Sometime later, Nikola sat with Helen in her office. He was nursing a half-filled glass of vintage red in his left hand, watching the deep red liquid as it swirled hypnotically around the glass. He didn't even notice Helen's cobalt gaze upon him until he looked up. The vampire's lips twisted upwards.

Glad to see you enjoy watching me as much as I enjoy watching you, ljubav, he sent.

The fire was flickering tantalizingly as a background to the scene he presented in the arm chair, and Helen was having a hard time resisting the urge to go over and join him. But she had far too much work to do – not two hours ago she'd just told the world's governments to take a flying leap. She couldn't afford distractions, not when her Sanctuary Network was at stake.

A welcome distraction is not always a bad thing, Nikola sent lazily as he listened in on her thoughts.

Biting her lip, she turned her attention back to the work on her desk, resolutely ignoring her vampire sitting mere metres away. Nikola chuckled, shaking his head. He'd simply count the minutes before her resolve shattered and she came over to him. He liked counting after all. He estimated it would be no more than fifteen minutes. He only gave her that long because she was stubborn at the best of times. Although, it would be fifteen minutes filled with wistful gazes and lip biting – she'd barely get any work done anyway.

Helen snorted in response to his train of thought.

Listening in on my thoughts too? He queried in mild amusement, My, you must be getting less work done than even I anticipated. I can't blame you though, I am a devilishly attractive distraction. You're only able to resist because you're pigheaded.

She snorted in a rather un-ladylike manner.

Devilish being the operative word, she retorted before turning her attention once more to her work.

Nikola remained where he was, watching her with a frustratingly amused expression.

Helen frowned at her computer screen intensely and pointedly before finally letting out a small huff. However much she hated to prove him right at her expense, she despised being away from him even more.

Bloody vampire, she uttered darkly as she stood from her desk. Nikola chuckled.

Instead of wasting her time on the couch she went straight to his arm chair, sliding onto his lap in a graceful little move. His hands instantly found her waist, drawing her physically closer, and she snuggled readily into his arms.

She hummed contentedly once there, a place she'd recently found she felt alarmingly comfortable.

I can't believe what I did today, she sent absently.

I know, he agreed, its positively outrageous you managed to resist my charms for so long over there at your desk.

Helen sent a mental poke in response and wrinkled her nose.

The outrageous act to which I was referring was my confrontation with Addison, she sent.

You may have been the active party, Nikola replied, but I was there too. It was the right choice, Helen. The only choice you could make really.

I still feel as though I've just signed the Sanctuary's death warrant, she sent.

You and I both know that governments come and go like the ebb and flow of the tide, Nikola mused. At the end of the day, though, we remain. You cannot bend to the will of every misguided and pompous power faction.

Good to know you're on my side, she sent, snuggling closer into his embrace.

Always, he sent. He was sure she was teasing him, but felt the need to clarify the position anyway, a residual manifestation of his insecurities. Even when I'm pretending to kill you just to gain a fragment of your attention, I'm yours.

The hum of her laughter washed through his mind in a most pleasant way. If he'd thought hearing her laugh aloud was melodical, this was even more so.

I have to go to Africa, she sent a short while late. It was a seemingly out of the blue statement, but Nikola wasn't surprised by it as he'd been able to sense the soothing hum of her mind at work.

As much as I'd love to relive the memories of our last little jaunt to that particular continent, Nikola sent. He grinned at the memory as he sent her a mental image of herself desperately trying to save his life by aggressively taking on the amber stasis chamber of the vampire queen. I'm not convinced that is the reason for your sudden desire to return.

That rock was the most effective and readily accessible tool to complete the task of retrieving a sample of Afina's blood, Helen responded coolly. He smirked.

You would think that now you'd at least be able to admit it was something more, he teased. I can see your innermost thoughts and feelings, after all.

Not strictly speaking, she sent, feathers a little ruffled. Besides, I'm not sure what you're complaining about, I did save your life after all did I not?

In the most alluring way, he sent back. But we seem to have digressed.

A reoccurring pattern on our part, it seems, she agreed. Now that we've disentangled ourselves from the nefarious plotting of the government –

Helen, I'm insulted, he sent as he placed a hand over his heart, I thought only my plotting was nefarious to you? I'll have to try harder to reclaim that title.

No, I think we'll be quite alright without your megalomaniacal attempts at world domination for the while. She sent.

Are you sure?

Positive, she sent, amused.

A sudden thought struck her, and she straightened up her body in her position on Nikola's lap.

I don't like the gleam in your eyes, Nikola sent warily.

You usually love the gleam in my eyes, darling, she retorted. Storing her sudden though away for later, she turned her attention back to him. Anyway, Africa – we're going to need someone to handle our money...under the radar. I have it on good authority that the perfect candidate is making a little trip there soon.

She frowned slightly at his ridiculous grin.

What? She demanded.

You, going all rogue and underground, he sent.

Don't tell me, she rolled her eyes, it's sexy?

Well, yes, he bristled, I love your dark side.

Helen smiled wickedly, leaning forward to brush her lips over his.

Is that so? She purred.

All he could do was nod.

\||\\

It had taken Helen all of a few days to organise her trip to Africa and devise a plan to deal with their money. Of course, Nikola's input had helped. Not all that much (he was horrendous with managing money) but he was still a helpful sounding board. She had to restrain herself from mentally using that tone so causally, he'd been rather put out by it. She remembered all too clearly his hour-long pout where he'd holed himself up in the wine cellar while she smoothed through some details with Will.

The younger man would be charged with the care of her precious Sanctuary in her absence. He was rather dreading stalling calls from high-ups insisting to speak to Magnus. She'd made rather a loud splash in the political and influential communities with her little rebellion.

"Just don't give me the new era speech again," Will said, tiredly standing beside Henry in the elevator on his way to Magnus's office. She'd departed hours ago, and was well on her was to Africa by now – sans vampire.

"Dude it is totally new era," Henry replied, not bothering to look up from his tablet, "Thanks to Addison and the UN, we have no commercial banking access. We have no military or law enforcement support."

"Is it cold in here or is it just me?" Will asked. The doors to elevator slid open and the pair exited and began walking side by side through the corridor.

"We also have no love from the Mayor's office, which means no grapes on our heating bills or profiting taxes," Henry said wearily. The HAP had been working furiously to plug each hole Magnus's defection had caused, but it seemed like each time he did a new one just popped up in its place. He waved his tablet in front of Will's face as if to prove his point.

"Really?" Will asked curiously. He'd taken for granted before now just how much they relied on the authorities to turn a blind eye or make exceptions for them.

"Really," Henry nodded. "Not to mention we have a mopey vampire depleting the wine cellar."

"Tesla's still sour grapes about not getting to go with Magnus?" Will asked.

"Nice," Henry grinned at Will's wine pun, "And yes. He was supposed to be helping turn the Sanctuary into a more self-sufficient building in terms of heating and electricity but the so called father of electricity is spending more money on wine than saving anything."

"I wish Magnus had taken him with her," Will mused, "If only to get him out of our hair."

"Yeah, he's not rainbows and sunshine at the best of times," Henry agreed, "But without Magnus around he's like..."

"A child who lost his favourite toy?" Will suggested.

"Will, man, could you please not use that kind of wording," Henry said, "It creates all kinds of wrong implications when speaking about Magnus and Vlad."

"Right, sorry," Will said, "Abby's coming over for lunch today, celebrating her big promotion, I bought all this gourmet food."

"Alright, I'll fix the heating!" Henry relented.

"Thank you," Will said, "But someone also needs to keep Tesla occupied so he doesn't decide to date crash. He kind of creeps Abby out."

"Yeah, he has that effect on, well, most people," Henry said, pausing thoughtfully, "You know, anyone but Magnus."

"You could let him check your computers or something," Will said.

"Alright, fine, I'll find Vlad something to do to keep him away from you and Abby!" Henry said.

"I'll save you some chicken," Will grinned.

"I'm being paid in chicken now," Henry said, "Could be worse."

They turned into Magnus's office.

"Yeah, think about Magnus," Will agreed.

"Yeah so what's the deal about Africa?" Henry asked as they approached her desk. "Or Monaco or wherever this guy's from?"

"She didn't tell you?" Will said in disbelief as he turned to face the HAP. "This guy Feliz , he lives on his plane."

"Shut up," Henry said in disbelief and excitement.

"Yeah," Will agreed excitedly. "He sends you the coordinates to some landing spot twenty-four hours in advance. In this case its some lawless island off the coast of Mozambique."

"So he never stays in one place for long," Henry said, thoughts whirring through his mind at a million miles.

"How Bond villain is that?" Will said.

"So he's our guy now?" Henry asked.

"Yeah, you want something kept hidden or off the grid, Richard Feliz is your man," Will said.

"Oh please," came a familiar drawl. The two geeking out men turned to see Tesla leaning against the doorframe, glass of wine predictably cradled in one hand. "I spent sixty years off the grid."

"You're just jealous because Magnus is off meeting this totally wicked sounding guy without you," Henry said.

"Careful, Fido," Nikola bit back as he pushed himself off the frame of the door and sauntered into the room. "I thought you would have learnt by now not to start games you can't win."

"Whatever, dude," Henry said, shaking his head. Will gave him a significant look, and Henry shook his head. He eventually relented and sighed. He had agreed to keep Tesla occupied while Will had his lunch with Abby after all. Nothing said mood killer like a depressed and snarky vampire. "But since we're already on the topic, I could..." he glanced at Will and gritted his teeth, "I could use your help down in my lab. There are some things I just can't seem to get to work and I promised the boss."

"Well now," Nikola grinned victoriously, "Good to know you can at least still recognise when you're out classed. You could learn a thing or two, junior." Tesla looked pointedly at Will, who rolled his eyes.

He refrained from antagonising the irritable vampire any further, however. He was simply grateful when Tesla followed Henry out of the office. Henry turned back and shot Will a look and Will nodded. Yes, he owed him. No doubt Tesla would be in Henry's hair for the next few hours lecturing him about anything that popped into his brilliant yet annoying mind.

\\\||

Some hours later, Nikola sat in Helen's office nursing his almost omni-present glass of red wine. He felt a definite loneliness without Helen nearby. He could still feel her on some level, and suspected they'd still be able to connect should the need arise via their bizarre dream-state, but it was different. Instead of sensing the chaotic melody of her thought process and emotions, he felt only a low thrum that reassured him of her presence in his mind. It was like a constant nagging in the back of his mind, not unpleasant, but still very much there. He got the occasional jolt of dull emotion, which he assumed to mean was a heightened emotion for her.

He hoped he wouldn't be getting too many of those, it didn't seem like it would be a good thing.

Up until a few years ago, he had lived in abject solitude. The best friend he'd ever had (and one of the very few) had been off limits as he lived out sixty years in exile. He rarely interacted when he could avoid it and preferred to remain holed up in a lab or whatever hole-in-the-wall he was staying at. His thoughts had all been his own.

He had been perfectly alright, at least he'd tried to convince himself. Of course he'd missed Helen like crazy, but it had been almost as torturous to watch her every day and never be able to hold her like he wanted, to kiss her lips like he craved.

Now he was fretting over the fact her thoughts weren't invading his own. He was so whipped.