Faline

Since I'm not starving as I'd been before, I'm able to be more aware of what I'm doing. Pulling her close as if a lover, I rise to my knees in front of her as an arm snakes around her frame, the other going up behind to cup her head. Tucking my face into her neck, I inhale deeply, I get a random urge to toy with her, but I push it down viciously.

My tongue slips out to touch on her neck so she knows I'm about to bite. Sinking fangs deep, I try to remain on platonic ground, not trying to come off as being sensual, even when she shudders as if with pleasure. I count in my head, paying attention to the feel of the blood itself and tuning myself to her heartbeat.

Drawing from her at a normal pace, I get to just over two minutes in my head before her blood needs a stronger pull, her heart making just a little extra pump. Drawing back, my tongue swipes over the pinpricks, I can't help but smile, knowing that if I keep to a system, then I won't be hurting who I'm feeding from.

Pulling back, my hands fall away, her eyes open drowsily as she smiles.

"I think you are the gentlest Vampire I've ever met. You take such care into not hurting me. Others aren't horrible, they just use more pressure, draw deeper, not much caring if they take too much. It's nice to not feel like a blood bag."

I choke and swear I almost naze blood at her term, going so far as to raise a hand to my face to check if I did. She giggles. Actually giggles. Dear lord.

"If you ask me, if someone is willingly offering themselves to you, then it's your responsibility to take care of that person. Granted a human wouldn't hug a cow while chewing on it, but a Vampire should be more conscious of the fact that who they're feeding on doesn't need to be in pain. I've just proven to myself that I can do so."

I can't help but smile again, pride welling up. When I look into her eyes, she's looking at me as if I'm naive. I frown and ask her why she's looking at me like that.

"Not all are like you. You have to remember, you're all predators. I'm sure as you age, your views will change."

I shake my head, but don't bother arguing, not if she's looking at me like that. Figuring her outlook is like it is because of being jaded and used too hard. I'm sure if I had her past I'd see things differently too.

"Did Nicolaus mention what they were doing or when they'd be back?"

I ask to determine how much time I have, already starting to go stir crazy locked in a room again. She shakes her head in a negative. So helpful. Thinking about flying the coop again reminds me of who all had been in the room earlier.

"Hey, Avina? Do you know that really tall guy? He's a lion I think."

"I do, sort of. He's a Clan lion. He comes around every now and then to make sure no one is trying to sell Clan Shifters here. They've had some of their people come up missing, I don't think I've ever actually caught his name though. He's nice, works with my Mistress, nothing like the regulars here. He seems to have taken a liking to you, did you know that?"

My eyes widen, acting shocked when I'm not really. Not with the way he had acted when I first saw him, almost coming to blows with Nicolaus and offering his 'protection'. She goes on after I shake my head, giving a confused look, or what I hope was one.

"Yeah, he was asking around after the first incident with that woman, but he was hearing things before that from the servants talking about your escaping and leading your Werewolf on a merry chase. We all got a kick out of it, especially when it became apparent that you were doing it on purpose. He would get so mad, puffing like a bull and running into things."

She smiles at the memory, I do too. Although everyone knowing I had been doing it intentionally kind of sucks. Means I was being that transparent, and more than likely Anthony saw that as well and that's why he's always so angry at me. Part of it anyway. Eh, he deserves it.

"How much can you carry?"

I ask her kinda out of the blue, her startled and confused expression is almost comical. I can't stop a small laugh and smile.

"I'm not sure, why?"

"Because I'm feeling cooped up and want to leave the room, but I don't want to be accused of trying to escape. Since I have no clothing and feel safer as a cat anyway, I figure the best way to prevent any misunderstandings is if you carry me."

She looks so astonished that I have to laugh again. Pretty sure no supernatural has asked her anything like this before. Not actually sure how much I weigh in cat form, but I don't think it's too much.

"Won't your Maker be mad if you aren't here when he gets back?"

Yes, he will, but I'm not telling her that.

"Nah, he doesn't mind that I'm out and about, he just wants someone with me so I'm not alone."

She looks at me a little skeptically, and I don't blame her, since I'm pretty much lying through my teeth, but I'm tired of being cooped up in these damn rooms. I wish I could go outside, but I doubt that will ever happen. I give her my best innocent face.

"Besides, he's asked for you twice now for me, right? So he trusts you to be with me. If anything does happen to where someone starts messing with us, we'll come right back here. If not able to do that, I'll keep them busy while you run to get someone. That sound okay?"

I cross my imaginary fingers within my body, hoping she'll do this. If not I'd have to boot her out or something and leave while still stark naked. Call me crazy, but in a bordello, that doesn't sound like a good idea. I know we were supposed to be keeping a low profile and in hiding, but everyone here seems to already know about me.

Not much hiding can be done after everything I've done. Not to mention I'm sure that bitch Vamp is spreading all sorts of trash, she seems the type to. Wish I knew what was done to her after I left the room.

"That female Vamp, after everything that happened earlier, what happened to her? She'd be the only one I can think of to cause us any problems."

"I don't know, she was gone when I was called in. The Mistress had been amused at what you said, but she won't be able to keep turning a blind eye, you have to be careful."

I nod earnestly, my fingers twisting in my lap as I get more and more antsy. She sees this and sighs, her shoulders drooping. I'd feel sorry for her and rescind my going out, but I really can't stay in here. I'll start going nuts.

"If I'm too heavy to carry, I promise to stay right next to you. We'll go to the kitchen or something. I miss the smells of food."

Food.

I miss food. The smells, tastes, textures. Chocolate. I hope I don't start actually craving it, 'cause there's no way I can eat it, then regurgitate it. That would totally ruin the memory of its goodness for me.

Wait, what about suckers? Lollipops and hard candies? Could I get away with stuff like that? I'll have to ask Nicolaus or try to find out myself. It's a must. A need. Not a want, but a full-blown need. I even nod to myself absently, totally lost in my own head.

"Did you hear me? I said I'll do it. But you have to promise that we will come back here if things look too dangerous."

That puts a little damper on things but I eagerly incline my head. Willing to promise damn near anything at this point. I just hope her idea of dangerous isn't that ridiculous.

I start shifting right away, forgetting that I'm still wrapped in a towel. It falls away rather easily though from my shrinking. My back gives a couple of small twinges, but nothing horrible, think it's more in my head than anything else, and more memory of a tongue than of pain. Kicking it away from me when I'm finished, I move closer to the small woman.

I look up at her and meow, my eagerness making me jumpy. The girl looks at me as if she's trying to figure out how to pick me up. Times like now I wish I did have telepathy, would make things so much easier.

Moving to the edge of the bed, she loops her arms under my chest and behind my back legs. Looking up at her as she experimentally lifts me, Avina almost flings me over her head from her overcompensating for the weight I don't have.

Claws grip hold of her automatically, without thought. Retracting them immediately when I see her wince, she starts apologizing profusely. I headbutt her chin to let her know I'm not mad, then she tries again.

It takes us a few minutes, but we find she has no trouble in lifting or carrying me. For being so thin, she's pretty strong. Once we're able to get into a position that we're both fine on, we head out on our adventure.

Trouble, here I come.