Beauty and the Vampires

Mia's POV

I was sitting in my room with Alice by my side.She was busy playing with her doll Anna, trying to comb her rough hair.

"You need a good shampoo bath Anna! Just look at your hair.They have become too rough." She whined in her little voice.

I couldn't help smiling.Alice had her own way of making me forget my worries.I stretched out my hand.

"Here! Let me help you."

She looked at me with suspicion arising in her eyes.She clutched the doll tightly.

"You promise not to hurt her?"

I laughed.

"Sweetie! I'll be gentle with her hair.Trust me."

She slowly smiled and handed over her most prized possession.

I knew what that doll meant to her.It was gifted to her by Lord Nicholas and lately I had been observing that she was talking about him a lot.

Her eyes twinkled whenever she talked about the Lord of Nightfall. The Lord too seemed to be fond of her but he was a royal blood vampire who decieved and manipulated people for his own benefit.

I was worried for Alice.She was just seven and didn't deserve to be in the middle of all this.

I had even tried to send her back to Aunt Rose but each time she would refuse adamantly with Lord Nicholas fully supporting her.

Things were getting difficult like this.I had decided to see Lucinda today.It had been long since I last met her.

I walked through the corridors, my feet carrying me towards Gabe's room.I took two flights of stairs and reached the royal area.This area was lined with rooms that belonged to the Lord's royal advisors.

All around me I could see the maids and servants busy carrying out their numerous duties.

I reached in front of Gabe's room.I gently knocked.

Within a few minutes I heard the door click open revealing Gabe.

"Oh Mia.It's been long.Come inside." He opened the door a little more to give me access.

I entered and found Lucinda standing.She looked much better than I last saw her.Colour had returned to her cheeks.

Her red hair were tied in a pony tail and she looked well kept.

She gave me a slight nod with a little smile.

I nodded and returned the gesture.

"Sorry Gabe.I didn't mean to disturb you but it had been quite some time since I last met Lucinda.So I thought of paying her a visit." I bowed while giving my explanation which Gabe seemed not to like too much.

He frowned.

"You come to meet Lucinda Mia but not me? I thought we were friends too." His brows furrowed a little in playful indignation.

I smiled a little, the Chief Advisor hadn't lost his playfulness yet.

"You are the first vampire friend I made here Gabe.You will always be special."

He smiled slightly.If vampires could blush, his cheeks would be red by now.

I heard a slight chuckle and my head snapped in Lucinda's direction.

She chuckled but quickly went back to keeping that sombre expression on her face.

Gabe shook his head in amusement and said, "I'll leave you both."

Me and Lucinda had a lot to talk about.She told me how Gabe had started treating her well.She looked happier now.

After some time I went to the kitchen to meet my friends Holly, Edith and Henry.

"Hiya Mia!Long time no see." Henry greeted me while stirring the soup.

"Things are going haywire.Aunt Rose is calling Alice home but she won't relent." I shrugged my shoulders.

"Ah you poor soul! So much to bear at such a young age." He gave my shoulders a light squeeze.

"You could bribe the girl, sweetie.Just tell you will spoil her with goodies if she changes her mind." Edith chimed in.

I laughed, "Why do you think I haven't tried that.She has Lord Nicholas backing her."

"I must say the Lord has taken a liking to her." Edith spoke amidst the smoke coming out of the god-knows-what dish she was preparing.

"Honey! What is it that you're stirring in that pot?" With his face tightened Henry asked her.

"Oh it's my new invention.It's a mushroom soup!" She beamed in excitement while pouring a bunch of chopped onions inside.

No sooner had she done that, a fire broke out of the utensil startling her and Henry who were standing too close.

They immediately took a few wobbly steps backwards, their expressions wide in horror.

"Edith!You silly girl!What did you do?Chef Jackson won't spare us." Holly reprimanded her.

Edith quickly caught hold of the pot with a cloth as the fire subsided and placed it down on the kitchen slab.

As we were trying to make head and tail of the situation we heard footsteps.

"Quick! Hide the pot."Henry bellowed.

Within a few seconds we had placed the pot inside one of the kitchen cabinets.

Just then Chef Jackson entered.

"What's this smell?" He sniffed his nose in the air.

"What smell?We can't smell anything." I shook my head at him.

"Are you trying to say that I am hallucinating Miss Mia?" His eyes widened in a threatening stance.

"N-No that's not what I meant!" I quickly stated, trying to calm him down.

"Edith!" His voice boomed.

"Have you been trying any of your nonsensical recipes that you've been forbidden to try?" His eyes were directly stationed at the poor girl who stood shivering with her both hands folded in front.

"I-I.." She stammered.

"Jackson, I love your recipes and I don't mind trying something new once in a while." Lord Damian stood at the entrance with his both hands in his pockets.

His hair were well kept and his eyes bore no expression as usual.His devil-may-care attitude could send shivers down anybody's spine.

Chef Jackson immediately bowed his head low and remarked, "Milord! I was just trying to teach my staff some manners so that they could be of high service to you."

"Edith is of valuable service to me Jackson.I loved your red chilli soup the last time you served." He tilted his head slightly and gave a wink to Edith.

Her eyes went wide and her cheeks flushed.

I felt a little uneasy.Why does the Lord have to be a casanova?

"B-but milord! Her soup caused half of the human guests to choke! Sir Parker nearly died of it." Chef Jackson sounded flabbergasted.

"Ah Parker!" Lord Damian smiled cockily. "That was a fine way of shutting up that big mouth of his.Spared me the trouble of ripping his heart out." He gave a mischievous smile, his brown eyes twinkled.

With that, he turned around and left leaving us all dumbfounded.