Lord Motte's Vampire Bride - Version 1

Murder

I can only laugh. 

I had always been one to laugh in anxious situations to cover up my nerves. It is an automatic response. Now that I've become accustomed to Lord Motte's company in the last hour of talking, I have now grown comfortable enough to laugh, to let my automatic responses work their magic if you will. 

He laughs with me gleefully, pleased with my response. "So, I'll take that as a yes?" 

"Believe what you want. I can't fight it anymore." I give a small smile, which he returns without hesitation. 

"Give in? Is that what you call a confession?" He sniggers. 

"Perhaps, or a denial. Whatever you want. I wasn't truly in control of myself that night. I can't really tell you what happened." I shrug my shoulders nonchalantly and attempt to appear proud of myself, as he would want me to be.

He chuckles and tugs his chair closer. "How about we go for some dessert, dear girl?" 

"Whatever you have in store. It's your dinner." I replied sternly, my arms still crossed. 

Lord Motte watches me, appalled and stands from his chair in excitement. "Won't be but a second." He promises alluringly. 

I wait patiently until he arrives, all the while calmly counting my breaths. I have to stay calm if I want to get through this. 

I'm not losing like the others. 

When he returns I am pleased to see he has served me with chocolate pudding. I peak at the dish and give him a brief look of approval before digging in. I give him a smile while doing so. 

I sigh in content when I finish and acknowledge him once again. "You know, you're right. We have to accept what destiny hands us." 

"Is that so?" He coos. 

"Of course. Who are we to question who we are?" I say thoughtfully. "After all, on that night I was absolutely horrified with myself at my actions, but they were still my actions. I never knew I was capable of such a thing! It was the plain...wrong thing to do, and yet I didn't hesitate, I didn't even feel bad enough to turn myself in." I drift off as I swallow that one hard fact. "But, what I was capable of was rushing off under different names so that no one would ever suspect me, breaking the law just to earn a living. They saw me that night. They knew I was looking for him. I'm a suspect. A suspect who would likely be in prison right now if they ever had the chance to bring me in." 

"So Cynthia Long had to die." Lord Motte finishes for me.

"Exactly." I nod. 

He places his hands together and smiles at me in wonder. "Oh, Cynthia. It's too bad she had to die in the human world." 

"It is." I agree, regret thick in my voice.

He stands and paces the room as I watch silently from my chair. "Would you like some more wine while I think?" He says absentmindedly. 

"U-uh, sure." I accept, nervously. Butterflies began to erupt in my stomach as I began to realize our conversation was over. He was already deciding. 

Had I wasted my time?

My heart sped up until it was thumping itself out of my chest. I watched him, a nervous wreck as I gulped down some more of his wine straight from the bottle. My hands shook but I held it up to my mouth regardless of how hard it was. I gulp down its contents desperately.

If I have to die today, please let me be drunk out of my mind. 

Just like my father. 

The Lord throws open the curtains, revealing a setting sun. The day is already ending? 

And no one has come to look for me. Not that there is evidence of anyways. 

I feel like fainting again. Black spots are already filling my vision as I struggle to continue watching the pacing Lord.

He decides my fate. 

"Why did this curse happen to you?" I ask boldly, interrupting his pondering. 

He turns on his heel, surprisingly not angered by my inquiry. "I was responsible for someone's death too once, a human's."

My eyes widened. "A-and this was your punishment?" 

"As it would seem." He sighs to himself, staring out the window once again.

My face whitens. "You must be joking." 

"Wish I was." He replies, his hands casually placed in his pants pockets. 

"But why would-" I stutter out.

"Why murder someone?" He turns to me again. "Well, like you, I didn't mean to. I was just too angry to stop myself." He says genuinely. "He stole my wife from me and she ended up dead because of it. I don't believe she went by choice. She would have never left me..." He says mournfully. "All I know was that he claims she ran off into the night, supposedly with her newfound love, and the next morning she was dead. A broken neck after she flung herself out of the highest window." 

"Bastard." I blurt out. 

"Indeed. He deserved his death." He replies, turning to me with sullen eyes. "This curse has ripped my life from me, but it still hasn't been more painful than losing her." 

"So, what is the catch?" I ask. I had a feeling he was leaving something out. 

"Nice catch." He laughs fakely. "Yes, a witch cursed me to suck blood for all eternity, but another witch pitied me. A much more powerful one." 

"What did she do?" I ask quietly. 

"She was a relative of the woman I loved and lost. She suspected my wife was murdered just as I presumed." He walks closer to me away from the window. "She said she can't undo another witch's curse, but she can alter it so that I may have a chance at love again." 

I listen attentively. 

"She said my love will be reincarnated." He says seriously, looking at me intensely. "She said she would come back to me in the form of a human girl, lured into my mansion in which I cannot leave, otherwise she won't be able to find me." He sighs. "So, I wait for her until she comes back to me, so that we may be together." 

I am absolutely stunned. "So, why must you murder all that do not qualify?" 

"It's my only source of food, dear." He shakes his head. "And a rare source, I might add." 

"Oh, I-" 

"But the most important thing the witch told me was that my bride would share one thing in common with me. Something I couldn't mention before or else you would have faked it, as they have before." He says, watching me attentively. 

"What is that?" I gulp.

"Murder."