We parked outside a diner with a pastel coloured theme to its walls. It looked out of place in the midst of the vampire city, especially with the stereotypical vampire theme being dark and dreary. It brought a sense of calm to the area, and soothing normality.
Aiden opened his door and swiftly exited, only to appear outside the passenger side door, opening it and giving me a lopsided smile as I stepped out, still wobbly, ''Welcome to my favourite diner in town, Ma Cherie.'' I rolled my eyes at him, still feeling tired after the events in the witch's unusual store. I also hadn't forgiven his actions or trade.
I noticed that the diner looked crowded and realised that all of the customers would most likely be vampires. It then dawned on me that we were going to be the centre of attention considering a human slave was with the prince on what looked like a casual lunch. It was rare for a vampire to treat their slave to an outing like this one.
The thought had butterflies fluttering in my stomach and I began to wonder if I would be able to keep any food down. The overwhelming morning I'd had did not contribute to my health in any way either.
''How are you feeling?'' Aiden asked as we walked towards the entrance.
''Better. You could've told me that she was going to start draining my blood.'' I couldn't keep myself from sounding annoyed even if I wanted to seem cool and collected around him.
''Well, you were a sort of...bargaining chip. I wasn't sure I would have to use you to get her to help.'' He sounded nonchalant as he opened the door that led to the diner and entered before me.
I couldn't be bothered to answer, he was such a douchebag. I couldn't exactly say that to his face but I could certainly think it.
The space inside held the same cheery nature as was displayed on the exterior, using the same pastel colours and decorated with several retro art designs and pictures spaced on the walls. The tables were old-school and most were filled. This place seemed to be doing well, unlike Gertrude's strange shop.
''Your Highness, welcome!'' A shrill voice could be heard over the chatter of the other customers as a petite girl approached wearing a colourful uniform. The sudden exclamation from her caused the other vampires in the room to quieten down and turn their attention to the prince and myself.
''Table for two.'' Aiden stated, showing little interest in the girl before him who seemed to be edging closer. I was surprised he didn't just barge right on past.
''Sure thing! Right this way.'' If she noticed his disinterest then she didn't make any indication to show she cared. Probably made her day seeing the Prince in the flesh, poor girl.
She led us towards a small, empty table with a window view. The view was of a small park with children running around and beautiful flowers scattered across the open space. A fountain was flowing directly opposite from the café, set in the middle of the grassy field that was busy with families. I suspected they were mostly vampires, if not all. There could be the odd human nanny dotted around but I didn't have the energy to pick them out from the crowd.
''Here're your menu's. Take your time choosing.'' She leaned over Aiden where he had taken his seat opposite of me and placed a menu before him before thrusting one roughly into my hands.
''Thanks.'' I muttered sarcastically which earned me a dirty look from the girl as she walked away. Even though I'd disrespected her, she certainly wouldn't start beating on the prince's belongings.
I read through the menu which held a wide selection of dishes and drinks, with the expected choice of blood type for the vampires. I felt my face twist into an expression of disgust as I read the different selections adapted to the vampire preferences.
''Anything interest you?'' Aiden asked, having supposedly already chosen and was now fiddling with the napkins on the table in front of him. He wasn't looking at me, I couldn't feel his heated gaze.
''Erm... I think just a chicken burger, please.'' I answered him, folding up the menu and sliding it away from me. I hoped to God that the chicken burger didn't come with a side of the red stuff, unless it was ketchup.
''What about a drink?'' He looked up at me and I found myself suddenly struck by how good looking he was. His hair was perfectly messy and his eyes the same striking blue as earlier, any traces of anger gone. His plain black t-shirt still clung to his very noticeable muscles and I had to tear my eyes away before he noticed.
''Coke?'' I was unsure as I hadn't seen it on the menu but he only nodded and we waited for the waitress to return, which she did as soon as Aiden's attention seemed to shift from me, and he recited our order to her. She listened intently, seemingly taking very detailed notes with her attention on Aiden's every word.
After she left, we sat in an awkward silence and I found myself watching the people around us to avoid making eye contact with my Master again. They seemed to have returned to their own conversations and meals with only the occasional curious or star struck glance in our direction. I guessed that if any of them wanted an autograph or chat with the Prince, they were too intimidated to do so. I was particularly thankful for that.
Aiden broke the silence, ''Violet, you can't ignore me forever.''
''I'm not.'' I answered simply, internally surprised that he was noticing my behaviour.
''Yes, you are.'' He stopped fiddling with the napkin and focused his full attention on me. I fidgeted under his glare, ''It's because of my parents last night isn't it? Josh said you looked upset.''
''No, I was expecting your family to hate me. I'm a slave.'' I stated truthfully.
''They don't hate you.'' He looked frustrated as he ran his hand through his hair and leaned back in his chair. He let out a breath of air, grasping his powerful hands together and casting a glance around the room once more.
''Well, from what they said it doesn't sound like they like me. Look, I don't care anyway.'' I was beginning to get infuriated myself. It's not like he cared, I'm his slave, not his friend so there's no reason why he should even be asking about my happiness.
''Fine, whatever. But you need to speak to me, I'm not gonna put up with your silence, even if you are my slave.''
I nodded, having no choice but to agree with him as I didn't want him to start punishing me if I continued to annoy him. His temper earlier had startled me.
''My parents were worried,'' He started to speak again, capturing my complete attention, ''I've been gone for a while and didn't tell them where I was and with the rebels around they think I'm not safe. I guess they were just surprised that I had suddenly come back and had you in tow.''
''What, they think I'm some kind of spy?'' I questioned.
''No, it's just unusual of me to do this sort of thing. They're on edge and I guess they took it out on you.'' He said honestly and I felt as if I should believe him. But that didn't mean I had entirely forgiven him for not defending me.
I don't even know why I expected him to care, he's the prince and I'm his slave, nobody special. It was silly of me really.
Just then, our drinks arrived along with my burger. Aiden had only ordered a bottle of blood which I avoided looking at before I became dizzy again. He began sipping at his drink as I tucked into my burger, realising I was starving and desperately in need of the greasy goodness.
''So, about the rebels-''
''Don't be so loud,'' he interrupted me quickly before I could reel off a long list of questions, ''the vampires around here will cause a riot if they realise we still have a threat. You can't speak to anybody about what you've heard, understand?''
''Okay.'' I whispered quickly, nervous in case anybody had heard me mention them. With their vampire hearing, it wouldn't be difficult for them to miss it. But, if anyone did hear then they didn't seem worried. After all, I was only a petty human going off on one about my last hope.
Aiden's eyes scanned the room, seemingly looking for the same signs of realisation I had been. When he seemed satisfied, he begun again,''But yeah, they are around. We keep it on the down low to avoid mass panic and also to prevent any random vampires from rushing off to start a massacre in search for the threat.'' He glanced around.
''Oh, so why are you tracking them? Are you planning to go after them yourself?'' I inquired, genuinely curious.
''I went today under the orders of my parents, but also so that I could know where they are now, yeah. I guess I kinda do want to go and solve the problem myself.'' He admitted as I continued to stuff my burger into my mouth, already feeling full and only having eaten half.
''Aren't you scared?'' I know I had heard him earlier when speaking to the King and he acted as if he knew he could defeat them without any problems, but I found it hard to believe that he was completely fearless of the threat.
''Nah, they're only a bunch of overconfident humans who think they stand a chance at defeating us because their ancestors fought us before. I don't think they realise how unbalanced the war would be if they started another.'' I found myself feeling offended at his words. Although I agreed with him and thought they wouldn't stand a chance, I was still human myself and he kept insulting us which included me too.
It just showed how little they value our human lives to degrade us to think of us as so much lower than them.
''My parents would kill me if they realised that I want to go and hunt the rebels as all they are trying to do is assure safety for our race by tracking them and making sure they aren't getting too close to us.'' He continued and seemed to have finished his drink; he was staring intently at me.
''Then why do you want to go and find them?'' I decided I had had enough of my burger and pushed it away from me, placing my elbows on the table and leaning closer to Aiden, finding I was extremely interested in what he had to say.
''I dunno really. It's just that I'm fed up of my parents' peaceful approach. I feel like if there's a threat then you need to get rid of it ASAP.'' I nodded at his answer, happy that it wasn't only because he enjoyed killing or some other sadistic reason.
I finished drinking my coke and excused myself to go to the bathroom before we left. Aiden nodded and leaned back from where he too had been leaning towards me as we had both been engrossed in our discussion. I found it strange how comfortable I had felt sitting opposite one of the most dangerous men in the world.
I had almost enjoyed it.
The toilets were located at the back of the diner, through a side door off of the main eating area and it was clearly marked so I had no trouble finding them. Luckily, the stalls were all empty and I allowed myself a minute to calm down. I had felt tense being around so many vampires in a close proximity and with so much unwanted attention too.
After I had been to the toilet and was washing my hands, the door suddenly swung open and the waitress from earlier stormed in. The first think I noticed was that her expression was livid with a hint of jealously in her darkening eyes as she spotted me.
''You silly, bitch!'' She exclaimed, taking me by surprise as she was suddenly directly in front of me.
I felt a sudden sharp pain flash across my cheek and realised she had slapped me! Tears immediately welled in my eyes and I didn't know how to react, so I said nothing which seemed to infuriate her more. I had previously thought my comment from earlier could elicit no reaction, but now I completely regretted it.
''Who do you think you are, hanging around with the prince when you're some silly little human?'' Red, the colour of scarlet blood, began swirling in her eyes, eclipsing the colour of brown they had been before. ''Answer me!'' She demanded, furious as I glimpsed a flash of fangs under the artificial lights.
I was bewildered and terrified, disgusted that I was having to allow her to treat me like this. An animalistic growl filled the room as she wrapped a strong hand around my throat and lifted me off of the ground using her unnatural strength.
I gasped in air before my airways were promptly cut off and I struggled to inhale any oxygen, black dots dancing across my vision, ''I'm going to enjoy this.'' She hissed into my ear as she bared her fangs at me and I knew she was going to bite.
''What the fuck!?'' A deep, furious voice exclaimed from behind her and her hand disappeared from around my throat causing me to breathe in air greedily. My feet hit the floor, jarring me and causing my legs to give out from beneath me at the sudden weight.
I looked up and took in the scene before me. The waitress had been thrown to the side and into the tiled wall, creating a large crack where her body had made contact. Aiden stood, shaking with anger at her feet. His eyes had darkened to the colour or blood, the same as the girl's, and his fangs had lengthened to become frighteningly sharp, bared in the threat towards where she lay on the floor. I distantly noticed that his seemed to be a lot longer, and sharper looking.
Rushing to get up off of the floor, I was fully aware that there were two thoroughly pissed off vampires in the room with me and I was defenceless. Without any other idea of what to do, I hurried to stand behind Aiden, feeling safe to be out of reach of the waitress. He was my best bet after all, he was my Master.
''Would you like to explain to me what you think you were doing with my human?'' Aiden growled in a possessive, calm voice causing the hairs on my arms to stand on end. I barely registered his word choice, my mind completely centred on the threat opposite him.
The girl laughed dryly and a seductive smile lit up her face as she came to stand on her feet, ''I was simply solving your problem for you, your Highness. This stupid human believes she is deserving of you and I'm only putting her in her rightful place.''
My eyes widened at her words as her reasons for being cruel and hateful towards me became clearer, and more complicated. She thought I was flirting with the prince and it was unheard of for a human to be with a vampire, let alone the prince.
She was jealous.
Aiden snarled, approaching her as she continued to smile seductively up at him. He stopped before her and faster than my eyes could follow, snapped her neck.
I gasped involuntarily as her body collapsed to the floor and her head fell limply to the side. I felt the tears in my eyes fall as my mind refused to comprehend the scene in front of me, ''Y-you killed her?'' I asked shakily, Aiden's back still facing me, his shoulders visibly rising and falling with each deep breath.
''No, she's unconscious. I would've killed her if I didn't think you'd have a mental break down.'' Aiden's voice was quiet as he turned to face me.
His features had returned to normal, but his expression was sour. I noticed a trace of shock in his eyes but it was gone before I could really register it. I shook my head at him, wrapping my arms around myself to try and stop the shaking that wasn't calming.
''We need to leave.'' He grabbed my hand gently and led me out of the toilets, heading towards the exit swiftly with me stumbling ungracefully behind him, tears trailing down my cheeks. The diner was dead silent, every pair of eyes followed our movements and I kept my own trained on Aiden's back until he helped me into his car and we left, driving towards the mansion.
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~ Edited 10/01/2016 ~