Chapter 9
*Knock knock*
"Who is it?" Claudia called, rubbing her eyes, the strange castle never seemed to go into day, so the vampire slept when the feeling overwhelmed her, and that seemed to be happening more frequently since she had nothing to occupy her time with.
The baby vampire had been stuck in the same room for over a week now, being fed bags of blood for food (much to her disappointment) and cups of coffee.
*knock knock*
"Come in!" the redhead called once more before kicking the silk sheets off of her pale legs and plodding over to the door, in her half dazed state she tore open the silver door, burning her hands, to find a depressed looking servant with short blond hair looking at the floor, holding a white dress and a bag of blood.
"Hello Miss Donovan, the madam of the house wishes to call upon you for supper this evening… if you wish to be let out of your room for a few hours that is?" the servant asked in a monotone voice, not glancing up to look at her at all.
"Um… Sure, if the 'lady of the house' commands it Mr… I'm sorry what's your name?"
"Steve Jinks, Miss Donovan, servant and cook of the lady Wells"
"Why didn't Leena come to tell me the news?"
"She has been… moved to a different part of the castle to work"
Commence shifty eye movement and shuffled feet
"If you wish to attend, the Madam has asked you to wear this dress… Don't ask me why"
"Okkkk"
The boy handed the dress over, also the bag of blood (lunch she assumed)
"Miss Donovan…"
"Claudia please, Miss Donovan makes me sound so old!"
"But… you're a vampire… you are old…"
"Don't change the subject Jinksy"
"It's Steve"
"I like Jinksy much better"
*sighs* "Fine…"
"Yay! Now if only I could beat H.G like that I'd be out of here in no time"
Awkward silence…
"Miss Dono… I mean 'Claudia', is that a yes to the invitation?"
"Yep, put me down for dinner plus one, and make sure my blood is warm! This cold clotted blood makes me almost want to eat normal food"
"I can guarantee the blood will be… fresh"
"Thank you Jinksy, one question before you go?"
"Mhmm"
"Can you… Tell Leena… If you see her around… That… I'm really sorry for how I behaved"
The vampire glanced down, her eyes glassing over, the servant nodded and walked away slowly, his tattered suit clinging to his back.
"That's what Leena said to say to you Miss Donovan" Steve whispered, the vampire hearing barely catching it as the boy turned the corner.
/
/
H.G's plan was working perfectly, her spies confirmed that Bianca was in fact losing her mind to a swirl of loss and anger, she had yet to find Claudia in the girl's new prison, the perfect penance for what Bianca had stolen from H.G.
The lady strode through the cold castle halls, taking in portraits of her supposed female 'ancestors' when in fact they were only her, repeated over time, they only difference the style of hair and garments per the newest trend.
There was one from when she was still human, her eyes youthful and hopeful, her favourite blouse and slacks, fresh from a mission, from what she recalled.
The next was several years later, she was donned in a fluttery green dress, fabric laced into the sternum of the garment, hair cut short and curled, dancing with a man in a tuxedo.
After that she pursued a nursing position, the portrait showing her applying a cloth to a bandaged soldiers face. The picture more rough and undefined.
After the portraits the pictures turned to blown up pictures
World War Two warehouse worker
Holding the contract as the new business owner of a club called 'Endless Wonder'
The club itself with sailors and women dancing together, H.G was standing on a platform casually looking over her guests.
Then… the last picture
It was the picture Charles and Peter had taken, on Myka and H.G's engagement, the look of pure untainted happiness, made H.G's chest burn with regret as to what she was doing…
/
/
"Well Miss Donovan, I trust you have been enjoying your stay?" The older vampire asked politely, her hand encasing a glass goblet filled with red wine, her body tilted so her legs pushed to the right side of the old wooden chair with the plush cushioned back.
The redhead scowled and remained silent, her arms held down by silver cuffs, padded with leather, if she was to lurch forward or upward, the leather would slip off and she would be burned into next week.
The women were in what could only be described as a study, the walls covered with hard back books, mostly first editions. There was a desk in the far corner covered with papers and files and a few pictures of shady people. The table they were sitting at was only small, oak and made to play chess upon, the black and white tiles cut into the wood and lacquered over. The table sat in front of the hearth, casting shadows across the vampires faces, making the falsely pleasant dinner seem more challenging and if Claudia was honest 'scary'.
"You must really not be so impolite Miss Donovan, or I might just accidently nudge you with my leg and cause your bonds to slip", the vampire doing the actions as she described them, causing the young woman to hiss with the sudden burning pain, a pair of angry red lines showing up on each wrist.
"Crazy old lady" Claudia muttered before saying in a voice dripping with sarcasm and honey "my stay has been divine, all the cold stone walls and the inescapable towers and oh! I can't forget the endless supply of shiny silver things' Claudia finished with an eye roll before carefully readjusting her seat, the dress making it hard to stay upright.
"Seems like manners are dead in this time… How about we skip the pleasantries and go straight to our meal hmm?"
"Finally! You say something I can agree on"
H.G's polite smile turned small and sly as she lifted a small bell and shook it until it rang, summoning none other than Leena and Jinksy through the door, also an older lady who seemed more well-kept than the others, she wore a plain suit, untattered unlike Jinksys ill-fitting one, and her hair combed and put up into a beehive bun. She was holding a small remote, barely bigger than her palm, with a single button on top.
"Ah Mrs Fredrick, I want you to meet my guest Miss Donovan, Miss Donovan this is Mrs Fredrick, she is, in all sense of the phrase 'my second in command'. She has brought us dinner" H.G said in a joyous voice, her smile a bit too happy to be false. Something was up.
Leena held her head down as did Jinksy whilst Mrs Fredrick walked behind them, obviously a gesture of submission. When they came close to the table Leena glanced up briefly to find who she was about to get feed to, and stopped walking in surprise, causing Mrs Fredrick to bump into her and making them both fall over.
Leena apologised quickly and with a lot of 'sorrys'.
Mrs Fredrick gently whispered 'it's ok' but her eyes were glued to H.G, who gave a small nod.
With a grimace and obviously a lot of reluctance, Mrs Fredrick pressed the remote controls button, causing both of the human blood banks to hit the ground (for Leena again) and shake violently, their eyes screwed shut and hands clenched tightly.
