~~

If my heart still held the ability to beat it would be racing.

How could I have done that to her?

Never in all of my years have I forced myself upon a woman. I never even wanted a woman so much as I wanted Calla in that moment. After the taste of her blood hit my tongue, my first taste of fresh blood in so long, the world exploded in color.

I had almost forgotten what it felt like to drink fresh blood.

But with the usual thrum of energy and the closest thing a vampire can come to being alive, darkness seeped into me.

I was told once long ago that when I drank from the flesh my truest personality comes out, that the bitter condescending man I truly was and always was in my thoughts displays itself as all vampires most pure form of their personality does. I know that to be true and I had expected it to, I had expected to be the man only my friends get flashes of. I knew by drinking from Calla she would be the only one who really truly saw me as I am.

But that was not what happened.

What she saw was something I never even thought existed in myself.

Yes my personality was thrown at her full force but along with her heart beat thrumming through there was an uncontrollable desire to touch her.

Sure there was the passing thought of how beautiful she truly was floating through my hair every now and then but that...

That was something terrible, something that never should have surfaced.

Something that should not have been anywhere in my head at all.

I glanced at myself in the mirror, frown etching its way onto my face as I took in my own dual colored eyes and slicked back black hair, the vibrant stripe of red that usual joins some of my hair above my brow bone now almost hidden away in the mass of black.

I wondered what Calla saw when she looked at me.

Did she see what I do, a man with a pale face and a tendency for the imperfect.

Or did she see the monster that attacked her yesterday, a leach and a bastard?

I straightened my white tuxedo jacket before turning away from my own face an walking from the room.

minuets later I found myself knocking on Callas door, the maid answered with a curtsy before letting me in.

Calla was standing there in the middle of the room, small smile on her face as she touched her elegant bun and examined her own reflection. Her nude heels made a tiny click on the tile as she tuned to look at herself from another angle.

I frowned a bit as her diamond leash caught the light, it matched her collar perfectly and was somehow entirely too much.

I cleared my throat, smirking a bit as she jumped in her heels, staring at me in wide eyed shock.

A dainty blush made its way across the bridge of her nose, "I did not see you come in Lord Dawson."

I hummed a bit to myself, "It is okay, pet...perhaps the leash is a bit much, it takes away from the gown."

Her glossy lips parted slightly before she reached back and unclasped the leash with little difficulty, "It is a beautiful dress."

"You look beautiful."

Her thank you was so quite I could barely hear it. But I could feel it, she was flattered and her mind was abuzz with so many different things it made my head hurt.

When I drank her blood I thought being able to read her mind would help me mend what I had done and work to make life easier for her, If I knew what she thought I would know what to say or do to keep her from distancing herself further. But Callas mind was busy, flurrying around constantly, it was hard to read.

I wondered if she was like that all the time or if she was just thinking of so many things in order to distract her nerves.

She felt nervous that was for sure.

I blocked her chaotic thoughts but kept myself in tune with her emotions as I gave a light bow, "shall we?"

She hesitated a moment before taking my arm and letting me lead her from the room.

I tried not to pay any attention to the scar on her wrist.

She left out a soft sigh as she took in the lowered lighting of the hall, "Kaden..."

"Yes?"

"What will they think of me off a leash?"

I shook my head lightly, "that is not something to worry over my little flower, they will be much to busy being appalled by your being in a gown dressed as a queen to pay attention to your lack of leash."

She fumbled in her steps, nerves growing.

"Do not be nervous pet, it will only bring attention to yourself in the ballroom."

She swallowed hard as we arrived at Angelicas temporary room, "What if, What if I'm there and I make one of them angry, what should I do?"

"What do you think you should do?"

"...Well my first instinct would be to kick them in the groin and stab them in the eye with my escargot fork, taking out two birds with one stone considering I have absolutely no intention of eating snails but would feel bad for not giving the fork enough attention. But something tells me thats a no go."

I chuckled lowly, "You have no reason to worry, I will not let you out of my sight."

She nodded just as the door flung open revealing Angelica in a startling red dress, Eyeing Calla for a moment before sliding her gaze to me. A slick smile forming on her lips as she grabbed hold of my other arm, practically purring, "Kaden, isn't this going to be lovely?"

Calla let go of my arm and took a not so subtle step away.

Angelica tugged at me, trying in vain to drag me down the hall.

We walked slowly, Calla two steps behind; The click of her heels and light swish of her dress the only sign that she was even there at all.

~~

The huge ballroom was abuzz with over one-hundred vampires, I glanced over my shoulder at Calla as the room silenced, watching the three of us walk down the grand staircase, stoping on the middle platform.

Calla felt afraid, nervous, and full of wonder. It was a strange mix of emotions.

I looked over the crowd, "Welcome, everyone, to my humble home. Enjoy the night and do try to keep my ballroom in one piece."

A murmur of laughter washed through the room as we continued down the stairs, instantly being enveloped into a swarm of people wanting nothing more than to get on my good side.

Not a single person could keep from looking at the blonde behind me.

A fat vampiric man I had grown to know over the years walked over to me, two scantily clad women on his trail, their heads bowed and leashes tied together.

I could feel Calla's fury as she spotted them and the man gave a booming laugh.

There was only one reason people tolerated him anywhere.

"Lord Dawson! I must say I'm hurt! I don't recall myself or any of my men catching such a pretty thing. I always assumed once you decided you wanted a human of your own you would pick one of 'em I caught."

He was the best at what many vampires had deemed the unsavory sport; human trapping.

He was the man who caught and sold rouge, lawbreaking, and sometimes just humans that caught his eye to pet shops. they were the best at what they did, he and his men.

I gestured for Calla to stand beside me, which she did with a stony face.

Fear raged inside her.

She was a brave girl, my pet. "Mabrow, this is my pet Calla."

Mabrow laughed once more, tugging on the joint leash of the two women, bringing them forward.

They didn't make a noise, instead they bowed lowly to me. Mabrow gestured to them, "Jade and Topaz. My new girls."

I didn't even bother asking what had happened to the last ones, I already knew.

He leered at Callas form, only covered by the intricate lace and beading of her gown, "She's a pretty little thing, A bit over dressed though don't you think my lord?"

My eyes narrowed at him a bit, "It is a ball Mabrow, I decided I would like her in a gown."

My voice dripped with waning even to my own ears.

Calla stood a bit straighter and I could have sworn I saw her smirk at Mabrow.

Perhaps she was stupid rather than brave.

She gave a tiny inclination of her head, back straight, hands clasped in front of her thighs, "Hello."

Ah she was both, I could tell Mabrow was shocked.

She, a pet, had directly spoken to him without being asked and she did so with all the grace of a queen.

Angelica, who I had forgotten was even by my other side, look appalled.

Placing a hand on Callas lower back I applied a bit of pressure to her spine, a small warning that she was stepping on thin ice.

The surrounding crowd was sure to be listening.

She seemed to understand because her cool facade transformed into that of an adoring pet the moment her head turned to me, her voice low and sensual, "My apologies master, was that over the line? I hate to disappoint you but I am a bit overwhelmed, I will try my best to keep from embarrassing you or offending any of your honorable guests." She ended her little speech with another dainty nod and her eyes cast down as if she was ashamed of her mistake.

You could feel the tension in the room ebb.

Perhaps Calla had nothing to worry about in the first place, she played the part of obedient pet well.