Blah… kind of cliché I guess... Oh well.

Addictive

"Ow!"

The smell hits me first. It's thick and sweet and tempting, an exotic thing that I haven't had for centuries. My mouth is watering before I know it and my eyes are drawn to the bright crimson painting her fingers. You would think that time would help but apparently not.

She had been cutting up the strawberries I brought her because she's a picky eater. When I first realized it I couldn't help but laugh, she runs around getting dirty and fighting with no problem but as soon as you try to feed her a strawberry she refuses unless all of the bad spots have been removed and then the berry has been cut in half.

She pouts at her fingers and I can hear Cake clucking from the other room. Everything suddenly seems brighter and louder. I need to leave.

I drift from my seat, fully intending on going to get her a band aid while she washes the red away, but instead I find myself moving towards her. I reach out for her hand but then force myself to go for the knife instead. It's hard when she's right there, tan skin rosy with blood and throat so exposed. I try to ignore how her eyes are trained on me as I raise the knife to my lips but it helps me stop.

"Ew, what are you doing Marshall?" She scowls at me, leaning away.

"Vampire, remember?" I mumble, voice rougher than usual.

Her blue eyes grow wide when she realizes. I guess she has grown to just see me as another friend who drinks the color red, not as a king who's killed and drank from her kind. But that was a long time ago when I was a bit more self-destructive.

I look away suddenly feeling pretty disgusted with myself but then her bloody hand is being offered to me. "Here," she says, blue eyes shining with innocence. She probably just sees this as a way to repay me, another person to help even, she doesn't know any better.

"Fi…" I start but then I'm giving in. I take her hand hesitantly in my own and my stomach lurches but my mouth waters even more. It's so delicate and warm, skin thin as paper even if it is rough and tanned from years of fighting. I'm horrible.

I glance at her and she smiles brightly.

God, she's probably the only human I've ever known who I've actually liked. And she doesn't deserve being used for food but I can't help it.

I lap at her fingers, closing my eyes because I don't think I can handle looking at her while I do this. It's like a drug, it's addictive and so very sweet, almost like vanilla. It's almost as sweet as the giggle that comes from her after a moment. "Your tongue is just like Cake's!" She sounds amused by the entire thing, no longer grossed out. I can't help but sneak a peek at her. She's smiling brightly, cheeks rosy and eyes shining.

I find myself smiling against her fingers, giving the spot a kiss before pulling away. "Thanks Fi."

"No problem Marshall!" She chirps back.

She might be the only thing more addictive than her blood.