Hearing Damage

"Here you go, sweet pea," Mary smiled, dropping another container of Murphy's Oil Soap down next to me.

"Ah," I held it up in front of me, grateful that I didn't have to run all the way back to the utility closet to grab it. "Thank you, Mary."

"Don't mention it," she replied, swatting away my gratitude. "How many more to go?"

"Uhm," I bit my lip while I mentally counted each room in the mansion, "five bedrooms, the foyer, and the grand staircase."

She looked at me, confused, "The rest is finished?"

I blinked at her and nodded, "Yes? I got started a little earlier than usual this morning." Last night I hadn't been able to sleep again. I was half-awake the entire night, like my body was asleep but I was still consciously aware of my surroundings. It was almost as if there had been someone with me, boring holes into me with their eyes.

"You sure make it easier on the rest of us, that's for sure," she chuckled, the wrinkles around her mouth pulling tight into a smile.

"I kind of owe you, in a way," I admitted, tucking a loose strand of hair behind my ear. "I mean, you're the only person I have now." My cheeks flushed at the heartfelt confession, afraid that it came out sounding too cheesy.

"Oh, honey," she placed her hand on my shoulder and smiled brightly at me.

Somewhere in the distance I could hear Mary's name being called. The voice sounded high-pitched, like Hanna's. Mary immediately stood up and sighed. "That's my cue," she joked, wiping her forehead with the back of her hand.

"I'll get the foyer and the stairs," I urged. "You don't need to be doing that kind of work."

She smiled in appreciation, "Thank you, Audra." She went towards the door and said over her shoulder, "Don't forget about dinner. Jacques is making spaghetti!"

I nodded and laughed at her excitement, feeling a bubble of joy burst inside me somewhere. It was the closest thing to belonging I'd felt in ages. I bent down to pick up the soap and bucket of water and the towels I'd grabbed from the laundry room. After throwing them over my shoulder I toted the heavy bucket through the maze of hallways, careful not to spill any water on the already cleaned and sparkling floors. I had to admit, I did good work.

I arrived at the foyer a few minutes later, after making a quick stop at the bathroom. I mixed some of the soap into the water and got straight to work on the floor, alternately cleaning with one towel and drying with the other. This was a trade I had learned far before my arrival at the mansion.

Time began to fly while I covered more area, moving slowly foot by foot. I stayed focused on my work, looking forward to being able to relax and mentally prepare myself for tomorrow. Honestly, I was more than a little worried about what would happen when I was exposed to other vampires. According to Ethan, the type of vampires that wouldn't put up with my insubordination.

When I was halfway through with the floors I sat back on my knees and let the wet towel fall into the bucket, a few drops of water jumping out on the way. I rubbed my temples and made sure to take even breaths, inhaling and exhaling for three seconds each time.

"Taking a break?" I heard behind me in a deep voice that made me shudder. I turned to look at Ethan, who was standing on the staircase peering down at me. He went to take a step off the bottom stair, but I stopped him.

"Don't," I held my hand up and pointed to the floor below his hovering foot, "I just washed that."

He shrugged and stepped down anyway, walking slowly through the foyer to an area I hadn't gotten to yet. I growled at him. "Now I have to redo that."

"You have time," he replied, uninterested. "I have instructions for you."

I turned back to the bucket and began to start on the floor again. "Instructions?"

"Mmm," he confirmed, "concerning your behavior while my guests are at the mansion."

I rolled my eyes, already knowing what he was going to say. "Don't worry Ethan, I'll be a good girl." Ethan snorted, though somehow in a way that wasn't unattractive. Even I found what I'd just said hard to believe.

"I'm sure you will," he replied, his voice an octave lower so that it was husky. Yet, only a moment later his patience ran out and irritation was evident in his voice. "Will you stop doing that for a second?"

I dropped the towel and turned to face him, though still sitting with my knees bent beneath me. "Yes, master?"

He smirked at that, ignoring the acid in my tone completely. "That's what I want to hear tomorrow. Well, not 'master' but perhaps," he thought for a moment, "'sir'."

I immediately shook my head, "I am not doing that."

"You will," he threatened, his eyes narrowing so that his face lost all signs of amusement. "Don't test me, Audra. I'll have no problem punishing you in front of them."

"Are you going to throw me in the dungeon?" I teased, pushing some hair from my face while scowling at him.

"I could," he considered, taking only a few steps but somehow landing right in front of me. He crouched down with his arm resting on one of his knees so that his hand could twirl a piece of my hair. "But you should know," he warned, a wicked grin sliding onto his face as his eyes roamed over me, "the only dungeon here is my bedroom."

I counted to three while I inhaled and counted to three when I exhaled, hoping that if I kept my breathing even my heart rate wouldn't spike. Letting Ethan hear how he affected me meant losing the battle. I was determined to get a hold of myself.

He eyed me for a second, looking suspicious. "Nothing, huh?" He let his hand slide down my neck so that his cold fingers brushed my throat.

"No," I replied quickly, a gasp of breath escaping with my voice. His touch was like a million nerve endings jolted with electricity, leaving goose bumps behind everywhere he went. I took deeper breaths, fighting the urge to let my heart pump out of control. I couldn't stand the power he had over me, the ability to make me feel this way.

"Ah," he smiled, and it was then that I knew he'd found me out. I turned my head, tearing my gaze from his million watt smile to stare at the floorboards. "You don't have to fight it," he comforted, though I could still hear the pride in his voice, the amusement at my futile efforts. "I get that reaction from most women."

I hissed and smacked his hand away, surprised at how easily he let me do it. "And this is before you dig your fangs into them?"

He remained amused, which made me even more livid. "Usually," he confirmed lightly.

"You're disgusting," I mumbled, turning back to my bucket. His hand shot out to grip my arm, pulling me back toward him.

"I don't think you really mean that," he snarled with a grin. I was unsure if he meant it to tease me or threaten me. I looked from his hand on my arm to his face, looking between his eyes for an answer.

Deciding it was better not to answer, I pursed my lips. Ethan sighed and released me, allowing me to return to the duty of cleaning the foyer floor. "Who's coming tomorrow?"

"My mother," he answered indifferently. "Some friends of the family as well."

"You have a mother?"

"Not by birth, of course," he was still behind me. "She took me in when I was a newborn vampire. She taught me everything I know."

"I doubt she taught you everything," I mumbled, thinking back to the hunger in his eyes last night in the bathroom. Not thirst, but an actual longing, I knew because I could feel it when his eyes roamed my body in the bathtub. I wasn't sure whether he hadn't heard me or just chosen to ignore me. Did vampires also possess super sensitive hearing?

"She deserves every bit of respect from you, and I won't tolerate anything less."

"Aw," I turned and smiled at him, "A momma's boy."

"You don't understand," he shook his head, completely disregarding my comment. "My mother is a queen."

"Like, royalty?" I stammered.

"Yes," he made a face.

"And that makes you…" I paused, "what?"

He shrugged, "My title doesn't matter." I scoffed and turned back to the floor, irritated at how impossibly vague he was being. It couldn't hurt to answer my questions. It wasn't like I wouldn't find out eventually.

"So then what, I have to bow when she comes in?"

"No, our family is more modern than that. But you will not, under any circumstances, speak without being spoken to." When I didn't protest, he asked, "Do you understand?"

"Yeah," I replied uncaringly, "it's not like I want to talk to any of them anyway."

"You're impossible," he sighed, and I imagined he was rolling his eyes. I heard a shuffle and his voice echoed from a hallway sounding farther away. "Just finish up with the cleaning and get to bed, I don't want any lazy servants tomorrow."

"Whatever," I mumbled quietly, scowling down into the bucket of soapy water.

My question of whether a vampire had super sensitive hearing or not was answered when I heard him reply, "I heard that!"