Victoria rolled out of bed with a happy sigh and a lazy stretch, unsure of exactly how she got there. The night before was strange indeed. First, that mysterious letter from Tara informing her that Nicholas was out, and another was in, and there was yet another wedding drawing nigh. She had only just begun to settled back into Rhy'Din and already her life was complicated.
But she didn't miss the loneliness or the simplicity of the abandoned Isle of Chains.
Arden entered the room with a cough to announce himself. He was carrying a tray of food, which he set at her bedside.
"Good afternoon, Miss Chylde." He grinned between words, as if he knew something secret.
"Is it tha' late?" She rubbed her eyes and twisted in the sheets until she was upright and comfortable.
"Yes. You had quite a night last night, or so I hear." He winked at her and removed the covers from the plates of food. Victoria wrinkled her nose at her supposed breakfast: bacon, eggs, sausage, and ham.
"Don't make that face. You need the protein. Letting vampires feed from you! Of all the things to do." He feigned disapproval, and she knew it. Her mouth curled into a half-smile and she poked at the eggs with her fork.
"He's wonderful!" She let her head drop back against the pillow, her left hand cupping the side of her neck. Though the vampire in this discussion left no mark, she could feel a tingling where he first pierced flesh.
"Tara doesn't approve though." She sighed. That was a problem.
"Your cousin never approves. Fortunately, I have better taste in men than she does. When do I get to meet this gentleman?" He lay beside her in bed as he often did, crossing his legs at his knees. In truth, Viki could've never gotten on without Arden at her side, and though the youth often disappeared at times to meet his mysterious lovers, he always returned.
"Well, Tara's wedding is coming, and you must be there! You'll meet Mr. Dupres then, 'cause, he's the best man!" His name rolled off her tongue quite naturally.
"Oo la la." Arden planted a kiss to her temple. "Now, eat. We have business to discuss." Mr. Arden Cale dove back into work-mode, and he retrieved his briefcase from the corner of the room.
"Business?" She nibbled a piece of bacon as he shuffled through a stack of papers.
"Yes. Your cousin has arranged for a trust fund for you. I have taken the liberty of handling those documents." Viki rolled her eyes. She didn't need lawyer Arden right now. She wasn't in the mood.
"And you'll need to take measurements for a proper gown. I've made an appointment for you in town. How do you feel about blue?"
"We're going tae dance, me an' David Dupres. Did you know that? His eyes are dark blue. I want my gown to match." She slammed the covers back over the plates of food. She couldn't eat right now. She couldn't do much of anything but dream of him. In truth, she hadn't had a lover for a long time, not since Brutin had left, and had she and Brutin even been lovers to begin with? No. She couldn't quite use that title for what they had, whatever it was. Her last lover was Kain Gray, Tara's ex fiance, and now he and Tara were at odds again, though Viki hadn't a clue of how that came to be. She was also unsure of what happened between Nicholas and Tara to dissolve their marriage yet again. At the tavern last night, she heard from Chris, who, and rather obnoxiously, yelled to the crowd that Tara had indeed had an affair with Talomar. Yes, that would certainly do it! Viki had met Talmor briefly in the tavern before the place erupted into chaos, what with the fighting and a troublesome magician sending her poor cousin into spasms. (This sort of thing seemed an everyday occurrence in the realm of Rhy'Din, and Viki was no longer surprised by such displays.) She'd also completely ignored the couple for a long time because she found herself quite enthralled by the vampire Dupres.
"Did you know that he lives in a castle?" Viki said with a girlish sigh.
"Who does?" Arden blinked at her. He'd been busy scribbling notes for the dressmaker.
"David!" She rolled onto her stomach and let her arms fall limp over the side of the bed.
"Oh, my." Though she couldn't see him, she knew Mr. Cale was smiling.
But she didn't miss the loneliness or the simplicity of the abandoned Isle of Chains.
Arden entered the room with a cough to announce himself. He was carrying a tray of food, which he set at her bedside.
"Good afternoon, Miss Chylde." He grinned between words, as if he knew something secret.
"Is it tha' late?" She rubbed her eyes and twisted in the sheets until she was upright and comfortable.
"Yes. You had quite a night last night, or so I hear." He winked at her and removed the covers from the plates of food. Victoria wrinkled her nose at her supposed breakfast: bacon, eggs, sausage, and ham.
"Don't make that face. You need the protein. Letting vampires feed from you! Of all the things to do." He feigned disapproval, and she knew it. Her mouth curled into a half-smile and she poked at the eggs with her fork.
"He's wonderful!" She let her head drop back against the pillow, her left hand cupping the side of her neck. Though the vampire in this discussion left no mark, she could feel a tingling where he first pierced flesh.
"Tara doesn't approve though." She sighed. That was a problem.
"Your cousin never approves. Fortunately, I have better taste in men than she does. When do I get to meet this gentleman?" He lay beside her in bed as he often did, crossing his legs at his knees. In truth, Viki could've never gotten on without Arden at her side, and though the youth often disappeared at times to meet his mysterious lovers, he always returned.
"Well, Tara's wedding is coming, and you must be there! You'll meet Mr. Dupres then, 'cause, he's the best man!" His name rolled off her tongue quite naturally.
"Oo la la." Arden planted a kiss to her temple. "Now, eat. We have business to discuss." Mr. Arden Cale dove back into work-mode, and he retrieved his briefcase from the corner of the room.
"Business?" She nibbled a piece of bacon as he shuffled through a stack of papers.
"Yes. Your cousin has arranged for a trust fund for you. I have taken the liberty of handling those documents." Viki rolled her eyes. She didn't need lawyer Arden right now. She wasn't in the mood.
"And you'll need to take measurements for a proper gown. I've made an appointment for you in town. How do you feel about blue?"
"We're going tae dance, me an' David Dupres. Did you know that? His eyes are dark blue. I want my gown to match." She slammed the covers back over the plates of food. She couldn't eat right now. She couldn't do much of anything but dream of him. In truth, she hadn't had a lover for a long time, not since Brutin had left, and had she and Brutin even been lovers to begin with? No. She couldn't quite use that title for what they had, whatever it was. Her last lover was Kain Gray, Tara's ex fiance, and now he and Tara were at odds again, though Viki hadn't a clue of how that came to be. She was also unsure of what happened between Nicholas and Tara to dissolve their marriage yet again. At the tavern last night, she heard from Chris, who, and rather obnoxiously, yelled to the crowd that Tara had indeed had an affair with Talomar. Yes, that would certainly do it! Viki had met Talmor briefly in the tavern before the place erupted into chaos, what with the fighting and a troublesome magician sending her poor cousin into spasms. (This sort of thing seemed an everyday occurrence in the realm of Rhy'Din, and Viki was no longer surprised by such displays.) She'd also completely ignored the couple for a long time because she found herself quite enthralled by the vampire Dupres.
"Did you know that he lives in a castle?" Viki said with a girlish sigh.
"Who does?" Arden blinked at her. He'd been busy scribbling notes for the dressmaker.
"David!" She rolled onto her stomach and let her arms fall limp over the side of the bed.
"Oh, my." Though she couldn't see him, she knew Mr. Cale was smiling.