A Little Respect Ch. 02

Author's Note: I would just like to thank everyone who read the first installment of 'A Little Respect'. It was supposed to be a one off, but after having such a positive response, I have decided to continue with the characters and develop their situation into more of an actual story. I just hope everyone enjoys it! Thanks for the comments too, any kind of response to my work is always appreciated.

Thanks and hugs.

LTS xxx

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I awoke with a start and sat bolt upright, my mind somewhere between sleep and wakefulness. For a second I could not remember where I was and everything looked strange and distorted. It seemed like I had been lying facing the window, and through my hazy eyes I could just make out the setting sun, its rays casting a pool of muzzy light across the stone slabbed floor and onto me. For a moment my skin tingled.

As my eyes adjusted, I realised there was also a figure by the window, leaning on the sill, looking out. His entire body was perfectly still, a long dark coloured cloak draped around his broad shoulders, a swathe of thick black hair falling to just below his waist.

"Awake, at last," the figure said in a smooth treacly voice, slowly looking round before walking over to another window and unlatching the heavy wooden shutters that had been pulled across, revealing another section of sky.

Instantly I was struck by the beauty of the sunset, of its colours; the deep purples and blues, vivid oranges and reds which looked as if they had been splashed across the sky in streaks of wet paint. "I like to rise early, but you looked so peaceful just lying there...I didn't want to disturb you."

He made his way over to me and knelt down beside the pile of furs I had been sleeping in, cupping my cheek in a hand as he planted a tender kiss on the crown of my head.

"I've sat watching you sleep for over an hour," he admitted softly, and his handsome face broke into a thin smile.

"Aenerin," I murmured, still a little sleepy.

"At least you remember who I am," he replied. "That's always a good start."

His hand moved to my neck, brushing away my hair before running his claw like fingers down the curve of my spine and across my back, my bare flesh tingling beneath his sensuous touch.

"I don't normally go back to bed once I have risen," he commented, his deep eyes fixing my gaze into them. "But with you, I may be willing to break that particular habit."

He leant into me and placed a soft kiss on my lips, the ends of his fingers digging into my back as he pressed his face against mine.

Memories of the night before all came flooding back to me and I sighed, letting his sharp tongue part my lips, allowing for a kiss which left me feeling weak. He was everything I could ever have wanted, caring, funny, attentive, yet with a darkness which only made him all the more irresistible.

I ran my fingers through his soft hair and traced the muscular outline of his chest and shoulders through the light material of his clothes, remembering what he looked like without these coverings. I wanted to melt into him, press myself against that creamy firm body of his and be wrapped up in his essence...but something stopped my dreaming. There was more than just my new lover in my life now, and he should be made aware of that.

"You would deny me from seeing the rest of my new home, My Lord?" I murmured, my voice raising to turn my statement into a question, pushing Aenerin gently away from the kiss, finding a new strength possessing me, as well as a desire to tease him. After all, I didn't want him to think I always enjoyed being bossed around.

"As My Lady commands then," he said and bowed his head, before swiftly standing up. He offered me his hand and I took it, but instead of raising me up slowly, as a proper gentleman should, he hauled me up so fast I had no chance of keeping hold of my coverings and before I knew it I was standing completely naked before him, my sleep tousled hair messily curled around my shoulders, my mouth contorting into a little 'o' of shock.

"I'm sorry, but I can't resist you," Aenerin smiled wickedly at his own trick and swept his arms around me, holding his cloak so that I was instantly wrapped in tight to his chest, the soft velvet material rippling over my skin.

"Unhand me," I snapped at him playfully, although all of a sudden I did feel a little lightheaded. At first I thought it was simply because I had risen too quickly, but when I felt my legs suddenly give way from beneath me, I knew something was defiantly wrong. Luckily Aenerin's reactions were instantaneous and he swept me up in his arms, my head resting on his chest, as he carried me over to a long softly padded seat where he sat and settled me against him.

"You need to drink before we think of anything else," he said gently. "My apologies, I forgot what it is like in the beginning. You are still changing...adapting to what you are now. Your strength is not as it should be. Here..."

I watched as he bit into his wrist, two small pools of blood forming on his skin.

"Drink," he coaxed, holding his wrist close to my lips. I closed my eyes and sucked slowly, feeling the coppery tasting liquid drip down my throat, my hesitation only momentary as I felt a biting hunger gnawing in my stomach and through every nerve of my body. I knew I had to feed. I was just glad it was on him.

A few moments later I felt the strain of my gums splitting, allowing my own fangs to emerge, allowing me to bite a little harder into his skin, a somewhat stronger flow of blood now coursing down my throat. But Aenerin made me take it slowly and whispered soft encouragement and advice, making me feel as if I was doing well. I think he knew that for a young woman who had been human only a day before, it would be fairly frightening otherwise.

Yet as I drank more competently, I felt one of Aenerin hands slip slowly inside the folds of the cloak which he had wrapped around me, and begin to smooth his fingers over my body. I didn't quite notice at first, until he started to play them across my chest and neck, sometimes touching my gullet as I swallowed. It was certainly pleasurable and I shivered slightly at the almost electric touch of his hand on my bare flesh, feeling his other arm holding me tightly.

He said nothing, but I imagined his eyes glinted with the enjoyment of giving his blood to me. He had liked it when I had drunk from him before and as I suddenly felt his thick fingers creep underneath me and brush between my legs, I knew this had to be the case.

I murmured a little moan of pleasure between feeding as I was massaged in slow, tingling circles, his middle finger dipping smoothly inside me as he worked up the pace. I felt aglow, not only from the blood which lined my throat like a good brandy and left my mouth wanting more, but deep inside my belly where my arousal was beginning to take over.

I parted my legs a little and raised my hips, despite already being in this rather strange cradled position in his arms, but it still felt good, if not a little different, as he continued to toy with me, being careful not to hurt me, as clawed fingers were not always ideal when trying to pleasure a woman.

"Darling, I'm trying to eat," I smiled up at him, licking his wrist clean of blood, the wound my own fangs had made, already healed.

"Well, your table manners are appalling," he laughed darkly, licking a smear of blood from my cheek before pressing his mouth close to my ear and whispering, "my dirty little wench."

He moved a finger up inside me so I squirmed against his palm, my neck craned up so that I could kiss the length of his neck, making sure to graze his creamy skin with my own fangs.

"You're so distracting," he uttered, pushing his hand hard into me, meeting my thrusts back at him, as with a thumb he caressed other sensitive parts of my body, parts I never even knew were supposed to give me that much pleasure.

"Aenerin," I moaned, slicking his hand with my wetness, the way I was held not enabling me to return any real form of affection, nor be able to move away from his eagre, teasing fingers.

I tingled with want, my nerves buzzing every time he brushed over my engorged and sensitive skin. I felt my insides clenching as I began to build up, the smooth, repetitive thrusts causing me to build higher and higher...

"Please," I uttered, "don't stop..."

"Stop?" he echoed, pretending he had heard incorrectly, withdrawing his hand from between my grating thighs. "As My Lady commands."

"Noo..." I almost cried, grappling with him to continue, little shivering pulses of lust running through my body.

"It's alright, I understand," he said sadly, yet had that annoying glint of playfulness in his eyes. "A Lady shouldn't be given pleasure in such an undignified manner."

He sat me up in his arms, in a more conventional position, and I could immediately feel the gentle straining from his lap. I smiled at him as I teasingly ran my hands across the bulge.

"I'm going to make you suffer now," I told him, as I straddled his lap, easing my hands slowly up his chest, making sure to stretch so that my pert breasts strained teasingly up at him, grinding my naked hips against him, knowing full well he could feel me beneath his clothes.

"If this is suffering, please, go on, torment me further..." he purred, "Although if you take too long I may just have to..."

But he never finished what he was about to say as a torrent of knocking rained down upon the outside door.

"My Lord! My Lord."

Aenerin near enough growled, his fangs bared, "Go away," he snapped. "I thought I said I was not to be disturbed."

"My Lord, The Estate is under threat. Three of your guardsmen were found dead near north-east border. As for the Southern Outpost, it has been set alight and we think hunters are on the way from the Outlands. Torches and banners have been spotted, and the guards who were killed all had their left hands missing. That's the mark of Lairne and his followers."

Aenerin's face had dropped and he was very still while the words sank in.

"Give me a moment, I will be straight down," he replied, his voice soft yet still commanding.

"Yes, My Lord."

I heard the footsteps of the messenger gradually fade, but from outside the sound of high pitched voices had already begun to waft up into the night air as The Estate was informed of the frightening news.

"You will stay here," Aenerin said, softly setting me on my feet, although I could see he desperately wanted to finish what we had just started. It made being torn away from him all the more painful.

"We will have time to continue this later, when I get back," he nodded and tried to smile reassuringly at me.

"But I heard what he said. It was Lairne!" I uttered, quickly going to the cupboard where I pulled out a long robe to cover myself. "His band of mercenaries are well known for their butchery, and for killing...for killing..."

"Vampires, yes, I know," Aenerin finished for me. "I am quite aware of his reputation, but he has killed my men, and he will have to pay for breaking the laws of my land. This is an unprovoked attack and an example needs to be made of him."

"But..."

Aenerin sighed and stroked my head tenderly, coming to my side so smoothly I never even saw him move. "Do not worry, Caroline. I have faced far more frightening men than Lairne in my time. My Estate is well protected, and I have friends who will aid me. I will be quite alright, and you...you will be safe here. I promise. Besides, we still have unfinished business, both in The Estate...and in here, and as a man of my word, I swear I will be back to take care of it."

He raised my chin with a gentle claw.

"Be brave. I will think of you."

I kissed him passionately and almost didn't let him go, but Aenerin prized me away and ordered me to wash and dress and to amuse myself in whatever way I wished until his return. He knew from the look in my eyes that I would worry, but he had to leave quickly, his cloak billowing out behind him as he sprinted off down the steps and out of my sight.

The night was cold and there was still enough human in me to feel it. I saw one of Aenerin's tunics on the wall so pulled it down and slipped my arms through it, his scent tinging my senses as I pressed my face into the soft material, thinking of my lover as I padded over to the window. It looked down into a courtyard where I could see horses being led out to be bridled, and young men being issued with weapons.

There were also a number of women, they were slinging on quivers of arrows and testing bowstrings, strapping daggers and dirks to any part of their body there was room. They all looked bold warriors and all wore the mark of the vampire Lord they served under. I was proud...but I wished I was going with them.

I looked frantically about for any sight of Aenerin, but could not see him. The sky was darkening and the wall-torches had been lit. Soon the colour would drain from the sky completely, just as it had done from my face, and night would be upon us. I hoped this would give Aenerin the advantage, after all, he was a vampire.

I glanced down at my hands and sighed. He was a vampire, but then so was I, and yet I still felt so human. Human and vulnerable.

Suddenly I heard a noise and turned my head East, as below, in the other courtyard, the huge wooden gates were swung open, allowing entrance to a man on a horse, who rode in and pulled the exhausted looking beast up hard. He jumped off and strode directly into a nearby building. He was obviously familiar with the place, but he didn't wear a uniform like others who worked on The Estate. I didn't have time to think too much on this however, as a few moments later I saw him re-emerge. He was accompanied by Aenerin who had a long-sword now strapped across his shoulders, and was speaking seriously to the stranger, a concerned look on his face.

"My Lady...please come away from the window..."

I span around, not realising anyone had entered the room. So much for my vampiric powers of advanced perception. I also imagined I should have snapped back a reply like 'And who do you think you are, entering the bedchamber of a Lady without permission? Do you know who I am?!' But that wasn't me and instead I actually did as the other asked, my body feeling slightly numb from what had just happened.

"It will be alright," my visitor said and came into the room, noticing I was hardly going to stop her. She stopped a few feet before me and curtseyed. "My name is Risha, I am your maidservant, Lady Caroline. His Lordship wished for me to serve you and to help you adjust to living here as our new mistress."

She was a pretty girl, I noticed, and a flush of envy washed over me immediately. I imagined Aenerin had already had his fair share of mortal lovers, and thinking that if all of the maids here were as pretty as Risha, I would end up having to share when it came to Aenerin's love and affection. I knew it was wrong, and all the girl had done so far was try to comfort me, but I was so full of emotion and confusion I just couldn't help it, and I began to cry.

"My Lady!" Risha exclaimed, kneeling beside me and grasping my hand with a childish gentleness. "Please don't cry."

She extracted a handkerchief from her apron and dabbed it at my eyes. I was horrified to see specks of blood on the clean white linen, realising that these stains were being caused by my own bloody tears.

"Get away from me," I sobbed, trying to push her away gently, yet with my strength found that I had shoved her hard onto the floor, where she looked back at me, a little dazed for a moment. This just made me cry even more and I wondered what kind of monster I was becoming.

Luckily it took more to phase my maidservant than an emotional fledgeling vampire, and she got back to her feet and fetched in the bowl of warm water she had kept outside.

"Now wash your face, My Lady," she said, her words more like a command, which I suppose I should have reprimanded her for, but as I said before, I wasn't like a typical aristocrat, for one I hadn't had the training, and right then, I actually needed someone to tell me what to do.

So I washed my bloody face and hands, a warm towel pressed into them by Risha who let me dry my pale skin as she fussed around the room, tidying a few things here and there.

"I...I'm sorry," I finally said, again, not sure if a Lady was supposed to apologise to servants, "I didn't mean to knock you over."

She turned to me and smiled. "That's quite alright, My Lady, I know you didn't mean it. But please, try not to worry yourself. The man I love is also fighting alongside His Lordship, and I know he will come back safe. You have to be positive, My Lady."

This made me feel a little better, and at least I now knew Risha wasn't a threat. I felt really awful for even thinking it now. The poor girl's lover was off fighting and there was me thinking the worst of her integrity...and Aenerin's.

"Call me Caroline," I replied tiredly. "I can't be doing with this Lady thing. I'm not well-bred and I don't like ordering people around. You might as well know the truth about me. I don't want to pretend to be something I'm not."

Risha laughed and then checked herself.

"What?" I asked.

"It's nothing...well...I mean it's just that we have never had anyone like you here at The Estate before. You're...really normal, if that's not insulting to you, My Lady."

"Caroline, and yes I am normal...well...I was...you do know what I am now, don't you?"

"You're a vampire," she replied, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"Yeesss..." I replied. "So shouldn't you really be screaming in terror or something?"

"With the others I would have been. They would have admonished me greatly for being so outspoken, but not you, Miss Caroline."

"Others..." I echoed hollowly. This was what I didn't want to hear.

I knew it...I just knew that an attractive vampire Lord like Aenerin would have a cadre of previous lovers, all probably beautiful, rich, perfect...so unlike me. The only thing that really worried me though, was where they all were now. Had they been human like me? Had he just got bored of them and then had them killed or thrown out? Or worst still, fed off them? My mind slapped me. No...not Aenerin...He wouldn't do that, it said. But I still felt funny inside.

Risha, being the bright little mind she was, knew exactly what had just crossed my thoughts and attempted her best reassuring smile.

"There's nothing to worry about, My Lady, but I will explain everything, if you would like me to, seeing as that is my job now...but would you not like to wash first? I have had the bathing room prepared for you."

"Very well, then," I nodded, allowing Risha to lead me through into an adjoining room, just down the corridor.

As I stepped through the door, my eyes lit up in shocked pleasure. There was a bathing pool which had been filled with steaming hot water. It looked deep enough to sink all the way up to my neck in, and across the surface floated crushed herbs and rose-petals; the aroma intoxicating and inviting.

"Ohhh...this is amazing," I breathed, walking over to the edge, dipping a finger in. It was the perfect temperature.

"His Lordship enjoys bathing," Risha told me. "My father is his personal steward, that's how I know," she quickly added, thinking I may get the wrong idea. Bless her, she really was a sweet child.

"How old are you, Risha?" I asked, the girl in question looking away as she held my robe for me, so that I could slip into the warm water.

"Eighteen," she replied. "I was surprised to get this position, there are lots of other girls who would love to be the Lady of the Estate's maidservant. They are all very proper and dignified and don't drop things and...well...you know. I'm a bit outspoken, my father says I talk too much...but if I am ever disrespectful, My Lady..."