When I come back into Virgil's room, he's still in the bed, but something feels off. My suspicions are confirmed when I climb onto the bed and hear how light his breathing is - too light to be asleep.
"Virgil," I say, but he doesn't react. "I know you're awake. Were you... listening?"
His eyes open and he looks at me with a mixture of guilt and sympathy. "I'm sorry…" He sits up across from me.
All I can do is look at his expression. Is he serious? But Virgil doesn't seem like the type to play up his emotions. "What...do you mean?" I ask hesitantly.
"I should have asked what was wrong," he mumbled. "I just wanted to make you feel better."
"So earlier, when you…" I feel my cheeks turn red. "That was to make me feel better?"
"Yeah, but you still ran off," he pouted.
I wrapped my arms around him, trying not to cry with happiness. "I thought it was for you..."
He squeezed me tightly back. "Don't leave me like that again."
I can't help but chuckle. "I'm not yours, you know."
"Can't you be?" he mumbles quietly into my ear, and my heartbeat spikes. "I'm not used to having to share my thralls."
Despite myself, my heart sinks a little. "Right…"
He pulls away and looks at me seriously, gripping my shoulders. "Don't worry. I'll take good care of you."
All I can do in response is nod quietly. Maybe he's just being a little possessive...but caring like this is better than nothing at all. I feel a little glow inside.
Then his eyes flick to my neck and he licks his lips. My heartrate shoots up again, but this time he's much better at controlling himself. He pulls me back into a gentle embrace before he sinks his fangs in, and sighs as he starts drinking. I just cling to his back until I lose consciousness.
I wake up to a familiar smell: the recovery soup, hot and sitting by the bed. I sigh as I pick it up, but when I take the first drink, it tastes a little different than usual.
"Virgil?" He looks up at me from his desk, where he has papers laid out neatly. "Did you add something to this?"
He beams brightly in return "Miso."
"I...think I've heard of that…" I murmur. "It's good. Can you show me how else I can use it?"
He nods and pushes his work aside to clamber onto the bed, eyes shining. "So, about that play…"
I sigh and lean back against the wall. I don't really want to deal with Dante today. "Well, I like the idea, but…"
"You don't think you can win Dante's game?" he asks, tilting his head to the side.
"It's not that…"
"It's okay," he says reassuringly. "I don't think any of us expected you to be able to anyway."
I fix him with a stare. "What's that supposed to mean?"
He shrugs. "I mean, he's a master at these things, even if it's something like this. No one expects a thrall to beat a vampire anyway."
Hearing this, my stubbornness flares and I make my decision immediately. "He's probably in the main room, right? Let's go." But when I move to stand up, my legs get tangled in the dress and I almost fall off the bed.
"Ugh. I need to go get my dress," I say, but Virgil catches my wrist.
"I have something you can wear," he says, cheeks flushed.
"It's fine, I washed my dress," I insist. "Besides, I don't know how to wear a kimono."
"I'll dress you," he says eagerly, then blushes when I raise my eyebrows at him with a wry smile. "I mean, I'll help you. It's not fair, anyway, everyone but me getting to see that..." he mumbles quietly.
"Alright, fine," I sigh. I sit on the bed to wait for him to bring everything out. These men and their tendencies are really getting tiring.
Virgil brings out a lilac-colored kimono and a pale gold obi. My annoyance disappears as I admire the fabric. It's dyed with a delicate floral pattern - wisteria, I realize as I take a closer look. I'm interrupted by Virgil tossing an undergarment and sash onto my lap.
"Put this on first."
In order to make the length match my height, he folds it along my waistline and ties it in place with a sash. The stiff obi keeps everything neatly in place, but it does feel a little restrictive. Once he finishes, Virgil twirls me in satisfaction. But seeing my back, he stops me. "Wait. I need to fix something."
He comes up behind me, reaches down to the two panels crossing my chest, and tugs at the collar. I feel my cheeks grow hot, but keep my composure. He runs his fingers along the hem until he reaches the back of my neck, and then pulls the collar down to expose my nape. I can't help but to reach for it self-consciously, but he pushes my hand away. "Stop. This is hard enough to do without the right kind of kimono." He fusses with it for a while longer before he's finally satisfied.
But when he comes around to face me again, he sighs and pulls me into an embrace. "Now I don't want to let you out," he pouts.
I giggle. "You brought this upon yourself. Come on, let's go. I need to beat that bastard at his game."
As expected, Dante is already sitting in the main room looking smug.
I sit down across from him, determined. "I have a better version of your game to play."
"Oh?" he asks, leaning forward. "I have better stakes for it."
"Your stakes first then," I reply.
"Not til I hear your game," he replies smoothly.
I roll my eyes. "Fine. I didn't change much, just made it more nuanced. We'll get a character, with a greatest dream, and a greatest fear. We'll each get five turns for ten rounds total.The final pair of endings will be written down and voted on in case neither of us can concede to the other's end. How does that sound?"
Dante smiles. "Very well. You're right, that is a much more interesting version. Virgil, could you give us our starting character?"
"Hmmm," Virgil's face draws into a thoughtful frown. "Let me think. Somewhere quiet…" He leaves the room.
With him gone, I'm alone with Dante. Even though we're sitting across from each other, his sheer size makes it feel like he's inches away as he leans towards me. "So. About my new stakes. I hope you'll accept them." His smile is sinister as he continues. "If I win, you'll stay by my side for the next three days. You'll call me Master-" his grin widens when he sees my expression sour- "and do whatever I ask of you with an obedient smile."
"And if I win? Would you be the servant instead?"
He looks shocked for a moment, then breaks back into a smile. "Oh? Would you like that?"
I imagine him with a simpering smile on his face, looming over me, offering to do every little thing… I frown. "No, definitely not. You would find a way to make it awful for me."
Dante just laughs. "I suppose you would think of it that way. No, what I actually had in mind was something I know you'll want. First, I'll take you outside tonight."
"Not alone?" I grumble.
"That's just to 'sweeten the deal', as you said." he replies. "Second, and more importantly. I will give you three days' worth of pure, uninterrupted alone time, usable any time. I'll enforce it myself. You'll be free to go wherever you want without being bothered."
"Well…" I begin. "I can't pretend that's not tempting. But don't you think that's not nearly equivalent to the punishment?"
"On the contrary," he replies. "Holding back three hungry vampires and your own hunger all at the same time is nothing compared to a bit of lost pride."
"Well, it's not pride that's my problem," I say, "But that's fair. Let's play, then."
Dante scoffs. "Not pride? Isn't that your crime in the first place? Too proud to accept your place as a thrall?"
I raise my eyebrow at him. "You're being too transparent in your attempts to make me angry. Just yesterday you said I was lying about the fact that I really am obedient. Which is it?"
Dante shrugs noncommittally. "Both can be true. It still stands that I don't believe your claim."
"Dante," I say seriously. "Pride is meaningless to me. But whatever." I shrug and sit back. "That's for you to find out if you win." I offer him a grin, and he leans back as well.
"Very well. Virgil? Do you have something for us?" he calls.
When Virgil re-enters, he's followed by Adrian and Lucien. They all sit on my side of the table, and Dante makes a face of mock disappointment. "What, am I that unloved?"
Virgil moves in to cling to my arm. "She's mine today."
"If you're that lonely, I can give you company," chuckles Lucien.
Dante makes a face at the suggestion. "No thank you. Anyway, Virgil, your character?"
Virgil grins. "Okay, so. I did some borrowing, but I'm sure neither of you know it, so it doesn't matter. So this character, she-"
"Get to the point, Virgil."
"Fine," he huffs. "Her greatest wish is to become a beloved actress. Her greatest fear is to be ignored and forgotten."
Dante turns his gaze back to me. "I'll begin, and let you have the last word."
I just nod, ignoring his smug expression.
"Unfortunately, she lived in a small town with little in the way of theatre."
"Fortunately, that meant the community theatre cost absolutely nothing to join, and with so few members, she had many opportunities."
"Unfortunately, they relied on her too much, to the point where they discouraged her from pursuing her dreams elsewhere."
"Fortunately, it was a growing town, and her small theatre became a seed for something bigger."
"Unfortunately for her dreams, she fell in love and became a mother."
My eyes narrow. "Fortunately, once her kids were a little older, her husband could take care of them more on his own while she continued to pursue her dreams at the theatre."
"Unfortunately, as a mother now growing older, she wasn't able to get many main roles anymore."
I could feel myself steaming. I could tell he was angering me on purpose from his small smile, but I couldn't help it. "Fortunately, these new adult roles that she was now getting were far more nuanced and complex than the main characters, and she drew attention this way."
His eyes narrow, but his smile widens. "Unfortunately, she became sickly as she got older, no longer able to take to the stage like she once did. She becomes bedbound as her children have children of their own."
Ugh, it annoys me so much how he sure he's won.
"Fortunately," I begin, "Her family has grown and is very close. Her voice is untouched, and she reads stories for her children and grandchildren. Soon, she's reading for the children of the whole town, pouring her love and passion into every story, until the illness finally takes her."
Dante's eyebrows raise, but his smile hasn't changed. "Your ending did nothing to fulfill her dreams, even if it is a 'happy ending'. Are you ready to call me 'Master', little bird?"
Now it's my turn to smile. "On the contrary. Her dream was specifically to become 'beloved'. Who loves more ardently than a child?"
He stares at me, then breaks out laughing. "You're right. I give. You'll have your three days of freedom."
"Freedom?" pipes up Virgil. "What are you talking about?"
"We changed the wager," replies Dante lightly.
I had completely forgotten about the play. "Sorry, Virgil...but you'll still join, won't you?" I ask Dante.
He raises an eyebrow. "That wasn't the terms."
"Oh please," I huff back. "You just wanted to play something, didn't you? Besides, you owe Virgil for giving us the seed for the game."
He sighs, but he's still smiling. "Fine. I'll join your play. I suppose I have nothing better to do until you become a good opponent anyway."
I just roll my eyes in response, but Virgil's practically sparkling.
He leaps from the couch. "I need to make copies!"
"You should have had more trust in me!" I call after him, but he's already gone.
But Dante pulls my attention back to him. "So. Tell me about this play."
"Ahh, right," I muse. "I think you'll enjoy it, actually. It's about a cursed princess who can't speak. She has to convince three princes that she had ignored in the past to wear shirts of nettle in order to break the curse."
"I see why he picked it," chuckles Lucien.
"Yes, it's strange how well it fits your situation," add Adrian.
"Except, I haven't done anything to any of you," I reply sourly."This isn't a fairytale."
"Oh, but we can make it one, can't we?" giggles Adrian. I ignore him.
"Anyway," I continue. "I think I know who Virgil will want each of you to play."