AN: Thinking of making a chapter two to this. Let me know what you guys think :P
If you haven't seen the deleted scene that inspired this fic you can find me at mrs - - lovett . tumblr . com. I'd be happy to give you the link :)
*Disclaimer: I do not own Dark Shadows or its characters*
"You know, honey. Everyone in this house has at least one big, scary secret. Yours can't be all that bad."
The hand that grazed Victoria's cheek left suddenly as the doctor turned her back on her. She advanced towards the hall door. Slowly, as if expecting to be stopped.
Victoria felt a strange heat bubbling in her chest. She could hear the blood roaring in her ears like crashing waves as the frantic need to seize this window of opportunity crawled up her throat and finally escaped her lips in the form of a strange cry.
"Wait!" she had called, finally finding her words. She lowered the arm she had found outstretched as Doctor Hoffman turned somewhat gracelessly to meet her gaze.
Vicki pulled back, blushing and frustrated that she had allowed herself into this situation. She never trusted doctors, and Julia was no doubt a doctor. What was it that made her so different? Perhaps it was her intriguing tone or the way she had touched her face so gently—the kind of contact she had missed so desperately during those many years in Windcliff.
But it was those fascinated eyes of hers that barred her. That pure yearning to know her secret… to consume it, feeding her desire to unravel every last layer of her mind and study its every detail. It set the fear of exploring her past ablaze and yet she found herself compelled.
Julia seemed to sense all this in Victoria's expression. Without hesitation and with a semi-tired sigh, she took a step forward and clasped her fingers around Victoria's fragile wrist, pulling her—perhaps a bit too forcefully—away from the balcony and down the hall.
Victoria hardly had the chance to protest and as a result found herself being tugged rather quickly through the dimly lit hallway. The ceilings were high and the walls were lined with once glamorous paintings that had since become chipped and dusty. It was somewhat eerie, Vicki thought.
At the end of the hall they came upon a staircase. Victoria watched the curve of Julia's hips with wondering eyes as they descended the stairs into a long corridor with two glass-paned doors at the very end.
It was only moments later that Victoria found herself in Julia's lair—a place she had intended never to visit, but she was here now and attempting to escape would only make things awkward.
She felt uneasy as Julia released her wrist from her grip and sauntered across the room to a rather large and ornate cabinet. The doctor removed two glasses from the top cabinet and a bottle of whiskey from the bottom, placing both the glasses on the wooden surface and pouring a generous helping for herself as well as for her guest. She walked back over to where Victoria was standing, gulping from her own glass as she offered the other one with an extended arm.
Vicki received the whiskey but did not drink it. There was a long silence as Julia made her way across the room.
The space was different than Victoria had imagined it would be, though she was not entirely sure what she had expected. An elegant couch sat in the center of the room, a wooden coffee table separating it from Julia's tall, black chair on the opposite side. The back walls held floor-to-ceiling bookshelves crammed with books—most of them ancient and untouched. The walls, however, were surprisingly dull.
Victoria's hand brushed against a large fern in a decorative vase and she jumped slightly.
"Sit," Julia spoke at last, gesturing vaguely to the couch as she deposited herself into her own chair.
Victoria felt her chest tighten and she swallowed hard. Cautiously, but with her head held high, she approached the couch, staring at it as if it were a foreign object. She perched herself, timidly, on the edge of the couch and clutched her glass of whiskey to her chest as she stared, wide-eyed at Julia.
Doctor Hoffman placed her glass down on the coffee table between them and crossed her legs, leaning back in her chair and letting out a long sigh as she rubbed her temples with her fingers. She reached down into the open handbag beside the chair and pulled out a little orange bottle from which she took two yellow capsules. She tossed them into her mouth, taking another gulp of whiskey to wash them down.
Julia cleared her throat. "So, Vicki," she spoke languidly. "Tell me, where are you from?"
Victoria felt as if the room were growing hotter as Julia's eyes pored over her, studying her every move. She wiped the sweat from her forehead with the back of her hand.
"Well… I-I'm from New York," she spoke quietly, her tone sounding unsure and yet matter-of-fact.
"Is that right?" she replied, taking another swig of whiskey. "I lived in the city once." She placed the glass back on the table with a clank. "Hell of a lot better than this shithole town if you ask me."
Vicki forced a laugh. The young woman could feel the doctor's exquisite eyes on her as she squirmed uncomfortably in her seat.
"Honey, you need to relax," Julia spoke with a hint of amusement. "We're just talking. Nothing to freak out about."
Victoria thought she was right. This wasn't an appointment or a treatment session like back at Windcliff… they were just talking. Just simply exchanging words for the purpose of conversation.
Julia waited a few moments before speaking again. She tapped the exterior of her glass with long, brightly painted nails. "Tell me about Barnabas," she inquired, re-crossing her legs as she did so. A sly smile spread across her pretty pink lips.
"Barnabas?" Victoria replied with a startled expression. "What does Barnabas have to do with anything?" She placed her glass on the coffee table.
Julia puffed air out of her nose in a sort of half laugh and took another sip of her drink. "Please," she spoke, "it's no secret you two have got something going on."
Victoria blushed and averted eye contact, laughing awkwardly as she tucked a lock of hair behind her ear.
Julia adjusted herself in the chair. "So?" she seemed to be saying as she gestured with her glass.
"He's… different," Vicki began, her fingers intertwining nervously in her lap. "Old-fashioned… I suppose I like that about him."
"A refreshing change, isn't he?" Julia added as she took another sip.
Victoria nodded. She was relieved that the subject had been changed, though she still feared the conversation would circle back to her and her past. She was not particularly keen on sharing with anyone any time soon... especially not with an over analytical doctor like Julia. She would rip her apart. At least, that's what she feared would happen.
"What about you?" Victoria blurted out suddenly, attempting to push the spotlight onto Julia rather than herself.
Doctor Hoffman looked slightly startled. She raised an eyebrow to display her confusion.
"Where are you from?" the young woman asked.
Julia was surprised. It was unusual for her to be questioned like this by a patient, as most often the purpose of someone visiting her office was to talk about their lives, not hers.
She cleared her throat. "Connecticut," she spoke. "Bristol, actually. Moved to Manhattan after graduate school." She took another long sip from her glass, leaving a slight lipstick stain on the rim. "Ended up here somehow."
Victoria nodded understandingly, though she still looked uneasy.
Julia sighed heavily at this. She leaned forward and placed her nearly empty glass of whiskey back on the table before standing up and stumbling slightly over to the couch where she took a seat beside Victoria.
The young woman attempted to avoid eye contact as Julia gazed at her. She felt the doctor's warm skin against her cheek yet again as soft fingers pushed a stray lock of hair away from her eyes.
"What I would give to be young and beautiful like you…" Julia sighed as she admired Victoria's features with lost eyes.
Vicki turned to look at Julia. She studied her eyes, her lips… her snowy white skin and her vivid orange hair that shaped her face so pleasantly. She smiled.
"But, doctor Hoffman," she spoke. "You are beautiful."
Julia's eyes widened in an instant and locked with Vicki's. She looked shocked, but there was something else on her mind. Vicki just wasn't sure what.
"You're just saying that…" Julia said after a moment, looking away from Victoria and quickly looking back.
"No, honestly." Victoria spoke with another smile. "It's true. I wouldn't say so if it weren't."
There was a long silence as Julia stared into Victoria's eyes. In the same moment, they licked their lips unconsciously.
Victoria noticed Julia's hand on her thigh and her heart jumped. There was this friction between them… something was happening that she didn't understand and before she even had time to process it, she was kissing her.
Victoria was unsure if it had even been her who initiated the kiss, but she knew that she craved this contact. This sort of intimate touch that she had longed for all these years. It was something she never had the pleasure of experiencing, and Julia was just so enthralling.
She could feel the doctor leaning into her. A warm tongue tasting of whiskey and fervor swiped across her lips, requesting entrance. She granted it and their tongues joined together in an elaborate dance of newly found lust. No thoughts were spared as to what they were doing. They only knew that in this moment… what they needed was each other.
Victoria blindly thrust one hand into locks of bright orange and the other dug its nails into Julia's back, earning a soft moan. She felt sensations she had never before experienced. She was… aroused. From the wet feeling between her legs she had to assume she was very aroused.
In a sudden change of events, Julia pinned her back against the couch and straddled her hips. Victoria could feel herself blushing as Julia's lips grazed her neck, leaving a trail of kisses that descended to her shoulder and back up.
She shivered as she now felt Julia's hot breath against her ear. The faintly floral, somewhat musty scent of the doctor's perfume wafted through the air. It was both pleasant and alluring.
"I was going to give you a sedative to help you relax…" she spoke in her low, raspy voice. "but I think this will do you better…"
The doctor lowered herself so that she kneeled between Victoria's legs. She hiked her nightdress up to her waist and pulled the young woman's underwear from her body so quickly that Victoria barely realized it was gone.
Victoria's heart was beating out of her chest. She felt dizzy. The room was spinning. Of all things that could have happened tonight this was the last she would have expected. And yet, she wanted it. Just one glance at Doctor Hoffman sent a titillating shiver down her spine.
Julia spread Vicki's legs slowly. She hooked her fingers around her backside to pull her closer to the edge of the couch and she disappeared between her legs.
The doctor teased Victoria, swirling her tongue around her clit just once. Victoria surprised herself by moaning rather loudly and unexpectedly. Her hand shot up to her mouth and she flashed a terrified look at Julia.
Doctor Hoffman smirked. Her eyes twinkled as she whispered, "Relax… No one will hear us." She curled her manicured fingers around her thighs and delved back in, a look of trance-like determination on her face.
Victoria tensed her body. Whatever it was that Julia was doing to her was simply surreal. She felt herself losing control and fear sparked deep inside her, though she was unsure as to what it was she feared. Perhaps the loss of control itself was what truly frightened her. She held onto these thoughts and yet they slipped aimlessly away at the sensation of Julia's pink nails clawing into her pale skin.
She opened her mouth in a silent cry and could almost feel Julia smirking against her.
A whine escaped Victoria's lips upon yet another thrust of Julia's tongue. A plea, even. "Oh… Julia," she cried, unable to subdue her moans.
Victoria opened her eyes just long enough to get a glimpse of Doctor Hoffman's face as she worked her body with her tongue. Her eyes were closed, revealing her long lashes and elaborate eye makeup. Her eyebrows expressed what could have only been pleasure as the sound of Vicki breathing her name sent a moan spilling from her own lips.
Victoria's hips were moving now. The room was silent apart from the sound of Vicki's sharp breaths and the slight creaking of the couch as they moved together. The whole world was a meaningless blur that Victoria could not decipher. She gripped the arm of the couch with all her might as Julia pleasured her further.
Doctor Hoffman manipulated her tongue in circles and swirls until Victoria was on the edge of sanity.
The young brunette shut her eyes tight as the walls seemed to be closing in around her. She felt like a dam about to burst and suddenly—her body exploded and she threw her head back, a fountain of moans and unexpected vocal encouragements cascading from her lips.
She could feel Julia smiling as she pulled her closer, drawing out every last second of her climax.
Victoria let out one last choked cry before falling limp against the couch cushion, her heart pounding and her breathing shaky. She dropped her arm over her forehead, her chest still heaving.
"My, God…" she finally managed to utter. "What was that?"
Doctor Hoffman lit the cigarette she now held between her teeth and leaned back against the coffee table on the floor. She laughed and offered one to Vicki.
"Was that really your first time?" she asked with a knowing look.
"I guess so," Victoria replied as she took the cigarette from Julia's hand.
The doctor flipped her lighter open again and lit Vicki's cigarette before stowing it away in her pocket. She picked herself up, straightened her dress, and took a seat beside Victoria on the couch.
Julia brought the cigarette to her lips between two fingers and inhaled, letting the smoke leak out in a long, satisfied sigh. "Feeling more relaxed?" she asked, batting her eyelashes slightly.
Victoria blushed and couldn't help but smile. She re-adjusted her nightdress and took a drag from her own cigarette. "I am, actually," she admitted. There was a moment of silence before she said, "Thank you."
She could feel the doctor's eyes on her again and she blushed a bit harder.
"I'm gonna write you a prescription," Doctor Hoffman spoke after a thoughtful moment.
Vicki watched, confused and for some reason frightened, as Julia perched her cigarette in the ash tray on the coffee table and stood up to retrieve her prescription pad from her bag.
She sat back down on the couch and with her pen and paper and began scribbling something on the pad. Victoria tried to peek at her writing but Julia made certain to hide the piece of paper until she was finished.
That sly smile returned as she ripped the paper off the pad and held it out for Victoria between two fingers.
She tapped the ashes from her cigarette into the tray and resumed smoking it as she waited for Victoria to read the note.
Vicki took the prescription, expected to find a specific dosage of some sort of sedative written there, though she was wrong. Scrawled on the page were the following words:
"Patient will receive treatment in my office. Two appointments per week."
Victoria glanced over at Doctor Hoffman with raised eyebrows. She wasn't quite sure she understood, but the smug look on the doctor's face told her all she needed to know. She grinned uncontrollably, though she tried to hide it.
Victoria couldn't believe the words coming out of her mouth when she somewhat awkwardly said, "Maybe next time, I'll treat you."
She traced her fingers up Julia's inner thigh and stroked her just once through her panties, though she quickly retracted her fingers, stifling her girlish laughter with her other hand in an attempt to remain sophisticated.
Julia bit her lip and whimpered slightly. She watched as Victoria stood up to collect her things.
"Well, thank you for inviting me down here," Vicki spoke politely, now standing before the doctor.
"No problem, honey," Julia replied, taking another drag.
Victoria waved shyly and shuffled out of the room, her cheeks a bright pink.
Julia laid back and put her feet up on the coffee table as she took another drag from her cigarette. She was comfortable. Satisfied. But there was something she still yearned to know...
She would learn her secret eventually… it was only a matter of time.