The Vampire’s Servant
Chapter 96

Gray kissed me like it would be weeks before he saw me again, instead of just minutes. There were hoots and cheers from people hanging out the bus window. I blushed and got on. Instead of being in the back, Rosario was sitting in the bench behind the one Sean and I usually sat in. I smiled at her and took my seat. She leaned forward and folded her arms on the back of the seat. She really was beautiful. I wondered what she really looked like. Her mother was normally beautiful, so I assumed she was as well. I wondered if I could see her in her natural form. "Hi, Echo." Rosario smiled.

"Good morning. How was your weekend?" I asked.

"Pretty bad, actually. I went to see my dad. Got to hear all the ways he was disappointed in me, again." She sighed.

"Why would he be disappointed in you? You're nice, pretty, and smart." I wondered.

"Yeah. It's just never enough for him. He wants me to be like him." Rosario said.

"What is your father?" I asked.

"A wood elf, like my mom. He lives in the forests, though. When I was five, he told her she could raise me out with humans because I wasn't living up to his expectations." She replied softly.

"He sounds like a jerk." I huffed. "You're better off with your mom. I bet you're going to be amazing when you grow up and he's going to regret being so mean to you."

She laughed. "I hope so. I still have a long time to go until I'm grown up."

"How long?" I asked.

"I'm eighteen now, we don't reach adulthood until we're about one hundred. Elves have a lifespan of about a thousand years. If you take care of yourself, you can make it to fifteen hundred." Rosario whispered.

"Then we can be friends for a very long time. Dhampyrs can live for a couple hundred years, then we turn into vampires. As long as we're at least half vampire. The ones who are a quarter don't turn into vampires and they only live one and a half the time a human does." I whispered back.

Marius had taught me that as one of our first lessons. He wanted me to know about dhampyrs along with learning about vampires. I was grateful for the lesson.

"I'd like to be your friend for a very long time. You're a lot nicer than I thought you would be. I was raised hearing horror stories about vampires. I thought a dhampyr might actually be as cruel as a vampire." She intimated. "Vampires are only cruel as often as any other living being. It isn't their nature any more than it's yours." I said softly.

"I'll remember that. Do you think I could come meet the Master of the territory some time? If he won't try to drain me, then it would be good to get to know him."

"He won't drain you. Victor's not like that. I'll talk to him. We will have to talk to the other vampires in the house too. I know Talia wouldn't do that, but I'm not sure about Finn. I can't totally figure him out." I sighed. "That's the nature of vampires, right there. They're hard to figure out." She chuckled.

I snorted. "They do seem like that sometimes."

"Who seems like what?" Sean asked.

I hadn't realized that we were already at his stop. I was having fun talking to Rosario. I looked over at her and back up to him. I didn't want to lie, but I was told that humans didn't always accept supernaturals.

"Cam and Harmony seem like they're always five seconds from ducking into an empty classroom and going at it." Rosario scoffed. Sean laughed. "Yeah, they do."

He sat beside me and pulled his book out of his bag. I explained his game to Rosario. She listened with a wry smile on her face. "What's your favorite race to play?" She asked.

"I don't get to play much. I'm the dungeon master. When I do play, I like Sylvans. They have some good abilities and I can make a richer backstory because of their long lifespans. They're not overpowered, like some of the races and they're just classier and more beautiful." He said. "I think they're awesome."

"Wow." Rosario blushed. "That's really cool."

"What's a Sylvan?" I asked.

"It's another name for a wood elf." She murmured.

I looked over at my new friend. She had the same look in her eye as Gray had when he looked at me. I didn't want her to suffer. I focused on her.

'Sorry, Rosario, I hope you're not interested in Sean. He's gay. Don't tell anyone I told you.' I thought at her.

She blushed deeper and looked away. It didn't seem to help. She nibbled her lips for a little while before she started talking to him more.

I hoped she could get over her crush and become friends with Sean. He was really nice and I wanted him to have as many friends as possible.

Soon, we were arriving at school. Rosario rushed to get near Sean as he exited the bus. She walked with him into the building while I went over to where Gray was waiting for me.

"What's going on with Rose and Sean? You didn't try to hook them up, did you?"

"Of course not! Rosario isn't Sean's type and you said it wouldn't be good for him to have a relationship with a fae. I don't want my friends to be unhappy, Gray." I said.

"I've never seen her look at anyone like that. I know guys hit on her a lot, but she turns them all down." He shook his head.

"We were just talking about Sean's game and he said he liked playing Sylvans. That's what she is. I think she got a crush on him after he started talking about how cool they are. It was kind of weird. It was like she was totally normal, then a little interested. I warned her that she wasn't his type, but then she kept getting closer and talking more." I told him.

"Maybe she thinks she can change his mind about what his type is." Gray chuckled as we walked toward the building.

"Mmm. I don't think she can. He was pretty adamant about not being interested in me and in what his type actually was on Saturday." I replied.

He shrugged and led me to my locker. I put away my things and we headed for my home room class. Outside the door, Gray pulled me into his arms and hugged me tight.

"I can't wait to see you again, angel. Have a good class." Gray murmured into my ear, sending a shiver down my spine.

"I'll see you later." I said and pulled away, heading into class.

The rest of the day was difficult. It seemed Rosario was talking to Sean at every chance. She sat right next to him, across from me, at lunch and hung on his every word. Other people noticed. Elle and Terry gave me a strange look and I shrugged. Whatever Rosario was up to, she wasn't sharing. The troll boys snickered as they walked past the table and she scowled and flipped them off. That made them laugh harder.

It wasn't like she was touching him a lot or leaning against him. She was just really intent on him. Maybe I was reading it wrong. I couldn't see her being the type to think she could change someone in that way. Dillon told me it wasn't possible. Sean finished his lunch and excused himself from the table to go to the library and work on a project for one of his classes. Rosario looked sadly at her food and picked at it. I ate slowly, so I would be able to talk to her.

Gray stayed by my side, touching me or trying to cuddle me. I didn't want to be annoyed, but I did want to make sure Rosario wasn't under the impression that she could change Sean. I didn't want her to embarrass him like that.

'I told you he's gay. You need to leave him alone.' I told her mentally.

"Echo, you don't understand." She sighed.

"What don't I understand? Tell me so I can, because this is getting out of hand." I insisted.

"Just... let me have this for a little while. I'm not hurting anyone and I respect that I'm not what he's looking for. I just want to be around someone who likes people like me. I'm the only wood elf at school. You see how the others all group up. It's like that at home, too. Mom and I are the only wood elves who elected to live outside the forest. I'm popular with humans because of how I look, but this isn't even me. This is just a façade I put on so they won't know what I am. Please, let me try to make a friend who might accept me if he ever sees the real me." Rosario pled.

My heart hurt for her. Being outcast from my family made me identify with her a little. Never belonging even at home.

"I think I kind of understand. Just, don't hurt or embarrass him." I requested.

"I promise I won't." She smiled and picked up her tray to leave.

I shook my head and finished my lunch. Gray didn't say anything. He just sat with me and typed some stuff on his phone. I appreciated him not digging into what we were talking about. I wished he had left, though, so I could talk to her properly. The rest of the day seemed to go by fast. I finished turning in all of my late work and was relieved that I wouldn't have a ton of homework anymore. It would free up a lot of my time in the afternoons.

Getting up early to train was actually a lot easier than training in the afternoon and I told Bellamy I wanted to stick with that schedule. She made sure Dillon knew. She and Lucien were heading home soon. She told me they were stopping by her old pack because her oldest brother was being sworn in as the Beta of his pack.

Gray told me that each pack had different rules for when the new leaders were sworn in. He said each family had their own tradition for handing over the title as well. His pack made it a pack-wide holiday.

I got on the bus and found Rosario in the same seat she'd been in that morning. She was talking cheerfully with Sean. He seemed to really be enjoying himself.

Sean moved from his seat so I could slide in. He told me that Rosario knew a lot about fae mythology and history. He sounded really impressed and seemed happy.

"So, Sean, are you going to the prom?" Rosario asked.

"Umm... yeah. My parents want me to go out and have the full high school experience. I just can't convince them that I'm not my sister. So they make me go to all school functions, sports games, dances, carnivals, all that stuff. I would rather stay home or hang out with my friends." He sighed.

"Are you going with anyone?" She pressed.

I shot her a warning look and she waved me off. I didn't like where this was going, but I didn't have anything I could really say. Technically, I was going with Gray and I would only be doing the picture because of our deal that got me Sean's other ticket.

"I needed to talk to you about that, Echo. I told my parents that I have a date and we were going to meet at the school, but they want to meet my date. I know you probably have plans with Gray, so I'm thinking about telling them you got sick or something." Sean said.

"I'll be your date." Rosario offered cheerfully. "If you didn't happen to tell them her name...."

"I actually hadn't. They were so shocked that I had a date, they forgot to ask it in their barrage of questions." He chuckled. "Don't you have a date? I thought I saw someone on the football team ask you months ago."

"I told him no. I'm not interested in football players. He was only asking because of how I look. I would rather go with someone I can talk to. I was just going to go with a bunch of friends, but I can be your date. I'll borrow my mom's car and come pick you up." She smiled.

"That sounds great! Are you okay with that, Echo? I know we have a deal, but it would look weird if I got a picture with you and left with her." Sean said.

"I guess it's fine if that's what you want to do. I just want you to have fun." I replied.

"Thanks. You guys are awesome!" He grinned.

I loved seeing him happy. It was like he was a different person. I always wanted my friends happy. I would still keep an eye on her. It felt strange that she would just offer.

Sean got off at his stop and I turned to Rosario. She was leaning back in her seat looking dreamy and only half aware of her surroundings. I cleared my throat to get her attention.

"His smile is amazing. I've never seen him smile like that and I've had school with him since elementary." Rosario sighed.

"You're falling in love with him." I whispered.

"Maybe a little. He listened to everything I had to say and told me I'm really smart and interesting. You have no idea how much I want to hear that more than some ogre calling me beautiful. Not a real ogre, mind you, they have different standards of beauty and I don't fall in them even in my natural form." She chuckled.

"He doesn't like women, Rosario. He's never going to love you that way. I don't want you to get hurt chasing after someone who will never love you. You deserve to be happy." I insisted.

"Let me worry about my heart, Echo. I appreciate the warnings. I know where I stand with him. I'd never expect him to change. I want him to love men and I want a man to love him. He deserves to have someone who really sees him. I just want to make him aware of his worth. I don't think he sees how amazing he is." Rosario said quietly.

"I agree. I don't think he sees it either. I think of you as a friend. I love both of you that way. I don't want either of you to suffer." I told her.

"You're a very sweet girl, Echo. I can see why people grow fond of you quickly. Even my own mother liked you almost immediately, and that just doesn't happen."

The bus stopped and I looked around. This was my stop. I stood and looked down at her.

"You're very sweet, too. I hope this doesn't hurt you in the long run." I said, getting up.

"I hope not either." She murmured.

Once I was off the bus, Gray smiled and took my hand. I wrapped my arms around his waist and hugged him tight. He hugged me back.

"Are you alright, angel?" He asked.

He led me to his truck and helped me in. I put on my seatbelt, even though it wasn't far to go. This had been the strangest day. I wondered what else could happen this week.