"If you suffer for my love, then you suffer needlessly. I have loved you long before I ever saw your face. You can hide it from me all you like, but you're still the man of my dreams, no matter what you look like." He glanced over his shoulder and I continued, "I couldn't tell you before because I was scared to death. I'm afraid of loving you."
"Afraid that you do, or that you might?"
"Both," I answered.
"Ah," he said, moving closer. It was damn hard to think with him this close. "If you think you could love me, then by all means do not hold back."
I must have looked surprised.
"I am a grown man, remember? I can take it. The worst thing that you could do would be to stop yourself now. Think of all of the people you have loved and how it has changed you. For good or bad, it has made you the woman you are today. As you have said to me, you may be bent a little, but you have not yet broken."
He smiled at the last part and then grew serious, moving in so close we almost kissed as he whispered, "Do not stop yourself from loving me, my angel … I would like to be loved."
I had to agree with him on this one. You should never miss a chance to fall in love. Not when someone like Dracula might catch you. How I could love Marco so much and still love him was beyond me, but I did, and it frightened me.
"Stay with me," I whispered against his lips.
Dracula kissed me as he took me in his arms and stepped in the tub. His long robe floated in the water around him as he moved toward where I had backed myself against the wall to keep from slipping.
"Why have you done this to yourself?" I asked, as I rubbed my thumb across the circle underneath his left eye.
"I cannot eat," he said hoarsely, "cannot sleep, still I hunger for you." He pulled me into his arms. "For your nearness, your touch." He kissed my throat and moaned, "For your smell." He licked across my jugular as he whispered, "I have missed the way your innocence tastes."
"I'm not innocent," I said softly. My voice sounded detached, almost intoxicated but I hadn't even tasted the wine. Then I remembered how he could also soothe with his touch and felt his hands against my bare skin. Dracula was using his powers to calm me and I appreciated the gesture.
"In the best sense of the word," he whispered, "yes, you are. You still believe in love at first sight, at good conquering evil. That kind of faith is rare, and I miss it."
"You can really taste all of that?"
"Yes."
I looked up at him and found his eyes to be a solid emerald. The effect should have been frightening, but it was far from it. His hair was tousled slightly and hanging in ebony waves around his shoulders. The dark mask which covered the right side of his face seemed to be only a shadow across his skin, giving him the appearance of standing half in darkness and half in the light. I wanted to live in the promise of ecstasy I saw in his eyes.
"How long has it been since you've fed?" I asked.
"Weeks."
"Then end this fast tonight. You have offered me your protection, let me give you my strength."
Without having to be asked twice he bit me. The pain was slight, and I knew it was because he wished it so. One moment I was in his arms, the next I woke up in his bed. My hair had been dried and I was naked beneath his silk sheets. I heard a fire crackling in the hearth, but I couldn't move. For a moment I was terrified, but then I looked up into Dracula's eyes.
"Ssshhh," he soothed. "You fainted. You will be alright by tomorrow."
I just looked my questions at him, unable to even speak. I had never been weakened this way from his bite before.
"I am sorry, my angel, but my starvation has left me ravenous. I drew from your strength as well as your blood. Do not fear, you will recover," he promised.
He looked underneath the sheets and smiled at me playfully before adding, "And I will not take advantage of you in this state. Whatever your reasoning for coming to me, I know that you still care very deeply for the werewolf. I would have you alert and consenting if we are to go further." He leaned over and kissed my forehead before adjusting his mask. "But I thank you for your sacrifice tonight. Rest well, my angel. You are safe with me."
* * * *
I was dead to the world until noon the next day. I awoke to Dracula sitting beside me, brushing the hair back from my face. I had to admit, this ranked right up there with waking up beside Marco. I took pleasure and comfort in the touch of his hand against my face, but didn't open my eyes yet. I took a deep breath, appreciating as always the scent of his cologne. For so long in my dreams I had known his touch. These gentle hands were as familiar to me as my own and I nearly cried at the emotions I felt coursing through him. Then I thought how lost I would be if I never again felt his touch and I opened my eyes to be sure it wasn't a dream. I sat up slowly, still feeling very weak, and he offered me a glass of water.
"We need to get you something to eat," he said.
He was still wearing the soft black mask, but even with half his face hidden I could see a marked improvement in his appearance.
"You look better," I said, smiling my approval.
He only smiled in return and helped me to get dressed. I needed his help, because I could barely walk. However if we didn't go get my things now, we might not have another chance any time soon. He informed me that Kat had called him and she and Mary were to meet us at my house along with Judas and Luther.
It was Mary's abduction a little over a month ago that had led to Elijah's brutal attack. He barely survived, and she had been badly beaten. In his opinion they were both lucky, even if he was a werewolf. It hadn't affected the sparkle in his blue eyes in the slightest. However, he wasn't taking any chances with his sister this time. One of the cops Elijah worked with owned a cabin in Tennessee, and he was insisting that she go there for at least a few weeks. Kat and I were going to help disguise her, and she would be leaving for the mountains from my house.
Dracula waited until we were at the front door of Original Sin to put on his long cloak and pull up the hood. It was storming outside, and there was no sunlight to speak of, but he said the cloak would keep us both from the rain. He was wearing casual black pants with a drawstring and the green tunic I loved so much because it matched his eyes. He hugged me tightly against his side and I breathed in his intoxicating cologne before he opened the door and led us out into the storm.
He helped me inside the car before getting behind the wheel, and offered me a towel while we drove. Even with the heavy cloak, my arms had gotten wet when I got in the car. While I dried off I took another good look at Dracula and wished for a moment he had gotten wet. I had never seen anyone look as good as he did wet. The only one who came close was Marco. Maybe it was because he had power over the storm that Dracula seemed to go so well with the rain. Whatever it was, I liked it. The sound of the rain as it fell on the car and the quiet solace of his presence did me good.
Kat and Mary were waiting for us in the sitting room when we got to my house. Alek had let them in and was talking to Judas and Luther in the kitchen.
"Where's Johnny?" I asked.
"Did you miss me, baby?" he asked, as he strutted into the room.
"Always, sweetheart," I said, mocking his voice.
He hugged me and said, "I've been keeping all the doors and windows locked, and I've been keeping James Matthew informed of the situation."
In my haste to be sure everyone was safe, I had completely forgotten the vampire executioner.
"Thanks, Johnny."
"Let's make this quick," Mary said. "Elijah expects me to be on the road already."
?
Chapter Ten
We hurried upstairs and Dracula packed my bag while we found a suitable disguise for Mary. She was about my height with long blond hair, and green eyes. She looked a lot like Elijah, and they were both attractive. We didn't think Mary was a target, but if anyone did know who she was, her long blond hair would be something they were sure to look for.
"What about your wig?" Kat suggested.
"Oh yeah," Mary chimed in.
Dracula had insisted that my hair color remain the same for my portrayal of Christine. I had several long red wigs in different styles. Kat pulled one from the closet and started adjusting it on Mary's head.
When she was finished I stood back and commented, "I think you look better as a redhead than I do."
"You do yourself a disservice," Dracula purred. "No offense," he said to Mary. "You make a stunning blond, but I believe my angel has cornered the market on red."
I hadn't expected that at all and stood openmouthed until he said, "Are you ready?"
"You've already packed for me?"
"Matching panties and all," he replied with a smile.
Kat giggled and Mary blushed bright enough to match the wig.
"I guess we should all be going then," Mary said, avoiding looking at Dracula.
"Yeah," Kat and I said together.
Dracula left the room first followed by Mary. Kathryn caught my wrist and pulled me behind the door.
"Are you sleeping with him?" she whispered.
"Technically," I said.
"Technically?"
"Yes, but not in the carnal sense of the word," I explained.
"Ah, so you're not off fornicating in a dark fortress somewhere while I'm having to look at dead animals," she drawled.
I laughed. "No, Kat."
I called down the stairs to Dracula that I would need just a few more minutes, and then pulled Kat into the bathroom to explain. We hadn't had the opportunity to catch up lately, and she was horrified not only at what Mathias had suggested, but the fact that Dracula would rather die than risk my happiness.
"He'll never let you go through with it if he knows." She sniffed, tears sliding down her cheeks. "I never thought you'd find someone who loves you as much as Marco, but that man does," she said pointing toward the stairs. After she sniffed a few more times Kat said, "I can't believe Marco went along with this. He's such a good man." She sighed, "When am I going to find one of those? You've managed to find two for crying out loud."
"What about Judas?" I asked.
This was getting interesting.
"Oh, he's fine." Kat sighed again. "But how much fun is an eight inch dick with no brain attached to it?"
I doubled over laughing. Dracula walked back in at that moment and I blushed. I didn't want to tell her how much fun it was when there was a brain attached.
"I hate to break up the girl talk," he said, smiling as he reached for me. "But we must get going. The sky grows darker, and I fear we are no longer safe here."
That sobered us both up in a hurry.
"Do you really think Kat's safe enough?" I asked.
I couldn't stand the thought of anything happening to her. Kat was the closest thing I had to a sister, and I thought for a moment that Elijah had the right idea sending Mary out of town.
"If I did not think so, I would never let her leave this house," he assured me.
So, we went back out to the car and Alek kissed me on the cheek, promising to make Johnny clean up after himself. Alek had just enough OCD to come in handy sometimes. Nothing like the slightly obsessive compulsive to keep things in order. I could pick on him because I was the same way. Apparently so was Dracula, because once we were back at the castle and I opened my black leather bag I found my underwear as neatly arranged as the towels in his bathroom.
While we were packing and talking, he had sent Luther to the store, so we didn't have to worry about groceries. Well, I didn't have to worry. Dracula knew what was on the menu for him: me. What choice did we have? Until a plan could be formed we were going underground for at least a week.
* * * *
In spite of the circumstances, the next few days were very enjoyable. Dracula and I slept in the same bed, but he never tried to come on to me. He was his usual flirtatious self, but I knew he didn't plan to take things further. He would honor his agreement with Marco unless I flat out told him otherwise.
He gave me a tour of the castle, which was too large to cover in one day, or even in a week. We saw something new every day and I got to hear the history behind many of the pieces in his collection of artifacts. I could have stayed forever, and that worried me. It was late Wednesday afternoon when my phone rang. Dracula couldn't get cable this far down, but somehow my cell phone had a signal. Go figure.
When I answered a familiar voice said quickly, "Don't hang up."
It was Alfred. He didn't have to worry about me hanging up, I couldn't even move. I had sat down on the bed to answer the phone. It was fortunate I wasn't standing, because I might have fainted.
"What do you want?" I asked, my voice barely more than a breathy whisper.
"I just want to know if you're alright. I know it is no longer my business, but I had to call. Marco has been here off and on for the past three days informing Aldan of the situation. He's also stopped by to assure Jacob of your safety, though he wouldn't disclose a location while I was present." He sighed. "I suppose I deserve that. Look, I'm not asking where you are, or who you're with …"
It had been a long time since I'd heard Alfred's voice, and it was killing me. The only thing worse than the pain I felt was the misery I could hear in his voice. Alfred had been a part of my life since I was ten years old. First as my dad's partner, then as my own, and later as my lover. I had loved him in one way or another for the last sixteen years. You couldn't shut feelings for someone like that off, no matter what you found out about them. I could still remember the way his hair looked against my pillow, shinning like polished obsidian in the morning light.
I started to cry, I couldn't help it. I cried for several minutes and I knew he could hear me. I didn't have anything to say to Alfred, but I felt so much. Even if he had signed my death warrant, I missed him. I missed his cooking. I missed his smile and the deep caramel of his skin. I missed the arms that once held me while I slept and I missed the man that I still loved.