The Vampire & the Rebel (Completed)

Part 3: Chapter 11

I did as Vienne had requested, and when I returned Marcel was sitting up. Only a small smudge of blood and an empty bag gave testament to what he now was and what he had done. Marcel's eyes were disturbingly red, and I watched him as closely as he watched me. I handed him one of the bags and he took it, a slight tremor rocking his hand and his movements slow and jerky. I watched as one of his fangs pierced the bag and he began to slurp.

He repeated the vile process on two more bags, and I hid my unease. I wanted to leave, but I took the spot next to her again instead. For as much as she was maintaining her relaxed image, I could tell she was tense.

I couldn't say exactly what was going on in her head, but it was obvious she was not entirely comfortable with what she was doing. She had been resolute about never turning anyone, so this had to be as strange for her as it was for the rest of us.

After finishing feeding, Marcel looked up. "I finally understand why you like him, Mistress, he smells great."

I glared at Marcel to cover my unease. "Don't even think about it."

"Don't worry, I won't. You're her territory." I was torn between relief and irritation at the description, but if it kept his fangs away from me, I would not argue the point because I didn't want to have to kill him.

"That's not the only reason I like him," Vienne told him. "Honestly, all humans smell that good, even when they also smell terrible. But anyways, Jamie is also stubborn and brave and rebellious, which I find very appealing."

"Hmmm. Not really my thing."

"You're missing out."

Irritation welled inside me at being discussed like a hunk of meat, but I hid it.

Marcel shrugged, but it was oddly clumsy and slow, as if he had forgotten the workings of his own body. "But blood is amazing. Was it like this when you fed off of me?"

Vienne smiled. "Even better. Just wait until you try blood from the vein."

He glanced at Vienne. "I'm looking forward to it."

"Just don't forget what Connor said. You're only allowed to feed directly from willing humans. Forcing a human is going to lead to a death sentence on this side of the fight. After all, we're the good guys... Goodish guys... Perhaps slightly less bad guys...? Either way, we're going to have at least some standards."

Marcel nodded, his movements still oddly stiff and jerky compared to how he moved before. "I haven't changed my mind on any of that. I just feel strange."

"You'll get used to it," she assured him. "I recall it was terrifying to wake up trapped in my cold and stiff body. The craving... But I promise it gets much more tolerable with time. At a certain point you won't even really remember what you've lost."

Marcel seemed to be thinking, staring off into the distance. I had not noticed how much he had moved when he was alive, until now he was so lifelessly still. I did not notice it as much with her, because she had never been another way.

But Marcel was different. He had been alive, but now...he was something else.

"Do you need more blood?" she asked him.

Marcel seemed to pull himself out of whatever he had been thinking. "Need? I don't know, but I want more."

She sent me a pleading look.

"I'll get more."

"Thank you, Jamie," she said, and I left the room, secretly glad to have a momentary escape from the awkward stillness.