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Five moons of seclusion with only the only occasional letter from the outside world to subside what must be an ever growing loneliness and yet that strange woman still resided within the castle. Hapi grew more confident with each passing day that Constance was a creature of her own making, or maybe just a strange human with a death wish. Five moons since she waltzed into the castle during a bout of torrential rain and she has not left but once. Granted, Hapi hasn't tried particularly hard if at all to get her to leave, it was her own prerogative after all, if she wanted to languish in a drafty castle with a dangerous beast then who was Hapi to stop her? Curiously, Constance woke while the sun set and shut her door come dawn, similar to Hapi, only without the naps sporadically sprinkled throughout the day. But Hapi had an excuse, being a vampire who couldn't be bothered hunting left her mentally and physically exhausted. Constance appeared to have a boundless source of energy, she took on the cooking duty after Hapi presented her with a stale pastry she pilfered from the market the day before, and she cleaned each floor of the castle. Hapi had protested at first but people had fun in all sorts of different ways, who was she to judge?
However, it appeared Constance was one to judge.
"My dearest Hapi, you know my heart overflows with affection for you and respect for your station in life. You have immaculate taste that could rival that of any duke, but I must ask," Constance gestured vaguely at the furnishings of the parlour they occupied. "Why the pinstripe green and yellow? I have done my utmost to respect your unique style as a guest of this palace but I can no longer allow you to go on unassisted!"
Casting her eye over the problematic furniture in question, Hapi simply shrugged. "It was stylish when I got it."
Constance laughed, a melody akin to a rather haughty songbird. "My dearest Hapi, the pinstripe pattern, left the public consciousness in the early eighteenth century."
Hapi nodded. "Yeah, and?"
Constance only laughed again.
Well, Constance did need something to do that wasn't cleaning the place or cooking, as much as Hapi appreciated it, she felt kinda bad having her do all those chores for no reason. And it wasn't like Hapi could help (well, she could, but she didn't want to) so some sort of reparation should be paid. Maybe it would keep her occupied allowing Hapi to nap uninterrupted.
"Decorate the room however you want, it's not like I care about the aesthetics or whatever. Just make sure it's something comfortable to sleep on." Hapi rolled her shoulders back, she really needed to get more sleep, her muscles were starting to ache. "Oh and I'll pay for it so do whatever."
Hapi never understood why someone's smile could be compared to a sunbeam, or why it could feel like intestines twisted up into knots. It was only a smile after all. But Constance beamed, she practically vibrated with excitement and Hapi felt something happen in her stomach. But she was probably just hungry, she missed her second lunch while listening to Constance weave tales of her former life after all.
Within a moon the parlour was refurbished floor to ceiling with the 'newest fashions', it was a lot more pink and blue than Hapi would have chosen but the chaise lounge felt like sleeping on a cloud compared to the last one so she gave Constance permission to decorate other rooms too.
In truth, it was pleasant, having someone else to keep her company. As incredible as musty books and animals were, having a human companion definitely had its advantages. Especially when they had woven gold for hair and porcelain skin, not to mention those eyes that reminded Hapi of the misty lake outside her village growing up. Constance was human, right? It wasn't normal for human females to be that attractive, right? Could she be a vampire too? It would explain her aversion to the sun and to her lack of fear well in general.
Yawning, Hapi stretched out her arms and listened to the shifting of her muscles. It wasn't her business anyway, Constance could do what she wanted, vampire or human Hapi didn't mind the company.
The castle was unusually quiet, the soft humming or loud exultations or general noise Constance emitted was gone, leaving the place feeling strangely hollow. Did she leave? But the sun was just going down, she wouldn't be awake just yet. It was probably nothing...
But Hapi could check the courtyard at the very least.
Squinting at the sun, Hapi tried to make out any evidence that Constance had left. The cracked cobblestone pavement looked the same, covered in leaves as always, the ivy coiling around the windows remained untouched, as did the weeds growing amongst the wildflowers in the grass.
Then, half secluded in the shadows against the crumbling pillar, Hapi made out a crouched figure.
In theory, Hapi could leave her there, she was safe and it wasn't Hapi's business whatever Constance chose to do in her free time. But something about it struck her as strange, and she was pretty curious.
"Hey, Coco," Hapi called out. "What're you doing out there?"
A pained groan was all she received in response.
"Coco?" Hapi repeated, more than a twinge of concern entering her tone.
The sun was barely visible now and it would only be for a handful of seconds, surely Hapi could handle that much exposure to sunlight. Heaving a hefty sigh, Hapi shielded her eyes from the scorching rays and crunched across the fallen leaves to where Constance was kneeled. At first, it was nothing, Hapi almost wondered if she had imagined her sensitivity to the sun and then it began to burn. Searing blisters cracked open across her skin as she grabbed an awkward hold of Constance and lifted her inside.
Slamming the door shut Hapi set Constance down on the marble floor and tumbled down after her.
Her laboured breathing filled the air, the only sound in the great hall until a shout broke the silence.
"Hapi your skin!"
Constance scurried across the floor and was examining the blisters before Hapi could wave away her concern.
"Oh yeah, not the best look is it?"
"How did this happen?" Constance all but exclaimed. "You were only outside but for a moment!"
Hapi shrugged. "I mean, it comes with the territory of being a vampire and all."
Silence followed her comment.
Constance's face contorted into a myriad of expressions from confusion to fury to something Hapi could not parse.
"Pardon?"
Oh right, she didn't know.
"Yeah, it should heal in a week with the proper lotion though." Hapi tried to play it off casually yet her stomach twisted with fear, would Constance leave now that she knew her secret? Hapi didn't spend much time thinking about it before, so what if Constance knew Hapi was a vampire? Yet now, a cold chill ran down her spine at the thought of Constance leaving, of being terrified and finding Hapi revolting.
"Why did you keep such marvellous news from me?" Constance exclaimed, a broad smile overtaking her face.
Hapi blinked. What?
"Do you need to feed? I have not noticed you going out-wait do not tell me you have been depriving yourself!" Now Constance screwed her face up into an expression of anger, the reaction Hapi was expecting but in a very different way.
"Wait-you're not scared or anything?" Hapi asked once her tongue untangled itself.
Constance laughed and Hapi had never felt more confused than she did in that moment. "Dearest Hapi, if you wanted to harm me you would have done so many moons ago. Not only that but you put yourself in harm's way to save me! Now, I suppose the neck is the best place to feed if the stories I was told were correct."
Having contented herself with feeding off of animals for nearly a century, the hunger never truly abating but manageable, the pain becoming normal to her, the chance to rid herself of it seemed abnormal. Yet oh so compelling. Hapi watched Constance unbutton her collar with delicate precision, could she really do this? She was a friend and an extraordinarily attractive woman, if Hapi were to see to her demise it would haunt her for all of eternity.
"Why the hesitance?" Constance asked as she angled her slender neck, exposing an enticing expanse of warm skin.
"I might hurt you." Hapi ventured.
"Hurt me?" Constance scoffed. "You could never, simply have a little self control. Now move along, I can only sit on the hard floor for so long."
Hapi gulped convulsively. Constance was nothing if not persistent, she always got what she wanted and right now she wanted Hapi to drink from her, for whatever reason.
Well, it was her funeral if it went wrong.
Hapi slipped an arm around Constance's waist to hold her close and steady, with one hand cradling the back of her neck, Hapi leaned in. Her lips brushed the delicate skin protecting the precious blood thrumming through her veins, she was so alive. A long repressed ache throbbed at the back of her throat, Hapi circled the junction connecting the neck and collarbone and bit down lightly.
"Go forth." Constance whispered as she gave an encouraging push to the back of Hapi's head.
Hapi bit down and savoured the noise it brought forth from Constance. Sweet like the tea she so loved to drink, Hapi drank from this wellspring of life and felt the ache in her bones subside after nearly a century of longing. Constance. Her Coco. It was intoxicating to say the least, a bliss previously unknown to Hapi rushed through her brain leaving her light headed. As enthralling as the concept of continuing to feed was, she didn't want to take too much all at once and risk harming her beloved.
Hapi swiped her tongue across where she left the bite and licked her lips as she pulled back.
"You good Coco?"
"Indubitably." Constance grinned though she swayed slightly. Leaning her forehead against Hapi's shoulder she giggled. "You can do that as often as you like, please, my dearest."
It was Hapi's turn to chuckle. "Okay, I'll hold you to that."
Yes, it was a very strange woman who wandered into her castle but a woman she loved so dearly and who seemed to love her too.