to close the door behind her. She tiptoed up, and sat on a stool opposite.

"Hi, Mandy,"

"Is downstairs still busy?" Mandy asked while tapping the ash off her cigarette against the edge of the ash tray.

Olivia shook her head. Downstairs had more or less died down, leaving a few stray people walking about.

Olivia looked over at Mandy. Her neck was, at present, sporting pink-purplish marks littering all the way down to her chest. Mandy followed Olivia's eyesight before groaning.

"I told that bastard not to make the marks too deep! What is he? A leech?" Mandy complained as she walked over, standing in front of her vanity mirror and rubbing at her neck.

"Did that Mr come? The one who you were waiting for?" Olivia asked while Mandy changed into a simple nightgown.

Mandy paused, and then took a long drag out of her cigarette, "No, he didn't come. And I wasn't expecting him to either. It's best for me not to have hope. A man like that, with a woman like me… It's something that's destined to fail."

Mandy moved over to the window looking out while taking longer drags out of her cigarette. Olivia also looked out of the window but couldn't find what Mandy was staring at. She wondered whether Mandy could see something she couldn't.

"Men are fickle creatures. One moment they're busy chasing after you and telling you they love you with all their heart and speaking of marriage and the future. But the minute you're no longer doing as well as you were, they're shacking up with the girl down the street, already having forgotten your name," Mandy said with a bitter and melancholy tone. Her eyes somewhat wistful with a hint of sorrow in between as she carried on looking out of the window.

Olivia listened, not quite understanding what Mandy was talking about but nonetheless continued to listen closely.

Mandy finally walked away from the window, walking nearer to Olivia and gently taking hold of her face with both hands, "When you grow up, make sure to find a man that cares about you and loves you for who you are and not what. One that continues to confirm his love for you, even if you already know it. Always be wary and don't fall in love with the first pretty man you see. Make sure their intentions towards you are pure, okay? Promise me."

Olivia had yet to think about marriage or love but she noted all the words Mandy had said in her heart, "I promise."

Mandy ruffled her head before walking over to the door, "Come on, let's go and get some food, I'm starving. I heard Mark got hold of some beef today. You like meat don't you?"

Olivia quickly got off the stool, hurriedly nodding her head with a beaming smile on her face.

"Then let's go and get some before the other girls get there first," Mandy smiled back at her, holding Olivia's hand and leading her downstairs.

-----

Olivia woke up with a start. It had been some time since she had dreamt of the past. She suddenly felt like going back to see Mandy once again. Mandy was one of the people she had missed dearly during her time away. Was she alright? Was she still there or had she moved elsewhere? She still remembered the things she had told her and always kept them tucked away in her heart.

As she slowly sat up, she suddenly found herself feeling very warm and hot, some sweat forming on her forehead. Olivia frowned as she wiped it away. She thought that it must've been too hot during the night, so she dismissed the current heat she was feeling and went about her day.

During the next couple of days, however, she quickly found that the heat she felt that morning when she awoke was definitely not a one-time fluke. Even after having had a bath that very morning, she felt that she still hadn't cooled down but instead felt even hotter than before.

Even though they were currently in spring, Olivia felt as if the hot July sun was beating down on her back as she continued getting rid of the weeds in the garden. She continuously wiped off her sweat throughout the day. On top of that, her hunger had not subsided making her more lethargic and sluggish than ever.

"Why do you look as if you've been working the fields all day? What's with all that sweat?" Ivan asked looking up at the sky, "It's not even summer yet and it's definitely not that hot."

"I don't know either," Olivia mumbled with a mouthful of bread.

"Well, I don't have a clue about human affairs, maybe you need to go and see a doctor," Ivan helpfully suggested.

Olivia swallowed the bread in her mouth before scoffing, "And with what money? It's not like I earn a wage."

Olivia then paused thinking it through properly. She was technically Alexander's assistant. If not for her, Alexander wouldn't of caught Tobias that night. Actually, Olivia was well aware that Alexander could've done the job himself, singlehandedly, but nevertheless he still used her to get the job done so she wanted to be paid for her work. It seemed that Olivia had yet another request for Alexander.

"I still think you should go to one. Human's are weak creatures and die quite easily," Ivan commented, thinking of giving Olivia sincere advice.

Olivia gave an awkward laugh. 'If only I could actually die' she silently thought to herself.

Before they could continue their conversation Reginald, the butler, walked in.

"Miss Olivia, Master Alexander requires your presence."

"Well I'm off!" Olivia jumped off her stool, handing the cloth that was used to previously wrap the bread slices, back to Ivan.

Olivia then followed Reginald all the way to the carriage. She used the foot stool to step in and sat in her usual seat, opposite Alexander.

Speaking of him, he was currently sitting with his eyes closed. He wore a white shirt with a black waistcoat underneath a matching black coat. His hair looked shiny and fresh.

Olivia had to admit, Alexander looked very handsome at the moment. Especially when one wasn't engaged in a conversation with him. Seeing him like this, Olivia didn't bother asking where they were off to as she guessed that they were probably on their way to the bureau so she didn't trouble him. She merely positioned herself facing the window, in order for the spring air to cool down the hotness she was still feeling.