How Deep Dark Should Have Ended

In the weeks that followed the fateful night in Henry's condo, Vicki worked hard getting her life under control. She'd met with Mike and after several fights followed by hot make up sex they both agreed that they didn't stand a chance for a long term relationship and parted on friendly but final terms. Coreen continued working for Vicki until the end of the month then resigned. There was one more item on the list she needed to complete before she could let the past year go.

She picked up the cell phone and looked at it before placing the call. She didn't know if the number still worked, but she had to try at least once before she could mark finished on the past year. She pressed the key for rapid dial and waited until she heard the voice snarl, "What?"

Taking a deep breath she said, "Come to the office before you leave town."

The angry voice said, "Why should I?"

The coldness in his voice made her shudder, but all she said was, "I need to return something that belongs to you."

"I've packed my things and nothing's missing."

Vicki hated begging, but this time she said, "Please come. I'll be here every night for the rest of the week. If you don't come by then, I'll know you never will." She broke the connection before he had a chance to say more. She took the phone, placed in on the floor and crushed it with her heel. She'd bought a new phone with an unlisted number. The only way for him to reach her was to show up.

***

Henry threw his phone across the empty condo and watched it mark the wall with satisfaction. He hated the place with the same intensity he had loved it only a few months before. But now all he could see was pain, blood, and tears. He needed to get away from the city, the memories and the woman that drove him to distraction. She'd said 'no' to him and he was not one to bend or beg. Now she dared to call. The carefully constructed mask of a civilized man slipped and the vampire raged until sun rise. The next night, Henry fought to put the mask in place and left the building hoping the memories stayed behind.

As he got into his car with the plan to drive west, he thought that he had no intention of going to her office or of ever speaking to her again. While he drove he didn't pay attention to where he was going until he found himself parked in front of her office.

Shrugging his shoulders in a 'why not' attitude, he walked up to the door and heard her heartbeat. It hit him then, the realization that that was the sound he missed and longed for. He knocked and waited for her to open the door.

***

Vicki heard the three measured knocks, stood up and silently prayed, please let it be him.

She opened the door and stood back.

Henry stepped through the doorway, sniffed the air and said, "I smell jasmine."

She replied, "You damn well better. Do you have any idea how hard it is to find oil of jasmine and how expensive it is?"

Laughing, Henry reached for her while saying, "Dear God, I've missed you." Then he kissed her with a year's worth of pent up passion.

She matched him with passion of her own. He started a determined attempt to remove her clothes she said, "Not yet." When he growled in frustration she added, "I'm not denying you, but I really do have something to give you and something to say."

Henry stopped and said, "Woman, you're going to push the vampire too far one of these days."

He stepped back and finally looked around the empty office. Desks, filing cabinets, phones, and computers were all gone. There was nothing left to show that Vicki had ever worked here. He gestured toward the emptiness and questioned, "What?"

She place the Illuminacion de Sol and it's key into his open hand saying, "You should have these."

He looked at them and said, "Thank you." Then put them in his pocket and asked, "What's going on?"

Vicki pushed her glasses back up her nose and studied his face before saying, "I love looking at you. I'd love to see you every night for the rest of my life. If the offer's still open, I'd like to go with you to Vancouver."

Henry stood there unable to speak.

Vicki waited for him to answer, but when he didn't say anything, she took his silence as a 'no', shook her head and said, "Well that's it then. Good bye and thanks for the memories."

She turned, picked up a duffel bag and headed for the door as he continued standing there without breathing or saying a word.

Vicki took a step and bumped into Henry and his arms wrapped themselves around her waist, "Not so fast, Miss Nelson. You said earlier that you wouldn't deny me this time."

"So, go ahead, feed and play with your food. I'm not stopping you."

"Why do have to make loving you so difficult?"

"What are you talking about?"

"You're blunt. You don't give me a chance to think."

"Either you want me with you or you don't. You want food and a fuck or you don't. So tell me straight up or let me leave."

"There's not much room for romance with you. Well, blunt then. Come and stay with me as long as you want but you'll have to accept my love, romance, and passion for you. That's what I am and that's what I want."

"And when I get old and cranky?"

"You're cranky now. I'll only leave you if you ask me to. Just know up front, I'll always have to feed from others and there may be special friends or relationships over the years."

"Don't go planning on running a group home. Let's try the together thing."

Henry took the duffel bag from her hand and walked with her to his car. As she got in she said, "I thought you wanted ...?"

"I'm driving west for half the night, then we're going to stop at motel. I want you very comfortable when I do all the things I've been hoping to do with you for the last year. While I'm gone for the day, you should rest up because I intend for you to know just how much I love you and want you in my life."