| |
ADRIC solved the problem of her nakedness by scooping her up and carrying her into the bathing room. Thrun had plumbing that was much different than that in the human world, but it was plumbing. Clean water rushed down exposed tubes into a large stone basin that was in the middle of the room. He hadn’t taken the time to study something as simple as plumbing. He was just glad it existed. He’d lived through times when there was no such simple luxury. “You pull this rope here, and the tub will fill with steaming water. To drain it, pull this one here. I have laid out the clothing Jade provided. Everything you need should be in there.”
“A real tub? I didn’t know that I’d ever see plumbing again. Or running water.”
“Some places here still don’t. I believe it was added in the last one hundred years to this city, and only the most affluent could afford it.”
“So why are we here, then?”
“My family name is one of great import amongst our Kind. We are the first Warriors of the Dardaptoans. And my sister is the mate of that purple demon. She is Laquazzeana.”
“Huh?”
“A great deity, much more than the Roman or Greek gods of old. I will explain it to you at a later time. Bathe. We will begin our day soon. The sun is rising. There is always a family breakfast of fruit and grains in the great hall at sunrise. We wish to get there early—before my brothers. They tend to eat a lot.”
“Then you’d better get out of here so I can get clean. And brush my teeth somehow. Do vampires get morning blood breath?”
He laughed. Did she make jokes about everything? If so, they were going to spend the rest of their days laughing. He couldn’t think of anything he wanted more. “We do not. There are toothbrushes and special paste in that small drawer there. Please yell if you need anything.”
“You’re a really nice vampire, aren’t you?”
“I’m not a vampire. I am Dardaptoan. And I am your mate. Basically, your husband in our laws. I am supposed to see to it that everything you need is provided. I can think of nothing I want to do more.”