"Is court any better than the highlands?" I asked over the phone, on the other side I could hear Surano smile as he told me stories. He was having a far better time than I.
Dangling my feet over my bed I laughed. I missed my friends, I thought as he finished his sentences. Apparently, being around the Queen was a lot more interesting than being stuck with the Prince. Looking at the clock I noticed that it was near time for everyone to head to bed. "I'm getting tired but keep me updated, it sounds like fun." Hanging up on him I put my phone on the nightstand. Closing my black out curtains I felt like I was in the mood for a glass of water.
I was in my pajamas and I didn't want to change back into my uniform. I was wearing a senior shirt from my old school and some sports shorts. I decided I would take the risk. Fixing the bandage on my finger I scurried out the door. My room was far from the others so I should be fine. Coming around the corner of the hall I was able to get into the kitchen. There was two fridges. One for the human food and the other for the blood. I tried to get the right one first.
Luckily I did.
Fixing myself a glass I began to walk back to my room, but there was light coming from a doorway. I could hear voices on the otherside and my name. Moving to the wall where it was I put my back against the wall. It was Holstein's voice and Nelo. "Do you think we should trust her?"
"A Keeper? Hell no, I don't care how friendly Natalia has become with her. She's a Keeper and even if she's here to protect Alexandur she is still a human if anything. We all smelt that blood after she left the room." Nelo told the his friend. I put my hands on the wall as I leaned against it. I did admit that I knew the dangers of using the blood craft around them but I had to do it. I needed to put a protection order on the manor, my job was to protect the Prince and that's what I intended on doing.
Holstein defended me a little but I could hear the hatred in his voice. "I think she was spellcasting." I was so stupid to think they cared at all about me or my work.
To them I was a nuisance that got in the way.
"For what? What does she need to use magic, were in a building full of Vampires." Nelo made his point but that was the exact reason why I needed the spells. Then his voice drew back up. "And carrying around that sword. I feel like were back in the past, what if she just pulls it out on us." That almost cause the laughter to escape my throat. I would never unless they harmed a human but they knew that. They were worried over nothing.
The next words formed caused the blood to drain from my body. "Then we will take care of her." I was frozen, their intent was to kill me. I suddenly wished I brought my sword with me. My throat went dry. I backed up away from the door, I needed to go back to my rooms. And do what, I thought. They were faster and stronger. I've only killed a single Lost and it was just one. I've never taken on more than one Vampire. Not one that was sane either. My hand fell back onto a small table against the wall of the hall. It rattled. Shit. They heard me.
I could tell they were coming to check, the hall was too long to escape. A hand flew over my mouth as I was pulled down the hallway. I held my breath as I thought I was about to die. Closing my eyes I refused to look at who had just stolen me away. "I could have sworn I heard something." Nelo spoke. Opening my eyes I met the Prince's face. He was watching to make sure I had not been caught.
He'd just helped me.
Holstein and Nelo went back into the room. The Prince looked like he wanted to smile but instead held it back in front of me. "Ease dropping much?" He commented, but if he was there then he was ease dropping too.
"It was an accident." I moved away from him, he was so cold to me and now all of a sudden he's helping me. Now I wished I would have been left out there to suffer. "Why did you help me?" I spat out turning my head to him.
He sighed, "Don't worry about it, it won't happen again." The Prince told me just staring me down, his eyes roamed around my body. Then he sniffed. "Are you bleeding?" He asked me, I looked down to my hand and saw my bandage had fallen. Shit. I called out. The Prince looked at me like he was suprised that I could curse. He took my hand and dragged me off onto another room.
Closing the door between us and the world. Fear rose in the back of my feet as I thought about the worse possible thing he could do to me. Kill me. That's what was the worst thing he could do. "You're shaking." Of course I was shaking I was basically defensless in front of a Vampire while I bled.
I couldn't control my panicing as I pulled away from him. "I'm sorry, I'm usually not like this." I apologized but I knew what this was all about. I've never had anyone threaten my life before. Not in this kind of situation. Away from home. Away from my family. Away from my friends. He just allowed me to have my moment. Then I stopped, pulling myself together I watched the moon settle and the light come back into the room.
The Prince put his hand to his fang, he brought it down to my face. "Drink it." He told me, I looked at him like he was crazy- because he was. "It'll heal you, so just drink it and shut up." He was getting flustered. He was actually cute when he wasn't hating me.
I put his hand to my mouth and drank the little blood at rose to the top. Vampire blood was disgusting. I didn't meet his gaze at all. I mean how could I? I finished and pulled away. The Prince drew his hand down his pants. I watched as the small wound on my hand closed all on it's own. My mouth fell open, I didn't think that would work. I knew that Vampire blood was a good healer but I didn't know it would work that fast. I was facinated. "Thank you."
"Don't bleed around us so easily." He warned me, those hateful eyes returned. "We may be purebloods but were still Vampires." He didn't need to remind me because I knew that well. There was no trusting any Vampires. Not even the heir.
I scoffed, pulling my shirt down. "I need the blood for my spells, I can't help that."
The Prince just watched me, I didn't like the way he looked at me. Curious. Dangerous. "Then if you start to bleed you need to come to me. I trust myself enough to know that I won't go all Lost on you." He said but I didn't even trust that. I've already over stepped my boundaries by not wearing my uniform before a Vampire and drinking his blood. I didn't need to make this any worse.
"I won't do that." I rebelled.
How showed me his hand, "Look, I'm already healed." The wound was gone but it still didn't feel right. Spell casting was apart of me, every time I bled I would have to drink from him. It would get in the way of my work. I would be putting myself in danger. I didn't even want to think about it. "Don't get the wrong idea. I don't want my friends getting in trouble with the Lost or the Keepers for killing one of their own." His accent was fresh, I crossed my arms and leaned away from him.
"They're already talking about it." I coldly said. His eyes darted to me, this time I met them. I refused to back off now. He wanted my attention, he's got it.
I could see that the Prince felt guilty, he drew his hand to the back of his neck. "They'll get over it, they know that we need you here. It's weird not seeing you in that military uniform." He brought it up. He was in his clothes from earlier. Right now we just looked like two normal people. If we were out in public no one would know that he was the Vampire Prince and I am his Keeper. It would be so easy to fool everyone.
Looking away I didn't want him to notice my embarrassment. "I thought you'd all be asleep." I wanted to go run back in my rooms. If the uniform wasn't uncomfortable to sleep in I'd probably do that from now on. I didn't want to risk it. This is a job, I reminded myself. Quit the natural conversation.
"I don't really sleep in the first place but the others are usually out by 10." He told me.
I nodded. "Good to know."
"You should go back to your room."
He turned away from me, "I know." Moving to the door I put my hand on the knob. I was stuck, this was a job but the Prince's life was in danger and here I was playing around. "Before I go, I'm not your enemy your highness. I know I'm not the one to trust considering I'm just a Keeper- but I will never harm you unless you react to the outside world. To me everything is a threat don't take it to heart." It came out colder then I intended. However, I was able to get my point across. Basically if his friends proved to be a threat to him or society I'd wipe them out without any say.
"Look. I don't need you. I can protect myself, I'm very good at it. I've done it my entire life. I have no intention to go Lost anytime soon and I like my life just fine without a Keeper in it. I think you are stupid to letting yourself bleed and I think you need to be more cautious." Translation; leave this place, no one wants you here. I took it with a grain of salt. I am an idiot, this job isn't like my last one. Kate isn't here. This is about the Prince, there is no time for games and chatter.
Opening the door I scoffed, "Thanks for the advice."
"I'm just telling you how it is darling." He said before the door closed behind me. I darted back up to my rooms making sure to avoid everyone. Checking my digits down the halls I could see they were working. Keeping everything in from going out and things from coming in. I gritted my teeth. I was a rabbit in the lion's den.
Closing the door to my room I made sure to lock it. I moved to my uniform which was folded on the dresser and picked up my sword. Little fragments of sunlight came through the curtain. I pulled out my blade and saw the engraved spell on them.
I am a Keeper. I reminded myself. Reciting my anointment prayer I could feel the warmth of my blade come to me. "Brotherhood before blood. Mind before soul. Iron before gold." I looked down into my sword, in the metal I saw my reflection. My eyes burned a brilliant blue and between that was my spell casted glow. Beneath my eyes was an anointment spell, a spell that kept me in check in case I ever tried to betray the Keepers. A spell that could never be removed. I clenched my fist. I was a snake.
So I'll be a snake.