Chapter 7: The soul of the flowers
Belladonna:
I can bet where that old dog, Gaius, has dragged the vampire off to. If he didn't feel attracted to the former hero, we wouldn't be in here. I watch, as the delectable blonde flower, Elisa, puts little Nico down for the night.
She gives him a hug, and then a kiss on the forehead. She is so… I wonder if the barn is free now. Gaius better not decide to sleep inside. Elisa's eyes land on me, and I give her a small smile. She bites her lower lip, a move so subtle, that if I hadn't been staring at her lips, I would have missed it.
The former lady makes her way to the fire, and then pours herself some tea from the pot. Something I am yet to see too far from the hearth. She comes to the table, and places her cup down.
"Mint," Elisa says, breaking me out of my staring match.
"Excuse me, dear?" I all but purr. That seems to make her uncomfortable.
"Mint. The tea is with mint," she smiles nervously at me, and then nods towards the pot. "There is plenty left in the pot."
"Hm, thank you for the heads-up," I, just because I feel that I should stop staring at the petite morsel, go to the hearth, and pour myself a cup as well.
The scent of the mint, spicy, and with a touch of freshness, makes me wonder just from where Sebastian got it. Mint should be the last thing someone would look after, now that carrots and turnips have become the new star of the markets.
I look around, and find that there is no honey anywhere. Well, fine. It is not like I want to insult my hostess. I hear her sip on her tea, and return back to my spot by the window.
"So, what is your story, dear?" I ask Elisa, and her eyes shift to Nico.
"He doesn't know."
"I bet he is already asleep, dear flower," and that is because I put him to sleep. But I don't want for her to know that.
Her eyes shift once more towards Nico. He shifts in his covers, and turns his back to us. I can see that Nico is taking up the only bed in the small farmhouse. One cannot call either Sebastian or Elisa bad parents.
"Well, I had a good family, once," I wonder, why is it once. I sip from my tea cup, and then let her continue. "My father remarried, and then became a gambler."
"Well, things happen," this still doesn't explain why Elisa is now the maid of a vampire.
"My stepmother sold me to a brothel," she bows her head, and then looks out of the window. "The Madam decided to starve me, until I caved. But I didn't cave. I still think that Sebastien was a gift from the gods."
I hum, and look her straight in the eyes.
"Why didn't you run away?"
"Run away?" She blinks at me like an adorable kitten. It takes my whole restraint, to not gobble her up.
Careful now, Bella, the girl is a wounded doe. She will not take well to a puma. Not even a well-meaning one.
Still, I lick my lips.
She looks down at her tea. I can see that she wants for this conversation to be over as soon as possible.
"There was a bouncer at the brothel," it is but one excuse. I can see that she has the victim mentality. I pride myself in empowering the flowers I pick from their half-collapsed gardens. So, I don't leave her an escape route.
"A tumble with the bouncer would have solved that problem. You are young, pretty, and smart. More than a little stubborn, if you really managed to starve yourself, until your shining knight came along."
"Sebastien is not a shining knight," true, that. Gaius is probably doing his best to fuck the stubbornness out of him, as we speak.
"But he still saved you," she nods, and tears up.
"It is just that… I loved her. As a daughter should love a mother. I looked after her daughters. My half-siblings. When the servants had to be dismissed, I took up the slack. They were my family, and yet."
I stand up, and go to her. Taking her hand, I look her straight in the eyes.
"Do you want to forget? The pain, the disappointment?" I kiss her knuckles, my message clear. She looks at me with wide eyes.
"But, you and Gaius…" she mumbles, and I smirk.
"Gaius has another feeder. I am no rapist, though. If you don't want to be my lover, I won't push," I lean in, and bury my nose in her nape. "What do you think about that?"
"I need time," time is a dangerous thing, my dear. For, I am getting hungrier by the hour. I wish to tell her this, but I hold my tongue.
"If you want to be my lover, you will have to give. But I agree that it can't be now. We can't leave little Nico all by himself. What if someone wanders in?" I kiss her nape. A featherlight kiss full of promises.
"What are you?" Elisa asks, as she relaxes into my hold. I am not even using my pheromones. I love it when the flowers want to be plucked.
"A succubus. Does that worry you?"
"Can you feed from kisses as well?" Her question catches me unawares. I turn to face her. Her soft lips are inviting. Her half-lidden eyes even more so.
"I can, dear," even though it is not optimal.
"Good, I don't want for you to go hungry," and my appetite evaporates. She doesn't want for me to go hungry? I get out of her personal space, and go back to my seat.
"What did I say?" It is like a spell has been lifted from her.
"You don't respect yourself, dear Elisa. When you begin to care only about your desire, and not about the desire of others, then I will be glad to make you my better half," I take my cup, and sip on the hot mint tea, as she stares down at her hands.
The door opens, and Sebastian and Gaius come in, with silly smiles on their faces, and a plan. Finally, we are going to do something about the coughing sickness.
