Blood & Butlers

by S. J. Frey

  “So, time is literally running out. My birthday is less than a month away,” I groan, running my hands over my wet face.

  As I try to wrap my brain around everything, Darren sits there quietly. “What should I do?” I ask him. Darren has been a big, more annoying, help so far through this whole vampire process, and I’m hoping he will continue to help me.

  “Again, Elizabeth, I can’t tell you what to do. This is ultimately your choice. The only thing I can do for you is to support whatever choice you make. If you choose to stay or if you choose to go. I am your servant. I am merely here to serve and support. However, I would be wary of your choice. If you choose this path and become a vampire, I am unsure of the dangerous future that lies ahead.”

  For some reason, I didn’t like the way he said that. Hearing him say he was my servant makes my stomach curdle. I wasn’t raised in the world of parties and servants, it's natural that I felt uncomfortable. Sure, I haven’t known Darren or Reginald as long as I did, Amy. However, I never thought of them as low-class servants. To me, they are caretakers and maybe even friends in my eyes.

  I only nodded at his words and didn’t want to think any more of the situation. My only options are to either be human and be in danger or become a vampire, take over my father’s place and be in danger. I wasn’t left with a backup plan. My silence seemed to bother Darren as he stood up and shifted from one foot to the other.

  “Let's stop for today and resume tomorrow. Get some rest,” he says abruptly.

  I feel almost defeated. The fate of my mortality is resting on my shoulders, and everything around me is crumbling. “Sleep sounds good right now,” I stretch. My muscles protest with every step towards my bedroom. Each step I take feels like my feet were going to fall off.

  The moment I lay my head down on my plush pillow, I could feel my body start to drift. Too many things happened today, and it’s only the beginning. There is so much more that needs to be learned before this party. I only hope that I can keep up.

  I feel so jittery like my mind is running, but my body stands still. My brain circles back to earlier today when I fell on top of Darren and how close our faces were. I could imagine his crystal eyes staring into mine, and` I felt stronger with all my worries far behind me. Throughout the training process and party preparation, the only thing I hoped for was that Darren would stay close to me. When I’m with him, he brings out the confidence in me. Soon my eyes slowly closed, and for a moment, my fears and Darren’s face slipped into away.

  Eleven

  The past few days felt like a blur. Darren was very determined to make sure I knew every proper vampire etiquette. I feel like I'm cramming for a big test at the end of the semester. I did enough late sleepless nights, and it’s starting to get old. No matter how distracted I was, the undeniable fear of being in a room full of dangerous vampires still haunt the back of my brain.

  Amy is doing a great job of keeping me distracted, so my mind didn’t wander. We argue playfully on different dress ideas and decide on a slim, black, floor-length dress with half sleeves and a plunging neckline. I usually would never wear anything like this, but Amy is insistent.

  I have to admit, once I put on the dress, I look very regal in my new outfit. However, vampire or not, the fear of being judged is always something I struggle with. I had issues with judgment ever since I was a kid. My mom worked all the time and was hardly at home. She barely came to parent-teacher conferences or any school programs. The other kids knew I didn’t have a father around, and it never stopped them from teasing me with their judgmental filled eyes.

  Gently I place a hand on my bare neck as Amy stood behind me, curling my hair. The reflection of my face is foreign to me. I'm wearing more makeup than usual, and my long hair is pulled into the tightest French twist ever. Amy made sure to pull hard enough to flatten the bags under my eyes. If that wasn’t over the top, the dress, she made me wear feel vulnerable and beautiful all at once. The soft black velvet fabric is smooth under my fingertips, and my entire neck area is exposed with nothing to protect it.

  “Don’t you think this is a bit much?” I ask, looking at her reflection through the mirror.

  I watch her through the reflection, give my dress a once over, and scan my face. I smile to myself, little remembering the conversation with Darren the day before. I made a comment about how horrible it was to not be able to eat garlic. He was quick to correct me that during the time where vampires did their vanishing act, they let a rumor mingle that garlic was poisonous to their race and didn’t have a reflection. It was a way to make sure the humans didn’t turn on their own kind. All of it was laughable.

  “Why do you think that? I think you look gorgeous!” Amy grins.

  I'm not worried if I look good or not. I'm more concerned about the fact that my neck is completely exposed, and I’ll be in a room full of vampires.

  “I’m worried that I look like a walking buffet,” I joke, pointing at my neck.

  Amy bursts into laughter and gently places her hands on my shoulders. “You have nothing to worry about. No one would dare touch you. You’re completely safe,” she reassures.

  I nod, knowing that Amy was right. As long as Darren and Amy are by my side, I won’t be alone. They will protect me.

  Once the finishing touches are done, I swear I'm ready for a movie premiere. Amy is looking lovely in her pink cocktail dress and makeup that complemented the bright, electric blonde hair she sported.

  “Why didn’t you wear one of your fancy dresses?” I ask while trying to stand in these hell heels Amy gave me.

  Amy tucks a piece of her blonde bangs out of her face and grimaces. “The lower-class vampires aren’t allowed to upstage the purebloods and aristocrats. Some of us who were changed are the lowest on the chain. I’m just lucky to be alive,” she explains.

  The idea of a strict social class like that wasn’t right, but there are things about being a vampire that I didn’t know yet. What am I thinking?! I never agreed to anything. There I go again. Considering that I could somehow be mentally okay with running a vampire race, I can barely keep up on the oil in my car. I’m only going to this party to save face, and then I am going to walk away from all of it. I can’t get wrapped up into something that I know nothing about. If my father wanted me to take over his position, then he would have stayed in our lives and told mom the truth. This isn’t my problem.

  I’ve made my choice.

  After the party and Lorcan announces my title, I’m going to surrender it to him. As much of a problem solver I am, I can’t get tangled up in this world. I’d hate to see Amy, Darren, and Reginald out of a home, but I'll make sure to give them something to live off of after the manor is sold.

  “Hey, are you feeling okay?” Amy asks, staring at my face.

  “I’m just nervous,” I lie.

  “You will be fine. We should get going,” she smiles, patting my shoulder.

  It hurt to see Amy smile with such excitement when I knew I was going to leave after today. I can’t keep the manor going, and I don’t know enough about the vampire world. It’s all only going to blow up in my face. We finally make it down the steps in the toe pinching shoes that I was given. I secretly pray we wouldn’t be at this party for long since my feet were already starting to hurt.

  Darren is at the bottom of the staircase, pacing back and forth, waiting for us to hurry. He sees us and taps at his invisible watch.

  “We mustn’t be late. It’s important that we-” He stops his guilt trip the moment he looked at us. I watch his eyes shift from Amy to me. The way he is looking at me made me squirm, like an ant under a magnifying glass. I’m getting self-conscious in the dress that Amy made me wear, thinking I might look ridiculous. I'm exposed since I usually don’t dress like this. I am more of a comfy sweater and spandex legging type of girl, not fancy dresses and hundred dollar haircuts.

  Amy steps away with a small smile as I glance down at my feet. When I'm brave enough to look up, I saw Darren still staring at
me. It's starting to weird me out to the point that I want to turn around, go to my room and hide in my covers.

  “Is there something wrong? Is there something on my face?” I timidly ask.

  Darren finally snaps out of his trance and clears his throat. He tenderly grabs my hand and brings it to his lips. My hand trembles and the goosebumps form on my skin, which I'm sure he notices. I’m also sure my heart skipped a beat or two, maybe three, and yet, I didn’t want the moment to end.

  I feel a smile form on his lips, and he looks up at me. “You look beautiful,” he says softly.

  I'm stunned by his smile and nod my head in response. Darren lets go and clears his throat again. “We need to be on our way. We don’t want to be late.”

  Just like that, whatever moment we were sharing is now gone. For a moment, I can hear Amy’s voice in the back of my head, making jokes, but Amy stays silent next to me and follows Darren to the front door. Everything in my mind is muddled with the thought of Darren’s soft lips on my hand.

  No. There was no way that I am falling for Darren. Not when he acts so cool one moment and then distant the next. On top of everything, I know there is more to Darren than I realize.

  The car ride to our destination is silent. Darren drove as Amy, and I sit in the back seat. I watch the trees turn into a blur, the faster Darren drives. Within hours we arrive at the most enormous mansion I ever saw. The building could fit at least three of my father’s manors. There are men dressed in suits assisting people into the building and taking the cars away. I begin to fidget and play with my hands, making small circular motions with my thumbs on my dress. The velvet brushing against my skin seems to smoothe my nerves a little. The further we drive up the long driveway, the harder my blood pumps in my ears.

  Amy pats my knee and offers me a reassuring smile. “You’ll do fine,” she smiles. Easy for her to say, she isn’t the one on the menu.

  When the car stops at the top, I feel like all eyes are on me as I step out. The servants bow their heads slightly as I ascend the marble stairs. Darren and Amy are right behind me as we walk into the foyer of the mansion. I'm not sure this is a party for my honor, it looks more like a gala for celebrities. The women are dressed in the most expensive yet beautiful dresses. Their necks are decorated with massive jewels, and the men are wearing designer tuxes. I feel like a fish out of water.

  I walk by groups of vampires, and they give me a side glance before keeping on with their conversations. Darren and Amy slowly came to my sides and guided me towards the ballroom. The moment I step into the room, it's like someone put a spotlight on me. Subconsciously I grab Darren’s arm to try and stay calm. He tenses under my touch, but he rubs my hand and gently returns it down to my side.

  “Remember. You are like royalty. Amy and I are nothing but your servants,” Darren mutters in my ear, but I can hear the strain in his voice. All of us are on edge, and we all need to be on our guard.

  I realize now that I can’t physically lean on them. The two of them are going to be there for me, just at a distance. We didn’t get far into the ballroom when Lorcan sees us. He finishes his conversation with another guest and quickly saunters over in our direction. He couldn’t contain his excitement as he smiles broadly and kisses me lightly on each cheek. “Elizabeth! So glad you can make it!”

  “Thank you for the invite,” I murmur softly.

  I looked around and saw Amy already disappeared, but Darren is still behind me.

  “Now that you’re here, we can get this party started,” he announces. Lorcan takes my hand and pulls me towards the staircase in the middle of the ballroom. The dark, brown wood shines in the bright lights and leads to a second floor with a white handrail decorated in lavish flowers. We walk up about five steps, and he grabs two glasses of champagne from a waiter. He hands me the drink and looks at the beautiful crowd before us.

  “Ladies and gentlemen. Tonight is a joyous occasion. The heir of the Montgomery household has returned, and with that, the leader of the vampire court. Edmund’s daughter will be taking over my position as head of the vampire court, thus restoring the royal bloodline is once again. Let us drink to her success and the to the future under a new ruler.”

  People smiled and clapped as his voice rang throughout the room. Some people looked at me and then whispered to those around them or sipped on their drinks. I didn’t have a chance to tell Lorcan I didn’t want the position. He was too fast and hurried down the steps to greet more guests.

  I carefully climb down the steps, as best as I could, and downed my champagne in one gulp. I'm going to need all the liquid courage I can get at this moment.

  Looking towards the buffet table, I see Darren talking to a young maid. She giggles and holds a silver platter out to offer him a pastry. He smiles back at her, and something inside of me snaps. I fell like I'm being possessed by an aggressive entity as I watch the maid begin to openly flirt with Darren. I don’t like this. I don’t like how close she was to him. He is supposed to make sure I don’t get eaten alive. Instead, he is flirting with a young girl. My blood is boiling. I have no idea why I am feeling this way. Maybe I'm acting jealous, but there is absolutely nothing to be insecure about. Darren and I aren’t a couple. There was nothing romantic going on between us. None of this should be bothering me. Not to mention, our relationship was strictly business. Right?

  The imaginative anger I'm feeling clouds my judgment, and I forget my surroundings. For a fleeting moment, I didn’t realize where I was. The people around me fade into the background, and I'm brought back to my senses by bumping into a wall.

  “Ow,” I groan.

  “Are you okay?”

  To my astonishment, the wall had a smooth-talking voice. I was horrified to see that it was a guest and no barrier at all. I haven’t been at the party for ten minutes, and I’m already causing a scene.

  “I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to bump into you,” I stammer. When I finally get the courage to look at his face, it's hard to not stare. His hair is pale and compliments the dark, emerald eyes he owns. My eyes trail across the room, and it's only then that I notice how wonderful everyone looked. I guess all vampires need to look like movie stars.

  The handsome stranger bows to me, and I took a step back as he reached for my hand. “I’m Peter. Peter Vaughn, my lady.” Gently he places a kiss on the top of my hand.

  “Nice to meet you. I’m ugh, Elizabeth.”

  He chuckles and tosses back his blonde bangs from his face. “We all know who are milady.”

  Wow, now I'm stupid. Of course, everyone knew me. This is what I was afraid of, being under the microscope while everyone watches me struggle.

  “Right. Sorry, I’m still new to all of this,” I gesture around us.

  Peter is friendly, but I have to be careful with my opinion. The last time I thought a guy was nice, I was drugged, pulled into an alley and had my head cracked open like a cantaloupe.

  “Do you care to dance?” He asks.

  The idea of dancing causes instant nausea in my stomach, but I knew I couldn’t turn him down. I already have angry glares that are being thrown my way; if I turn him down now, it will only make me look bad. “Sure.”

  I do my best not to hesitate and follow his lead to the dancefloor. My chest tightens as I look around the room as calmly as I could to find an escape route. Even though I agreed to the dance, I am having second thoughts. Visions of me falling flat on my face start to flicker in my mind and not helping to ease my nerves. The waltz plays softly, and my body goes into autopilot. Peter smiles at me as he holds onto my waist tighter and twirls me around. The music surrounds us, and I glide across the floor like a trained dancer. The only difference was that I wasn’t stepping on any toes this time compared to practice. Darren would be proud.

  I look for Darren on the sidelines and find him right away. He is standing still, with his eyes fixated on Peter and me. His face is scrunched up in angry or frustrated by the way his eyebrows wrinkle on his forehead. It isn’t l
ike Darren could dance with me. He even told me that servants were seen and not heard at gatherings. So, what is the big deal? Then it hit me. Was he jealous? The way his stare intensified as Peter pulled me tighter to him said everything. The idea of Darren being slightly jealous causes a flutter in my chest. Or maybe that's because of the constant twirling around happening.

  As the song slowly came to an end, I look up at my dance partner, who bows and lets me go. “You are an excellent dancer,” he comments.

  I give a small curtsy, or what I thought was one. “Thanks, I had a great teacher,” I grin. Inside I'm beaming. I manage to get through a dance that I was dreading, and no feet were hurt in the process.

  We didn't get a chance to talk more as a high pitch scream from a woman came from somewhere in the ballroom. Everyone’s head turns in the direction of the source. Men dressed in black hoods and different masks begin to tackle the party guests with silver blades.