Dirty errands [tw]

It was another one of those late night runs that she did for her master. Marius had become obsessed with blood, but not just any kind. He wanted it fresh, straight from the vein, and despite how it disgusted the astrelis, she could do nothing but comply to her wish maker. The sky above her was darkening, twilight all around as people hurried home. Ava however had business to do before she could be so lucky as to call it a day, and she knew the consequences of failing. Swallowing, she tugged at her shirt, hiding a bruise that had spread all over her wrist. Her master had been angry once more, but she was determined to see him give her one of those rare smiles.

She looked rather innocent, standing by one of the entrances leading down to one of the abandoned stations, looking around. Her hair was glistening a bit in the dim moonlight, her eyes careful to get direct contact with someone else. She was looking for a young victim, possibly a beautiful one that would please Marius, but she was afraid of choosing wrong. She could still feel the phantom pain of where he had acted out in anger on her last time, and she had felt so disappointed with herself. He had of course explained to her in great detail what he was looking for in a victim, but most important was the fact that they had to be unknown. Someone that wouldn't be missed if they disappeared. Ava knew what that meant, but decided not to linger on the thought, as the need to please her master was greater.

Then the woman appeared, beautiful and with red hair down to the middle of her back. Although she looked a bit beaten up, Ava saw the potential, and decided to strike up a conversation with the woman, derailing her from her path down to the abandoned station. She spent some time getting to know her, wether she had family, where she was from and if she needed anything. The only thing Ava couldn't do was lie, so when the woman asked where she was being taken, the astrelis comforted the woman with saying that she was going to give her a new life. It wasn't a lie, because who knew if her master would approve of this woman?

Of course, she wasn't as stupid as to bring her back to the mansion right away, having decided a meeting spot for her master at a nearby hotel. Ava opened the door for the woman, guiding her in and up through the elevator. Reaching the level, she stepped out, feeling her heart race as she brought the woman with her to a door with the number they had agreed on. Knocking in a specific pattern, she stood back, moving her gaze downwards to let her master know that this was one she considered to be of his taste. However she couldn't know before Marius had actually made his choice.

Ava saw his smile, but she wasn't fooled. She had seen his real smile what seemed years ago, and she still felt the need to see it. It was as if he was holding her hostage, but she wanted it that way. She had wanted to fulfill his wish, and she could not break free before it was done. She slipped in to the bathroom, turning on the faucet and letting it run for a while before the water was hot. The warmer the bath, the warmer the body, the hotter the blood would be - Or so Marius had instructed. She filled the bath with soap, making it nice for the woman. Ava never felt jealous of the women, more she felt petty for them. She could not hear the whole conversation in the other room, but she knew that Marius was keeping an eye on how fast she could be. Moving her hair away from her face, she moved to her knees, sitting by the bath and awaited for the woman's arrival.

The woman was startled at first, but was clearly smitten by his charming smile. His hair golden in hue and as he asked if she was informed, she swallowed, nodding carefully. "She told me you ... You could give me a new purpose?" she said in a trembling voice, mostly because the mythical clearly showed how powerful he was.

He kept his eyes on the woman as Ava went off to prepare the bath. Of course he was counting the time she took in his mind, he wouldnt want her to perform at any other rate than her best. He found it quite silly that people were mostly taken aback by his smile, especially women as they only had to know how frightening he could look once he took those fake teeth out that made him look like anyone else. Her words made him chuckle softly as he nodded approvingly, "That's why I'm here," he confirmed.
He grabbed her hand and in a gently motion when he thought Ava was about to be done with her preparations, to guide the unknowing woman towards the bathroom. "What's your dress size?" he asked curiously but it was mostly out of politeness. From what he could see, so far the woman was fitting every check mark on his list, even down to the size of her dress. Inside the bathroom, he let go of her and lifted his hand to move some hair behind her ear. "You look very pretty... I want to treat you well," he said in a voice that sounded quite sincere. He eyed Ava shortly before he made a slight bow and made his exit, letting the servant take over from here.

The woman smiled, the hope glimmering in her eyes as she thought that she might have a chance then. She was guided to the bathroom, replying his question with a simple reply of a small size. Frowning as she saw the woman who had guided her there sitting on the hard tiles as if she was a dog. However her attention was drawn back to the mystical man as he seemed to touch her in such a caring way. His words made her blush, giggling a little as she felt speechless before he left the room.

Ava felt his gaze on her, nodding as she understood what his silent order was. She was to prepare the woman, make her clean and scrub her down before he would even consider drinking from her. It wasn't that he thought of dirt as a life-threatening thing, it was more as if it was beneath him to ever touch filth. Ava was quick to undress the woman, making the woman a little startled, but she didn't seem uncomfortable. More confused as to why she couldn't bathe alone. "The herbs in the water will make your skin softer, and once I'm done, I hope you'll be ready for what awaits," Ava said in a timid voice. Not that she was scared, more that she was submissive, even to the woman she now cleaned. While she was a servant, the woman might have a chance of living a good life for a while. Either that or be drained the first night. It was always a guessing game with her master. Ava was just happy that she wasn't the one to clean up the mess he left behind once he was done with those poor victims. The woman frowned in confusion. "But he called me pretty, is that not enough?" the woman asked softly, making Ava shake her head no. "He'll only be satisfied if I do my job right, please sit still while I make sure every inch of you is clean," she said in a calm voice. She couldn't mess up now.

Once the woman was clean from top till toe, Ava guided her out of the shower, drying her down and guiding her in to the other room where Marius would be waiting to see the result. "She's cleaned and shaved - Please see if everything is to your liking, master," she said in a soft voice, bowing her head and taking a step away from the naked woman.

He went back to sit in his chair once he had left the bathroom, pulling out a pocketwatch as he looked at it, as if he was checking on his servant once more. Which he in fact was. As much as he liked these small games of playing pretend with the unknowing victims, the games never seemed to end. And whether Ava would look forward to praise or a proper scolding, only time would tell. He never seemed to show satisfaction or displeasure before they had returned to his mansion. When they came out, he looked up from his watch and let his eyes rest on the woman before they began to wander down her slender body - He assumed she was slightly malnourished.
"Perfect. Dress her, please Miss Castor," he said before he waved his hand at them. He leaned back into his chair and looked a little up into the ceiling. Maybe he was feeling a little impatient if not tired today. He frowned a little at the pattern above, a fine wooden cut piece of art, marked by golden paint. It made the place feel nostalgic in a sense. "What do you think of her?" he asked before he lifted his head back up to look at Ava with a curious gaze, though his frown from looking up at the ceiling still remained.

When he said she looked perfect, the woman blushed, trying to cover herself a bit, trying to remain civil. Ava simply nodded, opening a closet and pulling out a dress in the size the woman had explained, frowning as she went a size down. Ava had dressed enough woman like this to know that their usual size was always named higher, as to not make them seem weak. The astrelis dressed the woman, a green dress to complement the red hair that Ava ranged in a simple braid. Once it was done, Ava turned towards her master, keeping her eyes down as to not anger him. His question made her take a deep breath. Part of her had always wondered what it would feel like to have someone find her attractive, yet this was not a time to wonder that. "It is not for my eyes to wonder what she is," Ava said, however truth be told she liked looking at the bodies of others. She liked studying the physic of those around her, and each woman she brought to him seemed different in their own right. "Her hair looks a little dull, but with some nutrition she'll look plumb and healthy in no time," she said if he insisted on her speaking her mind.

He liked Ava most of all of his servants. Because most of the time it felt like she knew how he wanted her to be, and instead of wondering how that was so, he just took it for granted. Or at least he had come to over the years they had spent together. He sighed at her words about what was for her and what wasnt. "I'll say what's for your eyes and what isnt. Tell me what you think of her," he said, this time a little more firm.
His eyes followed her words as he looked at her hair. It was true that it didnt look as healthy and nice as it could seem to be. He tilted his head a little and ground his teeth faintly in wonder. "What else? Surely you see more than just her hair when you look at her," he said, looking back at Ava before he looked at the woman again.

Ava knew that compared to his other servants, she was the one to please him the most, however when she was faced with him like this she was being tested. Like he couldn't believe her loyalty was this strong. She looked at the woman more closely, but she already knew what was wrong. "Usually you prefer someone with curves, someone who would fill out a dress and have plumb lips," she said, however she had seen how he also liked slender women. However they had to be very specific. "Her jaw has a minor scar, one that I could cover with make up, but it is not obstructive to her beauty ... What is, is how she holds herself, her posture is ruined, and the veins on her arms should be hidden," she said. The woman frowned, turning around to look at Ava. Ava was looking down to the floor in respect for her master. "But you said I could have a new life here, you said I would do great," the woman protested. "Besides, who are you to judge me?" she said in a stern voice. The astrelis did not answer, answering only to her master as it was his rules when he was around. "Her blood however is her driving force, I can sense the seraphim in her," Ava said.

He nodded a few times at Ava's words, looking around the woman's body, though he had already made his decision the moment he laid his eyes on her. If the woman thought she was looking forward to a bright new life, she would be gravely mistaken, but Marius hadnt lied to her.  When the woman frowned at Ava, her words made him smile that same fake smile again as he got up from his chair. "Pay no mind to my servant. She's simply listing things that we can fix," he said as he walked closer. He checked her posture, placing a hand against her side before placing a hand on her cheek. "Are you hungry? You must be," he said in a gentle tone, running his thumb over her cheekbone. Tilting his head, he looked at Ava, nodding her towards the phone to order a proper meal for the girl. Though the girl wouldnt be eating the meal. Marius didnt like her stern tone, he wouldnt want anyone to treat his servants like they even had a right to speak to them.

Ava looked down, making a small courtesy before walking to the phone. The astrelis always held her body straight, despite keeping her gaze down. It was how she showed her respect to her master. Some servants found it appropriate to look at him, but she was perhaps rather old fashioned. The way her master spoke to the woman, she couldn't help but feel a little pride in her, mostly because she could hear the subtle distaste in his voice about how the woman had spoken to her. Ava ordered a grand meal, a nice selection of meats and vegetables, as well as some bread. For drinks she ordered a flask of champagne as well as a bottle of sparkling water. She already knew the woman's fate, but she remained silent as she agreed to the terms of the hotel staff. Hanging up, she walked to stand by the door, her back against the wall, blending in with her surroundings, if it weren't for her beauty. That was the only thing that she couldn't make seem ordinary, but she didn't see herself that way. If she was pleasing her master, she was doing the right thing.

The woman looked at the man, her eyes softening as he adjusted her. His question made her nod, smiling more pleasantly at the mysterious man. Who was he to just bring in a stray woman from the street to grant her a new life in luxury? "Yes please," the woman said, eager to finally eat. It had been days since her last meal, and she was certain that he could hear her stomach rumbling just at the thought of food.

He watched her as she went to the phone from the corner of his eye but he kept looking at the woman who he held close to him. He was looking at her features that Ava hadnt mentioned, like how her eyes were a soft green, something Marius had realized was quite rare among people. He frowned a little in a pitiful expression, like he might feel a bit sadened that he had decided that she wasnt worth too much of his time. "It must have been horrible out there. Not knowing when you'd get a meal again..." he said in a sadened tone, even caring. He guided her to a chair at the window, where she could look out on the city.
Then in an elegant motion, he took his place behind her where he placed his hands on her shoulders, "A seraph all left to herself in this wide world. Surely your god must have favoured you to let you fall into my safe hands," he said as he massaged her shoulders in gentle soft motions to get her to relax. "It really is a shame that your eyes are as pretty as they are," he said as he leaned down and as he did, his tongue conveniently pushed off the dentals before his hands moved and grabbed a firm grip of her head and shoulder. He bit hard into her throat, not caring how she may squirm and fight, he would be able to handle her when she was sitting down and he above her. All that really mattered to him was that Ava was looking. He liked when his servants watched.

The woman followed him willingly, a sad expression on her face as he spoke of her life out there. Looking out the window, she saw the different lights of the town, the life that exuded from down there. She relaxed, sighing softly as he massaged her, not noticing anything as she just closed her eyes, humming in agreement to what he was saying. Such sweet words, lulling her in to a false sense of security. Then he said something that made her frown, but as she tried to move, she could feel how restrained she actually was. Her eyes widened in panic and as he bit in to her a gut-wrenching scream left her lips.
Ava looked at the woman, feeling her heart rate increase, but her expression she kept neutral. She could show her frustrations later when she was alone, but for now she had to endure. Her breath became a little hasty, mostly because the smell of blood made her want to gag. She had to look away, closing her eyes as she tried to hold her breath, knowing that looking away would result in punishment later. However she just couldn't take it right now. Forcing herself she opened her eyes, looking at how the woman slowly got that placed look in her eyes. Panic had set in, and she was unable to react to it. Ava pitied the woman, but she needed to keep her master happy. How else could she fulfill his wish?

He didnt have to worry about the sound here, the walls were properly isolated, he had made sure of that before he had picked his room. He could feel the sweet taste of iron in his mouth pool up so fast that he spilled on the floor - Which he could be angry about later, for now he wanted to savour the sweet taste. What annoyed him in the moment was that when he glanced towards Ava, she was looking away. He released his teeth from their grip onto the woman before he lifted his head to look at his servant. "Come here," he demanded a little angrily, waiting for Ava to comply. He felt the blood on his hand as it poured out from the deep bite wound he had inflicted, but even if his hand had been clean he would have rubbed it into the wound for something wicked he had in mind. He hated when they looked away, so badly that he wasnt just going to let it wait till they got home. As soon as she got in range, he grabbed her by the back of her neck and pulled her closer to the bleeding woman. "Do you still find her beautiful? Now when her hearts-blood is pouring so nicely? Tell me!" he demanded angrily before he lifted his bloody hand to her lips, "Lick it!" he commanded in a stern tone, his annoyance growing bigger by the size of the pool that was slowly forming on the floor.

Ava knew she shouldn't have looked away, but the stench of blood filling the room was making her sick. She couldn't handle the smell of that iron and metal like way it spread around the room. It felt like she was choking on it. However as he demanded her near, she complied, feeling the rough grip on her neck she whimpered. He had all the power, she knew that, but she wished he didn't was this cruel now. What had happened to that man whom she had taken a wish from? Shaking she looked at the woman as he demanded it, her eyes fixated on her neck, seeing the faint spasms her body gave out as she was dying. His demanding words made her whimper, mostly because his grip was so hard that it made her tense up. "Forgive me master, I'm unknowing still," she pleaded softly, tears appearing in her eyes.
Then came an order, directly from his lips and she wanted to say no. She wanted to wring herself out of his grip and run far away, but her body just wouldn't listen. "Will it make you happy, master?" she asked in a whisper. She had always wanted to focus on his happiness, and she knew it probably confused him. She would do anything for his joy. If he insisted, she would move her face closer to his hand, licking the blood off in a slow movement, however the taste alone made her body shake with discomfort. Leaning away from him, she puked, gagging on the smell of blood, however it clearly showed she hadn't been eating anything that day. She found that she rarely had the time when she was trying to be by his side at all times.

Her plea didnt seem to do anything to soothe him at all and only by her doing his request would somewhat redeem what he saw as defiance. All his servants knew what he wanted, he had made sure that when he brought them out to these bloodthirst-hunts of his that they really only had to do one thing - Watch. So when she asked if it would make him happy, he nodded firmly, watching her as she licked some off the blood off his hand. He wasnt sure what he had expected of her once she had done that, so he wasnt surprised when she puked onto the floor. He sighed and let her go as he then noticed how she hadnt been eating, based on the lack of mixed content on the ground. "When the meal arrives, see that you eat some of it. I've lost my apetite," he remarked with a distasteful tone before he grabbed a towel to dry the blood off of his hand. He took a seat in the chair in front of the dying woman. He placed his elbow on the armrest and placed his head in his hand. He made a gesture towards the window with a frown. "Open it if the smell really bothers you that much," he muttered angrily and closed his eyes.

Ava had always been among his hardest workers, so was it really surprising that she would skip meals? She had always had a need to be there for him, even though she hated it when he did stuff like this. He let her go and she stumbled forward, landing on the bed as she coughed at the smell that still surrounded her. His words might've sounded angry, but she felt a little grateful for the fact that he would grant her a chance to eat after her disobedience. She was shaking a little, rubbing the back of her hand against her lips to remove whatever spit or blood was left on them. His angry mutter made her nod, moving to her feet that still felt a little shaky.
Opening the window, she stuck her head out, looking down at the ground shortly before looking to the sky. It was as if as long as she could see the stars she would be alright, she would be reminded of what awaited her once all of this was over. "Gemini," she mumbled, a faint smile crossing her lips before she knew she had to return to the inside. The smell of blood was still bad, but it was more bearable now that the window was open. She looked down, seeing the pool of blood before sighing to herself. She knew with herself that she couldn't clean it, she just couldn't and he knew that it was her limit. "I'm sorry," she said, however her gaze didn't meet his. Her eyes had just looked at the stars, and she was starting to feel homesick once more. It happened from time to time. "Please don't fire me ... Master, I'll do better, I just ..." she said, however she had no excuse.

He couldnt ever understand what was going on in that servant's head. Many had quit for less than she had endured and yet she still remained by his side. But as mentioned before, the mythical would never be able to look past his own nosetip and realize exactly why she was here. Which was probably for the best part, since a part of him would never truly accept that she had only been sticking around because she was bound to him. He rubbed his eyes with his index and thumb as he sat there and thought for himself.
Once she spoke again, he opened his eyes and looked at her in annoyance. "Dont apologize. Just be quiet," he said, thinking that just hearing her voice apologize would wake the memory of the fact that he wasnt going to get his need satisfied tonight. He got up from his chair and gritted his teeth as she began to plea with him. "Yeah you will do better. You will," he said in a certain voice before he looked at the window. He scooped up the woman and looked at her. She was probably still alive, but he didnt care, moving to the window before he pushed her out to let her fall into the alley. He pulled a strange face when he heard the impact but it didnt bother him. "I'll clean it myself," he said spitefully, only because he knew she couldnt, not even if he forced her on her knees himself.

She felt her eyes water, but this time it was because she knew he wouldn't be happy. She had taken that away from him now that she hadn't found a right person for him, and she felt like she needed to be punished. He lifted the woman, tossing her out the window, and the faint splat below made her know that the woman's suffering was over. She felt a little relieved at that thought, however she still felt like she should've done more. Waited around longer, found someone more suitable, however she had been running low on time. As he said he would clean it himself, she swallowed, her gaze looking to the pool of blood, the stench still unbearable to her. "I'll do it," she whispered, moving out in to the bathroom to grab the cleaning supply they had brought from home. She hated blood, anything that came close to even smelling like it made her gag, but she had wronged him, and if he refused to punish her further, she would have to punish herself. She was his servant, bound to him in a way that he might never know. Kneeling down by the puddle, she squirmed a bit before she started cleaning. Her whole body was trembling, and she felt like she was going to puke once more. However she told herself that she deserved this. She had failed to make him happy, and now she had to deal with the consequences.
She had to lean away multiple times, just as to not puke down in what she had already cleaned, and once she was done, she removed the dirty paper and towels, throwing them in a sack and binding a knot on it to keep the stench in. She was shivering at this point, her eyes glazed as she took a step towards the bathroom to clean herself off. Looking at herself in the mirror she felt disgusted by herself. Why hadn't he punished her more? She was useless. A useless astrelis that couldn't even keep her wish maker happy. Washing the blood off of her hands, her body finally gave in, however this time she reached the toilet, emptying her already empty stomach. She sobbed for a bit, mostly because her throat hurt from the acid, but she was trying not to let him hear.

He would definitely be less happy if he would have actually have had to get on his knees and scrub the blood away, but he wasnt sure if her finally budging and giving in was a relief either. He just sat back down on the chair he had been sitting on before, resting his head in his hand as he watched her prepare the cleaning reagents. He decided to just watch her as she got to cleaning, his eyes resting on her as he seemed stuck in his own mind for a bit. His eyes never gave away what he was thinking, it could be anything. Just from how he could save his evening to what punishment he would find suitable once they were home and away from the rest.
He found it interesting that she was so repulsed by the sight and smell of blood, because he couldnt really understand where it came from. Somehow it annoyed him to think that she hadnt been desensitized yet with all the years they had spent together. He dismissed her once she had closed up the bag with the bloodied rags and turned his eyes towards the window. He made a deep sigh and got up from the chair. "I'm going home. I expect that you know how to finish a meal on your own," he then said a little harshly, but it wasnt that he would have stuck around either way, not when his own "meal" had been ruined. "I'll see you at home," he said, shaking his head before he went out the door with nothing more to say.

Ava nodded at his order, feeling like she wanted to take her time when the food would arrive. She knew what awaited her once she would return, but for now she would savor this moment. Silence was one of the things she liked the most.
She took the time she knew she was allowed, and decided to head home. The whole way she just kept looking down, moving silently through the dark streets, trying not to look up to the sky. She knew it would only make her need to be home among the cluster stronger. She didn't even dare think about what awaited her once she stepped through the front door. Passing through the security was easy, and she could almost feel the other staff judge her because Marius had without a doubt returned angry. Returning to her room, she felt her body shake a little from the terror she knew awaited her, and as she was summoned she wasted no time in going to his room. "Master," she said, knocking on the door to let him know that she was there.

He sat by his desk as she was summoned, running his finger down some papers that he would have to sort out before the week. He was quite a business-man who always had some deals to sort out, which meant that his desk was never really empty. He looked up as she knocked, grabbing a few important papers before stuffing them down a drawer. Even with his most trusted servants, he still kept some secrets. "Come in," he answered dryly, leaning back into his chair as he looked at her as she would enter.
He eyed her for a moment in silence before he pushed himself back up to sit straight. "How long have you worked for me by now Ms. Castor?" he asked as he tilted his head. He would thought it had been long enough for him to lose count. "And how many times have you been out with me while I pursue my victims?" he added, frowning a little as he seemed confused by her reaction back at the hotel room.

Ava came in, keeping her gaze down, folding her hands behind her back and standing straight as she knew he wanted. She stopped a good few feet away from his desk, mostly to keep her distance from her papers. She had seen how a servant had been punished once just for glancing at the papers, and she already felt herself in deep trouble. Perhaps Ava was sentimental after all, swallowing as he asked how long she had been working for him. She could remember the night so vividly, and yet it seemed like he had forgotten. "A thousand years this summer," she replied in a calm voice, however she could feel her heart beat increase. "And regarding the hunt, I've only recently taken over that post ... Your last servant, Mira, went mad and threw herself off the roof of your mansion," she said.

He listened to her reply, closing his eyes for a moment as he could somehow recall back when they met. So much had happened in between that it was nothing more but a faint memory to him now. He had also changed so much in the meantime that remembering would be pointless when he wouldnt recognize the person he was. "Mira was weak. I knew she was weak," he said before he got up from his chair and walked closer to Ava. He frowned a little at her like he was thinking for a moment, but he seemed to change his mind. "You're stronger. Somehow you always seem to beg for forgiveness or not to be fired. Very strange." he recalled before he looked into her eyes. "But I need to know that your loyalties are in the right place," he explained calmly. He moved some of her curls from her face before looking at her. "I've always liked you pretty," he said. He turned his back to her and went to his table, pulling a lampshade off a tablelamp before placing the shade on the table. "Come here," he said, urging her to get closer. He turned off the lamp, but that didnt mean it wouldnt be hot, because it had been on for quite a while now. "Crush the bulb, please," he said before he looked at her, awaiting for her to do it.

She decided just to nod at his words about Mira, the woman had always been rather weak, and that was why she wondered how such a soft woman had been chosen to that job. Was he testing her loyalty? However as he looked in to her eyes, she quickly looked down as he moved some of her hair behind her ear. She knew that whatever he was doing right now was simply to lure her in, and his compliment meant nothing. She knew she wasn't pretty, she wasn't even decent and far from his type, which she was as the ideal woman. Ava would never be able to match up to that ideal woman, and she wasn't fooling herself. As he moved away, she felt like she needed to take a deep breath, looking towards him as he took the shade off a lamp, walking closer as he ordered it. His order however made her swallow, looking at the bulb that would without a doubt be warm and cut in to her palm like knife through butter.
"Anything for you, my master," she said in a firm voice, placing the bulb between both her palms. However she looked to him as she started to squeeze the bulb between her palms, hearing the cracks, she groaned as the warm glass burned in to her skin. Gritting her teeth, she whimpered, but she kept doing it, looking in to his eyes, she knew he could see how deep her own truly was. She didn't look directly at him often, she had done it only a dozen of times over the last thousand years, but she wanted him to see that she was unwavering. As the glass broke, she felt warm blood drip from her palm and down on his desk. However her blood did not have the same metallic scent like other races. Hers were almost radiating heat, a complete lack of odor.