Bloody Fashion

Ryan drummed his fingers on the steering wheel along to the heavy bass of the music playing in
the car as they cruised along the nearly deserted highway. Ryan wasn't surprised at the absence of cars. No one ever really came through the scenic route, which later branched off into the wooded area where he lived. And, he liked it that way. It was better to live inconspicuously because of what he, and the residents of his house, were.

Ryan looked through the rearview mirror at Maybel. He, after all, didn't really need to keep his eyes on the road. Maybel was, in short, quite taken with her surroundings. A small smile lit up her face as she leaned in close to the window to try and see the tops of the trees bordering the highway. Ryan smiled, but it quickly faded once he caught the gist that Kyle was staring at him.

"What?" Ryan hissed, his voice so low that a human couldn't possibly hear.

"What are we going to tell her?" Kyle demanded, equally as low. "We can't just wait until you sink your teeth into her to tell her the truth!"

Ryan scoffed. "You underestimate me, my friend. I can surely handle myself long enough to lay down the rules."

"I know you, Ryan. I can tell when you're thirsty. Admit it, you've wanted her blood since the moment you smelt her."

Ryan's fists clenched on the steering wheel and he glowered at the road ahead of him. Kyle was right, he was craving the girl. "You say it as though it's a bad thing," Ryan commented curtly.

"I guess I shouldn't expect anything less from some thing like you," Kyle replied through his teeth.

"Don't forget that you're as much of a thing as I am," Ryan reminded Kyle. He gestured at the dark glasses covering Kyle's eyes and the secret hidden behind them.

"Besides," Ryan continued as he turned off the highway onto a dirt path that let through the forest. "You knew all along that my purposes for 'adopting', if you will, the girl were not all innocent."

Ryan had Kyle there, and he smirked triumphantly at the prospect.

"Yeah, well I guess the full affect hasn't hit me until recently," Kyle answered back.

"You speak as if you pity her," Ryan said mockingly. "A spawn from Hell such as yourself should have a tougher back bone."

"Well, sorry if I'm not entirely for this whole human slave thing," Kyle defended.

Ryan snorted. "Please, like you don't think it's a good idea. I'm sure you'd use her too..." Ryan thought for a moment before an evil smirk plastered itself on his face. "If I ever let you."

Kyle tried to grimace, hoping to show Ryan that the thought of taking his seconds disgusted him. But, Kyle still couldn't help turning around to look at Maybel.

She was subconciously biting her lower lip as she watched the sun slowly disappear as they got farther and farther into the dense forest. His eyes were drawn to her hands, which were rested daintily in her lap. Out of instinct he glanced at the area around her hands. Her dress was short therefore causing it to rise up her thigh when she sat. He had the urge to reach out and touch her...

"Clearly, I'm right," Ryan said bringing Kyle back to his old self. Kyle turned around and took a shakey breath before cursing himself out.

"Damn it," he hissed, angry with himself.

"You're not morally correct so don't act like it," Ryan said, clearly amused by the thoughts that Kyle was trying so hard to keep out of his mind and therefore away from Ryan. "You might not crave her blood, but you want under that little dress of hers as much as I do."

"You're sick," Kyle muttered. But, he never denied what Ryan said about him. Ryan knew when anyone was lying so it was no use trying to defy him.

"No," Ryan said slowly as if speaking to an incompetent child. "I'm just honest with myself when it comes to my carnal needs."

"Oh, aren't you just the little saint," Kyle said sarcastically.

They had just pulled up in front of the house or rather mansion where they lived deep within the forest.

Ryan chuckled, clearly loving the nonsense argument he was having with his friend. "I can't be a saint, not where I come from."

Maybel, who was completely oblivious to their conversation, gasped as she looked up at the mansion. It was like nothing she'd ever seen before, and she was eager to get out of the car to get a better view.

"R-Ryan," she stuttered, uncomfortable with calling a somewhat stranger, who was to be her new guardian, by his first name.

Ryan turned around and smiled down at her. He reached a hand out and ran the tips of his fingers over her cheek. He knew he'd have to explain the way she was to address him before they went inside, but he had time.

"Yes, darling."

Maybel nearly burst at what he called her. "Is this your house?" She asked incredulously.

"Yes it is. Do you like it?" He questioned. He silently reveled in how innocent and soft spoken she was. He almost didn't want to take it away.

"It's beautiful," Maybel breathed. "I can't believe you own this whole thing."

"Well, of course I do," Ryan said tenderly. He was leaning way over his seat, closer than close enough to take in her scent. She really was intoxicating. He inhaled, but not so obvious as for her to notice. Her smelled her blood, yes, but he also smelled the orphanage and the fact that she probably hadn't had a proper bath in a long time. He'd have to address that, and he was looking forward to it.

Just as his thumb ran over the beating pulse in her neck, the car door opposite him slammed shut. Maybel jumped, visibly frightened by the loud, sudden noise. Ryan only turned to glare at Kyle, who he knew was exceedingly jealous.

"I-Is he okay?" Maybel asked, worried that she'd done something wrong. Ryan composed himself and shot her an award winning smile.

"He's fine, he's just tired." Ryan reluctantly pulled away from her to exit the car. He was at her door and pulling it open in a flash. Maybel turned in her seat to place her feet on the muddy ground and once again give her full attention to Ryan.

Ryan crouched down so he was level with her, and rested his hands on either side of her body on the seat. "Now, there are a few rules that I must go over," he told her. She only nodded. "First, this household works differently than most do." He was trying to find a way to easily play off that he expected her to call him, and her other superiors, 'Master' or 'Sir'.

"What do you mean?" She asked nervously.

Ryan was all calm as he spoke. "I mean that here you must address me, Kyle, Chaz, and any other visitors as 'Master' or 'Sir'." He waited for the information to sink in, and when it did, her face scrunched up in confusion.

"Who's Chaz?"

"Chaz is a friend of Kyle and I's, and he lives with us," Ryan answered slightly taken aback that she wasn't protesting the terms she was supposed to use.

"Oh. And, Ry... I mean, Master, why am I to address you as such?" She immediately folded into herself and became shy and embarassed. "If I am allowed to know," she added in quietly.

Ryan only smiled and kissed her cheek. "That's a good question, darling. And, the reason is because that is what everyone else who works for us refers to us as. And, we don't want them to be jealous because they think we favor you."

"I-I work for you, Master?" Ryan noticed how tentatively she spoke this name, as if it were a foreign word to her. Ryan loved it actually, and thought about reserving that name to only come from her lips when she spoke to him.

"You have a special job, Maybel. One slightly different from the others."

"Am I like a servant, like in the books like Cinderella?" She questioned. Ryan loved how simple and naive her outlook on life was.

He pushed a strand of hair behind her ear. "In a sense, yes. Does that bother you?" His voice had an underlying icy tone, which he thought he concealed well, but Maybel heard it.

In a way, the fact did make her uncomfortable. She thought she was getting a father not a... 'Master' as she now had to call him. But, she was still grateful to have left the orphanage. Besides, she knew she couldn't tell him that she wasn't fine with it. That could cause him to be angry with her.

"Not at all, Master," she replied. Ryan smiled at her compliance. He wrapped his arms around her middle and brought her close to him, burying his face in her neck.

Maybel's mouth dropped open in shock. Ryan didn't mind though. He wanted so much to open his mouth and taste her soft, smooth skin. He wanted to break the surface with the sharp points of his canines. But, the smell of the unsanitary orphanage lingered on her skin. It shocked Ryan back into the reality of the situation. He remembered his line of action.

"Well," he said, pulling away from the start struck girl. He stood up and held his hand out to her. She took it and got out of the car, waiting as he closed the door. She clung to him as they made their way up the steps of the mansion. "Before, we do anything, I'll need to give you a bath first."

Maybel's brown eyes widened at the prospect. "Y-you, Ry... Master?" She secretly scolded herself for almost calling him by his real name. Clearly, she had no place in doing so. She'd never been told to address someone like that, but she didn't want to disobey and have him be angry at her. If he was, he'd send her back to the orphanage, and she didn't want that.

Ryan tried not to let her slip up bother him too much. Nor the fact that she was questioning his motives. She'd learn in time. And, he hoped that she'd learn without being taught a lesson. He would really hate to bruise her lovely skin.

He composed himself before he spoke so his harshness wouldn't frighten her already timid demeanor. "Yes, darling. You must learn to bathe yourself correctly. Clearly, they haven't taught you well at the orphanage."

Maybel felt her face heat up in shame. Ryan could smell the blood that rushed to her cheeks as well as read her embarassment. He sought to quickly console her before the want of blood became too much for him.

His fingers ran through her tangled black hair affectionately. "But do not fret, darling. I shall show you the correct way."

His hand gently cupped her cheek as he said those words, and Maybel had to suppress a shudder. Living with mostly younger children at the orphanage, she hadn't been exposed to many sublimal messages and perverse statements.
Still, she could identify them. And, it seemed to her that Ryan was rather eager about his task.

"Okay, Master."