Clair admittedly didn't suspect Elisa of being in allegiance with the Gambino family anymore, but he never got around to taking away the camera secretly installed to view her apartment entrance. Besides, there was something he couldn't help find amusing about seeing her leave the apartment everyday; at this point, Clair could predict her usual times of departure and reappearance.

Today it had brought him nothing but a burning rage; Elisa could see it clearly and it made a shiver run down her spine.

"I thought you had taken out those cameras…" Elisa whispered; she flinched as Clair abruptly stood up, stomping over to her after slamming his glass on the desk.

"What was he doing in your apartment?" Clair asked lowly. "Answer me!"

"Dino apologized for hurting my arm." Elisa back up against the wall; he had her in a corner. She wasn't particularly weak physically, but she didn't dare try to run out of fear of his unpredictability. Clair's gaze had her floored. "We were just talking about-"

"You were doing a lot more than talking from the look of it!" Clair laughed cruelly as he stepped forward; he slammed Elisa into the wall, holding her arms with an iron grip. "How dare you?"

"W-what…?"

Elisa eyes widened as Clair slowly leaned in; his lips collided with hers painfully. She could feel the cold metal of his piercing against her mouth, his tongue clumsily trying to coax her's to participate; he tasted like the liquor. Elisa managed to turn her face away.

"Clair, please stop!" Elisa struggled to free her arms, her wrists bruising in his hands. Clair didn't even seem to hear her, he was too busy smothering her neck in sloppy wet kisses; his hands gently began stroking up her arms, giving Elisa the opening she needed to escape.

"Stop it!" she pushed him off as hard she could. Clair stumbled backward, his back hitting the desk; the bottle of liquor was knocked down, soaking the wooden surface.

Elisa couldn't help a pang of worry as Clair groaned from the harsh impact; his grimace of pain turned to a sneer.

"She chooses him." Clair thought as he straightened up. "She was using me for protection. She lied to me. It was all a lie."

Clair looked away from Elisa; he couldn't stand the pained look on her face. She was the one who betrayed him, not the other way around. She had no right to look so hurt when his heart was breaking.

"If that's how you feel than you can just leave. That last thing I need is a foolish woman getting in my way." Clair sat back down stiffly in his chair and took a large swig of his drink; it burned going down. "Get out and you'd better pray I never catch you around here again."

Elisa stared at him questioningly, but he wouldn't meet her gaze.

"You promised we'd see the fireworks together."

That's what she wanted to say. Instead she began walking toward the office doors with clenched fists.

"Yes sir."

He didn't even stir as Elisa turned from him; as upset as she felt at him, she

"Why does he have to be like this? Why did he-?" Elisa wasn't sure how she felt toward him. All she could know for sure was his dismissal was as painful as the kiss he forced on her. "I really am on my own here now."

"I already told you not to call me that. You know I don't like repeating myself."

Elisa gasped as arms held her almost painfully tight; she turned her head slightly, trying to see the expression on his face as he buried it into her hair.

"I changed my mind, I don't care if you choose him. " Clair whispered roughly. "You took the oath, drank my blood; you're mine." he continued in a voice so quiet, Elisa could just barely hear him. "We haven't seen the fireworks together. I made a promise and I'm going to keep it, even if I have to drag you with me. Elisa, you just can't go."

"I'm not in love with Dino." Elisa said after a pause. "I-"

"Elisa!" Clair laughed brokenly and pulled her over to the couch and hugged her tighter. "I shouldn't have done that, I don't know what I was thinking."

"You scared me." Elisa said somberly; regardless, she hugged him back gently.

Clair looked up at her. "I'm sorry. I just…" his voice lowered to a hiss as he stroked her face. "I was angry when I thought that he might've kissed you." Clair smiled ruefully. "I'm sure this makes me sound like a petulant child, but the very idea of it makes me so angry. It makes me crazy. No woman has ever smiled at me like you have and I don't want you to give that to anyone else. I don't want to share you."

Elisa blinked slowly. "He's even more childish than I thought. Still…"

"Clair, what does this mean?"

"That depends." Clair pulled away, but sat close enough so their legs still touched; he chuckled carelessly. It was surprising how quick his mood had changed, but Elisa was relieved. "I guess the cat's out of the bag huh? I think it's obvious enough how I feel. The real question is, how about you?"

Elisa bit her lip lightly, unaware of Clair fixedly staring as she did so.

"I'm not sure. I like you Clair, but I don't know if I have feelings stronger than that." she looked down and waited for the explosion; instead, she felt a hand lift her chin up carefully.

"I have to say, that's a shame. Is there anything I can do to persuade you?" Clair was staring at her without a trace of a smile, his eyes boring into her own with the utmost seriousness.

The only reason Elisa pulled away as he leaned in was due to the office doors swinging open.

"Yo, Vampire-oops." Daisuke's smile faltered. "Uh, sorry, am I interrupting something?"