Holy hell. Over a century without sex? No wonder he was more than readyearlier.
"I feel terribly guilty that I made you break your vows," I say but I'mlying.
"You made me do nothing." He kisses me and I feel his amusement at this line ofdiscussion.
"Why me?" I say, genuinely curious. "Is it only because I look like her? LikeDanielle?"
He sits on his bed and pulls me between hislegs.
"You do look like her in a way, with that blonde hair and hazel eyes. But you're also different. Your freckles. Your dimples. They're your own and they're what I love about you. And your mind, of course. You have a mind that keeps me shaking myhead."
What he loves aboutme…
He's used love twice in reference to me, saying earlier that he loved my mind while we were in the park. He said it to Soren in Montana. I reach to him, touching his cheek and when I do I feel a deep sense of warmth from him, and it envelops me like a wave and my own emotions swell inresponse.
"I have to go," he says and pulls me against his body, his face nuzzling in the crook of my neck, his mouth opening, his tongue over my jugular. He's feeling my pulse, enjoying the sensation of it against his tongue. He loves how close he is to my vein, how easy it would be to just bite, and his teeth do elongate and his blood lust increases, but he bears it, loving the sacrifice he makes to keep me pure. He wants to keep me pure, unbroken,untainted.
"I have to leave," he protests, his voice husky. "I don't have time…" He kisses me. "But when I come back, we'll be together for good, Eve," he says, staring in myeyes.
I want him to stay with me. I'm afraid of this price he will pay and what it will mean, but I don't get anything from him. He pulls out of myarms.
"Now go to bed and sleep as long as you want. Raymond will attend to any of your needs. I've told Ed that you'll be on leave while I'm gone because I don't want you going anywhere withoutme."
"But thecase…"
"Ed and Terri are handling it fine without us. Now don't ask questions or protest, Eve.Obey."
I nod and take in a deepbreath.
He pulls me once more into his embrace, lifting my body off the floor as if I'm no more that a feather, and of course, he's so strong, with the strength of ten men, and so I amlight.
"Stay safe, ma petite," he whispers, his lips against my neck. "My littleone."
And then he's gone without lookingback.
* * *
During the next four days,I spend part of my time playing the lovely old Steinway, learning the Chopin Nocturne Michel played. I want to learn it because he loves it and I want it to become part of me.The rest of the time I spend studying old atlases and maps of the world, drawn hundreds of years earlier that Michel has in his collection, reading books from his library, watching television, and simply lazing around. It is the first real vacation I've had in several years for each summer I've worked and taken classes. It's a relief to just donothing.
I don't hear from Michel and it hurts a bit that he doesn't think of contacting me, but I try to bite back my disappointment and accept things I can'tchange.
When Raymond enters the room to bring me tea, I askhim.
"Have you heard fromMichel?"
Raymond shakes hishead.
"He said he'd be out of contact for several days – maybe aweek."
I feel a bit better. He's not deliberately avoiding me then. This is part of his plan, but I miss him and only now realize how familiar his presence has become and how much I desire him, his company, histouch.
That night, as I'm sleeping, I dream of him and it's a strange dream – like something out of a vampire movie with him entering the open window, coming to the bed, his black wings outstretched. He lies on top of me, kissing me with his cold lips, his wings curving around us. I writhe in pleasure under his touch, aching for him. As I do, he bites my neck, his sharp teeth breaking my skin and the mixture of pleasure and pain makes everything even more potent. The feed is short, just a mouthful or two, and then he's gone and not a word isspoken.
I wake up and the dream felt so real, I reach up to touch my neck, but there's no mark. It was just a dream afterall…
* * *
That afternoon,I ask Raymond if someone can take me out so I can visit my apartment and feed my cats, then get a cup of my favoritecoffee.