ROLAND

I paced and paced in my room, my shoes thumping on the soft carpet. I ran my hand through my hair, my heart beating quicker than usual. My breathing deepened, but I noticed I was still breathing too quickly. I needed to slow my breathing to calm myself, and I was failing.

I had such a hard time keeping my composure at that party. In front of her. Then, I felt…something. Something unknown. My blood was stinging my veins, and I wanted to bite my lip while staring at her body which tempted me to bite her. To claim everything she was. However, I had barely managed to keep from biting her right then and there. I had to. As much to not disturb her as it was to not show my fangs.

I did not know why I was feeling this way. Why I was feeling anything after that encounter, really. Was I afraid? Afraid of her family name? No, it could not have been. Lane was a good monster hunter, but not the worst of his kind. Maybe I was developing a crush on her? No. A gentleman would never fall in love with someone with a partner. I should be better than that. I shall not allow myself to fall for anyone with a partner. Much less, a human.

Maybe I was just craving her. Craving her daisy-scented blood. Maybe I wanted to feel her skin on my lips as I sunk my teeth into her neck—.

Maybe that was it. I was craving her blood. And I was going to get it. As she was to come to my lonely mansion.

Lonely.

I turned to face my large tinted windows filling a wall in my bedroom. Stepping closer, I felt the only sunlight I could get without turning to dust. Warm, yet still slightly cold as the dark grayish blue of the windows blocked out the sunlight. As the magic placed in the tint itself was not strong enough to let more sunlight in. To make more of it safe enough for me to feel.

I stopped just a few steps away from the large windows and watched the city outside rushing to do their early-morning doings. Sometimes, I wondered what it would be like to be out there during the day, where all is alive.

I caught myself yawning just thinking about it being morning already, waving my hand back and forth over my gaped mouth. I really needed some sleep, especially now knowing that I would have to wake up early to make the mansion look presentable for my guest.

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Well, guests, if I wanted to count the girlfriend as well. But she did not truly matter to me. No. I was sure she was to die soon. I could smell it in her at the party. Her blood was rotten and failing with an odd, yet familiar, sickness that caught a grasp on her frail body. And I felt slightly sympathetic. Just slightly, as she was not the one that was currently on my mind.

*

Waking up was easy. I reckoned I had slept well this morning, dreams were as rare to me as Idris was to come out of his cave before we made our deal, and I would be lucky to have the lord of the Flame come over tonight to help with making my home look more presentable.

This hundred-year-old mansion really needed something new. And who better to call than Idris? He was one of the very few friends I had, after all.

Getting out of my too-comfortable bed to get ready for the night was slightly harder than waking up. But I did need to remember I had actual things to do tonight.

After finally getting to my closet, I got something slightly different from what I wore last night—actually, it was mostly the same, save for the tail on the jacket.

As if he read my mind, I suddenly heard footsteps in the hallway near the entrance downstairs, the tapping of bare feet upon marble. It took me not even a second to step out of my room and out into the foyer, where Idris stood.

“Idris! What brings you here, old friend?” I started walking towards him.

There was no overgrown lizard in front of me. No. But a broad-shouldered man with dark gold hair and eyes red like the most beautifully grown roses. His attire, though. My nose almost wrinkled at seeing his brown, long-sleeved baggy shirt tucked under some black pants that I knew people wore a little over 100 years ago. A silver bracelet constructed by my company’s best, adorned with 3 small rubies, occupied his wrist. And there were no shoes to be found.

“My friend, please do not tell me that is all you got for clothing.” My purr was almost that of disgust. I did not blame Idris for his lack of fashion. He rarely came out of hiding. Not even in his new human form.

My comment earned me a stern look from him. I supposed I deserved it.

“I did not come to play around, Roland,” he replied with a voice so deep that it nearly sent a shiver down my spine. “I came to check on you.” I pointed at myself and pursed my lips, forming a smile. “Do not dare give me that look! I am here to check on your progress with your curse,” his growl was that of a human. Meaning he was in a better mood than most days.

Though his answer triggered a rare anger hidden within my veins, my smile became feline as I placed a finger over my lips. “I would prefer that we talk about this later. Tomorrow, maybe? I have a guest arriving tonight.”

He showed no expression other than a raised brow, as if he was saying, ‘You’re having guests?’.

So I continued by answering his silent question. “Yes, my friend. I have a guest, and she will be coming any moment now. I was actually about to call you. I need your amazing decorating skills to help me make this place look more presentable,” my smile grew as I slammed my hands onto his shoulders. “So do not think for a moment that I am not going to take advantage of you being here, my scaled friend.”

An eye roll was his only reply. It made me grin as I said “Let us begin.”