Chapter 243: To ask first
Silas tried with all of his might but no matter how hard he pushed, his... Ears just wouldn’t stay put.
That day marked the second week since their last feeding session and every nerve ending in his body spared no effort to remind him.
The voices fussing in his head screamed at him to do all sorts of things, like run and take her by the waist, sweep her off her feet and just vanish with her, to hold her so close, his olfaction would ensnare all of her essence.
Many, many plans and ideas of that sort as the more suggestions blared the less... Pure they got.
The vampire knew he’d have to find a way to approach her before things got out of hand like the previous time.
But with everything that happened, that prospect promised to be even more challenging than before.
"No," her giggle echoed from a distance no human would have been able to intercept it, "First, you cut a piece of fabric while making sure to leave extra space around your design," she’d spoken in a tone that made the smile on her easy to imagine.
The joy that seeped through her words was simply evident.
Realizing he’d done it again, Silas shut his eyes and attempted to tune their conversation out, but again, to no desired results.
"And what should I do with these hoops?" Ada’s voice came too.
"Right!" Arabella chirped, "This is for the next step as after you have your piece of fabric ready, you need to secure it tautly between these hoops," she stated as a matter of factly, voice full and steady.
Perhaps there was no use in fighting it. Maybe Silas needed to just give in to his senses and at least allow himself to hear her voice.
Ethical or not, it was the least invasive option to feel close without necessarily laying hands on her.
All that he wanted was to have her stand by his door one early morning. To have her peek around the corner when he called on who stalked him throughout the manor... Just once.
But as it turned out, even when the Mirari pushed its peak, she still found ways to fight it, going as far as to tie herself up in order to escape that fate.
That charade had lasted long enough anyways. It bore its fruits but they didn’t taste the way he’d imagined.
Did that mean she hated him by design? So much so that her plagued and influenced mind found ways to resist the power of the Mirari.
Perhaps he stood so repulsive in her eyes that no magic, no chemical was able to override that perception of him.
In any case, he internally swore to put an end to her misery by the next feeding session since she’d need healing after losing so much blood.
"It’s alright, you can do it. Embroidery needles are meant to handle the width of this floss. You’ll get the hang of it, just be patient,"
And there it was again, that angelic voice that waved everything else away and kept him hooked.
"Speaking of handling," Ada had started, "It’s already been two weeks since the last time Master Silas has fed,"
Those words earned him a sinking feeling in the chest, itching to hear it while simultaneously dreading her response.
"Oh, yes," her tone was tamer, "I haven’t forgotten. I just don’t trust myself to be near him for the time being,"
"I understand," the shifting of shuffling sounds from tools traveled with their conversation, "I simply implore you not to take too long, lest he goes soul reaper on all of us. I know I never said it, but my deepest desire is to die peacefully in my sleep and not be ripped apart by no hungry monster," she chuckled.
However, Arabella did not laugh along, "Don’t speak of such things, please. It gives me the shivers,"
"My apologies, I didn’t mean it like that," Ada took a moment, "Still... I know he won’t bring it up first so please, Miss, save us all,"
A deep and long sigh was all that came after Ada’s words, Arabella clearly being at a loss.
Although, the maid wasn’t wrong. Silas debated whether to knock on her door that night or just go to the lounge room where they sat and order her to come by his room and eventually concluded he shouldn’t do either.
Night came along, and her voice was all that sang and chirped in his mind. He’d been lucky to get anything done, stuck checking if they’d visit the gardens and Edgar.
That poor gardener always took the brunt of his wrath whenever hunger struck the vampire.
He’d already gone through a roster of ways to get rid of him, ranging from mild such as sending him away to work for someone else and also cruel means like sinking his sharp fingernails into the man’s throat.
The closer the feeding date the wilder his murderous intent.
Silas would always shake those thoughts away to the best of his abilities, knowing full well there would be no going back once he’d committed the irreparable.
The vampire sat before his wooden canvas, deliberating ways to add the spirits Arabella had mentioned.
He was surprised he hadn’t thought of them himself but eventually accepted his keen eye for detail wasn’t as sharp as he believed.
His diamonds focused on one carving tool in particular which he picked up and pointed towards the canvas.
However, and right as his hand had been about to press the metal against the wood, a shy little knock reached his ears, coming from the piece of wood that provided him with privacy.
He’d gotten so enraptured in his own mind that Arabella’s scent, heartbeats and footsteps approaching his door were entirely eclipsed.
"Come in," he put his best efforts into staying put.
Every little creak that the door made beckoned him to turn around like a calling, but he held strong and kept his eyes on the canvas before him.