Chapter 3

She expected him to lose no time, to swoop down upon her with vampire speed. But his next action was slow and deliberate, as he cupped the back of her head lovingly, and plied her with a kiss filled with passion and longing. His mouth traveled down, nipping the lobe of her ear, pausing above the pulse of her neck. It nearly vibrated to his vampire senses, blood pumping, filled with desire.

Before he could move on, she leaned into him more, angling her head in a way that stretched that swan neck to perfection, a beautiful sweep of anatomy. "Yes, Henry," she said once more, voice filled with the heat of love and the abandon of giving in to that which one wants most in the world, and he took her meaning immediately. No more hesitation, no more second thoughts. At least for that night, they could share everything.

"In good time, my love," he assured her, planting a languorous kiss upon her neck. He fully intended to have her, in every way, but he would do it in the proper order. Now that he'd finally won the permission he craved, there was no need to do everything all at once.

He sat still above her, staring down with the stillness only the undead can achieve, completely motionless yet somehow so very alive, eyes glittering with a predator's stare. The vampire studied her carefully, taking in everything, cataloguing every plane and curve. Vicky felt completely at a disadvantage, because she could barely see anything in the shadows of her bedroom. Henry briefly considered turning on the bedside lamp for her, before shooing the idea away. Tonight would be about sensation; vision wasn't important, for what he intended to do to her.

As the seconds ticked away Vicki became more and more confused, wondering what the vampire was waiting for. "Is something wrong?" she asked quietly, fearing the worst. Emotions ran so high at the moment, that every little thing had the potential to be blown ten times out of proportion.

"No, not at all," he said gently. "You see, I've had so much time to compile a list of things I want to do to you, that its very long by now. I'm trying to decide where to start."

In spite of herself, the PI smiled through her veil of tears, swatting at his shoulder. "You're killing me."

"No more than you've been killing me for the past year," he countered with a fey smile, completely unapologetic. He stood from the bed, drawing down the sheet that covered her, slowly, enjoying the unveiling of her lithe body inch by inch. She wore a camisole, black lace panties, and nothing else.

Perfect.

"You're so beautiful," he groaned, finally tossing the sheet to the foot of the bed. She watched hungrily as he unbuttoned his shirt, tossing the garment into an unimportant heap upon the floor. Vicki marveled at his figure, the muscles so toned and pale, a marble Adonis here in her bedroom, preparing to make love to her. Was this real?

Kneeling at her feet, the vampire took one into his careful hands, kissing her instep. Slowly his lips traveled up her long leg, paying service to the graceful curve of her calf, the blade of her shin, the sensitive skin behind her knee.

Apparently one of the things on his list for her was torture, but she took it gladly, elated to feel his lips and hands on her skin. Though he'd always been a gifted student, over centuries Henry had perfected the art of lighting a woman afire, how to take her to the shining edge with a silk blindfold over her eyes, a smile upon her lips all the while.

"And you're also stubborn," he continued, tongue flicking over the inside of her thigh, causing her to squirm with pleasure. Vicki bit her lip but could not suppress a cry, causing the vampire to smile smugly.

Was he punishing her on purpose? Oh, maybe just a little.

"And infuriating."

Strong hands pressed upon her thighs, spreading them slightly, making room for his attentions. He ghosted over her sex with a breath but moved higher, opting to pull down the waistline of her panties, planting a wet kiss over the hollow of her hipbone. "But even so, I love you," he confessed, hands moving to push the camisole up, exposing the flat plane of her belly.

"You're infuriating too," she protested, sighing as he kissed her above her pubic bone, and slowly moved north to dip his tongue into her belly button. "And smug. And proud!" His teeth grazing her ribcage caused her voice to crack, and the smugness in question made evident by the smile that curled his lips.

"Go on?" he taunted, raising the shirt higher still. She watched him as he bared her breasts to the cool night air, their eyes locked in an achingly intimate gaze. Her nipples had hardened to pebbles, taut and pink, and not from the cold. She sat up slightly, allowing him to pull the shirt over her head, and as she seemed to be struck speechless for the moment, he lowered to take one nipple into his mouth gently, swirling the aureole with his tongue. Vicki's back bowed, her hands flying to bury in his untamable curls, so unbelievably soft.

"And a million other things, good and bad," she panted, as he moved to the other, not wanting it to be jealous. "And because of them all, I love you."

Henry's mouth left her breast to suddenly lock upon her lips, arms sliding beneath her shoulders to gather her to him. "Say it again," he demanded, growling with need as he explored every corner of her mouth, fiery lips moving down the line of her jaw, nibbling her earlobe, teeth scraping against her pulse. But he did not break the skin, though he dearly wanted to taste her. Not yet, FitzRoy, he scolded himself. Patience has gotten you this far, don't ruin it now.

He loved the feel of her bare breasts pressed against the flat of his chest, her hips raising beneath him to grind into his obvious arousal. She squirmed beneath him, so impatient, the neediest he'd ever witnessed her. Finally, at long last, that iron control broken into pieces. He wanted her to want him more than she'd ever wanted anything, and he was succeeding with flying colors.

"I love you, Henry Fitzroy," she declared firmly, nails digging into his back as he tongued the dip of her collarbone. Shifting his weight to the side, Henry continued to kiss her, his hand sliding down her taut abdomen to slip inside her panties. Long fingers combed through curls, circling the secret bud between her legs.

As he slipped a single finger inside her their moans became a chorus of desire.

"My God, you're wet," he groaned, marveling at the multitude of hot moisture pooled in the cradle of her hips. For him, all for him, he thought possessively. "All this pent up passion," he teased, moving his fingers slowly, sliding in a second. "Where's it all to go?"

As though in answer, Vicki bucked her hips forward, grinding against his skilled hand. Her hand went to unbuckle his belt, demanding, "Off."

Happily, he complied, removing pants and underwear faster than her eyes could follow, even if she could have seen a thing in the dark. But she didn't need her sight, for suddenly Henry was above her, his weight pushing her down into the soft mattress, the feel of his velvety manhood hot against her belly driving her mad.

"Please," she begged, hooking a leg about his hip to signal exactly what she wanted. He moved lower, positioning himself between her legs, swollen head hovering at her slick entrance. The heat emanating from her was driving him mad, and he felt as though she hypnotized him with the need in her blue gaze, their eyes locked intimately.

"As my lady wishes." Henry was more than happy to comply, pushing inside her, slowly thrusting to make room until he was sheathed completely inside. She cried out happily, burying her face in the bend of his neck, fingers clutching at his back and shoulders. He shuddered as her tight walls squeezed against him, as she tested the length and breadth of him inside her. Oh, and he was exactly what she wanted.

Kissing her gently, he began to move inside her, holding himself up with strong arms she explored with eager fingers. Her nails teasing lightly across the muscles of his chest nearly caused him to lose his concentration, and he fought not to thrust into her wildly, with ecstatic abandon. His gradually quickening thrusts caused her to throw her head back into the pillow, and she squirmed as he bumped her cervix, grinding against her in ways that sent chills across her entire body. She'd never felt anything like this with anyone, and she wondered if it was vampire power, or simply the intense need they felt to be intimate with each other. This mind-blowing pleasure went on and on, longer than she could have imagined possible.

"Someone's an athlete," she teased breathily as he rolled them, so she could be on top. There were a thousand and one positions he wanted to try with her, but he knew he could only try a few that night. Time, that treacherous whore, would rob them of the opportunity. But perhaps it would be best, not to do everything at once. They would save something for later, they would ensure there would be a later, he reasoned, barely able to think as she arched her back above him, clutching his hands to her breasts as she impaled herself upon him, golden hair waving about her as a halo of light.

But the thought that somehow, by some fluke of fate, they still would not be together after this suddenly pained him greatly, so much that he turned them again, sliding into her from behind, so that she could not see the turmoil written across his face.

"Turn like this, lover," he sighed into her hair, tilting her hips back towards him with a guiding hand, scraping teeth against the back of her neck and causing her lithe body to arch again like a cat. She was ridiculously flexible, and the sudden tightness surrounding him stole a groan from deep in his chest, nearly a growl. The urge to sink his fangs into her was quickly growing too much to ignore, and he fought with his inner beast to wait just a little longer.

They were both tumbling quickly towards the edge. His shaft at this angle brushed her g-spot, and her strong hands gripped his in her ardor, her need to anchor herself to something real as this pressure built inside her, threatening to uproot her from reality.

When she pulled away Henry was shocked, clearly, by the expression upon his face. She smiled mischievously as she rolled onto her back, breathing deeply. The smell of their mingled sweat and other bodily fluids perfumed the air. She crooked a finger to the puzzled vampire.

"Take me like this again," she requested softly, spreading her legs, wanting missionary once more. She seemed so unbelievably vulnerable at that moment, needed him so much, that for a moment Henry felt sure this couldn't really be his Victoria. But it was, and she was here, naked with him, giving herself to him.

"Please," she pleaded. "I need to be close to you." Though it seemed redundant, for how much closer could they get? Henry understood her desire to be completely enveloped by her lover, and happily he complied, sliding inside her once more, wrapping his arms about her shoulders. With a satisfied sigh she buried herself in the bend of his neck, nipping playfully as he buried himself inside her. Her legs parted even more, one hooking around the curve of his hip, heel digging into his backside to urge him deeper still.

With the senses his dark gift bestowed upon him, Henry knew she was nearing the edge, could feel it in her pulse, her life and heat vibrating against him and through him, as though for the moment he too was alive again, while connecting to her most secret space. He kissed her neck, tonguing the throbbing pulse, and his bloodlust urged him to sink fang as they were seconds away from completion.

That shining pleasure began to take them, and also his control, and he could not hold his hunger back any longer. He sank fangs into her neck, drinking deeply, pushing them both over into the abyss. Their orgasm lasted as a golden circle of pleasure, lasting for the both of them for as long as he fed. Vicki never imagined a vampire bite could feel so ridiculously good, crying out as she writhed below him, nails digging into his muscular shoulders.

Henry forced himself to pull back, before he took too much, and with the hot satiation of blood in his belly, and the almost too pleasurable sensation of her walls still spasming around him, he collapsed against her, licking the wound so that it would stop bleeding, shrinking to two almost unnoticeable pinpricks.

Languidly, she kissed the sensitive skin behind his ear, biting his earlobe gently. "You've turned my bones to mush," she sighed, utterly incapable of any sort of ambitious movement.

"And you mine," he agreed, smiling when she gave a small sound of protest, as he slid from her, gathering her into his arms. They dozed like that for a little while, Henry incapable of human rest, but Vicki teetering on the brink of total exhaustion already. Perhaps he'd taken a little bit more blood than he should have, but at the time he couldn't tear himself away. Still, she didn't really seem to mind.

"Please don't tell me you're still going to leave me," she grumbled after a while, tracing lazy figure eights across his chest.

"Please don't tell me you're still not coming with me," he countered. She could only give them so much peace, couldn't she? He thought this with a smile though, and kissed the top of her head, brushing his cheek against her soft hair.

"Henry, I'm marked. These tattoos aren't going away. Who says Astaroth couldn't just follow us, no matter where we go?"

"He could, but he knows this town now. He has contacts here, knows bodies, people, places. It makes it easier for him to cause mischief, easier every time he comes back. It's good to keep a demon guessing."

Vicki bit her lip, considering his offer quietly, moving to lie upon the space between his pectorals, a cradle fitted perfectly for her head. To her surprise, Henry's heart was beating, albeit a bit more slowly than a human. "Your heart's beating," she sighed.

"After that, how could it not?" he teased, until Vicki sat up to regard him seriously. Henry cradled her face in his hands, leaning forward to claim her lips, already swollen from fervent kisses. "You make me feel alive again, Vicki. So say you'll come with me."

She swallowed, hard, and he could see the wheels grinding once more. Complacent Vicki was gone, over-analytical Vicki had returned. So sadly he sat still as a statue, waiting for the delivery of his rejection. Only she could possibly say no to him, after a night like they just shared. His heart began to sink as she opened her mouth to speak. Damn you, Vicki Nelson, he grumbled internally, as tears welled in his eyes at the thought of being apart from her.

"Then…where are we going?"

Henry blinked, suddenly unsure of his hearing, certain his senses were putting words in her mouth.

"Excuse me?"

Vicki looked around, suddenly unsure. Had she misinterpreted his offer? "Where…where do you want to go? With me?" she asked again, her heart pounding with uncertainty.

But the realization that he had heard correctly the first time hit Henry as a ton of bricks, causing a blinding smile to split his features. Vicki squealed as he fell upon her, rolling them so that he leaned over her, strong arms holding her as he plied her with joyful kisses. "You mean it? You'll run away with me?" he demanded.

"Yes, yes, Henry! Damn it!" she exclaimed, laughing as he tickled her with his mouth, soft lips suddenly everywhere upon her skin. "But where? Where are we going?" she pursued, ever the relentless detective.

Henry pulled back to gaze down at her, a beautiful smile firing his eyes alight. His fingers moved to brush her hair from her eyes, fingertips exploring her features, the curve of her cheek, the tip of her nose, to the swell of her lower lip.

She smiled too, and for the first time in a long time, she felt absolutely sure about a serious life decision. It had been a long time. She hadn't been sure about anything about Mike, or leaving the force, or even opening a P.I. agency.

But this? This felt absolutely right.

So for once, Victoria Nelson was going to follow her heart, and not that cold mistress, Logic.

Henry answered his lover, leaning down for a kiss, "Anywhere we want, my lady. Anywhere we want."

Fin