the Vampire's Mistress part two

chapter 16 : shopping companion and a most disastrous dinner

page 53

Moping around the ground manor of  Mark's  aunt and uncle's, combine with the restlessness i felt had finally taken its toll on me.   boredom wasn't the cause.

Sylvia and Alfred, David and Allen's parents, had been more than generous in making my stay at their house both enjoyable and entertaining.

they provided me with a wide tour around every corner and place of the manor.

regaled me with childhood tales regarding David, Allen, and Mark.     the mischief and scrapes they shared.    

had a few maids, a private chaffeur, and a personal butler to serve my every whim.

they too, gave me the perfect freedom to use everything in the manor that might be of interest to me.

which was not an easy task.  considering the fact that the manor was equipped to cater everything that a human being could possibly desire.

it had a huge library where a vast ocean of books of every kind, language and genre could be read.

a music room complete with a professional music instructor that could teach you how to play various instruments like guitar, drums, trumbone, violin and pianoforte.

a private gym where i can work out to reduce excess weight.    a state of the art spa, a large movie theater where both old and new movies were played.

billiards hall, golf course, an artificial beach and a stone chapel.

it was everyone's dream house.  the kind that caters to your every need. and had everything in it that you wouldn't want to step out of its lavishly furnished walls.

and i should be thanking my lucky stars to have been given the chance for such, a rare privilege.

indeed, i was. i'd be a fool if i weren't. but once the awe and fascination of the whole place had worn off, the vast space and formal civility of the household staff towards me left me feeling somewhat empty.  

especially without David and Allen's company, Sylvia, Alfred and Mark off on some council meeting, leaving me with only the silent, watchful eye of Cyrille and Khan trailing my every move.

i missed the simple things i used to do, the places i used to go, and the normal life i once had.

i was sick of  having a chamber maid who practically dressed and undresses me, draws me a bath, of everyone treating me like i'm some storybook princess.

worse than all of that though, is this inexplicable longing i have to see Mark.  to bask in his nearness, hear his voice, see that familiar crease between his chocolate colored brows.  

the annoying presence of his mind invading mine.     even the constant arguing we engaged ourselves in daily.

i did my best to ignore it.  telling myself over and over that it was impossible. and probably just my mind playing tricks on me.

Mark was my arch enemy.  the one person in the whole, wide world i had vowed never to choose, even if all the men in the world were exterminated and he was the only one left.

he was selfish, arrogant, and....

here, my long litany of his faults which i used to secretly shove in front of my face whenver his drop-dead gorgeous looks holds the slightest sign of attraction from me, was missing in my memory.

instead of the negative traits he had, i found myself thinking about his good qualities instead.

his devotion to his work, affection for his rambunctious cousins, compassion for his kind and mortals, ( the latter he denies.)