The Vampire's Mate

Chapter 2: You Aren't Leaving

Tom's POV

I was in my study when I heard small footsteps padding by and I realized my little darlin' was up. Her small tummy growled as she walked by and I felt a smile creep upon my lips. It was a delicious sound of need and a feeling of satisfaction ran through me since I was the only one able to satisfy her hunger. Once I bound her to me the only thing that would assuage her hunger was my blood and only her blood could do the same for me.

I stood up from my chair and walked out of the study. She was still just in a pair of my boxers and a long white t-shirt. She would stop and stare at the paintings. I had many done by famous artists such as Caravaggio, Fragonard, Michelangelo, and even a couple by DaVinci himself in another room that I would have to show her sometime.

She stopped at a certain one as I walked over. "Do you like this piece? I have to say it's one of my favorites. It's a Raphael. School of Athens to be precise," I smiled from behind her. She didn't expect me to be behind her and she jumped about three feet in the air.

"I know who it's by and what it is. I'm an art history major in college and I was getting a dress for graduation before you so rudely kidnapped me. I even had an internship at the Louvre museum in France," she snapped before sighing as she said the last sentence softly. There was a flicker of emotion before her hostility toward me returned and she was glaring at me.

I was about to speak when her stomach growled loudly. She protested as I chuckled and picked her up, carrying her to our bedroom. A few servants hid a chuckle at her futile attempts to get out of my protective embrace.

"Get off me and stay off me, kidnapper," she hissed when I finally sat her on the bed and let go of her. She crawled to the middle of the bed near the headboard and tried to get away when I sat next to her, but I was too fast and already had her sitting in my lap. She whined loudly as I gently held her to my neck for her to drink.

"Ella, my love, you are going to have to learn to use your fangs and to feed off me. You can eat mortal food but there will be no value. I'm the only one who can keep you alive and you aren't leaving me," I said as I cradled the irritated fledgling in my protective grasp.

"Yes I will. I am leaving and you can't stop me. Then I'll call the police on you and they'll throw you in a dark cell, or maybe they'll throw you in the sunlight and you'll disappear forever," she hissed, her eyes throwing hateful daggers at me.

A deep growl burst out from low in my throat. "You will die without me. I'm the only thing that is keeping you alive you unless you want to succumb to hunger you are at my whim and my beck and call. So either you eat or you starve. And if you ever think of leaving me just know that I'm your sire and the man you are bound to and without me you will die. So I suggest you think your actions through, little girl. Do I make myself perfectly clear?" I glared down at her coolly, my fangs their large terrifying length.

She nodded, not daring to put up a fight or upset me again. "Yes, Tom. You make yourself crystal clear," she quietly mumbled. She wouldn't look me in the eye and I was too enraged to be all cutesy like before with her. I was ready to just give her a punishment then and there.

"Are you going to eat tonight or not?" I asked, still using my rough and unforgiving tone. She wordlessly nodded and sat up, waiting. I was about to ask her what the hell she was doing before I realized she didn't know how use her fangs to find my vein. "Let me get that for you, baby girl. Hang on," I said in a soft tone and nicked the vein in my neck, pulling her close as she gently started lapping at the crimson mess that spilled onto my t-shirt.

She snuggled into me as she took small licks, not daring to upset me again. "Sweetheart, you need to eat. Don't be so sheepish. How about we teach you how to use your fangs soon, love?" I looked at her, holding her close to my chest. She just nodded again and softly grunted as she started drinking deeper.

Ella's POV

I didn't want to upset Tom so I didn't leave his side for the rest of the night. He was sitting on the toilet looking at some guitar chords someone had sent him as I bathed in the bathtub. I accidentally splashed, causing some of the water to spill over. He let out a small growl and looked over his papers at me.

"I didn't mean to," I pouted, looking up at him. He just grunted and went back to looking over his papers. "Tom, I need a rag," I said.

He nodded and went to the cabinet. There weren't any in there so he yelled to one of his servants. A few minutes later a girl came running in and handed him a few rags. He put them in the cabinet and handed me one.

"Thank you," I took it and wet it down. I yawned and laid back in the tub, relaxing for a bit. It still took quite a bit of strength, that I didn't have back yet, to even wash myself.

"Ella, you're never going to get clean if you don't hurry up. Pick up your washcloth and get clean," he looked over at me. I pouted and looked at him. He didn't look happy and his eyes were a slight reddish instead of their normal blue.

"I'm too tired. You do it," I yawned, settling more into the warm water and turning onto my side. He grumbled something about me being a handful and sat beside the tub, grabbing the wash rag and sitting me up.

"I'm glad you already washed your hair, baby," he chuckled, pouring some soap onto the rag, and washing my arms first. I murmured a soft 'mmm hmm' as he cleaned my legs. He got close to an area and it made my body stir a bit.

After he finished, he picked me up out of the bath and bundled me in a towel. Then he wrapped my long golden locks in another towel. I yawned, wrapping my arms around his neck and my legs around his waist as he carried me to bed with him.

He gently pulled the towels off me and tucked me into bed. I felt a soft kiss being placed on my forehead as the bed shifted. He pulled the covers over himself and held me close as we both drifted off to sleep.