Love and Blood

Chapter 3 - Settling In

Satoru

I watch Mieko run away and I am a little taken aback. Why was she so scared? She does look a bit familiar, but I don’t know where I have seen her.

“Why don’t I show you to your room?” Mrs. Ooyama says.

“Alright,” I reply.

We walk down the long hallways and stop in front of a room with double doors.

“This will be your room while you stay here. I hope it is to your liking.” She opens the door to a large room with a king-size bed with a grey comforter and windows covered with navy blue blackout curtains. The room is elegantly decorated and the furniture all perfectly complements each other.

“The room is fine, thank you.”

“Now Keiichi, why don’t you show Satoru around? Afterward, your father wants to meet with Satoru to talk and give him an orientation, I guess you could say. He will be working with us from now on.”

“Alright, tell father I’ll be in his office in about an hour. Come on Satoru, why don’t I show you around?” Keiichi says.

He turns around and opens the door for me and I exit the room. I follow him as he shows me around the mansion. This place is not as big as my home, but it's a pretty big mansion. The last place we head to is the gardens then the training grounds. I see someone inside training and notice it is Mieko. She’s quite good, I am surprised. I’d like to train with her and see the extent of her skill.

“Master Satoru?”

“Sorry I was just admiring the training grounds. They are quite nice.”

“I am glad you like them. I’d like to show you around but it's about time we went to my father’s office.”

I enter the office and politely greet Mr. Ooyama before sitting down. I spent almost 2 hours hearing Mr. Ooyama give me the rundown about the type of work they do and the rules that they have. I honestly don’t care, but I listen attentively to what he says. I am very happy when we finally finish and we get to leave that office.

“I am going to head to my room and rest,” I say then exit the office.

I decide to pass by the training grounds before heading to my room. I’d like to have a look around and see if maybe she’s still there.

I approach the grounds and see she is stretching. She must be done working out.

“Hey,” I say.

She looks over to me then immediately leans over and grabs her sword.

“Get away from me!”

“What’s wrong, sweetheart?”

“Did you come here just to bug me or is there something you want?”

“Why are you so scared?”

“What do you mean why? Of course, I’d be scared after what you-” she says then pauses. “You must have forgotten, of course.” She turns around and walks away.

“Wait!” I say and grab her arm. She immediately retrieves her arm.

“Do not touch me again! I’m warning you!” she yells then walks off.

I just stand there confused. I honestly don’t know what is wrong. I can’t remember where I met her. Must have been one of those nights I went out drinking. I need to stop and I know it. I hope I don’t get in any more trouble because of her. I should just stay away from her, but for some reason, I just can’t stay away. She is not only beautiful but she's also fierce. I have not met another woman like her before.

I decide to retire to my room. It's been a long journey And I am quite tired. I lay down on the bed and it does not take long for me to fall asleep.

I wake up the next evening, right before Sunset. I head over to the kitchen to grab a snack before breakfast. Before I came over here I often drank human blood, but I know I won't be having that for breakfast, since most vampires don't have human blood very often. You have to be careful of where you get it and make sure not to get caught because you can get in trouble with the council. I will just have to settle, I guess, with eating animal blood and flesh. At least I know I'll be fresh and high quality, not like that garbage meat the humans eat cooked.

I enter the kitchen and see Mieko carefully cutting up a piece of meat. She looks over in my direction with fear and accidentally cuts her finger.

"Mistress Mieko, are you alright?” Says her servant, Who was standing in front of the sink washing some dishes.

“I am fine, it's just a small cut.”

As blood starts running down her hand I notice her scent. I recognized that familiar sweet smell, but I can't quite remember from where. Then it comes to me, and I remember that night. So that is why she is so afraid of me. I can’t believe I thought she was human.

"I'll help her with her wound," I say then grab her arm and drag her out of the kitchen.

"Let go of me." Says Mieko, trying to pull her arm away. But I don't give in and strengthen my grip.

"I won't hurt you. Just come with me, we need to talk.

I take her to the nearest bathroom and run her hand underwater. I let go of her to look for some bandages. I find some in the cabinet under the sink. She says nothing as I bandage her wound. I finish and let go of her hand.

"Listen, I am very sorry for what happened the other night. I-"

"I don't want to hear excuses," she says with contempt.

"I have no excuses, but I really am sorry, and I..."

She looks at me with a look that tells me she’s not convinced. But what else can I say to make her believe I’m sincere.

"Look, your father is quite frightening. The last thing I want to do is hurt his precious princess. I just want us to get along, okay?"

"Alright, but don't go thinking you will get any blood from me." She says with a stern look on her face. "One last thing, I am not looking for a mate so that's out of the question as well."

"W-what? Mate?" I say in shock. "That was not my intention at all. I'm sorry, okay. I thought you were a human. Not that it makes it any better."

"Yeah, that doesn't make it any better. But don't worry, as long as you make it up to me I won't say a word."

I walk up to her and she is slightly startled. I lean my face close to hers.

"Your wish is my command," I whisper in her ear. I see her face turn red. "I gotta go get something to eat. See you later." I give her a wink and then walk away.

If she thinks she has the upper hand just because she knows my secret she is wrong.