Henry stared at the canvas in front of him. There were some half hearted attempts to paint but nothing seemed to be working. He put his brush into the water jar beside the easel and tried to work on a few of the pages for his new book. After a few minutes of trying he realized he was blocked there too. Growling in frustration he strode out onto his balcony and looked at the stars in the sky. Even with all the lights in the city his enhanced eyes could see the tiny pin pricks of light. Sighing he pulled his cell out of his pocket and scrolled through the names until he found the one he was looking for and hit the send button. After waiting a few moments the call was picked up with a semi sleepy voice that answered the other end.

"Henry? What's up?"

"I am sorry I didn't mean to wake you," He said chagrined as he realized he woke up the woman on the other end.

"Hush now, I told you that if you ever needed anything you were to call. Besides it isn't that late, the show I was watching was getting boring so I nodded off. Now how can I help?"

Henry sighed, "I am not really sure. But I needed someone to talk to…"

There was a rustle of cloth on the other end, "I can be there in half an hour, anything I should bring?"

Henry smiled, "No, not that I can think of."

There was a small laugh that greeted him on the other end. "I will bring my kit. See you soon."

"See you soon," Henry replied warmly as the call was disconnected.

Half an hour later there was a light knock on his door. He opened it swiftly revealing the woman on the other side that he had called. She stepped into his condo carrying a small satchel over her shoulder and what looked like a folding easel but Henry knew that it wasn't. He smiled at her warmly. "Cara."

"Hi Henry," she replied handing him her jacket as she set her shoes near the door. She always took off her shoes when she came to visit, something that he found endearing about her. Settling herself easily on his couch cross legged she patted the space beside her, the satchel and the folded object beside the arm of the couch. "So, talk to me," she asked as he settled himself next to her. Cara pulled a small brown bottle from her satchel and a couple of hand towels. Putting one towel on her knee and the other on the coffee table she opened up the bottle and poured a very tiny amount of the lavender massage oil into her hand. Cara took Henry's hand in hers and began massaging his right hand. He had been wearing a short sleeved shirt when she arrived so it was easy enough for her to work on his forearms as well.

After a few moments of silence as Cara massaged his hands, Henry began to speak, of everything and nothing at all. He told her of the troubles that he had come across lately with the demons and working with Vicki. He spoke of his concern for her and his admiration of the way that she never gave up.

"You like her a lot don't you?" Cara asked softly.

Henry nodded. "Very much so, she isn't like anyone that I have ever met before. I think… that I…" He looked away unable to finish.

"That you love her," Cara finished. "It is ok to say Henry. I just want you to be happy. I care a lot about you Henry, but your happiness is most important. You know that."

"Some days I forget that," Henry replied and smiled at her.

Cara smirked at him and took a good look at him before frowning. "You are still tense. Ok off with the shirt," she instructed as she grabbed the other object she had brought and unfolded it to a waist high padded table.

"Cara…" Henry actually winced internally at the slightly whining sound in his voice.

"Hen-ry…" she looked at him firmly, "Just for that the pants too." She pointed at the table and set a large terry cloth blanket at the end of the table before heading into the kitchen. Sighing in amusement Henry hauled the shirt and pants off, wrapping his waist in the soft blanket and settled face down on the table a small terrycloth pillow tucked under his chin and folded arms. She puttered about for a moment returning from the kitchen with a bowl of warm water that she placed a larger bottle of oil in it.

Henry smelled the light scent of orchids and fresh rain as warmth pooled between his shoulder blades as Cara poured a small amount of the oil there. She began working it into his tense muscles and tried to work out the knots that she found. After a few minutes of work, Cara felt Henry's muscles tense under her hands.

"Henry what is it?"

"Vicki, she is coming up the elevator," he replied and relaxed a little.

Cara smiled, "Good! Now I can meet her! You just stay there…" a knock sounded on the door as she grabbed a towel and wiped her oily hands down and threw it over her shoulder, "I will let her in." Henry groaned silently. "Now none of that Henry." Cara opened the door to reveal a very startled Vicki on the other side. "You must be Vicki, come in come in."

Vicki moved on automatic coming into Henry's condo and stopped dead in her tracks when she spotted Henry on the low padded table in nothing but a towel looking in their direction, his back and shoulders glistened with the oil that Cara had been rubbing in earlier.

"I am Cara Leye," Cara shook Vicki's hand and returned to Henry's side as Vicki perched herself on the back of the low couch. "I have heard a lot about you!"

"And I have heard nothing of you," Vicki stated and looked at Henry before whispering, "Getting services besides a snack now too Henry?" Cara heard and laughed startling them both.

"Every one deserves to relax now and then, even Henry," Cara smiled, "Even you." Henry hissed as Cara ran her hands over his spine. She stopped instantly and gently probed his spine. "Henry, how long have you been in pain?"

Henry glanced over his shoulder and looked at Cara sheepishly, Vicki thought that he looked like a little boy being scolded by a big sister. "Umm, I don't know."

Cara threw up her hands at him, "Henry no Baka! You have a slipped disk. What have I told you about taking care of yourself? No don't answer that. Vicki take off your jacket and come here." Blinking in confusion Vicki shed her jacket and went to stand on Henry's other side and looked at this woman with questions in her eyes. Cara nodded, and took one of Vicki's hands and placed it gently over the section of the spine in question. "Now place your other hand over the first, interlace your fingers and when I tell you to push using even pressure down on it ok?"

Vicki nodded and looked down at Henry as he looked over his shoulder at her. "Henry? Is she always like this?"

"Like what?"

"So… so… forceful?"

Henry smiled over his shoulder, "Only with those that she considers friends, family and under her care."

"And you are what?"

Henry smiled, "She is my best friend. It is ok Vicki, Cara knows what she is doing, I trust her like I trust you," Henry replied.

Vicki drew in an involuntary breath and looked at the woman wiping her hands on the towel over her shoulder. Cara looped a leather strap over Henry's waist and braced her feet against the table legs at the top near his head before bending down to look him square in the eye. "Henry, this is gonna hurt. I know that, you know that and regardless of the fact that you are a vamp it is gonna hurt. But it needs to be reset or it won't heal properly. I have a treat for you afterwards ok?" Henry nodded and braced himself for the pain. Cara slid her hands under his shoulders and over the top of his back lacing her fingers together. She nodded to Vicki and began to pull evenly on Henry's upper body stretching out his spine as Vicki pushed the disk back into place.

There was a resounding pop, and a stifled roar of pain from Henry as the disk slipped back into place. Both women stopped their administrations. Cara ran her fingers over Henry's hair and down his shoulders. She snatched up the bottle of oil again and poured a little on his spine. Without being told to Vicki helped Cara work out the new tension in Henry's back and soon had the Vampire groaning in pleasure.

"Feeling better Henry?" Cara asked as she stilled her hands and wiped them on the cloth on her shoulder before handing it to Vicki to use.

"Much," came his muffled voice.

"Vicki can I get you something to drink?" Cara asked as she began heading over to the kitchen.

Vicki looked at Cara, "Umm…"

Cara smiled, "Glass of red then?" Vicki nodded and Cara disappeared into the kitchen.

Vicki turned to Henry as he sat up from the table, the blanket pooling around his waist. "Who is that woman?!"

Henry smiled, "Like I said she is my best friend. We talk to each other about everything. Kind of like the relationship you and Mike have except without the ex-lovers part."

Cara came back in carrying three glasses of what looked like red wine, but the third was darker than the other two. "Not that I would be opposed to the idea of Henry's lover, I mean look at him!"

Henry smirked roguishly and Vicki shook her head, "Oh yeah there is the positive reinforcement that he doesn't need."

Cara laughed and handed Vicki a glass and then Henry, "But that would complicate things."

Henry swirled his glass and sniffed at the bouquet. He visibly shuddered at the smell. "Is this what I think it is?"

"You think that I would tease you with something like this?" Cara asked as she sipped her wine.

Vicki looked at the darker liquid in question, "What is it?"

"Blood wine," Cara answered. At Vicki's shocked look she explained. "There is a process where red wine can be cut with blood. Some people use beef or pork blood, but for Henry it is human. OH! Don't worry, the donors are told and the blood is not collected without consent."

Henry sipped at the wine like a fine connoisseur and rolled the taste in his mouth. His eyes snapped open and looked at Cara, "Is this?"

Cara nodded. "Brought it from the special stash. You were upset! I knew it would help." Cara turned to Vicki and smiled, "When I met Henry and found out what he was I started the business. I am embarrassed to say that I subjected Henry to a few batches that weren't quite… perfect."

Henry snorted. "No better than pig swallow if you ask me."

Cara smacked him lightly on the arm, "Be nice. Anyways, I did get the formula right and now my vineyard produces the Black Tie label for the general populous and the Red Tie label for the, shall we say night populous. We ship all over North America to the individuals that are kept in check by territories and the like. Very profitable."

Vicki sipped the wine in her glass and was pleased with the flavour, how it rolled over the tongue and didn't leave an aftertaste. Cara and Vicki took seats on Henry's couch while he disappeared into his room to get some clothes on. He came out in a pale grey T-shirt and cotton drawstring loungers and bare feet. They talked for a while like old friends catching up over everything, enjoy the company and the wine, forgetting for a while the world outside. Vicki had forgotten why she came over in the first place while they sipped their wine. After a second glass had been poured Cara asked Vicki if she could do something for her. Vicki reluctantly agreed and Cara got up and stood behind Vicki, rubbing her hands together and then placed them on her neck one above the other with her thumbs pointing down. Cara stayed like that for a few minutes and when she let go the pain Vicki had in her neck was gone. She hadn't even realized that it was there until it was gone.

Vicki blinked at Cara, "What did you do?"

"Healing hands. There was tension there, I could see it. Here," Cara handed her a business card. "On top of owning a winery I run a small massage business. I recommend that you schedule an appointment with me and we will do the works."

"I … don't know," Vicki looked at the card.

"I won't take no for an answer. It is the least I can do for the woman who looks after Henry when I am not around."

"Hey! I am capable of taking care of myself thank you very much!"

Cara smiled and stood collecting the glasses and walked around behind Henry and leaned over the back of the chair and said in his ear, "Yes and you do so well at it that it was only one slipped disk this time instead of three!" She kissed his temple and moved over to the kitchen. If Henry could he would have blushed from embarrassment.

When Cara came back out she collected her things, "Well I must be off. Henry, please take care and you know to call me if you need me. Vicki it was lovely to meet you, please take care of Henry as I am sure that he will watch out for you as well." She shook Vicki's hand and gave Henry a sturdy hug and a light peck on the lips before slipping on her shoes and disappearing out the door.

Vicki looked at Henry and noticed he was smirking. "What?"

"Cara just decided to take you as one of her charges," Henry shook his head in amusement. "Now Vicki, what can I do for you this fine evening?"

Vicki was still puzzling over the charges comment but smiled at Henry anyways and began to tell him about why she came over.

Cara smiled to herself as she moved away from Henry's front door and headed into the elevator. All was right in her world once more.