Chapter Thirty-Two

Grudging Acceptance

The third night Darren spent with Juliet she asked him simply "Why do you keep coming here?"

Darren shrugged and smiled. "Maybe I think you're interesting?"

"Maybe you're trying to squeeze information out of me for your Princes. Do they always send ugly children to do their dirty work?"

Darren had learned early on that the only way to get past Juliet's constant barrage of insults was to give a peace offering. He had stopped by the store rooms and the hall of Khledon Lurt on his way in to her room today making sure to have something to appease her.

"I brought you some bread." He offered her the loaf of signature crusty Vampire Mountain bread and the woman stared at it incredulously. "You know you have to eat at some point. Water and ale will only get you so far."

"Ale would get me further if you would bring it every day." She snapped. A medic walked in at that point and nodded to Darren, listening to the exchange.

"I wouldn't bother offering her food, she doesn't eat anything." The medic said, rummaging through bottles on the shelf behind Darren.

"She is also sitting right here, able to hear you talk about her like she isn't in the room!" Juliet growled. She then sighed and clenched her jaw. The medic ignored her soundly.

"Hey, it's okay. How about I go get some ale?" Darren offered.

The medic gasped. "If she were to have alcohol it could interfere with her wound healing. Master Mika would-" He shook his head fervently, ignoring his work.

"Completely understand." Darren said, his eyes pleading with the medic. "I'm sure!"

The medic crossed his arms. "I will consult him. But in my opinion it is not a good idea."

"Yeah, thanks for your opinion fucker. Small Vampire, ale, now!" Juliet snapped. Darren smiled and nodded, walking out with the medic.

"It was Mika's idea to give her a little ale to make her comfortable. I watered it down too, so it shouldn't be too bad, right?" Darren asked once they were out in the hall.

"As long as you have the Prince's permission. You know he is very strict about her care."

"Yes I know, I'm just making sure that there won't be any adverse effects because of the ale. If there are I can talk to Mika about a different plan…"

"As long as you water it down…" The medic said.

"Thanks!" Darren beamed. "I feel like I'm close to a breakthrough." He said before rushing to the storerooms. Though he didn't know much about medicine, Darren couldn't help but think that the alcohol was somehow helping Juliet.

Juliet, for her part, simply appreciated the numbness that inebriation allowed her, but would never tell the small Vampire boy that, since some deep part of her was very thankful for his company. Even though she knew he was only there on the behest of Mika ver Leth.

The thought of the man that had haunted her brought an immediate sour taste to her mouth. Vainly, she tried to turn onto her side. 'My ass is so sore.' She thought, groaning as her arms and legs twisted while she writhed in an effort to alleviate the discomfort. 'This is why people die of bedsores.' Her wrists were raw from the chains around her arms. At least the Vampire boy had gotten the medics to lengthen the chains. What she really wanted was to turn over and lay on her front for a while. 'The things we take for granted.'

Juliet gave up and set her arms above her head, the most comfortable way she'd learned to deal with them. All she could do was wait for ol' Whatshisface to return with the brews so she could become comfortably numb. Like clockwork, he walked in.

"Ah, yes, waiter, I'm ready to order." She said, moving to sit up.

"Is this the part where I act like the waiter?" Darren said, setting the drink on the table before her, careful to keep his distance. He carried with him what she could only assume was a carafe with more ale, but none for himself.

"Honestly I wanted to make a joke." Juliet sighed and reached for her mug. Darren watched as she downed the glass. Her eyes glittered with delight. "I like my drinks like I like my men. Tall, dark, and strong."

Darren smirked and shook his head. "You probably say the same thing about your coffee."

"Did you bring some of that too? I could sure use it." He shook his head again and she rolled her eyes. "Of course not. That would stimulate too much brain activity anyhow. I'd rather be numb than aware." She fell back on her slab, clutching the glass to her chest.

Though her comment was lost on Darren. He sat beside her and smiled. "You're talkative tonight." He said. She grunted in response, staring at the bottom of her glass. "Or did I speak too soon?" Darren chuckled. Juliet continued to stare into space. Darren didn't want to push her into talking, considering that he'd never encountered her so amicable. They sat in silence for minutes, and Darren found himself surprisingly content to sit there with her without an exchange. Darren began to drift into his own thoughts of pending meetings with Generals and training in the Hall of Sport when he noticed Juliet staring at him.

"Do I have something on my face?" he asked, jokingly wiping at his cheek.

"How did they steal your time?"

Her question fell upon him suddenly, and he immediately understood the implications behind it. Somehow, though she'd never asked, she could tell he was older than he looked. Just like she was. Darren sighed inwardly. This is what progress felt like. "Nobody stole my time," he said with a smile. "I, uh, well you probably won't believe me, but I became a Vampire to save my friends life."

"How heroic," she said dryly. "Did you know it would end up like this?" Juliet numbly gestured to the walls around them. "Living in a cave with a bunch of burly men and butch women?"

Darren fought the urge to laugh out loud, he'd had much the same thoughts when he first arrived at the Mountain. "Well, no. This isn't exactly what I signed up for." His smile never faltered. "I believed the more uh, fantastic stories?"

"The romanticized ones."

"That's the word. You know, where Vampires are the dark creatures with super powers who can turn into bats and have no reflection and can use some sort of pheromone to seduce girls-" he stopped and cringed, nearly blushing. "Wait, maybe not that last part."

Juliet's attention was focused on him, and she sat up, her makeshift taupe hospital-esque gown crinkling unflatteringly. "You wanted to woo the ladies, little vampire boy?"

"Well maybe if I had been older." He sighed. "But no, really, once I learned what it really meant to be a Vampire-"

"Feeding on the blood of innocent people?" She interjected. Her eyes darkened at her words. Darren shook his head.

"That's only one part of it." He raised his hands in defense. "But there's also a lot of rules. We don't drain people of their blood, we don't kill without good reason, like self-defense. We can't interfere in Vampaneze business…" he seemed irritated at his final example.

"Vampaneze… I've encountered those before." Juliet growled. "Nasty purple freaks with no… class. No honor. No style."

"Those were the things you picked up on when you first encountered them?" Darren almost laughed again, but he felt he shouldn't. Juliet talking to him about this made him hopeful. The Prince's conjecture that she was a Hunter of Vampires seemed to be correct by the way she spoke of their people, even more so by the way she referred to their blood cousins. Darren hoped that if he could explain things to her more she would come to understand the difference between them, perhaps even trust the Vampires. "What kind of encounter was that?"

"They nearly killed me, so no, those weren't the first things I thought. But when I began learning how to defend myself that is what I realized. They carry themselves without decorum. They are guileless and ignorant and-"

"Cousins to us Vampires." A third voice interrupted their conversation and an old Vampire clad in red strode in. "Pardon the intrusion, Master Shan, lady." He half-bowed to the two of him, and Juliet straightened noticeably. Darren inwardly sighed, realizing her guard had gone back up in full force.

"Seba," Darren said politely, "How can I help you?"

Seba smiled at Darren and shook his head. "I am here on request of your fellow Princes. They believe the lady should be clothed." He looked at Juliet, his eyes narrowing, accentuating the wrinkles in his aged face. "I could not agree more. How long did they plan to keep her here in rags?"

Darren cringed. "It was on our to-do list?" He supplied.

"My clothes," Juliet snapped, "were in the tunnels where I was murdered. Did you come to bring them to me?"

Darren blanched at her words and tone but Seba merely smiled. "We do not want to give you your belongings back until we've had a chance to investigate them. But yes, we have them. Master Shan here shall bring them to you once his fellow Princes agree they carry no threat."

"You were packing a lot of weapons." Darren noted.

"Vampires and their fear of guns. Would you have felt better if I brought a spiked club and some smoke powder? Times have changed." She growled, clearly irritated.

Darren thought on her words, unsure how exactly she knew Vampires didn't use guns, and their lack of modern weaponry. He would have to ask Mika. "Did you need me to go to the store rooms with you to find Juliet-" her eyes were daggers on his throat, "Jewel some clothing?"

Seba again shook his head. "I am actually here to take Miss Jewel to the store rooms herself." Juliet's eyes shot up to Seba's, seeing a smile reflected in the pale brown orbs. "If she is willing."

Before Juliet could speak Darren shot to his feet, walking over to Seba who did not look surprised. He whispered something in the elder Vampire's ear. "Ah, and as long as she will keep her hands to herself. That includes no touching of any items that are not given to her."

Juliet glared at Darren but he just smirked and shrugged. "If it gets me out of these cuffs," she clinked together the metal at her ankles and arms. "I will go anywhere."