Nature or Nurture: the raising of a monster

Chapter 18

Thinking of the interesting time they have ahead of them, Adison sighs audibly. 'What is that great sigh for?' Vincent asks her, smilingly. 'We were never so shy with eachother, it's just so sweet,' she replies, dreamingly. Suddenly, she feels two strong arms seize her, and the next moment she is crushed to a rather broad chest. Looking up, she sees two sulfurous eyes gazing at her, and a deep, husky voice says: 'Sweet! I'll give you sweet, woman!' He lifts her off her feet easily and carries her to the fourposter, throwing himself on the bed with her pinned under him. Still holding her gaze locked in his stare, he kisses her passionately. And whilst not exactly ripping off their clothes, they do hurry to get rid of the layers between them. Adison soon finds out that her fear of Vincent having lost his violent self is completely unfounded. The glorious beast is still there, and his lovemaking is as wild as ever. And then the husky voice, so much Vincent and still so different from the actor's clear baritone, says: 'So tell me, Miss Adison, now I have a name, will you marry me? Will you be Mrs Vincent Heathcliff? Even if mothers scare their children with my name, and horses kick their stalls in fear when I pass by, will you love me?' Taken totally by surprise, and delighted with Vincent's releasing his dark side, she soon manages to whisper: 'Yes, my love, I will. I will love you forever and I will certainly marry you!' And then the moment for wild loving has passed, and they return to tenderness.

Knowing he is one and the same person, the difference is still so profound that she can't help asking: 'That really was you, wasn't it?' For answer, he takes her in his arms so tenderly that her full heart nearly bursts. His slightly tragic actor's face gazes at her in an expression of total surrender. 'Since you fell in love with him at first sight, and we're both taking his name in a way, I thought it'd be only fair he'd ask you himself.' Laughing, she jumps on him in retaliation for teasing her in a moment like that, only remembering his wounds when he stifles a cry of pain. With an: 'I deserved that, don't worry, it wasn't bad,' he strokes her cheek, and continues: 'Of course that was me, love, I couldn't bear even the thought of you marrying someone else. And now I may need a new bandage.' And indeed, their wild love-play and her impudent move have caused him to start bleeding again. 'Stay here', she says, and she fetches her bag. And again she makes dressing his wounds such a sensuous deed, that when she is done, they have to repeat their whole lovemaking, only a lot quieter, or they'd never get any sleep tonight. Lying side by side, they think and talk of the day a bit more, then go to sleep.

In Mina's room a few doors further down the hall, Victor decides not to offer to remove the pallet. She has been free of a demonic master only one night, and whilst he can imagine she doesn't want to be alone, that doesn't automatically mean she wants him to share her bed. He doesn't even want to think what has been done to her, a young beautiful woman in total submission to an adept in blood-magick and sex-magick. Anything she wants to share, he will listen to, but even if he dared, it wouldn't be fair to ask for more. Meanwhile, Mina realises she has a serious crush on this man. He is beautiful, competent and at the same time so incredibly vulnerable and shy, he's irresistable. But also very difficult to approach, he has such protections built around his heart. If he has ever only trusted his two best friends with his love, how can she ever hope to win it, with the taint of evil still around her, and with her past of betrayal and servitude to a master of blood-magick and, God help her, sex-magick. Why would any man want to associate with a woman like her, a vampire at that? If he hadn't been so shyly encouraging so far, and if Adison hadn't practically thrown him at her, she'd give up without even trying.

As it is, she tells herself to be patient. They will be living together for quite some time, and his friends have accepted her above her expectations. Just wait and take small steps. As he sits down next to her, comfortably close but clearly everything but relaxed, she wants to forget common sense, grab him and kiss him on his well-shaped mouth, sitting astride his boyish figure. Instead, she reaches for his hand, and holds it until he does relax. Apparently that is enough for him, so it will have to do for her too, for now. Or, she can just ask him.