The Prince's Consort Ch. 05

Micah had cleared the table of the game and placed white boxes at each place setting. "Kabobs" he pointed at one of them, "Shawarma." He pointed at the other.

Caitlin sat down to eat and opened the Styrofoam box, tantalizing herbs she'd never smelled before tickled her nose. There were two sticks of meat, sitting atop a mound of rice, with a little container of white sauce, "What's this?"

"Tahini." Micah said, stuffing a square into his mouth, and chewed.

"It's good." Sara nodded, drowning a wrap in the same sauce, and taking an enormous bite.

She opened the container and dunked a pinky into it, tasting. Light and creamy, with the tang of garlic. Taking one stick, she eased the meat off and speared it with a fork, dunking it in the sauce. "Holy shit." she murmured, slowing her chewing. "I've never had anything like this."

Both men found amusement in her overt enjoyment of the meal.

They ate while the city bustled outside the locked doors; Micah stared at a wide phone, occasionally scrolling while chewing on pastry squares. Sara was content with his wrap, sucking on greasy fingers when he was done. There was still a pile of rice Caitlin hadn't eaten, but she was unable to take another bite. She pushed away the container gratefully.

The sun was beginning to wane, dropping closer to the horizon. She watched the endless flow of pedestrians, glad to be an observer and not a participant.

The elevator began moving on its own, the creak of gears announced a guest was coming up from the basement, she hoped it was Kalen.

Her heart sank when Nadia appeared, stepping into the lobby impassively.

Micah stood and mocked a bow, "Ah, your royal bitchiness! So good to have you join us. You always light up the room." The last sentence dripped with sarcasm.

Despite her tiny frame, she shoulder-checked Micah, causing him to rub his arm, "You boring our ward to tears up here?" Sara all but ignored her presence, content to people watch as Nadia straddled a chair, "Can't let you out of my sight, girlie." She pointed at Caitlin and leaning her chin on a forearm.

"Where's Kalen?" She asked.

"He'll be stirring soon, doesn't usually sleep through the day."

Caitlin wondered if the escort knew how much it bothered her that Nadia knew his sleep schedule better than Caitlin herself. She wouldn't put anything past the vampire, nor would she let her dismay show. They would be gone from this place soon, and hopefully leave her behind.

"Way to ruin the mood," Micah jabbed at Nadia, voicing what they all apparently felt, "Gotta just stink up the place, don't ya?"

The vampire ignored him, scraping under a fingernail.

Suddenly, Caitlin wanted to be alone, away from their lighthearted jabs, away from Nadia and her baggage. Sara looked up at her as if he knew; despite his lumbering size and small words, he was incredibly perceptive. She shook her head minutely and stood, "I'm going to my room. Please don't follow me, Nadia."

"Too bad, Princess, don't have a choice." She stood as well and was at the elevator in a flash, hitting the 'down' button.

"Don't call me that," first Micah, now her. Caitlin called over her shoulder, "Thanks for dinner."

"Anytime." Micah called back, "Next time we're getting Chinese!"

The second the doors closed, Nadia bent to one knee with her head bowed, "I never had the chance to express my gratitude for last night. Thank you, my Lady."

Caitlin didn't know what to say, "It was nothing..."

Nadia peered up at her, "Nothing? No one contradicts the royal family, not when they're passing judgement. My Master has struck our ranks down for less than that. You're either very brave, or extremely stupid."

Caitlin ignored the jab, "I've seen enough death..." the elevator doors opened to the suite.

"Four rapists is tea-time," Nadia mumbled, "he's killed more than that since you've met him."

Her gut twisted, on some level she knew that, knew he had a need to fill.

She didn't have time to process the fact as he made an appearance from the office.

"Good evening, Caitlin. Nadia, you're dismissed." The petite vampire bowed out, disappearing into the room adjacent to Kalen's office. "You've eaten."

"Yes," she whispered, remembering Nadia's words. "Micah ordered Shawarma."

"You're scared," he took a step forward, her heart leapt. "of me, it seems."

"Only in your potential." She breathed, "You kill without discrimination."

"Do I? Have you seen me feed?" Kalen seemed resigned.

She rubbed her neck, "I have felt your teeth inside of me, is that not experience enough?"

"Yet you stand." He was in front of her then. "You had another panic attack," Kalen spoke quietly, watching her.

"How many people do you need to kill? To keep yourself alive?"

"Caitlin." He warned.

"How many?" she grabbed his shirt front, glaring at him, refusing to let him avoid it again.

Kalen unlatched her fingers carefully and turned away, "Two, maybe three a week. They never know what happened. It is, simply, an endless sleep."

Her hands began to tremble, "Why can't you let them live? Take only what you need?"

He gripped the couch back, knuckles going white. "Because it is not their blood I survive on. It is their life energy, without it, I die."

"How can-"

"I did not ask to be born this way!" For the first time, he raised his voice at her. It wasn't anger she saw, but desperation, helplessness. "You think I want this?" he marched at her, pulling her to himself, their noses almost touching. "You think I want to know that every time I touch you," he caressed her face, "you cringe from me? That my nature frightens you?"

She took in a shallow breath.

"I would move mountains to change, to become mortal. But I tore my mother open to be in this world, a place we don't belong." He released her and turned away, allowing her to breathe again.

Caitlin felt his lingering touch scorching her face. "Sometimes I am scared." She whispered, "But I stopped running a while ago." She reached out and touched his back, he tensed, but didn't move. "I meant what I said last night: I love you."

Some of Kalen's tension eased. "You do not know what you've become a part of."

"I'm starting to." She parried.

He turned to face her. "Then you are bent on destroying yourself, any child you bear will end your mortal life." A hand swept up her spine.

"You want me to run? To flee and fight as I did?"

Kalen sighed, "My father suggested I seed you as soon as you arrived. He is not one for formalities, nor does he see much value in human life."

She shuddered, "But you do."

"I didn't, not until you tried to bleed out with a letter opener." He chuckled mirthlessly, "I saw fight in you that few possess. If half the humans were like you, my kind would be at risk of starvation."

Caitlin peered up at him, "I couldn't bear being locked away and abandoned. Anyone else might have done the same."

She thought he shook his head, "It was reckless of you."

"You stopped me, though. Why?"

"At first," He led her to the couch and sat down with her, "I reasoned it was because I needed an heir. Later, it became clear that the connection between us runs deeper than the rational mind. I could not allow you to slip away; it has taken me two hundred years to find you."

"Why me, though?"

"No one knows why we pair," he shrugged, "some say the Gods themselves decide. My mother thinks it's a curse, for good reason."

Caitlin whipped a leg around and straddled his lap, toying with a lock of his hair. "I don't know if it's the 'Gods', or a curse, or what... but this doesn't feel wrong. It never did."

He nuzzled into her neck and inhaled. She froze, anticipating a sting of teeth against her throat. Kalen was built to crave her, to consume her life. He pulled away instead.

"I am learning not to fear you." she leaned forward, brushing her lips against his.

Sadness flickered in his eyes, "But you still do."

They were beyond lying, "Sometimes... you were going to kill Nadia last night."

"There are worse things than death for our kind," he admitted, glancing away, "Death is a mercy few of us are permitted. It's living that becomes unbearable."

"Is the food so bad?" She mocked him using his own words.

"It is innocent," he sighed, brushing her hair back, "I have to constantly wonder if the life I have is worth so many lives of others. I killed a man last night, a husband, a father. Does his life mean less only because I have the ability to overpower him? His children will grow up without him, his wife may be unable to care for them alone, and they have no concept of why."

Caitlin's heart dropped as she tugged at a loose button, "I want you to do something for me." She whispered hoarsely.

"Anything." He looked at her with shame and worry in his eyes.

"When I have your child..." she swallowed and started again, "When I have your child, don't change me. I want to die human." She looked deep into his eyes so he wouldn't think she were a coward.

Anything that could have been mistaken for hope fell from his face, Kalen's features resumed their neutral apathy. "I see." He lifted her gently off himself and sat her on the couch. "I am late for my meeting." She reached to touch his arm but he disappeared.