Chapter 24: 23- Theon

"You truly plan on not eating anything, Miss Mont?" I put a smile on my face as she walks out of the house, hoping she would change her mind but she walks past me to the front seat next to the driver's and slips in, not bothering to answer.

I should be used to Solaris' antics by now, shouldn't I? And yet, I couldn't believe she would find a way, somehow, to upset me more than the previous times but she did. She has. I must admit her determination at irritating me is applaud worthy but if anything, I deserve a break, don't I?

I put my hands behind my back, knowing I would lose control if they stayed by my side before I get into the car and shut the door. She's sitting beside me, seat belt intact with her body dropped into her seat. She isn't sleeping as she used to though her eyes look droopy as she stares, blinking at me.

"I would not be able to focus at work if I do not see you eat," I say though I tell from the look on her face that she doesn't buy that. It's clear now that I've spoiled her rotten with my incessant acts of kindness because how dare a mere mortal refuse to eat a pie that I spent nights fighting to prepare? It had been almost impossible to not burn her house down though I see no use of its existence because it clearly is too small for the little diva beside me but I'd fought hard to prepare it and she did not taste it.

Just took a glance at it for three seconds (I always count) and walked back to her room. I thought she decided to go shower and dress for school before eating but she walked past the table and headed to the car.

"I never thought you would be picky, little fox," I say this as I start the car and drive out the front yard while sparing glances at her. Her hair is in two buns like ears above her head and the flowers I bought for her had been placed all over. She looks off but awake which is odd because she is usually asleep by now, she's staring at me impassively, like I'm overreacting and she's bored. "You should eat whatever food you see, Miss Mont. The world isn't fair to people like you."

"I am not picky with food," Her voice is still the same. Soft, breathy, and quiet. Dead, almost. "What I saw wasn't food. I eat anything but that was a creature that you pulled from another dimension and I don't eat real things."

"You're overreacting—"

"I saw it moving, truly. It looks pitiful, almost sad. Might have eaten it to put it out if it's misery but that would be just unfair really," She's talking, still looking at me. Her eyes are empty and her voice as well, but it's clear she's trying to make me uncomfortable, or do something to piss me off. Or perhaps, she's just being how she's always been.

Pissing.

I grip the steering wheel tighter, my face fixing up a smile even tighter as I realize how badly I desire to throw her out the car. It is almost insane that I do not recognise where those feelings come from because I usually stay more classified and calm in my surroundings, but she— Fuck. "Stay quiet."

Solaris obeys. We drive in silence till we get to her Academy and the second we're close enough, she's already taking out her seat belt and turning to leave before I grab her hand. She turns to me, her face apathetic but I can tell from how white her hand is turning that I'm gripping too hard and let it go. "I'll be in your school today, so try not to talk to me today, okay?"

"Okay." There are no objections. No questions about my order. It's silly, isn't it? My fox is still the same as she's always been but yesterday— It felt like she had missed me, or she cared for me, somehow. That look on her face of distraught when she feared I wouldn't return. That— That had me feeling… Something I had not felt before but all through today, she has reverted back like that moment did not happen. Like I did not bare my soul to her.

I want her to feel something again. Pain. Euphoria. I want to own all of that. The thought that someone else could retrieve such emotions from her, especially that human who looked so pitiful as he stood in front of me almost has me pulling her into my lap and digging my fangs into her while I grip her thighs, squeezing them hard enough to leave marks.

My thoughts clear when I realize she's leaning over to my seat and placing one of the flowers from her head into my suit pocket. The white matches with the white of my outfit and I look at her. She's staring now, her voice cool, "Don't forget to plant them. They're tied to my existence with you. Remember that." And she's out the door.

I stare as she walks away, my hand reaching out to stroke my chin before I feel a smile come to my face. Do I understand her words? No, but there is something about doing what she wants that is pleasing, almost… Fascinating. Not that it surprises me, everything she does catches my attention, even her breathing.

I stay in the car till I can no longer hear her heart close before I walk out of it. As always, I'm parked quite a distance away from her school so I walk for a while before I stand in front of it. I put my hands into my pocket as I stare at the building. I can sense the watchguards placed at different parts and they're staring back but none dares to walk to me.

Their fear is pertinent, almost choking. I take out the flower from my breast pocket and place it on my nose. Unlike roses, they are not as strong or as persistent. Still, it soothes me almost, especially since it smells exactly like she had earlier today so I stand there, keeping the flower to my nose before I feel someone standing in front of me. I can smell their sweat, and how badly they're trembling. Shaking. "M-My Lord."

I raise my head up before fixing a smile on my face, then returning it back into where it belongs, I put my hands behind my back and say softly, "Dean Naius. This is a pleasant surprise. You look… Different from whence we crossed paths last."

Truthfully, he does. Already, I know why. The resources Elysium Academy uses is taken care of by Rank A and B vampires which I must admit, is not exactly plentiful but it doesn't show on him, or at the very least, does not correlate with the information I have received from him. The parties, women and men, the drugs. All of it is not affordable for a rank as his.

Still, I put my hand around his shoulders and begin to lead him into school, "It is wonderful to see that you are making your mark in this cold world. Our rank has to fight for our existence and worth in this world, you see?"

The humans, if they would take out their victim mentality would easily see that vampires are never on a united front, we could never be as they would, especially now that ranks exist. The Ancients as Rank A supervises every authority and their say is final though the Royal Bloods as Rank B hold some power if the former cares not to interfere. Rank C's like me are civil servants, in a sense. We spend our eternity working to keep our society working as it should. We provide our due diligence with our loyalty to its growth and put it always before us. Rank D's… They are mostly ever in the shadow, hidden and watching, always. Any vampire could fall under the guise of this umbrella as the true participants and Rank E's are the law enforcers.

Many Rank E's hate Rank C's and they both hate Rank B's. It's the unfairness that keeps them in line, making sure they understand they'll always be under. I should know this of course, I built this system.

"M-Master Vasilakis," The halls are empty when we walk in. I can still smell human residue lingering, meaning he must have sent them all away when he heard of my appearance in front of his school. Silly, really. The school looks pristine, almost like it had recent work done on it to keep it in shape. Funny, no funds have been sent here. "You are— You are clearly above me."

"No, please. Call me Theon," I'm smiling now as I take my hand off him and folding it behind my hands. "And I have made it clear that the reason I am not known as a Rank A is because I clearly see how unfairly they treat our brethren. I am very compassionate, and I fight hard to make our life bearable." Then leaning down, I whisper into his ears, "Especially providing services that you enjoy. Do I not?"

His heart spikes there and I pull away, chuckling. "Do not ever feel shame, Dean Naius. Our existence is long and never ending, so doing something else to help it pass is very understandable. Plus, they are my babies. At the very least, I visit whenever I can to check on my creation."

That gets him to relax. See, little fox, that is one thing we Vampires and your kind would forever have in common. We bear a strong need for approval or at the very least, comfort from someone above us, or at some times, below us. We desire to be held and spoken to. Or treated as family.

Except you, but I've come to understand you're a glitch in the system and my statement still stands when you are exempted.

"You have been very good— Very good to our kind, Master—" I raise my eyebrow and he retracts, swallowing as he says, "T-Theon."

He does not deserve to speak my name but I let my smile widen as I nod, "Good. Anyway, I come here because there is something I would like to… Understand better about the Academy,"

He's surprised, clearly because only humans are the main focus here. I can not find the scent of the bloody royal here which is beginning to unravel me because this is the only place he could have found Solaris. Which means my patience is running thinner. It is clear that someone is promoting his extravagance. Perhaps, the royal that's kept my little fox unnoticed all this years.

"Do you have— Do you have a human that you—"

I stream him out as I pause, the scent of that Royal hitting me so hard my head snaps up to the door. There's a glass window that I peek through, my blood immediately flowing through me in such a rush I feel my nails grow and veins appear all over my head as my eyes fall on a sight that has me desiring to kill more than anything else.

Solaris Mont is in an art room (there are so many paintings littered around that it would be impossible not to know what it was used for) and she's the only one. Her shirts gone and she's in a tank top, colours patched all over her skin as she moves her fingers on a canvas. I cannot see her face because of her voluminous hair covering it but I can see him. He's standing in front of her, a pleased and content smile on his face as he stares at her before he turns to me, his smile waning.

We both stare at each other and I realize now that he wears shades to cover his eyes to hide the fact that he is Royal. "Dean Naius, I will like to take my leave now."

As I turn away, I try to control my blood lust though I need no one to tell me that the redness in my eyes have worsened. Naius is confused at my sudden need to leave but there is no reason to stay longer. I never imagined he would be a teacher here but if I had the choice to teach reproachful humans so I could be next to her, I would.

Which makes me understand that this is more complicated than I had hoped it would be. Still, I leave and return to my car, forcing myself to not think of her alone in that room with someone as powerful as him and try to focus on my impending visit with the Ancients, knowing they would easily sense her in my head if I do.

And to do that, I take her flower out my pocket and throw it out the window, before driving away from the Academy.