The Caged Bird

14. The Feeding Chamber

"When do my lessons begin, my lord?" she asked boldly. He laughed and it was a low rumble that stirred her heart.

"You will see Bernard tomorrow," he responded, feigning ignorance. But she could see he understood and simply turned away with a nod. She took a step back towards the bookshelf but he pulled her back gently.

"Your lessons with me can begin whenever you are ready. I leave tomorrow night for Hygate but I will return within three days." The letter flashed in Lark's mind.

"Very well," she murmured. She could hardly conceal her interest in his journey but she didn't dare admit she had read his private correspondence. She would have to ask the guards or wait for him to return to investigate further.

"Can we start now?" she asked.

"If you wish. Do you have questions to ask?" August led her to the velvet couch and sat beside her. As he leaned back comfortably she felt her own body relax.

"You cannot step into the sun without protection?" she inquired.

"We cannot. We burn quickly. Even shrouded we can only withstand a few minutes of direct light, and some hours in the shade. It burns the eyes, blinding vampires who hunt during the day over time. Many blind vampires are rogues. Some die of it." He sounded regretful but also disgusted. Any eternal life lost was to be mourned but rogues were a source of ongoing anxiety for every kingdom.

"Where do you sleep?" August raised his eyebrows.

"In my bed. I have curtains."

Lark blushed. It was an obvious question.

"How old are you?" she blurted to ease her embarrassment.

"450 perhaps? My birthday is in midwinter but I forget the year frequently. Bernard is always happy to remind me of it. Alas, he is absent."

"Do your injuries heal?"

"They do. At a faster rate. Only ruining my heart or removing my head will truly kill me. Even grievous injuries will only temporarily weaken me."

"Do vampires have weaknesses?" Lark averted her eyes. It was a very direct question and could be badly received. But August breezed past it without flinching.

"None but sunlight and starvation."

Their conversation continued deep into the night even after dinner had been eaten and cleaned up. August laughed easily and Lark felt herself softening towards him. He brushed her hair back from her forehead and jolts of excitement rushed through her. Luckily he was polite enough not to laugh as her heartbeat fluctuated. At last Lark found herself drowsy, laying back lazily against the couch with her eyes low. August finished the story he was telling as she fell into a heavy sleep. Her exhaustion was obvious so he lifted her easily into his arms and placed her in his own bed. Pulling a blanket over her body he went to lay on the couch and watched her for a while. The gentle rise and fall of her chest in deep sleep was a comforting sight. Though he hadn't needed to breathe in many centuries he still did so, especially in front of human company. Most other vampires rarely bothered and he was often teased at parties for pandering to the human condition. Though some of his peers might actually be insulted by his human behaviors no one dared to insult him seriously. He accepted their light joking but any further action would warrant his wrath. He could not afford to be seen as weak.

He found himself so fascinated with Lark, yet it was an obsession he could not explain. She was gentle and inexperienced but her strength and confidence were obvious and admirable. Her wit and charm had captivated him from their first meeting along with her clear curiosity. He had always been drawn to humans with their own hunger. He may hunger for blood but humans hungered for things beyond sustenance. They desired love, freedom, knowledge, and so many other intangible treasures. So far removed from his humanity, August found this hunger fascinating. Humans filled such short lives with so many experiences and desires. They were made of fire that blazed so brightly but died so swiftly. This was the reality that had always haunted August. Though he found himself more and more desperate for human companionship and influence, they slipped away so quickly that he felt constantly tormented by loss. His beloved Ora had stirred a deep longing within him that he hadn't felt in hundreds of years. He wished for an eternal companion. But he found no one could match him in temperament. Female vampires were often even more bloodthirsty than the males and none seemed to suit him. They always seemed so animalistic and had no empathy for humanity. They had no master but their own lust for blood.

He felt like he was intruding and turned away but he could still see Lark's face in his mind. As she slept soundly he found he could not sleep at all. He had only awoken a few hours ago. He rose from the couch and sat at his desk where his letter still lay open. He folded it up carefully and sealed it in an envelope. After creeping quietly from the bedchamber he handed the note to the trusted guard in the hallway who rushed to deliver it to the messenger on staff. It would be taken to his forces positioned just on the border of Hygate. Some soldiers had already entered the neighboring territory. He would soon join them. Strategy filled his thoughts and he spent much of the night in discussion with William. He was staying within the castle in preparation for their attack on Hygate but his presence was unknown to most of the servants. He was a ghostly blur stalking through the halls and courtyards of the castle, easily avoiding detection. August was grateful for his talents of deception and concealment. It would be vital to their plan to liberate the imprisoned humans in Hygate. They discussed their plan for many hours as sunrise approached. Before it could spill over the horizon both vampires retired to their chambers with renewed confidence. Their plan was sure to succeed.

August entered his bedroom without making a sound and drew his heavy curtains shut. Dim daylight was already creeping into the narrow windows. He saw that Lark still slept peacefully bundled up in his large bed so he returned to the couch with a book to read until she finally awoke. He yearned already to hear her voice again and found it hard to focus on the story unfolding in his hands. His eyes found her sleeping form and longed to embrace it. But he knew she would not approve. So he poured himself into the volume he held and waited.