Ivy, Eva thought, unexpected panic rising in her throat.

“My maid?” she asked, for clarity’s sake. Some part of her hoped it wasn’t Ivy, and another remembered she wasn’t supposed to care what happened to the monster.

The king’s grin widened. “Yes. The poor one. I need you to make an example of her.”

Damn. “Which one? They’re all poor.”

His face twisted in annoyance. “The one you’re so fond of. From the farm. I believe she had a lapse into insanity a few months ago.”

“Ivy,” Eva whispered, jumping slightly when she realised she hadn’t managed to keep the thought in her head.

Eva had never met anyone like Ivy. She was fascinating. Is that was all farm people looked like? Probably not like vampires, but still, the broad shoulders, downtrodden gaze, and the blank, obedient stares. Were those universal traits? She hadn’t see enough peasants to know.

When Ivy had killed the guard and bitten her, she hadn’t looked so meek. Perhaps she was simply a master of deceit, pretending to be innocent when she was in fact a devil.

Come to think of it, Ivy only smiled at shameful things, like someone tripping in the hallway or a servant’s lewd joke, and even then her joy was short-lived.

She never danced, never sang, and spent way too much time "cleaning" the library. Eva wouldn't have minded if Ivy read the books, but she never did. She would hold them in her hands, stroking the binding softly, and study the leather covers, not daring to turn a single page. She always looked so serene.

Eva remembered the drawing, bile rising in her throat. Amateur stokes of charcoal decorated the page, but for once she hadn’t found the lack of sophistication pitiable. On the contrary, she found the picture filled with emotion, as if it dripped like blood from the artist's heavy handed work. It was beautiful.

Eva wasn’t quite sure what to think of the girl. One second she was a hillbilly child and the next she was speaking with such eloquence and emotion that she may well have lived a thousand years.

She remembered the stories Ivy told--the ones she had tried so hard to ignore. Were they true? She certainly seemed like a normal girl, and from what Eva could tell, she didn’t mean to cause any harm, but she was still a vampire. Did her vampiric status make her evil?

Eva swallowed, forcing herself to answer yes.

Ivy was evil. It didn't matter if she was tortured because she deserved it.

She’s a monster.

Eva nodded, already shoving her emotions back into their bottle and sealing the lid.

And so am I.

The king shot her a questioning look. He didn’t have to say anything else. Regardless of what she wanted, she would do exactly as he said; you’d have to be stupid to defy the king, and Eva wasn’t stupid.

“Yes Your Majesty.” She curtsied again, making a move towards the door. “I will see to it that the people cry out their loyalty in your absence.”

The smile he shot her sent her running out the door, working against all odds to maintain her composure.

The second she reached her quarters, a string of curses left her lips.

“Truly unbecoming of a princess,” muttered a voice.

Ivy. “Shit.” Eva jumped, nearly smacking her head on a bookshelf as she spun to meet the vampire.

Ivy cocked her head, eyeing Eva curiously. Her hair fell into her face, and she pushed it aside with a careless hand, her gaze never leaving Eva’s face.

It was almost criminal how good she looked, even with dust smearing her cheek. Eva had to look away.

Monster, Eva. She’s a monster.

“Hey,” Ivy called quietly. “Are you okay?”

A monster.

“Princess?” Her voice sounded so soft. Almost like she actually cared.

It’s just the vampire powers, Eva told herself. She’s manipulating you, like the ones from the legends. She’s a monster; that's what they do. She’s using you.

Ivy took a step toward the princess, leaning her broom against the wall. She didn’t dare raise a hand to reach out to her, so she shot her another pleading look. “Eva,” she whispered. Eva blinked at the sound of her name. Servants weren’t allowed to called her that. 

“Eva,” Ivy repeated. Eva didn’t correct her. “What’s wrong?”

She’s using me. Eva turned to a shelf, casually pulling out a book and flipping through its contents absentmindedly. “Nothing,” she said.

Ivy stood silently for a moment, and Eva almost breathed a sigh of relief when she turned around to pick up the broom and resume her chores.

“I can hear your heartbeat, Princess,” she muttered. “I know when you’re lying.”

And then she walked away, leaving Eva frozen to the floor, a half-turned page in hand.

“Shit.”