“Who was that?” I ask him.
“Someone who no longer works here.” Stephan shuts the conversation down and makes it clear he doesn’t want to talk about his “friend.”
“Come, let's get you something to eat,” he offers before I question him further.
“I'm not hungry,” I protest.
My stomach chooses that inopportune moment to give a loud grumble.
Stephan shoots me a knowing look before he says softly, “Please forgive me, Elena. I sometimes forget what it's like to have to take a regular meal. I assure you I have a cook here who can more than aptly satisfy your needs.” His lips quirk up into a half grin before he continues, “In fact, I'm pretty sure she's going to be thrilled to have someone who actually eats food to cook for.”
By the way Stephan is talking, I’m taking it they don’t get many humans here.
“Are there many other vampires in the castle?” I ask him.
“Only those who live here as staff and take care of the place for me when I'm away,” he answers.
I let that sink in. So, I could very well run up across other random vampires.
As if he can tell where my thoughts are headed, he reassures me, “Everyone now knows you're under my protection. No one will mess with you.”
“Where do the other vampires get their food? You said you have a cook…Does she, um, prepare their meals?”
Stephan doesn't glance at me as his mouth presses into a thin line, nor does he answer my question.
I press my lips closed and don't press the issue as he takes my arm and begins leading me down the hallway.
The words he spoke to me earlier reverberate throughout my mind.Don't ask questions you don't really want the answer to.
I suppose he's right. I'm not sure if I really want him to answer that question or not.
But I can think of one question I do want the answer to, even though I suspect I already know it.
“Do vampires ever sleep?”
Stephan looks down at me in surprise before he answers, “No. That's one thing Hollywooddidget right.”
I look down, so he doesn't see the disappointment in my eyes.Damn. How am I ever going to sneak out of here if he never sleeps?
Twenty-One
Stephan
I’ve never seenanything as erotic as Elena eating. It’s not even like she’s eating anything particularly phallic like a banana. She’s not even sucking on anything.
She’s just lifting a spoon of soup daintily up to her pretty little mouth.
Her lips glisten after every bite, and I’m growing hungrier every second she sates her own hunger.
Unfortunately, my hunger won’t be so easily sated because the only thing that will sate it is her.
“What?” she asks when she catches me watching her. She pauses with the spoon raised halfway to her mouth.
“Nothing, I tell her. “I just enjoy watching you eat.”
Of course, after I tell her that, she lowers the spoon back to her bowl and refuses to take another bite.
I clench my jaw shut.