My first attempt at Dark Carpathian Fanfiction. A one shot unless asked to continue. 'temperance' basically means to have restraint, to explain the title and a comment in the story.

I don't own the book or the characters but i do so love the woman that does and am simply borrowing her characters =)

Dont hesitate to review be it good or bad.

Tamara Daratrazanoff strode into the village towards the inn and smiled to a few drunken men that passed her. Tamara was the epitome of a Carpathian woman, tall, dark hair and eyes and beautiful facial features. In short she was captivating to look at and it more often than not irked her.

Tamara hated the attention that the human men, and a few women gave her when she was around but more than anything she hated her impending 18th birthday. The young woman was out this night in an act of rebellion against her overbearing father. She wanted freedom for once before she was stuck with a male of her kind for the rest of her life.

Tamara scoffed at her line of thinking and walked into the inn and smiled at the woman at the front desk. Tamara had grown fond of the aging woman that owned the inn, one of the few humans that knew about her kind. It was a relief to be able to visit with the woman and not have dodge comments and be careful not to say something in a suspicious way.

"Tamara! How are you this evening? Are you by yourself?" The woman asked with a friendly smile.

"Hello! Yes, I'm by myself. I turn 18 in two days and you know what that means, so I snuck out." Tamara replied cheekily before moving to give the older woman a friendly kiss on the cheek.

"You will be in trouble if your father finds you." The woman chuckled.

"Yeah I know but it will be worth it. Anyone new in town?" Tamara asked casually as she leaned against the front desk.

"Actually for once, yes. I would say she is one of yours too to be honest. Tall, dark and always wearing a scowl on her pretty face." The woman had a twinkle in her eyes.

"Sure sounds like a Carpathian, though I thought we women were all meant to be happy." Tamara said with a grin.

"Then I would say you are confused." The new voice, that of a woman, sent chills down Tamara's spine.

Tamara turned slowly towards the voice and gasped when a hooded figure stepped into the inn from the dark street and the light caught the feminine face. Tamara stepped back, or rather stumbled as though she had been hit and she didn't fail to see the same surprise on the strangers face. A feeling of overwhelming warmth swept through Tamara's body and she couldn't take her eyes from the figure.

"I would say I am confused too." Tamara stammered, meaning something completely different.

"Tamara... How do I know you?" The woman asked quietly, any trace of steel that might have been in the strangers dark eyes before was replaced with confusion.

"I don't know. We have never met, I don't know your name." Tamara said quietly although she had a sneaking suspicion she knew what was going on here but didn't know how.

"My name is Temperance, but I will admit I'm feeling anything but right now." Temperance was looking at Tamara with less confusion and more recognition and... desire?

At the statement Tamara's breath caught in her throat and she stared as Temperance stepped closer to her. Tamara couldn't speak, couldn't move as the woman moved up to her and reached out and touched her cheek with soft but sure fingers.

"Would you visit with me in my room?" Temperance asked quietly.

Tamara simply nodded and then followed the older woman up the stares, ignoring her friends mild protests. The pair stopped outside a door while Temperance fished in her pockets for a key. Once the door was unlocked Temperance opened it and stepped back to allow Tamara in.

Tamara understood, perhaps more so than Temperance herself did, what the gesture signified and she only hesitated for a brief second before stepping across the threshold. Once over that invisible line Tamara and, by the look on her face, Temperance felt a shifting within themselves, each toward the other woman.

"I think, you should not worry so much about your birthday." Temperance said quietly when the door was closed and she stepped closer to Tamara.

"I think you are right... but how?" Tamara asked quietly, Temperance had stepped closer and Tamara could feel the woman's breath on her face.

"I have no idea, but seeing you made everything so much more vivid for me... May I?" Temperance's hand was back on Tamara's cheek.

Tamara knew she was asking if she could kiss her and for a brief moment she thought she should say no and leave but she found herself nodding. Without hesitating Temperance had leaned forward and caught Tamara's lips with her own.

The kiss was soft and everything Tamara didn't know she had wanted. After a moment she felt emboldened and opened her mouth to let Temperance deep the kiss, and deepen it she did. Tamara moved finally getting closer to the older woman and reaching up to wrap her arms around Temperance's neck.

"I knew this was going to be home." Temperance said breathing heavily as she broke the kiss but wrapped her arms around Tamara.

One shot unless asked to continue.