Part 22. The Vampire's Maid

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Ashley was unresponsive for a second but then his arms closed around me as though he was the protective one, the one wanting to offer comfort. The sense of safety he gave me made me feel guilty; I was meant to be consoling him, not the other way around. Despite this I held him closer and rested my cheek on his chest, selfishly wanting him to protect me just for a moment. Because the sense of danger had come back. Goliath had murdered his own wife. Why had I ever thought that I'd be protected in this house? Even she hadn't been.

"I don't understand how he could do it." I whispered into Ashley's shirt. "I don't see how."

Ashley didn't have to ask who I meant by he or what awful deed I was referring to.

"He tried to change my mother at first. I don't know if you're familiar with the story of how vampires came to be?"

I nodded which received a sigh from Ashley that could easily have been a weak chuckle.

"Of course you're familiar with it. You seem to know more about vampires than I do.

"To change from a human to a vampire you have to grow accustomed to drinking blood, gradually, until you rely on it. Blood gives us strength and speed. It's what makes my father able to overpower a village with merely a few of his friends. But my mother wouldn't drink it. She refused."

"Why wouldn't she drink it?" I asked, already knowing the answer.

"She knew that if she did she'd become a murderer. It wasn't a life that she wanted. But she'd already given birth to me when my father became aware of this fact and then..."

"Then what?"

"I don't know." He admitted. "I don't know what happened after that. All I do know is that Dane killed her. There are so many questions I want to ask people."

"I know."  

His lips pressed on my hair before his warm embrace was snatched from me. Ashley left the room without a goodbye and I could understand why. I knew from personal experience that when emotions were heavy in your chest, uttering a farewell would cause tears to spill over your eyes. The door closed behind him, extinguishing all but one of the candles that flickered beside it.

Already I was beginning to miss him. This thought scared me.

With difficulty I dragged the heavy wardrobe until it disguised the portrait. My arms seemed weaker than usual, probably as a result of the early morning and rapidly changing emotions. So I was breathing heavily when the door to Joe's room opened and it took me a while to register what was happening.

A male that, by the way he was wearing his shirt, could only be Joe was pulling a girl into the room.

"Joe," she giggled. "I need to get back to the kitchen."

For a second I was confused because surely that voice couldn't have come out of June. It was too giggly, too girly. But then her red hair caught the thin strip of light coming from the candle and I knew that it was her. His hands moved to her waist, his mouth to her neck.

"Maybe the vampires can go hungry for ten minutes," she said.

"Just ten minutes?" Joe asked with a laugh in his voice.

"Well, I suppose they can-," June started before Joe kissed her full on the mouth.

Seconds passed before I finally found my voice.

"Ahem," I coughed loudly. "Guys?"

Joe pulled away from her at lightning speed. June blushed but smiled at me, obviously euphoric. Joe, on the contrary, didn't look as though he was enjoying this situation at all. Of course, he had just been flirting with me in the entrance hall and perhaps he was feeling guilty. I hoped that he was.

"Lizzy," he started and then faltered, obviously not knowing what to say,

"It's okay. You can't blame a guy for having fun, eh?" I told him.

With a smile plastered onto my face I left the room, slumping against the wall on the other side. I was happy for June. Of course I was. But I didn't want her to get hurt and Joe's romantic interests didn't seem to be too stable at the moment. Joe was easy to figure out; he wanted to have a good time. June, on the other hand, seemed as though she wanted something more serious with Joe.

I headed back up the stairs, intending to find Ashley. Even the thought of him filled me with elation. A pair of hands on my waist caused me to stop.

"Ashley," I smiled turning around.

My mouth dropped for it was not Ashley standing behind me.

"Sorry to disappoint you but I'm not vampire boy."

"Joe!" I yelled, pushing his hands away from me.

He grinned as though my reaction was just what he'd expected. I scowled at him, unable to believe that he was flirting with me again after what I'd just witnessed between him and June.

"Where's June?" I asked disapprovingly.

Joe raked his fingers through his hair awkwardly. He was good looking, I thought obscurely. He had a rugged look about him that, back in the real world, models in magazines would try to achieve.

"Look, Lizzy, I can't blame you for being mad."

"Damn right I'm mad!" I growled.

"It's natural for you to be a little jealous," He grinned, cockily.

"Are you joking?" I spluttered. "I'm not jealous!"

"The lady doth protest too much," Joe raised an eyebrow.

I felt my cheeks going red with anger and frustration. Joe was annoying, that much was certain. The fact that I couldn't help but like him, even when he was being like this, made me even angrier.

"I'm not jealous! I'm angry at you. You should treat June with a little more respect."

He bit his lip as though deliberating. I was tempted to try out the skills I'd learned in my self defence lesson on him. Before I could kick him, however, he nodded his head.

"Okay I'll treat her better." He said, before flashing his cocky grin in my direction, throwing his promise into an air of confusion. That, I supposed, was Joe's style.  

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This is so short it can't technically count as a chapter. I'm sorry!!! I guess this is just a linking part :) Comment please! x

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