Darling by Claudia D. Christian Page B

“You
look for problems that do not exist.”

    “You are
right. I am not sure why I do that.”

    I am so afraid he
will forget me every time he leaves. There is such a big world beyond
this castle that I am not part of. Eventually he will tire of the
little human pet he keeps. . .

    “Banish those
ridiculous thoughts from your head, Mistress. They serve no purpose.
Lord Constantine would never abandon you.”

    Cassandra rested her
chin on raised knees. “Were my fears so very loud?”
Instead of replying, Lenore covered her eyes and proceeded to rinse
Cassandra’s hair. “Your silence answers for you.”

    “No fear can
be hidden in this world—except in your rooms. Even those do not
stay secret for long.”

    The unspoken being,
Because you do not control yourself as befitting your station.

    “I truly am
sorry for annoying you with my insecurities.” She hid her face
but revealed her pain anyways. Tears salted the air and mournful
notes whistled through the walls.

    Lenore sighed. “You
could give a demon a conscience, Mistress.” She brought
Cassandra to her feet. Quickly washing the girl’s front, Lenore
attempted to bring some measure of comfort. “Lord Constantine’s
match with you could never be set aside, Mistress. You were brought
here within the hour after your birth because you were born for him.
You have been groomed to be his Beloved—the highest union that
can exist between a vampire and a human. There is no room for fear,
Mistress, even here in this world.”

    Cassandra wanted to
curl into an insignificant ball. Shamed, she hissed in an uncommon
display of despair. “Then why does it stalk me, Lenore? Why do
I feel my lord only tolerates me because some committee from your
Nephilim government declared me complimentary to him? What if he does
not believe it?”

    The older woman
cradled Cassandra’s face between her palms. She forced her
charge to look her in the eyes. “What exactly is it you want,
Mistress?”

    Stripped clean and
unable to hide her longing from Lenore, Cassandra’s façade
crumpled. A woman with adult needs broke through the maidenly
adoration. “I want him to love me.”

    “Vampires
should not love, Mistress. Their love is dangerous, expressed in a
way humans do not understand. It could bring out the worst in both of
you.”

    Grief tied her
breath in knots. Cassandra fell against Lenore’s breast and
sobbed. The vampiress stroked her head, not bothering to utter
meaningless words, but comforting Cassandra with her solid, loyal
presence.

    Am I so wrong for
him? Do I not match him? Am I not good enough for him? Does he not
feel the same for me as I do for him?

    Much later, wrung
out from the devastating force of her emotions, Cassandra pulled away
from Lenore’s cold embrace. She rubbed her itchy, swollen eyes
and managed to ask, “Is that why Lord Constantine has his other
companions? Is that why he has not made me his Beloved? Will I
eventually be Beloved in name only but nothing more than a Concubine
in reality? Does my lord favor someone else? Someone who is powerful
and more beautiful?”

    “Who dared to
carry tales to you?” Lenore’s eyes blazed crimson. Fangs
elongated and scissored, ready to slice open anyone unwise to venture
too close. A perfect face bleached to stone and the air vibrated from
unholy rage. “What have you heard? Tell me now!”

    Cassandra babbled
her apologies, afraid she had disappointed her caretaker. “I am
sorry, Lenore! Please do not be angry with me!”

    Lenore’s face
wiped clean. She once again appeared as before, calm and impossible
to disturb. “I am not angry with you, Mistress Cassandra. Tell
me what you know—”

    “Nothing.”
She stepped out of the pool. “I am ready to be prepared for my
lord’s visit.”

    “You know
cannot lie to a vampire, Mistress, and go undiscovered. Now tell
me—how long have you known?”

    “Long enough
to understand my place.” Cassandra’s eyes darkened with
pain. She