Pitch black. That's all I see when I pry my eyelids open. For a second, I wonder if I've gone blind or if I'm actually dead this time. But there's something about the quality of the darkness that feels... morning-ish? Like my body knows it's daytime even though my eyes are telling me otherwise.
As my eyes adjust I roll over, my hand brushing against cool, silky skin. Maeve lies beside me, completely naked and completely out. And I mean out. Not the light sleep of someone who might stir if you whisper their name, but the heavy stillness of the truly unconscious.
"Hey," I say, just testing.
Nothing. Not even a flicker of those red eyes.
"Maeve?" I try again, a little louder.
She doesn't move a muscle. Her chest doesn't even seem to rise and fall with breath, which would be terrifying if I hadn't just spent the night discovering she's undead.
My stomach growls so loudly it almost echoes in the cavernous bedroom. Right. Food. I haven't eaten anything substantial since that sad cheese sandwich, and after last night's... activities... I'm running on empty.
"Fuck," I mutter, carefully extracting myself from the tangled sheets.
My feet hit the cold stone floor as I stand, and I instantly regret it. This place needs some rugs, seriously. I glance around for my clothes, but they're nothing but shredded fabric now, thanks to Maeve's enthusiasm.
There's a silk robe hanging on a hook near what I assume is the bathroom door. I grab it and wrap it around myself, practically drowning in the excess fabric. It's clearly made for someone with Maeve's Amazon-like proportions, not my decidedly average male frame. The sleeves hang past my fingertips, and I have to roll them up just to free my hands.
Still, knowing this robe has touched Maeve's naked body sends a little thrill through me. Last night wasn't just some bizarre dream. I actually had mind-blowing sex with a vampire who thinks my blood is some kind of supernatural Red Bull.
I shuffle through the massive bedroom, stubbing my toe on what feels like a chest or trunk in the darkness. After some fumbling, I find the door and step out into a hallway that's marginally less dark, thanks to a few wall sconces with very dim bulbs.
I have absolutely no idea where I'm going. This place is a labyrinth of corridors and staircases. Every window I pass is covered with heavy blackout curtains or shutters, not letting even a sliver of light penetrate.
After what feels like an eternity of wandering, I spot a sliver of light peeking from beneath what looks like a door at the end of a hallway.
Pushing the door open wider reveals what looks like a balcony. Fresh air washes over me, carrying the scent of pine trees and morning dew. I step out, letting the silk robe billow around my ankles as I bask in the golden glow of sunshine.
"Hell yeah," I breathe, squinting as my eyes adjust.
The view is spectacular, dense forest stretching for miles, morning mist still clinging to the treetops. The sun hangs low in the sky, painting everything in warm amber light. It's absolutely gorgeous.
Suddenly, a hand clamps around my arm, yanking me backward with such force I nearly lose my footing. The door slams shut with a bang that echoes through the corridor.
"WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING?!"
Emily's face is inches from mine, her blue eyes filled with panic.
"What?" I stammer, genuinely confused by her reaction. "I was just…"
"The sun KILLS vampires, you idiot!" She's practically shrieking now, her grip on my arm tight enough to leave bruises.
I roll my eyes. "I get it, but I'm nowhere near Maeve right now. She's completely passed out in her bedroom."
Emily stares at me, her mouth hanging open slightly. She's looking at me like I've grown a second head.
"How are you even alive right now?" she whispers, her voice dropping to something between awe and terror.
A grin spreads across my face as realization dawns. "I bet I'm glowing, right?" I hold out my arms, examining my skin. "Your boss is a hell of a woman."
Emily's eyes widen to the point I worry they might pop out of her head. "What?!"
"Last night," I explain, unable to keep the smugness out of my voice. "Maeve and I... well, let's just say we got to know each other pretty well."
Emily releases my arm and takes a step back, looking me up and down like she's seeing me for the first time. Her hand covers her mouth.
"She fed from you and you're still walking around?" Emily says, sounding almost impressed.
"Among other things," I reply, unable to hide my smirk.
Emily's features transforms into a perfect picture of confusion. She blinks rapidly, like her brain is rebooting after a system crash.
"And now you're just... roaming the halls... again," she says slowly, as if trying to piece together a particularly challenging puzzle.
I nod, feeling oddly proud of myself. My stomach chooses that exact moment to let out a growl so loud it practically echoes down the corridor.
Emily sighs dramatically, her shoulders slumping in resignation. "Come on," she says, motioning for me to follow her. "The first floor has some lights on."
I trail behind her as we make our way down a sweeping staircase that belongs in some period drama. As promised, the ground floor is considerably brighter, with actual lights illuminating the corridors.
We enter a kitchen and Emily flips on even more lights, bathing the room in a warm glow.
"Oh, so lights don't hurt vampires?" I ask, genuinely curious. "I thought you guys might prefer darkness or candlelight or something."
"Just sunlight," Emily replies flatly, moving toward one of the massive stainless steel refrigerators.
"Even you?" I can't help but ask, remembering Valentina's "day walker" comment from yesterday.
Emily pauses, her hand on the refrigerator door. "Sunlight tickles a bit during the morning to noonish," she explains with surprising patience, "but then it's not so bad after that."
"Cool," I nod, filing that information away in my growing mental database of vampire facts.
"What do you want?" she asks, gesturing vaguely at the kitchen around us.
"What do you have?" I counter, peering over her shoulder into the fridge.
Emily shoots me a look that could curdle milk before turning to a pantry. She grabs a box of Cheerios, pours some into a bowl, and practically shoves it into my hands. No milk. Not even a spoon.
I can't help the disappointed sigh that escapes me. After everything that happened last night, dry cereal feels like a letdown.
Emily leans against the counter, studying me with narrowed eyes. "Why do you look more energetic than yesterday?" she asks suspiciously.
I flash her a wide grin, popping a few dry Cheerios into my mouth. "Because I think I found the love of my life last night."
Emily's face drops into her hands with a groan that sounds like it comes from the depths of her soul. "I feel like I'm going crazy." she mutters through her fingers.
"Hey," I say, crunching another mouthful of cereal, "quick question. If I marry your boss, does that technically make me your boss too?"
Emily's head snaps up, her eyes wide with horror. "There's no fucking way Maeve is even capable of love," she says flatly. "For as long as I've known her, I've never seen her get attached to anyone."
I shrug, setting down my cereal bowl. "Maybe you're right. But at the very least, I'll probably end up as her pet or something." I run a hand through my messy hair, remembering how Maeve looked at me last night. Like I was the most valuable thing she'd ever found.
"Why doesn't that bother you?"
I lean back against the counter and give her my most sincere look. "Emily. Seriously. Have you seen her?"
"Stop talking to me like we're friends."
"But you're so mad all the time. Isn't it exhausting being like that?"
"I've got a shit load on my plate, blood bag!" she snaps, slamming her palm against the counter so hard I'm surprised the marble doesn't crack. "You think this is some kind of joke? You're prancing around in Maeve's robe, eating our food, acting like you've won the vampire lottery."
I wince at her volume but can't help smiling. "I mean, kind of? Yesterday I was a nobody with a broken heart and a job I hated. Today I'm... special."
Emily's nostrils flare as she takes a deep breath, clearly trying to calm herself. "You're not special. You're food. Fancy food, maybe, but still just food."
"Food that makes your boss glow like a Christmas tree," I counter.
"I can already tell you're going to make my life a living hell," she hisses through clenched teeth. "I wish I'd never bought you in the first place."
The words should sting, but I just shrug, popping another dry Cheerio into my mouth. "Well, what's done is done."