The flood of gratification that Tallulah gets from being told that Selena is pleased with the job she did is hard to ignore. Selena always seems to know what to do or say, which changes Tallulah's mood from being careful to realizing that she was never in danger. Selena turns, her heels clicking with an immediate rhythm as she leads Tallulah out of the security room.

As she moves out of the room, it's easy to see Elijah standing there and waiting for Tallulah. Selena pauses next to him and turns her eyes onto his young face. She seems to be searching for something, and to Elijah's credit, he stares straight ahead at the wall directly past Selena.

"Your name, what is it again?"

"Elijah Freeman, Your Grace."

"That's what I thought. Come with us."

That's all the words Selena forms before once again starting at the high pace of walking, the smooth cement echoing with each heel click. Tallulah looks down at the heels in her hand, then hands them over to Elijah as they keep pace behind the aggravated–but composed–vampire. Elijah drops them behind in a chair when they return to the homestead proper, and there's actual decor rather than secure cement hallways.

A few minutes later, Selena leads the three of them into a new place in the homestead that even Tallulah hadn't seen before. It is a lovely area reached through a barely visible outline of a door along a wall of the private parlor that Selena, Kofi, and Percival always seem to take their guests to. That unique security door reseals with an obvious set of clicks, hisses, and other assorted serious-sounding noises. Even Elijah looks around like he's never been taken to this area.

Inside is a lush but relatively small indoor garden. A squared pond rests in the middle with a tiny yet ornate fountain in its center, with two benches on one side and on the other is a large, customized sofa-chaise made of a lush red fabric set just slightly back so that pillows and other assorted comforts are present without the danger of them being knocked into the pond. The ceiling looks to be more of the skylight glass that was inset throughout the ballroom, but it spans the entire space in this room, save for one well-crafted and decorated wooden support beam. She didn't realize it at first, but now that she's been in the luxurious space for a minute, she doesn't hear any outside noise. The sounds of them moving around and the water gurgling from the tiny fountain are truly the only audible things in the room.

Selena casually walks over to the chaise and curls up, her heels falling to the floor as if they were common pieces of clothing to be treated with indifference. She tucks her legs ever so slightly and turns, facing her body towards Elijah and Tallulah.

"Elijah." Selena murmurs, and in the complete silence of the room, she doesn't have to raise her voice. "Come here. Stand in front of me for a moment. Tallulah, please be comfortable."

Her tone is silken and delicate; there isn't even the slightest hint of the earlier rage and annoyance. Elijah carefully moves away from the doorway area to stand almost at rigid attention right before Selena. Tallulah can see the slightest bit of nervous sweat forming on the sides of his temple. Tallulah carefully takes a seat at the end of the sofa-chaise, giving Selena more than a few feet of distance for the time being.

"Christina Freeman is what to you, again? You have such a long and meandering family line at times, it's hard to keep track–not being Kofi, of course."

"Micah Freeman is her grandson, and he's my uncle. So I think that makes her my, uh, great-grandaunt. Sorry, I'm not sure of the terminology there."

"Yes, I believe you're right. I know you're already aware you have more duties to your house and family than the average guard before you get to a certain age. Have you already bred?"

Tallulah blinks at the bluntness. Also, how she phrases her question about whether he's had a child is… uncomfortable.

"Yes, Your Grace. Once successfully. A girl."

Tallulah turns her head to look at Elijah while Selena casually rapid-fires questions at the poor young man.

"Only a single one? How disappointing. It would be best if you tried harder, it shouldn't be too much trouble for you. You have a good look to you. Are you touched in some way?" Tallulah realizes Selena is asking if Elijah is wrong in the brain because he hasn't had more children. She idly wonders if Selena realizes he's only nineteen years old.

"No, Your Grace. The first had a miscarriage."

"Oh, how sad. Kofi and Christina must have been dreadfully unhappy for you."

"Yes, Your Grace. They were very kind in the aftermath." Elijah murmurs softer and does a poor job of hiding the pain behind his words, even though he's trying.

"Poor thing." Selena doesn't miss it, of course. Tallulah doesn't think Selena would miss most, if any, social cues, having seen her in action. "I'll have to ensure you find more chances soon to sow your wild oats. You may leave but will accompany Tallulah when those troublesome creatures arrive. You are not to let her out of your sight, and you will protect her, am I clear?"

"Yes, Your Grace."

"Very good." Selena waves a hand, dismissing Elijah. He quickly exits through the door into the private parlor for the three house leaders, leaving Selena and Tallulah alone in the complete silence of the garden sanctuary.

Tallulah doesn't move a muscle. She's not necessarily afraid of Selena and, indeed, does feel still protected and appreciated by the vampire, but she also knows what she saw. Someone doesn't throw a chair halfway through a concrete wall and then just be totally all good ten minutes later.

Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author's consent. Report any sightings.

"Tallulah, darling. Come here."

Tallulah turns on the seat at the end of the chaise-sofa and then slides down so she's next to Selena. When Selena turns her gaze on Tallulah directly, the warm, comfortable feeling that both Kofi and the alabaster beauty Selena give her rapidly returns. Her muscles relax a fraction, and she offers Selena a smile.

"You're looking quite healthy tonight. Did you try that little gift I gave you?"

"Yes, I did; the brookfruit was very nice."

"Ah, there it is. Perfect, very good. Come closer, Tallulah."

Tallulah slowly moves a few inches closer to the curled-up Selena, and immediately, Selena brushes her fingers along one side of her face.

"I want you to drink from me, dearest."

Tallulah swallows reflexively, unsure of what to say.

"There's nothing to fear. I want you to be protected. Kofi wants you to be protected. If you're ever hurt, the gift of my blood can help heal you. Wouldn't that be lovely?"

"I, er, well, yes, that could be nice, I think." Tallulah stammers, unsure of how to put words together suddenly.

"You're worried?"

"No–well, I don't know. Maybe?" Still, Tallulah can't get her responses out right. Selena's dark, alluring eyes fix on Tallulah; her thumb traces the outline of some of the slightly deeper crow's feet around her eyes on that side of her face.

"Oh, we've already been through this. You needn't be afraid. I've grown rather fond of you, which is surprising, of course, given the circumstances of your arrival. But I must say, Kofi did pick you out rather well. He's so good at choosing who is of worth and who isn't, wouldn't you agree?"

"Yes?" Tallulah responds, unsure of what else she is supposed to say. She wasn't going to call herself worthless by disagreeing, that's for sure. "I trust you, Selena. Kofi as well."

"You would trust Percival, too, but he is–well, he keeps to the business side of things and allows Kofi and I to handle the night-to-night details of our house. It's best if you stick to dealing with Kofi and me." Selena leans closer to Tallulah, her hand dropping away from her face. "It is nice to drink and be taken from–you already know about one half. Now, let me show you the other half."

Tallulah swallows thickly again, that little voice in the back of her mind making a reappearance. It's yelling at the top of its minuscule voice, telling her not to do it, it's all a trick, don't do it.

"Okay." Tallulah cracks out in a soft voice, trying to strangle and end the voice in her mind internally.

Selena reaches up and brushes her long waves of black hair away from her throat, exposing the delicate length to Tallulah. She reaches up very carefully and makes an incision with just a nail from her own hand, then gestures Tallulah closer. Tallulah slowly leans forward, anticipation and fear mixed.

"Drink, Tallulah." It isn't a suggestion.

Tallulah places her mouth and lips against the cold flesh of the beautiful vampire and then closes her eyes and applies pressure to draw out some of the supernatural blood. The blood is different tasting than she expected when it hits her mouth–a raw tingle of numbness and power immediately seeps into her system as she drinks. Selena sighs pleasantly, then holds her hand against the back of Tallulah's head while she learns how to drink from a vampire's neck.

Tallulah shivers, an icy jolt going up her spine and infusing her muscles and body with a strange sort of strength and vigor she wouldn't have expected to feel from just drinking blood. It's an alluring taste, and it is pretty easy to understand how that man who drank too much from Selena let it happen. That warning voice in the back of Tallulah's mind is well and truly strangled to death. Tallulah knows it won't be returning now. A few more mouthfuls of the vampire's blood are allowed to be taken by Selena before she very casually leans back and away from Tallulah's mouth and lips.

Selena reaches the hand away from the back of Tallulah's head and uses her thumb to wipe away a little bit of her blood from the corner of Tallulah's lips. The tiny wound that Selena inflicted with her nail seals up immediately.

"So well mannered. What a pleasant rarity. How do you feel, Tallulah dear?"

"I don't know, it's… enjoyable. I feel stronger and healthier than even the fruit made me."

"Yes, you see?"

"Something, ah, else too," Tallulah adds with a little flush of blush coming to her cheeks.

Selena's cheeks twitch just slightly at the corner of her mouth, and her painted lips twist upwards puckishly.

"I suspect I know what that 'something else' happens to be."

Tallulah looks aside, her face fully blushing without being able to hide it.

"Oh stop, darling. It's perfectly natural. It happens to everyone. It is a little bit of a side effect. Unfortunately, you're going to have to be a bit uncomfortable since you'll have to be ready and fully aware in a short bit when those… individuals find their way here. If it were any other night, I would see that you're probably helped with the urge."

Tallulah clears her throat a little before speaking again, trying to convince her body that the discomfort of ill-timed arousal can be ignored by just pretending it isn't happening.

"Are you going to meet with them tonight?"

"Oh no, dearest. The house will, tomorrow, for certain."

Tallulah licks the last remnants of Selena's blood from her lips without realizing it. Selena watches her with those dark and alluring eyes.

"Do you want me to do something in particular when they get here?"

"Don't take this the wrong way, pet: if you were younger and more practiced in plying female trade, possibly, depending on how old that young 'Orion' actually is. But since you aren't, I'm afraid you'll just have to speak with them and try to make them feel safe here. Try not to promise them anything. We don't want to make promises before tomorrow night's discussion. Unfortunately, we must assume they aren't our friends right now."

Tallulah nods her head ever so slightly in response to Selena, not reacting to being called "pet," the warmth of her presence is comforting and relaxing. She's almost starting to feel as though Selena is far nicer to be around than Kofi, but then again, Kofi hasn't been around since they had those relations, as he's been dealing with violent outside vampires. Almost as though Selena knows exactly how Tallulah is feeling, Selena leans forward and brushes her painted lips against the side of Tallulah's earlobe closest to her. The little shock of coldness doesn't bother Tallulah anymore. Her face flushes slightly more in reaction, and Tallulah can hear Selena scenting her throat.

"Lovely, why don't you go and prepare for our guests?" Selena murmurs, drawing back and turning her eyes away from Tallulah.

"Alright, I'll do my best to settle them down." Tallulah moves to stand up, understanding that she's been politely dismissed by the vampire.

"I know that you will."

Tallulah carefully steps away from the sofa-chaise and quietly leaves the room, unsurprised to find Elijah not far in the private parlor, waiting for her without fail. Tallulah gives him a little bit of a smile, and he sadly raises his eyes to her, reminding her that Selena likely just opened an emotional wound on him that is hard to close. She walks over and gives him a little bit of a hug, which seems to help him.

"It's okay, Eli. Come on, let's go get some food and get ready."

He offers her a little smile, clearly trying to regain a good feeling and showing that the hug was unexpected and appreciated. They leave the private parlor and return to her room to do just that.