The Vampire Rose

Chapter 12:

Chapter 12: Home Again

            I coughed. My throat was on fire. But it would end soon. Alexander would be back, and we would go hunting.

            “Princess?”

            I looked up from my writing table, and smiled when I saw my maker leaning against the doorjamb. My heart fluttered in my chest. He looked so handsome.

            “Alexander,” I breathed, standing up to walk over to him.

            He gathered me into his arms, giving me a fatherly hug. Blah. My feelings for my maker were far from daughterly.

            “Ready to go hunting?” he asked me when we parted.

            “You know, I can go by myself,” I pointed out. “I am of seventeen years now.”

            His smile faded, and his hold tightened.

            “You are still young,” he said. “I don’t want you going out by yourself.”

            I sighed, and pulled out of his embrace.

            “Fine, allow me to get ready.”

            I pushed past him and walked out in the hallway and ran up the stairs, vampire speed.

            I pulled off my dress, my corset and shift, and let it fall to the floor. I grabbed a pair of breeches, boots, and a loose fitting white shirt, and quickly put them on my body.

            I raced back down the stairs, and found Alexander standing by the big oak doors. He had a thoughtful expression on his face. I came up to him and, because of my boots, I was almost at eyelevel.

            “Ready to go, Master?” I asked him, knowing that it made him angry when I called him that.

            He frowned, then smiled. “Of course…Rose.”

            I snorted. “I’m far from a Rose.”

            He smiled bigger, showing me teeth.

            “Your cheeks filled with a blush remind me of a rose,” he said, whispering in my ear. I shivered. “Your lips, when you bite them, they turn red as the rose.”

            Was this man trying to make me tackle him?

            “They also turned red when you have just had a fresh kill, and its life still glistens  on your lips.”

            Well, that was a moment spoiler.

            My throat erupted in flames again, and I coughed.

            I pushed past him, and the butler opened the door.

            “Let’s just hunt,” I said gruffly, miffed a little at the turn of the conversation.

            “Whatever you say… Rose.”

            I ran down the front stairs, across the moat, and into the stables.

            “Princess?”

            I looked over into one of the stalls, and saw Moon staring at me.