Chapter 10

When the vampire finally pulled back, Alfred was short of breath and his knees had turned into water. Any thoughts of gardens and flowers seemed very far away now, and all he saw, all he comprehended, was the man he had just kissed.

He felt dazed and breathless as Krolock straightened himself and looked intently down at him, one hand still in his hair and the other pressing against his back. Lips slightly parted and eyes dancing with strange light, he seemed to be least in control of himself than Alfred had ever seen him until now. It was both bewildering and exciting.

The human's blood was still rushing in the most invigorating manner and he was about to tiptoe for yet another kiss, but the vampire noticed shift in his posture and gently held him on place.

"I believe that is enough for now", the Count said quietly. "We both need to calm down before..."

Calm down? First of all, last thing Alfred wanted to do was calm down and secondly, it was just so Krolock thing to do, kiss him like that and then tell him to simmer down! But the blue eyes were stormy and wild in the best possible way and Alfred couldn't help feeling a little smug. It was a major accomplishment to manage to cause such reaction in this man.

"Before what?" he asked at last. Alfred noted his voice sounded uncommonly hoarse.

"Before I do something you'd regret later", Krolock said softly and very evenly.

"But I-" Alfred protested, but the vampire silenced him with one last kiss – gentler and smaller this time, more of a brush of lips against his own. Yet it still went through him like a wave of warmth.

"Shh. Just trust me this time, Alfred", the Count said as he pulled back again.

"Why would you care about my... regrets?" the human asked, his voice growing stronger as his blood cooled down. Now that his thoughts were not so muddled, he felt disappointed to let it just end like this. A crooked smile touched the vampire's face.

"Because your regret would be quite a destructive thing if we are to fall on that road", he said darkly. "And I want you to come to me, not out of impulse in the spur of the moment, but because you're going to die if you don't."

He moved closer then, his face only inches away from Alfred's. His eyes were so blue, so intense. The young man's breath caught in his throat, and the Count smiled.

"I want you to want me, again and again, and I want to see you become undone at the sight of me. I want to have you completely and mesmerize you, body and soul", he whispered, his voice smooth and gentle. Then he pulled back slightly. "But most of all, I want you to be certain of this. Do you understand?"

"... I do", Alfred answered breathlessly. Oh dear.

"Good", the Count said, his smile widening. "Then perhaps you might be willing to show me around and tell me of your plans considering this garden."

Stupid, infuriating, cumbersome vampire! How could he possibly expect Alfred to be able to focus on something like flowers, when there was this... this elephant in the bloody garden! Then again, he probably had a point, as annoying as that was. It would be smart to think things over before jumping head first into anything. Talking about flowers was the last thing Alfred currently wanted to do, but he forced himself to concentrate. Think about regrets, he told himself. Flowers and regrets.

It wasn't easy to focus, not when he was so highly aware of the man strolling beside him. He felt sensitive almost to the point of it being painful, shivers passed down his spine every now and then, and he could have sworn there was electricity in the air. It was all he could do from jumping the vampire, but he knew the Count was right. He had to be certain, even if his impatience and aching were almost too much to bear.

The vampire had previously claimed himself to be quite ignorant of gardening, but he did make several questions implying that Alfred's project did interest him more or less. He described how the garden had been during his wife's time, and then Herbert's. The young man tried to concentrate but it was very difficult, and he missed at least half of what the vampire said. More often than not he was focused on how the Count's lips moved when he spoke, the faint smiles that curved his mouth occasionally, and the deep, piercing looks he cast about himself.

"Herbert is the one who built the gazebo. Or, rather, had it built. My son doesn't like to get his hands dirty, as you might have guessed... but he was very proud of it", the vampire said softly, half lost in his memories. Alfred carefully touched the back of his hand against the Count's, whose face became alert again as he quickly glanced at the human. A smile of sorts appeared very swiftly before his expression became smooth and controlled once more.

When Krolock finally made a move to return inside, Alfred hesitated for a moment, but then throwing all cautiousness in the wind, he grabbed the Count's arm.

"One more kiss?" he asked, feeling his heart miss a beat just for the thought of it.

With a wry smile, the vampire pulled him against himself once more, complying without an argument. This time, however, he didn't let it go on for long.

"Think of what I said, Alfred", he whispered, moving his lips to the human's ear. "And contemplate whether you can live with the consequences. I can hold back... but only for now. Because this is a hunger that will only grow the more you give in to it. Say no, and I'll never touch you again. Should you surrender, however... then I'll show you the stars."

He let go of Alfred then and strode swiftly inside the castle, leaving behind one very dizzy and flustered young man.

Oh dear. This was turning out to be very, very bad.

The vampire's lips crashed on his own with bruising force, and the sharp nails pressed against his scalp, effectively imprisoning his head... forcing him to accept the kiss.

"I want you to want me."

And goodness, he did want. He wanted more than he had ever wanted anything; he needed to feel possessed, to be captured completely... So he answered the kiss just as violently, feeling as if throwing himself into flames. He knew he was going to burn, but he didn't care.

There was no turning back now.

"Come to me... I want you to come to me."

What was happening? He remembered something Herbert had said... but he had to fight to recall the actual words. Vater has an unfortunate way of breaking nice things... The lips travelled from his mouth to his chin, and to his neck, and he arched back his head as he felt the fangs sliding across his skin, over his rapid pulse... he was glad to give them better access.

"You're going to die if you don't."

His breath became in quick gasps, and every fiber of his being was begging for release. And finally, he could feel the bite, and the sensation of physical boundaries being taken down... He was possessed and it was a feeling he welcomed. He needed this. In sharing his life's blood, he shared something else too... something he might never get back.

"I'll show you the stars."

And stars were what he saw as he came out of his feverish dream.

It's the blood. Nothing more. It's not me.

Alfred groaned and thrust his small garden shovel into the ground, falling back to sit down. It was the hundredth time that day he had found his mind wandering to things he shouldn't be thinking about, and it was becoming increasingly hard to ignore the images that had pursued him all night through his dreams.

Nothing seemed to help. He had tried reading, physical exertion, concentrating on his garden, thinking of Sarah... but it looked like everything was in vain. He was obsessed.

Herbert had warned him of this. Why hadn't he listened? He didn't want to feel these things... it made him powerless in yet another way, as if he hadn't been already stripped of enough control. Now he was even losing control over himself and his own thoughts, his own desires. Even when he tried to think of those fantasies and dreams he had powered himself with in the beginning of this mad dream seemed useless and grey in comparison. Every time, Sarah's shape under his hands would turn into a taller, leaner one, without any of those womanly curves he had followed with his gaze... the curls tickling his face would become silky strands, and the mouth against his own would not be as full, but the lips would be way more skillful... Just one more kiss, and then it'd be all right. Then he could forget about it.

With a groan, Alfred dropped the shovel and buried his face in his palms. He wasn't fooling anyone – least of all, himself. He couldn't make himself feel what he didn't, just as he couldn't pluck away feelings he did have.

He desired this. God, he desired this even more than he had ever desired Sarah. He only wanted let go and not care for what might happen to him. And just one more kiss would never be enough. No, there was no amount of kisses that could fill his cup until he wanted no more. He knew he couldn't just say no – not at this point. It was true: you'll die if you don't. This limbo where he had been drifting... he couldn't stay there for much longer. Either he'd have to break free forever from this place, or plunge down into the madness, to whatever end there would be... for if he said yes, he knew he would be giving Krolock free reign over himself. And it would be in ways this strange, infuriating man had not yet tried.

With a sigh, Alfred straightened himself and made his decision. In a way, it was a choice he had already made.

"The stars it is, then", he muttered to himself.

Even with his choice made, it still felt surprisingly hard to approach the vampire that same night. Irrationally, he wondered if he had got it all wrong, and doing this would result in him becoming the common laughing stock. But then, Alfred didn't think he really would be able to imagine something like what had happened between him and the Count. Really, he couldn't have just dreamt the past few months and the gradual pull towards the vampire, could he?

Because now he was convinced it had been there – the pull, or whatever he should call it. How and where it had begun, he didn't know, but now was too late to turn back.

With one final breath, he stepped into the sitting room. He hoped to find Krolock alone, but unfortunately Herbert was there too. Alfred gulped, his courage faltering already... there was no way he could do what he had intended in the front of the younger vampire. Who knew how the Viscount would react when witnessing that?

The Count lifted his gaze when Alfred entered and looked at the human with sharp, searching eyes. That look seemed to go straight into the young man's stomach, filling it with butterflies. He swallowed hard and blushed. A faint smile appeared on the vampire's face and then he looked at Herbert.

"Son", he called, staring at Herbert intently, "is that a spider in your hair?"

Alfred never told the blond man it afterwards, but he had never heard any man scream like Herbert did then. His jump was also pretty impressive – the human was quite sure he'd take flight straight from his armchair. His arms flailing, he wailed: "Where is it where is it Vati help oh no I'm going to die-"

"Relax, dear boy. It seems to have fallen off", the Count said, trying hard to hide his amusement.

"To think it touched my hair...! I need to go and wash immediately!" his son exclaimed and rushed out.

"Uh... what was that?" Alfred asked in profound astonishment. He had hard time believing he had just witnessed a centuries old vampire freaking out over a nonexistent spider.

"My son isn't very fond of spiders. He seems to have some sort of thing about them touching his head. As long as they stay away from his hair, he is fine", Krolock said nonchalantly and set his book aside.

"But... but he's a vampire! And he lives in an old castle that's probably full of all kinds of insects!" the young man pointed out.

"Of course he is. But are all your fears rational?" the Count asked with lifted eyebrows, and his words silenced Alfred for a moment. Well, when he put it that way...

"Why did you do that? There weren't any spiders as far as I could see", Alfred said after a while.

"Because it was the fastest and easiest way to get him to exit without him asking annoying questions", Krolock said wryly. "Unless, of course, you wanted him to stay?"

"Uh... perhaps not", Alfred stated and swallowed again, feeling like a schoolboy. But then, he wasn't a schoolboy any more, and the person sitting before him wasn't some beautiful girl who had caught his eye. Truly, there was no girl in Königsberg, or in any city in the world, who could stand in comparison to the charm and mystery and dark wonder that was Count von Krolock. He lifted his eyebrows again, blissfully unaware of Alfred's madly racing thoughts, and looked at him expectantly.

"Well? Spill it out", he urged impatiently.

"I've thought about what you said and I... I surrender", Alfred blurted with very little grace. He had thought of much more eloquent things to say, but now he couldn't remember any of it. A strange smile briefly flashed on the vampire's face, and then he stood up. With couple of long strides, he was in the front of Alfred. The young man did often feel small compared to the tall man, but never more than when he was so close.

"You surrender?" he asked softly, lifting the human's chin with the tips of his fingers.

"I do", Alfred breathed.

"And do you want me?" the Count asked, moving closer but still not touching except for his chin.

"Yes", Alfred gulped. The smile on the vampire's face widened, and his eyes held him captive... Alfred was quite sure that those eyes were looking straight inside his head and seeing every yearning, every desire that had pursued him past few days...

"How badly?" the Count asked, leaning towards Alfred, his breath brushing against the young man's face.

"So badly that... that I..." Alfred whispered. Damn. Thinking was getting harder and harder...

"Do tell me", Krolock urged, and now his face only inches away.

"That I'm... going to die if you don't..." the human stammered. "Please, don't make me beg..."

"Very well", the Count said and finally, pulled him into an embrace and gave that kiss Alfred had been hoping for. When he felt the vampire's mouth on his own, it was as if something that had been clutching his insides till now simply fell away, and suddenly, he felt so very light... Yes. It'd never be enough. Gracelessly, he jumped against His Excellency and wrapped his arms about his neck; a low chuckle erupted from the nobleman's throat as he caught his excited young companion.

When Alfred pulled back, he looked warily at the Count.

"Do you think you could maybe...?" he inquired softly, not sure how to voice out his concern.

"Could I maybe what?", the vampire asked, arms still about Alfred's smaller frame. How strange it was, that only a few months ago having this man so near to him would have driven him to terror, and now... now he felt something almost like... safety.

"Could you just... take it slow with me, please? I've never... I don't want to rush", the young man mumbled, feeling just a bit pathetic. Why did he have to be so awkward and inexperienced?

"Hmm. Of course", the Count promised with a slight smile. "We have all the time in the world..."

"Thank you", Alfred whispered and leaned into another kiss.

Now that it was settled, the restlessness seemed to be gone for the most parts. True, there were still those vivid dreams, but they seemed to have lost their worst impact when there was this... thing. Alfred didn't know what to call it, because really, things weren't that different in the end. The most drastic change was that there was more physical contact between him and the master of the castle. Usually, it was just exchanging kisses however, and although it could be very breathtaking and intense, the vampire never took it further than that - although he could feel it got very close a couple of times when His Excellency would bite him and drink his blood. On an occasion when they were alone, Alfred might sit by his feet on the floor and for a while, he could even get away with leaning his back against the Count's legs. It turned out Krolock wasn't that fond of prolonged physical contact or any romantic silliness, so aside from kissing and holding and touching each other while that happened, there wasn't really any hugging or pet names or holding hands or anything Alfred would have expected to have with someone like Sarah. To be honest, that'd have been too weird anyway.

Aside from that, the Count mostly acted as if nothing much had changed. Strangely enough, there was something calming about that. This all was very new and unfamiliar for Alfred and Krolock's collected manners made him feel that at least someone had the situation under control and knew what they were doing.

It also made him wonder about the Count's past lovers.

"I didn't think you'd be like... uh, Herbert", he confessed one night, blushing as he did so. "I mean... I thought you... preferred girls. Like Sarah."

His Excellency snorted dismissively.

"Hmph. How very human of you to wonder about that. You mortals have such strange inhibitions sometimes. But when you live as long as I have, 'preferences' become irrelevant. Blood is blood, whether it comes from man or woman, and once you grasp that... the possibilities become infinite", the Count scoffed without looking up from his book. Alfred supposed it made sense. In fact, in the light of this statement, Krolock's words when they had first met at the gates of the castle made sense in a wholly new way.

He looked up at Alfred and smiled wryly. "Really, one must ask if it's you one should wonder about when it comes to preferences..."

"I suppose so", the young man admitted. "But I don't understand it either... I've never really noticed other men like that. Not before... you know. You."

The Count did not even try to hide his smug smile.

"I shall take that as a compliment", he said, his tone light and amused. Then his face became more serious and he looked intently at Alfred. "I don't say this to mock you, but I do seem like a very unexpected change of course for you after the way you pined for Sarah."

Alfred couldn't deny that. Truth be told, he hadn't really thought of it from this perspective, and for a moment he sat in silence, trying to wrap his mind around Krolock's observation. Indeed, how did one go from someone like Sarah to this strange, unusual man? The two were worlds away from one another. Deep down, he knew it couldn't be just the blood. And judging by Krolock's expression, he knew that too.

"I really can't explain it", he finally said slowly. "You... her... I don't know. But I don't think I ever felt such pull to her. With you, it's... raw. Elemental. Something I can't resist – like I'll suffocate if I don't... you know. And... every time I try to think of her in that way, I just kind of slip and instead, I see you. I suppose it'd be better for me if I was with her, but... "

"But sometimes better isn't good enough", the vampire softly said, studying him intently.

"Yes", Alfred agreed. Krolock stood up and approached him quietly. When he was in the front of the human, he cupped the young man's face in his hand.

"I told you that your soul belongs to me, did I not?" he pointed out, tipping Alfred's face up.

"You did", Alfred mumbled. "But I never thought you meant this."

"Neither did I", the Count said in half audible voice, and then he pulled Alfred into his arms.

After some time he suddenly stopped, although Alfred would have been glad to go deeper still, but by now he had learned there were still some boundaries he ought to respect. So he didn't object when he was placed back in his chair. Alfred focused on catching his breath.

Meanwhile, the Count went to take his own seat again.

"So it wasn't your intention all along to... uh, make me... attracted to you?" Alfred asked warily once he had got back to his senses. The vampire snorted.

"Of course not. None of this went the way I had thought", he answered, watching the young man from the corner of his eye. "I meant to take your blood, perhaps turn you along the way... but something in you always held my hand when I contemplated taking your life."

"What is that? I mean... why would you... someone like me..." Alfred stammered. Why was it so hard to form coherent sentences when it came to this strange relationship between them? The Count, however, gave him a half-smile.

"I imagine it's at least partly because of frequently feeding on you", he said at length. "But you're actually quite charming on your own right. Your awkwardness and the way you're so oblivious to some things... Usually that sort of innocence doesn't catch my eye, but you..."

"But me?" Alfred repeated, feeling his blood rise at the way the vampire was watching at him. How could a simple smile and a stare be so provocative? Krolock's smile widened as though he knew exactly what was going on in Alfred's head.

"There's something about your naïvety that makes me want to ravish you senseless", he said in a low, velvety voice. The human gulped.

"Really?" he squeaked.

"You can rest easy. I'm not going to do anything you don't want me to do", the vampire reassured him calmly. It didn't need pointing out that things Alfred didn't want him to do was turning out to be quite the short list.

"Oh... nice", Alfred managed to utter, although he still felt a bit nervous as if he were to be devoured right there and then. After a moment, he spoke again: "It still confuses me though. That you'd care enough to consider my... uh, sensibilities."

His Excellency scoffed.

"I don't take pleasure in forcing myself on someone as naïve as you. It's much more delightful to have you choosing to give in... But have no doubt, Alfred. I'm going to deprave you and drag you down with me, and I'm going to make sure you'll like it. That you ask for it", the Count said with a wolfish smile.

The young man blushed scarlet at those words. Oh dear.

"You're horrible, did you know that?" he blurted out, considerable embarrassment colouring each of his words. His imagination was forming all sorts of wanton images in his mind, and he just hoped the Count wasn't currently reading his thoughts.

"Of course I am. One has to make one's life livable, don't you think?" Krolock said lightly.

"Bah! Sometimes I really wonder what I see in you", Alfred muttered and pretended not to hear the Count's chuckles. Stalking to the door, he made a face at the annoying man. "I'm going to go and have a bath."

"A cold one, mayhap?" the Count asked jovially. Blushing again, Alfred didn't know how to answer that so he just escaped the room before the vampire could make any more embarrassing comments like that.

"Uh... Herbert? May I ask something?" Alfred asked one evening when it was just him and the blond vampire in the sitting room. God (or maybe the Devil) only knew where the master of castle himself was roaming.

"Of course you can", Herbert answered lightly. He was sprawled in his armchair, reading some book on French cuisine. Why such thing would interest him when he couldn't actually eat, Alfred didn't know.

"I was wondering when... when you realized you... uh..." he stammered, trying to grasp at the right words but failing to find them.

"When I realized what?" Herbert pushed on and lifted his eyes. He looked curious, and the young man knew there was no way he could back off now.

"That you didn't like girls", he finally blurted out. The vampire looked like it wasn't a very special question and Alfred felt he had been nervous for no reason at all.

"I suppose I always sort of knew. I can't really point any particular time in my life when I somehow became specifically aware of it", the viscount said thoughtfully. "Why do you ask?"

"Just curious", the human said and shrugged.

"Mm. I never really noticed girls, to be honest. For a long time, I thought it was wrong – that I was wrong. Luckily I got over that and realized it doesn't matter. Sometimes I think it's good that I became a vampire... because to our kind, it's meaningless, unlike to you humans. You people always pay so much attention to the strangest of things", Herbert said and smiled.

"Yes, I suppose we do", Alfred agreed. He looked at the vampire warily. "What is it like? I mean... being with... another man?"

"You mean, sleeping with someone?" Herbert asked and grinned. "I could show you, if you wanted."

Alfred blushed furiously.

"No! I don't want that! I just... I'm just curious", he said quickly.

"Of course I know that. I was merely teasing you", the blond man said and laughed. Then he became more serious, "I honestly think you'd have to find that out on your own. I think you have to try it for yourself to understand. Because if I tell you, I might cause you a disappointment or ruin the experience and all the fun and excitement you get by trying out on your own. Personally, I think it's very enjoyable and fun. But if you really want to try it out, you should do it with someone who knows what they're doing."

"Oh", was the only thing Alfred could really answer. The knot in his stomach was becoming tighter and tighter. Here he was, talking about bedroom activities with none other than Herbert von Krolock! He had finally lost it, because nothing else explained this situation. What was more, he was trying to get advice from a vampire, with the ultimate reason of needing that advice being Herbert's own father. Well, at least the viscount didn't know that. But then, who else could he have asked? He didn't want the Count thinking he was having second thoughts, and he was fairly certain Koukol wouldn't be helpful at all.

"Don't look so terrified. It really isn't that scary in the end. You should just relax and try to enjoy it and not worry about anything else. That's my advice", Herbert said with a big smile.

The young man nodded mutely, and soon he rose up and started for the door, mumbling something about going out to catch some fresh air.

Alfred had been reading a book on gardening and sketching some plans in his bedchamber when His Excellency had silently wandered in (turned out he too had hard time understanding the concept of knocking). After scaring the young man by grabbing him from behind and then calming him down by the help of some kissing, he had made himself comfortable on Alfred's bed and was now quietly watching him with half-open eyes.

"All right, how am I supposed to concentrate here when you won't stop staring at me?" the human asked after a moment of fruitlessly trying to ignore the other man in the room. It was fairly difficult, because he couldn't say he had never imagined the Count here, in his bed. But if he admitted to having such thoughts, it would just make His Excellency so terribly smug, and Alfred didn't want to reveal how deep into this thing he already was.

"Perhaps you're trying to focus on the wrong thing", the Count said, sounding perfectly unconcerned. Alfred made a face at the infuriating vampire on his bed and put down his pen.

"What are you doing here, really?" he asked.

"As you can very well see, currently I'm enjoying your bed", the Count said and crossed his arms under his head.

"But you have one of your own", Alfred pointed out.

"Indeed I do. But you are here, and you are so delightful to watch", Krolock said with a half-smile.

"I dislike it when you act so creepily", the young man muttered, flipping through the pages of his book. The Count chuckled.

"You're so very tense, Alfred", he commented. "How do I get you to relax, I wonder?"

"I don't know but you are annoying", Alfred informed the man lounging in his bed.

"Am I now?" the vampire asked, his smirk slowly widening. "Do come here and tell me just how annoying I am."

The young man contemplated saying no just to spite the Count, but this thought was short-lived. After all, how was he to reject when those clear blue eyes stared at him in such manner? He was fairly certain his heart missed a beat or two because of it. So he padded to the bed and once he had taken off his shoes, sat down beside the vampire.

"Well? How annoying do you find me exactly?" Krolock inquired, lifting himself up from the covers. Alfred made a face at the vampire, and the man let out a low chuckle. Then he leaned closer and pulled the human against himself.

Some time later, when Alfred had ended up under the vampire's larger form and he was getting very excited to the point of his hips instinctively buckling up against his would-be lover, the Count pulled back and considered him with a slight frown.

"What is it?" the young man asked, his voice more than just a little hoarse.

"May I ask something personal?" the vampire inquired softly.

"I suppose you may", Alfred answered, although he was sure the conversation could have waited for later.

"Have you ever shared bed with anyone?" the Count asked, studying the young man's face intently. Alfred immediately blushed.

"That's none of your business", he told the older man, and a slight humourless smile briefly appeared on Krolock's face.

"Of course it's not. I'm just wondering..." the vampire said quietly and ran a gentle hand over Alfred's cheek. Who would have known he was capable of such tenderness?

"Wondering what?" the human asked. His heart was starting to slow down, but the heat was still there, under his very skin...

"If this is truly what you want and need. If you even realize what is going on and what is happening to you... You're so innocent, and I feel like I'm taking advantage of you. Are you certain you won't have any regrets? Do you even understand what is going to happen once I take you to my bed?" the Count wondered out loud.

Alfred pouted and gave a frustrated punch to the Count's shoulder.

"Just how ignorant and naïve do you think I am? I do understand there will be no turning back. I've known that from the start. And I do know what will happen and it doesn't scare me. If it did, I wouldn't have come to you in the first place. I'm not stupid, you know", he said, staring hard at Krolock.

"You aren't", the vampire agreed and planted yet another kiss on Alfred's lips. "But you have something about you I've never seen before... I have to confess, I like you too much to be willing to see you lost to bitter regrets. I need you to be certain of this... of what you really want."

"I am certain. I didn't say yes just in the spur of the moment. It's also because I can't not do this. I... I suppose I kind of need you", the human said, blushing again. It still felt strange to talk about so intimate things with the vampire.

"Hmm. It's been a long time since I've been with someone so inexperienced... but at least I know to be careful", the Count said quietly and settled back on the other side of the bed.

"You'll have to tell me if I do something wrong", Alfred mumbled and immediately feeling embarrassed, he buried his face in the pillow. Krolock gave a small soft chuckle and patted his shoulder.

"Do not worry for such things. Just... be yourself, and do what feels good to do", he said softly and sat up.

"I'm just scared you'll be disappointed when that actually happens because I haven't... you know", the young man said, unable to hide worry from his voice.

"Silly Alfred. If you believe that your inexperience bothers me, then why do you think I have approached you in the first place?" the vampire asked.

"I just... I don't want to be a disappointment", Alfred confessed, feeling more and more ashamed by the minute. But there was fear, too: how could he tell how it scared him, the possibility that he had finally found someone who wanted him, and then that someone was dissatisfied with what he had to offer?

But somehow, His Excellency knew just the thing to tell him.

"And you're not going to be. You're merely being insecure, but we'll take care of that... You'll see. The most important part is that you trust me completely..." the Count murmured.

"Trust?" the other one echoed.

"Yes. Do you trust me enough to let me so close?" Krolock asked with a faint lift of his eyebrows.

"... I do. I do trust you. And I want to know how it feels to... to be like that with someone. And not just with someone, but with you", Alfred confessed, and the mere idea made his heartbeat quicken. There was a small smile on the vampire's lips as he lowered himself on his elbow and hovered over the human.

"When the time is right, I will show you", he whispered and leaned down into a kiss.

A/N: Here's a bit longer chapter this time, with Alfred being all uncertain and awkward. Honestly, I think he would be very much so in this situation. Also, I changed the rating to M, just to be safe. Stay tuned for the next chapter!