“You’re really a jerk!”


    “I take that as apliment.”


    Sebastian sighed again. “Em, just ignore Vince. I think his status is getting to his head.”


    “It’s better than someone who acts like they don’t have any at all,” Vincent snapped back at his brother.


    I nced back and forth between the brothers, feeling an awkward tension.


    “But then again, I guess you do since you don’t really go near Fiona in public.”


    “That’s for her own safety,” Sebastian growled, suddenly looking furious. “And you know it, Vincent.”


    Vincent scoffed. “Okay.”


    “No wonder you weren’t chosen as the heir. Juvenile doesn’t begin to describe your attitude,” Sebastian responded smoothly.


    “Why don’t you leave before you’re caught with my mistake?”


    My eyes widened when I realized he was talking about me. Then my attention shifted from Vincent to his brother, who looked guilty. Our gazes met and he gave me an apologetic look.


    “Is there something I’m missing here…?” Besides the fact that you two obviously don’t get along well .


    “You’re bad for our image,” Vincent told me tly.


    The corners of my lips twitched in annoyance. “Oh. We’ll sorry.”


    Sebastian shook his head. “It’s not your fault, Em. No one mes you at all…” He trailed off, sending a meaningful look towards Vincent. “Although there are those who didn’t agree when they heard a human was staying with the Rutherfords, there were those who understood.”


    “Oh… Okay,” I responded slowly, wondering why he was bothering with telling me this. I didn’t really care what vampires thought of me.


    “Don’t worry about it,” he continued, obviously not noticing myck of interest. He ruffled my head for a moment. “We won’t let anything happen.”


    That threw me off guard. “Wait? What do you mean by that?”


    “I…”


    “Chicken’s done,” Vincent grunted and a secondter the oven dinged. “You can leave now, Sebastian. I’ve got her covered.”


    Sebastian looked relieved. “I’ll see youter then. Bye, Emily.”


    “Wait!” I called as he shed away from the room. For a second I was too shocked to move my eyes away from the empty ce Sebastian had been upying moments before. Vampires were fast .


    “Do you need salt or pepper?”


    “You have that?”


    Vincent gave me a condescending look. “Don’t you have salt and pepper at your house?”


    “Well yeah, sure, but-”


    “We’re no different here,” he told me tly, sticking his hand into the oven. “So stop looking so shocked when-”


    .


    .


    “What are you doing?” I demanded, stepping forwards and trying to yank his hand out of the oven. “You don’t have a mitt on!”


    For a second Vincent looked at me in surprise, and then he chuckled, pulling out the chicken pan with his bare hand. “We don’t need oven mitts, stupid.”


    “My name is Emily,” I snapped.Original content from N?velDrama.Org.


    “That’s stupid backwards.”


    I nked. “Wait, it is?”


    He snickered.


    I scowled, letting go of his arm. “You’re a jerk, you know that? Shouldn’t you try being a little nicer seeing as how I’m a guest here?”


    “Guest?” he repeated, cocking his head to the side. “I was under the impression that you considered yourself a prisoner.”


    “Your mom told me not to think that way, so I won’t. And in that case, guests should be treated courteously.”


    Vincent shrugged, stabbing the piece of chicken with a fork and putting it on a te for me. “You want courteous?”


    “Yes.”


    “Then go find Sebastian.” With that, he thrust the te he was carrying into my hand. “I’m sure he’d love yourpany.”


    I gritted my teeth. “Never mind. I’m going to find Fiona.”


    Vincent paused, ncing at me over his shoulder. “You are?”


    “That’s what I said.”


    He nodded approvingly. “Okay. I’ll show you the way then.”


    I cocked an eyebrow. “Why so helpful now?”


    “Fiona could use a friend,” he responded simply. “Even one as stupid like you will make her happy.”


    “I’m not stupid!”


    “Stupid enough to get yourself kidnapped.”


    “By fricking paranormal beasts!”


    He gave me a curious look. “Paranormal beasts… I think I like that.”


    A heavy sigh escaped my lips. You really couldn’t put out a narcissist. Vincent let out a loudugh, gesturing for me to follow him down the hallway. I obeyed him, clutching my te tightly so I wouldn’t identally drop it. With the amount of twists and turns we took while walking down the hallway, I knew I’d never be able to find my way back to the kitchen or my bedroom. A frown took its ce on my face when I realized I’d have to ask Vincent for help.


    Without warning, Vincent stopped, effectively tree stumping me. He didn’t seem to notice. Oblivious to my annoyed look, he rapped on the door we were in front of three times consecutively. Not even five secondster the door flew open and Fiona appeared, her eyes brightening as theynded on me.


    “Emily!”


    “Hello to you too,” Vincent muttered.


    Fiona grinned at him. “Hi, Vivi.”


    I waited for a moment, expecting Vincent to snap at her, but he didn’t. My eyebrows furrowed in confusion. Didn’t he hate when people called him that? Howe he wasn’t yelling at Fiona?


    “What are you guys doing here?” Fiona inquired when she realized neither of us was going to speak up.


    I held up the te in my hand. “Do you mind if I keep you somepany?”


    “Sick of Vincent already?”


    “It’s more like the other way around,” Vincent interjected.


    “Hey!”


    Fionaughed. “I’d love to take her off your hands, Vince. I haven’t had any girl time in a very long time…”


    Vincent held up his hands. “That’s my cue to leave. Don’t cause too much trouble. And stupid?”


    I red at him. “Don’t call me stupid!”


    “Try not to be too much of an idiot.”


    I gritted my teeth as Vincent smirked at me. In the blink of an eye he was gone and Fiona was ushering me inside her room. For a second I was taken aback as bright pink entered my vision. I blinked, trying to adjust my eyes to the color. Fiona definitely took girly to an extreme in her room. Almost everything was pink and white, from the carpet, to the walls, to the bedspread, to the window curtains. It was almost like Valentine’s Day!


    She caught me staring and blushed. “Er… It’s a little girly.”


    I pressed my lips together to keep fromughing. “A little?”


    “I hope you don’t mind!”


    I shook my head. “I don’t mind at all!”


    She gave me a relieved smile. “Good. When I was alive I was brought up as a boy would, so I never really got to experience the girly side of things… I really missed out.”


    “Yeah,” I responded distractedly. When she was alive… Curiosity bubbled up in me, but I hastily forced it away. If Vincent had a problem talking about Fiona, I was sure Fiona would also have one. It was better not to tread in dark water.


    “So do you want to y Barbie?”


    I blinked at her. “Um…”


    Sheughed, rolling her eyes. “I’m kidding, Emily. Why don’t you eat? We can watch some T. V too.” She gestured towards the wall, where a gigantic t screen was.


    My jaw nearly dropped. “That’s bigger than my house!”


    “You must have a very small house then,” shemented, her eyes as wide as saucers. “I’m sorry.”


    “Not literally,” I responded, trying not tough.


    “Oh… I knew that.” She smiled sheepishly.


    “So… Up for some T. V?”


    I nodded.


    “Sounds good. It’s nice to do something normal.”


    Fiona grinned.


    “We’ll do lots of normal things together. Trust me, being here will be no different than being at home… Well, besides the constant risk of being attacked by a hungry vampire.”


    I made a face. “Thanks for reminding me.”


    “Anytime,” she responded, pping my back none too gently.


    “Now take a seat.”