Disclaimer: I own nothing associated with Blood Ties, and write this for my own enjoyment.
Summary: Vicki's thoughts about Henry while watching him sleep
Author's notes: I was just wondering what Vicki thought when she watched Henry sleep
Title: Sleeping Henry
Vicki propped herself up on one elbow looking down at Henry. He was asleep, literally dead to the world and she couldn't believe the difference. Awake he was a vampire- dangerous, lethal and sexy. He exuded the charm and charisma of the prince he was, and a hard-won wisdom shone from his eyes. Asleep he was…
Innocent. She allowed her eyes to roam his body. Sun-kissed curls framed a face with a peaceful expression. He looked the part of an 18-year old prince, defenseless and child-like, a man and yet somehow still a boy. It sparked in her a powerful need to protect him; an almost motherly instinct. Vicki chuckled to herself: 'a motherly instinct, Mike would have a laugh at that one.' Henry would laugh for a different reason; he'd laugh at the irony that she- a thirty-something year old woman felt protective towards an over 500 -year old vampire that could kill her.
She looked around the bedroom; everything was red. Vicki wondered if he chose that colour because it symbolized passion, or if it was another twisted joke played on the unsuspecting public. She looked at the plush furnished room: silk sheets on the bed, soft carpeting on the floor, blinds that looked to be top-of-the line blocking out the sun.
She wondered what his childhood bedroom was like: Was it as richly furnished as this? Or was it more so? Knowing what she did of the times from her history books, she suspected it was more so. He was the heir presumptive to Henry VIII, likely all he had to do was ask and his will be done. She wondered what his childhood was like: did he cower in fear of his father? She looked at the man lying beside her. It was hard to imagine him being meek. She bet he was fearless even as a child. He probably got his way in everything, and as he grew up was able to charm anyone who disagreed with an easy smile or witty remark.
His life as a vampire had been lonely. He never said as much to her, but he showed it in his behavior toward her, Coreen and even at times Celllucci. She could see they were like a family to him- he'd fight with Mike like a brother, tease and protect Coreen as if she were his kid sister. Vicki felt loved when she was with him, a deep sort of contentment she'd never felt with Mike.
But she was afraid to trust it. Despite his assurances, she knew it was fleeting, one day he would grow tired of her; one day she would look old enough to be his mother and they would break up. She smiled, that was why she'd made up her mind to take every second she could with him. It was why she was lying there watching him sleep.
She yawned. She wanted to stay awake, imprint this moment on her mind, and savour it. She wanted to memorize every curl on his head, every pore of his skin and cherish it. But she could no longer fight the sleep threatening to overtake her. So, lying back down on her side she did the next best thing. She put her arms around her sleeping Henry, and putting her head on his shoulder fell into a peaceful slumber.