Alix's POV
Next Day : King's Green Range
I don't tell Fontaine that I always thought golf was insufferably boring. However, luckily I don't have to be bored out of my wits as Tiffany keeps me company while we watch over the golf course from an open air café, with large umbrellas giving us some shade while our husbands play together on the course.
I'm dressed in a red maxi dress Isela let me borrow for today. Tiffany is dressed in an elegant light pink dress that flares out from her waist with fashionable frills and ends at her knees. Her rose-gold wedding ring glitters in a ray of sunshine as she sips her coffee and eyes Rudolph's next swing. They're far away but we can see them playing toward each hole.
The King's Green Range was pretty empty today, so it's just us and one or two other people wandering about.
"Were you advised of today's special arrangement between our Doms and us?" Tiffany asks me after first speaking of the weather earlier. It was haphazard, cloudy then sunshine then cloudy then rain then more sun. The direct sun would hurt a vampire's skin and burn their eyes over a prolonged period of time so Tiffany was keeping as much as she could to the shade.
"Something about swapping," I sip my lemon-grass and ginger tea as Tiffany smiles and nods.
"Oh, yes. I will always love Rudy and his way," Tiffany chews on her lip as she side-eyes me, "It never gets old – being led around. I've met others who don't understand me and think it's humiliating... but it's not that I'm disempowered, I feel incredible being able to entrust my body completely to my husband. It's also fun. You must understand since you love Claudius."
"I do, besides, kinky sex is way more fun..." I go from smiling to instantly frowning and glaring out over the course to watch my husband. Claudius swings his club and then shoots me a look, as if sensing my immediate stare, he locks eyes with me and it's like he's just patiently playing each hole back towards me, "...smug demon..." I growl under my breath, "...I miss him..." I blurt the words spontaneously, thinking of the ghost he once was. When I didn't know he wanted to kill me.
"You can't have sex, can you..." Tiffany approaches the topic gently.
"It's driving us both crazy, Tiff," I admit this openly, almost spilling my tea as I plonk it down too quickly, "He's grumpy and I'm constantly begging him and he's always denying me."
"But his sex will kill you, Alexandra," Tiffany frowns, "I've been advised to tell you the steps of the plan Rudy and Claudius have been working on together. You can be Turned. To vampire, witch or succubus. But Claudius wants you to consider each option very carefully."
"I enjoyed being a succubus," I immediately bite on that, "I've asked him to Turn me but –"
"It's not wise. The price is greater," Tiffany shakes her head at me, "You may prefer to be a vampire – that is why Rudy is going to treat you today to show you what it's like, while Claudius releases some frustration with me. Don't worry, we'll all be together," Tiffany fans her face with a napkin for a moment as she reclines back, "...oh how my thoughts get carried away... I have to focus... you may also prefer to be a witch. Claudius will organise a day where Pearly and Isela show you what that's like. But do you want to know my honest opinion about your beloved?"
"What?" I'm curious, she's been around Claudius for centuries, in some ways she'll know him better than me.
"He doesn't want to Turn you at all," Tiffany blinks my way, "His love for you outweighs his lust for you now. Didn't you know."
My eyes slowly widen.
That actually makes perfect sense.
"But we will never..." I trail off.
"He doesn't care, he just wants to be with you and to protect you," Tiffany almost gets tears in her eyes as she thinks about it, "How beautiful true love can be... I am sorry you're both tortured with a lack of physical touch. Maybe Rudy can help you navigate that? He'll happily pleasure you if you request it and you have my permission to find that release with him. I know he loves me, so I'm not concerned."
"Actually... is there a way for an incubus to become a man?" I ask out of the blue, "Can we reverse what's been done to Claudius?"
Tiffany's lips part in shock, "O-oh, I don't know about that, Alix."
"Is it possible? Do you know anything?"
Tiffany hesitates.
Then she takes out her phone and she puts her finger to her lips as she motions for me to be quiet as she dials Aelia's number and puts her on speaker.
I sit back, curious what she'll speak to Aelia about.
"Tiff?" Aelia answers after a few rings, "How are you, darling?"
"Fantastic, darling," Tiffany puts on her natural charm, "I have a question for you... how does one become a man again? If he is a demon."
Aelia laughs, "There is nothing they can do but die. Men who lust for youth forever, can only starve and die to reclaim a true redemption."
"But how can they become a man?" Tiffany prods just a bit more.
"As I said. They can die. They'll be a man when they are a ghost because a dead soul is without corruption," Aelia may be sinister and cunning but she's damn well knowledgeable on this topic. This is really helpful information.
I motion to Tiffany to listen to me and she hides the phone under the table as I come closer to her ear to whisper, "Ask her how does one become a poltergeist?"
"What do you know of poltergeists?" Tiffany brings the phone back up.
"Murdered," Aelia answers sharply, "They're always murdered."
"Thank you, darling, that's all quite fascinating. I have to go now, Rudy is calling," Tiffany hangs up and looks at me with a raised brow, "Happy, Alix? You have some answers. Claudius can't be returned to a man. It's impossible."
I nod but I think she missed the point I've latched onto.
I can now see Claudius and Rudolph coming back from their game, so I stand and excuse myself to the restroom briefly.
I need this moment to think alone.
My mind is swirling with ideas.
Actually... not exactly ideas... but... one idea.
I walk through the door and I swivel to the sinks.
I look at myself in the mirror as I wonder if I would have the capacity to do something so evil.
In thinking about Dagger Spellman and finding out he was a poltergeist – with a genuine connection to the physical realm... much stronger than Claudius had as a ghost... it was also an explanation for the different energy.
Because Dagger had been murdered.
So my plan was forming.
I might be able to stay human afterall.
Only if Claudius was no longer an incubus.
But a ghost.
Just one level up from a spirit in limbo.
In another time, Fontaine had killed me – to bring me back to the past.
It was obvious to me he regretted that, that he hated himself for it, that he was trying to make it up to me now by keeping me human in this reset time-line. By giving me as many choices as possible. As much time as possible. To navigate us and our dark love.
But I might be able to fix all of that on my own.
I just had to give him a taste of his own medicine...
I wash my hands as I think about what I'd have to do.
I couldn't tell him.
But did I have it in me – to murder?
The thought makes me light-headed, and it's hard to even contemplate. It's not something I can enact without knowing for sure of the consequences.
I had to talk to Dagger again. A real poltergeist. Maybe he'd have an opinion about my idea that could push me in the correct direction. Afterall, it wasn't technically murder I was considering, it was freeing his soul. From the grips of demonic power.
I'd also have to interrogate Fontaine, see if he even wanted to be an incubus anymore. I'd have to approach that topic very, very carefully. Otherwise, he might suspect something.
I rip off some paper towel and I dry my hands, my mind racing.
Claudius had always been the one dictating our love.
The problem with our love – was the stench of the demon inside.
So, I wasn't going to kill Fontaine, really, because he was already dead.
But I may have to kill the demon inside.
If I had the guts.
Did I?
I'd have to plan it meticulously.
I figure if the demon finds out his food is thinking this way, I'll be the one in deep trouble.
But boy oh boy – I have a plan.
Now I just need to start plotting.