Benefits

  Sebastian was taken aback by her words and he cocked up an eyebrow.

  "Your blood? Why do you offer your blood?" She was trying to stay away from him and she was still offering her blood. Didn't she know how vampires likes blood? She would have to be by his side always since he takes blood every hour.

  Eve slowly swallowed, "It's the only thing I can give to you, I'm in no position to give you any other benefit than that as you're the King and has almost everything."

Sebastian chuckled, she really didn't know the position her offer would be placing her.

  "And what makes you think I don't have enough supply of blood?" He asked.

  He had the urge to open up the veil and stare into her soft brown eyes and innocent face.

   "I wouldn't want you running out of blood in two days," he said as he looked away from her, a servant had arrived to announce dinner and the guests were making their way to the dining room with a nod of his head. He turned back to look at her.

  "I don't think you will want to eat in front of the vampires, dinner will be sent to you upstairs," he said.

  When he tried to walk away again, Eve stopped him. He didn't say anything about her deal, did he want her accept her deal without any benefit? She would definitely like that.

  "Didn't you just offer your blood, you would have to eat to have enough to give to me," Sebastian cleared her thoughts, his eyes glimmered when he saw her fallen shoulders.

   Eve sighed and bowed before following the maids, her hands clutched her dress as she walked on the stairs, looking down once to see Sebastian staring up at her before she turned to a corridor.

  Sebastian looked away from the girl and walked into the dining room, the guests all stood up and bowed as he made his way to his seat at the head of the table, he raised his hands, motioning for them to sit as he untied his mask and a servant was quick to take it from him.

   "Queen Rohesia and Oriana would be arriving at the castle tomorrow, your highness," the man sitting on the right side of Sebastian said.

   "Hmm, are they?" Sebastian asked, and turned to look at Leif who was sitting by his left side instead. Leif nodded in response.

   "Oriana wrote to me that the Queen is very impressed with her."

  The Vizier sounded excited. He had persuaded the King to allow his daughter, Oriana to go with Queen Rohesia on her travel. He knew she would be able to impress the Queen and the woman would ask Sebastian to marry his daughter.

    "Then you should find a suitor for her, Markus," Sebastian suggested.

   "F-for that, your majesty. Queen Rohesia wants her to be your wife."

   Sebastian picked up his cutlery and turned to look at the Vizier, "My wife? I already have one."

  His words brought silence in the room and everyone turned to look at the King in surprise but he didn't bother to look up from his meal.

   The next day, Eve woke up to the sharp rays of sunlight falling into the room through the white curtains and she growled, pulling the blankets up her face. She had forgotten to close her window before going to sleep.

    She heard the faint knock on her door and she rolled on the bed, shutting her eyes close. She had no intentions to open the door. God knows she was too tired from the previous day's work and she needed to rest. The knocks continued, stopping her from falling asleep again.

  "Mrs Gwen, I'm tired," she growled.

  "Milady." "Milady."

  She heard from the door and frowned then the door opened and someone stepped in.

  "Milady, it's time for breakfast."

  Eve snapped her eyes open and sat up on the bed, her eyes widening at the luxurious room she was in. She wasn't in her small room neither was it Mrs Gwen who was waking her up.

   The maid who entered the room bowed her head while praying she won't be berated for entering the room without consent.

   "I was asked to get you ready for breakfast Milady," she said.

   "I-i can do that myself," Eve who was still in a daze said.

  "No, Milady, I can't let you do that," the maid said, looking up at Eve.

  A human, Eve thought in surprise staring at her black eyes. She was a wearing a cream loose gown that fell a little below her knees and her hair was tightly packed in a bun.

  "I would be punished if I let you do that," she looked down at her feet again.

   Eve got down from the bed and walked towards her, "Do not worry, he won't find out. You can stay in the room till I'm done and then we'll both go down to the dining room," she said.

  "Okay, I'll stay outside the room," the maid agreed.

  "What is your name?" Eve asked her.

  "Servants are not supposed to tell their name, milady," the maid bowed again.

    "You can tell me, no one will know."

    "Ezra."

   "Ezra, thank you," Eve said smiling at the young girl.

   Ezra bowed and made her way out of the room leaving Eve alone who breathed out loudly. She looked around the room, it had a four-poster bed large enough to contain four or more people. A large closet and a small book shelf beside it. A table and a cushion and nothing more.

     It had much space yet she felt suffocated. This was not her lifestyle, she didn't want any of these things. Even when she decided to leave her family, she wanted a simple, free and independent life. This felt like a prison and she was going to leave this place with any close opportunity she got.