A/N: Though Wulfe appears in several of the books, his parts never last long, which makes it hard for me to write a chapter where he is a major component. I did my best to keep him in character throughout the chapter but he may come off a little OOC. I also made up some things to make the upcoming parts of the story work. Hope you like it!
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At some point in the future, I would look back on this moment and realize just how dumb this decision had been. In the midst of my hot-headed turmoil, I didn't think much of it, though.
After my initial call to Wulfe, I felt something like acknowledgement come across our connection, but he didn't materialize in front of me. A moment passed before I realized my error. I had to invite him into my home, which was an invitation I couldn't easily undo. Quickly debating the pros and cons, I decided to just wing it. Stefan had run off after, presumably, being summoned by another vampire and I wanted – no, I needed – to know what was going on.
With a verbal invitation to appease the laws of vampire magic, my visitor arrived. Wulfe stood before me in all his glory, dressed in a fancy tuxedo with a top hat and cane to complete the look. He pulled a monocle (the old fashioned eyeglass with a chain attached) out of his tuxedo pocket, and held it to his eye as he looked me up and down, as if he couldn't see me clearly without it. I was right in front of him, much too close for comfort. He hadn't moved from the spot he appeared, which was only about an arm's length away from where I stood in front of the couch.
"When I awoke this evening, I knew it would be a lovely night so I dressed for the occasion." Wulfe said as he tucked his monocle away, and then spun around as if to show off his outfit. After taking a deep breath, Wulfe froze and smiled at me with hunger in his eyes. I watched as he struggled to contain the predator within him. "It smells delightful in here. Lust and anger. Did you invite me for a threesome?"
I narrowed my eyes at his suggestion and crossed my arms over my chest without answering. Flirting was not something I would do with Wulfe. At my silence, he cocked his head to the side and said, "But that would require a third person wouldn't it. Maybe my old friend left you home alone, unsatisfied and angry?"
That was a little too close to the truth for my comfort. Before that instant, I had my suspicions that Wulfe knew why Stefan had left so abruptly. Now I was certain of it.
"It seems you already have a good idea of what's going on." I said as I turned to walk into the kitchen. Turning my back to him would show I wasn't afraid of him, though it was a lie. Part of me will always fear Wulfe. Even if I didn't consider Wulfe a friend, he had at least always been an ally to some extent. I was fairly certain he wouldn't attack me without provocation. If he did attack me, I'd rather be in the kitchen with knives in reach since I hadn't thought far enough ahead to get my lamb necklace. Getting it now would come across as hostile, whereas sitting at the table could be considered a polite gesture, although I'm sure he wasn't fooled.
I seated myself at the table and invited my companion to do the same, but he was busy. Wulfe looked around the kitchen as if he'd never seen one before. Every cabinet door was opened and a few canned goods were examined. The oven and microwave were both checked, though I'm not sure if he was checking for cleanliness or hidden treasures. Either way, I was glad they were both fairly clean. I'm not sure what his purpose was in his search, or if there was a point to it at all, but I waited patiently for him to finish his inspection.
Finally, after examining the refrigerator's contents, including opening the mayonnaise jar as if he expected something other than mayonnaise to be inside, he seated himself across from me with an opened soda in hand. He didn't drink any of it.
After removing his top hat, our eyes met and we spoke at the same time.
"I cannot leave my apartment."
"You don't hide money in the mayonnaise jar."
For a moment I forgot about my little problem. "Why would I hide money in there of all places? It would get slimy."
Wulfe shrugged and mumbled, "It was just a hunch." The unsettling thing about that was he wasn't far off. The money was in the coffee can at the back of the refrigerator. "Why can't you leave your apartment?"
"Stefan told me not to and now I can't." I tried to sound unaffected but couldn't keep my voice composed. I was too angry to remain completely calm.
"You are no longer immune to vampire magic?"Wulfe sounded a little too hopeful.
"I don't know, I guess." I paused for a moment as I considered how much to tell Wulfe. He was doing a great job of looking like an innocent young man sitting across from me but I knew better. The Wulfe I know has always been a very strange, yet highly intelligent vampire whose motives are understood by no one but himself.
When no other options came to mind, I decided to tell him everything I knew. I told him how Warren had said I don't smell like myself anymore and how I had never been compelled to do anything until tonight when Stefan told me to 'stay here', including my assumption that it didn't seem intentional. Stefan had looked remorseful when he left, though he didn't bother to withdraw the command.
Wulfe didn't say anything right away. He simply stared at me. Finally, he said, "You could have killed me once."
I nodded but didn't say anything because I wasn't sure where he was going with that line of thinking. It was true that I had come across his resting place a few years ago when I had been hunting for another vampire, whom I had gone on to kill. Wulfe had told me to kill him that day. I've always wondered if it was a challenge or a request.
Expression still passive, he continued, "My role as a Master has been quite the invigorating experience. It has been a very long time since I've had anyone rely on me for their continued existence." Not completely true, if you count the humans he kept in a menagerie. I didn't object, though. "These past months I've felt lucid more often than I had in centuries prior. I appreciate that you refrained from killing me."
Maybe it really had been a request.
"Not that you would have succeeded." Wulfe added, his expression turning dark. And maybe it had been a challenge. "Many have tried and failed. Would you have accomplished the task? Several of my people have found death at your hand. How many vampires have you killed, walker?"
The air in the room suddenly felt heavy. Having only had a handful of conversations directly with Wulfe, I had no idea how to manage his rollercoaster of emotions and topics. Usually others were involved, or at least present. I had no idea what to do with him, but I'd been raised to never show weakness. I wouldn't start now.
"I'm sure my number is smaller than yours." I answered with a shrug, trying to sound as casual as possible. He seemed to see through my indifference, though. My heart rate had picked up and he was tapping his finger to the rhythm with a creepy smile on his face.
Our eyes met and I felt him trying to catch me in his gaze. His will pressed against mine like a heavy blanket trying to suffocate me as he attempted to smother my will. "Come here, Mercy."
Though I could feel the pull, I wasn't affected by it anymore than I would be moved by a breeze of wind. "I'd rather not." I answered dryly.
Wulfe mumbled something under his breath about Stefan having all the fun, and then moved vampire-quick to sit on the floor next to my chair with his head leaned against my lap, similar to the way a dog would lay its head in someone's lap. He stared at my face and breathed as if he required oxygen to live.
To this day, I don't know what possessed me to do it, but I found myself running my fingers through Wulfe's hair, petting him like the puppy he was trying to imitate. There was no attraction between us that caused my behavior. He looked so lost and in need of comfort in that moment, just like the impression I had of him when we exchanged blood.
"I think I know why you couldn't fight Stefan's command that wasn't really a command." Wulfe leaned into my touch and sighed contentedly. We stayed that way for a moment, my fingers stroking his hair while he breathed in my scent the way a werewolf might, while I waited for him to explain. "You'll make a wonderful mother."
Before I could question what he meant, Stefan appeared. The stress he felt was apparent in his expression, until he noticed Wulfe lounging against my leg. Fury like I hadn't seen in a long time possessed Stefan. Before my brain could process everything that had happened, Stefan had broken a chair and pinned Wulfe to the floor next to me with one hand while his other hand held a leg from the broken chair ready to stake Wulfe. The untouched soda Wulfe had left on the table had fallen over and was now spilling on to the floor.
"Don't kill him!" I shouted with outstretched hands as I jumped up from my chair, knocking it backwards.
In a fairly accurate impression of my voice, Wulfe said, "Please, Stefan, don't kill me." Then, using his normal voice, he mocked Stefan saying, "You wouldn't want to leave Mercy alone in her condition while you're off gallivanting into the sunrise with Marsilia."
Marsilia was around. The events of that night were beginning to make much more sense to me, though I wasn't sure why Wulfe was so concerned about my 'condition'. Being unable to leave the apartment was irritating but I could work around it. Eventually, I'd find a way to fight the magic compelling me to stay in place.
A seed of jealousy sprouted in my chest as Wulfe's words sunk in. Why would Stefan command me to stay home so he could meet with Marsilia? I knew he was completely free of her, meaning he went to her by choice. "Is that true?"
Stefan released Wulfe and stood to his feet, but Wulfe stayed on the floor with his arms folded behind his head as if he were completely comfortable. Stefan rolled his eyes at Wulfe's behavior as he turned to pick up the broken chair and place it in a neat pile where the chair usually sat, then righted the chair I had knocked over. Finally, after dropping a few towels on the soda spill, Stefan turned to me and said, "There was no gallivanting or sunrise, but I did speak with Marsilia. Now, tell me why Wulfe is here."
Before I could stop myself, the words tumbled out, "I called him to come to me so I could find a way to leave the apartment." My hands flew to my mouth as I stared at Stefan in horror. He promised he would never take away my independence and turn me into a mindless puppet. "What did you do to me?"
Stefan approached me but I backed away from him until my back hit the counter. Stefan's expression looked broken as he said, "Mercy, I haven't done anything. I'm not trying to compel you."
"A simple exchange with another vampire of equal strength should fix this problem and I know where you can find one." Wulfe suggested as he pointed at himself.
"No." We both answered at the same time. One exchange with Wulfe was plenty. I wasn't desperate enough to strengthen it. Yet.
"Neither of you know why this is happening, do you?" Wulfe asked. When we both shook our heads, Wulfe giggled excitedly. "Oh, this is exquisite. I knew it would be a good night."
Wulfe rolled to his side and propped his head up on one hand. He looked like he was posed for a woman's photo shoot, except that he was a young-looking man dressed in a tuxedo. He looked at me and used his free hand to block his mouth as if he were telling a secret and whispered, "Stefan's got help on the inside."
At my confused look, Wulfe dropped his hand and said, "Mercy, have you wished on a star recently? Did Stefan share your wish?"
Impatiently, Stefan said, "Speak clearly, Wulfe. No one wishes to play these games with you."
Wulfe made a tsking sound, but dropped the pose and stood to his feet. "No one is quite certain of the extent of Mercy's abilities as a walker. You're aware magic is generally guided by the will of the wielder, yes?" When I nodded, he continued speaking directly to me, "You don't seem to have much magic of your own, though you can use the magic of others. If you desired something strongly enough and had a collective of other individuals sympathetic to your desire, you may be able to accomplish the impossible."
None of this was news to me, really. I had never tried using magic but nothing Wulfe said was unheard of. He still hadn't explained anything to me. When I pointed that out, he made an irritated gesture, as if I was missing the point.
Wulfe huffed impatiently, "You know I have an affinity for magic and now we share a connection. Have the two of you spoken of desiring children, even briefly?"
Stefan and I looked at each other, likely remembering the same conversation. Finding out Kyle and Warren were adopting a child had sparked a few conversations about children, but one conversation was much more in depth than the others. We had talked about children, but not exactly about having one together. He had told me he couldn't remember if he ever had children during his human life, though he's always wondered what being a parent was like. I had shared that curiosity, which led to a long conversation about what it would be like to have a child.
Thing started to click into place, and from the look on Stefan's face, I think he figured it out too. Somehow, I had drawn on my connection with Wulfe, borrowing magic to conceive a child with Stefan.
"I'm pregnant."
"Yes, very observant of you to notice." Wulfe said sarcastically. With a wicked grin, he said, "I'll consider this a favor owed. My magic comes at a price and it is not cheap." Then he was gone, though he left his top hat on the table. As soon as I noticed it, the hat disappeared too.