I felt a new. A new what? New sensation perhaps. It wasn't a sickly feeling. It was more or less as though the pit of my stomach had been filled. Catherine was the first to get up, which was a first since it was daylight and she would normally be in bed still.

  I arose from her bed to realize I was still not wearing clothes. I tip-toed back to my room to find anything. I found something I shoved deep into my dresser not wanting to wear it but it was the only thing I had clean. Vadoma gave me a dress, but at first, I did not like it. It was a badly stitched grey cotton dress. The bust was way too big for mine. Until I found out, Vad made this dress for her first daughter Crina. Crina did not understand why she was becoming older as her mother stayed the same age. The village influenced her making her out to be a dangerous gypsy witch. Crina left in the dead of night at Vadoma's age. Vad heard she moved to Bucharest and married with children. Vadoma is not bitter. She was more upset that Crina did not take the first dress Vadoma made for her. Her seamstress skills have improved since then.

  "Vad? Vad! Where are you?" I ran down the stairs holding the bust of the dress so my breasts wouldn't spill out. "Vad! Vadoma!" I leaped off the stairs landing onto the carpet making a sharp right to the kitchen. I was halted by Vadoma swinging the kitchen door open. "What you need? I am busy Bella!" She stopped as her eyes traced my body from head to toe. "Oh," Vadoma laughed. "You need help yes?"

  "If it does not inconvenience you too great." I huffed blowing away a thick strand of hair. Vadoma's gold bracelets jingled a tune as her arm ushered me into the kitchen. "Where's Catherine?" I cross my arms across my chest. Vadoma sighed rummaging through a clothed bag. "Her royal pain in ass is down in the undercroft. She awoke hungry. Not for food but she did not think it was wise to have her breakfast in front of you just yet." She held a small knapsack containing a needle and thread. "Why now? I brought her blood without realizing it for months, hell, maybe a year. Time moves weirdly here. Ouch! Vad!" She needle poked the side of my boob as she tailored the side. "Shit! Sorry, Bell. To answer both questions short. Valeria feels that now you know it makes her feel something she hasn't felt in while. And it has been a year dear Bella." Vadoma finished the first side of my dress spinning me around to see the other side. "A year?! Wait, what's Valeria feeling?"

  "Emotion. Real emotion that old heart has hidden. Guilt, shame. Protective she is, but shame never sat right with her." Vadoma finished hiding away her knapsack. "You do realize I can hear you." Catherine appeared behind me, not even an utterance that she was near. "Catherine!" Vadoma and I leaped. Catherine did not look well, she seemed tense. Not in anger, but more like in desperation. "What's wrong?" I turned to face Catherine when her hand stopped me under my arm. Her hand stung for a moment as it pressed against the same breast that Vad poked. Her hand vibrated as I felt the cold pin-point of blood bled through the cotton. "What has happened? Vadoma?" Her hands twitched, and Catherine's nail dug into the gray fabric pulling down the newly stitched cloth. "I-I only pricked her. Not much blood Valeria." Vad yammered making it seem she was busy. "More than a prick Vad! Y-you need to be more," Her index glided over the pin-point, staining her finger with my blood. "Careful."

  "Has your hunger subsided?" I reached out for her hand, it was more cold than usual. "N-no...i-it hasn't. There's an issue." Catherine pushed my hand away. She trembled as her body fell back resting against a wall.

  "Catherine!"

  "Valeria!" We both shrieked out as we stood before her. "No...no..." Catherine was hysterical. Dry coughing out for breath. Vadoma and I grabbed Catherine's wrist hoisting her up by our shoulders. Trying our might to lug her up to her room. "Is this like a reaction? A sickness? Bad blood."

  "No! Valeria has never done this before now." Vadoma struggled to grasp Catherine. "N-no...more." Catherine choked trying to breathe correctly. We made it to her room laying her down. "Bella?" Catherine finally regained her breath. "Yes, Valeria?"

  "Leave...Vad and I for a moment I mean...please." I nodded stepping out of the bedroom. Not far, in earshot. Ear against the door.

  "There is no more what Valeria? What you mean?"

  "B-blood. No more blood. The cellar is dry. I-I fear if I do not get more..." She coughed. "It's Bella. Your blood I can stand but hers. It's taunting me. Do not let her in. I do not trust myself." I could not believe it. No more? I darted down the stairs, past the dining room to the unlocked undercroft. I ran down the steps making sure to leap over the same damned step that caused my pain. Alas, I found it. The pitiful man, more like an unrecognized creature hung by his ankles. Shriveled like a raisin in the sun. More pale than a piece of paper. Not a single drop. It looked as though Catherine attempted to lick or scrape whatever remained on the floors. With her hand prints smeared across the floors.

  I ran back up to Vadoma. "Vadoma! Vadoma! Come quick!" Vadoma raced out of Catherine's room to the stair balcony. "What wrong now?"

  "She's right Vad! There's no more. That man is shrivelled like a prune. The crates are empty. There is nothing!" That feeling came back. The sinking feeling came back to my stomach. The fear that Catherine could go mad or worse attack me in her thunderous rage. "Goddamit!"

  "What can we do? How do we help her?"

  "We? No. You heard Valeria. You must not help. I will go find someone. Daylight is much harder." Vadoma ran down the steps not skipping a beat. "No, Catherine said she does not want me in the room. She said nothing about me not helping you. Or did I hear something different behind the door?" I followed behind her leading out the kitchen door. "Oh for fuck sake fine! You are worse than child you know this? Fine, I will show you how I do things. However, you must not disobey or the town will hang us both."

  "Got it Vad. No fuss, no hanging."

  ?───? ??? ?───?

  Vadoma and I left the castle grounds, following behind her on the gravel road down the mountain. "What must we do Vad? Why did you bring a shovel?" I asked as I watched Vadoma carry a rusty shovel over her shoulder. "Well, I have been doing this method for over 200 years. Other methods have been dangerous or not work." Vadoma's barefoot rolled a rock under her sole flicking it and hitting a tree. "So what is this method? All we have spoken about is what if we got caught, not the actual deed." I continued behind her. "The deed? Bella, we not killing them. Just rendering them unconscious. Just enough time for Valeria to take their blood. Catherine will kill them, we do not." Vadoma stopped, as she held out a hand to halt me. "Hush now, someone is coming near." Vadoma was right, a man walked briskly without hesitation of us looking above him. Vadoma crouched down on the cliff of the mountain.

  "What do we do next?" I whispered as my knees scuffed the grass. "Shut it, let me think. He is young, good blood I suppose. Perhaps not into gypsy's. Possibly into you." My head cocked at her words. It was as if this was nothing to her. It was technically, she's been doing this for years. "What are you on about?"

  "Lure him Bell." Vadoma let go of the shovel placing it quietly on the ground before us. "Lure him how? How in the hell do I do that?" Vad hushed me again. "Fuck off, you know how. I hear things. Valeria tells me things. You know how to tease her. Tease him. Pretend he's Valeria. For Catherine's sake. If you don't, she might die." My heart stopped. Not for the fact I have to flirt with a man but with the thought that Catherine might die. I never thought of that, I just thought she would go mad.

  "Fine. For Catherine." I arose to my feet as Vadoma stopped me. "Here, push the strap of your dress down. Be sultry. English? Uh-...sex appeal?"

  "Stop it, I know what to do. You get ready for your method." I turned walking away from Vad towards the man. I stopped as I heard a branch snap. The man seemed startled. He stopped searching around his surroundings. "Hello? Who's there?"

  "Hello..."I blurted as I leaned against a tree. The man's head turned and he looked somewhat relieved. "Oh, how lovely. What brings you here this fine morning miss?" His steps were calm towards me. "To be alone I suppose, do you enjoy being alone too?" I huffed allowing one of my straps to fall from my dress. "Oh yes, you are a pretty thing aren't you?" I noticed Vadoma appear behind the man. "You think so? All your dreams and more huh?" I playfully bit my lip holding my hand out. I rotated my wrist to let Vadoma know to speed this process up. The man began to grab my hand as Vadoma lifted the shovel back and swung the metal end. The force of the shovel flew striking the back of the man's head. The ringing noise cut through the forest breaking the silence. The man grunted falling forward. A small amount of blood escaped from his ear as his cheek touched the gravel. "Good job! Now grab his feet quickly!" Vadoma hooked her hands under the man's arms raising his upper half. I quickly grabbed his ankles whisking him off the ground. Vadoma laid the shovel on the man's chest to carry both at the same time. "Shit! I thought he would light!" Vadoma's bracelets jingled as she tried to position her hands comfortably. "You don't say? I know that Vad! Let's get him up before he wakes up! Hurry!" We moved at great pace. Leaving trails of dust by the hems of our skirts. "You had to pick the heaviest fucking man Bella huh?"

  "I did? You were the one scoping him out. I was following orders."

  "You have better eyes than I, you should have said something." Vadoma huffed as she ran backwards. I wheezed peering down at this pitiful creature of a man knocked out. Taking notice of a tiny splatter of his blood on my dress. Our feet dug into the dirt leading back to the castle gates. The gates were left open since no one would dare to venture up this far so we were safe to say it would be undisturbed.

  "Shit! Vad! You almost dropped his head!" I gasped in terror as his head the grass. "I'm sorry, you have other options to open door?" Vadoma kicked the kitchen door open. She picked up the man's head dragging him along. "Where do we leave him? In the parlour?"

  "Sure Bell, more mess for Vadoma huh? You will clean yes? No? I thought not. We bring him down to undercroft and bring Valeria down there." I let go of his feet as Vadoma strung him along to the cellar. I had to get Catherine. Now, it was not mentioned upon Vadoma's request but it must have been implied later on. I thought this would speed up the process.

  I darted up the stairs turning right to Catherine's room. I knocked I heard a noise. A whimper. Soft cries escaped her room. As the handle rolled between my palm I pushed the door. Something stopped me.

  "Bella?" Catherine's silent cries stopped. "Do not enter! I cannot be near you! You know this!" She growled as I heard her footsteps grow heavier, and closer. A loud bang hit the door stopping me from entering. I pushed back burying my shoulder into the wood but saw her dresser. "I told you! I do not want you to see me like this!"

  "Catherine! Listen! We got a body for you! Please Cath, please come out. You need to eat. I-I want you to. Please..."

  "How? Did you-...no not possible. Vadoma would never take you. In daylight!" Catherine's feet pounded the floor in a pace motion. Pacing back and forth. Possibly at the foot of her bed. "Yes. It is true. I helped her. Please do not be mad. I wanted to help. Please come out." I banged on the door trying my might to push it open. "Bella, I am warning you. I am already not in the mood. Leave. Go to Carmilla's room and hide until I have finished."

  "No! I did not want to do this but if I must, then so be it." I saw the door hinge was made clad. Not softened by carpenters. I flipped my wrist to press against the gold plate slicing my skin open. "Bella don't!" Catherine cried out. She snarled flying the dresser to the other side of the bedroom. I made my escape running before the door flung open. My blood dripped down every wooden step. I almost fell trying to dash into the dining room. Catherine's screeches were not in anger no, but in hunger. The side of her that is new to me, her vampire side, took over. However, the side I always knew, was pleading out not to kill me. Her footsteps grew even more loud as if they were claps of thunder. Each clap rang in my ears harder than my feet against the cobbled stairs. "Vad! Vadoma! She's coming! Quick hide! Now!" I leaped off the stairs to Vadoma.

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  "We have to leave. This is not for your eyes." Vadoma grabbed hold of my bloodied wrist as she stopped. "D-did Catherine do this?"

  "No time to explain, I had to lure her out. Hide now." I pulled her away from the staircase to a trunk hidden farthest away from the man's body. We both leaped into the trunk shutting the latch closed.

  "Bella...oh Bella why would you do that?" She sobbed. "I can smell you..." Catherine never scared me before, until this moment. Her eyes gleamed bright red, more than they usually were. In the dark of night, all you could see was her eyes. Her tears halted as she sniffled out. Her body pivoted to where the man lay. Regaining his senses.

  "Leave you two...we will discuss this matter later." Her nail ran along his throat. Piercing it slowly in the skin. "Now!" Her teeth gritted in a growl. Vadoma swept my hand leading me out as she dragged the steel door to leave Catherine alone with her meal.

  "Domnul ?n Rai...please for all that is holy...do not pull that again." Vadoma huffed navigating me back to the stairs. As our feet led up the stairs again. I noticed as I was perspiring in sweat, so was Vadoma. Trying to catch her breath as she trembled. "She was not listening to me Vad. I had to lure her out someway."

  "Bella, I understand this whole vampire thing is new concept to you but you must tread carefully. You can tease and flaunt your body all you please, and do not deny because Valeria tells me things. However, teasing her with your very blood, you or I cannot control her after that." Vadoma shook her head to lift her hair away from her shoulders. "You let Valeria leave on her terms. Please do not do that again." Vad opened the door in the dining room walking away from where I stood. "I-I'm sorry Vad."

  "It is fine. You are learning. Just next time, do not learn with your life huh?" She joked returning to the kitchen. I stood in my filth. Not in the literal sense of dirt but in some strange sense of shame. Catherine would never attack Vadoma, but my careless pride had shown that I am not invincible. That my youth can be taken so quickly in a sheer second. Just because I played this constant cat-and-mouse game with Catherine. Finally, I realized something, I was never the cat. I was always the mouse.

  ?───? ??? ?───?

  I felt strange all night. When my father and I would picker or I would do something unwise we spoke, and said our goodnights. Always to make sure to say 'I love yous', for he always said that tomorrow is never promised and we mustn't go to sleep in anger, but this was different. It was the guilt I felt. Not only because I could have put Vadoma in danger but also made Catherine do something she vowed she would never do. My quick thinking was not the right decision once again.

  After I wrapped my wrist with bandages, it did not stop bleeding. I hid away in the library until it stopped. I was already reading a book but Catherine thought I finished the other day and returned it back to its home. I lifted my feet by my tip-toes to reach for the massive piece of literature, Clarissa by Samuel Richardson. It was one of the more large books Catherine owned but it was a thrill. Not for action or romance but for the female experience of a very troubled woman.

  I curled up in my usual spot deep in the last new chapters, I heard footsteps coming up. I could not tell who it was. Usually, Vad's footsteps are quick and small, whereas Catherine's are heavy and slow. These footsteps were a mix of both. They were heavy on each wooden step but made the attempt to be subtle. The door shrieked as it closed behind whoever entered. I sat in the dark, with only a candle keeping me company. The library door creaked open with a familiar set of hands slithering around the wood of the door.

  "Belly?" Catherine muttered. The door opened further as Catherine's body slid in. Her chest was coated in dry blood as was her dress also drenched. As she took a step towards me the front of her dress dragged blood all over the wood floors. "What are you doing? It is freezing in here." She halted in front of me. The stench of blood punched me in the face. "It is fine Catherine." I closed the book laying it on a small table. Catherine laughed as she pulled a stool next to me. "You are shaking like a leaf." She peered down at my bandages as she sighed. "You were so stupid, you know that?"

  "Vadoma already said this." I huffed. "I am aware."

  "Well, you're going to hear it again...I bet seeing me like that earlier frightened you and that's what made you act so quickly. However, hurting yourself to lure me out is not safe. For you and especially me. I would never forgive myself, Bella. Ever."

  "I am sorry Catherine. You are right it did frighten me. You look like you were at death's doorstep."

  "Don't I always." She joked. I did not laugh. I found none of this amusing. "Oh come now Belly, you are still allowed to laugh at my jokes," Catherine smirked lightly tugging my arm. I gave a small smile back as my eyes met Catherine's. Catherine's eyes stuck to me like glue. Fixated as a stone. Daunting one corner of her eye to the other. "I will, I am just a little ashamed I did such a thing."

  "Ha, don't be. You will develop these brow lines like me and be stuck with them for 200 years." She pointed out between her brows. We both giggled. "There is no shame, Bella, I just hope you have learned a lesson."

  "I have Catherine Valeria. I have."

  "Good baby. Come to bed. I am tired." Catherine hoisted herself from the stool latching her hand around my bicep. I got off my feet to be dragged out of the library, and down the stairs to our rooms where I stopped at my door. Catherine stalled as she peered over her shoulder. "What is wrong?" Catherine's grip tightened. "You said to go to bed, so that's where I was going." I drew my arm away but Catherine tensed. "No, love. I do not want you to sleep there anymore. You are sleeping with me."

  "I am?"

  "You are. I insist."

  ?───? ??? ?───?

  "Catherine, why the hell did you have to make such a mess?" I sighed hunched over to pick up papers and books from her dresser. Catherine helped me move her dresser and cabinets back to where they once stood. "I was a little bit of a dramatic bitch wasn't I?" She chuckled as she sat in her bed. I shook my head retrieving more books. "You could say that, but I would not." Catherine's laughter erupted in the bedroom. "Ass. Stop with it, come to bed. I am tired of watching you work?" She huffed falling back into the mattress. "Urgh fine...we will finish this in the morning." I hobbled around the mess Catherine made. I almost slipped on the array of papers ushered under her bedframe. "Jesus Bell!" Catherine caught me before I hit the floor by my wrist. I whinced as she latched onto my injured wrist. "Aw shit!" I pulled away. Catherine caught site of the bloodsoaked the bandage. "What happened? Did you not change your bandage?"

  "Yes I did before I went to the library...it won't stop Catherine."

  "Let me see."

  "No!" I turned my back to face Catherine. "Bella, I will be fine. I'm full. Do you not trust me?"

  "I do Catherine with other things. As Vadoma said, I am new to this. How will I know you will not go mad again?" Catherine spun my body around to face me. Her hand lifted my wrist as she began to unwrap the bandages. "I won't. I promise. I care deeply for you. You are hurt. My hunger is not an issue, you are." She sat me down at her bedside. The bandages unravelled as they showed the massive slit down my wrist vertically. "You cut yourself bad Belly. It's beginning to heal, but every movement is making it tear."

  "What do we do? C-can you make it go away?" I begged as my hand twitched and it began to bleed out. Catherine sighed shaking her head. "I can't...in many of my years I've been this way, I have found I do have some healing abilities but it's a risk I am not willing to do. I do not think it works on you anyway."

  "Please, Catherine."

  "Okay...if I do this, you mustn't speak of it to Vadoma. This will be kept between us. Got it?" Catherine's hand trembled as she held on to mine. "Yes, Catherine. I am open to anything." I pled. Catherine muttered something in Romanian before she exhaled. "Fine. I wish this was a better experience for us. I pictured it a certain way." Catherine licked the top of her lips coaking it with her glossy saliva. "How so? You pictured this?"

  "Yes...in better circumstances." Catherine lifted my wrist towards her face. I tugged away not fully understanding what was to come. "It is fine Bella. I won't hurt you, but do not be frightened if I act weird." Catherine bit her tongue softly by the corner of her lip. "Okay?-..." Before I could ask further, Catherine drew her face closer to my wrist and I felt her tongue glide against my cut skin. My stomach dropped wanting to fly my arm away, but in some strange way, I began to feel much better. Catherine's eyes pierced into mine not even giving a blink. Catherine pulled away, the tip of her tongue coated in blood. My blood...she licked my blood!

  "Oh my fucking god..." Catherine moaned falling her head back into her pillow, she held her hand against her face. Breathing in any scent of me left. Catherine dropped her hands away from her face scratching at the cloth that lay on her chest. She did not tear her dress, the fabric stretched rolling off her shoulders. Her bare body shook as the dress bunched at her hips.

  Was she enjoying this? Did she have a...No, no. Right?

  "Are you okay?" My feet moved around the bedframe as I crawled over the covers next to Catherine. "Oh darling, I am better than okay." Her voice groaned as she tilted her head against the headboard. I didn't think of my actions anymore, my fingertips touched the bunched-up cloth around Catherine's hips as I drew the dress down past her ankles to allow her to kick the rest off. "I think I'm starting to feel better. Thank you." Catherine licked her lip still rolling my blood in her mouth without the hurry to swallow. "My love, I should be the one to thank you." As Catherine spoke, a drop of blood escaped the corner of Catherine's lip. My thumb brushed her mouth removing the blood and wiping onto my dress.

  "Stop it, I fear to stain your clothes." Catherine's hand caught my wrist as the blood began to stain. "Stain them. I don't care. We haven't been wearing much clothes these days." I lifted the hem of my dress disregarding it onto the pile of heap on the floor. "Have we been? I suppose I may have forgotten. Or perhaps I have seen you naked so often it was normal." We both giggled silently as if we were in a crowded room. However, no one but us was in this room. I observed the way Catherine's face moved. The way her cheeks rose when she laughed, the way they would sink down on her cheekbone. Her small wrinkles near her eyes crinkle until she calmed. Her pale skin sparkled in the candlelight. I leaned close to Catherine as my lips pressed gently on her cheek.

  "Ha, what on earth was that for?" Catherine's head swivelled as her hand rubbed my jaw. "Nothing Catherine, can I not give you the same affection you have bestowed onto me?" Catherine's little smirk turned monotone as she let on a yawn. "Quite. I have grown accustomed to your antics." She yawned again as her arms slithered around my waist. "Come. I am tired. We blush about each other in the morning." Catherine's arms flipped my body onto my side as Catherine's body pressed firmly against mine.

  "Fine." My head bent down to kiss Catherine's arm which held my chest closely. "We are not finished, Catherine."

  "Anything you say Belly."