Once Adrian finishes drinking, he picks me up gently and places me down on the bed. "You rest, I'll bring you something to eat." I nod and lay back, trying to think of how to stave off the sleepiness already pulling at my eyelids.
But as soon as Adrian's gone, Virgil creeps into the room with something clutched in his hands.
"Virgil?" He doesn't meet my eyes as he sets it down on the bed. It looks like a cloak. "That's right," I recall. "Adrian asked you to bring something. Virgil, why would you have clothes I could wear?"
"I own a theatre," he replies, and comes closer to examine the velvet dress. "This isn't bad, considering he doesn't know what he's doing."
"Really? Why didn't you mention that before?"
He shrugs. "It didn't come up." Then he starts pulling up the hem of the dress, and I kick his arm away.
"Hey. What are you doing?" I ask, flustered.
"Just looking at the construction," he replies innocently. " I can't tell from the outside. Now hold still." He holds my ankle and turns up the inside of the hem, more carefully this time. Then, he pulls me forward and looks at the bodice. Without warning, he starts tugging the strap down, trying to pull it off.
"Virgil!" I slap at his hands. "Can't you just say something?"
"It's easier this way. Just let me do it," he insisted, continuing to pull it down my shoulder.
"You can't take it off," comes Adrian's voice from the doorway. "Trying to steal my prize?"
Virgil and I respond simultaneously.
"You invited me."
"I'm not a prize."
Virgil looks at Adrian with a pout. "I'm just trying to look at your craftsmanship. It's not up to you whether she takes it off or not."
"It's not up to you, either," I respond sourly. "But that's not the problem. Adrian sewed me in. I can't take it off without ripping it."
"Oh." Virgil suddenly runs his finger down my spine, and I stiffen in response. The dress loosens and falls forward, and I clutch it to myself.
"Virgil!" I cry, but he's already trying to pull it off. Adrian's just giggling as he watches. "Why are you so intent on getting this off of me, anyway?"
"He owns a theatre," Adrian responds. "And apparently he's extremely specific about his productions." He leans forward and helps free me from the dress, but when I try to get off the bed to put something on, he pulls me into his embrace instead and I give up. At least I still have the bathing dress on.
"Adelaide," begins Virgil with an unusually serious expression. "I have something I want you to read."
"Alright…" I respond hesitantly. "But what's with that expression?"
Adrian leans over my shoulder. "He wants you to roleplay for him, naturally."
"Stop calling it that!" replies Virgil, but his cheeks still turn pink. "I just was curious if she could act…"
"That sounds like fun, actually." I reply with a grin. "Why don't we all do something together?"
"I'd be glad to, as long as I could play your lover," says Adrian gleefully.
I roll my eyes. "That's not the point."
"It doesn't matter," responds Virgil. "No one else will want to do it. Can't you just try it for me?"
I feel my cheeks turn red at his pleading eyes, even though I know he's not technically asking for anything risque. Behind me, Adrian giggles.
"Well, fix my dress first," I huff, clambering off the bed. "I need some real clothes on before I can have a proper conversation."
"You didn't mind in the bath~!" calls Adrian as I move behind the screen.
I don't even bother to answer, but then I hear Virgil's voice. "Oh, that's a relief."
I peek my head out to glare at him. Adrian looks disappointed that Virgil didn't take the bait.
"I told you he hasn't gotten anything...special from me," I huff. "Why didn't you believe me?"
Virgil raises his eyebrows skeptically. "Well, I know Adrian, and you don't seem especially...resistant to his charms."
"It's a choice," I reply curtly. Since the two of them are not making any progress on the dress, I change back into the shift so I can finally eat. Eventually they get back to the dress and thread one of Adrian's shoelaces through the back panels so I can wear it normally. The thick velvet skirt feels like a cozy blanket, threatening to pull me into healing sleep. But I'm tired of sleeping my days away. "Virgil, what did you want me to read?" I ask, sitting up. He stands and silently takes my hand to lead me to his room, but Adrian stops me by clinging onto me.
"She's mine for the day," he pouts. "I'm keeping her."
"Don't be so childish," I argue, but he just clings on tighter. "Do you mind bringing it to me, Virgil?" I ask.
Adrian giggles. "That'll never happen. He's very protective of his books."
"Sure," replies Virgil without hesitation, and leaves the room to fetch it.
"Ha-ha," I tease, poking at Adrian's nose. "I'm starting to think the only one he doesn't get along with is you."
"Oh, shush," he pouts, but he's smiling as he settles onto my lap.
Virgil comes back with the anthology of plays and plops it next to me.
I read the title. "The Nettle Princess."
Virgil nods happily and climbs onto the bed as well to peek over my shoulder. "You didn't bring anything else for you to read?"
"W-well, I need to be able to answer any questions you might have," he responds. "Anyway, just read it. I thought it was fitting, you'll see."
I shrug and settle in to read. It's about a princess who, after refusing to speak to any of the suitors her parents had picked out for her, was cursed by her voice being locked away. To get it back, she had to weave three shirts out of nettle, and then convince the three suitors that she had snubbed to put them on. It was immediately obvious why he had picked this play, even though the princess hardly ever spoke. I find myself imagining all the different ways she might elicit each response from the princes - with almost no context, it's left almost entirely up to my imagination. Despite myself, though, I feel my eyelids sinking lower and lower, and eventually give into sleep.
I hear a deep voice pulling me from my nap. "I have to say, this is tempting." I open my eyes to see Dante looming over the bed. I try to sit up, but both Adrian and Virgil have a tight hold on me. "I was wondering where everyone else went. Looks like they were captured by the human's wiles."
"Is that really how you see me?" I ask with a frown. He just chuckles in response, and I struggle to escape my two bedmates' grasp. What is it with sleeping vampires being so clingy? They all do it, I've noticed, which is why I usually snuck away after waiting for them to fall asleep first. Not so easy to do that in this house.
"Is it really that hard to wake them up?" asks Dante with a sigh. "I've been terribly bored all day, and playing with Lucien has not been as rewarding as I'd hoped."
"You're no better yourself, you know," I grumble, still struggling. "Besides, these two are especially stubborn. Virgil's a heavy sleeper."
"That's true," comes Lucien's voice, "but Adrian's already awake."
I look over to him, and see the corner of his mouth twitch. "Dammit, Adrian," I grumble, and shove at his face. But he's prepared this time, and I yelp as he nibbles at my finger. I yank it back and accidentally hit Virgil in the ribs, who groans and finally opens his eyes.
"Well, now that everyone's awake, why don't we head to the main room?" chuckles Dante, already heading into the hall.
I fell asleep before I finished the play, so I bring it with me. I find a corner to settle into, and thankfully, the four men all ignore me while I read.
The story takes an unexpected turn right before the end, and I find myself enjoying it a lot more. I sigh with satisfaction, and set it on the table to go get myself some food.
In the quiet kitchen, I find myself musing agan on how to sneak out. It's almost night - which is to say, it's almost morning, and I haven't seen the sun in ages.
...Unfortunately, I'm not given the chance. Virgil peeks his head into the kitchen, his eyes shining. "Adelaide. Dante says he'll join the play if you beat him in a game."
"It's a play now?" I ask, but he just grabs my hand and tugs me back into the main room.
Dante smiles at me over his steepled fingers, and I immediately get a bad feeling. But I'm tired of everyone else having the upper hand over me.
"Before you say whatever it is you have to offer," I say, taking a seat opposite him. "Just know you'll have to sweeten the deal."
His grin widens. I may have instead walked right into his plan, now that I think about it. "That means your defeat will be even more bitter, little bird. Are you sure you can handle that?"
"It depends," I reply doubtfully. "What are you up to, anyway?"
"You know the game, 'Fortunately, Unfortunately?"
"Well, yes," I reply. "But it's a children's game. Why did you pick that?"
His expression turns a little sour as he shrugs. "There's hardly anything else you know the rules to. And it needs to be fair."
"Well, I appreciate that, I suppose. How are you going to use that in a bet?"
"Virgil is going to give us the starting point. I'm going to try and kill the main characters, while you're going to try and keep them alive."
"Hmm." I frown. "You make that sound easy, but I know it's not. Can't I be the one killing them?"
Dante throws his head back in a laugh. "Never heard that from a human before. But unless you want to give up your demand, no, it's staying this way."
"I don't want much!" I protest, but Lucien shakes his head.
"On the contrary, what you want is quite the demand."
"How do you know?" I ask, shooting him a glare.
"You want to go out during the day, don't you?" he asks, leaning forward with a knowing smile.
"What's so bad about that?" I ask. "Humans don't do well never seeing the sun, you know.
Dante leans forward as well. "You forget, little bird, that you're just a commodity here. Just because you're rare doesn't mean you're any less here for us."
I feel myself go cold with anger. "If you're trying to goad me into taking your shitty deal, it's not going to work."
Dante's smile feels cold and sharp. "It's the truth. You've gotten awfully full of yourself since living here. You really shouldn't forget your place."
I stand up, trembling with anger and hurt. Before I do anything stupid, I turn around and leave the room.
I can hear Adrian's voice from the hallway. "You've been spending too much time with Lucien. You'll never get her to play with you that way." I start walking faster.
I hear hurried steps behind me, and whirl around with my hands ready to protect me from whatever's coming. But it's Virgil, looking worried.
"You should come to my room. I'll keep you safe for the night."
"Promise?" My rage from the heat of the moment has dissipated, and I find myself feeling vulnerable.
Virgil nodded and stepped forward, but I stepped back instinctively. He held his hands out like he was soothing a hurt animal. "I'm the youngest one here. I remember better than they do what it was like." He moves slowly forward and pulls me into his arms. "Come on, before they decide to follow."
I nod and let him lead me to his room. Thankfully, he seems to understand that I need some space, and sits in a different chair from me, facing the doorway.
All the thoughts that I usually keep down come swirling up to the surface. It's one thing to know in your heart that the people around you see you as nothing more than a tool, but it's a whole new pain hearing it confirmed so bluntly. I simultaneously hate how stubbornly vampires refuse to acknowledge humans and hate how I've failed to be enough to change their mind. Not clever enough. Not interesting enough. Not strong enough. When I let these things consume me, I can't be bright enough to show that humans can be brilliant at all. And I know in my heart that it makes sense to hurt so much. No one can be normal, treated like livestock for their whole lives. Especially now that I'm alone with no other humans to understand my feelings. But I also know in my mind that this is how it's always been, and I should be used to it by now. I have a goal to fight for. I know I need to pull myself together, but my heart won't play along and I just can't. Quietly, I get up out of my chair and move into the other room, which is absolutely cluttered with books and paraphernalia. I watch the doorway for a moment, but Virgil doesn't move. I feel myself already shuddering and clutch at my skirt, bunching it up into my face to hide the sound of my desperate sobbing.