drain the blood

Bambi felt a strange amount of safety with Arthur’s arm around her. She couldn’t help but blush slightly with the kiss on her head. “Oh… Ice cream would be lovely sir… I haven’t had it in so long…” She almost bounced with excitement. “If.. If you would like to dress me up I wouldn’t mind… I know our cell clothes aren’t the most pretty…” She huffed out. 

“Not at all. If you want to find out what it can’t do, misbehave. If you want to see what it can do, behave. I like to be very transparent.” That was a lie, but for the sake of that sentence, it was true in the moment. 

“Then I suppose I should cross my heart and promise that I’ll be the most well behaved,” he replied, a small smirk curling at his lips. He’d never been told that he should behave by a slave before. Normally they wanted to behave for him. “I’m afraid I don’t believe you on one thing though. No one is ever transparent. We all like to hide things.”

“You’re making it sound like misbehaving is the more exciting option. So I have to ask, what happens when I don’t behave?” he asked, tilting his head in curiosity.

I bet he knows how to have fun at a party, and he’s good looking. What’s not to like? Maybe I should invite him out for a drink.

What a pretty little thing. She looks like she might tear me apart if she had the chance but I still want to see how sweet she tastes. 

There has to be something else under all that posturing and manners. Hopefully they haven’t broken him so far that there isn’t still a person under there. It would be a real shame.

There’s just something so fascinating about the innocent. That sweetness can’t last forever, someone will regretfully, destroy it. Likely before I get the chance to enjoy it. But it’ll be fun while it lasts. 

    Darragh nodded his head, “Thank you, Arthur.” He used the man’s name deliberately. Deciding then that the man seemed like the type who didn’t have a liking to sir. He could adjust for that as needed. This was about the master after all, not him.

   As they stood at the cafe, Darragh didn’t even look at the menu, knowing that the words would do him no good when he had no idea how to actually read them. “Either works. Whatever you desire.” he nodded towards the man. “I will defer to your decision on how you’d like to spend our time together.”

Arthur had to admit, he was surprised when the slave chose to use his name but maybe he was just trying to please him. It was a pleasant surprise so he supposed he had in that way. The thought was put behind him as they stopped at the cafe. 

There didn’t seem to be a way to make him to convince Duke to relax so he wasn’t going to push it. Maybe he would open up more when there weren’t many people around. “Alright, I’ll order something and we can take it back to my home.” Stepping up to the counter, Arthur went a little overboard, ordering fruit salad, a sandwich and some pastries just because the cashier recommended them. Once he had everything in a bag, he held it out for Duke to take. “All yours,” he promised. 

   The ones who seemed to insist on small shows of equality always confused Darragh. The man slowing into step were one of those. Obviously, the man knew his status and no doubt he had already sniffed his species. A human. The lowest run on the ladder.

   He didn’t understand these ones, he never had.

  “That sounds perfect, sir.” He responded easily. Fruit was always easy on his stomach and he knew that it would give him enough sugar for any loss of blood. Stepping towards the car, Darragh looked up, “Duke is what most people call me, sir.”

Arthur knew he was a human and was likely used to being on the bottom of the food chain so to speak. But Arthur still enjoyed drinking from human’s and hearing their stories. 

“Alright, Duke it is. And you may call me Arthur, or sir. Whichever you’re comfortable with,” he offered. It felt like the slave would be more comfortable with the latter so he would give him that choice. Arthur went around to the other side of the car. They had only driven a few streets before he pulled up outside a cafe so they could get Duke something to eat. 

He waited until Duke was by his side again before he looked over the menu. “Do you want to eat in or get something take away?” he asked, knowing he didn’t mind either way. He wasn’t the one who was going to be eating after all. 

   Darragh nodded his head, “Yes, sir. I understand.” It was always easier for the slave to just assume that he was going to be punished for any little thing he may or may not do. It easier to accept punishments when you were always ready for them. At least it felt that way to Darragh.

    “Of course, sir.” He stepped out and kept a respectable and respectful distance from the man. He began to follow the man, his hands tucked behind his back as they walked. “I understand.” He assumed then that the man would no doubt be wanting to feed from him, “Feel free to pick whatever food you’d like, sir. I know some have preferences as it can affect the blood flavor.”

This slave seemed to be trained almost too well. It was as if he expected that everything would end in some kind of punishment and Arthur wanted discourage it but he was also a realist. Not everyone could be kind to a slave and he wasn’t going to lull him into a false sense of security. 

Feeling that Darragh was behind him, he took a few slower steps to move in step beside him. “Well you’re not wrong but I don’t think they’re feeding you anything toxic enough to make your blood taste bad,” Arthur pointed out. “How about some fruit salad or something?” he offered. As they stepped outside, he lead the slave forward to his car, opening the door for him. “Before I forget, what’s your name?” he asked, hovering by the open door.

When he pulled her close she happily tucked herself against him. “I do my best…” She giggled softly her head resting against him. She was happy to be getting out of the cells, actually feeling like he wanted to take care of her. “A treat? Like what sir?” Her face lit up once more, pulling away to look up at him a little better. 

Lilith watched him, her power absorbing his aura and able to tell that he was one of the people who might feel that way. She hummed. “Like you?” She asked him. “Would you like a show? Or are you more of a performer, yourself?”

Arthur wasn’t denying that he was one of the people looking at her like she was the most interesting thing in the world. “Yes exactly, just like me,” he answered her easily. Now that was an interesting prospect and he straightened in his seat. “I would love a show. I could be a performer depending on what kind of act you’re hoping to see.”

   What the man couldn’t understand is that many would use that as an excuse to beat him. He didn’t get upset because it gave them the permission to punish him. Darragh did everything in his power to avoid punishments, even if he knew that he was more recently over do for one. It had been too long. “I was trained to not get upset over such things, sir.” He settled on.

    Wonderful little cage. “Yes, sir. I would like to get out.” Obviously the man wasn’t going to get him out unless he voiced his own desire. He would do anything for some fresh air at that point, even if it meant having to entertain one of them when his mind was busy.

Arthur hadn’t been in the city long enough to see all the bad things that went on. He had an inkling, considering how some slaves reacted to him just because he was a master. “Then I won’t fault you for it but I can tell you, I was taught there is no use crying over spilled milk.” Maybe a slave couldn’t see it that way but he wanted him to know that Arthur didn’t plan on punishing him.

Waving his hand, he called the guard over having decided he would take this one home with him for the night. “Then let’s get out of here, shall we?” he suggested once the cell door swung open. “We may need to make a stop on the way back to get something to each for you. I’m afraid I don’t really eat that,” he explained, turning to lead them outside to his waiting car.

bambi stood when he turned to talk to the guard, trying to contain how excited she was to be getting out of the cells. when the cell door was open she happily took his hand, standing on her toes to kiss him on the cheek softly. “thank you sir… i promise… i’ll be very very good…” she tangled her fingers with his as she spoke, tucking herself against his side. 

Customer traffic was dulling as the afternoon dragged on. Which had prompted Eliza to switch back and fourth between the back room and the counter, bringing papers with her when she wasn’t assisting the late wranglers who showed up with lasting intervals. She had never been much fond of paperwork, especially not the long, detailed agreements one had to sign these days with different vendors and delivery companies. It made her wonder if she shouldn’t invest in a delivery truck and driver in order to skip the middle man so to speak. She had just finished underlining a part of the contract in front of her, when a male voice drew her attention. It wasn’t often Eliza’s attention was drawn enough for a customer to walk in without her noticing, but this appeared to be one of those occasions. When she recognized the handsome vampire though, it all made sense. She couldn’t quite decide whether to commend him for being slightly sneaky, but also resourceful enough to find her again, or insinuate that his interest might this time surpass that of dramatic fairytales told with drinks in hands. 

“Mister Vane! What a delightful surprise. Of course we do have several bouquets available.” She said with a warm smile. Though she could smell a joke as he went on. “Oh really, what is she like this woman? Do you think she’d prefer tulips or orchids? Or ought roses to be the main feature? It really does depend on your intent with this bouquet.” Eliza didn’t pull back or back down, she was finding it all to be highly amusing and intriguing, trying to suss out his intentions. Whatever else he was, natural comedian was indeed on that list. Laughing she tilted her head. “Only if the gesture isn’t genuine. You know there’s nothing as tacky as buying beautiful flowers without intent.” Almost closing the remaining distance between their faces, her voice was low but light as she spoke. “If your intention is to charm me though, I’d say you do that pretty well on your own, flowers or no flowers.” 

While it wasn’t a surprise that Eliza worked in a florist, he was still intrigued by the store. No other store had flowers that bloomed so well, no matter the season. It was a shop he had walked past a few times but never gone into until now. Knowing it was owned by the fiery witch he had met, it made the store all that more appealing to him. “It is a delight to see you again as well,” he grinned, knowing that he had purposefully sought her out. Eliza seemed to know that as well though he was glad she could play along for a little bit. “Ah, how to describe her,” he hummed, tapping his fingers thoughtfully against his chin. They had only had one chance to know each other over drinks and stories so his knowledge wasn’t full proof. “She is a beautiful woman, full of life and mystery. As you can imagine, it’s hard to know what type of flowers to get a woman like that,” he mused. 

She could feel the darkness around him. But it wasn’t demonic. It was something else. “It can absolutely be both. That’s why I came. To watch the show and then perhaps find someone to give me one in which I can be involved. If they’re interesting.” 

“It’s always better when it’s both,” he agreed, his gaze returning to her. “Well, when you showed up looking that that, I’m sure everyone is interested in the kind of show you’d enjoy.” Arthur included himself in that list because the woman was beautiful. She had an aura that demanded attention and he was surprised someone wasn’t already sitting at her feet. He wouldn’t be that pet but it was a show he would want to see.