Roxanne’s POV:
I was awakened by light footsteps in the room.
I rubbed my eyes a few times, then sat upright and looked at the person who was standing next to the desk, facing me with a bow.
“Who are you, and what are you doing here?” I asked, my tone serious.
When she stood upright and dropped the cloak from her head, I sighed in relief.
“So it is you. What do you want, Thelma?” I whispered in a low tone.
“I apologize for disturbing your sleep. I was just preparing a warm bath for you,” she answered, as I chuckled softly.
What did she take me for, a fool? She and I weren’t exactly friends or strangers who shared a conversation. When I was kidnapped by Garren, she hated everything about me and made sure to show it through her actions. Although she did think of me as her savior, she still didn’t show her gratitude on her face, but rather distaste.
“I can’t pick up Garren’s scent, which means he is not in here, so you can drop the pretense,” I said seriously.
“I don’t understand what you’re saying, mistress, but I can assure you that I came here to prepare a bath for you,” she answered.
“Mistress?” I asked, my tone serious.
“Yes, that’s the title that has been given to all the past wives and bonds of this household’s masters,” she answered.
I lazily moved and stood up from the bed. She quickly averted her eyes, making me laugh.
“It’s not like you haven’t seen this before. You have what I have, lady,” I teased, then walked into the bathroom.
I stood right in front of the tub, looking at the bubbles and rose petals.
“Is it to your liking, mistress?” she asked once she had walked in.
I leaned in and touched the water to feel its temperature, then got in without a word.
“Is the water poisoned by chance?” I asked Astrid silently.
“She wouldn’t harm us in any way. Garren and Roman would never forgive her,” she answered.
“Why do you trust her too much?” I asked.
“Mistress, is the water temperature to your liking?” she asked before Astrid could respond.
“Yes,” I answered simply.
“Then allow me to wash your back,” she said as I glared at her.
“What exactly are you aiming for? Do you want me to lower my guard so you may have an easy way of killing me?” I asked angrily as she took a few steps closer.
“Don’t you think poisoning your food would be an easier way to kill you than in here? If you really were a nuisance to me or my master, believe me, I would have found a way to get rid of you. But you only bring happiness to him, and for that, I’m very grateful. I may not express it in my expression or usually say it, but I really am,” she answered.
She did have a point, but I still hated her tone.
“I don’t need your help, so leave me alone,” I said.
She took a step closer and knelt on one knee beside me.
“What are you planning on doing now?” I asked seriously.
“I want to inform you that Master Garren has given me permission to finally leave and start my own life,” she answered as I frowned.
“What do you mean by that?” I asked.
“I have served my previous master for years, and I went on to do the same for Master Garren. There was never a time I lived for myself or just enjoyed life without worrying about him. But now that he is mated to you, it changes everything. Through my observation, I have come to know that you are kind and so good to him. You would protect him from danger no matter the cost, and you would do your best to live up to his expectations. I am no longer as useful as I was back then, not that I’m complaining, because I really want to live my own life and be happy,” she answered.
“I see, so when are you leaving?” I asked seriously.
“As soon as the organized servants accept to serve me,” she answered.
“Will you ever return or visit us?” I asked.
“I will only return when I’m urgently needed. As for visiting, I will be visiting once a year,” she answered.
“I have heard you, but before you go, allow me to prepare something for you,” I said as she frowned.
“You mean food?” she asked.
“Yes, food,” I answered.
“Do you realize that I’m a vampire?” she asked.
“I do, but I also know that you can eat food,” I answered.
“Yes, I can eat food, but it does nothing for me. It’s like when you eat a sweet, does it satisfy you in any way or quash your thirst and hunger? It doesn’t, right? That’s exactly how I feel whenever I eat human food. Only blood can satisfy me and quash my thirst and hunger,” she answered.
“Then how about liquor?” I asked.
“I only enjoy whiskey which is mixed with blood and a little bit of….”
She paused, then sighed heavily.
“You wouldn’t understand, but there is a liquid I use in my liquor. One drop is enough to make any vampire get high or drunk on the liquor they are taking. It’s like wolfsbane. That’s what I use it for, and believe me when I say it feels like heaven,” she answered in a daze.
“So it’s settled, we will be drinking,” I said.
“Just the two of us?” she asked.
“Yes, were you expecting it to be Garren, me, and you?” I asked back.
“No, I was expecting Jersey to join us,” she answered as I smiled.
“That’s actually a good idea. Let’s invite her to join us for a drink at night. It will be a ladies’ night. I want us to have fun and have a one-on-one heart conversation. That way, we will see you off on a good note,” I said as she smiled.
“Then excuse me, I will go and inform her about everything,” she whispered, then turned and walked out of the room.
I still understood how important she was to Garren. That’s why before she left, I wanted us to be on good terms and see past our differences. If everything worked according to my plan, then she was going to accept me as part of her family, just as I was going to accept her as part of mine.