Ch. 3-

Dirk started up again after the pause, "Now that I've went through the Terms, should we go over the house rules?" He looked to the others, looking for their opinions. Though some held more authority than others in certain situations, it seemed overall a democratic process.

Rose spoke up, "I think that is fitting, I shall debrief her. If you all wish to get back to your normal proceedings, I believe it would be safe to call this meeting adjourned." With Rose's word, the others departed, and she walked over to Jade. "Follow me." She simply said, walking over to a door and waiting for her to follow. Jade got up, walking over to her, even though she was unsure of what she would be led to.

When Rose opened the doors, a magnificent dining room appeared before them. But Jade was confused. "Um," she started, "why would you guys need a dining room?" She hinted, but wasn't quite sure if the implications would get across.

It did.

She giggled lightly, "Common mistake. We can eat, it just doesn't have any effect to us. We can still enjoy flavor, though." Her violet eyes twinkled in amusement, "Also, I love garlic!" Her giggling turned into full-blown laughter- Jade could tell she really enjoyed the irony in it. Rose calmed herself before continuing, "We can also go out in the sun, but only when wearing sunglasses and a LOT of hypo-allergenic sunscreen. If you need me to dispel any more myths or have a question, feel free to ask me." Rose walked through two steel doors, and Jade was shocked at what she saw. Rose turned to her, smiling, "just because we're old and live forever doesn't mean we can't keep up with technology."

Where Jade had expected at least an old stove or something, there was modern-ware and some original gadgetry. 'Right- Dirk said he enjoyed robotics.' Jade remembered, 'Did he make these himself?'

"Also," Rose added, "Kanaya is quite the excellent cook." She smiled proudly, turned, and went out of the room. Jade followed her closely, "While I'm giving you this grand tour, I should tell you where everything is." Rose said as Jade followed behind her to the library. "The parlor is at the front of the house- where we had our household meeting. The pool is in the southeast corner, to the right of the parlor, along with changing rooms. We also have a den, a room with all our old clothing, a room with historical artifacts of vague importance, two bathrooms, a game room, a mechanical workshop, and Roxy's computer lab are on the main floor. We have a greenhouse in the backyard, and upstairs has all of the bedrooms." She started up the stairs, and Jade followed. When they reached the top, Rose said there were four bedrooms. Only four? Jade thought, but there's five vampires and three huma- Jade stopped and realized. Kanaya and Rose obviously shared a bed. Dave had winked at Karkat and he's most likely his patron vampire, so they probably shared a room. That probably meant that John shared a room with Roxy-

And she would share a room with Dirk.

Rose confirmed her suspicions just seconds later. "You will be staying in this room, with Dirk." Rose yawned, which reminded Jade that vampires are nocturnal. "You'll have to get acclimated to sleeping during the day, but it's alright for you to stay up at this time." She rubbed her drowsy eyes, "Don't try to escape, there are traps and alarms of various design that prevent humans from getting in or out. Good day." And with that, she slunk into what Jade presumed to be Kanaya and her room. Jade stood there for a couple minutes, wondering about the road ahead. What would she be forced to do? Sure, they had been relatively hospitable so far, but what would be done to her if she didn't comply? She shivered at the thought.

Eventually, she decided to go check out the greenhouse. If these seven people are going to be the only ones she would be able to talk with for a long time, she hoped to get along with them all- even if she was being held prisoner. She felt like she would really get along with Kanaya, especially if she liked gardening. She went down the spiral staircase that went into the library, and was surprised to find Dirk there.

He raised an eyebrow, "And where do you think you're going?" He slipped a bookmark into the book he was reading, setting it down on the table next to the plush velvet chair he was sitting on. He stood up and approached her calmly.

"I-I just thought I would check out the greenhouse." Jade explained, gesturing to the door with a thumb, but Dirk shook his head a little bit.

"You can do that later. For now, you're coming with me." He started up the stairs toward her, grabbing her wrist in a fluid motion and continuing up the stairs, dragging her along with him. She kept up with him, following him up the stairs quickly. She was really nervous and more than a bit scared, but she didn't ask any questions.

They reached the top of the stairs, and he brought her into his bedroom. She could feel herself involuntarily tense from fear, but willed herself forward. Dirk suddenly stopped, swinging Jade into a dip where he held her off the floor. He gazed deep into her green eyes that were filled with surprise, and she looked at his. She didn't know what was going on, but it seemed like there was much more to him that nobody had really seen before. People have said that eyes are the windows to the soul, and she definitely believed that, especially when she looked into his. After a little while, he pulled her back to her feet and began leading her into a waltz. She was surprised and inwardly thankful that she knew how to, following him in the dance. There weren't any words as he pulled her close, to the point where their bodies were pressed against each other. Jade felt butterflies rise in her chest, their lips were just a breath apart.

She barely knew him, and it hadn't even been a day since they met, but it seemed like so much longer that she'd somehow known him- yet she didn't.