Page 21 of An Acquired Taste

I barely manage to yank off my shoes before tumbling into bed, clothes and all.Just for a little rest, I tell myself as my eyes drift shut.And then I’ll…

Darkness takes me before I can finish the thought.

Chapter Eleven

Aknock on the door wakes me. I pull myself out of bed, glance in the mirror, and come to an abrupt stop. I’m an absolutemess: my hair a rat’s nest, my eyes puffy from sleep. I’m still dressed in my wrinkled outfit from the ride to the estate. I hastily finger-comb my wild curls, shimmy out of my clothes, grab a robe from the closet to wrap around myself, and grimace at my reflection. It will have to be good enough. If Sebastian wanted me to look pretty, he should’ve warned me.

But when I open the door, it’s not Sebastian on the threshold. It’s Ellen, smiling politely, holding up a tray with coffee and a breakfast spread. “Hello again,” she says. “You slept through breakfast, so I thought I’d bring it to you.”

I bite the inside of my cheek. As nervous as I am about seeing Sebastian, delaying it is only making it worse. I need to get some answers about why he chose me as his valentine. But I force on a smile and step aside to let Ellen into the room. “That’s very kind of you,” I say. “Thanks. Sorry for missing breakfast.”

“That’s quite alright. I assume it will take time to adjust to our schedule here.” She sets the tray on my nightstand.

I glance at the window, realizing I don’t know what time it is… and then, confused to find it dark outside, at the clock on my phone. “What… is the schedule, exactly?” I’ve already beennocturnal for my training with Benjamin, but I didn’t consider that it might be a permanent arrangement for this lifestyle.

“Ah, right! I should’ve explained. The staff keeps a nighttime schedule here, as per the master of the house’s natural sleep cycle. We take breakfast at sundown—six p.m., that is—tea at midnight, and dinner at two in the morning.”

“Oh, jeez.” I push hair out of my face, trying to wrap my head around that. “He requires that of the household?”

“We don’t mind,” she says, which isn’t an answer.

“Right.” I rub my eyes. Just the thought of permanently staying up all night and sleeping all day makes me tired, but I guess it makes sense, if I ever want to spend time with Sebastian. If he ever wants to spend time with me, I should say, because he’s still not here to greet me. But I guess I should be grateful for that, given the state I’m in.

I pull myself out of my thoughts when I realize Ellen is still hovering near the bed with her hands clasped.

“Do you need something?” I ask, brow furrowing.

“Yes. Well, that is… Lord Sebastian requested some blood,” she says, flushing.

“Oh,” I say. I’m surprised—and flattered, to be honest. I was half certain he took me on out of pity at this point. “Where should I meet him?”

The flush in her face deepens, and she pulls out a syringe from a pocket of her uniform.

“Ah. Gotcha.” It’s a bit insulting that he can’t even come get his blood himself, but I can’t complain when this is my job. It’s his choice, ultimately. So I clear my throat, sit on the edge of the bed, and roll up one sleeve of my robe. Ellen steps to my side and ties a tourniquet around my upper arm.

“I’m a certified phlebotomist, don’t worry,” she says with a reassuring smile.

“Really? Was that a part of your job description?”

“Lord Sebastian paid for the certification program after he hired me.”

“Huh,” I mutter. I guess the use of a syringe wasn’t specifically an insult to me, then. Still, it doesn’t bode well for our relationship that he seems determined to go to extreme lengths to avoid taking blood himself. “Why doesn’t he just… bite people?”

“Don’t know,” she murmurs. “Didn’t ask.”

Her fingers prod at the crook of my elbow until she finds a promising vein, and she slides the needle in. I avert my eyes—not out of queasiness, but in an attempt to think about something other than the fact that this feels like a massive snub from Sebastian—and eye my coffee until she’s done.

“There we are,” she says, pulling away from me with the now-filled vial of blood and removing the tourniquet. “All done. Are you feeling alright?”

“I’m fine.” Just a bit jilted.

“Well, make sure to eat up and have plenty of fluids.” She smiles at me. “Tea is usually casual. You’ll find a spread in the parlor. Dinner will be served at two in the dining room, if you’d like to join us. Though you’re welcome to take your meal in your room if you prefer.”

I clear my throat, feeling ashamed of myself for being miffed. Sebastian may be behaving like a bastard, but that’s not Ellen’s fault. She’s doing her best to make me feel welcome, and here I am, acting like a child. “I’d love to join you for dinner.”

* * *

While I’m eager to explore the grounds, I’m still tired, and my body is confused by the fact it’s dark outside, so I find it harderto leave my bedroom than I would’ve liked. After taking my time eating breakfast—blueberry scones with clotted cream, fresh strawberries dusted with sugar, and a hard-boiled egg in a tiny glass cup—I spend a while lounging in bed, scrolling through social media on my phone. As I see pictures of friends and family, my former life feels distant already.

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