Ravenous
Disclaimer: I don't own anything related to Hannibal Lecter. He belongs to his creator, Mr. Thomas Harris. I'm just borrowing the Good Doctor for a little while. I promise to play nice then put him back right where I found him.
Summary: Based on the film "Hannibal Rising". This takes place two years after the events of the movie. After a stressful residency at John Hopkins University, the Good Doctor decides to take a long needed holiday.
Being a connoisseur of fine wine, he travels west to the lush vineyards of Napa Valley, California. Soon after arriving, he is unexpectedly reunited with someone from his past. Much to his surprise, feelings of longing and desire are rekindled. But as he is getting reacquainted with his lost love, an old foe and rival also comes calling.
With his security in jeopardy, will young Dr. Lecter have to resort his unique culinary talents once more?
A/N: This is my first "Hannibal" fic ever. And I wrote this at the behest of a favorite authoress of mine, Mishka Germash. So please be kind. I do welcome constructive criticism.
Sorry for the long delay, my dears. Problems with my DSL connection contributed to the wait. But I'm back and so is this story!
Rated M for gore, violence and sexual situations. Hannibal/Lady Murasaki and of course Inspector Popil.
Chapter Twenty
Lady Murasaki could now feel the tiny hairs on the back of her neck stand on end. A disquieting awareness slowed crept up the length of her spine as she witnessed the unspoken reverence between Hannibal and Ramon.
As they silently regarded one another, the Japanese heiress could definitely see a kinship, a morbid connection that would irrevocably link these two omens of death.
They are two of kind.
Predatory voracious monsters that have preyed on the weak and unwary, not because they want to, but because HAVE to. They are driven by their inner demons to slaughter everyone that threatens them. It is in their nature to kill, to devour and destroy everything in their path until there is nothing left except…each other.
And then what, do they turn on one another? Will they tear at the other's flesh, ripping it right off the bone with their bare hands in a frenzied clash for supremacy?
As in the animal kingdom, there can only be one dominate marauder. How long would it take for Ramon to try to extinguish Hannibal after he's learned all he can from him, thus eliminating his competition?
Hannibal is in danger. WE are in danger and we need to get out of this place, NOW
The lady drew closer to her love and captured his waist within her protective embrace.
"Hannibal," she said calmly. "I think we should leave, now. It is getting late and I would like to return to the hotel before nightfall."
Not taking his eyes off Ramon, Dr. Lecter conceded to his lady's wishes. "You're quite right, my love. We really should be getting back."
Ramon gave his guests a self-assured smirk. "Leaving so soon? I hope it was nothing I said."
Hannibal, charming as ever, reassured his young host to the contrary. "Not at all, Mr. Marquez, you have been most gracious. But the lady is tired and is still recovering from last night's harrowing ordeal. She undoubtedly needs to rest."
The unnatural intermittent glint in Ramon's dark eyes as he silkily addressed Hannibal unnerved Murasaki to her very core.
"Ah, yes the Popil murder. Strange, isn't, that the very member he tried to violate Mrs. Lecter with was sliced off, testicles and all. The way I see it, what happened was poetic justice. Don't you think so, Dr. Lecter?"
Upon hearing Ramon's disgusting recounting of the facts, Hannibal immediately looked upon the face of his beloved. As expected, her already pale face had blanched even further and she appeared to be on the verge of fainting.
Furious beyond reason, the youthful physician turned his hate-filled maroon eyes back to glower at the smug countenance of Ramon Marquez.
Bastard! How could you?! Hannibal's mind raged.
He had taken extra precautions to spare his aunt from knowing the more ghastly details of Popil's demise. Murasaki had been in such a delicate state, Lecter felt it would serve no purpose to tell her how her former friend had died.
In Hannibal's eyes she had been through enough. But now that Ramon had revealed the awful truth, his heart broke over her suffering once more.
Lady Murasaki began to softly sob as her mind tried to make sense of it all. Tears of sorrow slipped down the slopes of her cheeks as Hannibal did his best to comfort her. Murasaki surrendered to his warm embrace, yielding her small slender frame against Hannibal's lean body for support. The doctor, meanwhile, continued to stare daggers at the young man that had been the cause of her current distress.
You have injured my lady, Ramon Marquez, and greatly offended me. And for this insult you will pay…exceedingly so!
"Come, milady. We've taken advantage of Mr. Marquez's amiable hospitality." Hannibal then reached into the breast pocket of his leather jacket and pulled out a neatly pressed monogrammed handkerchief. But not before assuring himself that his trusty 15 blade scalpel was still tucked away in its hiding place. Next he gently, lovingly wiped away Lady Murasaki's tears.
Afterward, Dr. Lecter turned to face Ramon and stated flatly. "What's more, I'm sure that you have better things to do with your time than to play tour guide to a couple of weary travelers."
As if to mock them, Ramon bowed before the Lithuanian nobleman and his lady. He then tilted his face up to look at the couple and began to speak in a supercilious tone that Hannibal found most discordant.
"Allow me, your humble servant, to show you out then."
Wishing not to take his cold murderous gaze off the young man, even for an instant, Dr. Hannibal Lecter insisted that Ramon Marquez lead the way out of the wine cellar.
lllll
The ride back to the Napa River Inn was long and silent as the sun began its slow steady descent behind the westward hills. And as for Lady Murasaki, she took little comfort in holding onto her Hannibal as she sat behind him on the motorbike.
All of the enthusiasm and hopefulness that had greeted her that morning had been cruelly dashed by the reality of her situation.
It was time she faced the cold hard truth. She was in love with a killer.
It was actually bearing witness to the extent of the evil that dwelled inside her nephew that had finally jarred her out of her lovesick state.
Murasaki now knew that no matter where they went in the world, there would be no escaping what Hannibal truly was. They would constantly live in the humongous shadow of his rapacious appetite and the dangerous consequences of his actions.
Lady Murasaki was only deluding herself. She was not strong enough to withstand penalty for loving such a man. And there was only one thing left to do.
No recriminations, no tearful goodbyes.
She had return to France immediately. And never look back.
lllll
Later on that night, when they were finally alone in their shared suite Hannibal sensed that something was terribly wrong with his lady.
Her quiet disposition throughout dinner had troubled him greatly. And yet, he did not wish to intrude into her private contemplations. His aunt had been through so much turmoil and Hannibal had no desire to stress her further.
Nevertheless, as the evening wore on, the more distressing her silence became. Something was weighing heavily on the mind of his adored lady. The knowledge of that fact only steeled Dr. Hannibal Lecter's determination to get to the crux of the matter.
As he sat across from her at the dinner table, Hannibal couldn't help admire the way the flickering candlelight highlighted her delicate Asian features. His lady now wore a flimsy dress of fawn colored lace with thin straps adorning her milky white shoulders. And the crowing glory of her raven mane, silky and fragrant, fell straight down her back. In this setting, she appeared so young and innocent.
And to Hannibal, she was still the most striking creature he had ever set his eyes upon.
Aside from her great beauty, Dr. Lecter also admired this woman for her indomitable perseverance. Lady Murasaki had possessed the heart of a warrior in times of great adversity. It was that unconquerable spirit that had endeared her all the more to him.
Hannibal smiled as he remembered fondly that as a child he had looked to her for the strength and guidance that the rest of the world had denied him.
But as he looked upon her now, there was no trace of that fortitude she was known for. There was only a tragic fragility, which made her appear small, defenseless, and vanquished.
Seeing his lady in such a state tore Hannibal's dark heart in two.
Ever so gently Hannibal laid one of his skilled surgeon's hands on Lady Murasaki's fine delicate one.
Softly he whispered to her. "A penny for your thoughts, milady? Forgive the intrusion, my love, but you seem so far away from me."
Murasaki willed herself not to look directly at Hannibal. She couldn't. Instead, she focused her gaze onto the dancing flames of the candelabra that graced the center of the table.
Feelings of self-recrimination and guilt tore away at her heart. Murasaki knew that what she had to say would cause Hannibal great pain. And she also knew that she could not bear to see the aggrieved expression on the angelic face she loved so dearly.
Still, whatever was happening between them needed to end, now, for both their sakes. It was within Lady Murasaki power to stop it, before it got any further.
Withdrawing her hand slowly away from his, she laid it carefully in her lap. Sighing deeply, Murasaki kept staring at the shimmering candlelight as if transfixed by it somehow. When she finally opened her mouth to speak; she tried to keep her voice even and unfaltering.
"Hannibal, there is no easy way to say this…so I am going to come right out with it. Tomorrow, I will be making arrangements to return to Paris. Alone."
His lady's words immediately and cruelly crushed his heart upon hearing them. Hannibal's response, however did not betray the agony he was feeling.
"And when was this decided, milady?" he asked smoothly.
Another tired sigh, then she replied. "On the way back from the vineyard, not that it matters."
"Oh my lady, but it does…it matters a great deal. This…decision of yours was made in haste and I believe I know why."
"Hannibal…please, I beg you. Don't make this harder than it has to be." Lady Murasaki felt herself on the verge of tears despite her best efforts to remain resolute in her decision.
"Very well then…I see now that I cannot dissuade you from your choice, as misguided as I think it might be. I only have one final question, if you will permit me to ask you, milady."
"And what is your query, Hannibal?" she inquired wearily.
Lady Murasaki could feel the intense glare from those blood red eyes. Hannibal was daring her to look him, but she was truly terrified. All would be lost in just one glance, she was sure of it.
But after some time she allowed herself to tear her glistening eyes away from the mellow glow from the candles' illumination to gaze upon the face of her fallen angel.
He was so beautiful, so perfect, that it was hard to believe that he was actually capable of murder. But she knew all too well that he had maimed and killed in the name of vengeance.
His handsome face was expressionless, betraying no emotion whatsoever when Hannibal spoke at last.
"Do you love me?" His question had been simple and direct to the point, sharply piercing through her defenses like a knife.
It was so unexpected that Murasaki was forced to turn her gaze upon him. Her dark questioning eyes began to frantically search his for any hint of malicious intent.
But in the end she found none, and almost immediately the lady felt the resolve to leave him slipping away.
When Lady Murasaki hesitated to give her answer, Hannibal repeated the question.
"Do you love me?"
Her response came as an almost non-coherent ramble, as she attempted to rationalize her reasons for ending their relationship.
"It's complicated, Hannibal. You don't seem to realize the ramifications we would face if you and I were to pursue this! It's wrong on so many levels, that I couldn't even begin to list all…"
Leaning across the table, Hannibal calmly but firmly interrupted Lady Murasaki by asking the question again.
"Do…you…love…me? The answer should be easier than you think, milady. A simple 'yes' or 'no' will suffice. So I ask you once more: do you love me?"
He was methodically and systematically plaguing her with his gentle insistence. She was almost certain that Hannibal would be perfectly content to continue his current line of questioning, all night if necessary, until he had the answer he so desperately required.
For a second time in the evening, he encountered her stony silence which managed to increase his frustration.
However, Hannibal would not give up on his lady, not yet. He knew that she was only reacting out of fear. Learning of Popil's terrible fate coupled with the disclosure of Ramon's homicidal tendencies had only managed highlight his own. And that is what was terrifying her, the undeniable truth that he too was a heinous fiend.
He could hardly blame her. What kind of life could he possibly offer her when he was a slave to his monstrous proclivities? There would always be the risk of exposure or capture, no matter how carefully he tried to conceal his crimes.
What then? Would he subject his lady to visit him through the bars of a prison cell? Or worst still, watch him be put to death at the hands of the state's executioner?
In that case what was the alternative? Hannibal did not relish a life on the run, always living in fear and constantly looking over their shoulders either.
When he allowed himself to analyze the situation from Murasaki's perspective, it all seemed so hopeless.
However, the thought of what his life would be like without her in it only strengthened his determination to salvage their love.
True, Hannibal was the most depraved of killers, but he could never bring himself to harm those he loved. And there was no doubt that he completely and emphatically loved Lady Murasaki. There had to be a way to reassure her that he would never hurt her, ever.
Slowly, Lecter rose from his chair as his eyes stayed riveted on his lady's lovely face. There was so much uncertainty in her eyes, so much sadness as she watched him carefully approach her.
When he had finally drawn near, Hannibal immediately and reverently fell to one knee, genuflecting before her as his hands sought hers out.
As his warm fingers slid over hers, Lady Murasaki started to tremble all over.
Was it fear, excitement? Or perhaps it was a little of both.
Lady Murasaki dared not move a muscle or even breathe, afraid that whatever she did, it would force her to inevitably answer Hannibal's persistent question.
Then suddenly her worst fears were realized when he asked her one final time.
"Do you love me, Murasaki?"