Love Bites (Book one)

Chapter twenty two

*Yasmin*

Me and the Master vampire sat for most of the night discussing how the training sessions would run. It was a good thing that we couldn’t actually run one of the sessions tonight as there was more planning involved than I expected. It did not help that every few decisions that we made, he would suddenly ask me a more personal question and I would freeze.

I mean why did he need to know where I went to school and that I didn’t have the money to take my education further, working as a waitress for nothing more than tip money? Or why did he have to know about my first date with Sam Winsfield and how terrible it had gone?

Every time, I would fidget, thinking about whether I should answer or try to find a way to avoid the question. His blue eyes stayed fixed on me, his face showing little emotion to what he thought about what we were talking about either personally or about the training.

Finally, the sky turned to the warm glow that it did just before dawn and I looked to the Master vampire, letting out a long sigh. “I think it is time for me to head back to the dorm.” I announced, pushing to my feet.

He turned around and looked out of the window, looking almost surprised at how long we had been talking. “Yes, I suppose it is almost time for us to retire.” He said, seeming lost in thought about something else before he turned back to me. “I have been thinking about you sleeping in the dorms.” I froze, my heart skipping a beat at his words. He thought about me sleeping in the dorms? “I think with your new status that you should move to a more private chamber, you know, to show the others that you are not still just a guard.”

Oh. I quickly regained my control and thought about his offer. “But I will not have this position forever and then I will need to move back to the dorm, so wouldn’t it be better for me to just stay where I am?”

The Master vampire shook his head. “You won’t necessarily have to move back to the dorm when this is over.” He smirked. I looked at him curiously for a moment before he continued. “We do have other members of the groups that have their own rooms, they are nothing special, it is usually for service to my family and you doing this with me would be a great service.”

I shuffled uncomfortably. “Well, I suppose. Maybe. I mean, if there is one and it is available then I could.” I awkwardly stuttered before sighing. “I am tired, may I go to bed?”

“Sure.” He smiled.

“Thank you Master.” I bowed slightly before turning and leaving.

When I reached the top of the stairs I came to a stop as a shrill voice yelled. “Hey Sedvey.” I turned around, finding that Michelle, the Sedvey I had seen earlier outside the Master’s office, was walking towards me. She flipped her hair over her shoulder before crossing her arms and giving me a pointed look. “You know that the Master vampire has women to see to his needs, he is not looking for anyone like you.”

The way she looked me up and down in my baggy gym gear with a sneer made me wonder if she thought that we had been up to something else in his office other than just talking. “That is good for him.” I simply told her, turning to continue on my way to the dorm when she reached out and grabbed my arm, letting me sense that she had the ability to heal her body at an accelerated rate, more than a usual vampire, but still it seemed like a strange gift.

“Look slut, I have been with the Master since before you were turned. He will never see you the way that he sees me. Do not delude yourself into thinking that you can swoop in and steal him from me.” She hissed in my face.

A small part inside me winced at her words, feeling like she was right. Here I was having s****l fantasies about a man who literally had a harem at his beck and call, who Frankie warned me about, and who would probably never be interested in someone who was as messed up as I was. Instead of thinking of a comeback and drawing out our little encounter, I let out a long sigh. “You can have him, I am just here to do a job, that is all.” I was surprised at how much my insecurities and defeat came out in the tone of my voice.

Looking triumphantly at me, Michelle let go of my arm smiling widely as she took a step back. I turned back on my path, noticing the Master vampire stood a short distance away, his face the same hard shell that it usually was. He was probably angry that I had spoken to one of his concubines, or whatever he called the women that he liked to keep for himself. I half expected for him to come after me, threaten me again in some way as I continued down to the basement. I was both relieved and disappointed when I got to the dorm without him coming to stop me.

Why did I want to be near him? Why had tonight been the best night of my afterlife, just because I could stare at his handsome face without repremant? I shook my head, riding my mind of such thoughts. I was going to have to spend a lot of time with the man and I needed to be focused if I was going to prove to everyone that I was meant to have the position that I had been given, still having a lingering feeling that at any moment, someone could change their mind and send me back to living with Antonio, and I could not let that happen.

*Martyn*

I hated the fact that that Yamin was right. The more that she went on about the rotation of the guard, the more flawed I could tell the system was. I was pissed that she had had to be the one to point it out to me, and even more annoyed that she had the position that I truly wanted. I always thought that Sven had taken my group from me and split it between Charles and Phillippe because I was a Sedvey, but to see her have what I wanted, I knew that that was not the case. I knew that she was more than professional with her role as a guard, but I was not sure if she was ready for such a position.

I did not know what was going on with the Master vampire recently. He had been making a lot of changes, not all of them that I was one hundred percent against, but it all seemed to have happened since he caught Frankie with that guard. I blamed myself for that in a way, even though the guard was not under my control at that point. But, I had suspected that she may be sleeping with one or two of them and I didn't say anything to stop her. Not only that, but I had to agree with Sven, even though I would not admit it, that the way that the guards reacted when Nelson attacked Yasmin was incompentant at best. They may as well have not even been there for all the good that they did. I felt bad for what he had tried to do with the poor girl, after all, she had done the right thing in coming to me to ask for a change in partner and I had had to deny her. At least it led to a much needed change in our laws which I was grateful for.

I knew that Drex had the brains and Charles and Phillippe had the brawn, Frankie having those eyes that he never seemed to be able to say no to. But what did I have? I felt like the typical middle child, not sure how they fit into the world around them. Sven had my utmost respect. He had saved me from a life of slavery, seeing in me what no one else saw in those days.

I let out a long sigh, knowing that I owed him more than I could ever repay, and wanting to do a good job to prove my place here was a worthy one. I spent hours looking over each of the guard’s schedules, making it so that they could each easily fit in a training session on one night while still being fully refreshed for when they were on their day shift.

It was almost light when I looked up, making me sigh and rub my eyes. Stacking the papers together to take to Sven to look over, I headed out back towards his office, freezing as I heard raised voices. “Look slut, I have been with the Master since before you were turned. He will never see you the way that he sees me. Do not delude yourself into thinking that you can swoop in and steal him from me.” One of Sven’s concubines hissed, her hand gripped tightly around Yasmin’s arm.

I noticed Sven across the landing, his face set like stone as he watched on. “You can have him, I am just here to do a job, that is all.” Yasmin replied, her voice not sounding as confident as she had done when she was explaining the error with the guard schedule. In fact, she sounded wounded by the Sedvey’s words before she turned and walked away, sending only the briefest glance to Sven as she continued on her way.

I walked further out, noting the dangerous look on Sven’s face as he appeared in front of Michelle, grabbing her arm. “Why are you out here when I sent you back to my tower hours ago?” He gritted out.

“Master, I thought that you may need to see me since you have not had company all night.” The Sedvey drawled as she drew a small circular pattern on his chest.

“If you go against me again, you are gone. Do you understand?” Sven warned, his voice dangerously calm making a shiver of fear even run down my spine.

“Y-yes master.” She stuttered out, shaking slightly before he finally released her. His eyes came into contact with my own, sending me a nod before trying to step around the woman and get to me when she blocked his path. “Do you want me to wait for you in your room, Master?” She asked.

“No!” He boomed, making her jump and run off towards Sven’s tower, not trying to push her luck any further. My sire shook his head, holding on to the bridge of his nose for a moment before walking over to me. “Did you manage to have a look at the schedules for me?” he asked.

“Yes sire. Here they are.” I told him, handing over the stack of papers.

“Thank you for this Martyn, I appreciate you taking the time to look into this.” He gave me a half smile. “I promise that I will not medal in your running of the guard in future. Maybe, if you have the time, you could join us for a few of the training sessions so that you can see how they are run, maybe you could run a few of the sessions when me and Yasmin need a night off duty.”

“It would be an honour sire.” I nodded, noting the defeated and hurt look on his face. He glanced over the banister, seeming to wonder where Yasmin had gone, but he did not go after her, instead he gave me one last look before he headed to his room alone, making me wonder if Frankie was not the reason for the recent changes, but Yasmin instead.