"You can feed from me" Isabella said, smiling sheepishly while we walk towards the wagon. l will die if l ever do that!
"Thank you" l replied politely but curtly enough to shut her running mouth up
"Gabbriel, did you see that useless Marina?" Isabella continued, shunning my rude tone. Marina is a very rich human Lady who got her riches from the blood market. However, she became a vampire all of a sudden, claiming to have been taken advantage of by a raging turned vampire and merely escaping death by a thin line. Rumours have it that she willing surrendered herself to be turned but was able to escape punishment with her false stories. Isabella have always hated Marina for reasons unknown and always looked down on and threatened her for the fact that she is a human so when she was turned, Isabella felt she would no longer be able to instigate fear in Marina again. What a bully!
"And how is she useless? She makes blood available for you"
"What? Let the blood market law be revoked, see if l won't make blood available for myself in abundance"
"Well, you and l know that that can't happen so...she makes blood available for you"
"We can make it happen Gabbriel, we just need to form a rebel against the crazy ministers that made crazy laws" Isabella said, her eyes filled with hope which l was fast to kill
"No!"
"Why?"
"I stand with the right people"
"So you think they are right?"
"Yes. They are right. Eradicating the blood market law will make the world too bloody. You might think humans are weak and all but they are creatures that will do anything to keep living. They can seek help from the wolves, witches or Ghouls and you know that when that happens, we are all dead meat. Humans will make all living souls including themselves go extinct by the time we fight each other and kill each other. The aftermath will be too devastating."
"The witches and other creatures won't be stupid enough to help them"
"You think so? Just so you know, Werewolves will jump on any chance to come at us. Witches would not think twice before killing both vampires and werewolves to increase their territories and the ghouls? They will kill anything killable. Even the humans that asked for help"
"Eeewww ghouls are such a stupid creature"
"Very stupid" l concluded. We entered the wagon and journeyed home in silence. The both of us lost in our own thoughts.
★★★
"l heard news that people are dying outside. They said the people are killed by wide animals" Gerl said in an attempt to start a discussion since everyone is silent. The only sound that could be heard is the sound of utensils and dishes as we clean the kitchen
"What?? And where did you hear the news?" Penny asked, disbelief lacing her tone
"It is true. l heard it from one of the guards when Lady Quinn sent me to the Estate" Lola defended
"Please is it really killing people like that?" l asked in concern as l thought of my aunt and her family
"Rumour has it that they've recorded over a hundred death" Lola said
"What??" Almost every maid in the kitchen screamed. "That is such a huge number!"
"Please l want to check up on my family" Grace'cried
"Me too" l agreed
"Ohhh really? l thought you are making a family here already" Danielle scoffed, her eyes looking pointedly at me
"What do you mean?" l queried
"Sorry Vanessa, l am beginning to speak rubbish. l drank some vinegar" Danielle replied. l stated at her for a while looking for traces of lies and it is written all over her that she did not speak the truth. Something is wrong somewhere. 'l will speak to her later' l concluded
"What do you think the Lord and Lady would be doing at this moment?" Bruse asked skeptically
"Of course, they will be holding each other lovingly, looking into each other's eyes and speaking their vows over and over again in the presence of people of great importance" Gerl said dreamily
"You seem to have pictured everything in that tiny brain of yours" Grace said, amazed at Gerl's description
"You left out the blood convenant!" Danielle chirped in
"Ohhh that too!" Gerl said, chuckling
l felt waves of guilt and remorse wash over me. Am l a devil? Do l want to ruin the sweet matrimony? What if l were Lady Quinn? Would l like someone leaching off my marriage? My heart felt heavy as the girls kept ranting on and on about the couple's festival
"What do Vanessa have to say about the couple?" Danielle suddenly asked me jolting me out of my thought. Why is this girl suddenly interested in my opinion?
"Err...of course! They are such a lovely couple" l said, plastering a fake smile on my face
"Lord and Lady Quinn are back!!" Dija yelled as we all rushed outside to welcome them
★★★
Today is a work day and l am prepared for the office. As usual, a high class ladylike dress have been made available for me and l fitted in well with my shape and swell. Grace has made my hair and face to her style and l am once again looking gracious and charming however, my heart is filled with fear as this is the first time l will be going to the office with Lord Quinn in the presence of Lady Quinn. l fear her reaction would be disheartening.
"The head maid is yet to call you. Why is that? Why don't you go and check up on Lord Quinn yourself? He might be waiting for you" Grace voiced her concern after waiting for a long time without traces of the head maid. She comes to inform me that Lord Quinn is set anytime l am to go to the office but she did not show up today.
"No. The head maid will inform me when it is time" l replied
"Have you seen the head maid around since the couple's festival yesterday? I think she has been sent on an errand by the Lord or the lady. Go and check Lord Quinn yourself" Grace argued.
It is not like l don't want to check Lord Quinn myself, l am just scared of lady Quinn. Her warning since the first day l was brought here still rings loudly in my ears. l don't want to get on her bad side.
"Let us wait a bit. Then if the head maid still doesn't come, l will go myself." l told Grace skeptically, desperately praying for the head maid to show up. My prayers were unanswered as the head maid still doesn't come after a considerable long time. l tried to prolong the time but Grace had had enough. She forced me out of the maid quarters and watched me as l go up the stairs. My heartbeat wouldn't calm as l took each step. What if Lady Quinn is mad at my change in service and would not let me follow Lord Quinn? l hope she deciphers that l was choosen against my will to work in the office and l never wished to. l need Lord Quinn's room and was about to knock when a female's voice resounded from the room. l pauses to listen
"She would not follow you. l do nothing at home and l can as well speak the foreign language fluently. l am learned, l can do whatever she does for you in the office"
My heart broke in realisation that l am the one that is being talked about by the couple. l really don't want to go to the office anymore. l pray Lord Quinn heeds to lady Quinn
"I chose her already Isa. l know you are learned but a Lady like you is meant to stay at home and control the home while the Lord works. It would not sit well with our parents or the workers if they see you with me in the office and you know how fast news spread. l don't want to be tagged the merciless husband who subjects his wife to ill treatment by making her work for him in his office. Do you want a bad name for me?"
"No l don't but still..."
"Issa please understand. l need to go now"
I quickly knocked the door so l won't be caught eaves dropping by the Lord when he opens the door
"And who is that?" Lady Quinn yelled in frustration and my lips quivered at the anger in her voice
"It is Vanessa, my Lady. l came to inform Lord Quinn that l am prepared" l rushed out in a small voice
"And why do you have to do that? You have no right! Go back to the servant quarters where you belong. He will send for you when he is set" Lady Quinn replied bitterly
"Yes, my Lady" l replied as l took to my heel, the need to exit their quarters consuming me. 'Why did she have to say that? Must she be so harsh to me? l am human too!' l thought as tears threatened to spill out. l went outside to wait by the wagon as l don't want Grace to see my pathetic self. Why me? Lord Quinn is making me follow a dangerous path. My wait was not long as Lord Quinn finally joins me. He is richly dressed in gold robe that effortlessly showcased wealth and position. l bowed on seeing him and made for the wagon. l three caution in the wind and went against whatever ladylike rule l was observing before and climbed the wagon. Amazement and confusion defined Lord Quinn's handsome face but l cared less. He is making things difficult for me and he wants to get me killed in the hands of his wife. He hopped into the wagon too and the malemaid reared the engine. Throughout the journey to the office, l kept my head down and played with my fingers. l said no word neither did Lord Quinn. We settled in the office and Lord Quinn gave me some paperwork and documents to sort out the way he had thought me some days ago and l started working immediately trying my possible best to ignore him. Lord Quinn seems to be unsettled about my behaviour as he kept trying to make me notice him. He eventually talked when he saw that l am not fazed by his character