Blood Slave

by Roseau, Robin

  "Have I just signed an open agreement to the devil?" I asked.

  There was laughter. "No," Cathalina assured me. "It is only a signature, even if the ink is somewhat unusual to you. Perhaps we should sign the paintings before the blood dries."

  She took them down and set them on the table before me. I signed them very carefully where she tapped, and then she sprayed them.

  "I'm sure you want to see what you're all bidding on," she said, "so we'll let those dry for a bit. Our artist has donated a second -- well, make that third -- item."

  I glanced at her.

  "The winning bidder will receive a drawing, a portrait, produced in the two hours following the completion of the auction. It, too, will be signed in the artist's own blood. In addition..." She held up a glass vial. "The artist will donate a vial of her blood."

  I was a little tired of my lady's surprises. I don't know why she couldn't have told me about all of this ahead of time.

  "Do they know what to expect?" I asked very quietly, and Cathalina nodded. "Am I allowed some privacy?" and she nodded again.

  The sketch sold for eleven hundred dollars. The painting set for forty-five thousand. Both prices were well out of line with their value, but Cathalina thanked me and sent me back to my seat. "See Lady Dunn after the auction to claim your drawing," she told the winning bidder.

  I resumed my seat and, when a moment presented itself, asked her, "Why do you not warn me of these things?"

  "I enjoy watching you think on your feet. You did well."

  "I did not see who won the drawing."

  "Malakai," she said. "One of the vampires I wanted you to meet."

  "You will be there."

  "Yes."

  "You will not distract me."

  "We'll see."

  "Should I fear this taking of my blood? Can it be used against me?"

  "No."

  "I wish you'd told me. Thank you for letting me help."

  "You are welcome."

  "Why that set? I thought you liked that one."

  "I do. It is one of my favorites amongst your new pieces. Politics. I'll explain more another time."

  I sat quietly through the remainder of the auction. Lady Dunn paid attention to the auction, but didn't ignore me sitting beside her. I realized how unusual it was to be treated, mostly, like one of the guests at the event instead of sitting on the floor or being expected to kneel.

  The last item was one donated by Madame Cathalina, and it was a live sized statue of Aphrodite done in marble, and it was stunning. I had noticed it earlier and would have coveted it, but I knew it would require my entire net worth ten times over to come close to owning it. It was not ancient, only a few hundred years old, but it was truly beautiful.

  "I thought you didn't see beauty," my lady said from beside me.

  "I do. I don't see the inner beauty."

  "Do you sculpt?"

  "Not to that quality," I said. "It would take years of learning the tools and learning to read the rock. I've modeled clay and done some castings, and of course, the design work I did for my main income."

  Aphrodite sold for the evening's record. Cathalina thanked everyone for his or her generosity, and declared the auction completed.

  I turned immediately to Lady Dunn. "I do not wish to take a strange vampire to the studio."

  "There is a room in the house. Your materials are already waiting."

  "Will you remain with us?"

  "Yes."

  We stood, and she tugged me away to the side of the room, then tugged me to kneel beside her, leaning against her hip. Several vampires approached, and I was the topic of conversation. I kept my head bowed, not responding, but the general conversation involved praising my vampire for such an intriguing blood slave. Two of the vampires inquired as to how they could obtain their own samples of my blood, but she only said, "You could have bid higher for the drawing this evening". I was glad she wasn't offering my blood to them.

  I grew stiff, kneeling on the floor, but I was long accustomed to it. If I wasn't leaning against the vampire, I would have already begun trembling in fatigue, but she provided just enough additional support, my stamina was longer.

  Some of the vampires moved away, and then Madame Cathalina arrived with another male. I didn't look up, but I heard her voice and I recognized her shoes, having seen them earlier in the evening. I received an upward tug on my leash then a supporting arm as I climbed slowly to my feet. I kept my eyes down submissively.

  "Lady Dunn," Cathalina said, "might I introduce our auction winner to your blood slave?"

  "Of course," she agreed, then used her fingers under my chin to raise my eyes.

  I found myself facing a stern-looking vampire who appeared to be perhaps forty-five years old, as a human. There was a hint of grey in his hair in his otherwise brown hair, and a fierce scar running from his temple to the corner of his jaw. He was well dressed in a conservative charcoal business suit and white shirt, but his tie was striking and colorful.

  "Malakai," Cathalina said, "this is Melissa Walsh, also known as Grace Faire. I believe you are familiar with her work under both names."

  "The blood slave everyone is discussing lately," he said. He didn't offer his hand.

  "I am pleased to meet you, Mr. Malakai," I said. I didn't look him in the eye, but he couldn't expect a human to do so.

  He cocked his head. "It is difficult to believe this creature is the creator of the paintings and drawings I have seen."

  "She is somewhat subdued in this environment," my vampire said, "but you would not have believed the fire she showed me immediately prior to the auction."

  "And did you punish her for her insolence?" he asked.

  "I briefly bled her," my vampire stated, "but I did not take so much she is light-headed. She will be able to produce your drawing."

  "Tell me, blood slave," he asked, "do you see anything in my visage that strikes your artist's eye?"

  I looked at him, and I had an image of the scar on his cheek opening and becoming a gateway to hell, demons pouring from it. I shut my eyes from the image but nodded.

  "Are my features so unsightly?" he asked. I thought I detected humor in his voice.

  I opened my eyes but lowered them to his chest. "You have seen more examples of my recent work?"

  "Yes."

  "So you know what I see, and you know this won't be the portrait you might have gotten from me two years ago."

  "Yes."

  "You realize I will draw what I see, and it may not be pleasing or flattering."

  "Yes. It will, however, be unique, I believe."

  "I cannot attest to that," I said. "Perhaps so. Prior to the changes to my life two years ago, I surrounded my life with beauty."

  "And you do not find vampires beautiful?"

  "I find them striking, stunning, sometimes mesmerizing, frequently terrifying, at times frightful. I find them capable of surrounding themselves with beauty, such as the statue of Aphrodite that fetched such a wonderful price."

  "Did you covet that piece?" He asked.

  "Yes, but I could never have afforded it myself, and of course, a blood slave could not have bid on it anyway."

  "I would have preferred, perhaps, Hephaestus. I have little time for Aphrodite."

  "There are others amongst the Greek Pantheon to whom I might turn before Aphrodite as well," I replied. "But it is a stunning statue." I longed to ask Cathalina if she had other statues of the gods I could see, but it wasn't an appropriate setting to be so forward.

  "Well," said Cathalina in a moment's pause, "everything is waiting for you. During the auction, some of my staff set up more lights, in case you need them."

  "She will require refreshment," my vampire stated. "Perhaps cider."

  "There is a cart waiting with several choices."

  "I will require assistance with the pen as well," I said.

  "I am familiar with the workings of the fountain pen," Lady Dunn said with a smile.

  "Al
so, perhaps a prop." I paused. "From the scar on your cheek, I take it you were a warrior before you were turned."

  "I was," he said.

  "Would it be forward, Madame Cathalina, to ask for the loan of a weapon?"

  "You wish to duel with him?" she asked.

  "I wish him to hold it, if there is one here that is close to one he has carried in the past. I may not use it, but the scar is prominent, and a weapon might explain it."

  "Ah, of course. Do you see anything intriguing, Malakai?"

  "I believe I saw a late Byzantine broadsword."

  "Ah, yes," she said. "I wielded that sword against the Ottomans during the siege of Constantinople."

  "I heard stories of a woman warrior," he replied.

  "Yes," Cathalina said. "I was forced to flee, my home being dominated by the Ottomans for the next four hundred years. Well, come this way." She led us along the wall to the sword in question. Malakai asked permission with his eyes, quickly given, and he pulled the sword from the wall, partially drawing it from its scabbard.

  "So long ago," he said, just a little over a whisper.

  "Yes," Cathalina agreed. "Come." She led us from the ballroom. I should have expected it; she led us to the now very familiar sitting room. Everything I needed was waiting for me, the furniture itself having been rearranged to give me a variety of options.

  "Feel free to rearrange things as necessary," she said. "I will check on your progress later."

  "Thank you, Madame Cathalina," I said with a small vow. "As always, you are a gracious hostess."

  She winked at me on the way out, which strangely buoyed me.

  I looked around the space, and I was surprised, and somewhat relieved, to see the white lab coat from my studio at home. I turned to my vampire, and she nodded permission, then stepped over to me and removed the leash. I shrugged into the lab coat but heard a sound of disappointment from tonight's patron.

  "I was enjoying looking at you," he said.

  I glanced at my vampire, not sure how to handle this.

  "She produces her most profound work when she is allowed a modicum of modesty," Lady Dunn said. "For a while, at least, she is an artist, not a blood slave."

  "Of course," said Malakai immediately. "Where would you like me?"

  "Well," I said, "I have two strong vampires here. Perhaps we can make some adjustments. I believe the stone fireplace makes a good background, so if you can select a chair and move it..." I moved to where I wanted him, "here, we will have you placed."

  We got him settled, and then I said, "I will need to move around but will eventually take a place here." I paused. "I will sit on the floor. I believe an upward angle is more appropriate, but perhaps there can be something I can lean against." I turned to my vampire. "This is a one time offer. Would you wish to provide your legs as support when I sit?" I was giving her permission to watch me draw.

  "Yes," she said.

  "I would welcome your touch if you can avoid teasing me," I added. And she flashed a smile. I was a little unsettled with the situation, and I thought I could find comfort from her.

  "I should move a sofa here now?"

  "Let us wait until I have done my sketches. But I will need some light on me." I thought about it. "I am going to light you, Mr. Malakai, while I do some preliminary sketches. They may be bright and warm, but I will turn them off later."

  He waved it away, and I arranged the lights the way I wanted them.

  "Where do you want me for now?" Lady Dunn asked me.

  "I am going to ask leading questions, but I would like if you and Mr. Malakai spoke together." I turned back to my subject. "I am a nosy artist, and I am too naïve and ignorant to know when I am about to stray into territory to be avoided. I ask your forgiveness. There is no obligation to answer any questions you would prefer went unasked."

  "Why do you ask questions? Don't you just sit and draw?"

  "If you wish me to act like a human photographic camera, I could do that. But you want more than that, and to achieve that, I need to know more about you. Otherwise, the drawing will not convey any of your inner essence."

  I paused. "I would like you to start with the sword," I said. "I would like to hear what it means to you, and perhaps you will share the story of your battle scar."

  He began talking immediately, and I turned to the cart of refreshments. I poured myself a glass of cider, then, in a pause, asked if either of them would care for something.

  "A small glass," they both requested, so I poured from the waiting carafe, served both of them, then collected my cider. I began walking around, looking at my subject, and nudged Lady Dunn to keep him talking.

  He kept watching me as I walked around, so I waited for another pause and asked, "Can you ignore the human in the room? I am not an elephant, after all."

  They chuckled at my reference, and he asked where he should look instead."

  "You are speaking with my mistress," I said. "For now, think of me as a servant, easily ignored."

  "A very forward servant," Lady Dunn observed.

  I sketched for a half hour before declaring I had everything I needed. I refilled everyone's glasses and asked Malakai if he required a break. He didn't. Lady Dunn moved a sofa into place, sitting down in it, and I sat on the floor to the left of her legs, leaning against her gently. A moment later, her fingers rested on my neck, and I felt comforted.

  I looked over my head at her. "I would prefer if you could avoid reacting to what I draw." She nodded.

  I switched to the drawing pad and pulled out my charcoals and began drawing.

  It took me a little more than the allotted time, but no one rushed me. Finally, I was satisfied. I looked over my shoulder at Lady Dunn. "Well?"

  "I love watching you draw. I wish you would allow me more often."

  "We can discuss that another time." I noticed she didn't comment on the drawing. But she climbed from her seat and pulled me to my feet. I turned to my client. "Do I need to distance myself before you see it?"

  "No. Your mistress is more than a match for me if I should respond poorly, but I have less trouble with my temper than most vampires."

  "You have paid a large amount for this."

  "A contribution to charity," he said. "The park will be lovely. I wished to help."

  "As did I. I did not realize how I would be doing so."

  "Ah. I thought you appeared a little stiff and unsure."

  Still, I handed the pad to Lady Dunn and let her present it to him. His eyes narrowed when she turned it to him, but he held out his hands, and she presented the drawing to him.

  It was clearly he, of course. There could be no doubt. But his scar was open, and inside it, the fall of Constantinople. Another image of him appeared in the forefront, just inside the scar, as he ran the sword he was holding through the body of a child. Around him, the air rained corpses.

  He had been amongst the Turks, after all, fighting on the wrong side as far as I was concerned.

  "I killed no children in that battle," he said.

  "The child represents the innocent lives you have destroyed in that battle and in the six centuries since."

  "Is this what you saw when first you looked upon my face?"

  "No. That image was worse."

  "Will you tell me?"

  "Similar, but the open scar was a portal to hell with demons bursting forth." I paused. "You asked."

  "I did." I looked back to the drawing again. "I cannot say I like it," he said, "but I am very pleased to have been the winning bidder. I could not afford many of the items tonight, but I wanted to help, and I have been given good value. Can you recommend somewhere to have it framed?"

  Cathalina had been checking on my progress, so I wasn't surprised when the door opened. "Oh, it is done? May I see?"

  "Be my guest," Malakai said. She crossed the room to him, and he handed her the pad.

  "Powerful," she said immediately. "I love the symbolism of the small child."

  "I took it literally and
was offended, but the explanation brings another emotion."

  "Oh?" I asked. "What is that?"

  "Well-deserved guilt."

  And at that, my vampire's hand sought mine, and she squeezed for only a brief moment.

  "I shall display this somewhere to serve as a reminder, and I thank your blood slave, Lady Dunn."

  I inclined my head. "It requires signing, and there was something about a vial."

  Lady Dunn handled filling the vial and the pen, closing the minor wound with a lick of her tongue. She put some pleasure into it, and I shuddered for a moment and couldn't avoid clutching at her. Malakai chuckled.

  "She may be forward, but she is quite addicted, is she not?"

  "She is," I answered. "I have her wrapped around my finger."

  They all guffawed, as it wasn't Lady Dunn he'd been referring to.

  "Quite forward indeed," she said about me.

  * * * *

  Eventually I completed the paintings for Cathalina. I told her and my mistress the day I finished, but said, "The paint must dry, and then I must review it one more time before I may present it. Do you wish it framed, or will you see to that yourself?"

  "I do not wish to wait any longer than necessary," she indicated. "But I will ask your assistance in framing choices later."

  I hadn't liked storing the paintings while they were drying, but I had made sure there was ample space around them, and so I felt comfortable they were drying properly. I explained I wouldn't varnish the paintings for some time.

  "With other patrons, I have let the paintings fully dry in my studio, then varnished and framed them before presentation."

  "I do not wish to wait," she repeated.

  "Of course. Tomorrow."

  "Tomorrow," she agreed. "In the afternoon. Your lady wishes to bring you herself. There will be two unveilings, one only for me, and then a second unveiling for her."

  "Do you know where you will place it?"

  "No. I will decide that when I have seen it."

  Inwardly I smiled, as whatever place she had selected wouldn't be large enough.

  I was allowed to sleep in the next morning. I ate, exercised, and showered, then found myself wondering what I should do. I settled in with a book.

  My lady found me for lunch, inviting me downstairs. She seemed excited and couldn't stop touching me. I asked if she needed a taste, but she said, "Later."