Turned

Chapter Eight.

I returned early the next morning when the sun was still low in the sky to find Alfred reading in his private chambers beyond the kitchen. I sat crouched on his windowsill, hand gripping the window as I leaned forward “What can I do for you, lady De La Crona?” Alfred asked, closing his book and setting it aside to look up at me. He removed his looking glass, reaching for a handkerchief that sat on the table beside him to use it to start cleaning the glass, polishing it until it was once again without fog or dirty specks. I stepped down from the windowsill and rested back against it, my hands gripping the edge that I sat on. The purple hue of the rising sun framed me like a cloak of lilac “I wish for you to draw me a bath” Alfred returned his looking glass to his left eye and stood, he bowed low, lowering his head in submission towards me. He wore a simple white shirt paired with brown slacks with his black shoes “As you wish, my lady” he said then left to head upstairs through the kitchen. As custom the noble was never to set foot in the kitchen of their own home, so I had only seen it a handful of times, not that it was ever in use due to our very specific nutritional needs. I pushed off the windowsill and shoved the door open to reveal the kitchen, decorated in metal tables, pots and pans dangling from the roof. Alfred’s washed food plates sat off to the side, yet to be put away. I passed a basket of apples and snatched one up, taking a bite of the red fruit to find that it was a sickly-sweet taste. Vampires could eat the food of humans, they could savor the tastes, they just did not satisfy our hunger. I chewed the piece and swallowed then tossed the rest of the apple into the trash as I passed it on my way out the door to the dining hall. The red curtains were drawn, leaving the world coated in a slight hue of red as I slowly made my way to the basement door, listening to the sound of running water that came from upstairs, the fireplace in the office being used to boil some water. The door creaked open as I stepped down the stone staircase, my fingers running along the wall as I moved. Graham looked up when I approached him, his eyes tired and his lips chapped from lack of water “It is a bit early to start with torture” his fire was still there, hidden behind his pale face as he flashed me a small smile, the corner of his lips tugging up slightly. His humor remained despite the pain he had been in before, which only intrigued me more. I reached for the keys and unlocked the cell, leaving the door open with the key stuck into the keyhole. I untied the chains which caused him to fall to his knees among the stone flooring, letting out a strangled grunt as he hit the ground with all his weight. I moved closer to him, taking hold of his shackled hands and removing them from his wrists. They fell to the ground with a loud thud as I bent to wrap his arm around my shoulders, hauling him to his feet “Letting me go?” he questioned, raising an eyebrow down at me. His voice was strained and cracked a few times from a dry, sore throat. I wanted to tell him that he was not that naïve to believe that I would just let him go after all the trouble I had gone through to get him “No, what is it the Duchess wants?” he questioned, using my prior title from many centuries before against me in the form of a pet name. I started walking, each step a struggle since his legs showed difficulty holding his weight. I found myself asking the same question ‘what was it that I wanted?’ when I found a simple answer to that “To bathe you” Graham gave a throaty laugh as we staggered up the stairs. Alfred met us in the dining hall, giving a bow when he spoke, not bother to acknowledge Graham’s existence “My lady” he was informing me that my bath was prepared. I nodded and dismissed him when we passed. He disappeared into the kitchen as we reached the main staircase of the house. Graham groaned and gripped the railing with his free hand “More of these” he complained under his breath, referring to the stairs that were a struggle for him. We reached the center of the stairs and Graham had to pause to catch his breath, looking up at the portrait of me when I was still human that hung on the wall “I did not see this the first time I passed here” he said out loud. I thought back to the night of the banquet when he had chased me down the hall, racing up the stairs to catch up with me in such a haste that he did not bother looking at the many paintings. His bare feet moved along the red carpet and wooden floors as we ventured further up the stairs “You looked like a decent human being” the color of my eyes had given me away in the painting, the emerald orbs painted with pain and sadness in their depths as Xavier had seen me for the first time in the forest that night. I breathed a laugh at his words, noticing that there was a hidden smile to them when they were spoken “I was until the Order killed my family” I said which had Graham growing silent as we reached the top of the stairs. There was a hidden gleam in his eyes, one of understanding as he sympathized with me, however I did not want his sympathy and purposely moved so that his hip would bump the railing. He groaned, sympathy gone and replaced by a glare that he shot towards me “I beg your pardon” I said sweetly, shooting him an innocent smile. He grumbled deep in his throat when the sight of my portraits caught his attention. His mouth fell open slightly as he gazed upon them, it was an odd but wonderful sight that amazed many people. The fact that someone could paint a single person, so many times was beyond comprehension to most, but it was all Xavier ever wanted to paint “You sure do love yourself” he muttered in a snarky way, still examining a painting of where I was stood in only a revealing night gown, gazing out of a balcony in France. I lead him down the hall where everyone was still sleeping and past the rest of them, his head turning in every direction to get a full view of the images “I did not paint them” I argued to which Graham grew silent, he thought back, thinking of what I could have said and why my voice was so small when I spoke those few words. He was smart enough to remember what I had said in the basement the day before “Someone very dear to you” he repeated, the words sounding like a haunting melody when spoken. We reached the bathroom door and I opened it, shoving the door aside as I helped him inside and onto an armchair that sat near the tub. He slumped down into it with all his weight causing it to groan beneath him “He was my-.” I tried to think in human terms, what was Xavier to me? He was a friend yes and a mentor, but those words did not feel right when referring to him. My gaze softened at the thought of the man “Lover” I said nodding in agreement to his earlier words. Graham studied me, the pain rolling from me, the very human feeling coming from every inch of my body and written across my face. He knew from the way I spoke what I was getting at, he knew from my prior words “Was? The Order murdered him?” I only nodded, moving to pick up a bottle of scented liquid. I unscrewed the cap and poured the liquid that smelt of pine into it before dripping it into the bath water. The scent grew stronger while I screwed the cap back on and set the bottle aside “Please strip” I muttered, eyes glued on the water that filled the room with steam. I was still in my night gown, the material hiding very little of my skin and I was painfully aware of Graham’s eyes on me when I spoke. He was watching me, not with lust but with curiosity “You were serious about bathing me?” he questioned. I shot him a look and he raised his hands in surrender, reaching down to undo the buttons of his pants that was covered in dried blood, much like the rest of him. He grinned, looking down at the floor as I turned my attention away and to the wall opposite the tub “I have never had a woman so eager to get in my pants before” I felt my back muscles tense then calmed down when a smile touched my lips. He was teasing me, something Julius or Hamish or even Fiona would never dear to do for fear of angering me. He was brave, had no fear and spoke to me in a way much like how Xavier used to, a playful, teasing way. I heard him stand, the material dropping to the ground and felt his hand gripping my shoulder for support. I steadied myself, hands gripping the edge of the tub as he stepped in and slowly lowered himself into the water. He was a muscular man, build like a warrior down to the very last part of his body. I watched him until he was relaxing back into the tub then moved to grab the pan that sat beside the tub, scooping it full of water. Graham rested back, his eyes closed with his arms on either side of the tub walls. I threw the water over his head and managed to get half of it on myself and the floor “What are you doing?” Graham demanded, eyes darting open and sitting upright when the water connected with his face, catching him off guard. I set the pan down and squirted some shampoo into my hands, it smelt of musk which was alluring to me. I ran my hands through his hair, tugging and scrubbing at his hair and skelp, taking a seat on my knees beside the tub “Washing you” I casually replied. He watched me, the silk material of my night gown soaked allowing my n*****s to shown through the fabric. He took in the sight then grunted and leaned back so that I could better reach his head. After a few minutes of scrubbing, I dipped my soapy hands into the water on either side of him, my chest looming over his face and head “You missed a spot” he teased, motioning to the side of his head. I leaned back, out faces upside down to each other as I glared at him. He laughed as I grabbed the pan and once again threw water over his head until the soap was all gone. He was lounging about, making the most of my bathing him when I climbed into the tub on top of him. His eyes shot open to gaze at me, my hand placed on his abs as I lowered myself in, legs on either side of him, straddling his midsection “Please do not-.” he tried to protest but I leaned forward so that our faces were only inches apart. My movement caused his words to catch in his throat with parted lips. I was going to get revenge for him teasing me so often and leaned in so that my lips brushed the shell of his ear “I must wash you” my hair was slightly in the water, damp from the steam, my skin sweaty and glistening as the material of my dress clung to my curves, leaving nothing to the imagination as he looked down at me. I sat back, my core pressing up against him and reached for the bar of soap that sat off to the side to slick my hands with. I then moved to run my hands up and down his chest, slowly, tauntingly, trailing down a few inches below the belt but not too low. His breathing deepened, pupils dilating as he gripped the sides of the tub, refusing to touch me or move for fear of not being able to control himself. He tried to hide it all, he tried to act like it was not bothering him, but I could see straight through his façade. I gripped his shoulders and rocked my hips once, strongly, drawing a loud groan from his lips as he squeezed his eyes shut, growing hard beneath me. I laughed, leaning in to nip at his earlobe when there was a knock on the bathroom door. I leaned back, hands on his chest and glanced in the direction of the door. Graham was panting which meant that I had succeeded in my plot to tease him and did not need to go any further than I already had “Enter” I called, and the door clicked open, Julius stepping into the room with a clenched jaw and fury in his eyes. He tried to hide it when he looked at me, but the anger was evident even to Graham. I was still mad, but contained myself to hear what the issue was that he wanted to discuss with me “Fiona is very ill” with that he turned and clicked the door shut, refusing to look at me, leaving me alone with the man who was considered a prisoner and member of the Order of the Silver Cross. My face was set in stone as I watched the door, his words echoing out in my mind. I stood in the water, giving Graham full view of my body beneath the material of my night gown and stepped out of the tub “Clean yourself, I will be back shortly with proper clothing” I ordered. Graham observed me, contemplating whether it was the time to escape or not, but he eventually nodded, knowing that there were four Vampires in the house, two of which were very strong compared to humans and one of which wanted him dead. I left the bathroom, not caring if I was soaked and went to the room Fiona had been sleeping in. Julius stood near the foot of the bed where Hamish was perched, his hand clutched in her trembling one. She was shivering, her body coated in sweat and her eyes half closed where she lay on the bed. I moved closer, ignoring the look Julius shot me when he noticed my body through my clothes. I placed a hand on her forehead and pulled it back, her temperature was out of control. It was something I had only seen once before in Finland where a man had refused to drink blood for an excessive amount of time, he grew very ill and died of starvation “She needs to feed” I announced, my eyes roaming over her as I tried to piece the puzzle pieces together. She had survived fifty years as a Vampire, yet she never drank from a human and was never seen drinking the vile blood they kept at the castle in Elgin. I turned to look at Julius, my gaze set in stone “How long ago was your father murdered?” the question seemed to take everyone back. Vampires could go months without feeding, but even they had their limits. Julius’ jaw tightened as he turned his head to gaze out the balcony doors “Six months ago” I nodded, my suspicions confirmed as I turned my attention to Hamish. He was trying his best not to look at me in the state that I was in, his eyes darting between me, Fiona and the bed. I motioned for him to move and he did, scooting over a bit and giving me room to sit down. I reached for the frail body and held her close, wrapping my one arm around her back and the other with my hand firmly placed on the back of her head. I flexed my index finger and cut into my collar bone, drawing blood. I moved her so that her lips were pressing against it and without hesitation she shot out to sink her fangs into my skin. I moaned when she began to drink, feeding like a staved infant would suckle on its mother’s breast. Hamish and Julius shared a look as she fed, her body visibly gaining more weight, the circles around her eyes disappearing, her body stopped trembling. She had been hungry and her refusal to drink human blood only took a toll on her, making her very ill. She pulled away, panting and looked up at me with wider eyes than before, able to move, able to speak “How did you-?” she got out, her arms holding her weight on the bed as I stood and gazed down at her. I did not want to answer for Julius’ sake, however he was no longer a boy but a man and needed to know. I turned to face Julius but when I spoke it was to Fiona “You act like his mother because you slept with his father, John turned you and fed you so that you would not have to feed from humans, but when he died you had no one to turn to” Julius’ eyes widened, Hamish breathed in deeply and ran a hand through his hair. I glanced at Fiona, her face pale and eyes filled with shame as they stared up at me. She did not want Julius to find out about his father’s affair, but no secret could ever be held forever “If you insist on not feeding from a human, then you may feed from me, but you dying is not an option” I exited the room, leaving her with those last words to go get clothes from the other room to take to Graham to dress in. We would be departing for Russia soon and I needed to get ready for the trip.