Page 9 of Indentured Companion
“Is it?” I grumble, swinging my legs out of bed and rubbing my hands up and down my face.
“Indeed!” Oh, Space Dracula sounds giddy to get his fangs in me. “Now please make use of the shower and the facilities. Take two Regen pills, and don’t worry if you feel a tad bloated. That will soon pass once I’ve fed off you.” Come to think of it, I did feel a bit bloated. Not swollen, per say, but uncomfortable. I checked my digits to make sure, and everything looked normal. “I would like to return in 30 minutes for the feed. Then you will need to take two more Regen pills and rest. How about afterward, you and I go and dock on the Vega 4 starbase and go site seeing? How does that sound?”
“Peachy.” He can’t tell, but I have a sarcastic smile on my face as I get my ass out of bed. Itsoundsawful. I don’t care how much he’s treating this like a spa treatment, let’s not paint a worm and call it a snake. It’s still a worm. He is still a space vampire about to bite my neck and drink my blood. Three times a day. For a year. And I signed up for this shit. “I’m heading to the shower now.”
“Wonderful. I will return in 28 minutes.” I full on glare at the door. Oh, so the timer started from the moment he woke me up, did it? I think less than pleasant things about my master, but then again, first thing in a morning pre-coffee, I think nasty things about anyone in close proximity. Even Cassie has been known to forget this rule and flee from the sarcasm tsunami that comes her way as a consequence. Normally to return with a cup of coffee like a sacrificial offering. Oh, and that reminds me, whilst I’m on an internal rant and stripping out of my sleeping clothes to get in the shower. I have to go a whole year without caffeine or alcohol!
No joke.
“Why can’t I order coffee?”
“Because that particular stimulant can give me indigestion.”
“So I can’t have coffee?”
“Afraid not.”
“…what about wine?”
“Do you mean Ethanol? No, no Alcohol. It makes me nauseous.”
“…”
I’m pretty sure I would have still signed the contract even if he had told me beforehand that I had to treat my body like a hippie temple so his food source was clean, but I grumbled to myself how I keep getting shafted in this deal. Still, I remind myself as I lather my body with fancy soap in the luxury walk in shower. “My life could be so much worse right now.” I run my hands back through my hair to rinse out the shampoo. “I could be casteless, on the street, starving and begging for rations, and fighting off other casteless for the clothes on my back. Or being attacked. Or trafficked.” Yeah, let’s be real here? I could have had much worse Indentured contracts than this one. Once you get over the whole, neck biting and blood drinking part, I am being pampered by the Dynast. Yalla made it clear that most young women in my desperate position who needed a quick escape from destitution ended up as sexual companions. I much prefer being a pampered blood bank, than a sex slave, thank you very much. “At least the Dynast is polite.”
He has his own end game though. This is as much about feeding his needs with the real deal, rather than a synthetic substitute, as it is a political move for his people. Going to sight see later will be more about other people seeingustogether, than it is about us seeing the sights of Vega 4. I amnotan idiot, but I’m in no position to say no…so…better get this over with.
I brush my hair and deftly weave it into a basic, but practical, four strand plait. I use a hair tie I found in a dresser table with the hair brush to tie off the end. He said that we were going out later, so I put on nude underpants, strapless bra, black chiffon trousers that flare out to the ankles, and a shoulderless long sleeved green thin sweater. I will be asking for shoes before we leave though, as I still haven’t found where they are being hidden. Surely, if he stocked out a wardrobe with different kinds of clothes and different sizes, he had to have bought some shoes? Come on. I chug back the two Regen pills and some water, and at what I expect to be exactly 28 minutes since he said he would, I hear a knock at the bedroom door.
“Miss Stone? Are you ready for me?” As ready as I’m ever going to be. I clear my throat and hurry to make the bed. I have no idea why, but I feel like I should have a neat bed when I’m fed on like a portable juice box. “Miss Stone?”
“Yeah, ready.” I call out and turn to face the door as it opens. The Dynast stands there in a long flowing blue chiffon headdress, but something is off. His robe has a wrap around belt around it, rather than the usual all in one piece he normally wears. It also seems like there are less layers beneath it as well, sitting more snuggly to his form. I can also see the tips of long black hair sticking out from the hem of his headdress.
“Miss Stone.” He sounds just as weary as I feel. “I have only fed on you once, and it was in a hurry in the Indentured Services office.”
“Yeah?” I remember, Dracula, I was there. I fold my arms and raise a brow, unsure why he was bringing that up now?
“Do you remember that I said you couldn’t watch me, because you hadn’t signed the confidentiality agreement yet?” I nod, vividly remembering how freaky it was with my eyes shut as he bit me. “Well?” He closed the door behind him and took a tentative step towards me. “You have now. So…I should like…that is, if you promise not to, well, reactunpleasantly…” He seems nervous. I’m not used to seeing him look nervous. Not that I know him very well. He waves a gloved hand up and down his body and clears his throat. “Well, that is, traditionally, unless out of the home and in a feeding approved facility…the…well, Korvis would be…” He brings a hand to his chest and I see he’s shaking. “…exposed. Without one’s…veil. Or robe.”
“Oh.” I lower my arms and realise what he’s saying. “You mean you’re asking if you can take off your robe and headdress?” He nods once. “As long as I promise not to freak out?” He chuckles at my lack of subtlety, but nods again regardless. “Erm, okay.”
“You give consent?” He sounds anxious. “For me to unveil myself for the feeding?”
“Yeah. I mean, you’re not going to be naked, are you?” I back track quickly. I am super curious what he looks like under there, but I’m not prepared for a face full of space Dracula wang. Whatever that might look like. I also want to keep this about feeding, and not sexual, as the whole point of me agreeing to this was because the alternative was a sex slave and I don’t want that.
“Oh, goodness, no!” He squeaks and I bit my lips to try and contain how amusing that was. “I am wearing shorts beneath. To cover my…” I raise a brow. “…modesty…”
“Modesty huh?” I snort. Good lord. Space Dracula is shy of his man-parts. I smile, pleased that he has no intention of sharing hismodestywith me. If my clothes can stay on and mymodestyis also ‘secure’, and he doesn’t attack me, I’m good. “Can I stay dressed like this?”
“Yes. Your attire is ideal. I shall endeavour to be as neat as possible.” He nods and takes another step towards me. “Are you ready Miss Stone?”
“Yup.” I flip my braid away from the left side of my neck and demand my heart get out of my stomach and calm the hell down. “I’m ready.”
“In that case?” He takes a big breath and reaches for his headdress with both hands. “So am I.”
Chapter 11
The unveiling
