Once she climbed in on her side and started the car, she looked towards me. "You thought I would send you away with a kiss on the cheek?"
"I did."
"But if I drive you myself, I can enjoy your company that much longer, and I do enjoy driving at night when there is so little human traffic to avoid."
And then she put the car into gear, and we were away.
She drove expertly, of course, one with the vehicle, but she obeyed the traffic laws.
"Does it frustrate you to have such a responsive vehicle but be limited to the restrictions required of humans?"
"When I said the laws should be applied evenly, I was not excluding vampires," she said. "That would make me a hypocrite, and while I certainly have been at times, I amend my ways when I notice them." She flashed me a smile. "I have opportunities to enjoy speed. But I would not risk others to do so."
She delivered me soon enough, pulling in front of Lady Dunn's home. M'lady exited the house moments later, opening my door herself. She immediately began touching me, and Cathalina chuckled.
"I promised she would be returned to you undamaged, but it is good of you to confirm my suspicions."
Lady Dunn clasped my leash and tugged me from the car, turning me to face her. I would have knelt, but she held me upright. "Wait for me in the foyer. Remove your clothing and set it aside."
"Yes, m'lady," I said. She gave me a little tug to the house, and I stepped past her, heading for the open doorway.
"Close the door," she ordered to my back.
Inside, I undressed carefully, then I laid the dress across a small bench near the door before moving to the center of the foyer and lowering myself to my knees facing the door.
Lady Dunn remained outside for several minutes. I was weary, but I waited patiently. Finally, the door opened. She stopped, watching me for a moment.
"Very good. Cathalina will store your dress for you. Remain right there."
She collected the dress and was gone for only a few moments before I heard the sports car roar away. And then Lady Dunn was before me, her back leaning against the closed door. We both remained like that for some time before she spoke.
"Do you wish me to give you to her?" It was said quietly.
"No."
The relief was evident. "Did she abuse you?"
"She was exceedingly kind, and I will answer all your questions, but that is not what you want tonight. You want two things, and I want them as well."
"Oh? Look at me."
I raised my eyes, and I could see her need from five paces away.
"You want to be assured I wish to remain with you, and then you wish to assuage your jealousy."
"Perhaps," she agreed.
"I wish to remain with you for the duration of my sentence. It is that simple."
"And after? Will you accept her offer after?"
"I do not know what state of mind I will be in after, and I do not know what other options I may have. I do not expect to be alive after."
"Do not say that!"
"You would have me lie?"
"Do not believe it," she hissed. "You will survive."
"We both know I do not want to simply survive, m'lady. And we both know why."
"You promised me three years."
"Yes, m'lady. I wish to remain with you. I cannot decide about after until you have had your three years. And then I suspect, if I still survive, I will be somewhat aimless. I do not know my options. I will remember her offer, that is all."
"Very well."
"She fed from me. My wrist, not my neck."
"She told me. Did you enjoy it?"
"Yes."
"More than when I feed?"
"Not more. Not less. Different. I wish to ask a question."
"Only one?"
"Is she playing a game with you, and I am a pawn?"
"If so, it is more subtle than I can detect."
"My next question. Are you going to come here, or do you wish me to crawl to you?"
"Crawl," she said. And I did.
Commission
Lady Dunn dramatically reduced how frequently she took me on her outings, although she replaced them with other, less formal trips. She hadn't often taken me casually, but when I required new art supplies, she took me to the store myself. In deference to the sensibilities of the humans involved, and human laws regarding indecent exposure, she covered me in the barest of clothing. I remained on display, but I had long become mostly inured to the attention.
She began taking me on her own shopping trips as well. I expected to be treated as a servant or porter, but she brought others for those tasks, and I was to follow obediently, kneeling often.
A portion of me was humiliated, but it was all in keeping with my position.
I was, after all, her blood slave. It was my place to serve and please her.
I continued to draw and paint, the images growing even more horrible, if that were possible. The lady referred to the completed pieces as "brilliant" or "compelling". She never said she liked them, but they were horrible and not something to be liked. Each piece disappeared when I gave them to her, and I was happy to see them go.
Several months after my visit to Madame Cathalina's, late in the evening, one of the maids appeared in my doorway. I had been locked in for the night, and so I was surprised to receive company.
"The lady requires your attendance," the maid stated. "I am to bring you."
She had never done this before, and my heart began to pound. If she wanted me, why did she not come to me herself?x
I nodded and climbed from bed, disappearing into the bathroom only long enough to fluff at my hair. "Do I have time to prepare?"
"I believe she wished you immediately."
I sighed at my appearance and returned to the bedroom, then followed the maid.
She led me to one of the small sitting rooms, opening the door and gesturing me inside, then closing it behind me, herself on the other side.
The only light came from a modest fire, but I could see Lady Dunn seated before the fire, and another woman in the shadows, her back to me.
"You may turn on the lights if you require," Lady Dunn.
"I do not, m'lady," I said. I traversed the room, rounding the couch, my eyes watching my path and then remaining fixed on m'lady's. I knelt before her, lowering my head to the floor, and I kissed the offered feet.
"I am your blood slave," I told her, "your property. I exist for your pleasure."
She allowed me to continue to kiss her feet for a moment, but then she said, "Greet our guest."
I rose, still kneeling, and turned to see who was with her. I was surprised to see Madame Cathalina. From my position on the floor, I greeted her, but I kept my body positioned to my lady. I was kneeling to her, not our guest.
"She offers you such a delightful greeting," said Cathalina. "None of my blood slaves have been so gracious."
"Slave," Lady Dunn directed, "greet our guest in the same fashion you would greet me."
I didn't care for the order, but I didn't hesitate. I rotated my body, crawled forward two steps, then bent down and kissed Cathalina's feet. I was at a loss for the words to use. I was certainly not her blood slave. I did the best I could. "I am a blood slave. I belong to my mistress, and I exist for pleasure."
When I kissed Lady Dunn's feet, sometimes she determined when I was done, sometimes I did. I decided in this case to make the decision myself. I pulled away and returned to a position before my own lady, kneeling with my back straight and my head bowed.
"Melissa," my lady said, "Madame Cathalina has come with a request. We would like to discuss it with you. Please take a seat." She gestured to a location somewhat between them, a single chair. "If that is too far from the fire's warmth, you may move the chair or sit before the fire."
I moved to the chair, not moving it, but then I realized I was going to be speaking to their silhouette's. It was too late to change it, so I sat quietly in the chair, leaning forward slightly
with my hands in my lap.
"Madame Cathalina has requested a tour of your studio," my lady explained. "I told her it is your studio, and she must ask you."
"I am your blood slave-" I began, but she held up her hand.
"For this conversation," she directed, "you are an artist, and I am your patron." I nodded understanding and turned to Madame Cathalina.
"I would like to see your studio, if I may," she said. "However, your lady has explained much, and I would not invade your private space if it would unduly disturb you."
"It is not my space," I said. "It is my lady's. She only allows me to use it."
"No, Melissa," my lady said gently, "it is your space for as long as you wish it."
I had learned not to question her gifts. "Thank you, m'lady," I replied to her. "I have no objections if you wish to give your guest a tour of the studio."
"I do not wish to give her a tour. She is asking you for a tour."
"I will withdraw my request if it pains you, Melissa," the ancient vampire said with kindness.
"I have only one concern." I lowered my head. "I made a spill. I cleaned it up, but I left the studio airing out. It will be very chilly."
"The cold will not bother either of us," Madame Cathalina replied. "And it should not be so cold as to cause a human distress."
"A clothed human," I pointed out.
"Ah," said Lady Dunn. "Then you must remain dressed as necessary."
"Then I would enjoy offering a tour," I said. "I did not bring my leash."
"We may forgo the leash. Shall we?"
We all rose, and Lady Dunn led the way to the back door. They waited while I dressed, ending with winter boots, coat, hat and gloves. Neither of them required similar clothing. I could have made the run without some of the clothes, if it wasn't too windy and biting, but I preferred not to. It would not do to run from the vampires. They might chase.
Lady Dunn indicated I should lead, so I stepped onto the path. I had countless questions, starting with "what was going on?" and "why so late at night?"
It took only two minutes to walk to the studio, but it grew dark as we moved away, and it was a moonless night. As there had been no snow to reflect the meager light, I couldn't see. I came to a stop.
"Why are you stopping?"
"I can't see," I said.
Lady Dunn stepped to my side and took my arm. I trusted her to watch my step for me, and she led us to the studio, opening the door and then stepping inside for the lights.
"Thank you," I told her, and she nodded.
The studio was chilled. I hadn't left the windows open very widely; in the summer, I might have left them wide open. The smell of turpentine had dissipated, and so I stepped through to close the windows. One of them was stuck, and I couldn't pull it shut tightly.
I turned to face them, my head lowered. "I am sorry. It sticks."
"You should have told me," Lady Dunn said, and I immediately dropped to my knees. But she hurried to me and lifted my to my feet. "That was not chastisement. In the future, report these things to me. I will see they are fixed." She stepped past me and easily closed the window, latching it, then did the others.
"Your tour now, Melissa. Treat us both as guests. You are not a blood slave right now, you are an artist entertaining two patrons."
I nodded but turned into her arms.
"Should I be frightened?" I whispered as she wrapped her arms around me.
"No, not at all." She caressed me once. "You're fine. You've done this a thousand times in the past, I'm sure." She pushed me away. "Go on."
I stepped away, took a breath, then moved to the tablet computer near the door. I punched in my presence in the studio, then dialed up the temperature. I heard the furnace kick in immediately.
"It will take time to warm up," I said. Then I used the touchpad to override the lighting Lady Dunn had set before turning to both of them.
"May I offer a beverage?"
They both looked at me. Madame Cathalina chuckled.
I cocked my head. "I have O-positive, I believe."
"You were serious."
"Of course."
"All right," she said. "A small glass would be lovely."
"And for you, Lady Dunn?"
"Yes, thank you," she replied.
"Chilled or warmed?"
"Chilled is fine," Cathalina said. "Warm blood is only good when fresh."
"That is what Lady Dunn tells me," I said, "but I did not know if you had different tastes, and there are times she warms it." I paused. "Although usually she warms it through me, and that is perhaps not an appropriate offer for me to make."
"No," Lady Dunn said, "it is not." Her tone was cold.
I turned to her. "I am sorry, m'lady. I won't tease again."
I stepped to the refrigerator and withdrew the appropriate bottle. It was nearly empty, but there was another. I turned around. "If this were wine, I would open the fresh bottle."
"Please do," my lady directed. I returned the opened bottle and withdrew the new one. I went through the motions of withdrawing the cork and pouring two glasses, handing them out, then returned the bottle to the refrigerator.
"It is too late to allow you a soda," Lady Dunn indicated.
"I have cider here," I said, and I poured a small glass. I used one of the goblets to match theirs, which I rarely did, and I received a faint smile for it.
After that, I gave a tour, treating the vampires as I would have any patrons. Cathalina had questions, all of which I answered. She wasn't interested in the contents of the drawers or storage room, but she couldn't seem to take her eyes off the easel with the canvas on it. It was a work in progress, and I always draped a cloth over them when I stepped away. She moved towards it, and I knew she was going to peek.
"I would rather you didn't," I said very quietly. She could choose to hear me or not.
She stopped and turned.
"Your artist is cautious," she observed to my lady, then said, "Of course. My apologies."
"It is not complete," I explained. "Artists are frequently eccentric."
She smiled. "This is a lovely studio. Thank you for the tour." She indicated the seating at the other end of the room. "Perhaps we could talk."
I gestured, and she led the way. I was surprised when she took the sofa and my lady sat next to her, leaving me the other sofa. I sat down then made a show of nursing my cider.
"As you have undoubtedly guessed," Lady Dunn said, "this is about more than a tour. Madame Cathalina would like to commission you to produce a painting for her."
"I am your blood slave-" I started to say, but she held her hand.
"I know all that. Right now, I am your patron, and I have told her she may ask you. I will not coerce you, but I require you to discuss it with her."
I nodded. "What type of painting?" I asked.
"My portrait," the woman said.
It took me about two seconds to understand the implications, and I was filled with a sense of horror and immediate fear for my life. For some reason, I didn't welcome the fear. Instead, I screamed, "No!" and was on the floor, my cider forgotten in my haste. I knelt in front of my lady, my head to the floor. "Please don't make me! Please don't make me!"
The room was silent except for the sound of the furnace fans, but then Madame Cathalina said, "Well. I wasn't quite expecting that reaction."
"Nor was I," Lady Dunn added. "I would like to understand the reason for such an extreme response."
"As would I," Cathalina added.
"Return to your seat, Melissa. We are patrons here. This is not how you treat a patron."
"Perhaps she should be cautious of the glass," Cathalina suggested.
"I'm sorry!" I said again, not moving.
My lady made a disgusted sound. "Fine, stay there for a moment."
She rose, and I didn't move. A moment later, she was cleaning my mess herself.
"M'lady," I whined. "Please."
"Quiet," she said. "Get yourself back under cont
rol. There is no reason for this. I can clean up one glass and a little cider."
It took her a few minutes. I remained where I was until she returned to her seat. "Get up. If you need the distraction, pour yourself another glass, but if you're going to do that again, use plastic. I swear; you need a child's sippy cup."
It was meant as a jest; I had never broken one of her glasses in the past. I felt horrible. It had been a lovely goblet.
"I am sorry, m'lady."
"Melissa," she said gently, leaning forward and lifting me. "Go calm down. Come back when you can speak with us." She practically set me on my feet, and it was done with so much ease. I stepped away, then ran to the bathroom and slammed the door.
I never slammed the door around her. I flipped the light on then leaned my head against the mirror.
I couldn't do a painting for her. I couldn't.
She'd kill me when she saw it, and she wouldn't be pleasant about it.
I splashed water on my face, tugged at my hair, and then dried off. Several deep breaths were calming, and then I was nearly ready to face them, or as much as I was going to be. I poured myself a glass of water then hovered outside human listening range while they talked too quietly for me to hear. I moved into Lady Dunn's field of vision, and when she looked up, I turned to her and gestured to the sofa. She nodded.
"Don't even think of kneeling to me," she said. "Sit properly."
I moved to my place but sat on the edge of the sofa.
"I'm sorry," I said.
"Why that reaction?" she asked. "I think I can guess, but you need to explain."
"Have you shown her the work I've done since coming to you?"
"I have."
I paused, then decided a picture was worth a thousand words. "I have something to show you both."
I had a drawer where I hid drawings I didn't want Lady Dunn to see. I stood up and crossed the room, digging through the drawer until I found the one I wanted. I pulled it from the drawer then returned to the sofa, not displaying the drawing immediately.
"I periodically try to draw something beautiful. This is my most recent attempt."
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