The girl gasped in pain as sharp teeth sank into the tender flesh at her wrist. She winced and held her breath while she waited for the pain to subside. She knew it would. It always did. She heard the vampire's voice in her head, even as the blood was being drawn from her body to feed the other.
"It's all right, petite. Just relax. It will be over soon, and then you can rest."
The girl sighed as the pain melted away, feeling as if she was floating, or falling into a dream she could never quite wake herself from. How many times had she offered herself to the other" She'd lost count long ago.
The vampire fed with the utmost restraint. The blood of young ones was always the sweetest, but one had to use restraint when feeding, as they were too easily killed, and then they were of no further use.
There were ten of them in Josephine's care. Seven boys, three girls, all of them orphans. No one missed them, no one cared. Like prized pets, she gave them the best of care, and they wanted for nothing. Not even freedom. One day, they knew, they'd become like her. It was the promise of immortality that kept them in her thrall. Blood seemed such a small price to pay really for what they would receive in return.
Kit had been one of them, but turned too soon by another vampire who lacked Josephine's restraint. Fond of the girl, Josephine had let her live, despite her youthful brashness. Time, however, had never seemed to mature the girl, and Josephine knew it was Kit's own foolishness that had eventually ended in her demise. Still, the knowledge of that did nothing to quell the desire for revenge. Though she knew Jonathan had not solely been to blame for Kit's death, someone had to pay. They had taken something from her, and she was going to take something just as precious from them. And then, maybe they'd understand that she meant business.
"Mistress..." A decidedly masculine voice drew the vampire out of her thoughts. She sighed quietly and licked the blood from her lips as she ever so gently pulled away from the girl's wrist, licking the wound to seal it and laying the girl to rest in a sumptuous bed covered in rich silks and satins in vibrant hues of red and orange, like that of a fiery sunrise.
"What is it, Marcellus?" Josephine queried as she turned to face the other vampire, who was older than Kit but far younger than herself. "Have I not instructed you not to interrupt me while I'm feeding?"
"Yes, Mistress, but this is important. I've been following the Granger girl. The sister."
Josephine smiled, her irritation quickly forgotten, her interest piqued. "Very good, Marcellus. Please, tell me more."
"It's all right, petite. Just relax. It will be over soon, and then you can rest."
The girl sighed as the pain melted away, feeling as if she was floating, or falling into a dream she could never quite wake herself from. How many times had she offered herself to the other" She'd lost count long ago.
The vampire fed with the utmost restraint. The blood of young ones was always the sweetest, but one had to use restraint when feeding, as they were too easily killed, and then they were of no further use.
There were ten of them in Josephine's care. Seven boys, three girls, all of them orphans. No one missed them, no one cared. Like prized pets, she gave them the best of care, and they wanted for nothing. Not even freedom. One day, they knew, they'd become like her. It was the promise of immortality that kept them in her thrall. Blood seemed such a small price to pay really for what they would receive in return.
Kit had been one of them, but turned too soon by another vampire who lacked Josephine's restraint. Fond of the girl, Josephine had let her live, despite her youthful brashness. Time, however, had never seemed to mature the girl, and Josephine knew it was Kit's own foolishness that had eventually ended in her demise. Still, the knowledge of that did nothing to quell the desire for revenge. Though she knew Jonathan had not solely been to blame for Kit's death, someone had to pay. They had taken something from her, and she was going to take something just as precious from them. And then, maybe they'd understand that she meant business.
"Mistress..." A decidedly masculine voice drew the vampire out of her thoughts. She sighed quietly and licked the blood from her lips as she ever so gently pulled away from the girl's wrist, licking the wound to seal it and laying the girl to rest in a sumptuous bed covered in rich silks and satins in vibrant hues of red and orange, like that of a fiery sunrise.
"What is it, Marcellus?" Josephine queried as she turned to face the other vampire, who was older than Kit but far younger than herself. "Have I not instructed you not to interrupt me while I'm feeding?"
"Yes, Mistress, but this is important. I've been following the Granger girl. The sister."
Josephine smiled, her irritation quickly forgotten, her interest piqued. "Very good, Marcellus. Please, tell me more."