Of Fangs And Fury

Chapter Two

Caderyn

With Mother and Tahir having their usual breakfast in the greenhouse, I assumed Delara was taken there after she arrived. Curious of her, of all she brought, and how science may look different from magik, I found myself down the hall from the library where Mother said she’d be staying. She would be needing one of the studies and the attached room was remodeled into a bedroom. With the bedroom door closed, but the study open, I slowly enter.

I halt as soon as a see her by the windows. Tall for a female, curvier too, there’s more than just her warm tinted skin that tells the Half-blood difference. In the doorframe, I eye her… I don’t know if I should be surprised to see her in pants, though maybe for a pair that fitted. And as her hands push through her hair, her blouse lifts up her arched back. One hand holds at the nape of her neck, the other following the long length of bronze, chestnut hair. Her delicate wrist twirls as she twists the ends, then her arm reaches up before she starts making a bun. She tucks the ends and then pulls at a ribbon under her sleeve. After tying it, her hands drop to her hips. I see her shoulders rise and fall with her breath. Gli dei, per favore abbi pietà di me.

I come into the room slowly, forcing myself to look past her and through the window. “Beautiful view, don’t you think?”

Thankfully, she doesn’t turn around. “Oh, yes. It’s lovely.”

I look around the mostly unpacked room. “Not too distracting, I hope?”

She glances at her desk, too. “Oh, no… I think I’ll rather enjoy it.”

As she turns her head right, I slide to the left. She points to a trunk next to a bookcase. Mistaking me for a servitore, she asks, “Would you mind unpacking those books?” she waves her hand before turning back to her desk, “Alphabetical order by title will be fine.”

I shrug and head over to it. Crouching, I open what looks to be the largest chest in the room. Filled beyond the brim, I have to catch a book that falls out. While doing as asked, I try to keep up the conversation. “So, what exactly are you hoping to achieve here?”

At my quick glance, she’s rearranging all these glass things that look like odd cookware. “Well, Her Majesty has asked that I try and find a cure for the blood disorder commonly called the Dragon Mutation. If I can figure out what exactly makes the blood different from a normal Vampire – well, I guess I should say, a Pure-blood Vampire, then maybe I can find a way to reverse or mutate it back or… something,” she sighs.

“Is blood work your specialty?”

Her head tips side to side, “I guess you could say that. What I actually do is understand things at a micro level.”

I stand up with a few books starting to place them, “Micro?”

“Oh, sorry, it means very small – so small that they are or almost too small for the Vampire eye to see.”

I nod. “Do you use magik to see things that small?”

She laughs a sweet, carefree laugh that makes me smile too. “Nope! We are able to combine certain types of glass and rays of lights to be able to magnify small things to make them visible to the Vampire's eye.” Holding a sort of tube up, she examines it, “You can try it if you’d like, I have a few slides.”

Caught up in the situation, I don’t think. “Sure.”

As I walk over to the desk, she holds a glass cube in one hand and the tube out in the other. “Have a look.”

Her eyes are on the slide in her hand, making sure it matches with the edge of the tube. I use one eye to look through the tube and see a blade of grass as if it’s the size of my finger. I back up, “How cool.”

With a huge smile on her face, she turns to me. Then her eyes go wide and her hand limp. The glass cube falls to the floor and shatters. I quickly put the tube down on the desk and back up, “I’m sorry.”

Her head is shaking. “N-no, I’m sorry.” Her expression contorts and she puts a hand in front of her mouth. “You’re….”

My eyes drop to the floor, feeling contrite for scaring her. I finish her sentence, “Leaving.” and I exit before another word can be said.

Delara

Not knowing what else to do with my life since I’ve royally f****d myself, I am guided to breakfast. Maybe if I can just make a good impression with Her Majesty, then I’ll be forgiven for the Prince Caderyn fiasco. Oh Gods, but what if he’s there too? Nothing in my stomach yet I feel as if I’m going to vomit.

I try to admire the palace as we go. The monochromatic scheme is of black, silver metal, with greys, and dark woods. Their tapestries depicting night skies and The Festival Delle Luci, the tables are covered in moss and night-blooming jasmine.

Then, the greenhouse door is opened for me and with my first step in, I’m instantly in awe. Flora is one of the biggest reasons I chose the field of study I did and is one of the most useful tools in the work I do. Looking around, I realize everything I could possibly need is here and I am presented with more options to work with than I originally guessed.

Cupping the lip of a calla lily, I get a wee bit distracted. I hear Prince Tahir’s voice. “Oh, Madame Delara, I thought that was you!”

I drop the flower and face him, “I’m sorry, I was thinking how useful this might be.”

I notice him give me a once over, then his eyes stay on my face and his cheeks go pink. Knowing better than he might be attracted to me, surely, he was just not prepared to see me in pants, I walk towards him. “So, breakfast?” even though I’m back to feeling queasy.

He offers his arm, like a true gentleman, to which I softly place my hand on the crook of his elbow. He nods, “We have quite a lot to choose from and Linus, the chef, can make sure to make your blood however you like it.”

“Oh, I drank last week, but thank you.”

“Ah, yes… that’s a,” and I know he’s searching for a nicer term for Half-blood.

There isn’t one, “Yes, a Half-blood thing. I have to drink much less often than a Pure-blood or I’ll get sick.”

He nods once, “Interesting.”

At the long iron garden table, I notice only three place settings. “Is Prince Caderyn not joining us?”

Prince Tahir pulls out my chair for me and helps guide me in closer to the table, then he takes his seat across from his mother. I bow my head to her quickly, “Your Majesty.”

Her smile is regal, her expression polite but reserved. “Scholarra Dyad, how lovely you could join us… and no, my other son tends to eat on his own.”

So, it’s not just me. “He was very nice when I spoke to him in the study,” I try to compliment.

Prince Tahir snorts, “Nice? Are you sure you were talking to my brother?” When I look confused, he continues, “Yellow hair, golden eyes, a permanent scowl on his face?”

Knowing no other Vampire to have that description, knowing no other Vampire could physically have that description, I nod. “He was asking about my work, he helped put some of my books away.” I glance between the Prince and his mother, my heart pounding. “I’m afraid I may have offended him, though, I didn’t realize it was him at first. I wasn’t -”

But Her Majesty gestures to me softly, in a motherly way. “My other son has a habit of winding persons up; you are fine, my dear.”

I nod and turn my focus to food. Maybe some bread or fruit would be okay on my tumbling stomach. But it’s in mid-chew Her Majesty asks a question, “Scholarra Dyad, when would be an appropriate time for your first appointment with my son? I would like you both to be prepared for whatever may need to happen.”

Trying to chew and swallow as quickly as possible, I end up coughing a little. “Well, the first step will be a physical. Which, I can perform; however, I assumed you would want to call -”

But she cuts me off again, “We trust your work, no male will need to be called.” But then she examines my face, “Unless that is something you wish.”

Be professional, com’on Lara. Just because he’s one of the most handsome males you’ve ever seen doesn’t mean you can’t do your work. Just because you want him to push you up against the wall and kiss you doesn’t mean show weakness. “Wonderful. Thank you. I will be ready by the afternoon if he is available.”

Prince Tahir chimes in, “He usually doesn’t run off to that seedy pub until nightfall.”

Her Majesty waves for a servitore. When the female arrives, bending slightly, the Queen’s voice is soft. “Please have Jasper inform Prince Caderyn that Scholarra Dyad will be ready to see him at three o’clock for a physical.”