(For disclaimer see chapters 1 and 2)
Chapter 4
Her first conscious thoughts were how nice it was to be in Roderigo's arms again. 'Too long... too loo...' Jordana's mind sighed, as she stretched against the man. Then a subtle frown creased her brow, 'No... not right... Roderigo's... gone,' and it came rushing back. The night spent with Juan... and Rafe. The trip to the mansion, then the strange visit to the gypsy camp.
A very human sigh escaped the blonde's lips, and she turned her face to rest against Juan's shoulder. She could see they were indeed sheltered from anyone in the apartment, under some kind of, for lack of a better word, lid or cover.
For a moment Jordana let her mind wander. The anticipation was already building, thinking about what they might do to entertain themselves, as she remembered Juan asking Sebastien to bring the human to them. And now a fine edge of hunger began also to build. Being so young the girl was still a slave to the hunger of first night. "Juan?" she said softly, questioning if he were awake.
ooo
"Jordana," Juan replied melodiously, with only a hint of an accent this time. "I am wide awake. Bright eyed and bushy tailed." He leaned across her to move the inside lever that opened the "cover," then lingered above her and smiled. "You smell nice." A single word crossed his mind: precious. Precious he needed, and precious she was, if only because she was so very different from what he knew, so very unlike your average sweetheart… Almost swooping down on her, he kissed her quite thoroughly, then broke the embrace just as fast, and looked up.
"Ah. Maria. Buenas tardes," he said while caressing Jordana's breast like a sculptor. The housekeeper echoed his greeting likewise. "You may," Juan went on, talking to Jordana again, "help yourself for breakfast. I, however, will wait for my special diet." And with a dazzling smile and a dangerous sparkle in his eyes, he got up and looked outside the windows, taking in the view over the city like a bird of prey from his eyrie.
When he turned, he noticed the pictures. With a sigh, he walked to one of the most gruesome and caressed its frame for a little while, then tore himself away and went to the bathroom. There, he let out a cry of delight and shouted, to the world in general, "The taps have arrived! Al loro, Maria, sinceramente, eres un tesoro!" He sounded like a little boy at Christmas morning.
Maria listened to the compliment with a graceful and modest, even maternal smile, but she made no move to get up and expectantly looked at Jordana. When Jordana met her glance, Maria wished her a good evening in broken English and patiently waited for the inevitable that was to follow when a hungry Vampire awoke in the presence of a well-fed Kin.
Juan came back from admiring his new faucets and remained standing in the middle of the room, taking in the scene in front of him: two women sitting in front of the evening scenery. "What a nice image," he said softly. "As I said, corazoncito: feel free to help yourself; I am happy to watch… and I am sure it won't take Bastien long to join us."
ooo
As her name was said in velvety tones, Jordana smiled. She felt Juan move beside her, as he told her he was awake, and the stopped above her, "You smell nice." A smile curved her lips, then became an 'O' of surprise when his lips captured hers in a swift, thorough kiss. The next moment her companion looked up greeting the older woman from last night, "Ah. Maria. Buenas tardes," his hand still playing over her breast.
"You may...help yourself for breakfast. I, however, will wait for my special diet." Juan offered, as he gracefully moved from over her, and got out of the bed. The blonde's eyes followed the nude man, appreciating his lean form, wanting to ask about the special diet. However her attention was caught as he moved over to one of the new paintings, watching his fingers caress the work of art, remembering the feel of those same fingers only moments ago doing the same to her skin.
Jordana had sat up, but not moved from the softness of the bed, watching as her dark haired companion disappeared into the next room. "The taps have arrived! Al loro, Maria, sinceramente, eres un tesoro!" The joyous shout came from beyond the door, and Jordana looked questioningly at Maria. The older woman however, had her own happy smile in place as she turned to gaze back at the blonde, seeming to expect something, but greeting the girl in broken English.
Juan's voice cut across the quiet, "What a nice image...As I said, corazoncito: feel free to help yourself; I am happy to watch… and I am sure it won't take Bastien long to join us." Even as young as Jordana was, she knew it was a privilege to be offered ones human servant, and she smiled at the woman again, moving off the bed, stopping just behind her. Jordana brushed the dark hair away from the woman's neck almost in a caress, then leaned forward to pierce the skin. As she fed, her eyes, met and held Juan's across the distance of the room.
Careful not to take too much of the offering, Jordana licked the wound closed, then moved around to face Maria. "Gracias, Maria," she thanked the woman, then turned to face her host, walking toward him with a sultry stride. "Thank you, Juan," she purred, running a hand up his naked chest. "So what have you planned for tonight, after Sebastien gets here?"
ooo
"Plans?" Juan purred back, seemingly enjoying her touch, but in truth merely relishing the image of her touching him." I never make plans…" His mind, though, wandered astray for a moment and lingered over the whip safely stored in one of the fitted cupboards behind the panel. Too early, he brought himself back into line and turned to lean into Jordana with his back against her. "Look at the city," he said. "It's going to be ours…" He closed his eyes, pulled Jordana's arms around him and remained standing there lost in thought for a while. Suddenly, the doorbell rang.
Ripped from his reverie, Juan gracefully slipped out of Jordana's arms and picked up the elevator key. Maria, who had just made herself a strong coffee, met him at the entrance door, softly patted his cheek and took the chain from his hand in order to pick up the visitors. "It is Bastien," Juan commented while the car was already climbing downwards. Then he fetched a tremendously noticeable silk kimono from the bathroom, and while slipping into it, went to the kitchen to add a very personal note to the coffee. "Why can't they invent odourless coffee," he complained, chuckled and made a face while licking the little self-inflicted wound at his wrist closed again.
The elevator doors opened and gave way for Sebastien, Raphael and Maria. Raphael, who looked nervous first, relaxed when his eyes set on Juan and his companion, and when Maria took him by the hand to lead him to the kitchen bar, he even smiled and followed her without hesitation. He was wearing a new pair of black trousers and a new white shirt, both fitting perfectly. While the two servants settled themselves over their coffee, Sebastien took in Jordana's attire without any obvious reaction, but instead kissed his "father" on both cheeks, then greeted Jordana with a courteous nod and said, "Miss Jordana. Hope you had a pleasant night," oblivious to any reaction on her side.
Then he closed his eyes once, like a slow motion blink, and turned to talk to Juan again. "Your very special friend from Paris called to inform us that the merchandise will arrive in a week's time, and that they are all well." He blinked again, as slowly. "Sophie sends her love. And Erique said he needs your number."
Juan nodded to the information given, but lifted an eyebrow at the last sentence. "He doesn't have my number? Impossible."
Sebastien smiled a very thin smile. "You have not been abroad for a while, as if I must remind you, and even the sewer rats' network has its limits."
ooo
"Plans?... I never make plans…" Juan's voice came out pure velvet, like a silky touch running up Jordana's spine. Only a hint of a smile quirked the corners of her mouth as she thought about the possibilities after the previous night. She'd had only a glimpse, but had some idea what it might be that Juan craved, what pushed him over the edge. His back leaned against her, and he spoke close to her ear, "Look at the city... It's going to be ours…" Jordana didn't resist when he pulled her arms around him, and she willing hugged his body closer.
And then the doorbell rang.
Juan gracefully slipped out of her embrace, moving across the room to meet Maria who was already at the door. Jordana was amused by the motherly gesture from the older woman, as she patted Juan's cheek then took the key he wore around his neck. The blonde had been right in respecting the servant, because there was a bond between the pair that seemed to go beyond the norm. "It is Bastien," Juan stated as he moved toward the bathroom, then returning, tying a silk robe over his glorious body. He didn't stop, but continued to the kitchen throwing out a comment about coffee, while still lost from Jordana's sight.
The doors slid open revealing Rafe, who looked a bit out of place tonight, almost frightened until his gaze locked on Juan, then Jordana. With an obvious sigh the tension melted away from his body, and he went willingly with Maria to the kitchen. When he was gone Jordana turned her gaze to the other newcomer, Sebastien. She watched without comment as his eyes ran over her half dressed state... no reaction... which didn't surprise her anymore, although she wondered how long he could ignore her... especially if she didn't let him. He kissed his father, then much to the blonde's surprise, turned giving her a cool greeting, "Miss Jordana. Hope you had a pleasant night."
A vindictive smirk curved Jordana's lips. "Why yes, thank you, Sebastien," she purred, her voice like cool water flowing over all it touched, "Your father is a very inventive...host" The implication was there as a throaty laugh tinkled out of her parted lips. And the only reaction to this... a slow blink of his eyes. Then he turned to Juan, and began speaking about business.
Well if he wanted it that way... Jordana could oblige.
She turned away as soon as the pair began talking about things and people she didn't know, gliding across the room, toward the bathroom. On the way, the girl noticed the closet full of Juan's clothes, and letting her hand slid over the fabric, pulled a silk shirt from the hanger. And when Jordana reappeared, she wore a midnight blue silk shirt, that hit about mid thigh, the only other piece of clothing, the black scrap of panties Juan had given her the previous night. She wasn't about to wear the same clothes as last night.
ooo
The exchange between Jordana and Sebastien had not escaped Juan, nevertheless he merely watched it with a knowing smile. It took very much to move Sebastien, but he also knew it was possible. Like so many times before, he thought, he's so much like his "grandfather," and smiled even more at the thought of him, the way he was as a little boy... When Sebastien mentioned the network, though, his smiled disappeared, and he answered, "They do have a network, then. I wondered… He'll probably have contacted the other ones here already." He shrugged. "But what good will it do us?"
Sebastien left his question unanswered, indicating Jordana's appearance with a slight nod of his head instead. Looking at her attire, Juan lifted his eyebrow, this time appreciatively. "Nice choice, my dear. However, if you want to join me when I hand over the money to Howard, you should wear something else." He lifted his hand theatrically. "Ah, wait." With this, he ambled to the closet and opened the sliding door to the top shelf. Jumping up gracefully, he got hold of a pair of black leather trousers, real tight fitting ones, and jokingly threw them at the blonde. "They will fit perfectly. Keep them if you like." He smiled again and winked. "You don't need to put them on right now, though…"
Meanwhile, Rafe had drunk his coffee, and a soft gleam in his eyes showed that Juan's blood was already working its way through his system. He came to stand by Juan's side and watched the two of them. Juan put his arm around Rafe's waist, while he went on talking to Jordana. "We will meet Howard at midnight again. I have no idea why he's so infatuated with this mythical point of time, but so be it. Bastien will take Maria back home, and we have plenty of time in our little love-nest…"
Letting go of Rafe, he excused himself for a moment, then accompanied Sebastien and Maria downstairs. Short time later, he was back. As soon as the door closed behind him, he let the kimono drop to the floor, his eyes gleaming with need. "And now… Dîner est servit."
ooo
The two men turned their attention to the blonde as she sauntered back into the room, and as she watched them, saw the admiring look in Juan's eyes. She'd wanted to mention the beauty of the unusual bathroom, but decided it could wait until later.
Juan started walking across the short distance, "Nice choice, my dear. However, if you want to join me when I hand over the money to Howard, you should wear something else." He moved past her, stopping at the closet, grabbing something on an upper shelf, then tossing it to her. "They will fit perfectly. Keep them if you like...You don't need to put them on right now, though…"
Chuckling Jordana unfolded the leather pants, looking over at Juan, "I'm sure Howard would have appreciated my attire just fine, however I'll wear these... later." Her attention was caught as the young human came into view, cautiously stepping over to Juan, who put an arm casually around him, as he continued, "We will meet Howard at midnight again. I have no idea why he's so infatuated with this mythical point of time, but so be it. Bastien will take Maria back home, and we have plenty of time in our little love-nest…"
A throaty laugh escaped the blonde's lips, and she turned to watch Sebastien. "I hope you have a nice night, Sebastien. I know we will," she purred. Her gaze swept from the vampire to Rafe, moving to him as Juan escorted Sebastien and Maria out. Leaning in close to the human Jordana wrapped an arm around him, whispering in his ear, "Are you feeling better tonight? Ready to play some more?" Her teeth grazed the edge of his ear, and a shiver of excitement ran through his body.
ooo
"Do not let me disturb you," Juan said when he saw the two of them standing in front of the bed. "You are such a pretty couple, indeed." He sat on the floor under the tantalizing pictures, smiling his enigmatic smile again. "I would like to see you ride him. But of course, you can do whatever you please, gatita." Giving in to a voyeuristic impulse quite familiar to him, Juan contented himself with watching them, meanwhile drinking some obnoxiously sprinkled deep red liquor from a small vial.
After some of the proceedings had come to an intermediate end, he did join in, after all, but only to feed from Rafe's mamilla like a hungry child, straddling him. When he was satiated, he looked up like a cat from its milk tray and purred, "I feel so very much spoilt." He pulled Jordana into a deep kiss, then rolled onto his back and laughed.
The phone rang.
Juan groped for the receiver, but the powerful drug made him lose his balance and he toppled over, pulling the phone with him. When he finally managed to talk into the handset, a highly melodious and somewhat annoyed voice, bearing a slight French accent, could be heard. Juan laughed again. "Erik. How nice to hear you voice!" He chuckled, looked at Jordana and made a face. However, the words of his interlocutor seemed to sober him somewhat, and he listened with a strained expression.
When the person addressed as Erik finally stopped his tirade, Juan answered. "I am dreadfully sorry, but you should call at another time, my love. Yes, but I do take care. You know me. I always take care." This did not seem to have the desired effect, because the only reply to that was the audible click caused by a receiver being slammed down onto its cradle.
Juan rolled his eyes and managed to put the handset back again. Then he looked at Jordana, sighing. "Please excuse this little interruption. It won't happen again. I promise." He crawled towards her, giving a sound very close to a purr again. "I'll make up for it right now… It's all up to you, my dear. Be inventive." And while his eyes were still smiling impishly, he crossed his hands in a submissive posture.
ooo
Jordana turned a heated look on her vampire companion, a smile slowly curving her lips. She moved back to Rafe, running her hands up the white shirt. Toying with the top button, she spoke in a soft sultry tone, "What do you say Rafe? Wanna give Juan a show?" Blue eyes looked up at the human with a not so innocent look in their depths. Rafe was already reaching for her, as he agreed, his breath quickening, as she chuckled.
The fingers that had been toying with the button began slowly undoing them, then Jordana ran her hands under the cloth pushing it back to fall to the floor. She ran a fingernail along the waist of his pants, teasing, before unfastening them to join the shirt. He was then led to the bed, where Jordana gave him a push, following him down. She knew Juan was watching every move as they began to get hot and heavy.
It was obvious Rafe had plenty of experience, and Jordana had given herself away to the pleasure of the moment, partially forgetting about the other man, until he was beside them. Juan rolled Rafe under him, his legs straddling either side of the young man, as he bent down to feed from him. And when he was finished, looked up with a pleased smile, "I feel so very much spoilt." Pulling the blonde against him, Juan gave her a heated kiss, the taste of Rafe's blood still fresh on his lips, making Jordana want more. But instead of continuing, Juan fell back to the bed, laughing.
Jordana, about to follow him down, was stopped by the shrill ring of the phone. She watched as the dark haired vampire fumbled with it, losing his balance before getting it to his ear. It was obvious the caller was quite annoyed as his voice came loudly over the phone. But Jordana decided to give what bit of privacy she could this close, and turned her attention back to Rafe, doing wicked things with her mouth as they played quietly together so as not to interrupt.
When the call ended, the blonde heard Juan sigh, and looked at him. "Please excuse this little interruption. It won't happen again. I promise... I'll make up for it right now… It's all up to you, my dear. Be inventive." She watched as he lay his hands down, submissively crossed, and she climbed from the human, crawling over to the vampire. Straddling Juan, she pushed him back, bending over him, "It certainly wasn't very good timing." Jordana captured his lips in a heated kiss that lasted for several seconds. "Now, what would you do to make up for it? Hmmm?"
The scratch was swift, and deep enough to draw blood, which welled up along Juan's chest, and as he moaned, Jordana smirked, never taking her eyes away from his, "Rafe. Come taste the blood of your host." Had he not already been unknowingly started on the path to becoming a servant, the man might have refused. But the scent of Juan's blood, which he'd already been given twice, called to the young man, and he crawled forward to lick the long scratch. Again she marked the vampire under her, letting the man lick the blood from his chest in a sensual manner, then laughed, "And now, Juan, what are you going to do to make up for the interruption?" Her voice purred, deep with lust as her gaze met his.
ooo
Juan bucked under Jordana when she inflicted the wounds on his chest, but still managed to answer her question, his voice hoarse. "I will yield… eventually." He struggled playfully, laughing throatily, and glanced at Rafe while the human was lapping up his blood, then answered her question. "Leave it to him, dear. He will know what to do." And forcing a smile, he added, "Are you not, my little pet? Do you not want to let it out? Do you not want to let go?"
The powerful drug from the vial that had mixed with Juan's blood some time before, was still effective. It hit Rafe's system like hot metal pouring through his vessels, and he gave an animal growl when it reached his senses. Like the divine brothers slumber and sleep meaning sleep and death to the humans, the effect would not ebb, as was the case with the Vampire, but instead increase and spread further still, driving the Servant on with an unearthly need for relief.
Burning with desire, Raphael sat up straight and threw back his dark curls, then growled. Juan laughed again. "Is he not adorable?" He did not have the chance to utter more than this, though, because the next moment Rafe pounced on him, in fact attacked him, his last restraining scruples bursting away, and literally paid Juan back for the last night. What was Jordana's contribution to the event, her companion could not tell, but somehow he started to feel.
This time, and predominantly due to the drug or probably other administrations, too, the procedure was enough to send Juan, for one blissful moment, on his way to the Celestial City. When his wings finally fell off, he dropped into the depths of hell, and clinging onto Jordana as his last resort, he emitted one eerie cry, while cold tears of blood welled up in his eyes. In a whisper so soft that only Vampire ears would hear them, he uttered a chain of words, speaking so fast that it was hard to perceive they were Latin. And yet, if Jordana listened carefully, she would know those words. They were part of a prayer. Still holding on to her, Juan managed to raise his voice at last, and said, in-between a mixture of a sob and a laugh, "I yield."
ooo
Jordana still straddling Juan, looked over her shoulder at Rafe as he growled. She heard Juan ask if he wasn't adorable, and had to agree, the feral look in his eyes was much preferable to the crying from last night. And when Rafe pounced, he trapped Jordana between them, pushing her down on Juan.
There wasn't much the blonde had to do, letting the men do all the work, and simply enjoying the ride. She couldn't see Rafe, but watched Juan's face as he slid into oblivion. It was the very human teeth sinking into her shoulder that sent Jordana over the edge, followed by the sound of it, by Rafe.
It was however, Juan crying out as he gripped her to him, that brought the girl back to the present. He was mumbling a phrase from what sounded like a prayer, and at that moment Jordana wondered how shattered he was inside. With a strangled laugh he looked up at her, "I yield." and she leaned in giving him a soft kiss.
ooo
When he felt Jordana's soft lips on his, Juan imagined he was in Francine's arms again, back home, and everything was quiet. But his memory was cruel, and the arms were cold like his own, not slightly warm like the ever-glowing magic radiating from the wise woman she had been, and of course he knew this was not Paris, but Miami, and the woman was not Francine. He felt Rafe's arms hugging him from behind, in a stirringly human attempt to comfort him, and this alone made him smile in mid-kiss.
It was Rafe who talked first, while the last waves of the powerful drug were washing over him, leaving, making him shiver slightly. "He'll be all right, yes? I mean, it's just a game, no?" He looked at Jordana with a pleading expression.
"Of course I am all right, sweet boy," Juan answered softly in her place, turned on his back and put his arms around the both of them. Directing his words to Jordana, he then said, his tone of voice sounding astoundingly settled. "Life has its strange twists and turns, indeed. But would it not be boring if we ourselves were not twisted and turned, too. Nescio utrum id rectum sit necne an non, but it is the way I prefer to spend my un-life, instead of wasting it with such an affected behaviour like pretending to be an upright petit bourgeois." Finally calling himself to reason, he added, "Well, corazoncito. What are we gonna do with the broached eve?"
ooo
While returning the kiss, Jordana felt Juan's lips curl into a smile. She was relieved the melancholy had fled her companion so quickly, but now knew why his people, or mainly Sebastien was so watchful of the vampire. Of course Juan would either scoff at, or become angry if he knew her thoughts, but there was something fragile inside him. Something he, himself was fighting against, something that, she suspected if let lose, would eat his sanity alive.
It was Rafe who pulled her out of her musings, as he spoke, "He'll be all right, yes? I mean, it's just a game, no?" She saw the pleading look in his eyes, and remembered that although they were probably the same age, he was new to their way of life. Hell she was still new to their way of life. "Of course I am all right, sweet boy," Juan's voice soothed, as he pulled them both into a loose hug. "Life has its strange twists and turns, indeed. But would it not be boring if we ourselves were not twisted and turned, too. Nescio utrum id rectum sit necne an non, but it is the way I prefer to spend my un-life, instead of wasting it with such an affected behaviour like pretending to be an upright petit bourgeois...Well, corazoncito. What are we gonna do with the broached eve?"
Jordana turned a smiling face to him, "I'd say we started the evening out quite nicely," she leaned in to run her tongue over Juan's lips, "And I'd say we take Rafe out on the town... and show him off a little," she ran a finger down the cafe au lait skin of the human's arm, "but... we have to be mindful of the time. Sebastien would never forgive me, if I caused you to miss your meeting." Her laugh tinkled out, around the three on the bed. "I want to explore your very beautiful bathroom... anyone want to join me?" Jordana teased.
ooo
While Jordana was looking at him with a thoughtful expression, Juan could see her aura change, if but slightly. It now had the quite familiar lovingly worried tinge so inherent in many people around him – or at least the ones who cared - and he had long since given up to be annoyed by it. And yet, he would have given quite a lot to be able not only to feel her thoughts, but also to read them right now.
Her words slowly reached his hearing, and without changing his position or countenance in the least, he focused on listening to her once more. When her tongue touched his lips, though, he let his own slip out to meet it in a teasing combat, then finally stopped playing around and answered. "Bastien, yes, always worried… He would never forgive me." He sat up, winked at Rafe and smiled. "You two go to the bathroom and have fun. Leave the door open…I will stay on my own for a while, and, Jordana…" This time he once more pronounced her name the way she liked it. "Don't you worry about me." His tone of voice was deep and sombre, and somehow similar to the way he spoke to Bastien.
Rafe threw him a last worried glance before he made to follow the girl to the bathroom. His thoughts were still in a turmoil, although they had settled somewhat compared to the night before. He had been in that bar, and then suddenly not any more, without realizing what exactly had been happening to him, then he had got laid with a girl, but also with a man, something he had sworn would never happen, and all he knew was that the other two were not precisely what you call alive, yet he felt like he had never really lived before he met them. When Jordana said she wanted to show off with him, he felt heat rise in his face.
Watching the two of them, Juan had the sensation of a déjà-vu. In a flash, he could see himself, the way he had been before his embrace, so many centuries ago, and for an nth time realized that he found and embraced images of himself again and again, if not always for the way they looked, then at least for the way they functioned. He could not keep himself from chuckling, and shaking his head to his own foolish thoughts, went to the closet and pulled out another pair of black leather trousers.
He walked to his stereo system while lacing himself in by the leather strings attached to the trousers, and chose a CD with Stravinsky's Feuervogel, then looked around, and suddenly it was quite convenient that the apartment was so sparsely furnished. He could hear the roaring applause of the Parisian audience again (the one who had never had the chance to watch him dance to this particular opus), the unique Parisian ovations mixed with threats and boos, rushing through the rows of red plush seats, spurting over the golden parapets of the Opéra boxes, like he remembered the Garnier long before Stravinsky's time. When he started to dance, though, it was the very choreography Balanchine had tormented his dancers with, the one Juan had embraced so willingly during his creative period in New York.
ooo
As requested Jordana left the bathroom door partially ajar. Once inside the luxurious room, the blonde made a quick path to the large tub, bending down to turn the faucets on full blast. It was beautiful, black porcelain, surrounded by black tile, the fixtures gleaming gold in the light coming from the vanity. The trapping of a pampered lifestyle if she'd ever seen one, although the girl hadn't seen this type of wealth before her sire had introduced her to the vampire life.
Jordana knew Rafe had followed her, feeling him hovering just feet from her kneeling body. However, she didn't know his thoughts were still troubled, until he spoke, "Do you think he's really fine..."; he let the question trail off, watching the blonde. In the middle of reaching for a bottle of bubble bath, Jordana turned her head so she could see her human companion, then smiled, "Of course he'll be fine. I think it was just... a bit of melancholy." While talking she poured some of the liquid into the water, then with a grin scooped up foam, smacking it on the man's bare chest. "Besides he has us, to entertain him."
Rafe seemed comforted by her words, and stepped forward, a smile of his own meeting hers. And Jordana realized it was probably the first she'd seen from him, prompting a question of her own, "Did Sebastien take good care of you, after we left?" she gestured for him to get in the tub, then climbed in front of him, her back laying against his chest. "I guess so..." he answered and she felt the shrug, "I didn't see him until right before he brought me here. They sent room service up, and left me alone, mostly. I...don't get it, I mean I hardly even know you and Juan but...I want to be here."
Jordana felt Rafe's hands smoothing over her stomach under the warm water, then moving up through the bubbles caressing her breasts. She let a sigh escape relaxing back against him. "It's ok, I understand, Rafe." But she wasn't going to tell him why right now, that was Juan's job. Strains of beautiful music floated in through the open doorway, and Jordana began to hum along even though it wasn't a tune she recognized.
ooo
Juan wrapped himself in the music and thus fought off the last traces of the melancholy that had got hold of him earlier that night. Under the influence of the vivid tunes, it was as if the jetés and the pirouettes, one by one, made all kinds of sentiments drip off in a multi-coloured rain, giving each movement a new shade, until the unrefined dancer himself remained, drained of his emotions, his conscience purified. He switched the stereo off and sighed. Then he heard the subdued laughter and the splashing from the bathroom, and the unusually joyous background noise made him smile.
Rafe was utterly engaged in helping Jordana undergo a meticulous cleaning job, if Juan was not very much mistaken. When the boy finally surfaced again, he noticed his maître, coughed and said with an embarrassed laugh, "Juan. We were talking about you." Juan remained leaning against the doorframe, his arms crossed in front of his chest, and inhaled the heavy vapours of the perfumed bathing water. A feeling of peace and quiet had overcome him by the end of the dance, and he felt like holding on to it for a while.
"Do not let me keep you from whatever you were about to do, dear Raphael," he said softly and winked at Jordana. "I shall be happy watching you again." Belatedly taking in Rafe's words, though, he then cocked his head and asked, "You were talking about me? Now you arouse my curiosity, and I wonder what there could be worthwhile to talk about…"
Rafe cleared his throat once more and fidgeted a bit, feeling even more uneasy because he just realized that he was sitting in a tub full of bubbles together with a mysterious and unbelievably hot blonde girl called Jordana and was being scrutinized by a bare-chested man in black leather trousers for whom he felt an uncanny affection. "I… just wondered, you know…," he uttered. "how all this came to pass. I mean, I'd never… and now it's like I'm home. And I feel strange. And I can hold my breath like, for ages…"
"I chose you," Juan answered calmly. "Because you were just right, my dear." At Rafe's incomprehensive expression, he explained: "You are a handsome boy, Raphael. But that alone is not enough, not in the least… In order to match up against your small handful of competitors – who doubtlessly exist in a bar like the one we entered – you have to meet the following requirement: you have to be of French origin." A flicker of a smile mixed with a hint of hunger, "Which you are; mostly. You are a French Quarterone, exactly comme il faut. This is why I kept you." He raised his eyebrow with a smirk, and let the knowledge sink in.
But that did not satisfy Rafe. He caressed Jordana's shoulder as a sign that he did not want to ignore her but had to do this now, and went on asking, "What does this mean: You kept me?"
"Ah, Raphael, Raphael," Juan purred and sat down on the side. "Can you not feel it? Do you not feel an affection for me, something that surely has nothing to do with my pretty face? It is my blood that makes you feel that way." He looked away. "I can only hope I did you a favour by doing this. Too late for regrets, my dear. You're mine." He got up and left the bathroom, leaving behind a confused and agitated Rafe. He knew he could have gone into more detail, but why should he do that? No one had asked him, either.
ooo
Watching Juan disappear out the open door, Jordana turned when she heard the heavy sigh coming from her companion. "I still don't get it, how...?" The blonde put a finger up to Rafe's lips stopping the question in mid sentence. "Darling, you've already admitted this feels like home, and Juan has told you, you belong. You're thinking too hard about it..." She chuckled, leaning in to give him a lingering kiss, "If it feels right, don't worry about the details... you'll find out everything you need in time."
When Jordana had finished, leaving a more relaxed Rafe to enjoy his bath, she wrapped one of the large, plush, dark red towels around her, and padded out of the bathroom. Her bare feet made almost no noise, as she headed toward the dark haired man standing in front of the windows, looking down at the city. Of course she knew she couldn't sneak up on him, and that he most likely knew she was there, but he never turned from the cityscape laid out for his viewing. One slender hand reached out groping his derriere, "God, you have a nice ass," she breathed in his ear, looping her arms around his middle, and hugging him from behind. "And if you were curious, Rafe is fine. Actually he's taken this much better then I would have thought."
With a last hug, Jordana moved back letting the towel fall away as she picked up, first the leather pants, then the discarded silk shirt she'd pilfered from Juan's closet. As she dressed, the blonde commented, "As much as I like your clothes, I think I'm going to need to pick up some of my own soon." Soon the girl was finished, the skin tight leather forming to her curves, made it clear she wore nothing underneath as it dipped low around her hips, and the large shirt knotted at her waist revealed the diamond pierced at her belly button. "So... you think Howard will approve of this outfit more?"
ooo
"How peaceful and pretty a skyline can look, as long as you will not recall what is going on inside of it…" Juan hardly felt Jordana's hands touching his body, yet he was pleased about her fondness and the feel of the warmth her body still held from the bath. He petted her hands and remained looking out of the window. Only when he heard her voice again, he turned to look at her. "Ah, yes. The boy. He doubtlessly is a suitable man for this… game."
Watching her dress, he smiled when she mentioned Howard. "Yes, I bet he will. Rumour has it he has an unholy fascination with black leather." Cocking his eyebrow, he scrutinized her playfully. "Turn, turn. Yes. Perfect. But if you want this nice ass of mine to drive this delicious one of yours to your place for a change, I have no objection. We need to meet Bastien at the hotel, anyway, to pick up money and support and, of course, to leave the boy there - so why not make a Grand Tour around the town."
He went to another door of his vast closet and chose a simple red silk shirt and a black leather jacket. This time it had to be Gaultier. Turning to Jordana again, he commented, "Vanity is so strange, come to think about it. See, I know a man whose features are utterly contorted, so much that even most of his own kind refrain from looking at him, and yet he attaches great importance to his attire. Well, maybe this is what keeps us alive, this pretty little game of narcissism and self-importance, no? Maybe we would be mere verduras without it."
Rafe came out of the bathroom looking changed, somewhat settled. He silently went to the bed to pick up his clothes Maria had carefully folded up in a neat heap, and dressed. Hearing Juan talk, he actually chuckled. "Verduras? You mean, you would be vegetable without vanity? I just try to imagine what kind of vegetable you'd be…"
Juan threw him a glance, but then joined in the laughing. "Don't tell. Don't ever dare tell, Raphael." He looked from one to the other. "Ready, my children of the night? Let's go make some music." He went to the elevator and opened the door.
ooo
Jordana turned with a smirk, making a show out of it, as Juan directed her to turn this way and that. "And I bet his obsession has nothing to do with our attire tonight," she laughed. When he offered to take her to her haven, continuing to explain what they needed to do before the meeting, the blonde nodded. "Sounds good. It won't take long to grab a few things, although I think I'll stick with these," she said, running a hand over the clothes she was wearing.
As Juan crossed the room, her gaze followed, admiring his graceful movements, until he disappeared through the closet door. She could still hear him, talking about vanity, and smiled at Rafe when he came back into the room. Juan reappeared, a red silk shirt covering his lean body, "... Maybe we would be mere... verduras without it."
Jordana wasn't sure what he meant, but it seemed that Rafe got it as he chuckled, "Verduras? You mean, you would be vegetable without vanity? I just try to imagine what kind of vegetable you'd be…" The two men shared the joke, and Jordana laughed with them, not so much at the joke but more because Rafe seemed at ease with Juan now.
"Ready, my children of the night? Let's go make some music." The dark haired man moved toward the elevator, and the blonde slipping into her high heels, twined an arm through the human's, following Juan. "Well don't we make a pretty picture," Jordana smirked, at the men she stood between. In moments the elevator door was sliding open, and the three headed across the underground parking, to Juan's car.
ooo
Juan gestured his two lovers to the back seat once more, closed the door behind them, gracefully slipped into the driver's seat and looked into the mirror. He smiled at the obvious fact that Rafe did not know where he rather wanted to be: by Juan's side, or by Jordana's. "I would love to drive you two around a bit more, if time allowed for it, but we will have to do that another night," the vampire said, gave a apologetic shrug and manoeuvred the car out of the parking lot.
When they had joined the limber twine of the night traffic, he asked, "I presume it is all right with you if we drive to your place first, Jordana?" He made to say something else, but was again interrupted by the car phone. A moment later, Sebastien's familiar voice rang out. "Pray excuse me, father. We have an… incident."
Juan rolled his eyes and almost barked back, "I cannot imagine anything that could not wait for another half of an hour, Bastien." The tone of Sebastien's voice did not change in the least. However, he talked back to his sire in another language, French this time, by the sound of it. They came to a halt in front of a red traffic light. Juan listened to his "son", drumming his fingers on the steering wheel, then replied harshly, "I understand. We will be with you as soon as possible." Without another word, he hit the disconnect button.
It was fortunate that the car was still standing in front of the traffic light, because for a moment, Juan had to close his eyes, then uttered a suppressed cry. It was over as soon as it came, and when he went on driving, he played his calm, cheerful self again, just like he was before the phone call. Looking into the rear mirror he said, "I am dreadfully sorry, my dear. We will drive to your place first, but I am forced to urge you to hurry. This is really unforgivable." He smiled at the worried look in Rafe's face and added, "Growl, growl, I'm an animal." He chuckled. "Don't be afraid, Raphael. You will see, everything will be just fine." His features, though, were just a little bit tenser than they should be.
Jordana slipped in the back behind Rafe, and made herself comfortable, snuggling up against the human's warm body. Her eyes followed Juan as he shut the door then dropped into the drivers seat. His eyes lifted to the rear-view mirror as he spoke, "I would love to drive you two around a bit more, if time allowed for it, but we will have to do that another night."
"Now what fun would that be, us back here and you all alone up there driving?" Jordana gave him a fake pout, which he ignored as he pulled out into the flow of traffic. "I presume it is all right if we drive to your place first, Jordana?" But before he could finish the conversation, or she could supply an answer the phone chirped to life. Before he could even pick it up the blonde had an idea who might be on the other end, and wasn't surprised to hear Sebastien's cultured tones coming across the receiver, "Pray excuse me, father. We have an… incident."
Jordana who until this point had been playing little touchy, feely games with Rafe, froze. 'An incident?' she wondered, waiting for the man on the other end of the line to continue. However Juan's irritated voice snapped at him, and they began to converse in what the blonde managed to recognize as French. A bit of a disappointment to the eavesdropping girl, since she couldn't follow what they were actually saying. "I understand. We will be with you as soon as possible." Juan said, ending the call with the push of a button.
From her position in the back, Jordana could see the tension radiating from the dark haired vampire. And it seemed to take a moment's effort for him to bring his control back to the surface, which he did with a strangled cry. The car began to move with the traffic again, and Juan began to apologize, "I am dreadfully sorry, my dear. We will drive to your place first, but I am forced to urge you to hurry. This is really unforgivable." He smiled looking back at them, comforting Rafe teasingly, but the lines around his eyes belied the relaxed pose he maintained.
Disentangling herself from Rafe, Jordana scooted forward leaning over the front seat. "Darling, we don't have to go to my place right now. There is nothing I need so desperately." Her fingers played with the ends of Juan's long dark hair as she spoke, "We could go directly to the hotel...to Sebastien." Of course she was curious to know what the incident was, but also she didn't want to be the cause of any delay, where Sebastien might find her at fault. Not that she feared, or worried about what the uptight man thought, but better not to be fodder for the fire, so to speak.
To be continued…