Sofia squinted at the bloody towel seriously considering if it would be weird to try and suck the blood from it. Considering the funny look Jackie was already giving her she decided against it. She pressed it back to Jackie’s shoulder and Jackie hissed.

  Sofia should have been freaking out, she had actually bit Jackie. But she had gone out of her way to avoid any arteries so she had more leeway to be a little rougher rather than usual.

  “Sorry,” Sofia offered. She was in a surprisingly good mood, the actual snack she had definitely helped.

  “S’fine,” Jackie muttered happily. She had been a little dizzy when she had first stood but it seemed to be psychological rather than physiological. Sofia hadn't drunk that much blood.

  “I still think we should go to the hospital, I didn’t mean to bite that hard,” Sofia winced apologetically.

  Jackie rolled her eyes and patted the bed beside her. “Come here.”

  Sofia hesitated a moment but obeyed, climbing back into bed beside a very naked Jackie. “Fine, but if it doesn't stop bleeding soon we’re going,” Sofia retorted as she snuggled up to Jackie, she traced the large angry scar on Jackie’s stomach that had yet to fade. The fact Jackie could heal so fast was a comfort.

  “Alright, I wouldn't want to get vampire cooties I suppose,” Jackie smirked, nuzzling against Sofia.

  Sofia sighed and closed her eyes, enjoying the warmth of Jackie’s body.

  “That was… really good you know,” Jackie added with a surprising amount of embarrassment. “I don’t think I’ve ever cum so fast before,” she laughed.

  Sofia wasn't entirely sure how one was supposed to reply to a compliment like that.

  “I don’t think I’ve ever seen someone so wet,” Sofia retorted playfully.

  “Christ,” Jackie flushed. “Maybe I have a bit of a vampire kink.”

  “Oh really?” Sofia retorted sarcastically, tilting Jackie’s face to her to kiss her gently.

  “I know it’s a shock,” Jackie smiled against her lips.

  Something occurred to Sofia. “Can I try something?”

  Jackie raised an eyebrow. “Yes?”

  “Orgasm,” Sofia commanded, tugging on the ethereal rope that bonded them. It had never been stronger.

  Jackie’s eyes went wide a split second before they shut as she shuddered with a grunt. When she finally raised her head she seemed stunned. Sofia felt just as surprised that it had worked. “Wow,” she whispered.

  Jackie chuckled breathily, “That's… fuck… I’ve never been able to go from zero to 100 like that.”

  “Erotic eye blasting,” Sofia smirked.

  “You really need a better name for your mind control,” Jackie groaned dramatically.

  Sofia shrugged. “I guess I don’t even need my eyes with you.”

  “Yeah,” Jackie smirked playfully. “I’m always yours.”

  Sofia felt the ghost of a shiver.

  “Y’know…” Jackie began. “Next time… I don’t mind being uh… ordered about.”

  Sofia could tease her, the words were on the tip of her tongue. “Don’t mind or want?” Sofia asked instead.

  Jackie scrunched up her nose. “Want,” she finally admitted.

  “I uh… wouldn't be opposed to it either. I’ve done some research,” Sofia replied.

  “Oh is that where my books went?” Jackie smirked.

  “I returned them,” Sofia huffed. “We need a better safety net if we wanna do that though.”

  Jackie nodded thoughtfully, “you know I like this, right? Being… owned.”

  This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.

  Sofia’s throat felt dry at Jackie’s sincerity. She had known Jackie liked it when she took control but… this was different. Jackie stating it so clearly made it all somewhat click into place, making it real and tangible.

  Sofia searched for the words, scrambling to organize her thoughts as Jackie grew increasingly uncertain.

  “I am… becoming more comfortable with the power I have over you,” Sofia slowly offered. “I am glad you enjoy it.”

  “But you don’t like it,” Jackie finished for her.

  “I… It’s one thing to play pretend for fun, it’s another thing for the power to be real,” Sofia winced. “I know you like being… submissive but I’m literally strong enough to tear the side off a bus. I love you, Jackie, and…” Sofia trailed off. “I like you being mine, but I’m also responsible for your safety. I don’t dislike it but I am… hesitant. Like I know you wanted me to bite you, and God knows I wanted to do it, but you still have a gash in your shoulder now.”

  Jackie smiled and pressed a kiss to Sofia’s forehead. “I know your priority is keeping me safe, that's why I like belonging to you. You keep me safe, you care for me. You’ve saved my life. I love and trust you implicitly. I know we’ve dealt with shit, but in the end, I don’t think we are bad for each other.”

  Sofia didn't reply, she just rested her head on Jackie’s chest. Before she had said they were bad for each other, but now everything felt different. They had talked and worked shit out, Sofia had worked some of her own shit out too. No, nothing about this felt bad anymore. In fact, she wasn't entirely sure she had ever felt so content.

  “I know Eloise called me your pet, as weird as it is I’m ok to be that,” Jackie added after some time.

  “You want to be my pet,” Sofia asked, unable to hide the mirth in her voice.

  “A bratty opinionated one but sure,” Jackie retorted with a snort. “I know you want us to be equals but I also like you being my owner.”

  Sofia flushed, Jackie’s blood was enough to make her feel the warmth of arousal. She tried not to think about walking a naked Jackie around on a leash and miserably failed. “I-I think I like that too,” Sofia retorted with a nervous chuckle.

  “Will you stay tonight?” Jackie asked through a yawn.

  Sofia took a deep breath. “Until you fall asleep,” she replied.

  Jackie pouted but pulled the duvet up. “I'll take what snuggles I can get then, Mistress.”

  Sofia swallowed and stared up at the ceiling. She did her best to keep her breathing even and not give away how much that one word had shot through her. She had the horrible sense she had failed. She flushed. Fuck, she was learning way too much about herself tonight.

  The man stumbled from the alleyway, his collar strained with blood as he robotically marched down the street. So that's where Eloise had gotten off too. She found her sire wiping the blood from her chin and readjusting her slightly out-of-place hair.

  “Evening, Sofia, how did things go with your pet?” Eloise asked with a smirk.

  After their conversation, however, that didn't quite bring up the flare of annoyance that Eloise had probably intended. “Good,” Sofia smiled.

  “More than that,” Eloise chuckled. “You might have considered a shower.”

  Sofia’s mouth dropped up in horror.

  “Darling I can read minds, trust me I’ve seen worse,” Eloise dismissed.

  Sofia just shook her head and sighed. “It did go good though, really good. The break really helped us sort through some stuff.”

  “I’m glad to hear that,” Eloise replied as they stepped out of the alley. “It was quite unexpected for you to send her away.”

  “Yeah,” Sofia replied flatly. She had far fonder memories. “I have some questions about our eyes?”

  “Oh?” Eloise asked as they made their way back to the hotel.

  “If we can uh suggest that people ignore our commands how do we undo that?” Sofia asked. “Like what if you make a suggestion you can't undo?”

  Eloise gave her a curious look. “I was not aware that was an ability of our eyes,” she replied curiously.

  Sofia frowned. “Yeah, I made it so Jackie can ignore my commands if they are unethical. We even tested it and she shrugged it off.”

  “Was she in a trance or did you do this through your bond?” Eloise puzzled.

  “The blood bond, I only used my eyes on her once. That was when we figured out about the bond attachment part,” Sofia replied.

  “Ah, I do not believe she would be able to avoid the commands of your eyes. I did make her carry an umbrella over us to town without issue,” Eloise smirked.

  “Well that's hardly unethical,” Sofia pointed out.

  “Perhaps, I admit I am not an expert on blood bonds but when humans meet our eyes we have access to their psyche directly. Perhaps through your bond, you can send Jackie commands but… our eyes are like opening up the computer itself to tinker around. I’ve certainly not been able to make someone immune to our eyes and I’ve certainly tried,” Eloise sighed wistfully.

  Sofia felt like there was more there but didn't push. The safety net she had concocted had somewhat fallen apart. It had just been an illusion. Jackie was safe from her abusing the bond but not her eyes. “Shit,” she muttered.

  “Not the answer you were looking for I presume?”

  “Well… I guess it’s good to know commands can't get stuck,” Sofia offered.

  “All it takes is a suggestion to wipe the slate clean,” Eloise pointed out. “If you’ve gone a little wild there may still be some psychological repercussions but that's up to the individual.”

  “I still don’t understand how any of this is possible,” Sofia sighed.

  “Neither do I, darling, but don't look a gift horse in the mouth I suppose,” Eloise replied.

  “Do… Do you ever miss being human?” Sofia venture.

  “Miss being human?” Eloise puzzled, “No. I… sometimes I miss the naivete, it’s more nostalgia than anything. I do often miss the sun though, we’ve been enemies so long I worry I will forget what it felt like on my skin before I died.”

  There was something truly haunting about the way Eloise said that, the weight of all the decades she continued to exist.

  “I suppose it’s a little different from the way humans despise their own mortality. Everyone wants what is beyond their reach, often it’s best to learn to be content with what we have,” Eloise added.

  “If you had the choice would you be human again?” Sofia asked.

  “God no,” Eloise chuckled. “Would you?” Eloise asked with so much more weight behind it.

  “No,” Sofia replied, she already knew her answer. Despite all its flaws, it was all too magical to give up. Life would be easy, mundane, boring. Once that had been enough, now she had gotten a taste of so much more. “No I don’t miss being human but I do miss normalcy.”

  “I don’t think your mother will ever entirely come around, humans very rarely do. But I do not think she will forsake you either,” Eloise comforted.

  “I just wish she didn't insist I hide it from my dad and brothers. That hurt way more than her own uncertainty,” Sofia sighed.

  “I lost everyone when I died,” Eloise offered. “Times were different and my family was far less lovely than yours, still I made the choice to give it all up. My logic was it would only be so long before they noticed I was dead, New England was already paranoid enough due to our kind. I regret that. My great great great nephew died in Vietnam of all places, I had been long forgotten and yet I am the last of my family left.”

  “I’m sorry,” Sofia offered. How utterly sad. Sofia couldn't imagine what that would be like.

  Eloise shook her head and waved it away. “People are gone before you know it, they slip away so easily. If your family knows a grain of truth you will have decades more with them, you will be on the deathbed of your great-grandchildren and you will never be forgotten as your family's steward.”

  Sofia blinked back tears, her chest ached. Watching everyone she loved die would be excruciating but maybe she could always have a family. As far as she knew both her brothers were straight and her mother definitely wanted grandkids. There was something somewhat stupid about the idea but she also loved it. The idea of Sofia showing up with Jackie to Día de Muertos in 100 years to chat with her descendants.

  “I know this is all rather depressing,” Eloise offered with a pained smile. “I already killed you and ruined your life, but you do deserve to be happy. And happiness is certainly not beyond our reach even as kindred.”

  Sofia pulled Eloise into a hug. Eloise froze, entirely unsure of what was happening for a moment before she wrapped her arms around Sofia with a chuckle. “You’re not the last of your family anymore. You have me,” Sofia mumbled into her shoulder. Eloise smiled fondly.