”Now?... Are you trying to tell me to stop waking you up in the middle of the day?”
"Well the lost hours of rest do add up.. but we really must be discrete.. we can't let anyone find out that you aren't on the reading level you're age would suggest. It would make our family look inadequate and it might even cause some commotion with the Vampire Counsel.." He didn't want to directly state the counsel would be concerned about her intelligence, but it was the truth. The counsel was very picky about whom they let become vampires. Intelligence was required or the counsel would eliminate the vampire.. They feared uneducated vampires would be the doom of their race and Reiji had little to say that objected to the claim.. but Mirabelle wasn't ignorant.. she was learning rather fast.. He just doubted the counsel would care. She was several hundred years old and was unable to read or write at an adult human's level. They would judge her before he even got a chance to argue in her defense. Secrecy was of the utmost importance. He couldn't lose her twice.
“Speaking of our guests… Brother, I’m so hungry. Please tell me we can tell them quickly so I can eat.."
He watched his sister's attention shift to the shelves, and he allowed her to pick at whichever books she liked, Tanzy would have the pleasure of rearranging them back to perfect order.. so what did he care? He allowed her to speak freely, his hand flicking around quickly as he placed his signature on document after document. It was becoming quite monotonous, almost mind-numbingly so.
"Anyway we can do it all at once and the easiest way possible?”
"I understand, but it is Castiel's custom that each of us reveal it to our own servant whenever we so wish... Or I announce it at a meeting in the drawing room after everyone agrees.. You may tell your maid tonight if you wish to feed, just be gentle and remind her to keep our secret to herself. I'm sure Bishop and Demetri have their own timeline planned.. They'll inform their servants at their own discretion."
His maroon eyes gazed over his sister, observing her behavior. She was obviously looking for a moment of weakness in him, and despite him having a soft spot for his sister, he kept himself firm. He couldn't show any weakness... He never knew who could be watching. The counsel had spies everywhere and not to mention he still hadn't figured out Castiel's miraculous recovery. Despite an obvious werewolf bite.. Castiel still lives. He researched for many months, book after book and found nothing on a cure. He gave up a few months ago, but the lingering question still bugged him. The fact he couldn't find the answer.. it was mentally clawing away at his sanity. His mentality was taking a major blow, not to mention his ginormous ego as well. Reiji was taking it harder than anyone else that it couldn't be explained. Mirabelle and Demetri were no doubt just grateful to have Castiel back, ready to dismiss all intentions of figuring out the reason behind his return. Reiji... couldn't. He had a sinking feeling that there was a purpose behind it. A very sinister reason. He couldn't shake the feeling that something horrible was going to happen in the upcoming months. He allowed his sister to tug him along, only hesitating to readjust his glasses to his face. He shut the door to his office behind them, hoping the new help would take it as a hint to keep out.
”Now is as good as time as any, right?”
"Mirabelle.. I know I gave you permission to go ahead and feed, but please try not to frighten the girl. She might attempt to flee and that could prove problematic for us all if she succeeds.." He replied with a sigh, putting a firm grip on her hand, stopping their progression down the hall for a moment, "I will have no choice but to torture the knowledge into her subconscious if she attempts to leave.. It's not a clean process.. forcing someone to break and lock away their memories.. To force them to make themselves forget.. It's bloody and the screams never leave your mind. You hear them every night before you fall asleep.. One of the loudest roll calls you can imagine.. Keep that in mind as you proceed.. That is all I ask." He then allowed her to continue leading him to the stairs and eventually into the main hall.
"Tonight's meal has already been set up in the dining room Lady Santiago, Lord Bishop..."
His crimson eyes lingered on the maid as she stopped the two of them, saving them from an unnecessary trip to the kitchens. Though she forgot to address him, entirely this time. He grit his teeth about to reprimand her for her ignorance, until she finally uttered his title. All the while she glared figurative daggers into to him, and he smirked at her.
"..Master Santiago.."
He once again went to speak, but was cut off by none other than Bishop. He glared to his brother, but forced a smile onto his features for Mirabelle's sake, "Ready to eat, baby brother?" He asked, subtly poking at his hot tempered brother, but attempting to keep his jabs at Bishop subtle enough to not alarm their little sister. Mirabelle wanted unity and Reiji would at least fake it for her sake... for now.
"Mind the tone. You'll get yourself into trouble, don't want to lose our heads...do we?"
I'd love for her to lose her head... quite literally.. Reiji licked his lips imagining the taste of Anise's blood on his lips as he ripped her head clean from her shoulders. He nearly shivered as his imagination almost got the best of him. He straightened out his coat, clearing his throat before looking to Mirabelle, quirking an eyebrow as he silently inquired if she was ready to proceed to the dining hall. Now that was a fantasy.. He thought, eyeing Anise through the corner of his eye as Bishop removed her. Such a pity..
He could hear a familiar heartbeat and his eyes instantly landed on Tanzy and two other women. Camilla and Jane.. they finally arrived. I thought Camilla was a bit older... though now that she's all cleaned up I doubt she's more than a child.. It doesn't matter.. as if none of us have fed from a child before..
"Tanzy, Camilla, Jane... it's time for dinner.. Please show them to their seats Tanzy." and he led Mirabelle to her seat, taking his own spot at the extravagant chair at the front of the table.