When Night Comes

16. 𝓣𝓱𝓮 𝓑𝓾𝓻𝓷𝓮𝓭 𝓞𝓷𝓮

(Y/n) woke up tired the next evening. She could hear the two of them arguing throughout the day, the sound of their voice carrying all the way up to the second floor. She hadn't been able to sleep at all because of their constant arguing that lasted through a great part of the day. (Y/n) wondered who that man really was. From his appearance, she knew he was also a vampire, but knew next to nothing about the elusive Killian. She theorized that he must be the mysterious companion that was mentioned several times at the balls they had gone to. The frequent mentions of Killian at social gatherings and Dorian's guarded responses left her questioning the dynamics between the two vampires.

The intensity of their discord contradicted her expectations. Despite Dorian's readiness to defend their relationship, the palpable tension suggested a deep-seated animosity. They didn't seem to like each other. She didn't know how to feel about this new addition to life at the estate. He had mentioned that he planned to leave, but something was telling her he might stay longer than he expected. (Y/n) didn't know if she liked that. He had called her an uncontrollable beast, after all.

She wondered if this had something to do with her upbringing. She wasn't born into nobility and she wondered if he had realized it.(Y/n) knew how some aristocrats looked down on 'poor peasants' like her. It wasn't uncommon for those born into privilege to harbor preconceived notions about the lower classes. Her stomach twisted. Nothing good ever came out of her sort meddling with them. She should have listened to her parents; if she had, none of this would have happened.

Silence finally came during the middle of the day as the arguing ceased. Exhausted, she finally found reprieve in rest, waking up late the next night. The perpetual confrontation had dampened her spirits, relegating her to her room for most of the night, seeking solace in books. Dinner became a subdued affair, and her arrival at the table prompted strained smiles.

The two vampires were already present and she only ducked her head and took her usual seat, not knowing how to act around the new resident of the manor.

"Did you have a pleasant night, starshine ?" Dorian's strained attempt at warmth hung in the air. It was clear he wasn't as happy as he tried to portray.

Nodding in response, she joined the meal in a hushed atmosphere. The tension among the trio remained palpable, a stark contrast to their usual dynamics. Dorian was sipping his glass of blood, (Y/n) was eating and Killian did neither. Words were scarce, and the burden of unresolved conflicts pressed heavily.

Eventually, the blond broke the silence : "Well, don't you have anything to say, darling?" He almost snapped impatiently as he turned to the other man.

"What is it again?" Killian's sharp retort fueled the anticipation of another argument.

(Y/n) cringed, feeling another quarrel coming. She hoped this wasn't going to become the norm.

"She looks terrified of you," the blond noted. "Say something !"

The girl pushed her plate away and stood up. "May I excuse myself ?" She whispered politely. Without following the proper table manners she had learned, she turned and left before an answer came. She would most likely get reprimanded for it later, but she couldn't care less now.

Her feet led her to her room and she simply collapsed on her bed, closing her eyes. With enough concentration she could almost tune out the noise from downstairs. She opened them once again a while later when someone knocked at her door. "Enter," she said, expecting a few servants. Ever since her attempt to escape, it was rare for her to be left with only one or two servants; she wasn't trusted not to somehow convince them to let her leave freely like she had done the last time with– the corpse.

The knock on her door later revealed an unexpected visitor. (Y/n) stood up, waiting for him to say anything.

"I must apologize," he began, an unusual sincerity in his tone. "For my rudeness. My behavior was unbecoming."