[Dracula backs off immediately; he is learning that when Ed is at his most flippant, he is in pain.]
[But he almost loses it when he hears about the holding cells.] Cruel, so cruel. Is cruelty the greatest of our legacies? Not strength or loyalty or survival, but cruelty? Everywhere I turn I see the signs of it.
[And when he mentions his one donor, Dracula actually winces in real pain.]
Lua...
[The loneliness that has been gnawing at him since his break with Aleera pains him so hard for a moment that he catches an unnecessary breath.]
Lua, Aleera, Persephone, Petronilla, Verona, Marishka, Angelina, Carolyn. Will it ever end? Will anyone ever stay...?
[He's never been heartsick before in his entire existence; he doesn't know what it is. For a split second he looks almost panicked--but then back to a slightly sad smile.]
That's very good, Ed.
[A rather resigned nod.] You need to feed more than is usual for a vampire, and in a small closed community with little secrecy a regular hunt is unfeasable. And I cannot yet just let you into the CES. During this time, until you have enough donors or your hunger has calmed I will give you my wrist once a week or so. It should ease things considerably and is little harm to me.
[spam]
[But he almost loses it when he hears about the holding cells.] Cruel, so cruel. Is cruelty the greatest of our legacies? Not strength or loyalty or survival, but cruelty? Everywhere I turn I see the signs of it.
[And when he mentions his one donor, Dracula actually winces in real pain.]
Lua...
[The loneliness that has been gnawing at him since his break with Aleera pains him so hard for a moment that he catches an unnecessary breath.]
Lua, Aleera, Persephone, Petronilla, Verona, Marishka, Angelina, Carolyn. Will it ever end? Will anyone ever stay...?
[He's never been heartsick before in his entire existence; he doesn't know what it is. For a split second he looks almost panicked--but then back to a slightly sad smile.]
That's very good, Ed.
[A rather resigned nod.] You need to feed more than is usual for a vampire, and in a small closed community with little secrecy a regular hunt is unfeasable. And I cannot yet just let you into the CES. During this time, until you have enough donors or your hunger has calmed I will give you my wrist once a week or so. It should ease things considerably and is little harm to me.