The Vampire Prince's Servant

The next morning I awoke with a jolt. I could feel a body pressed up against me, and I couldn't remember where I was. I thought back to last night- there was awkwardness and- that was it! I was in Jared's room. I relaxed a little bit, but then remembered that I had to get up and get breakfast for him. They still ate regular food, but instead of orange juice, it was a glass of O negative, or whatever they preferred.

I slipped out from under his arms and walked to the bathroom with my clothes as quickly as possible. I brushed my hair and teeth, and decided to put my heels on after I got out of my room, so I hopefully wouldn't wake him.

I tiptoed past his sleeping body, his form sprawled out under the royal blue sheets. I stopped gawking and moved forward, shutting the door quietly behind me. I dropped off my things in my room, and made a beeline for the kitchen.

There was Mattie and Kia waiting to hear about my not-so-scandalous adventure. "So?" Kia probed, propped on her elbows at the island while I worked on making breakfast, his favorite was steak and eggs apparently. I was hoping I wouldn't fail at it.

I shrugged. "Nothing happened." I smiled at them.

Mattie pointed at me enthusiastically. "I know that face! Something did happen!" Kia clapped next to her.

I blushed. "He kissed my forehead, and we cuddled. That was it, nothing too crazy." I told them, hoping that they would shut up, but they persisted.

"Is that all?" Kia urged for me to continue.

"You know, cuddling leads to other things." Mattie wiggled her eyebrows at me in a playful manner, I threw a dishcloth at her.

"Shut up! Nothing is going to happen." I stacked everything on the tray. "I don't think he likes me like that. He probably just wanted company." I walked out of the kitchen and down to his room again. I reached the door, and since I had learned my lesson last time, I knocked.

"Come in." I heard his groggy voice from the other side of the door. I walked in to see that he had barely moved.

I set the tray on the table in the corner of the room while I waited for him to wake up. "Good morning sunshine." I smiled cheerfully.

"Well aren't you chipper?" he propped himself up on his elbow. I had to admit that he looked pretty damn great with the tousled hair look. "Something smells amazing." he leaned against the headboard and looked at me.

I took that as my cue. "I heard it was your favorite." I set the tray on his lap. "It's the first time I've ever made it, so I hope it's alright." I added awkwardly.

"I'm sure it will be great." he patted he end of the bed. "Sit down, you'll be on your feet enough today." I went to his side. He took his first bite of the steak, and I prayed to god that he would like it. "It's great. Especially for your first time." he complimented.

"Thank goodness." I breathed a sigh of relief. Then there came a knock at the door. "I'll get it." I opened it to reveal another servant, one of the other few humans on staff.

"His highness requests your presence in his office." spoke the small woman. I nodded.

"I'll be back in a moment." I called back to Jared, and went on my way. I wondered if Julian knew that I had heard what Jessica said. I would do my best not to think about it.

"Hello Melody." his tone was condescending. I curtseyed anyway. I couldn't help but wonder how, with even two words, he could make me feel so powerless.

"You needed to see me?" I looked at him. He gestured for me to sit on one of the comfortable leather chairs.

"It's my understanding that you will be serving Jared." it wasn't a question, but I nodded anyway. "He seems to have taken a liking to you." his tone suddenly got very serious. "Don't you dare screw this up. He's not only my best friend, but he's also a very good investor. Whatever he wants, do it." he stared me down.

"I know that. I'm not stupid." I mumbled.

He took hold of my arm, I could feel his fingers digging into my skin. I tried to slow my heart down, but I went into panic mode. "I don't need any of your back talking, understood?" he didn't wait for an answer. "Good." he dropped my arm. I examined it, bruises were already starting to form.

"In that case, he's probably wondering where I am." I turned around and stormed out of the room. I was only alone for a minute before Julian was in front of me, his arms griping at my shoulders.

He looked at me with enraged eyes. "Why do you make me so crazy?" He glared at me. I couldn't stop myself.

"I don't think I'm the one that has made you crazy." before I could do anything else, a hand made contact with my face, hard enough for me to fall to the ground. That was my own fault, I was having a stupid moment.

"Go." he had his back turned towards me. I stared at him. "Go!" he yelled. His voice a little bit louder than before. Enough to scare me enough. I scrambled to my feet and went back to Jared's room.

My face still burned when I approached the door. I suspected that it was bruising as well. I knocked on the door anyway and went in.

"There you are." Jared smiled. I was trying to hide my face. "I was beginning to wonder if you had decided to leave me for good." I gave a half smile towards him, and pretended to be interested in something on the wall.

I heard him walk towards me. "Are you okay?" he gently whispered. I was holding back tears. I nodded. He put his hands on my shoulders and gently spun me around. "You can tell me." he tilted my chin up so I would look at him. His eyes widened in shock. I tore my face away and looked towards the ground. I was ashamed of myself. I looked awful.

"Damn him." he stated. I turned around again.

"This time, it was my fault. I was being facetious and I deserved it." the truth never hurts, but this time it was a painful reminder all over my body.

"No woman ever deserves to be hit. Ever." he stormed around the room. "How stupid can he be?" he sat in a chair near one of the windows.

"It's fine. One day he'll learn." I shrugged.

"How can you be okay with this?" he stared in astonishment.

I shrugged again. "It's not like I have a choice. He a vampire with four times my strength that could kill me at any moment. There's no other way than to just deal with it." I sighed. When I looked at it that way, it sounded really depressing.

"Father taught us differently though. I don't know where he's learned this. I have an idiot brother." he laid his head in his hands.

I stood there dumbfounded. "Wait, brother?"