It did not take much for my thirst to be quenched. The child's blood was sweet and warm, flowing freely onto my tongue. I drank slowly, savoring the taste as her tiny body writhed underneath mine. I held her still, until she no longer twisted, only shook as her eyes fluttered shut. Her breathing began to slow, and I stopped. Three millennia taught many things including control over the thirst.

I stroked her hair gently in a calming gesture before standing up from the sofa and walking over to my desk on the other side of the room. I opened one of the drawers and took out a small but very sharp knife and cut into my hand. As one of the vampires created by the first, I was different than others of our kind. I had no pulse, but the blood I drank from others filled itself in my frozen veins and changed, only released through my palms.

Walking over to the girl who still lied unconscious, I tipped my palm over her mouth and let my own blood drip in. Her eyes began to open, and as they did, I put my hand over her mouth and encouraged her to drink as she fought me back. I watched the mark on her neck slowly fade away before I released her and she coughed over the edge, a tear falling down her cheek. When she caught her breath, she moved back as far away as she could on the sofa to distance herself from me. I sat at the other end.

"What did you do?" she asked between panicked breaths.

"Feel your neck," I replied. She reached up where I bit her and touched the area which was now completely healed. "This is part of the arrangement, little one. You allow me to feed, and in turn, you'll be taken care of. It's quite simple."

Her eyes darted around the room. I could not tell if she was trying to find an escape or whether she was trying to find something to focus on besides what I had told her. Certainly she knew that escape was impossible by now. Her eyes eventually settled back on her hands. Her whole body held tension like she could explode at any moment. It was quite a sight to watch. The human child was very interesting. Funny the things they do when they feel trapped.

I reached over and took her hand in mine and her thoughts flooded in. Smiling, I continued, "You wonder about the bite? That, my pet, is part of my little secret, and if you are good, I may let you in on it. I've already shown you one, but you have yet to earn the other. Let's just say that I am able to bite a human without fear of changing them if I do not wish for it which means you have plenty use for me."

Moving my hand, I began stroking her hair once more as I watched the information sink in and the tears flow freely, something I expected much sooner than now. I picked her up and placed her in my lap, holding her quivering form until it was silent. When I looked down, she was asleep. It was no surprise as I had taken enough blood that she would need rest to recover. It had also been a long day for her to begin with. When she woke, we would talk.

I picked her up and carried her into the other room off of the study. When I made it to the bed, I pulled down the sheets and placed her carefully, covering her up to keep her warm. She looked peaceful lying there, like an angel. I watched for a while as her chest rose and fell until there was a knock on the outside door.

Standing up, I left the bedroom to see who would interrupt. Marcus stood there, and I welcomed him in. We both sat on the sofa, and he gave me his hand. An earlier conversation with Caius played in my mind, and I grinned. "Caius is still not keen on having a human live here?"

"He sees to her as a distraction," Marcus answered.

"He would be correct in saying that she is, but should I have killed her when Demetri so kindly brought her to me? Her blood is marvelous."

"Where is she now?"

Nodding toward the bedroom door, I said, "She's sleeping, something her body must need by this point." I turned back to my brother. "The poor girl has gone through much in her young life. It is a small price I ask of her in return for giving her what she otherwise would have never had. She is different than the others, Marcus, yet I have no clue why. Perhaps you can enlighten me?"

"As for that, I cannot. Time may tell otherwise," my brother replied. "How was her reaction?"

I smiled. "It was as I expected. She is confused; after all, the stories only twist the tales of the vampires that were once known centuries ago. The story of the first and the three was never shared outside of our families. Humans do not know the truth of the vampire and most vampires are unaware of their origins."

"But you plan to tell her?"

"Time may tell, yes?"

Marcus stood, and I followed him to the door. I closed the door behind him as he left and made my way back into the bedroom where Ariana was still sound asleep. Lying on the bed next to her, I stroked the soft skin of her cheek. It was still wet from the tears, and I wiped away what moisture I could, placing a small kiss on her forehead.

"My little pet, what fun we will have together."