Forced to Buy a Vampire Slave (rewrite) Book #1

Chapter Three

"Are you sleeping over there?" I asked Corey.

There was enough moonlight spilling in from the windows that I could see as he kicked his feet up on the maroon ottamin.

"Suit yourself," I pulled the covers up higher.

I slept in past breakfast, which was normal for me during the summer. Our chefs knew to leave a plate in the fridge for me, and there was almost always coffee being brewed no matter the time of day, because my parents were heavy consumers of it. Sliding out from my four-postered bed, I flicked a glance to the couch, where Corey was asleep, facing the wall with his knees pulled up, his lanky body barely able to fit on the couch. It was nearly noon, and I had a headache. Pulling a pair of jeans on from my bedroom floor, I left the room dressed in my oversized Pooh shirt and traveled downstairs. I found food set out on the counters, because we had guests stay over, so there was sort of a help yourself buffet spread out. There was an English earl by the name of Lucas fixing a plate, and I tried my best not to interact with him because he gave me the creeps. He was thirty-two and had tried to flirt with me on several occasions. He liked parties and drinking and younger girls. And I'm sure he'd love to marry a seventeen year old princess. Not gonna happen.

He smiled at me as I poured two cups of coffee, and I gave him a stiff smile back. He tried to make conversation, but I hurriedly fixed up two plates of food and left the room, carrying the dishes upstairs. Corey stirred when I came back in the room and set my armful of dishes down on the low glass table in the sitting area. I noticed the glass was cleaned up from the carpet but decided not to say anything.

"Breakfast?" I inquired, as he pulled himself into a sitting position. He was still dressed in his black tux from last night, minus the jacket, but the sleeves were pushed up to his elbows and the collar unfastened enough to show a sliver of pale skin that I found distracting. "I left your coffee black. You look like a black coffee type of person."

"I'm a haven't-had-coffee-in-fifteen-years type of person." he muttered, black curls falling over his forehead.

I glanced down, picking up a plate and moving to sit in a chair with it balanced on my knees. "Right. Sorry. If you don't like it, I can adjust it. Cream. Sugar."

Corey said nothing, but took up the mug with its royal crest on it; green snakes and gold chalices.

I gestured to the plate of food on the coffee table, skewering a piece of sausage with my fork. "Eat." I took a bite of sausage, then backtracked. "Not like, an order. Just, if you want to...you can eat."

He didn't move to pick up the plate, instead leaning back into the couch with his coffee. It was silent while I ate my breakfast, and every time I thought of something to say, I decided against actually saying it. When I'd finished, I grabbed a change of clothes fro my closet and went to shower. My bathroom was expansive and tiled in shades of dark gray and black. There was a double sink, the basins reflective black and the counters textured gray marble. The shower was walk in, and the tub was claw footed and big enough for two. After showering, I slipped into a snug black skirt and a white top. The only jewelry I regular wore was the house ring, but now I did have the addition of the gold cross around my neck. The ring was not only unlocked the garden gates, but it also unlocked the back door in the sunroom. Drake had found that particularly useful when he sneaked out late at night, because the main castle entrance was locked after nine P.M.

Corey was in the same place I left him- on the couch. The food I had brought up for him was still untouched, but the coffee mug was empty. That was something. I'd feel worse if he hadn't touched either of them.

I picked up my cell phone and scrolled through the notifications, only caring when I read a text message from Drake complaining about Switzerland's weather. "I'm going out," I said, glancing at Corey. "Do you want to come with me?"