Chapter Six: Once Bitten

** I woke slowly as a yellow glow shined through my curtains, I groaned and yawned, stretching and sighing. I slept well that night, surprisingly, usually I don't take well to being in new places; I rolled over, upon my shoulder and something touched my neck, I gasped and shot up, grasping my shoulder. I turned towards my mirror and turned my head so my neck would be visible, and, there it was. In all it's tender abhorrence; a clear, well-defined, bite mark. It didn't even look close to human!

Oh, Donna would have a fit if she saw this!

That's why she must not see it!

As that thought passed through my mind, my door opened and her sweet, innocent voice filled the air, yelling me good morning. "O-Oh, Donna! I-I'll be right there...I...I uh...I'm not decent!" I cried, throwing dresses out of my closet in attempts to find a scarf or shawl of some sort.

"Oh, that's fine, Mademoiselle June! We're both women!" She said happily, opening my bedroom door; my hand shot to my neck and I turned, smiling to her. She grinned until she saw all the dresses on the ground. "Can you not find the right one?" She asked, walking over to them and helping me pick them up.

"Y-Yes! That's exactly it! I-I'm not liking them much at the moment." I said, my hand planted firmly over my wound.

"Oh...well, I think this one's very pretty!" She cried, holding up a dress with a wite torso, and a black, velvet, ruffled bottom. I smiled.

"It's perfect, I'll go put it on right now" I said, but, Donna stopped me.

"Mademoiselle June, why is your hand on your neck like that?" She asked, laying all of the befallen dresses upon my bed and walking them, one at a time, over to my wardrobe, hanging them up.

"I...uh...I...woke with a crick in my neck! Yes, that's it, a crick! And, uh, this...this helps a lot; I think I'm going to go and put a...a warm rag on it to help it...or a scarf or something..." I said, turning quickly to the bathroom.

"Oh, Mademoiselle June, I could massage it! Mummy always said I had 'healing hands', here, let me help you." She said, walking towards me, I backed away, into the wall.

"No, no, no, dear, It's fine, a warm rag will do me good"

"No, Mademoiselle June, I want to help"

"No, dear, I--"

"Let me massage you." She growled, her tone deepening, so much so that I almost jumped in fear! I paused for a moment, my mouth open, but I was too shocked to say anything.

"Um...a-allow me to get out of my nightgown, okay?" I asked, finally; Donna smiled and nodded quickly, humming a little tune. I hurried into the bathroom before there was any other confrontation and sighed, closing the door and locking it behind me. I pulled my hand away from my neck and shook my head slightly at the wound; I poked it, not even very hard, and I winced in pain! Goodness, it felt pleasant when he bit me but now, my goodness was it tender!

I slipped out of my nightgown and into the dress, it really was beautiful, it made me look less 'chubby' and actually like one of the other women; though, it didn't hide the bite mark. I grasped a towel and wrapped it around my neck, like a scarf and smiled, it was hidden now! Out of the bathroom I walked to find Donna was no longer in my room; my brows furrowed and I called for her as I walked into the small living area. She sat on my couch, staring at her hands, she was sniffling; I hurried over to her and sat beside her, her eyes were red and tears fell down her porcelain cheeks. "Oh, Donna, whatever is the matter?" I asked, pulling her into a hug and stroking her hair.

"Firmin a-and Moncharmin j-just came by and s-s-said that A-Alexandria D-Daae was k-killed last n-night...she had b-bite marks on her neck and arms. Oh, Mademoiselle June, he's killing all of the new people! My f-friend was only here for a week b-before he k-killed her...now A-Alexandria after a f-few hours....oh, Mademoiselle June...I don't want you to die!" She cried, sobbing violently into my chest, wrapping her arms around me and pulling herself into my lap. 

"I won't die, Donna, I promise you, I won't die. Listen here, Donna, I won't, I won't do anything dangerous or bad, okay? I'll keep out of as much trouble as I can; I won't die, sweetheart, I won't die." I cooed, kissing the top of her head and rocking her back and forth as she sniffled and pulled herself as close as was absolutely possible; we sat like that, for hours, Chef Pippino finally came to check on me, to make sure I was alright.

"June! Mademoiselle June!" He cried, opening my door to see me cradling Donna on the couch; he paused at hearing Donna's sobs and his heart broke; he stepped inside. "Oh, poco princesa! Why the tears, huh?" Chef Pippino asked.

Chef Pippino hurried to the couch and took Donna off of my lap, placing her upon his own and Donna re-explained everything to Chef Pippino and he smiled. "Don't worry, poco princesa, I'll keep a good eye on Mademoiselle June, she's our best cook; believe me when I say that I don't want to lose her either!" He boomed, laughing, causing little Donna to laugh and I to smile; I was the best cook? Me?

Goodness, then the other chef's must've been terrible! "Now, however, poco princesa, Mademoiselle June must get ready for lunch service, we need our best cook on the line!" He cried with a grin to me, winking; I smiled and nodded, standing. "And, I'm sure, the ballet girls are in need of their star" Chef Pippino continued; Donna's eyes lit up and her smile glowed as she looked up to him; she nodded quickly, and, yelling her goodbye's to me, ran out of my room, to go join the other ballet girls. Chef Pippino chuckled and I smiled.

"You're very good with children, Chef." Said I, as I locked my door and walked along with he and the other chefs, back to the kitchen.

"Oui, mademoiselle, I've got three tots of my own." He replied with a proud smile.

"Really? I never knew that!" I cried, smiling, he nodded.

"Oui, mademoiselle, Dino, Marcus, and Alondra; my wife watches them during the day, for Alondra is only six months old."

"Really?! Wow, Chef! You learn something new every day!" I cried, laughing; he smiled and agreed.

** Jack laid on the couch in the kitchen, he appeared drained, both emotionally and physically; he didn't smile to me or even make a remark about the towel 'round my neck as I passed him, he just stared at me with eyes lacking in feeling. Though, when the sun touched him, he did not burn, so, he wasn't a vampire, thank heavens! I sighed in relief and began prepping my station for lunch, only then was it when Jack approached me; still, no words passed through his lips. "So" I began, after an awkward silence. "How long have you known him?"

"Who?"

"You know who" I growled, Jack narrowed his eyes.

"Do not use that tone with me, Junie." Jack spat, anger filling him at once. I nodded and he gave a frustrated sigh. "I knew of him ever since I came here, I had my first personal experience with him a year and a half ago." He answered, tapping on my station with his knuckles.

"What did he say, last night?" I asked after a short pause.

"Nothing important" Jack said, not missing a beat.  

"Are you sure?" I asked, glancing up to him to see his stern expression, his eyes were as cold as stone.

"Dead" he growled, I nodded.

"How much sleep did you get last night?" I asked, cleaning a knife. He smiled.

"None, I was too busy worrying of you, you diva." He said, grinning, at least attempting to change his foul mood. I smiled and sighed, he pulled me into a hug, laying down the knife on the table and embracing me tightly. "I don't ever want to hear you say that I don't love you, 'cuz, if I do, I'm going to tickle you until you pee your pants, and then I'm gonna make you clean it up." He said, I giggled and sighed happily.

"Yeah right."

** Lunch service was insanity! The sky had begun to cry, and cry whale tears! People poured in from the streets, eager for shelter, but ended up realizing it was lunch time and the managers thought it a wonderful idea to open us up to the public! The sous chefs worked also, but at a slow pace, and this angered me, so, I took every ticket I could! During the lunch service, however, I had to run into the new, walk-in cold room (which most of the cooks called a refrigerator) and get some more steak.

But, when I had the steak in my hands, the heavy, metal door slammed shut. I ran to it and began turning the handle, but, I couldn't turn it more than a little bit!

The door locked!

"Oh, don't look so mortified" a voice said from behind me, I whipped around and there, sitting peacefully on a small throne of crates of food, sat the vampire! He was no longer veiled by darkness, so I saw him, all of him; he did, indeed, wear a black cloak with red fabric inside and a black tuxedo with a black bow tie and shiny black shoes. His skin was as pale as the cottonous clouds on a summer day and his fingernails, as I described before, were as sharp as a sword, if not sharper! Though, his face, his face was hidden behind a black face mask, it only allowed me to see his thin, ashy grey lips and chin; along with his fiery yellow eyes. His hair laid slicked back upon his head, a few straggly pieces laid over his mask, however, you couldn't tell, for both his mask and hair were jet black.

His long fingers drummed upon the crates and one of his legs laid on the other, creating an upside down 'L' shape. A sharp grin was spread across his face as he stared at me. "W-What do you want?" I asked, backing against the door as he stood and walked forwards, sinking his hands into his pockets.

"Your blood" he said, simply. I backed away a bit more, conscious I would have to talk my way out of this. He only chuckled. "No, mademoiselle, only a sip; it is what I vowed to your brother, a sip and nothing more." He replied, speaking with his hands. I bit my lip.

"H-How long have you been in here?" I asked, and, at this, he burst into a fit of laughter, he coughed afterwards.

"Do you honestly believe I would spend my time, sitting in a walk-in cold room for you? Ha! My patience is far too fragile a thing for that, mademoiselle." He explained, he paused. "I've been in here, maybe three moments, five; somewhere thereabouts."

He continued, pausing once more. "I became hungry and you instantly came to mind, so, let's get this over with so I may go back to composing, and you, to cooking." He replied, stepping closer to me, I backed away. "Oh, come now, Mademoiselle June, do you not appreciate it when I step close? Would you rather come to me?"

He asked, a sickly smile drawn upon his lips. I held my index finger up for a moment. "Pray, let me digest this for a moment, you want to feed off of me and then go do whatever it was you were doing--"

"Composing." The vampire corrected. "I am a composer, I compose music, that is what I was doing."

"....Composing" I continued. "And everything'll be honky dory?" I asked and he nodded. "W-Will this be a regular occurrence?"

"Fairly" he answered. "Sometimes I may visit you at night, at work....when you're asleep; whenever the hunger comes." He replied, smiling.

"....And I'm just supposed to allow you to do this?" I asked, he grinned.

"Well, put it this way, you don't and I'll drink your blood forcibly and put you through excruciating pain; however, I have promised to Monsieur Jack that I won't kill you." He sighed angrily, even though he did this, he continued. "But, I can make these fairly regular occurrences horribly agonizing." He hissed, his grin spreading as he leaned down to me. "It's your choice, mademoiselle, pleasant and happy, or pain filled and tear inducing?"

Asked he, standing to his normal height and smiling expectantly, I sighed and dug my teeth into my lip again, sighing in defeat. "How do you get the tenderness to go away?" I asked, looking up to him pitifully; he grinned.

"A packet of ice lain on it for around half an hour should do the trick, mademoiselle." He explained, pausing. "Now, where would you like to be bitten?"

"S-Somewhere not noticeable...Donna would have a conniption if she saw it..." I whispered, the vampire nodded.

"Indeed, she would; she would more than likely come after me with a sharpened chunk of wood aimed at my heart" he said, laughing quietly. I gave a weak smile and he pulled me close, attempting to figure out where to bite me; usually, where ever he picked was either too bony or had not enough room for his teeth.

Oh god, this was insane. Just, even the thought of a vampire attempting to find a spot to bite you on...and you're allowing him to do it! Gah, this entire place was bonkers. He shook his head and told me to take off the towel, he would bite the other side of my neck; I sighed shakily and put my head to the opposite side, allowing him open season with my neck, he grasped my waist and pulled me close, for some reason, he liked to be close. His teeth didn't hurt pricking me this time, they were cold and I gasped; my mouth hung agape but no words spilled from it.

One of my arms wrapped around his back and the other grasped at his hair; he pressed me against the wall and sunk his teeth deeper, causing a groan to squeak out of me. His bottom jaw waited a few moments before digging itself in too, causing yet another moan to emanate from my lips; I whimpered desperately, for he was more vicious this time, his nails began to dig into my corset and my entire body warmed until I felt my cheeks could fry eggs! "V-Vampire.." I peeped, my body trembling within his tightening grasp. By my count, he had taken eleven gulps of my blood before his grip began to lighten; he had taken thirteen by the time he licked where his teeth had once been. He stepped away from me, but, my legs were weak and I fell; he whipped around and caught me before I could hit the ground.

"Dizzy?" He asked as he placed me on the sort of crate throne he created. I nodded weakly and he grinned. "It will go away in a bit; just watch, when I've bitten you a few more times, you won't get dizzy at all, my dear!" He said happly; my eyelids drooped and I couldn't cling on to consciousness any longer; I allowed my head to fall limp and I dropped into a deep, much-deserved sleep.