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Eric's POV
The feelings are so intense I cannot block them out and I start to call out to her in my native tongue; feeling that if I cannot contain the words of love and devotion that are falling from my mouth, it would be best if no one else understood them.
She was right of course. I did not truly realize what the emotion was until she named it, but when she said it I knew it to be true. Why else would I be so gentle with her when I have never given the others a second thought? Why else would I have been so jealous of Pamela last night? Why else would I have given in last night and stayed with her afterwards, and why else would I have allowed the scene that took place when I entered tonight? I love her. I will get us both killed if I allow it to go on though. I meant what I said to her. Emotions are dangerous and she is my job.
That's why I chose the lesson I did tonight. I could have taught her something else, but when she declared her feelings for me and demanded my declaration in return I knew I had to put a barrier between us or she would end up drained and I would end a pile of ash with a wooden stake in the middle.
But it seems that my lesson in the debauched nature of vampires has backfired on me. Instead of reinforcing the nature of our relationship as teacher and student or master and slave I have found yet another act that hightened by what I feel for her, will never be the same with anyone else ever again.
I know that I scared her when I told her what would happen here tonight but, as she has been on ever other night, she was magnficent. Fearless and feral, deeply passionate, and able to find pleasure in what might have frightened another. I tried to perpare her only as much as necessary, wanting this act to startle her and perhaps even hurt a little bit. Anything that would change her view of me from lover to master, but it seems that, try though I might, I will never be able to put up a facade between us. Instead I found myself utterly consumed by the passion between us, unbelievably proud of her strength, and completely overwhelmed by the pleasure of her body beneath me.
Now as we lay here, her body still underneath mine, my cock still burried to the hilt in her tight, sweet little ass all I can think is that I want her again. I need her right now. The desire to take her perfect little bottom again is almost overwhelming, but I do not. I gave into her last night when I should not have, if I do so again, how will I keep from telling her the truth, and once I admit it to her there's no going back. No, I am a vampire, I am over eight hundred years old, mastery over my own wants and desires was one of the first lessons my maker ever taught me, by completely denying me the right to them. I will not let a simple human girl rule me this way.
I pull out of her body slowly not wishing to hurt her and I hear her groan. She will be soar tomorrow if she is not already. Sookie turns over and looks up at me. I want to stroke her hair, kiss her lips, tell her how absolutely enthralling she is and how being with her is...right, perfect. Instead I take a deep calming breath, turn picking up my clothes, and leave. As the door locks behind me I hear her quiet sobs but I do not allow myself to be swayed by them. This is for the best.
I make my way down to the library and sit in front of the fire there. After a few moments I hear the door open and I do not need to look up to know that it is Appius.
"Master," I say by way of greeting, my eyes never leaving the fire. Appius sits in the chair next to mine and joins me in my contemplation of the flames.
"How goes it with the Queen's new toy?" His question sounds casual and of course he has every reason to be curious since our sucess or failure with the girl will mean the difference between this little venture prospering and all of us being chained in silver for a decade or two, but there is something to the tone of his voice that makes me cautious.
"She is quite talented. I believe that she will turn out well." I keep my voice neutral and continue to stare into the fire, but I can feel my inner turmoil turn to unease as I answer.
"I spoke to Pamela last night, I believe you are quite taken with the girl." Again it's said causually but there can be no doubt what he means. I turn to him now and find him looking at me.
"I am nothing of the sort." Appius chuckles, it's not a sound I've ever liked.
"Pamela attempted to tell me that as well, but I've always known when she was hiding something, and she never hides anything unless it's to protect you. Would you like to tell me what's going on or not?" I hear the edge in his voice and despite my eight hundred years on this earth I feel a frision of fear. My maker is hundreds of years older than me and in all the time he has dwelt upon this earth compassion and mercy are two emotions he has never experienced. If I do not convince him that Sookie is business as usual I won't have to wonder who will be wielding the stake that ends me.
"I will not lie, training her is quite pleasant. Her body is beautiful, her responses quite passionate, and her blood exquisite. She is the most pleasant assignment I have had in a long time. But there is nothing beyond that. She is human, when she is gone I will train another and another and I will not think on her again." Appius gives me one hard look but then nods as though he's satisfied. I try not to betray my inner relief at this.
"Good. Antony Morgaine comes tomorrow all the way from England. He has expressed an interest in looking over our wears and I believe if we play things right he may choose to purchase one of the girls. I think either Belina or Melanie would be to his liking. To that end I intend to let him look over the girls tomorrow evening when he arrives. Clancy will of course help display Melanie since he has trained her, but I do not think it fitting that I should display Belina even if I have trained her. I would like you to do it instead." He watches my face intently for a reaction and I realize that this is my real test. If I betray even the slightest bit of hesitation he will ascribe it to my attachment to Sookie. So I do what I must to keep us both safe.
"You honor me Master. If I might suggest, I think that the other's should be brought down to watch as well. They will all be in this situation at one time or another and it will benefit them to see what will happen and how they must behave." Appius smiles widely at me and I see his fangs decend. For now it seems both Sookie and I safe.
"Excellent Eric. As always your keen mind does us both credit. Make all the arrangements necessary and have everyone assembled in the drawing room at 9:00 pm tomorrow. Now, I think I will go and attend to Belina. After all I do not want her disappointing me tomorrow night." He chuckles again and gets up to leave without further adieu.
After speaking to the night maids and instructing them on what must be done tomorrow when they arrive I turn to go downstairs into the underground part of the house and my chamber, but before I even have a chance to think about it I find myself climbing the stairs to Sookie's room instead. It's madness to do so after so narrowly convincing Appius of my disinterest, but I find that I cannot help myself. I must see her if even just for a few minutes.
The guard at Sookie's door bows to me as usual and if he is suprised to see me again he gives no indication. Unlocking the door he opens it for me and steps aside. When I enter I see sookie sitting on the floor infront of the fire place. She has redoned her red nightgown and robe and let her hair fall loose. The fire catches the strands and gives the illusion of a golden aura all around her body. It is utterly exquisite and I find myself unable to utter a word as I am drawn closer to her by the nameless thing between us.
I hear the door close behind me but Sookie still makes no move to acknowledge my presense. I sit down beside her and though she does not look at me or speak to me she brings herself flush against my side and lays her head on my shoulder. Without even realizing it I put my arm around her, holding her body to the curve of mine and laying my own head on top of hers, rubbing my cheek into her sweet smelling hair.
We stay like that for a long time, staring into the flames and saying nothing as though if we do not move and do not speak than all the unpleasant truths that surround us do not really exist. She is not an innocent taken against her will and I am not her captor. She is not the property of another and I will never be forced to give her up. We are simply each other's, she is mine and I am hers and we are the only two people in the world. After a time though she is the one to break the spell.
"You came back, why?" I rub my cheek into her hair again and plant a small kiss to the crown of her head.
"There is something I must tell you about tomorrow, but I also wanted to check on you. Does it hurt very much?" I know I should not ask, but I also know in this moment that though I will never say the words, we are past the pretense that nothing exists between us. She continues to stare into the fire but I see her mouth form into a small smile and one of her little hands comes up to caress my chest where I left the first few buttons of my shirt undone.
"Only a little, but it's a pleasant sort of soreness. My teacher was very demanding tonight, but he brought me pleasure I never could have dreamed existed." I pull her tighter against me at that and kiss my way down her hair to her ear, to her cheek, and then her jaw. I hear her sigh deeply and feel her other arm come up around my back. We are holding each other tightly now and I wish more than anything that this night would never end.
"You were crying when I left." I say, my voice sounding foreign to me so soft and full of concern. I hear her laugh a tiny little laugh that sounds almost like a bell tinkling.
"I cried because you left, not because you hurt me." At that I take her chin in my hand and turn her face to mine. Her eyes are huge, liquid, and blue, so deep that if I could I would drown in them. So much naked love is there on her face and I know that could I see mine right now it would be no different. I lean down slowly and place a gentle kiss on her lips. When we part again I feel the anguish inside of me.
"This cannot be between us little one." Her face turns hard and determined and I know that unlike earlier she will not let me deny the truth this time.
"It already is." What more can I say? There is no truthful refute to what she has said. Instead I nod at her and turn back to the fire.
"Which makes what I must tell you now that much harder." I feel her tense beside me, readying herself for the unknown. What I have to say is probably much better than any number of things she must fear, but the mear thought of it makes me sick anyway.
"Tell me." I take her hand in my own and play with the delicate little veins that run just under the surface of the back of it.
"Tomorrow night a vampire from Europe, a Mr. Morgaine, will arrive. He desires to purchase one of the girls. Appius believes that either Melanie or Belina will be most suitable for him. He is arranging a showing and a demonstration of their talents so that Mr. Morgaine can make the most...informed decision possible. Appius has himself trained Belina, but as Master here he does not think it fitting that he should participate in the demonstration. He has asked me to help show her off." I stop, taking a deep calming breath, and then tell her the rest. " Appius questioned me tonight about you. He is suspicious of the depth of my attachment to you. In order to assure him that no such attachment exsists, I suggested that all the students be brought to watch tomorrows entertainments..." I trail off not wanting to spell it out any farther or even think about what will happen tomorrow. I see a single tear streak down Sookie's face.
"What you really mean is that you will have sex with this girl tomorrow for Mr. Morgaine's entertainment and I will be expected to watch."
"Yes, that is what I really mean." She just nods and continues to stare into the fire, her eyes glisten with tears but she does not let anymore fall.
"Will you enjoy it?" She asks after a time, and her voice is so small and so filled with sadness that it overwhelms me. I take her cheek in my hand and turn her face to mine. I lean down until our faces are close enough for us to kiss, but I do not, instead I stare deeply into her eyes so she can see the truth there.
"Five days ago, yes I would have. I would have enjoyed fucking her very much. But now...after you leave I fear that I will never take joy in anything else again. I want only you, I desire only you." With that I slant my mouth across hers and take her into my arms, pulling her into my lap. Sookie gives a strangled little cry and devours my mouth, parting my lips with her tongue and running them over my fangs. After a long moment we break apart so she can breath and I see the wild desire in her eyes.
"Let me please you. Show me what will please you more than anything else. I want you to think only of this, of us when you're with her tomorrow!" Her voice is filled with urgency and it makes me instantly and completely hard. I stand and give her my hand to help her up. When she's standing I gently remove her robe and nightgown so that she is gloriously naked in front of me. She is so beautiful and I am utterly powerless to stop myself from taking her. I pick her up and carry her to the bed, gently laying her down.
"Lay in the middle of the bed little one," I command her softly. I see her smile a dark smile full of anticipation and lust and suddenly thoughts of tomorrow flee my mind and all I can think of is what we will do together right now.
