Vampiric Interdiction

[9] Dislike not Hatred

Karolinna sat before the a large looking glass applying generous amounts of blush to her colourless face. Dragging the soft-bristled brush over her high supple cheekbones she twisted it in her fingers, allowing the rosy-pink powder to blend into her complexion. Placing the brush onto the glass surface of her bureau next to a tube of unopened lip-stick she had purchased the day before, and an almost desolate vial of clear nail varnish, she admired her work.

“I definitely see why they call it a vanity mirror,” Perched on the bed behind her, Villahr sat on the edge wiping away at the trickles of blood running down his arm with a cool cloth. The flesh had returned to it’s natural colour just as he promised, and other than the scarring memory of the previous night’s events, there was no evidence of injury. “Don’t you think you’ve done enough preening, Kar? You do realize you’ve been sitting there for about twenty minutes now, right?”

“Fak Ouh, Villahr. Nothing wrong with wanting to look good,” Karolinna cursed, throwing her head back to give her friend a dirty stare, scrunching up her nose and narrowing her pretty almond-shaped eyes.

“Of course not. But it looks to me like you’re striving for fairest of them all,” Villahr teased. “Where are you off to at this hour anyway? Little early to be preying on poor defenceless humans to satisfy your urges, isn’t it?” Villahr grinned and re-clasped the chain around his neck; the blade on the end hit him flat in the chest as he got up and walked towards her.

“Work,” the faelna replied, slicing into the plastic, that encased the tube of coral stain, with a long nail.

“Work?” Villahr scoffed, resting his strong hands over the curve of Karolinna’s bare shoulders. Karolinna shivered at his touch but tried to make it as if she were simply adjusting her position, pulling the excess fabric of the green towel wrapped around her, over her knee.

“Yes, work! I’m not the spoiled little brat you think I am, Lahr. I don’t just sit around sponging off my parents.”

“Oh please! We both know your only doing it because Mother threatened to cut you off, and if you could, you would definitely be lounging on your bed right now barking at the maids for sweets and entertainment,” Villahr retorted, giving the warm skin beneath his hands a firm squeeze. “Namely of the hunky male variety.”

Karolinna opened her mouth to retaliate, but found no venom left in any of the words she could think to voice, and none proving Villahr’s accusations false, so she said nothing. Her laughter soon followed her lack of intelligent requital and she shook her head, demolished.

“Okay, so your right. Don’t get too big-headed about it.” Giving the chuckling male a small defeated smirk, she turned her attention to her reflection and pursed her lips. Karolinna carefully slid the cosmetic stick in her hand over her pouty mouth, obviously pleased withe the colour it left behind and it’s buttery-smooth smear judging by the toothy grin she gave herself.

Her process for buying makeup was frequently extensive, and she almost always insisted on trying the products before she would commit to buying. This occasion, however, she hadn’t the time — no, scratch that, she was just too indolent — and resorted to sending out the help. Had something less than exemplary been brought home to her, Karolinna no doubt would have sent them right back, no matter the time of day or the inconvenience. Fortunately in this case the product was divine. An excellent investment.

“If you hate humans so much, why bother going to all this effort? Or is there someone in that little group of yours who’s caught your eye?” Villahr wondered, lifting a hand to her hair. He bounced one of the the elegantly curled spirals off the pads of his fingers until Karolinna slapped his hand away, muttering something along the lines of ‘Screw off. You’ll ruin them’.