Chapter Five
Ella woke to dead silence. Literally. Her constant mind companions absent, the body she lay against cool to the touch, and the heart beat that had put her to sleep, absent. Had she been made of weaker stuff, she might have cried out, but Ella had spent most of her life in a place where death seemed more normal than some of the things she’d seen and experienced. Easing out from his loosely draped arms, she sat up in the bed.
The room would have been pitch black had it not been for a small bedside lamp that hadn’t been there when she went to sleep. Its soft light lit the features of her unlikely rescuer. In repose—or should she say death—his features had softened. The harsh, cynical lines she’d noted smoothed away and displaying his actual youthfulness. Well at least in looks. He’d implied he was quite old, something the voices had confirmed, and she assumed that his diet of blood was part of what kept him looking young. What she still hadn’t figured out was why the voices disappeared when she touched or got too near to him. And yet they’d come back, in action at least when they thought he would be seducing and biting her. Was there something about Zane that blocked them or, judging by their erratic rants, frightened them. Is my mind manifesting the fear I should feel? No, that makes no sense because I honestly don’t think I have anything to fear from him. A connection, make that an awareness, existed between them. Their fascination with each other seemed mutual, and having lived a sheltered life for so long Ella didn’t intend to question or stop it.
I am finally getting the chance to live—perhaps find love? Love, an emotion she’d longed for all her life. She wondered what it would feel like. Is Zane, a vampire, capable of that emotion? Or, an even better question, would he allow himself to?
Her bladder made its presence known, and as much as she wanted to stay cuddled by his side, she knew she had to take care of it before she embarrassed herself.
The voices invaded her mind as soon as she moved away from the bed.
“Now’s your chance. Leave while he sleeps.”
“Stake the evil one.”
“‘ Ware the doctor.”
The doctor comment caught her attention. What doctor? she asked, but the voices just babbled and she ignored them. She opened several doors in his room before finding the bathroom.
His en suite gleamed, a thing of marble and mirrors with a huge tub. After relieving herself, she looked in the mirror and cringed. Her hair, a washed out blonde color, circled her head in a snarly mess. Eyeing the tub, she decided a bath was called for. His bedside clock had shown the time to be early afternoon. If he held true to most legends, he wouldn’t rise for a few hours still.
Stripping out of the hated hospital gown, she stuffed it in a garbage can. She’d wear nothing before she’d put that thing back on.
The hot water she sank into closely resembled heaven, and she closed her eyes, humming happily, as she soaped herself, the babble of voices unable to ruin this moment of blissful serenity. She only vaguely remembered baths from her youth. At the hospital, it had always been quick showers, closely supervised by staff. Her lack of prudishness was probably what saved her from screaming when the bathroom door opened, and an expressionless Hendricks entered with a pile of clothing which he lay on the bathroom counter.
Looking at a point well above her head, he announced. “When milady has finished her bath, breakfast awaits her downstairs.”
Ella bit her lip to hold in her giggles at his stiff posture as he pivoted and left. She soaked in the bath a few more minutes before yanking the plug and getting out. She wrapped herself in a decadently plush towel that smelled like spring. Rubbing herself dry, she took a peek at the clothes Hendricks brought her. There were pair of lace red panties that made her blush, but she pulled them on anyway. A pair of slim fitting track pants with a matching zip up sweater and a white t-shirt completed the rest of her outfit, their stiffness attesting to their newness. They fit a bit loosely, but having only ever worn the very used and ugly garb of the institution, she smiled in delight. Padding back out to the bedroom in socked feet—yes, Hendricks had even remembered those—she gnawed her lip indecisively. The room still lay in a thick gloom and Zane slept like the dead. Ella stifled a giggle, but couldn’t stop the growl of hunger that sounded loudly.
Trepidation in her step, she crossed to the door that led to the rest of the house. The voices seemed to like this plan for they still exhorted her to escape. Ella didn’t plan to leave, but she did need to eat, so taking a deep breath, she left Zane’s room in search of the breakfast Hendricks said waited for her.
She noticed the hallway had no windows, but evenly space lighting chased away the darkness. She followed the corridor back to the stairs. The main floor didn’t seem to have the same ban on natural light as the upstairs did, for she walked down into sunlight, and she blinked. Peering through the windows, she could just see the sun setting, the sky a rainbow of colors.
As if he’d just materialized out of nowhere, Hendricks appeared at her elbow. “If milady would follow me.” The butler led the way to the giant dining room she’d seen in her previous night’s tour.
One lonely plate with a silver dome sat on the immense wooden table’s surface.
Hendricks held out the chair and looked at her, but Ella hesitated.
“I don’t suppose there is somewhere a little less fancy to eat is there?”
Hendricks arched an imperious brow, and Ella blushed. “I’m sorry. I guess I should thank you first for the clothes. I’ve never owned anything so fine before. And as for eating, I don’t want to be any trouble.”
Before Ella could seat herself at a table meant for royalty, Hendricks face softened.
“I was about to have bite myself in the kitchen. Would you prefer to join me there?”
“Oh, please.” Ella’s face brightened and before Hendricks could change his mind, she snagged the domed plate, while Hendricks grabbed the utensils and glass of juice.
She followed him back to the kitchen where she perched herself at the counter.
Hendricks wasn’t the only one to join her, a plump matron with rosy cheeks and a smile also bustled over.
“So you’re the lamb the master’s brought home. My name is Anna. I am the cook and housekeeper.”
“My name is Ella, ma’am.”
“Ma’am. Goodness child, call me Anna. Do you mind if I ask how you came to know the master?”
Zane hadn’t told her to keep quiet, and the voices seemed to like his two servants for they shouted no warnings; on the contrary, one of them hummed a happy song. “Zane saved me and said I could stay here ‘til I was settled.”
“Saved you from what lamb?”
“The mental hospital.”
Hendricks went into a choking fit beside her and Anna quickly rounded the counter to pound on his back. Wheezing, he looked at her with piercing eyes. “Are you crazy then?”
“Apparently,” said Ella shrugging. “I hear voices.”
Anna’s eyes lit up. “How fascinating.”
“Not really,” grumbled Ella. “They tend to be noisy and get me into trouble.”
Anna chuckled. “But I’ll bet life is never dull though. Now that you are free what do you intend to do?”
“She’s going to accompany me on an outing to test a theory.”
“Zane!” Ella jumped off her stool and ran to him enthusiastically, his arms opening just in time for her hurtling body.
* * * *
Zane could see the flabbergasted looks on his employee’s faces. They’d been with him a long time and he knew first hand this was the first time anyone had every shown such obvious enthusiasm for his presence. And I like it.
When he’d woken and she hadn’t been there, he’d almost left the room in a naked rush to look for her. Only the thought of what his people would say if they saw him rushing about like a crazed man looking for her had made him stop long enough to dress.
He’d also had to use the back ways to avoid the still setting sun streaming through the windows.
His arms hugged her back and he scowled at the grin on Anna’s face, a scowl that widened when she mouthed, “About time.”
A busy bodying mother hen, sometimes he wondered why he kept her around even as he knew he’d never get rid of her.
Ella smiled up at him, and even though he knew they watched, he couldn’t resist dropping a light kiss on her lips and tasted the sweetness of the strawberry jam she’d eaten. He immediately regretted his hasty act for his body immediately responded in a most obvious way that Ella noticed with widening eyes. Apparently her friends upstairs did too, for the pots hanging on the rack above the counter rattled in warning.
Zane sighed, a sound Ella echoed.
Reluctantly, he let her go, but he did twine his fingers around hers, knowing that even that simple touch would keep her voices at bay.
“Where are we going?” she asked with a sweet smile that made Zane want to throw her over his shoulder and carry her back to his room. He knew she wouldn’t protest and the migraine and bruises from the missiles would pale in comparison to the pleasure he knew awaited. But he needed to find out if his theory had merit.
“I want you to meet an acquaintance of mine.”
“Sure,” she agreed readily. “Does this have to do with my voices? Because I’ll have you know I’ve tried every drug there is out there with no effect. You’re the only thing that’s ever stopped them.”
“Wait and see,” he answered mysteriously. “Now, why don’t you get changed into something glamorous while I have some dinner.”
Ella brow furrowed. “Dinner? Oh, do you mean you’re going to bite somebody?”
Hendricks snorted.
Taken aback at her easy acceptance of something that made most humans cringe, he stammered a reply. “Er, yes. I’ll be back shortly.”
Zane wondered at the look of disappointment on her face as he called for someone from his stay at home menu. All vamps kept a few sheep around for when they didn’t have time to hunt. In return, he took good care of them.
But even as he drank from Cherise, after sternly warning her not to play with him like he usually allowed, he wished it was another neck he sank his teeth into.
* * * *
Anna was the one who helped her dress glamorously like Zane had asked when Ella admitted to not knowing how.
“Where does he find people to bite?” she asked as Anna brushed and coiled her hair on her head, another new experience for Ella who’d only ever washed and brushed it.
“He keeps a few willing folk around for eating, but usually he prefers to hunt and keep his menu varied.”
“Oh.” Ella quieted as an unfamiliar feeling suffused her. She didn’t like the idea of Zane biting someone else. His lips touching their skin, and to her anger, possibly another woman’s. Her agitation made the voices in her head churn and she heard Anna gasp.
As soon as Ella realized she’d riled her attic friends up, she clamped down on her mind and the objects floating above the vanity crashed.
“Sorry, Anna. Sometimes the voices in my head get a little hyper.”
“Well that little display certainly explains the master’s bedroom.”
Ella blushed. “Sorry about that. Zane kissed me and they didn’t like that.”
Anna chuckled. “Well, we can’t have that now, can we? I’m sure the master will find a way to get those voices to behave. Now take a look and tell me what you think. It’s not perfect, but it will do for the night and as soon as we can arrange it, we’ll have a hairdresser come to the house and style your hair.
Ella turned to look in the mirror and lost her breath, for staring back at her was a princess. “Who is that?” she asked.
“The most beautiful woman to grace this house,” said Zane coming up behind her and resting his hands on her shoulders peeking out daringly from the top of a gown that bared too much white skin.
Ella couldn’t turn from the vision in the mirror, entranced with the smoky eyes, coiled hair with wisping tendrils and pink rosebud lips. On some level she realized it was her, but a version of herself she’d never imagined.
Tears pricked her eyes and she found herself turned on the seat with Zane dropping to his knees in front of her. “Why do you cry?”
“Oh, Zane, you’ve been so wonderful to me. What if this is all a dream? I’m a crazy girl. Things like this don’t happen to people like me. I’m afraid of waking up.”
Gentle fingers brushed at her lashes, wiping the tears before they ran and he leaned up pressing his lips to hers softly.
“Welcome to your new life Ella. This is only the beginning.”
Lacing her fingers into his, he helped her stand and with a dashing smile, took her to meet his mysterious friend.
Ella didn’t care where she went. So long as he’s with me, I’d follow him anywhere.