Sorry everyone for the delay, life and other things as well as having a bit of struggles writing took this longer than usual to get out.
As always, I want to thank each and every one of your for your wonderful reviews, you're truly awesome people and your words really touch me :3
You can also read my stuff on Tumblr, my user name there is Strickycub (there's also a couple things there I haven't uploaded to as well as I occasionally do sketchy stuff)
Enjoy!
Despite the protests of the King and Peppermint Butler, Bonnibel had insisted upon staying by Marceline's side for the entirety of the day, from the moment the pink-haired girl had awoken to the late afternoon where the sun was already beginning to fall behind the horizon in a sunburst of colours. They had tried their best to get her to let go of the limp, grey corpse, to come downstairs for her lunch and for her dinner, but had soon relented when it became very clear that there was no way she would leave her friend on her own.
No. She would stay here until Marceline woke, until she finally came back to her. She wouldn't be able to focus on anything else until that happened. Peppermint had quietly brought in her meals for her to consume, although they were left mostly untouched by the bedside as the Princess clung to the lifeless body under the sheets.
It was almost surreal. She had not cried any more tears, she had simply lay beside her, perhaps in a state of shock as she ran her fingers over a skinny wrist where a pulse no longer thumped. Bonnibel had shared stories with Marceline, as if maybe her voice alone would bring her back. Told her about everything she had been up to while Marcy had been away in the army, some stories were funny, others more embarrassing than anything else.
Letting out a long, quiet sigh, Bonnibel closed her eyes momentarily, shrugging her shoulders as she pushed herself up in bed. Sliding her slender legs over the edge of the mattress, she let her feet dangle to and fro, stretching out the tense tendons in her legs before pressing her feet down onto the plush carpet and standing. The sun was almost completely over the horizon now, and so she went over to the curtains, gently fingering the velvety fabric between fingertips before drawing them open to let the coolness of the night blow freely into the stuffy room.
Taking a few steps out onto her balcony, the tiles beneath her feet still warm, she peered out over her kingdom and into the lands far beyond. A cool breeze flicked her hair around her face, some strands of it whipping into her eyes and causing her to blink rapidly at the assault. Lifting a hand to her face, she used the palm of it to rub at her eyes. Bonnibel sighed quietly as she let the arm drop back to her side, staring out at the darkness now washing over the lands with the Sun's disappearance behind the edge of Ooo.
A shuffling sound from back in the bedroom put Bonni on alert, causing the girl to instantly spin around and step forwards through the double doors, leaning against the frame and gripping it tightly in her hands. She focussed her eyes in the dark, peering towards the bed, but she saw no movement. Taking a deep breath, she let go of the door frame and padded slowly over to the bed, stopping at the edge to look down at the still form of Marceline. Her eyelids lowered as she noticed the bedsheets were not as neat as she had left them.
A glimmer of hope lit up inside her eyes, and she instantly lowered herself onto the mattress, crawling on her hands and knees across the satin sheets until she was sitting next to Marceline's right side. A slim pink hand reached out and felt for the slender grey hand that was hiding underneath the bedsheets. Her fingers had only just grazed the back of Marcy's hand when the grey-skinned girl's back arched painfully, before a strangled, wheezing gasp filled her lungs as she shot up into a sitting position.
Marceline's chest was heaving as she choked heavy breaths into her lungs, bringing a hand to her chest to cling tightly at her shirt as her eyes were tightly closed. Bonnibel let out a small noise as she watched the woman come to life, staring in shock as her friend sat there panting, almost in disbelief that this was even happening and Marceline was again alive next to her.
"Marcy..." Bonnibel whispered, reaching a hand out slowly to touch the other girl gently on her arm. The second her fingertips brushed the cold skin though, Marceline's face snapped to hers and her eyes opened wide. Bonni's mouth fell agape and she scooted backwards a little as two terrifyingly red irises gazed ferociously back at her.
Marceline stared at Bonni for what seemed like an eternity, her hands clenching and unclenching, before her head turned and she started eyeing off her surroundings as if she was paranoid and didn't recognise where she was. Her face snapped around the room, small whimpering noises now coming out of her throat as her hand grasped at the bedsheets, causing them to tear.
"Marceline! It's ok, you're in my room... with me, Bonnibel, do you remember?" Bonnibel put aside her fear of those horrific red eyes as it became apparent she needed to support her friend, to let her know everything was going to be ok.
Bonnibel tried to reach out again, her hand brushing a muscular shoulder. The skin was clammy and cold, but seemed to bristle at her touch. Marceline's face turned to hers, and the vampire let out a low growl suddenly as she saw Bonni's hand on her, shying away from the touch and pushing herself back to the opposite side of the bed.
"Marcy! It's me! Please, don't run away!" Bonnibel cried, crawling towards the girl who continued moving backwards, her rear sliding against the sheets and her eyes warning the pink-haired girl not to come any closer.
Bonni let out a shrill cry and reached out, too late, as Marceline fell off the edge of the bed and onto the floor below with a loud thump. The vampire grunted loudly, spilling onto her back, her raven hair falling over her face and tickling wildly at her arms. Bonnibel scooted over to the edge where Marcy had fallen off, gripping the curved edge of the mattress painfully as she peered down at her friend, fearful that she had injured herself. She let out a small sigh however, when she saw the girl pushing herself up from the ground.
"Marcy... are you ok?" Bonnibel asked tentatively, worrying her bottom lip with her teeth to stop the trembling that was threatening to overtake her being.
Marceline slowly lifted her head, her hair framing her face and only exacerbating the vivid, monstrous eyes she now wore as she pierced Bonni with her gaze. That was the first moment that the light came on inside of the Princess's head. Her eyebrows fell and her eyes softened with sadness.
"Oh my glob, Marce... please, don't be afraid of me. I'm your best friend, I'm not going to hurt you," Bonnibel spoke softly, her voice full of a deep regret as she ran a shaking hand through her messy, pink locks of hair.
The grey-skinned girl was shivering noticeably, holding herself up with her hands behind her as she stared at the Princess, her crimson red eyes burning in the darkness, her pale lips chapped and cracked, her clothes dishevelled and untidy around her body. Bonnibel swung her legs over the side of the mattress, moving slowly to push herself up off the bed and head towards Marceline as carefully as she could, but the moment she did the vampire begun shuffling backwards, her breath coming in ragged gasps as she maintained eye contact with the pink-haired girl.
Bonnibel blinked rapidly and stifled a sob, trying desperately to hold back the tears that threatened to spill from her eyes. The stinging sensation was almost too much to bear, but she willed the wetness to stay back, she knew she had to stay strong for her friend.
Bonni got down on her hands and knees on the carpet, ignoring the way it grazed her knee caps through her pyjama pants as she shuffled along it. She kept her pace slow, inching towards Marceline in the least threatening way possible, but any time she got closer, Marcy would shift backwards, her hands scraping and digging into the carpet with each movement.
"Don't... get away from me..." Marceline growled, her eyes wide as her back hit the wall. She quickly curled her legs up to her chest and hugged them tightly, not tearing her gaze away from Bonnibel who was still inching towards her.
The Princess let out a ragged cry at Marceline's warning, gripping the carpet and flexing her fingers as she tried desperately to hold down the pain welling up inside of her chest. Bonni shuffled closer, until she was only a few inches away from her best friend, watching as the vampire lowered her eyes and stared at the floor, anywhere but that pained expression worn by the Princess.
"Marceline... do you..." Bonnibel's voice caught in her throat, and she had to close her eyes momentarily to regain her composure before continuing. She inhaled a slow, deep breath.
"Do you not remember me?" Bonnibel asked, her voice timid but full of sadness at the thought of this girl completely forgetting who she was. Everything they'd been through together, their friendship, their love.
Marceline was shaking and drawing in quick breaths, as if she wasn't used to breathing any longer. She tightened the grip around her legs, pressing them tightly into her chest as she closed her eyes and shook her head slightly. Bonni's heart sunk at the motion, and she was ready to bolt out of the room right there and then, until that raspy voice spoke again.
"I... remember you..." Marceline winced, letting out a pained whimper as she pressed her left hand to her head, grasping wildly at her locks of dark hair as if she was trying to pry the memories out of her skull. Bonni let out a shaky breath of relief, letting her head fall and her gummy hair spill over her shoulders as the feelings of dread slowly washed away in a wave of calm.
"What... happened to me? I-I... so cold..." Marceline mumbled, rocking back and forth on her buttocks slightly as she hugged her legs and buried her pale face into her thighs, her shoulders trembling slightly.
Bonnibel lifted her head up, her violet eyes hardening with resolve as she watched her love struggling to comprehend everything. The Princess pulled herself up quickly and without saying a word, walked over to her bed and quickly pulled off the thick pink quilt, grunting and biting her lower lip as some of the lacy trim caught on a jagged sliver on one of her fingernails. Clicking her tongue lightly before shaking it off, she turned and hurried back to Marceline. Crouching beside the frightened girl, she tried her very best to ignore the way the vampire shied away from her as she leant towards her with the comforting warmth of the blanket.
"It's ok, I'm not going to hurt you Marcy. Not like..." Bonni was about to continue before stopping herself suddenly. Not like they did...
Marceline lifted her gaze to Bonni's face, her red eyes wavering as she understood the connotations behind the Princess's unfinished sentence. Bonni tried her best to give her a sympathetic smile as she leant forwards a little, stretching her arms out wide to open up the blanket like it was a kite. It floated gently around the slender frame of the grey-skinned girl, and Bonni very carefully reached around to tuck it in around the edges, holding her breath as those scarlet globes stared at her.
Once the vampire was cocooned fully, she shuffled a bit to reposition herself against the wall, letting out a wobbly sigh as she pressed a grey cheek into the soft and soothing material.
Bonni lowered herself against the wall, pressing her back into it to mirror Marcy's position, sitting next to her best friend and allowing her to once again become accustomed to her presence. So many things were rushing through Bonnibel's head. Should she talk to her about what happened? Would she want to hear it? Or would it be better to let Marceline ask when she was ready? She was shaken out of her thoughts by that husky voice as Marcy spoke.
"What am I?" Marceline asked, lifting her head and pulling her hands out from under the blanket, letting her vision scan over the dry, grey skin. Her nails were long and sharp, almost claw like, and looking over her hands she was afraid to even think about what had happened to her entire body.
Bonni turned to face her, watching as her friend pressed her own fingertips into the back of her hands, prodding at the skin and watching as it left pale marks that took a while to go back to their normal grey hue.
"You... Marcy... Glob..." Bonnibel begun, but found it more difficult than it should have been. She closed her eyes momentarily and drew in a long breath before continuing. She could feel the eyes watching her now.
"You were dying... I'm sorry but, there was no other way... to save you..." she finished, her eyes beginning to water as she met that piercing gaze. For a moment she saw what looked like genuine sadness staring back at her, and a slight nod of understanding.
"I'm not human, am I?" Marceline gulped, reaching a hand up to her own face to feel its bony structure. A slender finger slid into her mouth, and she gasped when the tip of her index finger was pricked by a razor sharp fang. Withdrawing the finger, she stared at it intently, watching as a thick droplet of blood oozed out of the wound.
"I'm sorry..." Bonnibel repeated her apology again, cringing as she watched the vampire smooth the blood on her finger with her thumb, smearing it around her fingers.
Marceline dropped her hand to her side, now staring across the bedroom, watching the sparkling of the balls of distant white in the sky and eliciting a gentle breath as a breeze blew in and caressed her face.
"We should get you back into bed, Marce," Bonnibel said quietly, pushing herself off the wall and slowly standing up. Her baggy pyjama pants pooled around her ankles, slightly too long for her frame. She scratched at her hip momentarily before offering her hands out for Marceline to take.
The vampire eyed them off for a few seconds, glancing up at Bonnibel before turning away, shaking her head. She pushed herself up the wall, her weak frame stumbling a little as she did, so she pressed her hands hard against the flat surface to stop herself from falling back down. Out of instinct, Bonni reached out to grab her in support, but the vampire grunted back at her.
"Don't touch me," she hissed, not making eye contact as she finally managed to get herself to her feet. Bonnibel went weak in the knees from the way her friend snapped at her, but she simply nodded meekly in response to her, bending to pick up the quilt that was now left forgotten on the floor.
Marceline ignored the pink-haired girl and the bed altogether, her feet treading heavily against the carpet as she woozily made her way over to the balcony, wrapping her arms tightly around her frame for warmth. Bonnibel watched her from a distance as she folded the blanket up into a thick square, placing it carefully on the edge of her bed.
The Princess bit her lip and wandered over to her wardrobe, flicking through her girly belongings and large variety of dresses until she found the warmest hoodie that she owned. It was a dark purple, and thick with a padded hood. She tugged down the stubborn zipper as she made her way over to the balcony, where Marceline was staring out over the kingdom, occasionally peeking up at the dark sky.
Bonni very cautiously approached her from behind, holding out the opened hoodie. Marceline turned her head slightly to look at Bonni, eyeing off the jumper.
"You should wear this, it will keep you warm," Bonni told her softly, watching and waiting until the vampire nodded in response, not making any effort to move. The Princess sighed softly, moving forwards and draping the jumper over Marcy's grey shoulders.
"Thanks," Marceline mumbled, tugging at the collar to pull it around herself, deciding against putting her arms through the sleeves.
Bubblegum sidled up beside her friend carefully, eyeing off the length of the girl. In the subtle light provided by the stars and the moon, it was a lot easier now to see the transformation in its full effect. Marceline was definitely still beautiful, there was no doubt about it. Her skin was pale and grey, with a slight tinge of blue. Her eyes were a deep red, flecked with yellows and oranges and they almost had their own glow about them that wasn't provided by an external light source.
Her body was still muscular as it had been before, but her skin seemed drawn, like it was clinging to her body tighter. The raven locks of black hair flowing around the girl had a life of its own, almost defying gravity and floating effortlessly in place.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to snap before," Marceline's voice brought Bonni to attention, interrupting her thoughts as she had been trailing her gaze up and down that amazing body. Marcy slowly turned her head to look at the Princess, a solemn expression painted on her features. One of her fangs was poking out over her bottom lip, causing it to dimple in that spot.
Bonnibel let her face soften, her eyebrows smoothing and her cheeks puckering as she smiled gently at her friend.
"Don't be sorry, this mustn't be easy for you," Bonni replied, moving an arm away from her body to tentatively place a caressing palm against a padded shoulder. The vampire shuddered a little as the warmth from the hand spread through to her skin, and despite how sensitive she was to the touch, she let it linger there until the Princess was ready to remove it herself.
The vampire let out a light huff, a gentle wheeze from her vocal chords as she slid her eyes to Bonnibel in her peripheral vision. A deep, churning grumble made its way through Marcy's gut, her stomach knotting in on itself as it alerted her to the absence of food inside of her. She let out a grunt and pressed a calloused palm flat against her stomach, wondering to herself just how long she had gone without eating.
"Oh, I'm so sorry, you must be famished sweety," Bonnibel cried, her brow crinkling with worry. Marceline looked sidelong at her through lidded eyes, her ruby irises twinkling at the mention of food, and she gingerly nodded her head in agreement.
She turned to watch the Princess scuttle hurriedly back inside her bedroom, the hem of her pyjama pants nearly completely covering her petite feet as she skidded around to the left side of her magnificent bed to retrieve the tall flask Peppermint had left with instructions to give to Marceline. Cupping the heavy object between pink palms, she made her way back to the balcony, stopping a few inches away from where Marcy stood, her demonic eyes peering beneath raised and inquisitive brows.
Bonni gave a half hearted shrug as she extended the flask towards her friend, tilting her head to the side a little as two grey hands reached out to take the thermos, her long fingers grazing unexpectedly against pink and sending a shiver down her spine.
Marceline flexed her arms and twisted at the cap to loosen it, unscrewing it until it came off with a pop. A strange and enticing scent hit her nostrils the second it was removed, causing her to wrinkle up her nose in interest as she lifted it to her face. Taking in a long breath, she let the scent travel down her sinus and fill her chest as she tried to deduce the contents. It had a strange, coppery scent to it, laced with slight acidity like the zest of a citrus fruit.
"What is this?" she questioned, shooting a wondering gaze to the Princess. Bonni shuffled nervously in place, just as Marceline lifted the lip of the flask to her mouth.
"I don't know, Peppermint wouldn't tell me. But I assume he knows what you need, it was him that truly saved you, after all," Bonni replied, a slight smile twinging at the corner of her lips as Marceline raised an eyebrow, filing away the information to ask about later.
Tilting the flask up, she let the contents slide into her mouth. It was slightly thicker than water, but it most definitely was not water. Her eyes widened as the taste of the large mouthful registered against her raspy tongue, and she struggled with the realisation as her stomach flipped inside of her and her throat constricted in defiance of the fluid.
Trying hard for several moments not to gag, her eyes watering terribly, she finally collapsed to her knees against the cool, tiled floor. Heavy coughs, followed by dry heaves expelled the fluid, splattering all across the pearly white ground and painting it with deep crimson like spilled acrylic paints. Bonnibel gasped in horror, quickly dropping to her love's side, ignoring completely the high pitched clang as the thermos clattered to the ground, spilling its bloody contents everywhere and pooling around the two.
"What in Ooo is this stuff? …. is he trying to kill me?!" Marceline proclaimed, dragging a forearm across her thin mouth to wipe away any of the crimson liquid that had spilled there. Her eyes scanned the ground, falling on the thermos and watching with slight disbelief as the thick, ruby liquid dribbled from the edge of its opening and splashed quietly against the polished tiles.
"Is that..." Bonni begun, kneeling down a little further and dipping the tip of an index finger into the slippery liquid. Retrieving it, she brought it to her nostrils and sniffed at it softly. Her face crinkled in light disgust as she confirmed its origins, flicking her arm quickly to release the droplet from her skin before wiping it firmly against her pyjama pants, frowning at the red smear it left behind.
"Blood..." Marceline mouthed, a wild sneer of distaste creeping across her face as she lifted herself from the ground, fumbling for the rungs of the balcony to assist her in her ascent.
Bonnibel followed suit, but not before retrieving the flask and its lid. She pressed the lid into its mouth, turning it to fasten, her teeth scraping together in protest at the squeal of the rubber seal as the thermos was tightly closed.
"I'm sorry, I should have known... Peppermint..." Bonnibel continued, but was quickly interrupted by a dry laugh and the wave of a spindly arm in her direction.
"Obviously knows more about this stuff than the both of us. Geez Bon, I wonder what else that cretin gets up to in the dark of the night," Marceline retorted, her voice musical despite her insinuations about Bonnibel's most trusted butler. Bonni gave the vampire a warning glance, a warm fire burning in her chest as she locked eyes with her love.
"Whatever he does in his spare time is his own business, unless it directly interferes with our Kingdom. I have no interest in questioning whatever strange behaviours he takes part in. Especially considering you have him to thank for you even being here in the first place you... you... butt!" Bonnibel emphatically poked an index finger firmly into the space between Marceline's breasts, not meaning to hurt her friend, but noticing how she flinched in reaction and glared back at the Princess.
"Glob... take a joke would you? And for the record, not only am I pretty peeved off with this situation," Marceline motioned to the body that to her felt like a stranger, ignoring the slight flush that peeked up Bonnibel's collarbone from underneath her pink shirt. "But I most definitely am not putting that crud in my mouth again! Just give me a flippin' cinnamon roll or something, anything! I need something solid,"
Bonnibel tensed for a moment, her eyes slipping down to where Marceline's bare foot was met by the trickling flow of crimson blood, countered by a hiss and the grey woman sliding her arms to her side and storming into the bedroom. With a dejected sigh, the Princess followed her back in, walking over to her desk and setting down the thermos on its ebony, hardwood surface.
"There's some fruit and savoury bread left over from my dinner, on the right bed side table," Bonnibel spoke over her shoulder, watching as the vampire's eyes shimmered in the silver light streaming through the window before she padded over to where the food sat covered by a reflective silver lid.
"I couldn't eat for worry," Bonnibel whispered, her voice barely above the sound of a breath, but a pointed, slate ear twitched as it picked up the minute vibrations.
Marceline slumped down onto the side of the mattress, her dark hair like a trellis down her back as she placed the platter's lid on the floor and reached over to grab a crusty roll sprinkled with herbs and a splattering of cheddar cheese. She picked at it momentarily before she raised her head to watch the Princess, who was thumbing absent mindedly through some leather bound books with thick spines upon her desk.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you," Marceline sucked in a painful breath in order to push the vibrations of sound through her vocal chords, her throat scratchy from lack of hydration and causing sharp prickles whenever she tried to swallow.
Bonni sighed and released the book from her hand, turning and walking slowly over towards the bed. Splashes of moonlight revealed the sharp features of Marceline's cheekbones and jawline. It danced cheekily at the tips of her bat-like ears and cast shimmers of silver, white and all shades in between against the oil slick of hair that graced the girl's head. It was almost impossible to comprehend how the drawn, thin lips and the point of a chin could appear even more beautiful now on the girl's half-demon, half-vampire body, and if the fiery red eyes gazing back into her own violet speckled orbs were any indication...
She was broken out of her musings by the sound of the vampire biting deeply into the crunchy roll of bread. It crumbled into her lap a little as she did, speckles of white and brown bread falling onto her thighs. Bonni watched as Marceline chewed, voraciously at first, but the chewing soon slowed to almost a halt and her face paled to a ghostly shade of white. A worried glance in the vampire's direction, before a dry heave and the contents of her mouth went flying several inches, followed by a deep coughing fit and more tears in the corner of slanted eyes.
"Marce..." Bonni begun, rushing over to her side and sitting cautiously beside her friend, the mattress sinking from the added weight. She pressed a hand to her friend's back, patting it lightly as the girl coughed up all the contents, her body shaking from the strain on her already weak body.
"Grob... that's foul. It tastes like... ugh!" The vampire hunched over, wrapping her arms tightly around her waist and shaking her head as she tried to distract herself from what tasted like rot and acid against her tender taste buds. Bonnibel frowned deeply, unsure what to do about her friend's suffering.
"Princess? Is everything alright?" A worried voice echoed from outside her chamber door, followed by the shuffle of small feet against carpet. Bonnibel excused herself from Marceline and stood, heading over to the heavy door and unclasping the thick latch. With a pull on the handle, the door creaked open to reveal Peppermint butler, standing in the hallway wringing his hands. His expression was that of concern, only exacerbated by the glow of the warm torches lining the hallway walls. Bonnibel opened the door to allow him to enter with the touch of her hand against his rounded shoulder.
"Is there a problem, your maje- Marceline!" Peppermint butler's eyes caught on the vampire girl sitting upright in the bed, dropping his arms to his side as he hurried across the bedroom, his tiny feet pattering against the pink carpeting as he did.
"You're awake!" He proclaimed as he finally reached her, standing but a foot away from where she sat, his brows crinkled as his lips turned up into a smile of relief. Marceline chuckled hoarsely as she nodded in reply.
"Yeah, and no worse for the wear, I guess," she said, her voice crackling as she leant over to replace the dry roll back on the platter with a soft thunk.
Peppermint watched this, his eyebrow turning up inquisitively at the motion, his lips drawing taught as he fumbled with the hem of his tuxedo jacket.
"Ma'am, you cannot consume regular food any longer, I'm afraid. Your biology... it simply will not allow it! I brought you something more fitting, I went to great lengths to find such a concentrated source, you must consume it or you will grow weak and eventually perish," Peppy instructed her firmly, watching as the vampire tilted her head slightly, glancing between the butler and the Princess who had rejoined them and was playing nervously with her fingers at her waist.
"What, that stuff in the thermos? No, Peppy, I can't! I tried it and..." she begun to protest, but a scowl from the butler and a prod in her bony knee quickly shut her up.
"You have no choice in the matter. I have no intentions of letting you die and leave the Princess to live in regret and sorrow," his first sentence caused a pang of guilt in the vampire, a flinch to cross her facial features as she twitched her head away from his gaze. "At some point you will drink, whether you like it or not. However I would prefer it if you didn't take it from an unwilling victim, and instead consumed only what I supply you with," he finished, crossing his arms stubbornly over his chest.
Marceline let out a disgruntled sigh, hanging her head and cupping her face in her bony hands.
"I just wish someone would explain to me what's going on," Marceline mumbled, shaking her head from side to side a little and inhaling shallow breaths.
Peppermint looked at the Princess, before turning his gaze back to Marceline. He straightened his bow tie and smoothed his little palms down the breast of his coat before clearing his throat to speak.
"You're right, milady, you deserve an explanation. Rightfully so," he begun, the corner of his lip turning up into a comforting smile. "If you wish to come down to the study, I can explain everything to you,"
Peppermint turned to the Princess and gave her a rather stern expression, despite the smile that still twinkled behind his eyes.
"Your Majesty, you may join us if you wish, however I must insist you get an early night tonight, yes?" he continued, watching the flare of protest begin to form on the pink face, a pale blush working its way up her jaw before the Butler interjected with the raise of a hand.
"However, I will understand if you wish to stay by your lady's side," he finished, pressing his hands behind his back and clasping them in the way he always did. He rocked up onto the balls of his feet a bit as he waited for one of the girls to answer.
Marceline blushed timidly, sparing a sidelong smirk for Bonnibel who was too intrigued by the patterns on the carpet to see the girl's teasing look. The vampire pushed herself up and off the bed, blowing a few strands of her hair out of her face as she did so and pulling the jacket around her body a little more tightly.
"Let's go then, I want to know everything," Marceline replied, her eyes flickering between the butler and the Princess as she swallowed a lump of uneasiness that had settled in her throat. Peppermint nodded wordlessly, and led the way out of the darkened room, two girls following him silently.
The fireplace in the study crackled and popped, occasionally throwing out a small, orange ember of burnt wood against the copper grate that shielded the floor from its assault. Marceline was sitting in front of it, her legs stretched out before her as she wiggled her toes to help circulate the warmth from the flames through her frigid body.
Bonnibel was poised and listening intently to the story as Peppermint told it from the oversized, plush recliner he sat in, his small body sinking into its back and his tiny feet barely reaching the edge of the seat. Although she had already heard as much of the story that Peppermint had shared back at the hospital, she wanted to be attentive and supportive for her friend, sitting cross legged by the vampire's side and occasionally giving her comforting glances that were returned with a fanged smile.
They had barely touched on the subject of what had happened to Marceline at the Army barracks, and she preferred it that way. Every so often a sharp flash of a memory would split through her skull, reminding her of what had happened before she blacked out. She would press the memories away, locked them up into a metal safe with steel locks and chains, promising herself to one day open it up and confront what had happened head on. But not now, not when she was being told the story of her parents, what she was, and what she was destined to become.
"And so you see, that is why you must consume blood, or at least something with similar properties to blood. You are a vampire and a demon now, Marceline. You will grow weak without it, especially now at such a vulnerable stage," Peppermint pressed firmly, leaning forwards in his chair and meeting the crimson gaze of said vampire. Marceline huffed loudly and rolled her eyes.
"Seriously? So you're telling me I can never eat proper food again? That's so... ugh! I hate this!" she retorted, crossing her arms firmly across her breasts and turning her eyes to the fireplace. She crinkled her brow and stared deeply into the burning embers, orange and white in some places and glowing red as they were licked by a scalding, blue flame.
"Well, certainly I have heard reports of some vampires being able to condition themselves to withdraw nutrients from regular food... but it takes many, many years, and you are but a fledgling," Peppermint replied, his clothing shuffling as he scooted himself to the edge of the recliner, pressing his arms behind him and pushing himself off the edge and onto the floor beneath with a plop.
Marceline let out a long, quiet sigh, stretching her legs out and rotating her feet at her ankles to ease an ache that was starting to build in her leg joints. Tilting her head to the side to watch as the butler straightened his clothing, her lip twitched up in what could almost have been a sneer.
"And my father?" she asked, her voice low. Peppermint froze, watching her tentatively for several moments, before the shift of Bubblegum readjusting herself awkwardly besides her friend broke him out of his stupor.
"Well... if you wish, I could arrange a meeting for you..." he begun, treading over his words carefully. The vampire shook her head vehemently, shivering lightly as a pink hand ghosted over her left forearm, comforting and frightening at the same time.
"N-no... I mean... not yet. When I'm ready, yeah?" she replied, her voice trembling ever so slightly as she looked up at him then, her eyes wide and dark bags circling underneath the sockets. Peppermint gave her an apologetic smile, before bowing lowly in her direction.
"Of course, whenever you wish, Marceline," he spoke kindly, his smile growing just a little as she nodded thankfully at him. The butler stretched and made to leave the two girls, flicking his eyes to the large watch face that sat bound to his left wrist.
"It is rather late, I'm afraid I must retire to my chambers. I suggest you two do the same, yes? Princess, might I recommend you run a bath for Marceline? I put some fresh clothes and towels in the linen cupboard in your bathroom, I'm sure your guest would be most grateful," he said kindly, a slight bounce in his step as he made his way over to the thick, wooden door of the study, pulling it open despite the groan of protest from its thick, steel hinges.
"Of course, Peppy. Thank you," Bonnibel replied, smiling at her butler lovingly as he gave a polite nod in return.
"Goodnight girls," he whispered, leaving the room and setting the door ajar just a little for when they made their own leave. They called out their good nights in return, sitting in silence beside each other for a few minutes, nothing but the sound of raspy breathing and the crackling of the fireplace echoing through the dusty room.
"He has a point, you do smell a little Marce," Bonnibel finally offered, glancing sidelong at her friend and giving a crooked smile. The vampire jumped a little at this, her eyes flaring up into a deep crimson. It frightened Bonni for just a second, before she saw the laughter hiding behind those pointed teeth and parted lips.
"Yeah, thanks. Just for that, you're scrubbing my back for me," Marceline replied finally, letting a low chuckle escape her throat. Bonni grinned widely in return, pushing herself up off the ground, trying not to trip over her own feet as she did so.
Looking down at her friend, she bit her lower lip before she held out her slim, pink hands in offering. Marceline eyed them off, her pupils questioning and trying to decide whether they were a threat or not. She finally decided they weren't one, and she easily slipped her grey hands into them, allowing herself to be helped to her feet.
The bath water had been almost scalding against Marceline's freezing skin, but it soon cooled after she had been sitting in it for a while, and she eventually found its warmth soothing and comforting. Allowing her head to sink under the bubbles momentarily, she scrubbed roughly at her dark locks of hair, grumbling lowly in her chest as her sharp nails scratched at her scalp sending waves of pleasant tingles through her body.
Finally coming up out of the water, she closed her eyes and relaxed a little. Her body was squeaky clean now, washed away were all the smudges of dirt and dried blood, turning the water a coppery brown colour as it swam about her. With a content sigh, she lifted herself carefully out of the water, small waterfalls making their way off her body and splashing back into the tub. Marceline stepped an unsteady foot out onto the bath math, reaching for a plush pink towel. She spent a few minutes scrubbing thoroughly to dry her hair, taking care to gather it all up all the way to its ends, before being satisfied enough to move on to drying her body.
Once the towel was completely soaked, she reached for the pyjamas sitting on the shelf that had been left for her, laughing quietly and lowering her eyelids as she peered at the purple fleece pants with little kittens on them and their matching pyjama shirt. Grabbing the clothes, she dressed herself, pulling on the pants before shrugging into the shirt. Reaching out for the door knob that adjoined onto the Princess's room, a wave of nausea and dizziness suddenly overcame her being, sending waves of pain through her gut and all the way up into her brain where it stabbed and throbbed.
With a small whimper, she collapsed to the floor in a heap, curling up and clenching her teeth as she wrapped her arms about her.
"Marceline?!" the Princess must have heard her fall, and she was half aware of the door creaking open and the pink girl stepping into the room quickly once she observed the incapacitated vampire, crying out a little as she knelt down beside her.
Marceline was vaguely aware of a shoulder pushing under her armpit, and two slim arms wrapping about her body as she was pulled, nay dragged to her feet. Mumbling incoherently, unable to decipher the worried curses of Bonnibel, she felt herself being led into the bedroom despite the protests her body was making.
Bonnibel struggled, carrying the limp body to the bed, grunting as she reached its side and lowered the girl down onto it. She pressed Marcy back by the shoulders, before grabbing the long legs and swivelling them onto the mattress. Bonni pulled back the quilt and clambered over her love, wrapping two pink arms around a thin waist and pulling the trembling, grey body closer as she took the quilt by its edge and flung it over the two.
"Marcy! Glob, Marcy... what's happening? I... I don't know what to do, I don't know what to..." Bonnibel begun fretting, tears forming in the corner of her eyes as she looked down at the thinning face before her, smoothing a soft palm over a bony cheek , her heart wrenching in her chest to see her like this.
"Weak..." Marceline managed to mumble, her eyes squeezing together tightly and her brow furrowing deeply. She let out another pained groan as she drew her legs up higher, her knees knocking into the Princess's.
Bonni's eyes widened quickly as the realisation hit her, watching her friend suffer before her. It only took her moments to figure out exactly what it was she needed to do, no matter the protests that she might be met with.
"Yes, yes Marcy you're weak. You have to eat, have to-" Bonnibel begun muttering, lifting one of her arms up until a slim wrist was just beneath the mouth of the moaning vampire. There was a moment of silence as Marceline sensed it, heard it, smelled it. That pulse point flickering just beneath her lips, calling out to her and begging to her. She shook her head quickly, shattering the thoughts from her mind but they raced straight back in.
"B-Bon...no..." she mumbled, trying to shake her head, but her protests did nothing to stop what happened next. She was far too weak, her body giving out on her, no strength left to push away the hand that grabbed the back of her head and forced her needle like fangs deeply into the flesh of that waiting pink wrist.
Bonnibel gasped suddenly, biting her lower lip harshly at the sting of penetration through her skin, closing her eyes but gripping the head tightly against her arm. Holding onto her for dear life, she listened, waited. A small whimper of pleasure met her ears, and sent a wash of heat through her chest and abdomen. She felt the pressure of blood being suckled slowly from her veins, drawn up through those fangs and into the cool mouth wrapped around her skin.
A deep shudder resonated through the Princess's body, something severely intimate about performing this act with Marceline, and it took all of her strength not to rock her body and knock her hips into the opposing ones before her. She instead settled for lowering her head and bumping her forehead gently against the mess of slightly damp black hair beneath her. A hitched breath escaped her lips as a clawed hand suddenly grabbed at her waist, sharp nails digging into her tender skin and pulling her closer as the lips moaned around her wrist.
The Princess felt the heat of her blood sliding against a cool raspy tongue, and wanted to protest as she felt her own body growing weak, but found herself only able to mumble helplessly her friend's name into hair.
Fortunately, as stars flickered around her vision, she felt the pressure lift from her wrist and a deep gasp fill Marceline's chest. The vampire shivered quickly and buried her face in the chest of the Princess, her sharp cheeks burning with a deep blush as she felt her body literally coming alive again with renewed energy.
With a tender smile, Bonni wrapped her arms around the raven-haired girl and held her close, sighing as that strong body slowly warmed in her arms, both because of the shared heat from the Princess's body and because of the hot life blood she had just consumed. No more words were spoken, as both exhausted women closed their eyes and allowed the fleeting comfort of each other to deliver them into the depths of dream land's waiting grasp.