Laughter and small sighs of content echoed throughout the hallways as Aurélie began making her way back to her new room. Étienne had woken her up early in the evening and helped her repack her belongings, whisking her away to a room right next to his, with no explanation as to why. She was now also allowed to freely walk around the castle. Her eyes had lit up when Étienne told her, and the companion left to have dinner in the dining room for the first time. Étienne had accompanied her before excusing himself, stating that he had a mountain of paperwork to complete. After Aurélie was done with her rather bland and simple meal, she began walking back to her room, content that she did not have to navigate the maze that was the third floor anymore. 

“Oh!” 

A small moan pierced the silence of the hallway followed by something falling on the floor, causing Aurélie to turn her head towards the sound. Her heels softly clicked on the tiles as she began making her way to a door that was slightly ajar, the stick of a broom resting on the floor. Curious, the companion reached towards the door handle and flung the door open, her eyes widening.

Entangled on the floor in clean sheets with cleaning supplies surrounding them lay Celine and a female figure with light and curly hair, both breathing heavily. Celine had her fangs deep in the figure’s neck, who was moaning softly as Celine was moving her fingers between the figure’s legs. Aurelie’s eyes snapped to the familiar Dubois pin that was careless thrown on the floor on top of a pile of dresses. Celine chuckled and placed a hand over her flushed cheeks as she withdrew her hand and her fangs from the figure’s body, not bothering to cover her bare body as Aurelie’s face turned bright red. 

“Oh my. We got caught,” Celine said, wiping the corner of her lips before pulling the blonde figure’s face towards her and kissing her. “What a terrible way to reunite with a former classmate.”

Aurélie watched as the figure sat up. The familiar dark eyes of Clara peered up at Aurélie, who quickly mumbled an apology and spun on her heels, hastily making her way back to her new room. The high-pitched laughter from Celine echoed behind her, the voice of her fellow companion calling after her weakly. 

***

“So if we search there then we should— are you even listening to me?” 

Aurélie lifted her head, blinking several times before looking at Étienne who was leaning against one arm, absentmindedly tracing circles on her stomach. He ran his fingers down her side, his eyes narrow as he realised that her ribs were starting to show. 

Aurélie tried to recall what Étienne had been talking about but her mind drew a blank. She looked around herself and noticed that night had fully fallen, the room they were in doused in a pleasant orange colour from the fire roaring in the fireplace.

“I apologise. What did you say?”

Étienne shook his head. “Where are your thoughts today? I was telling you where we should go to solve the attacks on both Linnington’s and my own family.”

“And where is that?”

Étienne sighed. “Like I have said, we should go back to both locations and see if we can find any tracks or scents.”

“Have you spoken to Oliver about this yet?” Aurélie asked, shifting in the bed slightly before fanning herself as a wave of heat washed over her. “Is it a little hot in here?” 

“No. I will meet and speak with Linnington later today once he wakes up from his little grandma nap. Seeing as you are in another world, I suppose you should get ready.”

Aurélie turned towards Étienne, who was looking at the small clock on the bedside table, a puzzled expression on her face. “What do you mean?”

“Celine has asked me to invite you to a little tea party in the gardens at eleven o’clock on her behalf. The woman was basically begging for you to come along.”

Aurelie’s heart sank and her face flushed as she remembered the scene she witnessed earlier. “Do I have to go?”

Étienne sighed, tracing his fingers down Aurélie’s navel and pausing on her pubic bone. “As much as I would like to continue this,” he began, moving his fingers lower and beginning to run them between her folds, earning a soft moan from Aurélie, who was still sensitive, “I assume it would be rather impolite to decline.” 

A small sigh escaped the companions lips as Étienne moved his hand back up, squeezing her breast softly. 

“Come on. You have twenty minutes left to get ready,” he whispered after a while, playfully biting Aurélie’s shoulder and hearing her yelp.

“I really do not want to go,” Aurélie groaned, turning to her side and away from him. 

Étienne ran his hand down her curves, resting it on her thigh. “Why not?” 

“What could she possibly want from me?”

Shrugging, Étienne sat up and leaned over to his companion so that he could see her face. “Perhaps she wants to be your friend?” 

He was met with a pillow to the face. Étienne laughed as Aurélie sat up and shot him an annoyed look. His laughter was cut short as his companion forced him onto his back and straddled him, slowly beginning to roll her hips. 

“You can always tell her that you require my presence,” she said, her eyes narrow as she placed on hand on his chest. She could feel him growing once more underneath her. Smirking, she stopped her grinding and looked down at Étienne. 

“My dear Aurélie, you are cruel.”

“Not as cruel as being forced to go to a tea party with the woman who despises me.”

Étienne sighed, looking up at his companion. “I am not forcing you to go anywhere. Besides, you always ramble on about politeness.”

Aurélie shrugged her shoulders. For once she agreed with him. 

“Perhaps I am not done here yet,” she whispered, reaching behind her. She could feel Étienne’s member now fully erect. 

“Is that so?” Étienne asked, watching as she lifted herself off of him. She moved down his body and laid on her stomach. Gently wrapping her fingers around Étienne, Aurélie began to slowly pump up and down. Smiling at the moan he let out, she moved herself closer and began circling his tip with her tongue. Étienne looked down at his companion who was now looking up at him innocently as she continued tasting him. After a while her eyes focused back on his member as she began running her tongue up and down along the underside of his shaft. He closed his eyes as he felt electricity course through him. 

Clutching the bedsheets beside him, Étienne let out a soft curse as he felt Aurélie wrap her lips around him, taking him into her mouth. Slowly bobbing her head up and down, he began to entangle his fingers into her hair, exhaling deeply. 

Sensing his growing pleasure, Aurélie stopped and released him from her mouth with a soft pop. Smiling, she crawled on top of him once more, reaching back and gently guiding him inside of her. Slowly lifting her hips, she began lowering herself, a soft sigh escaping her lips as he filled her completely. Étienne lifted his hands and squeezed her breasts, rolling the buds between his fingers and earning another moan from his companion. He could feel her pulse underneath his fingers, his fangs growing longer as he imagined sinking them into her flesh and tasting her. He refrained from doing so, knowing that once he had her fully he would never be able to let her go. 

Aurélie increased her pace, lifting and pushing her hips back down on Étienne. She was leaning slightly back, supporting herself as she held onto his legs behind her. Her body started glistening with sweat, her cheeks flushed and her eyes closed. Étienne watched as she continued to ride him, their soft moans ringing around the room in unison. To him, she was perfect. Her golden hair was loose and falling down her back like a waterfall, the ends brushing his knees as she continued to move up and down. It was rare for her to take control, often asking Étienne to take her as he pleased. She would usually tire long before him, unable to keep up with his stamina. It excited him that she wanted to make him hers this time round. Usually presenting herself so shy and polite, it was a nice change.  

“Fuck, Aurélie. I am close,” Étienne moaned out of breath after a while, his hands moving down to grip her hips tightly and helping guide her. She did not hear him as she continued bouncing up and down, her head tilted back as she began playing with her breasts using one hand, blood rushing to her ears as she reached her peak. Letting out a loud moan, Aurélie stopped and rolled her hips slowly as her release pulsed through her. Étienne groaned and she could feel him twitching inside her. 

 Cursing softly as her senses came back to her and feeling Étienne growing softer inside her, Aurélie rolled off of him and felt his warmth trickling down her thigh. Étienne did not notice as his companion quickly wiped away his release, his chest still rising and falling quickly, one arm slung over his eyes. He turned his head after a while, noticing that Aurélie was now rushing around the room, picking up her skirts and pieces of her bodice, hastily trying to tie the laces. He glanced over at the clock on the bedside, chuckling. 

“Ten minutes left now, I guess.” 

***

“Oh I must apologise. I did not prepare anything for you to drink,” Celine said, smiling innocently at Aurélie. “I do forget that we have a human among us now.” 

Aurélie smiled back and noted the smirk that Celine hid as she began drinking out of her decorative porcelain cup, wishing she would choke on the blood. The past hour and a half Aurélie had to endure the gossips from Celine. She learned the personal business of half the staff of the estate, while having to endure the subtle hints of Celine’s distaste on the companionship she provided for Étienne. Every little question that Celine asked was interrupted by her before Aurélie could open her mouth to answer, the Duke’s daughter filling in the blanks in a way that would either please her or continue to fuel the not-so subtle distaste of Aurelie’s presence. The tea party lacked the usual little delicacies that were supposed to be present, the tiered cake trays filled with flowers and decorative little sculptures instead of cakes, while the tea pot did not contain anything close to tea. With her mouth dry and beginning to feel sick to the stomach from the lack of food, Aurélie had to endure by focusing on the gardens around her. Celine had already been waiting for her when  Aurélie showed up, accompanied by Clara, who refused to look up at Aurélie once the younger companion had sat down at the table. 

After a while the cup that Celine was drinking from was placed down and she focused back on Aurélie. “I am sure our cooks have something you could eat and drink. Should I go get someone?”

“That will not be necessary,” Aurélie said, standing up and straightening out her skirts. “I will go myself and return shortly.” 

“It is no trouble to call someone.”

“I am sure it is not.”

With that Aurélie bowed her head and turned away from the table, making her way through the gardens and back to the front doors of the estate. She let out a deep breath once she was out of earshot, looking up at the sky and noting the position of the moon. Only one or two more hours and then the little picnic party would have to come to an end. 

Aurélie could not wait for that to happen. 

As the companion reached the bottom of the large staircase, she heard her name being called. Turning back around she was surprised to see Clara, slightly out of breath from trying to catch up to her. 

“Wait for me! I want to accompany you,” Clara said, switching to french and doubling over as she dropped the sides of her skirts. Her hair had fallen out of place, curls bouncing in all directions. “When did you get this fast?” 

Aurélie shrugged and turned back, wordlessly making her way up the stairs. Clara frowned and picked up her skirts once more, rushing up the stairs after her fellow companion. The young vampire woman fell into step with Aurélie, watching as she made her way through the estate. The scene in the broom closet earlier played through her head, her cheeks reddening. Out of all places for Aurélie to catch them, Clara did not expect to be reunited with her fellow classmate again in the tiny closet. She knew Aurélie to be reserved and proper, the scene earlier certainly having affected her. In their training days, the two of them spent countless hours revising the material they had learnt and regularly partaking in walks around the grounds of their old school. They used to be best friends, not a secret kept from one another. The younger companion was always quieter than the rest of the vampire girls, often refusing to speak up for herself. Any attempt of conflict was always met with a polite smile or a blank expression, one that Clara despised. She knew that Aurélie was strong and intelligent, her obedience often a facade to prevent being punished or bullied by the other girls. In a world where everyone was stronger and deadlier, with the ability to drain her completely, Aurélie had learned to stay quiet and be the perfect Dubois student. Clara had tried more than once to allow Aurélie to express herself properly without fearing for her life, yet the young companion never budged. The pair used to be close until Duke Delacroix came knocking on the doors of Dubois, whisking Clara away with him. 

Clara let Aurélie walk ahead, only speaking up when the younger companion began taking the wrong turns. “Here, let me guide you from here,” she said softly, stepping past Aurélie and leading her the right way. Aurélie nodded, still silent, letting herself be guided to the kitchens. She cursed at Duke Delacroix’s choice of floor plans, each corner and hallway of the estate looking exactly the same as the previous one. 

After a while, the cold and quiet hallways were filled with a familiar warmth, and both companions soon found themselves standing in front of the open doors of the kitchens. Clara stood to the side and beckoned Aurélie to step in, entering the kitchen after her fellow companion. It was quiet inside, not a single cook or staff member present. Compared to the Saint-Clair estate, the kitchen was bland. The large pots filled with various growing herbs were missing, the assortment of ornate plates and cutlery replaced with empty shelving. A single small window occupied one corner of the room, the wind pressing through causing the candles to flicker. A dimly lit fireplace occupied the left side of the room, while an open doorway immediately to the right of the main kitchen door revealed a large pantry, various sized barrels and kegs neatly lining the walls. As Aurélie stepped through, she noticed a few pieces of meat that were in jars of salt, alongside a small assortment of fruits and vegetables. 

“The cooks usually do not prepare the kind of food you eat, as I am sure you know,” Clara said, as she noticed Aurélie looking around confused at the lack of produce. 

“The more I stay here, the more I am convinced that Duke Delacroix forgot people like myself exist,” Aurélie said, speaking up for the first time. 

Clara bit her lip, scoffing after a while. “He has not forgotten. You can thank Celine for the lack of preparation and care that has been shown towards you.”

Aurélie turned around, looking at the companion with a puzzled expression. “What do you mean?” 

“Aurélie, I am so sorry that you had to witness me earlier. I begged Celine not to try anything while you were around but she would just not listen. She has been trying to make your stay a living nightmare since the night you got here.”

“I am well aware of that. She is doing quite a marvellous job,” Aurélie said, a little more harshly than she intended to. The companion waited a while, glancing to the side before exhaling and turning back to Clara. “I apologise for not having said much to you earlier. It has been years since I last saw you and here I am throwing a little tantrum instead of showing you any kindness.”

Clara quickly shook her head, stepping forward and grabbing Aurelie’s hands. “Do not apologise. I should have said something too. Look at you. You are all grown up now!” 

Aurélie smiled, squeezing Clara’s hands. She let out a relieved breath, smiling as Clara enveloped her in a big embrace. She felt her older companion pat her back and gently running her hands through Aurelie’s light hair. “We must speak openly while there are no staff around. The walls here have eyes and ears.”

Aurélie pulled away, looking at Clara confused. “What do you mean?” she asked with her voice lowered barely above a whisper. Clara stepped back out of the panty and quickly closed the kitchen doors, after glancing down both sides of the hallway. Once the doors were closed she grabbed Aurelie’s hand and pulled her along to the corner of the room, where a little bench rested next to the ovens. 

“It is so good to see you. I thought I would have to live to the end of my days trapped in this castle,” Clara confessed, sitting down and pulling down her younger companion. “Living here is a nightmare, Aurélie. When I left I never imagined I would have to endure the things Celine and the Duke do.”

With her breath caught in her throat and Amelie’s story running through her head, Aurélie grabbed Clara’s hands. “What are they doing to you?” 

“Oh just Celine being her usual bratty self while Delacroix asks us to accompany him to witness some rather unethical practices. There is a reason why no human ever shows up to his doorstep. There are barely any left in this area,” Clara whispered, shuddering. “I suggest you do not open the barrels in the pantry. They are the duke’s reserves. Those poor villagers.”

“Clara, do I even want to know?” Aurélie asked, looking at her fellow companion with furrowed brows. 

Clara shook her head. “All you need to know is that you need to be careful and to stand up for yourself. The Duke pays little mind to humans. I was hoping that you and Duke Saint-Clair’s son had grown close enough to spend almost every minute of the night together so that you would be safe and well looked after, but I have barely seen the two of you together.”

“What do you mean?” 

“We are companions, Aurélie. Trained to provide companionship to the sons and daughters of the richer and nobler families of our society. With that we deserve the same treatment and luxuries as they do. When you arrived here I for sure thought that you and Étienne were at least comfortable enough sharing a room so that whatever Celine had planned would all go to waste. I thought that her stunt with the room and the neglectful way the staff have been treating you did not matter because you would have always been within the presence of Étienne,” Clara explained, holding Aurelie’s hands in her own once more. “Is he not treating you well either?”

Aurélie quickly shook her head. “Do not worry about Étienne. I am performing my duties just fine. He has come to accept my presence since I started working for him. We do spend time together but Celine has made it rather difficult for us. ” 

Clara sighed, looking into the distance. She shook her head after a while and chuckled. “I do not like the way she uses me sometimes. I know we are companions and it is expected of us, yet I do not like to be used like that to hurt someone else. She knew where you were earlier and wanted you to see us. It is not hard to know where you are sometimes, you know. Ever since you were moved closer to Étienne she stopped spraying her perfume around the estate to mask your scent.” 

Aurélie felt herself grow angry, not believing her ears as Clara kept talking. 

“She is jealous of you. I learned that her and Étienne were supposed to be engaged to one another, before he broke off the relationship. Ever since then she has been hell-bent on ruining the life of anyone that gets closer to him. I had to witness the aftermath of that because I was hired just after it all happened. She can be so cruel and forceful.” 

The companion broke off, looking down at her hand that firmly had begun to grip Aurelie’s. Both women sat in silence, looking down at the floor. The fire in the fireplace continued to flicker, the crackling of the fire filling the silence. 

“I am sorry that you have to endure such conditions,” Aurélie whispered after a while, her heart heavy. She knew Clara to be kind and gentle, not one to partake in things that were not right. Often when the girls at Dubois would pick on her, Clara was the one to stand up for Aurélie. The older companion was the sister that Aurélie never had, helping her grow and become the young woman she was. 

“I know I am not supposed to talk badly about the person or the family that I am working for, but it is hard to tolerate life here sometimes. I have the luxuries that we were promised and Celine can be kind and generous when she wants to be, I just do not agree with some of the things that happen here. Duke Delacroix has been so agitated lately with this whole king business, while Celine just wants Étienne back and will try to do anything to have things her way.” Clara paused for a while before turning to Aurélie. “I cannot imagine how you must be feeling. To be thrown into this mess and then to be treated like this. It is horrible.” 

Aurélie smiled. “It is alright. I will survive and move on like I always do.” 

“Yes but you should not have to. I wish things were different. You deserve much better than this.”

Shrugging, Aurélie stood up and held out her hand. “This is the life that I trained for. Not everyone will agree with me being the way I am. I promise you, I will be alright.”

Clara let herself be pulled up, hugging Aurélie once more. “While you are here we must continue to meet. I know you are here until the end of September and I want to make sure we spend as much time as we can, before your long journey back home.”

Aurélie smiled and nodded. “I would love nothing more. We should head back soon though, there is no excuse that we have for taking so long to simply get a drink.”

Clara nodded, making her way back to the doors of the kitchens. Aurélie looked around the empty space once more, an important matter springing into her mind. 

“Clara, do you have any Ruta here?”

Clara cocked her head to the side, her eyebrow raised. She thought for a while before recognising the name. 

“I believe there might be some in the greenhouse. Celine is quite fond of gardening and has a collection of herbs and flowers. As her companion , neither her or I have use for it currently. I am guessing you need it desperately then?” 

Aurélie nodded, a faint pink hue appearing on her cheeks. 

“Well then, lets make you more tea,” Clara said, linking her arms with Aurélie and giving her fellow companion a wink. 

Both women began making their way out of the kitchens, returning to the garden where Celine was waiting for them after collecting the herbs Aurélie required. They smiled at each other as they sat down, Clara rolling her eyes as Celine launched into gossip about something she had seen her maids do. Aurélie was too busy to listen to the gossip, thinking about what Clara had told her. Fear starting to creep up her spine as she imagined what the poor people in the surrounding areas of the castle had to endure to end up in the barrels of Delacroix’s reserves. 

She would have to tread carefully.