The Vampire’s Servant
Chapter 117

My phone was ringing. It pulled me from my dreamless sleep. It had to have been over an hour, because I felt completely fine now. Echo was still completely out. Carefully, I moved her so I could answer my phone. I looked at the caller ID. It was Sean. Finally returning my messages, I guess.

"Hello?" I answered.

"Hey, Gray. I was trying to reach Echo, but no one answered her phone." He said.

I looked at the time. It was about ten in the morning. It had been much more than an hour. Victor would have gone to sleep around seven thirty.

"Yeah, her phone is probably still in Victor's room." I muttered. "Let me get her up, wait a sec."

I shook Echo a little. She snuggled tighter against me. I chuckled.

"Echo. My angel. Time to get up. You have a phone call. Come on, sweetheart." I murmured.

"OH! Gray! I'm sorry! Did I hurt you? I didn't mean for that to happen. I just lost control and fainted. Are your ribs alright?" She asked, sitting up and looking frantic.

"Hush, angel. I'm fine. You healed me enough that Rex was able to take care of the rest while we slept. You have a call. It's Sean." I told her.

She took the phone from me and put it on speaker. I sat up with her and looked at the phone. I wondered what was up.

"Hi, Sean." Echo said.

"Echo. I'm so glad you took the call. I'm really sorry about Friday." He told her.

"I appreciate your apology, but you already texted me about this. You didn't need to call." She smiled at the phone.

"I'm calling because I want to help with the curse. I want to help more than just getting you in to see my great-uncle. I talked to my dad. He's been studying the curse for years and he said he'll give you everything. He just needs to meet you. Will you meet with my dad so we can get you all his stuff?" Sean asked.

"Yes! When? Can we do it today? I am free all day." Echo bounced as she talked.

"Not today. He says it's the full moon and he has a lot of work to do. I never even paid attention. On full moon days and nights, dad is usually in his workshop." He muttered.

"If he's doing spell work it makes sense. Witches can create more powerful spells on the full moon. When will work for him? We need everything we can get as soon as possible." She insisted.

"Did something happen? Are you safe?" Sean questioned.

"The curse on Victor progressed. I don't know how much longer we have. Please, Sean. We need to save Victor. You can meet him after and you'll see that he's worth it. Victor is the best vampire in the world. He saved my life, Sean. He loves me and I love him so much, I don't know what I'll do if we fail." Echo sniffled.

"We won't fail, Echo." I murmured.

"He's right. We won't fail. Tomorrow, after school. Dad gets home from work around five and we have dinner at five thirty. Can you be here at six in the evening?" He asked.

"Yes. Gray can drive me over. I promise, I'll be there on time. When can we go see your great-uncle?" She pressed.

"Next visiting day is Tuesday. They do Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday for family visits. Just take today to rest. It sounds like you had a busy night last night." Sean said.

"It was a little bit of a crazy weekend. I think I would feel really weird about not being busy today, though. It seems like every day has been so full of things, that having nothing to do is almost lazy." Echo sighed.

"Why don't we go out and pull weeds in the garden today? We can have lunch outside and you can have something to do, so you don't feel lazy." I offered.

"That sounds wonderful, Gray." She replied and kissed me.

"Does... does Gray live with you?" Sean asked.

I chuckled. "Yes. I moved in a couple weeks ago."

"So that's why Rosario said I could reach her by calling you." He said.

"I told you so." I heard a man in the background say.

"Hush, I'm on the phone." Sean hissed.

"I guess I'll just have to find some other way to keep my mouth busy." The voice said, sounding much closer to the phone.

Sean moaned. "Stop, Rosario. I have to go, Echo. I'll see you on the bus tomorrow."

"Bye, Sean. Bye, Rosario." Echo giggled.

"Bye, Echo!" The man's voice said and the line hung up.

I stared at the phone. Was Rosario a guy? I closed my eyes. I thought Sean had a crush on Echo, but he was actually gay. I couldn't believe I'd embarrassed myself so badly. It just seemed like he was always looking at her when we were together. "Shit." I sighed. "Are you alright? Do you hurt?" Echo asked.

"No. Just realizing what an ass I was to Sean because I thought he liked you. This was why you said you weren't his type and neither was Rosario."

"I didn't realize Rosario was a boy. I found out on Friday." She explained.

"Why didn't you tell me?" I whined.

"Because it wasn't my place to tell you. Rosario was revealing that to people he was comfortable with when he was comfortable doing it. Sean asked me not to tell anyone he was gay because he was afraid of losing friends over it." Echo said softly. "Why would someone not want to be Sean's friend because of who he loved?"

"There are some people in the world who think love should look a certain way. They're the people who can't stand something being different. Like my grandfather and his belief that vampires and werewolves shouldn't be together. I will totally still be Sean's friend. He deserves love and happiness. Just like anyone else." I told her and kissed her gently.

She dropped my phone and straddled me, deepening our kiss. I wrapped my arms around her waist and held her to me. Echo's arms slid around my neck and she kissed me desperately.

I loved Echo so much. I knew she was kissing me for the reassurance, not to try and get anything going. I also wasn't surprised when she kissed down my neck and I felt her fangs slide into my skin.

A groan rumbled in my chest. Normally, Echo didn't feed on me anymore, but it felt so good when she did. I almost found myself craving her bite.

When she was done, Echo licked over the bite and laid her head on my shoulder. She seemed to be really down. I didn't like that. I loved my smiling, happy mate. When she was sad or upset, I wanted to do anything I could to fix it.

"Do you think Victor would kill me if I tried to kiss him instead of you?" I asked.

Echo giggled. "I think he would do that even if the curse was broken."

"Don't be sad. It's only a couple more days and we will have even more than we had before. You need a break from all the lessons and all the information gathering. Without a break, your mind won't work as well as it could. We could miss something if you're not rested." I told her.

"I wouldn't want that. I'll do my best, Gray. Let's go with your idea. We can start in the garden. I need to dust, it's been a week. When's the last time I washed the bedding?" She wondered.

"No working. You washed the bedding on Tuesday. I'll see if Dillon and Jean-Claude will dust. I want you only relaxing. Gardening makes you feel better, or I wouldn't even let you do that." I grumbled.

"Cleaning relaxes me, Gray. Let me do my work today. Maybe it will help me think." Echo insisted.

"Fine, but I'm working with you. You're not doing this alone anymore. This is your home, Echo, you're not a servant here." I kissed her hand.

"I know, Gray. After years of being treated so poorly, I'm finally somewhere that I'm appreciated. I'm taking care of my home and the people I love." She smiled.

I agreed to let her clean instead of forcing her to relax today. Echo went to change into clothes for cleaning and told me to wear clothes that were older. I picked out some jeans that had rips from playing soccer with my friends and an old t-shirt that was a little tight on me. Echo met me in the kitchen. She had thrown together a big sandwich for me and was snacking on a banana and a glass of milk. I would have gotten on her about her food, but she fed on me earlier and wouldn't need as much.

Dillon and Jean-Claude came in and sat with us. I thanked them for watching over us until Victor was asleep. Dillon told me my new training regimen would start in the morning and I'd better be ready to really work. I didn't doubt that it would be difficult, but I looked forward to it.

While we were still talking, Echo finished her food and popped up. She left without a word. I heard her go upstairs.

"Where's she going?" Dillon asked.

"Echo wanted to clean today. I guess she just decided to get started. I'll be helping her out." I told him.

"Your ribs are feeling okay then?" He pressed.

"They're fine. I won't overwork myself. It's just some cleaning. Not like I'm going to go work in the fields." I laughed.

"If you're sure. We'll be going into town for a while today, but we'll be back for dinner." Dillon smiled.

They took off soon after that. I rinsed my plate and cup before I went up to see what Echo was doing.

I found her in Victor's room, stripping his bed. Looking around, I saw he was on the couch, covered with a light blanket. Why did he decide to sleep there?

"Need any help here?" I asked.

"Nope. I got him moved just fine. Go on, I don't want his room to smell like werewolf. This needs to be his sanctuary now more than ever. Go to your room and strip the sheets and blankets from your bed. I can wash your sheets after his blanket goes in." She told me without looking away from what she was doing.

"You moved him!?"

"Of course. How am I supposed to take care of his sheets if he's on them?" Echo chuckled as she sprayed the mattress with something in a bottle.

-

That day I learned a lot about Echo which I had no clue about before. First, she was a demon when it came to cleaning. Second, she didn't believe in regular breaks. And, finally, that I was woefully unprepared for working beside her.

Echo would set me to chores which, I realized, she didn't think I could mess up. By the time she was putting all her cleaning items away, Echo had cleaned all the bathrooms that were in use, washed the bedding on my bed, Victor's bed, and her bed, plus the sheets for Dillon and Jean-Claude.

She dusted every common room, wiped down all the leather furniture, washed every surface that was touched, mopped most of the main floor, and cleaned Victor's entire office. She was fast, efficient, and diligent.

I realized this was Echo in her element. The place where she knew the most about what was going on. I couldn't imagine what she would do when she knew more of the world. If she had been raised normally, she would run our school. Probably be student body president or something.

When she announced it was time for her to get cleaned up and go to Victor, I was relieved. I was exhausted. I don't think I ever worked so hard. That reminded me. I went up and got my cell phone so I could tell my boss I would be late for work tomorrow night. I stripped off my clothes and took what had to have been the best shower I'd ever had. The hot water seemed to wash away years' worth of dirt and pain. I wondered why I was feeling so exhausted. 'Rex, are you okay?' I asked.

'Tired. That healing she did, exhausted me. Then she fed on us. Sorry I couldn't make you as powerful as you normally are!'

'Don't worry. You did a lot. Healing broken bones is a big job!' I said.

'It was like she was sucking out my power and applying it faster and better than I can. We need to be careful. I don't know how much of that kind of healing I can handle. He warned.

'I'm going to learn how to fight him. We'll get stronger, much stronger. I'm glad you're talking to me again!

'I was just upset about not having our mate to ourselves. I watched. I saw how much she needs us and him. We can share without getting less from her than he does.' Rex told me. 'Echo would never give us less, Rex. She loves us as much as she loves him. She has more love in her than anyone I've ever known.'

'Just tell me you weren't serious when you were talking about kissing him earlier.' He pled.

I chuckled. 'Of course not. Even Echo knows I wasn't serious. I just needed to get her out of her funk. I think she's even more beautiful when she's happy. I wanted to make her smile.' 'Good. Because that's not happening. Rex laughed.

'Totally not happening. I replied.

I finished drying off and got dressed again. When I headed downstairs, I could hear Echo and Victor talking. He was trying to convince her to go to my pack lands again.

Echo would never accept that. She wanted to be with Victor as much as possible if she ran the risk of losing him. I understood. I wanted to be with Echo as much as I could be back when I thought she would reject me. It wasn't just because I was stubborn, but because I loved her so much right from the beginning.

No matter what happened, I wanted to make sure Echo had the life she deserved. She deserved both of us. She needed two people to give her the love she missed out on for most of her life.

I went to the kitchen to help set the table for dinner. Dillon and Jean-Claude were cooking that night, so Finn and Talia were cleaning up. Echo hated it when Finn was on clean up. He broke several of her plates last time. I was sure he'd be more careful after the angry rant she'd gone on.

One day, my Echo would be the woman she was meant to be. I would make sure Victor was there to see that day. No matter what I had to do to ensure it