The Vampire's Apprentice

Norville rolled over, turning his back to the pair.

Clancy shifted to sit closer to Kitty. "Are you sure you are alright?" he asked quietly.
 
She wanted to tell him what was on her mind, but she didn't want to speak it in Norville's presence. No offense to Norville.

Kitty also didn't feel up to lying, so she didn't nod this time. She didn't know what to do. Things weren't the same as they used to be; how was she to feel about that? It seemed like doing anything in this moment would be excluding Norville, but to do nothing was wrong in a different way.
 
Clancy studied her expression a moment then patted her shoulder gently. "We will talk about it at another time when you are not so tired," he said, his head tilted slightly toward Norville. He understood. Well, not the details, but he understood she did not want to speak in front of Norville.
 
Kitty hoped it could wait until then. Agreeing silently, she stood and unearthed a pair of pajamas, leaving Clancy to do... whatever a Clancy did.
 
Clancy smiled and stood. Then he looked out the window. "Oh, darn. I forgot something in the car," he remarked. "Miss Kitty, would you mind coming with me to fetch it? You still have the car keys."
 
Those words seemed oddly familiar.... Kitty nodded, looking to Norville. She set her night clothes on the bed and retrieved the keys from her pocket. That's where they usually were.
 
"Thank you, Kitty. Norville, rest your foot so we can get that cast off sooner," Clancy said before walking to the door and opening it.
"Yes, sir," Norville agreed.
 
Clancy waited until they were in the elevator before turning to Kitty. "If there is an issue, Kitty, I need to know about it," he said quietly. Not accusing, just stating. "Please tell me what is bothering you."
 
"I know you need to know about it," Kitty replied. "It's not as issue as much as me worrying. I haven't ever stopped that."
 
There was a pause while she thought of how best to phrase what'd been on her mind. Maybe she shouldn't... no, it was important. Kitty rubbed absentmindedly at her collarbone.

"Are there other vampires here?" She asked. The true reason would come a bit later.
 
"Nope," Clancy said with calm confidence. "Well, there is one at the far north end of the city, but this place is big enough that I will be able to have a territory that is perfect for me without encroaching upon her territory. I actually contacted her before we left, and I intend to introduce myself personally within the next two nights. The next closest vampire is about, oh, three hours by car from here."
 
That made her feel a tad better. "But still," Kitty said, "if we were to meet one... I know they wouldn't hurt me, but Norville has no mark. He might smell of you, but he's not yours...." That was the thing that'd been tugging on her sleeve for a while. Wether it was valid, she wasn't sure, and a part if her wished the boy would remain unmarked; free to leave if he ever could, as futile as that sounded. That sort of logic would get a person killed, considering how much he knew already.
 
"Indeed. I intend to remedy that once we have an established house. I packed what I would use to create it," Clancy replied. "And besides that, I needed to ensure you and he could get along."
 
"What if we couldn't?" Not that they didn't, nor that she really wanted to know.... Kitty opened the door that led outside, into the warm night air. "What would happen?"
 
"I would... rehome him," Clancy said. "I took responsibility for him, I would not drop him off in the middle of nowhere, but neither am I going to threaten the fragile equilibrium of our established unit."
 
Kitty contemplated which was worse. Disruption or separation? Neither seemed very nice, in her opinion. Besides, she was the type to keep quiet about the bad things in effort to keep peace. Not that there were bad things. Maybe she shouldn't have asked....
 
Clancy stopped and turned to face her. "Kitty," he said sternly, as if reading her mind, "it is not your job to govern Norville or decide what should or should not be said. It is not your job to maintain harmony. That is my job, a job I cannot do of you are not both completely honest with me. You are my first Familiar, and you take precidence. If you two do not mesh and cannot work out your issues, it puts all of us in danger far bigger than momentary unhappiness. If you cannot love with him, I need to know and I will ensure he is safe and we'll taken care of elsewhere. Alright?"
 
There was a "but" and a "no" just behind her teeth, yet she consented. He was the authority, and there wouldn't be much point in arguing, knowing he was—as he always was—undoubtedly right about what he said.

She was chewing on her thumb again, noticed, and didn't bother to stop. It's what she did when she was thinking—which she still happened to be doing. Though, judging by how many times her thoughts had come in a loop, that thinking wasn't doing too much for her.
 
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