In Love With a Vampire

Chapter Three

Donna

I slammed my palms on my table and forced air into my lungs. I felt light-headed and queasy, like I was about to vomit.

“Mistress? Mistress are you alright?”

Had my father sent her after me or had she seen my unhinged state and followed me? There were already rumors spreading around the kingdom. Rumors that I was weak and therefore an unfit leader. I suddenly went still and lifted my gaze to the mirror sitting on top of the table. I looked pale and distraught. At least that is how I imagined my reflection would be.

How I wish our kind could see themselves through these bloody objects!

“How many?”

I shifted my body to view Maria’s face and watched as it contorted in confusion. She was still a child. She should be with her parents learning to properly hunt and to distinguish scents. Instead, she was stuck with me for the rest of her life.

That was the curse of being born a Hand.

“Pardon me, Mistress?”

“I asked you how many Maria?”

Her lower lip was trembling and her eyes were beginning to well. She twiddled her thumbs as she desperately searched for an answer.

“Mistress I don’t understand-"

“You are the most useless Hand in the history of your kind! How can you not answer such a simple question? Huh Maria? Are you deaf as well as dumb?”

I brought a finger to my left temple. It had been painfully throbbing for a while now. The excruciating stabs of pain had started while I was conversing with my father. By the time he dismissed me, I had to squint so as to make my way into my room.

You need to feed Donna.

“Mistress I am sorry I do not know-"

“Get out Maria…”

Maria opened and closed her mouth successively before she whimpered and dashed away from my room. The moment she left, I staggered towards my freezer and yanked it open. The sight of blood excited me and heightened the lust that I was already feeling. My teeth significantly lengthened as I greedily grabbed one of the blood bags and dug my teeth into the plastic casing. With each sip I felt stronger, calmer. Soon, my head cleared and the queasiness dissipated.

“Will this be a common sight?”

My body went numb at the sound of Sorokin’s velvet voice. I had once heard the servants ask each other if Sorokin sang. Now I could not help but wonder the same. Especially because I would not be around for a year.

“I yelled at Maria…I called her useless all because I was hungry and…and…”

“Angry? I take it you have talked to your father?”

I bobbed my head still not looking at him. I could feel his dominant presence behind me. Each time the floor creaked my heartbeat accelerated.

“Do not worry yourself with the likes of Maria. When you return you will become the tribe leader…Do you know what that means?”

“I hope it does not mean that I am going to constantly yell at my Hand.”

A strained sigh escaped Sorokin’s mouth as a weak laugh emanated from mine. Poignant silence filled the room.

“I leave tonight. Father’s human contact will house Maria and me upon our arrival in the human realm. Father says it is a man and a woman and that they will teach us to blend in, to be one of them. Father also says that I do not need to worry about the sun, can you imagine Sorokin? Being able to bathe in the sun?”

I smiled as I pictured myself taking in the warmth of the sun without worrying about my skin scalding or well, dying.

“Is that all your father said?”

My smile vanished.

“What do you mean?”

“You know what I mean.”

“Would I ask if I knew what you meant?”

“Donna, Donna look at me.”

I rapidly shook my head, my skin suddenly feeling hot. I wiped my mouth with the hem of my dress and delicately closed the blood bag. I could not afford to waste a single drop of blood. The whole tribe could not afford to waste a single drop of blood. I pushed myself from the wooden floor and brought the plastic casing to the freezer. Before replacing it, I slowly turned and stretched my arm offering Sorokin the bag.

“Take it.”

Sorokin’s piercing green eyes slowly flitted from me to the plastic casing in my hand. I watched as his Adam’s apple bobbed and as he licked his lips. His chest heaved as his breathing grew labored. I watched as he got overcome with desire. I held my breath as he dashed towards me at sonic speed. I expected him to dig his teeth into the blood bag but instead, he brought his hands to my face and gingerly ran his fingers across my face. When he spoke, I caught a glimpse of his elongated canines.

“I would rather have you instead…”

It was funny how a few words strung together could have such a powerful effect on me. My knees grew weak and I found myself keeling towards Sorokin. His sandalwood scent infiltrated my nostrils; I inhaled the scent in, enjoying what I knew were the last moments of our interaction.

Tell him how you truly feel Donna.

“Sorokin I…I…”

“Run away with me Donna.”

I felt the plastic casing slipping from my clammy fingers. I tried to hold on to it but I could not because the blood bag did not have my undivided focus. When the casing finally hit the floor with a muffled splat, I flinched but still, I did not avert my gaze toward it. I was fixated on Sorokin, on what he was saying to me; one what he was implying.

“Sorokin my tribe needs me.”

“The tribe does not value you as a leader…they do not think you can take after your father…Donna you hardly leave the castle because you cannot bear to see them suffering and when you do leave the castle you feel pity for our game…You are even worried about hurting the feelings of your Hand, a mere servant. Do you truly think that you are strong enough to carry out this mission? To deceive a whole race?”

It was like I had been slapped. An aggressive slap, the kind that left behind a lingering sting. I shoved Sorokin away from me and bent down to pick up the plastic casing. There was no blood splatter on the floor; it had survived the fall after all. As I replaced the blood bag in the freezer, I rapidly blinked to keep my tears at bay. Sorokin did not love me, at least not in the way I loved him. He simply cared for me. Like a trainer or an elder sibling.

But he kissed you.

But he had not done so now. Now he was telling me to run away from my problems instead of facing them head-on. Now he was echoing the doubts of the tribe members and making me feel small and stupid.

I had been such a fool.

“My father’s lack of compassion is the reason why our people are suffering. While you might see this trait as a weakness, I see it as a strength. Compassion is what will make me see this mission through, compassion is what will make me save my people. Now please leave me be. I have some packing to do.”

“Donna I-"

“On your way out, tell Maria to come to my room. I need to apologize to her. That will be all Master Sorokin.”

I held Sorokin’s gaze and watched as he battled with a churn of emotions. After a few seconds, he blinked and lowered his gaze before leaving my room without uttering a single word.

When he closed the door behind him, I fell to my knees and wept.