Greetings, friends! I know it has been a while, but I haven't been able to spend as much time writing as I would like to. I want to thank all of you who have read and reviewed this story, and I hope you enjoy this chapter.

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the recognized characters from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and am making no profit from this piece of creative writing.

Just to let you know, this story is rated T, and this chapter does have a tiny smidgen of citrus near the end, but nothing too offensive. All comments are welcome!

Chapter 10: Maybe…or maybe not….

Willy looked down to see Sarah sitting in a heap at his feet, staring at nothing in particular with a bemused expression on her bruised face. Puzzled, he crouched down and leaned closer, looking at her with concern. Hmmmmm……maybe I shouldn't have mentioned the wife for all eternity bit…at least not before we've had our first official date…TMI, fer sure! When waving his gloved hands in front of her face didn't produce any reaction, he sighed and sat down next to her. Pulling a purple cell phone out of the inner pocket of his velvet dress coat, he speed dialed his protégé and laid back on the thick cream colored carpet while he waited for Charlie to answer.

"Yo, CB my man, what's on your agenda for today? That's slamming, my man, cause I need you to do me a fav….I want you to keep an eye on things for me for the next day or so. No, I'm fine… I'm just gonna be tied up for a while with Sarah…..No, not literally, and I don't know if she's into that kind of thing. Geesh, for a guy who doesn't get out much you sure have got some perverted ideas….what? Where did you see that?….the internet? Heheheheh…why am I not surprised." Willy chuckled. "It did, huh?…Better be careful…I've heard you can go blind doing that…..No, shouldn't take more than a day or two, why?…..A date, huh? Who with? The twin shepherdesses from the party? Duuuddeeeee…. you really know how to make up for lost time!…I know, I know…I'm working on that situation as we speak. Listen, I gotta go….holler if you need me, and hey, be sure to keep an eye on centrifuge # 3 in the Inventing Room…it's been acting a little hokey lately, and I think we need to order a replacement…talk at ya later!"

Willy flipped his phone shut and sat up, only to come face to face with an extremely irate Sarah, who having snapped out of her shock-induced stupor was favoring him with a murderous glare that would have sent a normal man running for the hills. Fortunately, Willy Wonka was not an ordinary man, and he couldn't help but admire the gleam of cold fury in her eyes and the way her crossed arms accentuated and deepened the cleavage revealed by the partially unbuttoned dress shirt she wore.

"Are you ready to continue our conversation now, or would you rather rest a while?" His question was met with silence, along with a heaping helping of icy disdain. He tried again. "I know you must be hungry…..tell you what, why don't you tell me what you'd like, and I'll have the kitchen whip it up faster than you can say Wonka's Whipple Scrumptious Fudgemallow Delight Bar, hmmm?" An annoying huff and a turn of her head was the only response he received. oookaayyyy….this is going well……hmmmm……guess the only thing to do is fight silence with silence. There's more than one way to tame a shrew….Shakespeare, eat your heart out…you haven't seen anything yet!…

Willy chuckled aloud, and Sarah turned back to glare at him once more, her balled fists resting in her lap as if she was holding back the urge to sock him with all her might. Springing easily to his feet, he looked down at her with a smug expression on his face. "Well, since you're not in the mood to talk, think I'll take myself a little siesta, muchaha….feel free to explore the other rooms in the suite," his face became serious for a moment "but don't touch the safe or you won't be a happy camper." His grin returned. "Oh, and if you're going to curse me, try to keep it soft if you would….my inner child is very, very sensitive and I'd hate for you to traumatize him. Goodnight!." And with that, he strolled over to the bed, laid down, tipped his top hat down over his eyes, and appeared to be snoring lightly within moments.

Sarah blinked rapidly a few times, stunned at the rapidness of his mood changes as she processed the information he had just given her. Other rooms in the suite? She glanced around, and her eyes settled on a previously unnoticed doorway that beckoned for her to explore. Rising to her feet, she walked to the archway and found herself in the middle of a short hall with 5 doors. She turned to the left and upon opening the farthest door, she found herself in a bedroom size closet, filled from floor to ceiling with elegant clothing in a variety of fabrics, all arranged by color. Above the clothes racks was a row of hatboxes, which undoubtedly contained Willy's trademark top hats. Underneath the neatly hung garments were shoes in a variety of colors and styles, as well as at least a dozen pairs of highly polished boots identical to the ones he was currently wearing. A large armoire in the center of the far wall drew her attention, and she couldn't resist the urge to peek inside. On top was a large safe, which, heeding Willy's warning, she avoided. Below the safe were several narrow drawers containing a variety of elegant pins, made from gold, silver and platinum and set with diamonds and various gems. The larger main drawer in the middle contained several dozen pairs of gloves, once again in a rainbow of colors, in silk and leather, and even some in what appeared to be reinforced latex. The two lowest drawers contained brightly colored bikini briefs, still in their packages, and Sarah couldn't help but grin despite her anger at the situation she found herself in. "And here I took you for a boxer man, Willy…ooh, wait a minute…what's this? Ah hah!" then chuckled with triumph as she dug deeper and pulled out several pairs of boxers….one with red lips and pink hearts, a pair covered in Easter eggs, a black pair with ghosts and jack-o-lanterns, and yet another pair in pale green with large shamrocks. "Why am I not surprised that you'd go all out for the holidays, Mr. Wonka?"

Returning the silky items to their drawer, she looked over and spotted a row of dressing gowns and decided to appropriate one to wear over the scanty shirt she wore. Feeling much more comfortable, she left the dressing room and moved to the next room along the corridor, which turned out to be a multi media playroom of sorts. Large entertainment centers were situated along the walls on either side, with 27 inch tv's and video game consoles as well as shelves lined with every kind of game imaginable. Colorful beanbag chairs and huge throw pillows were scattered on the floor and piled in the corners of the room. The far wall was covered with bookcases, containing everything from comic books to the classics, and more importantly, a built in computer station. She spent a few minutes trying to get online, but without Willy's password the quest was hopeless. Well, if I'm going to be a prisoner down here, at least I won't get too bored…I'll just sit and play Donkey Kong til my brain melts…

Leaving the media room, she entered the 3rd room, and after fumbling for the light switch she found herself in what looked to be an authentic 50's malt shop. The black and white tile floor gleamed under the fluorescent lighting, and the walls were covered with large movie posters, autographed photos of movie stars and black vinyl records. To her right was a old fashioned soda fountain, and in the corner stood a huge juke box complete with neon piping and floating bubbles. A couple of booths and a trio of metal tables and padded chairs with wrought metal backs completed the effect. Suddenly thirsty, Sarah stepped behind the counter and helped herself to a Coke from the tap, adding healthy amounts of vanilla and cherry flavored syrup, sniffing the red bottle carefully before pouring. Drink in hand, she strolled up to the jukebox, which was taller than her by at least a foot, and looked at the selections listed. Her eyebrows raised when she saw that Willy hadn't been kidding when he said he liked all kinds of music…country, rock, blues, jazz, even classical and opera were present in the massive machine. A sudden flash of her and Willy sharing an oversized sundae in one of those booths while listening to Buddy Holly tunes flashed through her mind, and she banished the scene with a grimace.

Finishing her soda, she rinsed the glass and left it in the sink, turned off the light and moved on. The next room held a variety of exercise equipment and athletic gear neatly racked along the narrow room's walls. "Guess he has to do something to work off all those chocolate calories." Sarah mused as she looked over the selection of tennis rackets and hockey sticks, grinning as she pictured the candymaker facing off against a pint sized oompah-loompah on the ice. Turning around, she returned to the hall and opened the final door.

"Aaahhh, now this is more like it!" Sarah sighed with appreciation as she entered the most fantastic bathroom she had ever seen. The creamy marble floored room was a designer's dream, its center focus a large round garden bathtub with soothing hydro jets surrounded by white pillars. It reminded her at once of the documentary she had seen on Liberace's bathroom, complete with the painted frescos on the ceiling. What was even more amazing was that the pillars were wrapped with living green ivy, fed natural light via ingenious tubular skylights from the surface far above, giving the bather the feeling of being in a garden arbor. To the left was a discreetly hidden commode and bidet, as well as an impressively large glass walled amber marble shower stall with 7 jets. A large armoire was filled with fluffy white towels and plush terry bathrobes with the initials "WW", as well as a pull out drawer full of various bath salts, shampoos and other accessories. To the right was another door, and going through it she discovered something that had her gasping with delight.

The blue waters of the guitar shaped swimming pool shimmered in the fluorescent lighting, and she caught the faint scent of chlorine as she stepped into the humid paradise. The ceiling resembled that of a treasure cave, covered with beautiful semi precious and unique stones. To the right, steam was visible as it rose from the surface of the octagon shaped in ground jacuzzi, and in the far corner of the room she saw the redwood walls of what she was sure was a sauna. A large screen tv, a stereo with massive speakers and a pair of comfy looking padded loungers took up the remaining space in the cavernous room.

Unable to resist the temptation, Sarah quickly found the switch to turn on the jets, then looking around to make sure she was alone, she stripped off her stolen robe, shirt and after a moment's hesitation, her skimpy underwear as well. She hissed when she stepped into the churning hot water before sinking in up to her chin with a sigh and a giggle. There was just something so decadent about being naked in a hot tub….letting those tiny bubbles work their magic and wash away all your stress and tension. Placing a folded towel beneath her neck, she laid her head back and closed her eyes and felt herself drift…..

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"Y'know, from the moment I saw you I thought you were one hot mama, but you don't have to cook yourself to prove me right. "

The warm, seductive voice murmuring in her ear startled her awake, and she couldn't hold back the yelp of embarrassment and horror as she crossed her arms protectively across her chest and glared at him, wondering how long he had observed her while she dozed. He lay stretched out on his stomach with his chin propped on his left hand while his right trailed in the bubbling water and up her exposed arm, smiling faintly at her fury. Suddenly his gaze narrowed, a wicked grin spreading as he looked between her and the wall switch controlling the bubbles, and she could almost hear the wheels in his mind turning as she perceived his intent to expose her in all her naked glory. Sarah shrieked and grabbed for a towel, turning an even deeper shade of red as she attempted to tuck the suddenly sodden cloth around herself in the water, and Willy pouted at her for spoiling his fun.

"I'm glad to see you've made yourself at home, but to be honest, boiled lobster isn't a good look for you, so why don't you come out and have a bite with me?" Seeing her flinch as her glare was replaced by a look of fear, he sighed before continuing. "And before you ask, no, you're not on the menu. I wouldn't object to having a wee sip or two from you for dessert, sweet Sarah, but I only take what is freely given, and you'd have to ask me very, very nicely…." He grinned as his plan to make her lose her fear worked, and the glare returned full force.

"So, what do you say, my little sugarplum, will you come out and let me wine and dine you like a proper host, or are you going to continue giving me the silent treatment? You can't stay in that human boiling pot forever, y'know." When he was met once more with stony silence, he sighed with resignation and rose to his feet. "Too bad….I had a great time planned for us this evening too….your loss." He turned as if to leave, then moving at almost hyper speed he grasped Sarah under the arms, using his enhanced vampire strength to lift her easily from the hot tub and tossed her into the deep end of the nearby pool.

The shock of the cold water on her overheated body caused the air to whoosh out of her lungs, and she rose to the surface gasping and coughing. Not being a strong swimmer, she dog-paddled to the side of the pool and flung her now sopping wet hair out of her eyes. Glancing around, she gaped as she found that Willy had moved to the other side of the pool and had removed his hat, coat and gloves. As she watched, he was in the process of unbuttoning his vest, never taking his eyes of her as he did so.

"Wha…what are you doing?" She sputtered, treading water as she clutched at the side of the pool with both hands, the words echoing in the cavern-like chamber.

"What does it look like I'm doing, my enchanting little goo-goo cluster?" Having finished with his vest, he removed his platinum pin and was now unbuttoning his dress shirt. "You looked lonely in that big pool all by yourself, and since I couldn't talk you into dinner with me, I thought I'd join you instead. I love your choice of swimming attire, by the way." He grinned as he sat down and removed his boots and socks before rising to his feet and reaching for the fastenings on his trousers. She had been so stunned by his sudden actions that she had forgotten about her unclothed state, and realized to her horror that her towel was now at the bottom of the pool, leaving her fully exposed. With a sound that was part gasp and park squeak, Sarah realize that there was no ladder at her end of the pool, and no handy towels or robes nearby either. Hearing a splash behind her, she turned her head to see her pale host gliding silently toward her under the water, emerging a few feet from her with barely a ripple. She was also immediately aware that like her, he wasn't wearing a stitch of clothing.

"Aaahhh" he sighed, shaking his head and sending water spraying everywhere. "Nothing like skinny-dipping to make a body feel good, especially in such pleasant company." Treading water easily, he watched her as she started to pull herself along the side of the pool with her back to him as she eased away, heading toward the steps. "What! Leaving so soon? But I just got here." He swam over to her and put an arm on either side of her, stopping her flight. "Still mad at me for not letting you go, hmmmm?" Silence. He sighed and turned her around to face him, pressing himself closer to her and tipping her chin up to look her in the eyes.. "You might as well talk to me, Sarah….no matter how long you think you can keep up the silent treatment, I'll outlast you. I'll just keep after you until you finally wear down. It would be fun to tease you at first, but frankly would get kinda boring after a while. There are much better ways to spend eternity, don't you think?" He ran a hand along her cheek and smiled as she shivered, and not from the water temperature; then his expression became serious once more.

"Sarah….I'm not the monster you think I am. While it is true that I am capable of violence when necessary, I am capable of great compassion and tenderness as well." His hands swept gently down from her shoulders down her arms to her hands, which now hung limply at her sides. "And in case you've forgotten already, I think its time I remind you that I also happened to be very attracted to you…..in fact, I think it's highly possible that I'm in love with you."

Grasping her hands in his, he suddenly pushed off from the side of the pool, pulling her with him to the center of the deep end, causing her to clutch at him as she fought her panic. He turned her around once more so that her back was to his chest and leaned her back against him, her head resting in the crook of his neck. "Shhhh….don't worry, I won't let you drown….I just want to help you relax a little, that's all. Stop analyzing the situation …just let your senses guide you, and you might even enjoy yourself.." Using his will, he held them steady in the water as he slowly began to run his hands along her arms and down the outside of her thighs, gently soothing away the tension and fear. She took a deep shuddering breath and let her eyes close as she did as he suggested and let her senses take control. The water, which had seemed so icy cold a few minutes earlier, now felt cool and refreshing against her skin, and some of the feeling of bliss she had felt in the hot tub returned as she relaxed slightly in his grasp. He closed his eyes and focused his concentration, and a light breeze swept through the room, bringing with it the heady scent of night blooming jasmine. With a flick of his fingers, the stereo across the room turned itself on, filling the room with the soft strains of "I Could Not Ask For More" by Edwin McCain as they floated in the shimmering water, followed by something soothing by Michael McDonald. Another thought dimmed the overhead lights, leaving the room in darkness but for a few lit candles in nooks and crannies and the softly glowing underwater pool lights. Willy smiled faintly with satisfaction as he looked down at the woman relaxing in his arms; the mood was set for seduction, but he knew she wasn't ready; the memories of the attack were still too raw. He would need to go very slowly and cautiously.

She didn't know how long they had been together in the water…it could have been an hour or more, but time had no meaning. Despite her earlier outrage and fear, she felt her body begin to hum with desire as she floated, weightless and strangely safe in Willy's arms. She arched back against him and uttered a sound that was eerily similar to a purr when his hands moved from her waist to cup her breasts, cupping them possessively and dipping his head and murmuring his appreciation of the bounty filling his hands in her ear. She turned her head to look up at him and met his lips instead.

It was almost as if someone had dropped a plugged in hairdryer into the pool as electricity shot through her, zinging her from head to toe, but in a most pleasant way. The sensation grew in intensity as he turned her until she was cradled in his arms bridal style, one hand gently stroking her breast as the other made lazy circles on the back of her upper thigh. Her hands made their way into his wet silken hair as she allowed herself to savor his tender caresses. She felt as though she could burst into flame at any moment, and his hungry kiss was fanning the sparks of desire that were beginning to glow so near his stroking fingers. They hung there together in the soothing water, drowning in the beauty of skin touching skin.

Breaking their kiss, Willy began pressing soft kisses along her exposed neck as she tilted her head back with a sigh of pleasure, making sure to keep his elongated canines from touching her tender skin. It would have only taken a few moments and she would have been drained to near death and completely his, but unlike many of his race, he was an honorable denizen of the undead and wouldn't turn someone without their consent.

Her eyes swept open slowly and she looked up at him, her eyes soft with desire as she stared into his handsome face, as hungry for him as he was for her. Noting the darkness of the cavern, she blinked with surprise, noticing the changes he had made in the scenery. He quickly spoke to alleviate her fear as he felt her begin to tense up.

"Be at ease, my sweet….I just want to make our surroundings a bit romantic and relaxing." He ran his finger from between her breasts and up under her chin, the candlelight causing flames to dance in his eyes as he looked down at her. "You are beautiful to me, Sarah, and I can't hide the fact that I want you very badly, but I know you need time to get accustomed to me, to what I am. Believe me when I tell you that I won't hurt you, and I'm not going to try and take advantage of you. That's not to say that I won't flirt like crazy and steal kisses from you whenever possible….I am human, after all, or at least I once was. Come, we need to get you dried off…nobody looks good with raisin skin, not even you." He carried her from the pool and stood her on her feet while dried her off, pulling matching robes from the armoire. He grinned faintly as he first towel dried and then finger combed her damp tresses before sweeping her off her feet again. He didn't speak at all as they returned to the bedroom, where he gently laid her into the bed's cozy softness, covering her up before taking up her hand. When he spoke once more, his voice was as tender as his touch.

"As much as I desire you, I'm not going to rush you into my bed, Sarah. I want to earn your trust and yes, your love as well." Leaning down, he captured her lips with a soul-devouring kiss, followed by several little follow up smooches before he laid down on top of the covers beside her and began to stroke her tousled hair.. "After all, I have all the time in the world, my love, all the time in the world."

She didn't reply, but the look in her eyes gave him all the answer he needed as he gently used his powers and eased her into sleep.