Castillo de la Muerte

"I... Ok."

Demetri immediately nodded after the girl finally chose to submit, a wise choice in fact. He didn't want to see her die so early, she had a whole life ahead of her.. a promising one if she'd allow him more trust. He could teach her so many things; Art, Literature, Fashion.. She would be a very dangerous woman when she grew up if she allowed Demetri to take her under his wing... which he doubted would happen any time soon based on her reaction to him mere minutes ago. A man can dream though, right? He almost considered this girl to be the daughter he'd always wanted, but never got the chance to have,

"Thank you, Camilla... I will be as quick and as gentle as possible.." He stated with kindness. He didn't want her hand to become grotesque simply because she didn't trust him. Within less time than it took to blink an eye, Demetri had bandages and a few pieces of thin wood in his hands. It wasn't very clear when he'd retrieved them, but they weren't there a fraction of a second before. He gently took her injured hand into his own, his mouth pursing a bit at the wound. It wasn't going to be fun to treat the broken and dislocated bones, but he could do it. Besides, Demetri doubted that the child would feel keen on drinking his blood to heal the wound so early in the game, so he'd settle with human methods for now..

Though despite knowing this, he couldn't help but despise this method. His blood would have been far less painful and exponentially quicker. She'd struggle with this wound for some time... Humans were so fragile, yet he envied them for many things.. Every moment with Camilla reminded him of how he wished for a child of his own. He'd nearly forgotten the miscarriage his first love had when he was a young man.. He couldn't even remember her face, but the pain of losing his child, he remembered that as if it happened yesterday. He'd bloodied his fists so badly that they were almost unrecognizable.

"This won't feel pleasant. You can grip my shoulder if you must." He informed her in a calm tone, and knelt down before her. He took a deep breath, seeing as this process would take a fair deal of time to complete, not to mention the fact that he wasn't sure how she'd respond to the pain. Seeing as all the wounds he'd ever dealt with as a human were male, Demetri had little experience with female pain tolerance... He'd never doctored up a woman before, typically he fed them his blood to heal them... This would be an entirely new experience for the red headed vampire, which was a rare occurrence indeed, considering his age, curiosity, and his old habit of constantly traveling all across Europe, "Okay.. one.. two... three..." at the word 'three' Demetri popped the bone of her finger back into place, putting a piece of wood below the finger and above it before tightly wrapping it with bandages. He continued this process until all her afflicted fingers were dealt with. He stood shortly after, a small smile on his face as he reach over and caressed her hair as softly as he could possibly manage, "My kind....we do have horrible tendencies, but not all of us are the monsters children hear about as bedtime stories..." He stated to Camilla, then looked to his window. Tonight seemed like enough excitement, but there was still more they needed to do. He'd ask Reiji if they could rave the town tomorrow night, directly after dinner. This night was nearly over, and everyone would need to rest.

"Shall I escort you to your room? I'd hate for Reiji to catch you out and about on your own.. I think it would be wise to retire for the night. Tomorrow night we will be preparing for Saint Valentines Day... so we'll all be going out on the town." He informed Camilla, before walking her out of his room and to her own, no longer waiting for permission. He truly did not trust Reiji around her, and he'd do anything he could to protect this girl....he already failed one.

---

---

Somewhere along the lines of their conversation, Castiel asked for her to leave his presence for the night. She wasn't quite sure exactly when it happened, mostly due to the severity of their conversation. She had other parts of the conversation on her mind and wasn't too concerned with the fact she was asked to leave. In fact, she never even made it to her room. She sat outside in the hall. She couldn't believe this. Suddenly she was Castiel's maid, he was confiding in her, and Bishop had a new servant. Alice was dead, Katerina was dead, Shuu, Angelo and Olivia.. Things were so different from last year that nothing felt real. Her entire body was numb as she sat on the stone floor, staring up at the ceiling. How was she supposed to move on like this?

Alice still plagued her mind... Most times she would just catch glimpses of her, but occasionally her sister would actually talk to her... She wasn't sure if she was going mad or if it was truly the ghost of her deceased sister, but either way, this being was truly angry with her. Nothing that this 'Alice' had to say to Anise was kind... In fact, she even dared Anise on several occasions to end her own life. Every day was a struggle, keeping this information secret.. Eventually, someone would figure it out and they'd probably kill her.. Insanity was an incurable disease... anyone plagued with it became a danger to all those around them..

She suddenly felt the urge to run away. Though she doubted she would get too far. She probably wouldn't even make it off the Santiago's estate, considering how fast the vampires of this house were. Though now she understood how Alice felt. Suddenly this mansion was suffocating... Despite it's luxurious size, she felt as if she were trapped inside of a small cage. She was almost panicking.. Her eyes landed on Bishop's bedroom door, then Reiji's and finally Castiel's. None of them would allow her to leave, and yet her gut wanted to test that theory.... She had nowhere to go, yet she wanted to try anyhow... Or perhaps she did...? Maybe Derrick hadn't married yet? Perhaps he would take her in? That thought alone made the thought of escape tempting enough..

Now that she thought about it, Castiel had yet to feed from her. She would probably have to continue Tanzy's method by putting it in the lord's food... seeing as he would die without sustenance. She had to admit that it was a lot safer than Bishop's method, but she also wasn't used to it. Despite being relieved that she wouldn't have to be on guard wondering when the next time she would be bitten would be... but the sudden introduction of this difference was a bit unsettling. Being bitten was one of the only things that remained the same in her life, regardless of how unusual it was... Now that was gone too, it felt like nothing was the same anymore. She felt.... absolutely helpless. She knew she needed to leave this situation, especially since having a man bite her neck and drink her blood was the last bit of stability left in her life. That was definitely not a healthy routine... She had to be mental to accept that as the norm. She was definitely losing her mind.

Somehow, she found herself at his door, instead of her own. She didn't even realize she'd gotten up until after she'd already knocked. She felt like fleeing the scene, and immediately she spun around on her feet to do just that, "M-my mistake..." she called in, doing her best to leave before Bishop made it to the door. She wasn't prepared to face him, what would she say? She had no explanation for why she ended up at his door, especially at this hour, at which both of them should be sleeping.

Bishop could practically feel the butler crumbling before him, eyes watching the man as he left for the time being. Stupid human. The redhead rolled his eyes as he listened to the footsteps retreat from his quarters, mind wandering as he idly wondered what the poor unfortunate human was thinking. He bet Jason regretted ever accepting the position. Even if he did though, there was no turning back, and Bishop would not let the human be a liability, regardless of whose butler he was. So long as Jason understood how serious Bishop was...and the legitimacy of his threats, he'd be able to at least tolerate the human's presence.

"Unfortunate sap. I already have a perfectly fine human plaything." Bishop muttered to himself. He was not adverse to men, but women were more likely to catch his tastes. As fine a specimen as Jason was, he was not the gentle and skittish Anise.

Once Bishop could no longer sense the butler, the red head sighed and checked himself in the mirror, ensuring no blood was on his person or his attire. After all, Demetri's blood lust was a force to be reckoned with, and he had no desire to trigger it accidentally no matter how unlikely a simple bloodstain would be to do so. As expected, he was clean, and Bishop turned to leave his quarters and pay his twin a visit.

As soon as his hand touched the door handle, Bishop caught a far more delicious scent than his meal, in the form of his maid. What was his little mouse doing up and about? Her footsteps stopped outside his door to his surprise, the male fighting a chuckle as he heard her soft dulcet tone murmur a mistake. Her mistake was a welcome enough one for him.

As soon as her voice trailed off, the door was pulled open to reveal the red headed vampire noble, brow arched in bemusement. His strong hand took Anise's wrist before she could retreat, careful not to grip too hard and injure the young woman. Bishop gave her an appraising look, the corner of his lip twitching with the hint of a smirk.

"What might you be up to at this hour my Anise? Why run away before you accomplish whatever it is you came to me for?" Bishop mused softly, eyes riveted on the human before him.

Anise felt a firm grip clasp around her wrist and her eyes immediately shut in embarrassment. Her wrists were still bruised from her involvement with Reiji earlier in the day, but his grasp wasn't rough enough to cause her enough pain to complain about. She didn't even consciously approach the door, yet here she stood, with no explanation to give Bishop other than the fact she was apparently losing her mind. Why did she find herself here? It was a good question, and one she'd have to answer soon enough.

She was hesitant to open her eyes, but forced herself to do so regardless. Bishop hated it, and always found some of her shyer quirks to be irritating. Though she couldn't blame him. Her initial reaction for closing her eyes wasn't solely out of embarrassment, there was underlying fear as well. Though she couldn't brush that aside, even after spending an entire year in his presence. No matter how long she remained in his service, he would always strike fear in her heart. He was far stronger than she could ever imagine, and he could say or do whatever he wanted while her words and actions were limited. She was a servant, and he was a Spanish Lord. One of the lords that governed this region. His name held power, his existence was power, and she was weak. Regardless of his prior treatment, he could do whatever he wanted.

She constantly feared that there would come a day that Bishop would grow bored of his flirtatious jabs and would possibly end her life. Not to mention, despite the fact that he was a vampire, he still looked like a man, still wore the body of a man... and still behaved as one. She had no experience with men other than her year of service to him, and being in his presence, especially so close to his quarters... well, it unnerved her, to put it in appropriate terms.

"What might you be up to at this hour my Anise? Why run away before you accomplish whatever it is you came to me for?"

His gaze, his tone of voice, the fact that she still remained in his grasp.. She was drawing blanks as she tried to come up with an excuse. She didn't have one. Her subconscious mind brought her here, yet abandoned her in his presence. Her mind supplied her with no reason to present him. Honestly she was growing angry with herself, wondering if she'd continue to be at war with her own mind from now on, "H-Honestly, I'm not sure how I got here... Mi'lord... I thin" It was no longer appropriate for her to call him 'Master Bishop', seeing as Reiji assigned her to serve Castiel now. She could feel her temperature rising as she struggled to justify her actions. Her cheeks were growing redder, and her throat grew dry as she attempted to speak to him. Her eyes glanced to the hallway, wondering how inappropriate their current situation would appear to onlookers.. Her violet eyes returning to him afterwards, attempting to ignore her thoughts.

"I suppose I'm just tired... I haven't been able to sleep very well... I apologize for disturbing you Mi'lord.. I spaced out for a moment and I found myself here.." She wasn't sure if he'd be satisfied with her answer, but she hoped that it was enough to put his curiosity to rest. If she was forced to endure being this close for any longer... to be under his grasp for another second... she'd surely lose her nerve. She was using every bit of willpower to keep her thoughts together. This was exactly the situation she wanted to avoid for the sake of her sanity. Despite the danger, Bishop held a certain feral appeal, one she was doing her best to ignore, she didn't want to let herself appreciate him. He was more than aesthetically pleasing.. at times he was wildly seductive. For starters, his eyes under the current candlelight were truly captivating and the smug expression on his face nearly brought a shiver up her spine. His confidence, the way he presented himself, everything about Bishop made her nervous. From the ball last year, she'd felt an attraction, but she always kept it hidden, deep within her heart under lock and key. She couldn't tell if under this light Bishop's eyes were emerald, gold, or a wonderful combination of the two... but she almost found herself lost in them. She shook her head to snap herself out of it. He was like a wild animal, dangerous, but quite compelling all the same. She couldn't allow herself to be swayed. She was a living, breathing, mortal human... Bishop was dead, somehow breathing, and an immortal. He was a vampire. That alone should have been reason enough to keep herself distanced... yet being in his presence was...suffocating... and somehow relatively addictive.

Though if Bishop didn't have such a strong grip, Anise would have sided with her better judgement and would have fled from him quite some time ago, despite knowing that if he truly wanted to he would be able to catch her with ease. She could feel knots forming in her stomach, mostly because whatever happened next, it was all up to Bishop. As she grew nervous under his hold, she brought her free hand to her face, and lowered her head in a failed attempt to shield her blush fro his view.

I am truly grateful that among his many talents, mind reading isn't one of them.... If he could read my thoughts, I'd never have the courage to face him again... He can never find out that I might... instantly her heartbeat fluttered as she got close to mentally admitting it. She had to, if she couldn't say it out loud, she had to at least admit it to herself, even if it was just this once. He can never know that I might have unintentionally grown to fancy him... I cannot believe that I've developed romantic feelings for a vampire.. Alice would be furious

"But you w-wouldn't add something like that...."

An audible chuckle slipped past his lips, but only for a second. It was hilarious to him, but he only allowed himself a moment of laughter. He WOULD do something like that, and he had many times... but in this case? No. He didn't add anything that would come back to bite her in the ass... though insinuating that he'd been cruel enough to do so? Her reaction was priceless. A couple hundred years ago Reiji probably would have felt horrible for making a woman cry, but that was not the case anymore. Currently, he was more amused than he'd been in weeks. Being in Tanzy's presence was refreshing. He wasn't sure why, but he didn't question it either. She was aesthetically pleasing, knew her place, and she was the best maid in the entire castle. He made a smart choice by stealing her away from his older brother. He was growing rather fond of her company and Castiel would have to kill Reiji if he ever decided that he wanted sweet little Tanzy back... because Reiji wouldn't hand her over so easily.

"...You wouldn't.....would you?"

Finally he decided that he was done toying with her and he shook his head to assure her that he in fact did not do something cruel like adding a secret clause to their contract. She was doing her best to believe in him, but at the end of the day she required reassurance, it was so cute, almost childlike.. He wanted to pinch her cheeks, but he contained his temptation to do so... She'd only feel humiliated and she might decide that the deal wasn't worth it. He'd have plenty of time to taunt her after her signature met the parchment, and he would surely enjoy it.

"Of course I didn't..." Reiji began, running a lazy hand through his dark hair. How late was it? His meal was hitting him, and now that his belly was full....he was very tired... He was ready to retire for the night, but this last bit of business was keeping him up. He was growing impatient, so he decided to speed things up a bit, "It's getting late, go ahead and sign. I swear on my honor as a gentleman that I only wrote down our agreement, love." He replied with a gentle expression. For some reason, wherever his thoughts led him brought a gentle look to his eyes. In this moment, he wasn't the intimidating monster he typically chose to be. His words were presented in a gentle tone. His voice was quiet and almost seductive, in an exhausted raspy kind of way.

Then he decided he'd say something else to taunt Tanzy, but this would be far more amusing than death threats or promises of torture. This would be far more enjoyable, because he'd never tried this method on her, so it surely would trigger an interesting reaction. He moved over to where Tanzy sat, leaning on the arm of the chair, half sitting on it and began playing with her hair. He continued with this for a few minutes before kneeling down next to the chair, brushing her hair behind her ear so he could lean in and whisper something devious into her ear, "If you don't sign within the next thirty seconds... I'm bringing you to bed with me..." Reiji sexily cooed in her ear, his lips barely brushing the outer part of her ear, breath grazing her skin for a moment before he decided to pull away, a lazy smirk plastered on his face and judging by his facial expression, he wasn't kidding.

"Also, I will carry you bridal style to my quarters... Do you prefer the left or the right side of the bed?" he asked in a low tone, quirking an inquisitive brow at her.

---

---

Jane smiled in response to Mirabelle's offer to inform the head of house. As Mirabelle went on to chastise Jane, Jane felt her smile disappear. Jane watched Mirabelle, her stomach fluttering with anxiety. She hated what she was hearing. It sounded like the threats her brother, Reiji, had given at dinner. Jane nodded slightly, running her hand over her bandaged wrist, remembering what the fang marks looked. Jane tried to breathe normally but found she was having difficulty. At the idea of getting hurt for whatever reason, Jane just studied Mirabelle with curiosity, but fear also in her eyes. What enemies did this family have?

Jane felt Mirabelle unbutton the collar that went with the dress after she had moved over to Jane. She shivered when Mira's nails trailed along her skin. She felt her hair grabbed and reached up, holding Belle's hand as she tried to keep the girl from pulling it much, finding the girl wasn't really pulling hard at all. Jane felt Mira's lips on her and breathed deeply before feeling the skin break. Twice she had now been bitten by a vampire, though she found she didn't like to think of that word. She felt Mirabelle work around the wound, not feeling the same way she had in the bathroom earlier, thankful of it too.

When she pulled back, Jane reached up to feel the cuts but stopped when she saw Mira offer her her blood. She looked at the drop, taking it on her own finger and studying Mira for a moment before she put it in her mouth, closing it so she wasn't obnoxious as she quickly got the blood into and out of her mouth, not liking the taste or scent of it. "I suppose questions aren't something looked well upon in this house, are they?" Jane asked, her disappointment at the restriction showing slightly though she tried to keep it from being displayed.

She was a curious person, it was something she had always been. She stuck her nose where it probably shouldn't be, but didn't really care all that much as what she would discover pleased her more than the anticipation of not knowing but being told when would be told. It made sense in her head, which was really all that mattered. She had so many questions but nearly every one had been either answered vaguely or avoided entirely. She wondered if everyone in the family was like this and wondered how she could find out before realizing she was doing it once again causing her to want to groan out loud.

She wanted to just try to sleep now, try to let everything settle in. Perhaps go see the horses now and find comfort in seeing them. She looked around, again, noticing the curtains and wondering how greatly the sun affected these people and why it caused them to have the curtains closed when sunrise was coming, it was such a beautiful thing, when you felt like waking up early.

The ebony haired maid's instinctual reaction earned a slight frown, Bishop watching her closed eyes as he puzzled if he had somehow still held her too firm. No, her wrist seemed ok, and her heartbeat was slightly increased as if anxious, but not erratic with terror or pain. She wasn't a terrified trembling little mouse, but he could feel her fear...and see it in her eyes once she opened them. Still this maid vexed him with her flighty responses. Even so, she didn't run, and he gave her credit for it.

As Anise found her voice and her courage, Bishop listened calmly, watching her every little movement with an unreadable expression. Her stammers and flushed cheeks would have elicited a chuckle had she seemed in better spirits. Bishop made no interruption, allowing Anise to trail off as he mulled over her words. Tired but couldn't sleep? He could relate far more than he cared to admit. He didn't doubt for a second the memories of the previous year haunted her sleep...as they sometimes haunted his own. Bishop felt an unusual sympathy for the young human woman, and he had an odd feeling it wasn't because he was pitying her.

Allowing a silence to fall between them, Bishop had to bite back an audible sigh as Anise used her free hand to try and cover her face in vain. A nagging in his mind left him feeling something akin to insulted, the vampire letting out a soft hiss before trusting himself to speak.

"Why do you hide from me?...Surely in all this time you've realized I have no intention of harming you? Then why do you tremble before me...?" the redhead murmured, shaking his head and sighing for real this time. Meeting the violet orbs that were Anise's eyes, he tilted her chin up with a single index finger, not willing to have her avoid him. "Don't apologize for something as menial as coming to my door at this hour. Besides..."

Bishop released Anise's wrist, but the finger on his opposite hand lingered under her fair chin. His voice lowered further, eyes practically daring her to look away from him.

"I'd be amazed if you actually slept well on a regular basis..."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~



Glancing up at the snippet of a chuckle, Tanzy tried to read the Santiago's mood and actions. Did the single laugh indicate he had in fact doctored the agreement? Stomach churning into even more knots, she was about to protest when Reiji shook his head, following it up with a verbal assurance that he had added nothing. His tone was different this time, the threat and the commanding power no longer lacing his voice. Tilting her head in wonder, the maid appraised his expression for a moment, surprised that it seemed almost....gentle? Was she dreaming? No, he looked much more approachable now.

While she may have worried that the vampire would simply do as he pleased, she found herself believing him. Now that Reiji's voice and eyes no longer held the cold and threatening aura of before, she began to relax. This time, her small smile didn't morph into a look of mortification or fear.

"Yes sire." she answered his request, looking over the parchment before ink finally met the paper as she began to sign her name.

She had only gotten halfway through her first name when his touch startled her, his fingers in her hair earning a slight shiver. Glancing at the male from the corner of her eye, Tanzy bit her lip, face beginning to turn a rosy pink at his closeness and his gentle touch. Him playing with her hair gave her neck and head a slight tickle, her nerves alight at the caress. Taking a few deep breaths, she resumed her task, finishing her first name and beginning her family name.

Once more, she had only finished dipping the quill and started moving the tip across the paper in careful strokes when Reiji's breath tickled her ear, earning a gasp as she startled in her seat and nearly dropped the quill onto the contract. The touch alone was enough to elicit a reaction, but his words earned an audible squeak. Her eyes went wide with shock, blood draining from her face only to shoot right back up and color her face a tomato red. She was blushing so hard she could feel it warming her cheeks. He would take her to his BED?! Trembling under his smooth voice and the delicious shiver he caused to run down her spine from her very sensitive neck and ears, Tanzy struggled to find her voice as she turned to look at him.

"B-b-bed?! S-surely you're fooling with me m-m-master Reiji...!" the young woman stammered pathetically, somehow managing to pick up the quill and at least hold it over the parchment. A small blot of ink stained the page, thankfully just shy of any of the words. Reiji's announcement was so sudden, so unexpected, so mind-boggling that she struggled to resume the simple task of writing her name. She only had two more letters!

She noticed that he was contemplating his actions, second guessing himself and his approach, which was something she rarely witnessed. She only caught the end of it, seeing as her eyes had been closed for most of his reaction.. She felt bad for making him question himself, and she was certain it would do her no favors as far as his mood was concerned. The eye contact was awkward at best, but she had to maintain it, despite herself. She kept her hand over her face and was incredibly shocked when he released her wrist. Bishop wasn't one who typically let things go so easily, but perhaps things would be different now that she was not his personal servant?

"Why do you hide from me?...Surely in all this time you've realized I have no intention of harming you? Then why do you tremble before me...?"

Her eyes scanned his features in utter shock. These questions would only breed more questions.. Nothing good would come from answering them, yet she had no choice. If she lied, the redhead would hear it in her heartbeat.. If she chose to remain quiet, he would grow angrier.. She had to be as honest as her timid nature would allow, because she was the one interrupting his sleep. She came to his door, albeit not of her own conscious accord, "It's not like that at all!" Anise replied hastily, hoping to prevent any further offense. She was still trembling, despite being called out on the reaction. She couldn't help it, she was so nervous and embarrassed that it was utterly terrifying to speak, "I just... It's just.." How was she supposed to convey the truth without coming across as assumptious or vulgar? Finally she forced the words out before she lost the courage to blurt the words out, "I am not accustomed to a man being so close." Her cheeks burned from her embarrassment, but she felt the need to justify her bold statement, it didn't make a lot of sense on it's own, "It's just.. Aside from Master Santiago, you're the only lord and male in this house that makes physical contact with me..." She was speaking of Reiji, not Castiel as she spoke of the 'Master' of the estate. If Reiji overheard, she had to use the title he commanded or all of hell's wrath would crash upon them both. She knew Bishop wasn't fond of her calling someone else by the title he'd requested nearly a year prior, but as a servant she had no other choice, "Mi'lord, you're the only one who has done so without conscious intent of killing me.. And it is something that never occurred before my time here.. I-It's unnerving, mi'lord.." She finally got the truth off her chest, yet she felt more flustered and unwell than she did earlier.

She did not drop the hand that attempted to conceal her blushing face until he lifted her chin up effortlessly and it fell lifelessly at her side. She was so embarrassed and emotional at this point that she could almost cry. She wanted to retreat, but doing so would not end well, she still had to respect his title. He was a lord and she was a servant. She couldn't leave until he chose to dismiss her or he allowed her to dismiss herself. After her confession she doubted the fiery haired and wild lord would willingly let her escape his company.

"Don't apologize for something as menial as coming to my door at this hour. Besides... I'd be amazed if you actually slept well on a regular basis..."

"Honestly Mi'lord, I can't remember a night that I have slept for more than a couple hours.." she replied as calm as possible, considering the situation and the hour. She was certain he was tired, whether vampires actually slept or not, she was sure he valued rest as much as the next person, "I apologize for distur- ..I... I mean.. It's inappropriate for me to be here at this hour..." She added, correcting herself seeing as he told her not to apologize for the exact incident she nearly apologized for..again. Although he had unspokenly dared her to look away from him, Anise's willpower finally failed her. As she spoke of the inappropriateness of her late night presence, she ended up breaking eye contact with Bishop out of nervousness. Her eyes shifted to the wall, although she did move from their current position. Her head still remained tilted upward, but she averted her gaze. She found the conversation to be too awkward, too embarrassing. She was ready to return to her room, being in his presence was both suffocating and maddening... He was not a good influence, and getting any closer to Bishop, whether it be physically or emotionally, would only complicate everything.

"Master Santiago will be angry if he catches me outside of your door at this hour..."Being caught outside of the door to Bishop's quarters was the last place Anise wanted to be caught by Reiji.. He removed her from Bishop's service for a reason, and she was terrified of defying him needlessly. Not to mention she already admitted to being chaste, she wanted to depart before Bishop interrogated her further. If some things were spoken tonight, they could never be unsaid. She was mentally praying to a god she no longer believed in for Bishop to dismiss her at this point. I can't look at him... I feel like an idiot for saying all that... I need to escape before I say something ignorant.. He can never know I am questioning if I fancy him... H-his ego is big enough.. Besides... The thought of his response... a shiver immediately traveled down Anise's spine. She didn't want to stick around to find out how Bishop would respond to the discovery that she might have been developing feelings for him.

"B-b-bed?! S-surely you're fooling with me m-m-master Reiji...!"

Reiji tilted his head in a doggy fashion, completely curious with her reaction. She was asking if he was joking? Hardly ever, and after seeing how adorably she had responded, he was actually beginning to consider it. He was already dreadfully tired, so why not? Initially he had been joking, but he couldn't let Tanzy know that, so he decided to act on his taunting remark. He noticed that she wasn't done with the last two letters, and a smirk crossed his features to signify that the time was officially up. He didn't care if he cheated, she hesitated and that meant he won as far as he was concerned. Despite the time limit being over, Reiji allowed her enough time to finish her signature. He put the ink, quill and contract away and immediately scooped her out of the chair princess style, "Not at all, sleeping alone is rather lonely..." He stated in a flat tone. He didn't sound very lonely, and his tone was as casual as a child's would be when taking their teddy bear to bed. He was not nervous or embarrassed, there was not even an inkling of emotion as he spoke, in fact he was rather laid-back about it.

He said nothing as he left his study, blowing out the candles and closing the door to his office's balcony behind them, able to support her weight with one arm without even a hint of struggle. Since it was raining he made things quick and leapt to the balcony of his bedroom, the only plausible entrance to his bedroom seeing as the actual entrance was blocked by numerous books. Even with his strength he would not be able to enter his room from the door in the corridors of Castillo de la Muerte. The door would break before the books would budge.

He rushed her inside, not a single drop of water hitting either of them. He made it inside faster than the rain could fall! He was shutting the door to his bedroom balcony by the time Tanzy would be able to see anything else but blurs, and she was the first to see the inside of his quarters aside from Mirabelle. The entire room was filled with books, herbs, and empty vials. Some vials contained potions and others poisons, he was a very busy man and his hobbies were quite dangerous. The bed however was made perfectly, not a single crease in the sheet whatsoever. He plopped Tanzy down on the bed, smirking down at her, "Why, do you mind? Are you afraid that I'll do something.... sinful... to your body?" He leaned in to say his words, allowing his lips to brush across the hallow of her ear before his words managed to travel inside. His voice was low and tired, creating a somewhat seductive tone. His eyes glimmered with mischief, but he purposely collapsed on the bed next to her.

Reiji snaked one arm around her waist so he could tug her along the bed where he was headed, now she sat next to him towards the headboard. He released her and chose to lay down on his back, releasing her and allowed her to lay whatever way she chose, "I'm not going to indulge myself... You're quite pretty, not to mention young and your other assets are easy on the eyes... but I'm not a rapist. I've never done anything that horrible, ever... You may rest assured of that." He stated with a yawn, his tone somewhat offended, but he said nothing of it. He removed his glasses, sitting them aside for safe keeping and closed his eyes, but opened one instantly, "If you even attempt to escape me after I drift off... You'll be doing your duties in your undergarments for a week as punishment. Wake me when it's time for you to begin work, we'll make a path to the door." He NEVER cleaned his room, ever.. But it wasn't like he could go outside during the daylight... So it was the only way to keep her company... He had a feeling it would be worth it. He didn't actually have to sleep, rest would suffice, so he would be able to witness all of her cute reactions to being in the same bed as a man, "Could it be you're nervous because you find me attractive... Or is it something else?" He inquired, running his fingers through her delicate pink hair. He began twirling the ends as he reach the bottom of her strands, then smirked again, though this time he was far more smug about it, "Or... Are you a virgin?" He wasn't flustered or even all that curious, just making conversation. If he was really curious he'd just have to taste her blood again and pay attention to the qualities.. The purer the soul the sweeter the blood so he honestly wouldn't require an answer if she chose to ignore the question... He could forcefully take the knowledge the next time he fed.

After several moments Reiji let out a slightly annoyed sigh and he removed his jacket, throwing it aside and sat up right next to Tanzy in his black dress slacks and black button up shirt, "I forgot to unbutton my shirt and it's terribly uncomfortable, mind undoing the top three for me, love?" He stared upon her with his crimson eyes, a sparkle of amusement in them. His face was serious, but it was becoming obvious that he brought her here simply so he could continue to taunt and tease her... She was entertainment, but at least it wasn't in brutal and gory tortured sense. This amusement was thankfully more... innocent than what he was accustomed to. It had been a while since he found someone so amusing to taunt.he wasn't even sure if he wanted to sleep, he would welcome it if it came, but he was content with her company, despite his much it was probably torturing her to be stuck with him.

Anise's trembling did nothing to soothe the redhead, the vampire kept from his ire only by the fact that she was the most favorable human around. He truly had no desire to actually hurt the young woman, but he was almost insulted by her cowering before him. What would he have to do to get the message through her sweet little head? Pursing his lips in a silent show of annoyance, the look softened at the reddened cheeks. What on earth had his little maid so flustered? Bishop made no interruptions, arching a brow at the soft voice searching for her words. It was almost cute, soiled only by her trembling body and anxious expression.
Not accustomed to a man being close? It was adorably innocent to think of it, and a hint of a smirk threatened to showcase itself.

Emerald eyes narrowed in anger as Anise mentioned Reiji, the thought of the older vampire enough to irk the twin and spare the maid from a smirk and some teasing. A nagging in his mind buzzed incessantly upon imagining Reiji making contact with her. Her troubled heart and demeanor were fuel for his hatred, any negative thought now directed solely at the self proclaimed head of the house.

Bishop shook his head, accepting her explanation without any taunting. "Unnerving?" he repeated, looking over Anise before giving her a pointed look. "Well regardless, know that I have no intention of harming you. As for the prick, you tell me if he does anything. You may be on loan to Castiel, but no one else is allowed to touch what is mine." he continued, shoulder's relaxing ever so slightly as Anise finally lowered her hand. He took in her features in silence. Vaguely noting her now disclosed sleep troubles and apology, Bishop removed his finger from under her chin, eyes like a hawk on the maid. She looked away, her attitude seeming much more dismal than simply embarrassed. She was still hiding something! And yet, so far what she said was true as much as he could tell. A soft huff left his lips, thoughts and would-be inquisitions interrupted once more by the mention of Reiji.

"Stupid git. Very well, but he cannot fault me for escorting you to your quarters. Come." Bishop decided with a roll of his eyes, stuffing his hands unceremoniously into the pockets of his slacks. Bishop turned, craning his head over his neck to look at Anise and ensure she follow him. Slowly stepping forward, the vampire raked a hand through his hair before returning it to his pocket, allowing a silence to linger for a moment. And yet, something still needed to be said. A compelling comment tried to work it's way out of his stubborn, rapid fire brain. In the end, it forced it's way through.

"A smile is much more suited to you....not the lost and wary gaze in your eyes." Murmured the redhead,the tips of his ears red, though he looked otherwise composed.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Even as she finished signing, Tanzy could feel a looming sense of trouble. She hadn't been counting, but she had a sinking suspicion it had taken more than thirty seconds to snap out of her moment of shock. As Reiji smirked and returned everything to it's place, the maid wondered if she had managed to evade the threat, or if it was a warning made in jest to hurry her up. She placed her hands on the arms of the chair, ready to stand up and prepare to depart.

Before she could even contemplate asking if she was dismissed, Tanzy was indeed scooped up, her hopes swept away and her suspicions confirmed with the simple action. A soft cry came at the contact, face once more beginning to turn a deep pink. The ease with which he carried her with even a single arm was both amazing and unnerving. The maid curled up on autopilot in his hold, wary of what could happen. Lonely? He didn't seem lonely, he had no detectable emotion at all! He was back to being unreadable.

The room she was brought to was unlike any she had seen thusfar in the entire castle. Filled with all sorts of mysterious bottles, plants, and books, it had a certain academic feel about it. It was in complete disarray, no noticeable organization of any kind in the entire room. With exception of the bed. The bed stood out in stark contrast to the entirety of Reiji's chambers- it had not a wrinkle, not a single thread out of place.

Tanzy had little time to dwell on it, plopped down onto the bed as her current master taunted her once more. His words and the feel of his breath on her ear once more earned a mortified squeak, face burning a deep crimson as her blush returned with a vengeance. She struggled to find her voice, somehow turning even redder the more he talked and with any contact he made. As he toyed with her hair, Tanzy finally had the voice and the courage to speak. Nodding first, she bit her lip at his rather well- made guesses. "I...The thought h-had crossed my mind sire..." She admitted, feeling oddly guilty for the assumption that violating her was on his mind. It was however, deeply relieving to hear Reiji assure her that he wouldn't do such things to her. Glancing down at him, Tanzy held her legs tucked under her as she remained sitting upright beside the vampire, swallowing hard at the deeply personal and embarrassing questions.

"I...I...It's t-t-true I've never l-lay with anyone before..." her voice was softer, shy and utterly embarrassed to be called out on her innocence for the second time in the castle. Castiel had noticed, and now Reiji.

Tanzy's blush slowly began to abate, the girl silent as she watched Reiji toss aside his jacket. She dared not say she doubted she'd get any rest regardless of how tired she was feeling. The blush returned as her master bid her to unbutton his shirt, the young woman looking up to see his amused ruby gaze. She felt as helpless as a mouse. She WAS a mouse, and he was the cat toying with her. This was a game to him.

Tanzy bit her lip, but she slowly leaned closer with trembling hands and a cherry red face to undo the top three buttons as instructed, eyes not meeting his any more.

---

---

Jane found she wasn't sure how she felt with Mirabelle's response. It was a part of her nature to ask questions and try to understand how things worked, about as much as taking care of horses or falling, both common occurrences. Jane thought about what Belle had said. She had never heard why as a bad question. She had been told to hold her tongue when in town, but never to not ask a question at all, especially just a one worded question.

Jane watched as the girl climbed under the blankets. Mira made it sound like she was the one taking care of Jane, not the other way around. It was certainly an unnerving thing. Jane noticed Mirabelle's distant look, wondering how much this girl knew and experienced. She was certainly wise, even if she did appear years younger, but the way it sounded... It was rather scary.

"I wouldn't know much about love or trusting the wrong person, but I understand you know more than any girl who is... or looks, to be your... well, the age you appear to be." Jane wasn't going to lie. She was entirely certain this girl knew more than Jane did, and just could not get over the idea that Mirabelle had more wisdom than she, or her brother, or her sister and father probably, possessed.

Jane took a look at her wrist as Mirabelle pulled the bandage away. The bite that was once bleeding and needed bandaging was now nothing more than two red dots. Her gasp of surprise was audible. "Now is one of the times I'm going to have to ask, what happened?" She asked, referring to her hand as she stood, beginning to pull the blankets up around Mirabelle out of habit, the way she always did for her brother.

She was ready to rest, but was also unable to keep her attention from leaving the girl, or vampire really, in front of her. It was just so amazing that such feats were possible. Jane caught sight of the blood on her apron and frowned slightly. She would have to talk with the other maids about where she could go to try and get blood out. It would be so very difficult with the red on the white. She might even have to make a new one, though she wasn't sure how she could possibly get it done before the next day. How could she work with blood on her apron? She was nearly positive it would be looked down upon, having blood on your outfit.

Jane found her attention on her wrists again. It was just so surprising to her. How was it healing so quickly? She hadn't even really felt it, yet it seemed as if it had closed, not entirely gone, but enough to not allow anything to get into the cuts. Jane found herself studying her wrist again, marveling at the appearance of the once punctured skin. She was just truly fascinated by the idea.

"Unnerving?"

She nodded her head, very embarrassed. She never wanted to admit this much, but she really didn't have a choice at this point, he would be able to tell if she lied and that would only anger him...

"Well regardless, know that I have no intention of harming you. As for the prick, you tell me if he does anything. You may be on loan to Castiel, but no one else is allowed to touch what is mine."

.....He didn't understand me at all...... Anise would have slapped her hand over her face in disbelief, but at the moment she was grateful for his naivety. She was glad for once that she was being misunderstood. If he would have realized she didn't mean bodily harm, this situation would have been a lot more complicated. She could tell that he wasn't entirely satisfied with her answers, but the mention of Reiji seemed to get his mind off of the details she was hiding from him. She felt bad, but she honestly did not intend to ever admit what he was trying to interrogate out of her. She wasn't even sure, but if she admitted it out loud it would breathe life and that door would never be closed again. She had to think logically, she would be working here for the rest of her life.. Kat and Demetri didn't fair well, she didn't plan on allowing herself to become romantic.. As long as they kept a physical distance it would be easy.

"Stupid git. Very well, but he cannot fault me for escorting you to your quarters. Come."

Escort? Well, at least he was allowing her to retire. It meant she was off the hook and that he was finally satisfied with her answers enough to release her. He walked off in a nonchalant manner and she followed from a comfortable distance behind. It wasn't a very long walk, yet something seemed to bother Bishop still. She tilted her head at this, a curious expression on her face. Though the words that came next were highly unexpected.

"A smile is much more suited to you....not the lost and wary gaze in your eyes."

Her eyes widened as the words passed through her ears, completely shocked. In an entire year of service she never got a single comment from Bishop like this, it was unexpected and completely uncharacteristic.... yet it wasn't entirely unwelcome. Were his ears red? Was he seriously kind of embarrassed? A giggle escaped her lips despite her better judgement and she smiled up at him, a crimson blush still decorating her cheeks, but her mood was much brighter, "Thank you, my Lord. I will do my best to smile more... It just feels impossible to do at times..." Although her words were sad, her expression was still relatively happy. She gave a short curtsy before turning to open the door to her quarters. It was so early that glimmers of light bled through the curtains, meaning she wouldn't get more than a few hours of sleep, but it also meant she wouldn't need a candle to see, "Goodnight, my Lord." With that she retreated to her room and calmly shut the door. It wasn't until the door shut that she allowed herself to freak out. She placed her hand against her chest, her heart racing from his words and she could feel butterflies in her stomach. She had to get ahold of herself or she'd end up falling for Bishop, especially if he kept tossing her kind words and gentlemanly gestures. Then she saw Alice laying on her bed, brushing her eyes in disbelief.

"You're dead, this isn't happening. Why do I still see you!?" She snapped in disbelief. She was going mad seeing her deceased twin every day, especially since everything the girl had to say was negative and degrading, "You're not there!" She was almost panicking at this point.

"Is that any way to speak to your sister? You're practically throwing yourself on the enemy... When is the wedding?" Alice sneered at Anise in disgust, throwing herself from the bed to circle the living sibling. The look on her face was cruel and angry. This happened every day, the words were different but the expression was always the same, "You're repulsive, maybe you should have died instead."

Immediately a tear streamed down Anise's face. She approached her bed and sat down, cupping her ears with her hands and she attempted to ignore the shouts of Alice. Her twin was not truly there, but it felt real enough to drive Anise crazy. Alice made her work out every day until her arms felt like falling off.. She made her eat less and she also kept her up most of the day... It felt like torture. Sure she was gaining muscle from it, but she also was losing weight and was very tired.

---

---

"I... I'm sorry, do you have candles?"

The red haired man nearly chuckled at Camilla's response, but withheld his amusement for her benefit. She didn't seem comfortable expressing her fears so he refused to make a spectacle of them, regardless of how cute she was like this. He actually enjoyed this side of her. He somewhat felt like a parent when she chose to reveal tidbits of vulnerability to him. Was this Reiji's intention all along? Her presence warmed his heart and did well to fill most of the aching gap that Angelo and Katerina left behind.. He had to admit that Reiji was a sneaky bastard, brilliant, but also very sneaky.

"I...I mean, it's not like I'm afraid of the dark or anything!"

"Why not? The dark is full of terrifying things.. Werewolves, Rogue Vampires.. Witches... I wouldn't blame you for being scared.. If I weren't a vampire, I would definitely be scared too." He replied in a gentle and reassuring tone. He took a candle from the corridor's wall, seeing as he was taller than her by a great deal and did not have a candle on demand. He entered her quarters, lighting all of the candles before ushering for her to follow him inside. The room was now well lit, so he felt there was no further issue. Though after seeing her so worried, he had to stick around for a moment, "You're mostly here for my company, so don't fret over small things like this." Demetri stated in a friendly and smooth tone. He would probably spend his free time educating Camilla seeing as she did not grow up with the same childhood as he did. Mathematics, Ballroom dancing, Etiquette, Tailoring, even an instrument if she was curious and wiling.

He gave a polite bow, leaving Camilla to herself. She wouldn't get a lot of sleep seeing as he had midday plans for everyone. Though a smile crossed his face. He came out just in time to witness Anise flee to her room and overhear Bishop's words.

"A smile is much more suited to you....not the lost and wary gaze in your eyes."

He hung around until all was quiet and approached his twin, "I know who your Valentine is going to be." He nudged Bishop with a knowing smile. Demetri was always observing those around him.. He always had the most spare time on his hands seeing as his only tasks were to tend to their horses, his dog, and events, "How long have you two fancied each other? There is no mistaking it... You let her end Dante even though he killed our brother as well..." Then he smiled a bit thinking of Katerina. It had been over a year, yet he still wasn't entirely over the loss of her. Suddenly an interesting thought crossed his mind. He'd help Bishop realize his affections. Anise was a fighter, if anyone would survive it would be her and Tanzy. They survived the werewolves without even a scratch.. So, in the holiday spirit, Demetri decided he would play Cupid.

"When was the last time you were intimate with a woman, dear brother?" He inquired, quirking a curious red brow at his twin, emerald eyes sparkling with familiar mischief. Demetri loved aiding others in romance, he was a bit of a meddler. One might ask how whores would help Bishop realize his feelings, but he knew his brother would decline if he truly loved the ebony haired maid, "We could rent a few concubines after the Saint Valentines festivities.. like the good old days if you like.. It's been too long since I last bedded a woman." Demetri sighed. Honestly it was the last thing on his mind, but he did not have a heartbeat to give his white lies away like a human's would. Would Bishop take the bait, or would he start to accept the situation that was slowly wrapping it's claws around his heart?

"If I remember correctly, Castiel said he nearly chose her as his own maid instead of yours... I also caught him appreciating her in the past as well as her appreciating our fair headed elder brother... I'd make a move, she is quite a lovely, innocent, young thing... If you did not hold claim I would have already approached the sweet little dove myself... But I respect your claim, Castiel does not remember our 'hands off' arrangement..." He was not taunting his brother, nor did he intend to make him angry, but he had to speak up. He didn't want to watch his twin miss out because his mind was too stubborn to notice his heart. Castiel was his brother as well, but Demetri's loyalty always rested in Bishop first and foremost.

"I merely wish to say that if you wait too long, you risk losing her to another... We may be immortal dear brother, but not indestructible. I would love for you to make more bonds, because if something were to happen to me... It would pain me to see you isolated.." He rubbed his brother's cheek lovingly with his thumb at these words, thinking back to Angelo for a moment. He never would have guessed he would lose his brother so quickly.. and Demetri had a a horrible feeling that it was only the beginning.

"I am going to let Reiji know that we should be leaving within three hours. We will have to tend to the horses. Less daylight the better. We will just have to be careful and stick to the shade as much as possible. If we don't make another daylight appearance the townsfolk will begin to gossip." The last thing they needed was a human revolt because the peasants discovered the Santiago family was the vampires that plagued their villages and also governed them as well. He went through great measures to keep their suspicions low.. especially after his blunder when Katerina was slaughtered. He still heard about the massacre from Reiji at times, "I don't think that Castiel is fit to travel so I will sneak a certain someone onto our carriage... As her prior lord it would fall upon you to pick out her dress along with Jason's suit." suddenly he noticed that Anise was speaking to someone. His own talking masked it before, but he caught a tidbit of the muffled sound and grew concerned. He did not sense a heartbeat other than her own on the other side of the door, Is she talking to herself in there or is someone else in her quarters?" he asked his brother in a concerned voice, seeing as Anise sounded distressed and he could almost taste her depression. Though Anise was not his maid, nor did he hold romantic feelings for her. He did not feel obligated to protect her, nor would he go out of his way to do so unless asked by Bishop directly. The long haired silently bid his temperamental twin farewell and strolled off to Reiji's bedroom door. Bishop would suffice if he chose to investigate, besides Demetri had other matters to attend to. He knocked twice before announcing his business, "I shall prepare the carriages. We must go to town and make our daytime appearance so the locals do not suspect us.. I will tell Mirabelle as well. I have arranged for Mira, Jane, Tanzy and yourself to ride in the Master of house carriage, while Jason, Bishop, Anise Camilla, and myself ride in the second. Castiel isn't well enough to travel so we'll take on Anise. I will see you off in three hours brother.. Please tell the little dove inside to dress in casual attire." With that he proceeded to his sister's door, not even considering to knock on Castiel's. He was not going to risk bringing Castiel around that many humans especially in daylight. Castiel was a danger to everyone.

"Mira, we are leaving for town to pick out our Saint Valentines attire, the ball is nearly here and we each need to make an appearance so the locals we govern do not suspect our true nature, I am going to tend to the horses and prepare them for our journey.. Then I am going to rest for an hour before setting them up to the carriages." He called into the door, not aware that Jane was with her, mostly because he wasn't trying to snoop. He did however notice that Reiji was not alone. The nervous heartbeat inside the room was too loud to ignore. Everyone seemed to pair off today, how romantic. Suddenly he got a mischievous idea, "Sister.. Would you like to assist me in a prank? For old time's sake? I never let you as children.. But we can remedy that now.. Let the little dove inside prepare for our journey.. She should dress casually and I need a moment with you in private." His tone was mischievous, and he made sure that Bishop would not be able to hear him. Demetri was so... evil at times. He just hoped that Reiji would not find out. If this plan worked as he wished, Bishop would surely kill him later.. Good thing Bishop was the strong one and Demetri was the quick one. Hopefully he was still faster than Bishop's aim.

"I...The thought h-had crossed my mind sire..."

Her words brought a smirk on his face, but his eyes revealed the offense he was feeling. He would never speak it or allow his facial expressions to reveal his emotions. Just because vampires felt heightened emotions didn't mean he had to openly express them. He noticed her embarrassment from her flushed cheeks, fast heartbeat and awkward body posture, and it only brought a quiet chuckle past his lips.

She admitted, feeling oddly guilty for the assumption that violating her was on his mind. It was however, deeply relieving to hear Reiji assure her that he wouldn't do such things to her. Glancing down at him, Tanzy held her legs tucked under her as she remained sitting upright beside the vampire, swallowing hard at the deeply personal and embarassing questions.

"I...I...It's t-t-true I've never l-lay with anyone before..."

He knew, but hearing her admit it was much sweeter than knowledge he obtained through his senses. Not to mention the timidness that accompanied her answer. She was absolutely delectable.

He watched as she leaned forward to unbutton his shirt as he had instructed, remaining perfectly still as she proceeded. He did not verbally taunt her, seeing as the act alone seemed to stir enough embarrassment from her already. Though having her this close gave him a very, very, mischievous idea. Maybe it was the moonlight, or perhaps the fact that he'd just fed, but he was feeling very... affectionate.

After she finished unbuttoning his shirt, Reiji tilted her chin up with his thumb so that their eyes met. His hand snaked it's way into her hair behind her head and he suddenly planted a soft kiss on her lips, more than a peck, but nothing too sexualized. He was a gentleman and had certain standards to uphold after all. After a moment or two he pulled away, smirking down at her, "That is my way of saying you are not leaving my service until the day that either you or I leave this world, do you understand or shall I do it again to remind you?" His tone was that of a spoiled child, but perhaps he was laying a different sort of claim? For now he was too stubborn and defensive to ever imagine another purpose other than amusement and business.. Though his fun and explanation was cut short when Demetri knocked on the door. It earned a frown from Reiji, but he listened to his brother. Valentine's Day? Demetri and his blasted parties...

"I shall prepare the carriages. We must go to town and make our daytime appearance so the locals do not suspect us.. I will tell Mirabelle as well. I have arranged for Mira, Jane, Tanzy and yourself to ride in the Master of house carriage, while Jason, Bishop, Anise Camilla, and myself ride in the second. Castiel isn't well enough to travel so we'll take on Anise. I will see you off in three hours brother.. Please tell the little dove inside to dress in casual attire."

"Of course, I will send Tanzy off to get ready immediately. Right after she helps me dress." He replied back to his brother who left in a rush to deliver the information to their other siblings no doubt. Then his eyes returned to Tanzy, a mischievous glimmer in them, "Pick out a nice but casual suit for me to wear out on the town..." He then stood in a less cluttered space and removed his shirt entirely. He wasn't going to make her put his pants on him, but she didn't know that so he could have fun for a little while.

The giggle was an unexpected, but oddly welcome sound to hear from the ebony haired maid. Even so, Bishop glance back at her as she did so, giving her a pointed look. One could almost hear a 'What are you laughing at?' just by the expression on his face. Despite the scowl presented, he didn't look legitimately angry- something more akin to a young boy caught doing something uncool or embarrassing when trying to look the part. Turning his gaze forward, Bishop chose not to comment on her laugh, mentally soothing himself with the knowledge that he got a promising result. Fine. He said it, and all fixed!

He nodded at Anise's words, face solemn for a moment at the unspoken understanding of the tragedy. He didn't doubt it was hard on her. Truthfully, he feared nothing more than losing his beloved twin. He didn't even want to imagine what her loss felt like. He never cared for the impetuous Alice, but he did genuinely feel sympathy for Anise.

His lips twitched in the beginning of a smile as he regarded her flushed cheeks and her pleasing answer. "Of course it isn't possible all the time. But still, it doesn't change the fact. Bishop commented, nodding in a simple gesture of farewell as the door closed respectfully in his face. "Good night."

Watching her door for a few seconds longer, the redhead finally turned to head back to his and his twin's rooms, only for the twin in question to approach. The nudge earned a quirked brow, the expression rapidly becoming a mildly annoyed look of chagrin. If anyone could get away with being obnoxious, it was Demetri. Even so, it was vexing to have his twin be able to read him so well and know just how to push his buttons should it suit his fancy.

The trail of conversation quickly became more and more exasperating as Demetri went on, Bishops emerald eyes narrowing as his hands left thier pockets and folded across his chest. "Oh shut up. Who says anyone fancies anyone? And I thought we grew out of concubines. They're dirty anyway. Besides, I can tell when you're bullshitting me." Bishop rolled his eyes, only to begin growling low in his throat at the not so subtle jabs regarding his maid and her popularity amongst the castle.

"You must want me to kick your ass brother..." Bishop ground out, slowly but surely relaxing at his brother's loving gesture, his breath coming out in a huff that became a sigh as he gave in. He couldn't stay mad at Demetri for anything.

Except one thing.

The talk of him being gone sparked a rare and unparalleled anger and panic in his heart, a growl meeting his twin's words. Bishop gripped Demetri by his shoulders, all but hissing at his brother. "Don't even speak of such things! If something happens, it happens to both of us dammit! Nothing is going to happen...nothing. I won't let it!" Bishop snapped, his biggest fear above all else the loss of his brother. To think or even speak of it was synonymous with a sin in his mind.

Before he could scold his twin some more, Demetri caught what even he hadn't noticed until it was pointed out: sounds coming from Anise's room, and it sounded like her voice. Even more tense now, Bishop turned to face Anise's door even as he bid Demetri farewell for now. There was one rapid and frightened heartbeat. Something was wrong, she hadn't been this scared and upset when he left. What could possibly have happened?! He wasn't even ten feet from the door. Bishop listened for a moment more before cursing, giving the door a commanding set of knocks.

"Open the door Anise! I know you're hiding something!" Bishop barked, still frazzled from Demetri's concerns on top of puzzling over his maid.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Reiji's smirk and slight chuckle did nothing to assuage Tanzy's embarrassment or awkwardness, though thankfully he didn't comment or verbally taunt her further. She vaguely wondered about the man beside her as she silently managed to undo his buttons as instructed despite her slightly trembling hands.

About to pull back and regain some semblance of distance between herself and the vampire once more, Tanzy was prevented from doing so with another unexpected touch. Her eyes were forced to meet the ruby orbs of her master, confusion in her eyes as his hands met the back of her head. She had no chance to inquire about his actions as his fingers wove through her hair and he came even closer...

And kissed her.

It was closed mouth, but notably more than a simple peck. Tanzy's eyes went wide with shock as her face burned red at the gesture. The maid was frozen like a rabbit before a fox, breath caught in her throat and heart hammering in her chest. Even after he pulled away, she couldn't get herself to move, to speak, to do anything but stare at the vampire in stunned silence with an ever growing blush. He had kissed her. The thought alone was so unfathomable in the maid's mind that it took a second to even realize he had just begun to talk to her.

Do it again to remind her? Remind her of what? Thankfully she was spared from answering him by a knock and the voice of Demetri. Tanzy was barely listening to the twin as her brain finally began to noticeably function again and convince her to move. Hand at her lips, she shifted anxiously as Demetri made it obvious he knew she was in here with Reiji.

Once more Reiji added to her mortification with the decision she would help him dress. Her poor nerves weren't going to get any break from him it seemed, the young woman nodding as she thankfully approached his wardrobe to pick something for her master.

Looking through the clothes, her mind began to dwell on what had just happened. Reiji had kissed her on the lips. But why? It didn't make an ounce of sense to her. She was a maid, he was her new master. As far as she knew, she was just food and service. He had made it evident in the past that she and other humans were beneath him, that people were disposable. So why? Even when he had said she was pretty, he hardly seemed to be actually interested in her as a person.

Finally, Tanzy came across a suit that made her pause. It was dark blue, almost black, and didn't have any fancy embellishments like much of the dressier attire. A simple stitched trim of silver and plain sterling silver buttons were the only accents on the suit.

Deciding this would do, Tanzy brought the outfit out to her master, still dwelling on the kiss as she approached Reiji. His eyes had the mischevious look in them, and instantly her embarrassment and flushed face began to vanish. He was teasing her. Of course. She was a toy to him, something to play with for his amusement, and nothing more. He was having fun with her. The realization was strangely bitter in her mind.

Biting her lip and forcing her voice back into her throat as she had managed to do so far when agitated by the male, Tanzy began to help the vampire into a shirt and his suit. He had stolen her first kiss. Granted, it was closed mouth, but that didn't make it any better in her mind. Secretly a romantic, Tanzy had always wanted to fall in love someday, and have a sweet first kiss. She had begun to resign herself to the fact that her new life made such a possibility out of the question, but his gesture had teased that romantic daydream in her mind. Sure, she didn't dare have any whims of fancy regarding the castle's occupants, but she was still cruelly reminded of what she had once hoped for.

"Open the door Anise! I know you're hiding something!".

Anise's eyes widened as she heard Bishop's voice. She didn't want him to see her this way, but it was a direct order to open the door. What was she supposed to do in this situation? Immediately she began wiping her eyes, ignoring Alice's shouts and accusations as she sped over to the door, unlocking it quickly. She straightened out her hair the best that she could, but there was little that could be done without a comb. Without hesitation she opened the door, trying to keep herself from hearing the rantings of her deceased elder sister.

If she caught Alice's words, Anise feared that she would begin crying again, and that was a weak state she did not wish to expose Bishop to twice in less than forty-eight hours.

She knew her cheeks were red, but they typically were in Bishop's presence. Perhaps he would not make a fuss about it? The only thing that physically gave her away was her glossy eyes. Her irises were like two shiny purple marbles inside her skull. Normally they were not near as shiny as they were now. Under the candlelight of the corridors her amethyst eyes were like living silk gazing upon him.

"Y-yes mi'lord?" Anise answered with uncertainty, knowing she would likely have to explain herself. She didn't want to speak about what she was 'hiding', especially to Bishop.. If she were to tell him about Alice's visits, Anise knew the lords of Castillo de la Muerte would dispose of her for being insane! She was not ready to die just yet so she hoped that wasn't what he meant.. How did he know she was freaking out in here anyway? Did he linger at her doorway? Why would he do that? She was beginning to panic. Was he talking about Alice's torment or the fact that she hadn't been entirely open with him about why she felt so uneasy around him.

"I was crying over my sister.." It wasn't a lie, but there was more to the story indeed. Then she decided to continue, seeing as she doubted that Bishop would be satisfied with just that, "After a glass of wine I sometimes forget she's gone." Anise admitted, again it was the truth.. She just withheld the fact that she actually would SEE her sister. How could Anise of known she was experiencing the effects of Mandrake root. It was in her wine, so it was fairly tasteless.. The world around them was so calm these days she barely suspected the wine, something Bishop encouraged her to be careful about once before, "I think I have just been pushing myself a little too hard.. I've been feeling sick lately as well.. I-It's nothing. I will be fine.." She gave a reassuring smile, completely unaware of the poisonous additive located in her daily drinks.

Anise was so hasty to answer the door that she didn't even realize that she'd answered the door in her full length white nightgown.

Counting the seconds in his head, Bishop felt and ever increasing urge to simply break Anise's door down. He contemplated following through on the idea when Anise fortunately opened the door to his summons. Her flushed cheeks weren't unusual to see, but her expression sent off warning bells in his mind. As normal as his maid was pretending to feel, her eyes were anything but what he had come to be accustomed to.

Growling softly, Bishop inwardly cursed upon seeing her glossy eyes, tears threatening to trail down her fair cheeks. Tears she was somehow keeping in check with an admirable and amazing willpower. It was both impressive and heart-breaking. Bishop clenched his fists, never intending to truly frighten the ebony haired girl, but he was swiftly losing control of his temper. Before she could retreat from him, the red head clasped his large hands on her shoulders, emerald eyes glaring into her glossy amethyst orbs.

"Bullshit." He hissed softly through clenched teeth, resisting the urge to shake his sweet maid. Why was she lying to him?! He could tell she had some truth in her words, but despite the snippets of reality, he noted with annoying clarity how evasive her behavior and answers were. It was maddening, insulting even, to have Anise still refusing to be honest with him.

"Why do you insist on lying to me? No matter how many little truths and half-truths you give me, you always hold back. Have I not made it clear I can tell when you lie? And still you lie to my face!" Bishop continued to seethe, eyes narrowed in frustration. Taking a few deep breaths in a vain attempt to calm his nerves, Bishop continued, speaking in a harsh whisper.

"Why can you not tell me anything? Dammit, I cannot do anything or protect you from the git if you don't tell me what the hell is going on! You've been acting odd and hiding even more than before. This is a far cry from nothing. Something is going on, and I want to know what." Bishop's voice finally lost some of it's edge, the male sighing in frustration. Something was clearly wrong, and he hated not knowing what it was.

"Have I not made it clear you are safe with me? Dammit Anise, if anyone else catches you like this they will force it out of you in a far worse way than me. Are you going to wait for that to happen?!" Bishop tried, finally releasing her shoulders from his hold. Letting his words hang in the air, he tried to collect himself, inwardly wondering why on earth he cared so much. Why was he this worried over the silly human?

It was only then he noticed her state of dress. He had been so focused on getting answers from her that he hadn't even realized his human was in her nightgown. White. It was a good color on her, and he noted how it fell down her body with satisfaction. Not bad. Had he been in better spirits, he'd have teased her and sought to elicit a reaction. As it was, he simply noted the detail in his mind, eyes soon returning to Anise's.

This is about Bishop, I know it because you don't do anything without him, but I don't care. I will do anything if it means I don't have to go to sleep."

Demetri had a devilish smirk on his face as his sister addressed his intentions directly. He couldn't contain his amusement, seeing as Mirabelle was as sharp as ever. Since birth the twins were thick as thieves. She knew them well, despite her tragic absence, "Very well. I will grant you a distraction then and yes it is our dear brother that we will be pranking." Demetri chimed, a bit more enthusiastic than usual, but that could easily be blamed on the impending party he would have the honor of arranging.

Obviously he missed something, but Demetri trusted that his sister would confide in him or one of their other siblings if she needed a shoulder to lean on. He'd seen enough as a vampire and assumed she endured quite a bit herself. He still kept secrets to himself, even from Bishop.

Brother, would you please take Jane with you when you tend to the horses? Will you show her where they are and how we do it here? I believe that she will be a better match at caring for them than getting into Tanzy and Anise's way. Besides, we aren't messy beings and those two are more than capable of cleaning the house. It's better if we let Jane do it instead of hiring some stable boy. Besides, the last one was too..."

"Of course. Though she'll have to get by Sebastian. He's a lady's man, I warn you."" He winked at Jane, a kind smile across his features. His wink was mildly flirtatious, but nothing too far out of his way. There was no way that Jane would know about Demetri's dog, so he was looking forward to working her up a bit. Then he snickered a bit, "You haven't seen Reiji's room? He's utterly slobbish. I've seen plenty of pig pens more organized than that man's quarters." He chuckled, but nodded in agreement. It wasn't like Reiji allowed anyone to touch his belongings, let alone organize them. His brother went to great lengths to keep his door from being accessible, even as children. Reiji was constantly spanked for having an untidy bedchamber. Though that was his only behavioral flaw as children. He was the golden boy in Elizabeth's eyes... Not that Elizabeth ever liked the twins in the first place, seeing as they were a constant reminder of Edward's infidelity.

"Suggestive? Is that the right term? Poor boy would have done anything a pretty lady asked of him..."

He felt that his sister was poking at his own habit of being flirtatious, not the poor stable boy.. Which only brought another smirk to his lips. She was worried he would harm the girl? Nonsense. He rather enjoyed her company to be honest, not that he got to spend a lot of time in it.. But she seemed to be a nice girl. Jason was his current favorite, but that was due to their man to man chat before dinner the night before.. He was sure he would get along well with the short haired girl. He had several questions for her. Though to put Mirabelle's mind at ease he gave her a wink when Jane wasn't looking, though this wink was not his classic flirtatious trademark, his facial expression was instead loving and brotherly. He would do everything in his power to keep his thirst in check.

Anyway, Jane, in my closet there should be something suitable for going out to the barn. We don't usually allow women out there considering he stables are a mans work, but there should be a few pairs of pants in there.”

"Keeping secrets now are we, dear sister? I won't tell if you don't." Demetri chimed in a teasing tone. He had a few secrets of his own that weren't exactly masculine so he'd keep her tomboyish hobbies quiet so long as she played along with his schemes. Blackmail was a wonderful thing. How he missed his younger sister all these years!

What ever it is, I'll help you, but if Bishop tries to kill me it'll be on your head!”

"We both know that I wouldn't let that happen. Besides, I'm sure you've got the upper hand now. You're his sister. Bishop might be rough, but he lives for his family.. Your existence is safe, I promise." He chimed, eyes shifting to the door before he decided to divulge his plan to his sister. He had to watch his tone, just in case Bishop was in close enough proximity that he would be able to eavesdrop. Demetri remained cautious, but the mischievous glimmer in his eyes was unmistakable, "Since Castiel isn't well enough to travel, what do you say we snatch up Jason? First Reiji, and Tanzy would leave in one carriage. Then you, Jane, Camilla and I would leave in another.. But only after we send off Bishop and Anise on their own."

Reiji admired the suit she chose for him. Sure, he appreciated all his suits so there was no wrong choice so long as she chose casual wear, but this suit was one that suited him quite well, or so he had been told. The dark haired man suddenly came to a realization. This he was not aware of and he was quite surprised.

"Tell me something, Tanzy. Remember, I will know if you lie.. Was that your first kiss, just now? You're acting strange and I can practically smell your distress.." He sighed as the girl began to dress him. He kept perfectly still aside from aiding her now and then due to their height difference. He said nothing else for a while, slightly a bit smug at the realization. He never would have thought that the maids were that innocent. Most of them were of child bearing age and should have been already wed as far as Spain's laws were concerned. This was an interesting bunch of kids indeed..

Once he was fully dressed, Reiji tugged at his suit, putting his glasses back on and sent her a smile, "I apologize. I was not aware that you were not courted in the past. I suppose my actions were a bit invasive then." Though despite apologizing and slightly meaning it, he was still visibly amused. His narcissistic behavior seemed difficult for Reiji to subdue.

He then approached the door and in a matter of seconds the pathway was clear and he opened his bedroom door for the first time in over three decades, "I shall escort you to your quarters. I need to make sure you choose something appropriate. The public eye will be watching us. This is our first appearance in town for quite some time and I'm sure we will draw quite a bit of attention." Reiji informed her, walking ahead, but cut down the staircase as a realization came to mind, "No.. You need breakfast first I suppose.. Humans do need three meals to keep their strength.. I often tend to forget that about mortals.. Follow me.." And he didn't even realize how close he was to imposing on Anise and Bishop, still inwardly gloating on the fact that he'd accidentally stolen Tanzy's first kiss. That wasn't common for women her age so he felt like he'd obtained something quite valuable. He kept his pace slow, which was almost agonizing, but if he was too quick he felt that his maid would attempt to flee from his company and he wasn't done taunting her, he'd give her a day off tomorrow to make it up to her, but he was currently having too much fun toying with her. He wasn't sure why, but he was enjoying it more than usual lately.

Once in the kitchen, Reiji quirked an eyebrow. Suddenly he wondered if cooking would be any more difficult than poison making or botany. He never had to cook his own meals as a human so he wasn't even sure if he could do it. He never really spent much time in a kitchen, so now that his mind had time to ponder he was genuinely curious. Perhaps he would try it sometime when everyone else was busy, "Who taught you how to cook?" Reiji asked with almost childlike curiosity, but his facial expression did not betray him the same way his tone of voice often did.

Tanzy somehow managed to keep herself composed as she assisted the head of the house with his suit, thanking her luck he wasn't taunting her as she dressed him. Trying to keep up with him and his unabashed comments was hard enough as it was. The young woman was still struggling to force the kiss from her mind when she was suddenly called out on it. She could've cursed her luck.

Biting her lip and trying to fight an embarrassed flush, Tanzy finished the last button of the suit before nodding. She had agreed to serve him, and the contract had been signed. For her family and for Anise, she would fight any urge to lie or displease the vampire. Still, it was pitiful to be so easily caught, so easily deciphered. She couldn't hide anything from him, and it only further made her feel small and weak. "Yes sire...am I really that easy to read?" she admitted softly, daring to glance up at him. She couldn't be sure, but he almost seemed as if he was surprised by this fact. Though she supposed it wasn't too strange to be surprised. After all, she was as well aware as anyone else that she was above marriageable age. While her family was not wealthy, they were likewise not dirt poor. Her father was skilled as a blacksmith, and her mother would join with a kindly neighboring woman in tailoring ripped or damaged clothing.

Even with both of them working to earn enough to survive, having five children was undoubtedly a challenge. As such, Tanzy had always taken it upon herself to help out in any way she could, be it watching her siblings or taking care of the small work animals they could afford. As such, she had completely missed out on courting, never seeking suitors or making herself available to any in lieu of helping her family.

Wondering if her master would allow her to leave, Tanzy's gaze shot up in surprise as he offered her an apology. Now he was apologizing? A part of her was convinced the dark haired male was deliberately trying to confuse- - and in no uncertain terms, screw with her mind. His expression didn't entirely match his words, further adding to the idea he was simply messing with her.

Unsure if she was expected to respond to him verbally, the young woman decided it was best to play it safe and acknowledge Reiji's words. "No master Reiji, I never had the time for such things. I was much too busy growing up to make myself available for courting." Tanzy answered truthfully, following the vampire even as he continued to speak to her, careful not to be in his way or bump into him from behind.

Being brought to the kitchen, Tanzy looked up in puzzled surprise as Reiji lingered to ask her about cooking. Who? Who did he think taught her? Did he not learn-

Tanzy could have slapped herself for being so absent minded. Of course he didn't cook. He was a noble, he had always had people to do that for him. That must be why he was even the slightest bit interested. The maid almost felt sorry for him, not knowing the experience of having your parents cook for you, then one day learning to do the same for yourself.

"My mother taught me mostly, though my father can make some things. He's not too good with most cooking though." Tanzy answered, smiling fondly at the thought of her family. She busied herself with preparing some eggs and ham, glancing up to look at her master. She was glad he remembered to let her eat, it was terribly uncomfortable to go without food, especially when working. As she cooked, she noted almost with pride that the suit she picked was quite becoming on him, not too flashy, but sophisticated.

The ball, of course, they were to go out. Tanzy felt the sudden need to correct her master. Before her brain could tell her to shut up, her mouth was already spilling words. Innocent ones, but still possibly risky.

"M-master Reiji. I do have a collection of gowns from Master Castiel. At the last ball, he gave me a selection of dresses to choose from, saying I was to keep the rest should the need arise to use them. I..I should be able to find something suitable for going out in public and for the upcoming ball among them..."