"It is hard to cow her when she is so willing to die."
"Still?" Madame asked.
"Still."
"Well?" I asked. "I know it's entertaining to talk about me. How much more do I have to show you?"
"I will see that there is oil on canvas," my lady said. "You may control how I see, but I must somehow see there is enough to justify the time you are spending here."
"Just what do you think I'm doing out here? You know she's not feeding on me."
"You come home wearing different shampoo than you use at home."
I stared at her. "Sex?" I screeched. "You think we're having sex?"
"She doesn't think we're having sex," Cathalina said. "Her body thinks we're having sex. It's not quite the same thing. She knows you're here doing exactly what you're supposed to be doing. She is a vampire, Melissa. You're going to have to show her the painting. I'm sorry."
"No more sketches."
"No," Cathalina agreed. "She needs to see oil."
"It's not oil, anyway. It's acrylic."
"Semantics," my vampire said. "Show me the painting. I'm sorry, I can't help it."
I sighed. "Fine. Madame Cathalina, please don't make me show you, too."
"I will return to my guests," she said. "Lady Dunn, I will be disappointed if you force her to show you more sketches."
"Understood," my lady said. "I hope you are not offended."
"I am, actually," Cathalina said, "but it's not really something you can control. I will accept your apology later. Do not blame your blood slave. We are the ones who put her in this position."
She didn't wait for a response but was suddenly just... gone. The door didn't even make noise.
"Could you see her leave?" I asked quietly.
"Of course."
I shook my head. "Sit there." I pointed. "You promised me you wouldn't make me do this. You are now telling me what your promises are worth."
"Do not take that tone with me."
"You have accused me of cheating on you when you have video evidence I have done no such thing. I will take any damned tone with my false accuser as I please."
She had the grace to look away, settling onto the stool I had indicated.
"I do not accuse. I fear. You accuse me of intending to kill you with no evidence."
"So the transfusions I require aren't evidence?"
"I've kept you alive."
"How many times have you nearly killed me?"
"Only three."
"Well that's three times more than I have nearly cheated on you," I said.
"She could be glamouring you and you don't know it."
"Oh for crying out loud."
I turned to the cabinet with the paints, spinning the lock and opening it. I knew without looking which one I wanted, and I drew it out, showing her the back.
"I need to see the front, Melissa. I'm sorry."
I ignored her, moving to the easel. I set it in place then stared at it, wondering how I could show her enough without actually showing it to her.
I turned to her. "This was important to me. I am going into the kitchen and you are going to look at it while I am gone." I closed and locked the cabinet and stepped out into the kitchen. I stood at the sink, staring out the window, trying to breathe deeply, calmingly.
I heard her enter the kitchen. "Why is there not more done? You work faster than that. Why is this taking so long?" Then she thundered at me. "What else are you doing here when you are gone from me?"
I closed my eyes, trying to shut the tears inside.
"It's a triptych," I said. "There are three."
She moved behind me, her hands on my shoulders. "Show me."
"She'll see! If she reviews the video, she'll see! She could be listening right now. I've been able to hide what I'm doing, although if anyone really paid attention, she could tell. The other two are a little smaller."
"I am sorry, Melissa. I need to see. It's not your fault."
I turned to her, and she could see my tears. "You suck! And not in the good way, either."
I stormed past her, intentionally bumping her on the way. She didn't chastise me, although I deserved it. I opened the cabinet again. There wasn't room on the easel, so I set all three of them leaning against the wall. If Cathalina reviewed the recordings, she would see everything I was doing.
The outer two were largely done. There was detail work remaining, but it was clear what I was doing. The inner one was taking the longest time.
I refused to look at my vampire. She crossed the room and said very quietly, "Put them away."
I was tempted to tell her to do it herself, but I didn't want anyone touching them. She had already deflowered them with her eyes. Her hands would be too much.
I put them back in the cabinet and locked it, then collected the sketches from the kitchen and replaced those in their drawers. I turned to her. She had the grace to look mildly embarrassed.
"So much for your promises. Are you going to break your other promises to me?"
"I'm sorry, Melissa."
"Yeah. Remember those words when it's time to bleed me."
"It will never be time to bleed you. The first one-"
"Is part of a set, and alone it is jarring, even if the viewer can't tell. And you can't argue that it is of my old style."
"No," she agreed. "True." She paused. "I under-negotiated for you. I am sorry."
"Not your fault." I closed my eyes. "Please send me home now. I have been raped enough tonight."
"I'm sorry. We are staying. The auction is soon, and then we are staying a while afterwards." She paused. "Would you like me to feed? It would just be a taste. I was going to do it later, but if it would help calm you..."
I turned around to look out the window. "I hate you."
"No you don't. You hate a portion of what I am. If it's any consolation, so do I."
"I hate what you have done to me."
"All of what I have done?"
I turned to her. "I am just a blood slave," I said. "What right do I have to privacy, promised or otherwise?" I spun around again to look out the window.
She stepped close behind me but didn't touch me. "This wasn't about reminding you of your position," she said. "It was my possessive jealousy. I knew you were doing nothing wrong, but I couldn't help it. Please forgive me, Melissa. I am doing the best I am able."
I stood there for a while, staring out the window, then I took a single step backwards until I leaned against her. She wrapped her arms around me gently.
"Go slow," I asked. "And not too much. I don't want to be drugged out with all those other vampires around."
She gently tipped my head to the side, brushing my hair away, then pulled me more tightly against her. She licked, then bit, shallowly, little more than a scratch, but it was enough for her pleasure to enter me.
It was only a minute or so, and I knew I bled only lightly. She would have my taste on her tongue, but not even a light snack. Then she closed it, licking away the evidence and offering her soothing tongue.
I moaned anyway and leaned heavily.
"It is wrong for that to feel so good," I said. "It is wrong that you have made me need you so badly."
"It is your reward for the gift of eternal life, Melissa. Go clean up and then I'll run us back to the house."
I nodded. "Did you like it?"
"It's going to be your best piece ever."
"It's so horrible."
"It is wonderful, Melissa. Go clean up."
But she followed me. "I want you to meet a few more vampires."
"I've met quite a great many vampires," I said. "They all seem to enjoy my subjugation a great deal."
"If I were to sell some of the pieces you've done since arriving in my home, would it upset you?"
"They are yours now. You may do with them as you wish."
"I want to know how it would make you feel."
I turned to her, drying my hands. "I thought you enjoyed collecting them, but maybe I have
reached the limits of your ability to store them. Have I filled your storage room?"
"Are you this bitter?"
I looked down. "I am catty. I seem to have forgotten my place."
"I am sorry."
I took a breath. "I want the old ones where people will see them. You made a promise about them, and selling them off to some other collector would be a violation of that promise."
"I have no intention of selling those, just a few of the new ones to some very special people. Vampire politics."
"You may sell none. You may sell all of them. They are yours." I said it gently. "I would rather you didn't sell the more personal ones. I would rather you didn't sell any that feature members of your household." I paused. "I guess you can sell the ones with me in them, if you want, but I meant Ashlyn and the other girls. But if you sell them, you sell them, and I will not turn petulant about it."
"Are you going to be angry if I tell you I sold three, and I have loaned out the Subjugation series for a few months?"
"Why would anyone want them?"
"You don't mind?"
"No, Lady Dunn. They were finished, and as horrible as they are, they are not truly complete if no one sees them. Are they being seen?"
"Oh yes, they are being seen. That was the entire point."
"Are we missing the auction?" I asked. "I was hoping you would buy that ruby pendant for me."
She laughed. "The one I donated?"
"That's the one. Don't you think it would fit my neck quite well?"
"I do not. I like your neck bare."
"I was going to ask Madame Cathalina if she had some medieval armor she can wrap around my neck."
She laughed again. "You were not. You like the attention your neck receives. Come along."
She led the way to the front door. I logged myself out and killed the lights. Lady Dunn picked me up, and in a whirlwind, set me on my feet back inside the main house.
We had arrived barely in time. Servants were spreading the word the auction was about to begin in the main ballroom. Lady Dunn collected my leash and gently tugged me after her. I crowded closely behind her, touching her lightly to let her know I wasn't upset any longer. Although I carried some self-disgust that she could earn forgiveness with a bite.
"I wish I had known," I said. "I would have liked to have contributed." I turned her to face me. "Lady Dunn, if I see something I like at a price I can afford, will you acquire it for me? I will repay you. Perhaps you can take me to my bank, and I can make a transfer. I could help that way."
"I do not believe you will be able to afford anything here today, Melissa," she replied. "Are you sure you would like to help?"
"Yes," I replied. "But you said it was too late."
"Well, perhaps we can make a separate donation," she replied.
We moved into the ballroom, Lady Dunn taking me to Madame Cathalina.
"Is everything settled?" she asked.
"Yes. You have my apologies."
Cathalina waved it away. "And about the other issues?"
"Yes and yes," my lady replied.
Cathalina smiled. "The city shall certainly have a new park. Thank you."
Lady Dunn nodded and drew me gently away. There were chairs assembled, and she drew me to one in the second row on the outside. We talked quietly until Cathalina called us to order. She gave a short speech, thanked everyone for coming, and gave special thanks to those who had donated.
"We also have surprise items," she added. "We will pause midway through the auction to describe them. I am sure you will bid generously." Then she introduced the auctioneer.
"Will they bid simply to please her?"
"Some will. Most will bid honestly, hoping to acquire something unusual they could not otherwise have, and perhaps paying too much to help with the cause."
The auctioneer stepped up. He didn't bother explaining the rules, and I knew then and there this couldn't be the first time the vampires had done this. But then I supposed they were all hundreds and hundreds of years old.
He brought forward the first item, "a Chippendale chair fashioned by Gilbert Ash circa 1773."
I couldn't even track the bidding. There was a flurry of activity far too rapid for human eyes to track, and then the auctioneer announced a bidder's number and winning bid. The chair sold for a great deal of money, and I had no idea who had bid on it.
"Good golly," I said quietly. "What was that, like three seconds?"
Lady Dunn laughed. "About, yes."
"And, how many bids?"
"Twenty-seven, I believe. Or so. I really wasn't paying attention."
The next item went on sale, then the next, and everything was old or really old.
"Have you bid?" I asked after the seventh item.
"No. I have donated, somewhat heavily, and will let others buy tonight."
Her ruby pendant arrived for auction, and the auctioneer described the provenance. "Gifted to Lady Dunn by Maria Thérèse of Austria circa 1674."
I turned to my lady. "Who?"
"Queen of France," she replied. "Shh."
It sold for a very great deal of money, the most of any item so far, although it would be outshined by two pieces that Madame Cathalina had donated herself.
Two items later, and the auctioneer invited Cathalina back to the stage. "We have two items you haven't seen," she said. "The first is a two-piece set of paintings by a new name amongst the local artists." The auctioneer's assistants brought two paintings forward, hanging them for the audience to see. They were covered, so the audience couldn't see them yet.
"New artist?" I whispered. "After everything here is hundreds of years old?"
"Wait," she said. "Do not react."
"As the artist is here tonight, she will sign the paintings in her own blood, before your very eyes." Cathalina held up a pen.
I looked around, but I didn't see any other humans beyond a few more blood slaves and the serving staff. I didn't know of any local artists that were worth the attention of this group.
Cathalina smiled and said, "May I present Agony and Despair by local artist Grace Faire."
Lady Dunn tugged my chain just as the name was announced, so my startled reaction could be a result of her attention and not hearing my new artist's name used. The assistants removed the cloth from the two paintings, and there was a gasp.
I was the subject of both of them, although the viewer may not realize it. The images were meant to be displayed side-by-side, each of them one of my eyes drawn very closely, with the bulk of the image the reflection in my eyes. The left image was a vampire face, fangs flashing at an angle, and it was clear they were aimed for my throat. It was, of course, Lady Dunn, but drawn in a fashion one couldn't recognize her, either. The right image was of a room of onlookers, all of them vampires, laughing. The implication was they were laughing as I was about to be consumed.
"If the artist will come forward, she can explain the images and sign them for us."
Lady Dunn caressed my cheek, drawing my eyes to her, while her hand subtly held me in my seat. I nodded once. She wanted a pause to let everyone wonder. She relaxed, and I turned to look around as if I, too, was wondering whom the artist was. A few eyes had turned my way, but they looked away as I began scanning the room.
"Please," said Cathalina. "We won't bite."
Lady Dunn tugged my chain once more, patted my cheek, then gave me the slightest nod.
I stood up.
There was a brief uproar. It seemed everyone knew who I was. Or perhaps they did not expect a blood slave to be producing such art.
"This is Grace Faire," Cathalina said "the artist also known as Melissa Walsh, and Lady Dunn's current blood slave. Come forward, girl. You are safe here."
I moved forward along the side aisle, then crossed in front of everyone to the steps leading to the stage. I wondered how intentional our location had been to display me this way, but I decided Lady Dunn did nothing by accident. I ascended and walked to Madame.
"Would you explain the paintings?" she asked me. "Do you need a microphone?
"I will," I said. "And no." I had spoken in front of audiences before, usually during sales presentations of one of the products I had designed. I knew how to project. "Agony and Despair," I said. "The name of the set; neither painting has a name of its own. They would be deeply devalued if separated. Acrylic on canvas, 2015." I paused. "I believe the images speak for themselves."
"Very good," Cathalina said. "If you could sign them, please." She handed me the pen.
"You said to sign with my own blood," I replied. "I don't understand."
"This is a fountain pen," she explained. Then she paused. "Oh dear. You are one of the few guests who may never have used one of these. I shall assist. Perhaps you shall care to practice on a scrap of paper. Here, we will bring a table and chair forward."
Three of the assistants already had the furniture waiting, and they were brought onto the stage. I sat down at the chair, then Cathalina asked for my right hand. She took it then pierced the ball of my thumb with a hatpin. Blood welled, which she collected in the pen while I watched avidly. I had grown cavalier about my own blood.
"Oh dear," she said. "Lady Dunn, did you want to seal this yourself?" My lady waved it away, and instead Cathalina bent over my hand and licked, both sampling my blood and healing the wound. She gave me a damp towel for my hand.
"Now, the pen contains your blood. Have you used nib pens before?"
"Yes. Will the blood flow differently than ink?"
"Somewhat. You may practice." She slid the paper closer to me, and I gathered it.
I didn't start with signing my name. I instead made a few circles on the paper, growing accustomed to the flow of the pen. Other than a tendency to smudge, it wasn't that different from other nib pens I had used. I finally signed my new name.
"Very good," she said. Then she sprayed the paper with a perfume atomizer. "Clotting agent," she said to my puzzled expression. "It will dry soon enough."
One of the vampires stood up. "One hundred dollars for her first signature in blood."
The room buzzed for a moment, but Cathalina held up her hand, and they grew still. "Lady Dunn?"
Again, she waved it away, allowing the sale. The auctioneer immediately stepped forward, and my signature sold for a thousand dollars.
Blood Slave Page 33