Page 44 of The Vampire’s Prey

I quickly look around to see if I'm still alone before shutting the panel back. I will definitely keep this in mind if I ever decide to tell him who I really am. By the time I shut everything up and heat the soup in the microwave, I realize that I am indeed famished. The milk from last night didn't stay at all. In a matter of minutes, the small bowl I heated up is gone, and I'm already onto my second bowl when an alarm sounds at the front door.

A spike of panic skitters up my spine at the unfamiliar sound. My gut clenches for a moment before I set myself into motion. Setting down my meal, I stalk my way across the kitchen, spot a knife near the door, and grab it for safekeeping. I ease the door open and peek around the outside. No one. Tiptoeing back into the living area, I poise the knife over my head and creep over to the couch.

"You must be Evangeline!"

Whirling around, I keep the knife up high, trying my hardest to keep it still until I know if she's a threat or not. She knows my name. That's a good sign at least. This petite figure with bouncy, chocolate hair stares up at me in delighted expectation.

"I'm Marion. Master Adrian's assistant?"

She holds out her hand with a bright smile. Her eyes travel to the knife then back to my face. If she’s freaked out about it, she doesn’t show it. Assistant. Yes. He did say something about that. I move the knife into my other hand and drop it to my side. Taking her hand and shaking it firmly, I chuckle and gesture with the knife.

"Sorry about that. I completely forgot someone comes here in the daytime. Let me just put this back up."

She follows me into the kitchen and inhales deeply. "Ahhh! Maria must have been cooking. Did you save any for me?" She pokes her head into the fridge and rummages around. Ohh. Cake!"

Her smile grows even wider as she pulls out a platter with a decadent chocolate cake on it.

"Umm. Are you sure we should be eating that? I glance at the kitchen clock. It's only ten in the morning."

She giggles softly and pulls off the top. After waiting for a brief second, she sticks her finger in the frosting and brings it up to her lips.

"I lick it, so it's mine! Besides, you've already eaten your breakfast. What's the harm in some cake?"

I glance around the kitchen, looking for a voice of reason before realizing that's my job now.

"If you're his assistant, I'm pretty sure you should be working instead of eating. But I really don't know how things work around here."

Marion licks the rest of the frosting off of her finger before digging into her pocket for her phone.

"Marion, your task for today is to keep Evangeline out of trouble and show her a good time within reason. See? Cake would make anyone have a good time!"

Setting down the platter, she holds out her hand expectantly for the knife. I hand it over and look at my own messages. Nothing says I can't have cake. Just that I have to eat at least one bowl of soup. Which I did. He did also add to make myself at home. So, I guess there's no harm?

By the time I turn around, Marion already has two slices of cake on plates with forks ready to go. "Wow, You don't waste any time, do you?" I can't help but laugh as she bounces over to the cabinets and pulls out bags of chips to go with the cake. "I take it this is the norm for you?"

"Well, yeah. What else am I supposed to do here by myself? Now I have a friend. Let's go!" She gathers up her loot and walks out into the living room.

Helpless, I can do nothing but follow her. If Adrian ordered her to keep me entertained, then I am not going to do anything to mess that up. By the time I reach the couch, she's already got the tv turned on and a game loading on the screen.

"Here, this one's a two-player. Wanna play?"

She's beaming up at me, and I don't want to hurt her feelings, but I’m the last person she should want to play with. Taking the controller, I sit down and watch her bounce over to me.

"I don't think you want to play with me."

She looks over at me, a chip sticking out from her mouth and frowns.

"Why not? You don't look like you're mean."

Shocked, I sit back. "Well, no, I'm not mean. I've just never played with video games before. They're not allowed in my house."

"Wait.” She finishes chewing her chip then looks at me in earnest. "You're an adult right?"

"Well, yeah, but."

"Then how are you still listening to them? If you're over eighteen, you can do whatever you want, and it's great!" Marion flings her arms out in emphasis.

"But if you're still living with them, you kinda have to go by their rules."