In a dreary and dark room, a young girl sat upon a chair, her hands in her lap, and her dark gray hair covering her face.

Around her, the walls were lined with bookshelves, each one filled to the brim with books of varying colors, sizes, and thickness. They were perfectly organized, each book placed in a particular order, with the largest books on the bottom and the smallest on the top.

The room was lit by candles, the dim orange glow casting shadows on the walls and the books, as well as the many pews that surrounded her on all sides.

She sat in the center of the room, facing the lectern, her back to the door, her eyes closed and her hands folded neatly. If one were to look close enough, they would notice the faint tremble in her limbs.

The girl did not look up, nor did she say a word. After all, she needed to focus on what she heard, not what she did at that moment.

"Are you fully prepared?" The voice came from a man standing next to the girl, his figure tall and imposing. His face was shrouded in shadow, but the glint of his piercing silver eyes could be seen through the darkness.

"Yes." She didn’t take long to respond.

"Very good." He leaned down, placing a hand on her shoulder. "Now, tell me, child. What is the first tenant of the Blood Church?"

"Blood is holy; it is to be treated as such." She spoke as if uttering a mantra, the words deeply engraved into her soul.

"Correct. Very good." He moved his hand away, his form disappearing into the shadows.

"Continue, tell me the second tenant."

"Blood is life force; it is a manifestation of the soul."

"Very good, child." He reappeared, now sitting on a chair across from the girl. "Now, the third tenant."

"Blood is power; it is to be used against those who threaten our sanctity."

"Good." His eyes flashed red as he leaned forward, staring into the silver eyes of the young girl. "The fourth tenant."

"...” She paused for a moment, “Blood is the covenant we share; The Blood pact is the foundation of our bond."

"Correct." He leaned back, his form fading away into the shadows once more. "The fifth tenant."

"Blood... is a gift, granted unto us by the will of the Originator..."

"Say their name, child."

"... Blood is Nosferatu."

"Very good, child."

The girl didn't flinch, her eyes staying glued to the floor.

"Stand."

"..."

The girl followed the simple order, her eyes finally lifting from the ground as they met the silver in front of her.

"Show it to me, child. Show me your devotion. Let me see the blood that flows through your veins."

She closed her eyes, her hand reaching for the collar of her robes. Her fingers gripped the fabric tightly as she tugged it off, revealing the complete lack of clothes under.

"The last tenant.”

Her eyes opened, the typical silver covered by a thin film of crimson red.

"Blood is a weapon; It is the weapon of the faithful."

Without the man even needing to tell her what to do next, the girl's hand moved towards her chest, her fingers digging into the flesh. "I give it all to you... To the Queen. To Nosferatu."

As her claws began to extend, her pointer finger pierced the skin, dragging it down until her entire palm was covered in the dark red liquid. The pain did not seem to bother her, however, as she showed no signs of reacting to it.

She simply held her hand out, her eyes never wavering from the man.

"I offer it freely and willingly."

The blood upon her palm began to move, and then, rise. It flowed upwards, swirling in a vortex of crimson.

"This is my Blood Pact signed to the Originator. I will fight for them, I will bleed for them, I will die for them. This is the pledge I have made, and it is sealed."

The blood flowed towards her, enveloping her fully as it covered her in its warm embrace. It swirled around her, and then, it solidified, turning into a dark red crystal that wrapped around her like a bodysuit.

Her eyes flashed a brighter shade of red as she spoke once more.

"By the blood which flows within me, I swear this oath of the Church, and I bind myself to its terms."

"The blood pact is sealed, child." The man took a step forward, his arms behind his back. "And now, I ask you one final question."

"Yes.”

"Just what is the worth of a single human life?"

Her expression was cold, her scarlet eyes staring into his of silver.

"Their worth is that of the blood which runs through their veins."

With a simple smile and a snap of his fingers, the lights of the chapel came on, clapping sounding out around them as the figures of many robed Vampires stood.

"Congratulations, child of blood. You have officially become a Deacon of the Blood Church."

The girl looked around the room, her eyes widening as she saw the countless faces of the people she had grown up with, the ones she had studied alongside, the ones she had prayed with every day.

All of them were clapping for her, and her alone. She bowed her head, her lips trembling, her hands shaking. Not out of fear, but of excitement. Of unadulterated joy.

"I accept this and all that it entails. I thank you, my fellows... and I thank you, Nosferat–"

Her words stopped suddenly as a horrific pressure washed over the room. It was power. Pure Aura of the highest form.

The doors of the chapel opened, and in walked a woman. She was tall, her features sharp and regal. Her crimson red eyes shone with a cold intensity, and her long, snow white hair flowing behind her as wind rushed out of the room. Her skin was a warm brown, unblemished and perfectly smooth, and unlike many of the lesser Vampires, there wasn't a bit of gray to her skin, almost human in the way it shone.

But she was not human. Her sharp fangs and black nails made that fact clear.

Each and every last vampire in the chapel froze as she took a step forward, her eyelids low and dark red lips curved into a frown.

She wore an extravagant dress, painted with red accents the same as her eyes. The corset hugged her waist tight, while the skirt flowed behind her.

"... Answer me." She spoke suddenly, her powerful voice echoing throughout the room. "Which one of you can teach me how to manipulate blood?"

A moment of silence followed, none of the vampires daring to even breathe.

Finally, the man from before spoke, his eyes lowering into a glare, "Just... who do you think you are? This is an ordinance, a ceremony for the Deacons. You cannot just waltz in here and demand such a thing."

Her eyes shifted, her gaze boring into him.

"I will not repeat myself." She took a step forward, looking down at the man. "Which one of you can teach me how to manipulate blood? Or else, I'll have your head."

The man stared, his expression faltering slightly. He was strong, yes. He was one of the few that were strong enough to call themselves a Priest. Yet, the Aura that this woman possessed... it almost made a cold sweat flow down his back.

"Fool... You will not leave this chapel alive!" His arms moved as his robe fell to the ground, revealing the bloody bodysuit that framed his body. With one movement, blood flowed out of his veins, gathering around his hands, forming two large blades.

The woman tilted her head, raising an eyebrow. "So, you could do it all along? You could have just said so."

The man let out a veritable roar, leaping forward and swinging one of the two blades at her with a trained expertise. However, faster than his eyes could follow, her hand raised, a single nail blocking the impossibly sharp blade.

He froze, his eyes widening in shock.

"That's no way to treat a guest."

"... W-what?!"

She moved her hand, slicing the bloody blade into pieces with the very same nail that blocked his blade.

"Especially not the Head of the Selene House." With a quick kick, her foot landed upon the priest's stomach, knocking him to the floor. "Bow."

His face fell to the ground, his forehead pressed against the stone as his eyes were filled with fear. "... Y-yes, your Highness..."

"That ancient phrase was wrong, it seems... Even an old dog can be taught a new trick." Her eyes turned to the other vampires, all of them bowing to her in an instant. "Now, who will teach me?"

They all remained silent, their eyes downcast, not daring to look at her.

"... I can."

It was a quiet voice that had spoken just before the uninvited guest intruded that answered.

"Then show me. I'm not exactly patient lately."

The girl stood, her head low as her right arm began dripping blood, flowing down her arm and towards the palm of her hand. With a quick movement, the blood moved up, swirling around her fingers as it formed a spike.

"Good. That's enough. From now on, you'll be my personal tutor."

The girl didn't move, her eyes remaining glued to the ground, "... As you wish, your Highness."

"I like you. What's your name?"

She lifted her head, her scarlet red eyes meeting the woman's.

"It's Alicia. Your Highness."

"Mm?"

Her lips curled, the corners of her mouth rising. "What a coincidence. I once met a girl named Alicia." With a step closer, she leaned down towards Alicia. "She's dead now," She patted her on the head, "Let's hope you don't meet the same fate."

Alicia's eyes widened, her mouth parting, "W-wha–"

"We'll be leaving now. Follow me, Alicia." She turned around on her heel, beginning to walk towards the door.

"... Yes, your Highness."

Alicia turned to the man on the floor, his face pale.

"I'm sorry, Priest Vince... I must go. I will return as soon as I am able…"

He nodded his head, his teeth grit together.

Alicia followed behind the House Head as she sped up, quickly ending up behind her as she clutched her hands together.

"So, Alicia... How old are you?" Her eyes fell to Alicia walking behind her as the two walked through the chapel doors into the outside.

"... I have turned eighteen this year, and as such, I was being appointed a deacon..." Her voice was quiet, though filled with a certain air of confidence as she answered.

"Three years younger than me, then. Hm."

"You're... twenty one?"

"Mhm... and do you know who I am?"

Alicia looked away, her eyes focused on the floor, "Y-you're the Head of the Selene House... I heard you were appointed that role along with one other..."

"I meant my name." She suddenly stopped, her gaze narrowed towards the shorter vampire.

"..." Alicia froze, her eyes locked on the floor, her voice becoming quiet. "... I apologize, your Highness... I am not aware of it..."

"Elsie Selene, though, stick to calling me 'your Highness'. It fits."

"Yes, your Highness..."

Elsie smiled a small, amused smirk as she began to walk once more.

-

"So, how do you control blood, then?" Elsie asked, sitting across from Alicia. The two were in a small, secluded room with marble flooring. A clear sign of the wealthy.

"... It's hard to explain, your Highness..." She kept her head down, her hands in her lap. "It begins with learning how to control the Aura we consume. The Aura flows just like the blood that runs through our veins, so we just have to treat the two as one and the same. When we are able to manipulate the Aura inside us, the blood will follow."

Elsie nodded slowly, her eyes shifting towards the blood crystals that surrounded them.

"But, in order to do that, we must first form our Blood Aura Synchronization."

Elsie tilted her head as she leaned in, "And that is?"

"We treat out Blood and Aura as one, both as plain life force. When our Aura follows our command, blood follows, and thus, moves however we wish. Of course, that's just the first level... We have to learn to change its qualities, its volume, and even its state."

Elsie's lips curled into a frown, almost a pout, "That's the part I don't understand. I hate how your church treats everything like some metaphysical nonsense... If you want me to get it, use terms I'm familiar with."

Alicia froze, her lips falling open slightly. "... Your Highness, it's... hard to describe. I suppose… Blood is a living being, it's the same as us. As Vampires, we do not have our own blood, it all comes from humans. But, if the blood was still alive, it'd still be connected to its original body, no?"

"It'd have a soul, in other words?"

"Correct. It's hard to explain, but, in the end, blood is just like Aura. It remembers where it comes from." She let out a quiet sigh, "With Aura, we make it our own almost subconsciously. It's in our nature... But blood, we typically only use as a tool, to keep us alive. We do not make it submit, we let it have power over us... For us, who are above humans, to let blood have control over us, is..."

"... It's easy, then. All I have to do is make it listen to me... I think I'm starting to understand." She smiled, her fangs showing. "But for that... I need to refill."

She clapped her hands together, and soon after, Alicia could hear footsteps approaching.

When the large door connecting the two rooms opened, it revealed the form of a grey-silver haired maid, a soft smile on her pink lips as she looked towards Elsie.

"Hi, Mina. I'm going to need your help." Elsie stayed seated, turning to her as she waved her over.

With a few, near silent steps, she stood idly near Elsie. She tilted her head, her voice quiet. "Of course, Elsie! Whatever you need."

"Sit, kay?" Her hands patted her lap.

"Mm," She nodded, moving to sit atop her, her hands resting on Elsie's shoulders.

Alicia couldn't help but stare, her mouth parted. Were they seriously about to...? Right in front of her? How... inappropriate. Although, she always thought the Nobles were strange.

She'd usually look away, but right now, she was way too shocked to even react.

Elsie smiled, her hands reaching for Mina's hips, holding her firmly. "I'm thirsty, okay? You mind?"

"Why would I? You don't drink blood otherwise, you know... dummy." Despite her words, Mina smiled, her cheeks slightly flushed as she pulled the collar of her uniform to the side, exposing the lower portion of her neck.

"I still can't drink the bottled stuff without gagging... and I don't wanna drink from a human, Mina..." She spoke in a near whisper as she leaned in close to her neck, her cold breath sending a shiver through Mina's body as it hit her skin. "Hahhh... Sorry if I'm a bother..."

Mina's expression softened, her hand moving to Elsie's head, her fingers brushing through her hair, "Don't say that. We're friends... you don't have to worry."

"Thanks..." Elsie's lips gently pressed against the side of her neck, her tongue slowly running along it.

Mina's grip tightened, her hand grasping Elsie's hair as she shut her eyes, her breathing heavy.

As Alicia stared, her face grew only more and more flushed. She really shouldn't have been here for this, should she? She was always taught such an act was a private moment reserved between lovers... but they said they were just friends?

The Nobility truly were a bunch of weirdos. Alicia was extremely glad she was born a Sangreal.

"Although, Mina... you do like this, so, maybe I shouldn't bother thanking you..." Her teeth began to delicately nibble at Mina's skin, her fangs grazing it.

"Mmm..." Mina let out a quiet hum as she shut her eyes, "I already told you... I love you. Considering you're taken, though, this is the best I can get..."

Elsie's lips slowly spread into a smile, the pressure on her neck increasing.

"I love you too, Mina. And… I'm sorry that I can't love you in the same way."

With just one movement, her fangs dug into Mina's skin. Alicia flinched as she saw the blood flow down Mina's neck, staining the clean white collar of her uniform.

Yet, Mina didn't seem the least bit bothered by it, a satisfied look appearing on her face.

"Stop apologizing... this is more than enough."

Alicia felt her heart pounding against her chest as she watched Elsie's throat move. A rhythmic motion, almost like a heartbeat.

She was drinking.

It was an odd thing for her to see in person. For someone like her, she was only ever given bottled blood to drink. But, here was the head of a Noble House, drinking from a mere servant. A fellow Vampire, at that.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

A part of her wanted to look away, but a much stronger part of her was enamoured by the sight. A part that she really didn't want to pay attention to. She felt a bit of an itch on her neck, the sensation of her fangs tingling, the urge to drink growing stronger. Was she being affected just by watching this...?

She could smell the scent of fresh blood. The iron tang. And then, she noticed her own fangs. She hadn't realized until now, but they were out, her mouth slightly open. She swallowed, closing her mouth as she took a deep breath.

It wasn't long before Elsie leaned back, a thin trail of blood and saliva connecting her to the bite wound. It quickly broke, however, as Elsie met Mina's eyes. She was panting, still blushing as she smiled back at Elsie.

"Did you get enough...?" She spoke quietly, her hand resting on Elsie's cheek.

Elsie nodded, licking her lips. "I did. Thank you, Mina."

"I'm happy to help," Her arm moved, wiping the leftover blood on Elsie's chin with the back of her hand.

"I'll be sure to pay you back later, Mina. You earned a treat..." She moved her hand, her thumb tracing along her lips.

Mina's expression softened, her eyes low, her voice quiet, "Can't I have it now...?"

"Later, kay? I've got stuff to do. After all... I think I'm finally starting to understand what she meant."

"Okay..."

She stood up, patting her shoulder. "You should take the day off. Rest, okay?"

"Mhm..." She nodded, beginning to leave the room with a smile.

As she walked past Alicia, her eyes were wide, her mouth agape. She couldn't stop staring at the bite mark, the fresh blood on her clothes.

Was that what it meant to be a vampire...? A true Vampire?

"Ah, Alicia." Elsie's voice caught her attention, snapping her out of her thoughts.

She jumped slightly, quickly looking back towards Elsie as she tried to compose herself. "Yes, your Highness...?"

"Come here. I've gotta test something." She waved her over.

"..." Alicia swallowed, taking a slow breath as she walked over to her.

"I'll need to borrow a little of your blood, too.." She spoke with a smile, her hands moving to the sides of Alicia's neck, "Stay still. I won't take much, just enough to let me understand..."

"Huh–?"

Her hands wrapped around Alicia's neck, her nails piercing the skin. With one swift movement, they dragged across the side of her neck, a thick stream of blood flowing out.

Alicia gasped, her eyes widening, "W-w-wait, your Highness, you're–!"

Elsie's tongue suddenly shot out of her mouth, licking up the blood on Alicia's neck without even giving a moment of warning. Her lips covered the wound, her throat moving just like before as she gulped the blood down.

Alicia froze, her face turning a bright red. She wanted to push her away, but her body refused to move, her heart pounding.

It was only a moment before she felt her neck heal as her natural healing factor took over, her vision becoming hazy and her legs growing weak. But, it wasn't because of any lack of blood. No, it was for a far more terrifying reason.

With a single, quick movement, Elsie grabbed her wrist, catching her as her legs gave out. "Whoa, there. Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you."

Alicia was left speechless, her eyes locked onto her as she sat her down.

"Mm... I definitely got it." Elsie smiled, her fangs showing.

"I-I-I..." Alicia stuttered, her cheeks bright red, her lips quivering, and her hands shaking.

"The way you manipulate blood. It's pretty interesting... There's something that your explanation from before got wrong– or, more accurately, didn't mention." She looked down at her palm, the blood on it flowing and swirling around her fingertips. "There's two types of blood, at least in this matter. Blood that contains Aura, and the blood that doesn't. That's the difference, but you treat it as the same... inefficient, if you ask me."

She leaned down, her face coming close to Alicia's, "And so, if I were to, say, use your blood... I'd have to take over the leftover Aura that came with it. That just means I have to be stronger than you, though, which I am. But for blood without any aura... all I have to do is make my Aura a part of it. It's easy, right? After all, blood and Aura aren't so different... And so, if I were to harden my Aura…"

A small edge formed on the tip of her finger, a dark red, almost black crystal, "I could do this, just the same as I would with my Aura. But with this, it's actually physical! And, because of that, I don’t need to keep up the Aura flow! I can instead just focus on all the other less complex parts… Isn’t that neat?”

Alicia could only stare in shock as Elsie explained, her mind practically reeling. She had learned so much in such a short period of time. This was… the power of a Noble?

"Hey, hey. Look, look." She moved her hand towards her, "Do you feel anything?"

"Huh?"

"Your blood, is it reacting?"

Her eyes widened slightly as she felt a certain sense of warmth within her veins. It was as if her blood was moving on its own.

"That's..."

"I just finished taking over the blood I drank from you, and the Aura that came with it. So… I've pretty much figured out the composition of your Aura, meaning..." With a slight movement of her hands, Alicia stood up without even trying. "I can take over your Aura and treat it as my own, slowly corrupting it with the remnants of my own Aura I planted inside you."

She released her grip, letting Alicia's body fall back onto the seat.

"... And so, once I've got control, it's all just a matter of applying the Blood Manipulation technique I just learned! Hm... and I think I could do this just by taking a single drop of your blood… in theory. I’ll have to train more to get to that level.” She chuckled, “This is pretty useful, huh?" She let out a genuine smile, her eyes closed.

"How...?" Alicia finally spoke, her eyes wide. "How are you able to do this...?"

"I think this must be my Innate Aura Technique, I was told about something like this a bit ago…" She put her hand up to her chin, her mind wandering. "Just what do I call it, though? Puppetry? Blood Control? Hm..."

Elsie clapped her hands, grinning.

"I've got it! I'll call this 'Aura Corruption'! After drinking the blood of anyone that's weaker than me, I can then slowly begin to take over their Aura, changing its composition to something akin to mine! At that point, I can pretty much do whatever I want with them…”

“... Your Highness… Doesn’t that seem a bit… evil?”

Elsie raised an eyebrow, tilting her head.

"No, I don't think so. It's not like I'm going to be killing people with it or forcing them to do anything gross. I'll strictly use it for self defense and combat purposes... So, I don't think it's evil at all. Why? Does it scare you?"

Alicia looked away, her cheeks flushing red. "It's just... when you used it on me..."

Elsie let out a grin, "What? Do you want me to do it again?"

“...” Alicia sighed, avoiding her gaze. “Please do not, your Highness. It was incredibly uncomfortable."

"I'm just joking..." She leaned back in her chair, stretching. "Well, I'll take into consideration what you said before! Oh, and thanks for teaching me. You were a real big help!"

Alicia nodded, standing up, "Then... May I leave? I have my duties as a deacon starting tomorrow..."

Without warning, Elsie stood up, taking a few steps towards her as she leaned down to her level. She smiled as her eyes met Alicia's, her voice soft, her words spoken just loud enough for Alicia to hear.

"One sec. I have an offer for you, Alicia."

She raised an eyebrow, tilting her head. "An offer, your Highness...?"

"I want to hire you. To tell the truth, I've taken an interest in you, and as of right now, Mina is the only one who works directly under me. I'm looking to raise that number to two... you've fit my criteria. Interested?"

Alicia's heart skipped a beat, her eyes widening, "You... you want to hire me? What does that even mean...?"

"Mmm, well... oh, first of all, let me make this clear. I'm not gonna force you like some other noble might. It's just an offer." Elsie crossed her arms, leaning back. "If you agree, you'll stay here as my servant. You'll live and work here, and I'll provide you with a pretty lofty salary. Oh, and you'll also be able to live here indefinitely, meaning you don't have to go back to the Church if you don't want to." She paused for a moment, her lips curving into a smile, "But, in exchange, one, you need to teach me more about Blood Manipulation, and, two, you'll be working for me. I'll give you a list of tasks to do every day, and you'll have to do them, no matter how menial. How's that sound?"

Alicia stared for a moment, her mouth agape. On one hand, she had spent her entire life trying to work her way up to being a deacon, to maybe someday become a priest... but on the other hand, the servants of the Selene household had a notoriously fantastic pay.

And... the possibility of living here? Being able to live in this place, one of the greatest estates in the entire city? She wouldn't have to stay in the dingy church dorms, wouldn't have to wake up to the sounds of the others in the morning. Ever since she was a little girl, she always wanted to have a room all to herself.

Was this really an offer she could pass up?

"... To be clear, would this room be private?"

"Mhm! We've got quite a few free rooms as of late, so you'll have a walk-in closet, a bathroom, a balcony, the works."

"... and a bed...?"

"Uh, yeah... obviously? Just how shitty was your living situation before?"

"... All the money the church gets goes to the higher rank members. An incentive to try and improve ourselves, I'm sure." She sighed, looking down, "We're not provided many amenities."

"What a bunch of assholes...." Elsie frowned, rubbing the back of her head, "Sorry. Didn't mean to drag that up. But, if you accept my offer, then I promise you that you'll never have to deal with them again. No more sleeping on a shitty bed, no more being hungry, no more having to go to the Church and listen to some stuck up asshole lecture you."

Alicia stared, her expression blank.

"... I'll accept."

"Hehe... I figured you'd say that," She extended her open hand, smiling. "Welcome aboard, then."

Alicia stared at her hand for a moment before gently grasping it, "... Thank you. I'm very grateful."

–

It's not that Elsie really changed as a person. Under everything, she was the same.

She drank just a single drop of the mixed blood of the Queen, and it was then that everything had clicked into place. She understood the world, the true nature of Vampires, the reason everything felt so... wrong.

She still was the same woman. Just a bit more... aware of her surroundings.

After all, she could finally see it.

She could see Aura.

As she lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, she watched the faint outline of her Aura flow around her, the sudden waves, the pulsing of her heart, the frigid warmth it brought. It was her very essence, the culmination of her being – the life force of every living creature.

And yet, in a sense, her Aura was like a two sided coin. She refused to give up her humanity, even after she accepted her Vampirism. She wouldn't let it change her, even after she realized the truth.

So, with her newfound understanding of her Aura, she began to slowly manipulate it. It was a slow process, something that took a lot of concentration and energy. But, with Cyrell teaching her the basics, it wasn't that hard. All it took was one month. One month of her learning about Aura and about herself.

One month, and she could do this.

With a subtle flick of her wrist, the outline of her Aura shifted, its shape changing, its form shifting. She could sharpen it, make it soft as a pillow, expand it, shrink it.

Most importantly, she could use it like another limb. She could move it, touch things with it. It was a part of her.

But, it wasn't complete.

"You know, my dear... Your Aura is a bit... rough. It's strange for a resting Aura state. Whenever you manifest it, it always comes out in this spiky, chaotic form. It's almost like... it's fighting you."

Elsie stopped chewing her sandwich as she looked over to Cyrell, swallowing. "The hell's that supposed to mean?"

"Exactly what I said! It's rough, erratic, but, it's also powerful. Your Aura is nearly on par with the Elder House Heads who've taken the same dose of the Queen's blood, despite them having culminated their Aura for hundreds of years... The only problem is, dear, you can't use most of it. It's fighting you. Because of this, I doubt you’d be able to defeat any noble with a modicum of combat training. Even a high-rank Sangreal would pose a lot of trouble for you."

"For fucks sake, how am I supposed to fix that, then? Just train more?"

Cyrell shook his head, hips spreading into a small smile, "Not for this. It's the opposite, really! If you train any further, I'm sure your Aura will grow, but the more you try to use it, the more it will fight back."

"... So, what, then? I hate vague things, Cyrell."

"Mmm, well... it's quite simple, really." He clasped his hands together, his elbows resting on the table. "You need to stop pretending you're still human. You still refuse to drink the blood of a Human! You can't subsist on that little maid of yours forever, you know... A Vampire's blood can only keep you going for so long... You'll reach that point in a few months."

"I'm not killing a human. That's final." She narrowed her eyes, scoffing.

"I'm not asking you to kill anyone! You're still brainwashed from living in Sanctuary– you think that every time Vampires drink from humans, they die, or turn into a Spawn. You need to get rid of that idea... We are not the monsters you want to think we are... at least, not all of us." He smirked, letting out a quiet laugh. "I'm not including myself in that. I'm a terrible person!"

"I don't care what you say! I'm never going to drink human blood... I'll find a way."

Cyrell sighed, a frown crossing his face, "Why not? Is the idea of it really that revolting to you?"

"... Because I'm not gonna treat my people like god damn livestock! Even drinking from Mina feels horrible, even if she's alright with it... I can't imagine doing that to someone who has no choice in the matter."

Cyrell shook his head, clicking his tongue. "They do have a choice. We're not barbarians, Elsie. There's entire cities of humans under our protection that voluntarily donate blood in return for our services."

"Don't use pretty words to hide the truth, dick. It's either they give you their blood, or you kill them. I've seen first hand the consequences of those who don't let you enslave them. I was one of them, after all! Or did you forget? You were the one who made me into this." She spat, her expression turning to a scowl, "Sanctuary may not have been perfect, but I was happy there. I was happy with Rosa!"

"And the only chance you have to see her again is for you to do what I say! You've got no other choice, dear. Either you drink human blood, or you'll die. Your Aura is fighting against you, and you've got no way to stop it."

"... Like I said... One way or another, I'll figure out how to get over that," She looked back to Cyrell, a small smile finally showing up on her face. "I've heard members of the Blood Church are experts in Blood Manipulation. Blood and Aura are interconnected, right?"

"Ugh... what are you thinking, then?"

"I'll learn to control my blood, then, I'll better control my Aura! I'll get rid of the 'rough' parts you were talking about, and then, my Aura will stop resisting me. No need to compliment my genius, I already know it." She puffed out her chest, smirking as she looked down at Cyrell.

"My... you sound more and more like me everyday! Except a lot more foolish. I doubt that'll ever work, dear." He shook his head, letting out a sigh, "In fact, you may even make things worse. The more blood you drink, the more Aura you will gain. It's a dangerous gamble, really... and even if you can control your blood, I don't believe your Aura will calm."

"Shut up. I'll prove you wrong."

"Hah... Is that how you speak to your sire?" He tilted his head, his gaze focused on her.

"Considering you've been off my ass lately, yeah. I'll talk however the hell I want! And besides... you deserve it."

"... How uncouth. Fine! For now, at least, I'll let you do what you please. However, the moment you start to dwindle, to die, I will force you to drink human blood. If you can't get over that hurdle, you'll die."

Elsie shrugged, "Sure. Whatever. It's not gonna happen either way."

–

And that’s how she got to this point.

"Elsie? It's me..."

Mina's voice spoke up from behind the door to Elsie's room, her head perking up from her book.

"Come in, Mina."

"Mm..." With a quick turn of the doorknob, Mina entered the room, a silver tray in her hands. She was dressed in a clean maid's uniform as was usual, her hair tied back as she smiled. "Your supper. I've also got some tea as well, if you'd like."

"Thank you very much, Mina!" She let out a yawn, watching Mina move, her eyes following her as she approached the side of the room.

"Of course," She set the tray down on Elsie's desk, walking towards her. "Anything else you need?"

"Mm. A question, actually..." She looked up towards her, the corners of her lips curving up slightly, "What're you doing working? I thought I said you could have the day off..."

Mina flinched, twirling a strand of hair around her fingers, "Er, well... I suppose to me, at least... this isn't work..."

"That so?" Elsie let out a quiet giggle, patting the spot beside her. "Or... maybe you were hoping to get your treat?"

Mina nodded, quickly moving to her side. Though, the moment she did, Elsie put a hand on her shoulder, gently pushing her down onto the bed as she moved atop her. When she reached a comfortable position, she moved her free hand to Mina's chin, tilting her head up a tad.

"I've been neglecting you, huh...?" She looked into her eyes, her thumb brushing along her lip, "I'm sorry, Mina... You're way too patient with me, ..."

Mina shook her head, a blush forming on her face, "N-not at all! I-I know it's not easy... You're the House Head along with Sir Cyrell... And if that isn't enough, you're researching all there is about Aura... You're busy, it's fine... I'm a maid, so–"

Elsie quickly covered her mouth with her hand, her eyes narrowing. "You're not 'just a maid'. How many times do I have to remind you that we're friends? If you're bored, or upset, or whatever... you tell me, okay? I don't care what I'm doing. You're important to me, Mina."

Mina's face grew bright red as she slowly nodded, her cheeks rising as a genuine smile appeared upon her. Quickly after, Elsie lifted her hand, instead moving it to cup her cheek, her thumb tracing along her lower lip.

"I really like your smile, you know... it’s adorable..." She returned the smile, her mouth open enough just enough to reveal her fangs. "I’d love to see you smile more… I absolutely love it…"

Mina's heart skipped a beat, her eyes locking onto Elsie's. Her eyes, the color of fresh blood, unlike the silver it used to be, almost glowed in the slight darkness of the room. She was beautiful, gorgeous. Even in the dim lighting of her bedroom, she shined, even more so than a month ago. She supposed something must have happened then... She had become so much more confident since then as well. So much more willing.

Even to her, as horrible as she knew she was.

"Thank you... but... Elsie...? Are you truly sure this is... a-alright? You love somebody else... is it not uncomfortable for you?" Mina's words were quiet, but sincere. She was truly worried whether she was okay with this, with everything.

"... It's... complicated. Right now, my entire life is dedicated to getting to see her again... I really... I really want to live the rest of my life with her... I want her to be here. But... she isn't." She let out a shaky smile as she tried her best to reassure Mina, her hand lightly holding her. "And– besides! To me, this is totally different. When I look at you and look at you... the feeling is so separate that I can barely even put it into words. And– and, that's a good thing! It's not like I don't love you, too, Mina, just not in the same way. Y'know?"

She nodded, her head moving slightly. "Okay. I'm... really glad. I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I caused you pain… I-I really do love you, Elsie. And I'm happy, if this is okay with you..."

"It's okay. Don't ever doubt that, Mina." Elsie took a deep breath as she moved her hand back, "Now, then, with all that done with... What would you like to do today?"

"Um... I..." A shaky smile spread across her lips as she looked to the side, "Could you maybe... kiss me...?"

Elsie smiled, moving her face close. "Of course, my dear."

She didn't really know what to do when Mina first confessed to her. It had to have been just a week after the ceremony, hence she drank the blood of the Queen. Mina told her that she had feelings for her, and, in a sense, it wasn't something she could ever ignore. She wasn't the kind of person who would be cruel enough to reject her and break her heart. She wanted to stay as her friend, the only one she had close now.

So, she made the choice to accept her, at least in a way. She would not be able to return her feelings, but she could at least make her happy. She couldn't just leave her, to allow her to be alone in her love. She wasn't a bad person, and she wouldn't let herself become one.

A few days later, she drank her blood for the first time. Both to stave off her urge, and to make Mina happy.

It was fine, really. She was okay with this.

And she was okay with the first time Mina asked to kiss her.

Even if it hurt to think of Rosa's face whenever her lips fell upon Mina's.

Mina's lips were quite soft, different from Rosa's, but not at all in a bad way. As well, her lips always tasted like strawberries due to the lipstick she wore on the daily, a lovely scent to Elsie. It was sweet, almost addictive.

She wasn't skilled by any means. After all, Mina told her, herself, that she had never been with another person before. But, with time, she was learning, becoming more and more comfortable. It was almost funny to watch this growth. After all, with Rosa, they learned together, but, now, she was the one teaching.

The kiss started off soft and slow. They usually did. She would lean in close to Mina, their lips just barely touching. At the same time, Elsie's hand would reach for her cheek, gently caressing it as they looked into each other's eyes. As they closed, however, their lips would meet and both their breaths would hitch.

Mina was always nervous, even after the many times they had done this. Her breathing would become ever so shaky, and she would begin to tremble, to shiver under the overwhelming sensations. Elsie would then wrap her arms around her waist and pull her close, reassuring her that she would be fine. That this was okay. She was used to the nervousness, the creeping anxieties that would break through. There were times Rosa would have attacks, just much more intense than what Mina ever experienced. She would always be able to calm her, to make her feel alright.

She must have been an expert in helping Rosa during her attacks, at this point. It was a skill… almost…

Rosa...

Elsie pulled back, taking a breath. She looked into Mina's eyes, her fingers combing through her hair.

"... Are you alright...?" Mina spoke, her breathing heavy, her eyes still half-closed.

"I'm... I'm fine. Just needed to breathe a second..."

"Ah... Is there anything you need...?

"No. Nothing."

She leaned back down, her head tilted as she kissed her once more.

She was doing this for Mina. And she was okay with that.

It was a few minutes of this that went by until the two broke the kiss once more, saliva connecting their lips. Mina was blushing, her lips quivering, her breathing ragged. Elsie, meanwhile, had her eyes half-lidded, a simple smile on her face.

"Good?"

Mina nodded, wiping her mouth. "But... I– Could I be a bit selfish today...?"

"Mm. You earned it." Elsie sat back on the bed, crossing her legs. "What is it?"

"Well, um..." Mina bit her bottom lip, her eyes fluttering as they avoided Elsie's eyes. "I wanted to maybe... go a bit further. I-if you're okay with that!"

For a strange reason she couldn't understand, her words caused a tinge of fear to well up in her chest. It was an irrational fear, the sort that shouldn't have existed, the sort that made her want to say no. But, she couldn't.

"Y-yeah. Of course... What would you like?" She tried her best to prevent her voice from shaking, to keep up the facade that she was okay with this. She was fine.

"Could you touch my chest...?" Mina spoke in a near mumble, her voice just loud enough for her and her alone to hear.

"... Okay. I can."

She wanted to say no, but the words wouldn't come out. Not when it was Mina who was asking her. She owed her so much, after all, and to be so selfish when she had unfairly ignored her for a few days now...

She wasn't a bad person. Elsie wasn't a bad person.

But it did make her throat tighten, a heavy feeling forming in her chest. A sensation that filled her with an odd trepidation, a feeling that made her want to push her away. But, it wasn't a strong feeling, no, not at all. If it was, then she would have done it long ago. She would have stopped, told Mina that this was over, that she wouldn't be doing this anymore.

So, the fact she hadn't done that, and that she wouldn't do that, it surely meant she thought it was fine. At least some deep part of her did.

Even if a piercing pain struck her heart as she felt her smooth skin, or how her breath caught in her throat and made it difficult to breathe. Even when she had to hide the looming expression that threatened to appear on her face every moment that went by.

Even then, it was alright.

As she stared at the ceiling, Mina curled up to her side, her breathing heavy and a content smile on her face. Mina hugged her close as they laid down upon the many pillows sat atop Elsie's extravagant bed, the bed sheets covering Mina's naked body while Elsie stayed mostly above the layered covers.

"That was... really nice..." She whispered, her words barely audible.

"Mhm."

Elsie couldn't look back to her as Mina nuzzled into her arm, her grip tightening ever so slightly.

"I love you, Elsie... I love you so much..."

"I love you too, Mina."

But, in the end, she knew those words weren't true. Not in a way that truly mattered. Not in a way that would stop the pain she felt. It was a sort of love, one she didn't doubt, one that she would hold dear, but it was not one that she would give her everything for. It was not the sort of love that could make her want to spend the rest of her life with Mina.

Because she was not Rosa. And she never could be.

She couldn't say any of that to Mina. She knew it would make her feel sorrow, to make her regret asking her these things. She didn't want her to regret anything, not now.

She couldn't allow Mina to feel the way she did right now.

That would just be too cruel.

"Elsie... you're shaking..."

"... I'm fine. Just a little cold, that's all."

It was a half lie. She was always cold. There was nothing to stop it, not if she refused to drink the warm blood of humanity and fed only upon the frigid simulacrum running through Mina’s veins.

"... Do you want to cuddle more? You'd be warm under the covers..."

"That would be nice."

"Okay..."

With a gentle movement, Mina reached over to the bedsheets and pulled them up to Elsie's chin, letting out a quiet giggle. "There... better?"

Elsie nodded, forcing herself to look back at Mina and return a smile, "Much better. Thank you, Mina."

"Hehe..." Mina's cheeks flushed a soft pink, and after a moment of hesitation, she leaned in and planted a quick kiss on her cheek. "... Goodnight, Elsie."

The sensation made her eyes unfocus.

"Goodnight, Mina."

In her mind, she would wish a goodnight to Rosa as well, even if to her it would be morning.