Master Liu leads Fiona and Sebastian through a tunnel in the basement of the Academy to a very secluded part of the castle. There, she ushers them into a private, underground dining room set up in the wine cellar, specifically for the Vampyrs' use. She indicates for them to take a seat at the table, then joins them.
She looks at her watch. "The donors should be here any minute. But I'm actually glad we have a few minutes alone before they arrive." She smiles nervously, "I know this may all seem a bit overwhelming at first. It certainly was for me when I started live feeding. It actually took me three times before I was able to do it successfully. But don't get deterred. Remember, for us Vampyrs, live feeding is the most natural thing in the world. We're just terribly out of practice since it's been outlawed for so long."
"I remember my first time," Master Liu says almost fondly, a light smile playing at her lips. "My donor had very thin veins, which are terribly hard to pierce." She laughs. "And I kept biting and biting and biting and there was blood everywhere and--"
She stops suddenly, her cheeks flush with embarrassment. "You know what? That's a story for another time."
Sebastian gives her a sly smile. "I wouldn't worry about us, Master Liu. I suspect we'll get the hang of it. I mean it's sort of like riding a bike, isn't it?" Then he quickly adds, "I say that from an evolutionary perspective, of course, not a personal one."
"Of course." Master Liu nods once, grateful for Sebastian's understanding, completely unaware that he's actually an old hat at this.
Master Liu stands. "Well, I'm going to go check on our donors and make sure they didn't get lost trying to make their way down here. You two hang on, okay? I'll be right back."
Master Liu leaves and Fiona blows out a long, slow breath. "Gods, I'm nervous," she says, then she turns to Sebastian. "Why am I so nervous?"
Sebastian chuckles and then wraps his arm around her shoulders to give her a warm, comforting hug. "Fi," he says. "There's nothing to it. Trust me. It's just like Master Liu said: it's the most natural thing in the world."
He gives her one last squeeze and then leans back in his chair, threading his fingers behind his head and kicking his feet out underneath the table. "Listen, just do your best to make the donor feel comfortable, don't forget to say the blessing, and don't get greedy." He stares straight ahead, his thoughts drifting back to that night in the alley. "Definitely don't get greedy. It never ends well when you do."
Fiona blows out another breath and shakes her hands. "I know I shouldn't be weirded out by all of this, but I am. Seriously, when you think that you're actually feeding off of another Otherworlder, it's so overwhelming! Like, you have to look them in the eyes and everything!"
Sebastian laughs as he gives her a side-glance. "You really are overthinking this, Fi. Just let your instincts guide you and you'll be fine."
Master Liu returns and standing in the doorway, she claps her hands in anticipation. "Okay, they're here," she says. "I've put the Donors in separate feeding rooms down the hall so you'll both have the privacy you need. C'mon, guys, follow me."
***
At the end of a short hallway there's are several alcoves cut out of the stone cut into the stone walls that have been cordoned off to create makeshift feeding rooms.
Master Liu runs them through the process one last time and then leaves to let them get started.
Fiona gives Sebastian, who's heading into his feeding room, a quick tremulous glance, then pulls the heavy velvet curtain aside and steps in.
She looks up and she's stunned.
Standing in front of her is a young man, maybe in his early twenties, leaning against a ruby red chaise lounge, one hand in his jeans pocket, the other casually thumbing through his phone. He smiles at something he sees and his face lights up and his eyes crinkle with amusement.
When he finally looks up and she can see his entire face, she gasps.
He's exquisite!
In fact, he looks like he just stepped out of the pages of GQ.
He's wearing a crisp white, long-sleeved, linen shirt rolled up to his elbows, the color the white so bright it sets off his mahogany skin and amplifies his warm, cognac eyes. Paired with vintage jeans that hug his well-toned, underwear-model body, he looks absolutely, positively...
...delicious.
GQ-model guy takes a step forward, smiles, and extends his hand. "Hi, I'm Marcus. It's very nice to meet you."
Fiona clasps his hand and shakes it vigorously. "It's nice to meet you too. I'm..." She pauses, her mind going blank as she desperately tries to remember her own name.
"I'm..." she murmurs, stalling for time, then finally, "I'm... Fiona! Yes, Fiona!" She flashes him a goofy yet radiant smile. "Fiona. That's who I am." She says one last time before her voice trails off into silence.
Thoroughly charmed, Marcus's smile widens, displaying his remarkably straight, perfectly proportioned, and sublimely dazzling white teeth.
He gestures to the ruby red chaise lounge and says, "Please, take a seat. You kind of... um... well, you kind of look like you're about to pass out."
"Funny, I just might," Fiona says, laughing nervously.
They sit down next to each other on the velvet chaise and a long beat of silence passes between them.
Fiona fidgets with her lavender sweater and smooths out her white denim jeans while Marcus looks around the elegantly decorated, Victorian era room, gawking as if he'd just arrived.
"Soooo...," He says after clearing his throat a few times. "Is this your first time live feeding?"
"Yep!" Fiona chirps, saying this with a bit too much enthusiasm.
She modulates her breathing, forcing herself to relax.
"Uh, yes it is," she responds more evenly, and then she says, "We usually get our blood from exclusive blood banks run by some of the oldest Vampyr clans in our kingdom."
"Oh, I see," Marcus muses, genuinely interested. "I'd always wondered how it was done."
"Yep. That's how we handle it." Fiona stares down at her Keds, tapping her toes together nervously.
She can't seem to bring herself to look at the guy, he's so outrageously beautiful.
"Okay, well..." Marcus says, "just let me know what I can do to help make you feel more comfortable."
After getting no response from Fiona, he leans closer to her, and in a calm, soothing voice, says, "I should probably ask you. Do you prefer the right side or the left?"
Startled, Fiona looks up. "Right or left side of what?!"
"My neck," Marcus chuckles. "Isn't that where you typically feed from?"
Fiona blinks, staring blankly at his neck. "Um... yeah, sure," she says. "But... Look..." she clears her throat. "Do you mind if we just talk for a minute first?"
"Sure!" Marcus replies as he leans back and rests his arm on the back of the chaise lounge.
Another awkward moment passes before Fiona says, "Can I ask you a question?"
"Go ahead. Shoot."
"Um... Well..." Fiona tilts her head and asks, "What kind of Shapeshifter are you?"
Marcus smiles warmly, charmed by her curiosity. "I'm a Vulpes Shifter," he tells her.
Fiona gives him a blank look, and he adds, "I'm a fox."
"That you are..." she whispers in awe.
"What?" Marcus leans in closer.
"Huh?! What?!" Fiona's eyes go wide.
"I thought you said--"
"Nope! Nope! I didn't say a thing." Fiona shakes her head vigorously.
Focus, Fiona! FOCUS!
"Um..." she continues, "can I ask you another question, if you don't mind?"
"Of course." Marcus lifts his brows in anticipation.
"Why are you doing this?" she asks.
"You mean volunteering as a donor?" Marcus responds.
"Yeah."
"Well, for the money, to be honest," he confesses. "With the amount the school was offering, I had to do it." After a pause, he leans forward and rests his arms on his thighs and adds, "I'm a freelance photographer for a regional newspaper, and since I'm not on staff, the pay is fairly negligible. Plus, work isn't guaranteed. I also work as a trainer at a local gym, but even with this second job, I'm just getting by.
I honestly don't mind not having that much money, but I worry about my parents. They're getting up in years and I'd like to be able to help support them as they get older.
So to answer your question, at first, money was my main motivation. But then we had our orientation session with Mistress Liu, and--"
Fiona coughs out a laugh.
Marcus stops and bends his head to catch her gaze. "What? What is it?"
"It's Master Liu" Fiona says, still chuckling. "You refer to her as Master Liu."
"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't know." Marcus apologizes.
"That's okay," Fiona says. "Just don't ever call a female Master: Mistress." She smiles slyly. "It makes it sound like they're a Dominatrix; and let's just say, that never goes well."
Marcus bursts out laughing. "Oh, good gods! Okay. Good to know." He leans back, and holding his stomach, laughs even harder. "I kinda wish someone had briefed me on that one earlier. I think I called her Mistress Liu at least three times." He catches his breath and then sighs. He wasn't expecting this experience to be quite so entertaining.
"Anyway, Master Liu," Marcus continues, "took us through the whole history of live feeding. And that's when I learned that, outside of ancient times when Vampyrs practiced blood sacrifice and outside of the First Shadow War when Shifters were blood slaves to Vampyrs, the practice was actually one of mutual benefit to both of our people."
"What do you mean?" Fiona asks him.
"Apparently," Marcus replies, "Shifters used to voluntarily offer their blood in exchange for weapons, training, technology, that sort of stuff. This was a long time ago--possibly a century or two."
"Oh, I didn't know that," Fiona says, astonished.
"Yeah," Marcus says. "It worked out pretty well for everyone until--"
"Until the Vampyr Revolt," Fiona finishes for him, feeling a tiny pang of guilt.
"Exactly." Marcus nods. "Until the Vampyr Revolt. And then," he lets out long, forlorn sigh, "it all went downhill from there."
Fiona considers what Marcus just told her, and after a moment, says, "You know, it's odd that Master Liu or Master Achebe haven't taught us anything about this part of our history yet. I get the feeling they're avoiding it."
"Hmm..." Marcus contemplates this. "I can see why. It's a pretty touchy subject."
"Yeah," is all Fiona can say.
Yet another awkward silence passes between them, and then Marcus finally asks, "So, do you think we should get started?"
"I suppose we should," Fiona replies, but she doesn't make a move.
"What would you prefer the right or the left?" Marcus says as he points to each side of his neck.
"Hmmm..." Fiona ponders. "If it's okay with you," she asks quietly, "would you mind if I fed off of your arm?"
"No, not at all," Marcus says, happy to oblige.
Fiona watches as he pushes up his shirt sleeve almost up to his shoulder. And when she sees the sinewy veins, bulging in his lean but muscled arm, her breath hitches.
Marcus holds up his right arm before her and stares in fascination as her canines drop. They're much smaller than one would expect, but sharp enough to do the job.
Fiona lets loose a quiet hiss as she leans forward to take a bite, and then suddenly, she sits up again.
Self-conscious, she covers her mouth and mumbles, "I forgot the blessing!"
"Oh, right!" Marcus says. "The blessing!"
Fiona closes her eyes and inhales deeply so that her fangs slowly recede. Then, she turns to face Marcus and takes both of his hands into hers.
Looking him straight in the eyes, Fiona begins. "Marcus, I thank you for this gift you give of heart, and soul, and sustenance. I thank you for this gift you give--"
And as custom dictates, Marcus finishes the prayer. "And I freely give it."
They smile at each other warmly, and then Marcus lifts his arm up again so Fiona can feed and her eyes glaze over. Her canines drop and she takes a big, juicy bite.
The minute her fangs pierce Marcus' skin, they both sigh, awash in mutual ecstasy.
Marcus closes his eyes, leans back on the couch, and extends his arm further to ensure Fiona can get all that she needs.
And with a deep sigh of satisfaction, Fiona gladly takes it.
**********
A/N - It's really late, so I'm not going to babble. I have to say it's so much fun to weave in more of the cultural aspects of the story. I hope you enjoy that part of it as much as I do! :-)
See you next week!
~ Paula ❤️