Chapter Three
Reina stood in the servants’ kitchen wrapping a bandage around her hand to stem the flow of blood. “So what happened?” She looked up and grinned nervously at Eric, one of the house servants.
“I just cut myself…lost my temper with him.” She spat the word angrily and blushed as Eric gave her a rebellious grin.
“My, my – bit upset aren’t we?”
“I know where you’re going with this,” she said warningly but she was still smiling at him.
“Did we not find him alone?”
“Of course he was alone –“
“Liar.”
“Well if you know the answer then why ask the question?” Reina smiled still but wished he wouldn’t go near this subject.
“Reina…”
“Just don’t Eric,” she said quietly no longer looking at him or smiling.
“He can’t be that bad, why don’t you just talk to him?”
“Damon doesn’t do talking.” Reina took the plate he had been drying and put it away giving her an innocent opportunity to turn her back on him. Very few of the servants knew what Damon was and Eric wasn’t one of them. “Please Eric –“
“Is he really that bad?”
“Yes!” Reina cried whirling around to look at him. “He’s worse than…than…” A coughing noise cut her off, she saw Eric bowing and slowly she turned around to face Damon who was standing the doorway. He was leaning against the doorframe casually, his arms crossed over his broad chest. His deep sapphire blue eyes were focused on Reina as if daring her to finish her sentence, the fringe of his jet-black hair flopped into his eyes carelessly.
“You out.” He pointed at Eric and tilted his head backwards, his eyes never leaving Reina’s. Eric nodded and bowing once more hurried out to leave Reina alone with Damon, she bit back a sigh and looked down at the floor not able to bear the eye contact. “Are you going to finish that sentence?”
“No of course not.” She stood there unsure of what else to say. “I can lea-“
“No!” The sudden sharpness in his voice made her look up in surprise. “I don’t have time to look for a new servant nor do I wish for a new one.” Reina sighed and shook her head; they’d talked about this before. “You’re a good servant besides if I get another servant it means another person knows my secret.” There’s more to it than that, Reina thought to herself but she didn’t say anything else.
“Did you want something?” She asked feeling her cheeks grow quite warm. She looked down at her feet and shuffled her weight from foot to foot nervously.
“To see if you were alright.” He said softly reaching out to take her bandaged right hand, “I didn’t mean to upset you.”
“You didn’t.”
“You’re not a very good liar Rei,” he squeezed her hand gently and Reina felt her knees go weak. Why couldn’t she get a grip? Did she have to be like every other woman and swoon under his touch? “You’re being stupid you know,” he began suddenly, “you woke up terrified and too scared to go back to sleep. If you would just –“
“We’ve talked about this before sir,” she him off hurriedly desperately wanting to avoid another fight. “I cannot share your bed; you’d want things from me that I wouldn’t give you. I’m your servant…not your whore.”
“I’d never think of you like that.”
“It doesn’t matter…” She looked at him pleadingly, begging him wither eyes to just drop the subject. He sighed and nodded, squeezing her hand and letting it to go to fall to her side gently.
“Just think about it, you don’t have to wake up alone. Remember that and promise me you’ll think about it.”
“Okay…I promise.”
“Thank you. Now go to bed – take the day off and just sleep, you look dreadful. And don’t worry,” he said holding up a hand to silence her before she could protest. “I’ll pay you for the full day, you won’t lose any wages.”
“Thank you…but promise me you’ll get me if you need something?” She felt guilty at the thought of taking another day off and getting paid for it. Damon smiled and nodded, for a moment she couldn’t stop staring into his sapphire coloured eyes. “Erm…okay. Thanks.” She couldn’t think of a reason to not take the day off, she was exhausted and she wouldn’t be much use to him. But she doubted she would be able to sleep either...every time she closed her eyes they were there. Staring at her with their empty saddened eyes. Unable to think of an excuse to not go to bed she headed back to her room, maybe she could just read for a while and just drift off to sleep. “Eric!” She jumped as she saw her friend perched on the edge of her desk, looking at her with concern.
“I thought he might tell you to go to bed, did you –“
“Yes. I had the nightmare and no I don’t want to talk about it.”
“Okay.” Eric nodded in understanding as he slipped off the desk and walked over to her to give her a friendly hug. She could tell he wanted to ask what was wrong, to press her into talking about it in an attempt to make her feel better. But showing the mark of a true friendship he said nothing. “Here,” he reached into the pockets of his black uniform trousers and pulled out a small circular bottle. The rattling from inside told her that there were small pills inside. “Sleeping pills,” he said seeing the questioning look on her face, “I know you don’t like taking these things but it’ll help. Besides these are herbal, not prescribed so you should be fine.” He pressed the bottle into her hand and squeezed it gently. “Take them, two should do the trick and you’ll feel better then ever. Just this once?”
“Okay,” Reina nodded reading the back of the small bottle; she pressed down on the lid and unscrewed it. She bit her lip, should she really take these?
“Reina they’re herbal, it’s okay.” Eric said taking the bottle and tipping two small pills out onto her hand. “You won’t become dependant on them, I promise.” She nodded and took the pills; they were so small she could just swallow them without water. “See, that wasn’t hard now, was it?” Eric teased her as she climbed into bed. She didn’t bother getting changed, she had the day off and she wasn’t about to undress in front of Eric. “I’ll stay with you until you fall asleep.”
“Thank you,” she smiled at him as she rested her head on the soft pillow and looked up at him, taking in his auburn coloured hair and pale green eyes. He was handsome but not in the same league as Damon. Eric was handsome in a more boyish way, always grinning, laughing and his green eyes nearly always dancing mischievously. The complete opposite to Damon who was more…sophisticated.
“If only your boss could see you now.”
“Be thankful he can’t, he’d kill you for been here.”
“I’ll just explain to him you’re no where near my type.” Reina laughed and rolled her eyes at him, already she could feel the sleeping pills beginning to kick in. Damon had no idea that Eric was gay, he wasn’t ashamed of it but there wasn’t anyone for him to flirt with so he didn’t see the need to tell people.
“I love you too,” she muttered dryly smiling at him; he smiled back and squeezed her shoulder gently as she drifted off into a deep and dreamless sleep.
Damon was standing outside the door leading to Reina’s room, he felt a flicker of anger sweep through him as the boy he’d seen in the kitchen walked out off her room. As Eric looked to his side Damon met his eyes and used his powers to make him seem invisible to the boy, he did not want questions asked of why he was there. He didn’t want Reina to know he was here, she’d probably freak out if she knew.
When Eric was out off sight he quietly slipped into Reina’s room, he hadn’t been in there since he’d shown her the room when she’d first started working for him. He was surprised at how similar yet different the room was to when he’d seen it around two years ago. The furniture was exactly the same; a wardrobe, bed, bedside cabinet and desk. It was also immaculately clean, there wasn’t even a lone sock lying crumpled on the floor or poking out of the top of a half open draw. Yet it was different because of the subtle personal touches that had been added; the teddy bear and book on the bedside cabinet close to a small lamp, the satin pyjamas he had bought her for her last birthday resting on the desk and the lavender quilt and pillows. He walked over to the desk and rested his hand on the soft fabric of the pyjamas smiling as her subtle scent drifted up to meet his nose. It was the faint smell of vanilla, sweet and not overpowering.
He moved and sat down on the edge of her bed, she looked so peaceful as she slept. It may have been a cliché but she really did look like an angel. Gently he stroked her cheek, she didn’t even stir and he began to wonder why. It took him a minute or so to realise that she must have taken sleeping pills, but where had she gotten them from? She told him she didn’t like those things, she was frightened she’d end up addicted to them. Leaning over he kissed her cheek using all of his willpower to not tilt her head to the side and kiss her lips tenderly. If it had been one of his conquests then maybe he would have, but Reina was more than that. He wanted her to want to kiss him and to do it while she was awake! He couldn’t take advantage of her while she slept, out of all the things he’d done in his life that was one thing he’d never be able to forgive himself for. It infuriated him.
He forced himself to stand up and leave her in peace. He made his way to the kitchen; he wanted to know what she’d taken, how many and how long she’d be asleep for. “You.” He called to Eric as he walked into the kitchen, he couldn’t remember his name and right now he didn’t care – he was more concerned about Reina. As Eric turned to look at him he took in the uniform; black trousers, polished black shoes and a crimson shirt. He’d never noticed the uniform till now, since Reina was his personal servant she was permitted to wear her own clothes. That way she would be easy to identify if there were guests and they would know to leave her be, as she served Damon only, the rest would serve anyone who requested them too and had their own specific duties to attend too.
“Yes sir?” Eric asked politely bowing; it was unusual for Damon to see no trickle of fear in the eyes of the servant he spoke too. But then he had to remind himself that the only servant he had dealt with lately was Reina, and she was the only one who knew what he was and about his past.
“I went to check on Reina and found her asleep; I assume she has taken some pills. I want you to tell me how many and how long she’ll be asleep for.” He watched as Eric fished through his pockets eventually finding the tiny plastic bottle which he promptly handed over to Damon.
“She only took two, she’ll be out for about twelve or fifteen hours. Maybe longer…she should be awake in time for work tomorrow.” He bit the inside of his cheek as he studied Damon obviously wondering whether he should risk asking a question or not. Finally he seemed to be in favour of the risk. “Forgive me sir, but how did you know? She was out cold when I left…” Damon looked up from the bottle and smiled at him, it was a very small smile but a smile nonetheless.
“The state she was in this morning she looked too scared to even blink let alone close her eyes to sleep. Thank you, she needs a good rest and I don’t care if she’s not awake in time to start tomorrow. I just want her feeling refreshed.” It was a good thing he couldn’t blush, it hadn’t meant to sound so caring – he didn’t want this servant to get ideas. He returned the bottle and left with a nod before the boy could press for more details, he was not one to give away un-needed details.
As he wandered around his mansion he began to realise how quiet it was. Reina might not have been a very good conversationalist but at least her presence was there, the sound of her footsteps echoing alongside his gently. Now it was just his and they sounded so loud and empty as he strolled through the hallways. It struck him that this could be a regular occurrence in the future; Reina would die soon. If they didn’t get her then mortality certainly would. Human life years were like hours to him; sometimes they would seem to drag on forever but other times they would be over in what felt like the blink of an eye. What would he do without her? You’re a disgrace, he told himself scornfully, becoming so dependant on a mortal! But even as he scorned himself he knew it wasn’t that, he wasn’t dependant on her. He liked her company. She might not be talkative but she was friendly and she didn’t try to please him so that he would take her to bed with him. She tried to please so that he wouldn’t regret hiring her, although he’d had different reasons for hiring her, not that he had ever told her these reasons. The thought of her dead…it was one he didn’t care to dwell on, maybe he could persuade her to be like him…but he knew she would never go for that. Not in a hundred years.
He reached his study without even realising that, that was where his feet had been carrying him. Closing the door behind him he lit the fireplace and sat down in the large leather chair behind an antique desk and watched as the flames devoured the logs while outside snow began to fall. Sighing he ran a hand through his short jet-black hair and pushed his fringe free from his eyes, he began to contemplate whether or not to go out. Even in this weather he’d be able to find a companion who might be able to take his mind off Reina but deep down he knew it wouldn’t. She’d been in his mind for almost a whole year now, and she was most likely going to be on his mind for a long time. She’d be on his mind tonight, companion or not…and it would just make things worse if she found him with someone tomorrow. No tonight he would go to bed alone…
