Hola, Happy Valentine's Day to y'all! As promised, an update for you! Let me know what you think?

Enjoy

CHAPTER 35: SAY

-Horatio?-, Calleigh asked softly upon entering the vampire's house. She looked around for any sign of peril or struggle, but she found none. Now, if only that pretty redhead would speak up…

She found him in the living room, directly in front of the huge window door, the dying rays of the Miami sun casting an orange glow all around him, making his soft hair burn with liquid fire. Calleigh recognized the silent, slow and precise moves as some sort of Yoga by product. He was totally focused on the tasks his body was accomplishing, that was why he hadn't heard her.

As he performed, Calleigh took her time in studying his body. He seemed unharmed, there were no visible cuts or wounds or other painful stuff. He looked… gorgeous, edible even. She approached him silently, and as soon as he had both his feet firmly on the ground, she wrapped her arms around his middle.

-Hello, dear. -, he greeted her, turning in the embrace to place a peck on her lips. What was supposed to be a quick contact soon turned into a heated kiss, with Horatio seeking entrance into the blonde's mouth. She let him tease her lower lip, gently bite and suck on it, then parted her lips, swallowing his tongue in the process. They dueled, fighting for dominance, until the need for oxygen became too great. As she panted, Horatio traced the contours of her swollen lips with his thumb.

-Are you okay?-, she breathed, her chest coming into contact with his with every breath she took. The vampire chuckled, then nibbled on her neck.

-More than okay. -, he whispered back, licking his way on her neck, following her jugular. The woman gasped in surprise and pleasure, pressing her breasts firmly against the redhead's chest in silent invitation. Deftly he pinned her against the wall of the living room; he bent down and placed his hands on the back of her knees, scooping her up effortlessly. Calleigh's squeal of joy soon turned into a moan as once again Horatio assaulted her neck.

Squeezed between the wall and the vampire's chest, Calleigh let herself succumb to his ministrations. Each stroke of his hands sent desire running through her veins, each kiss heated her core more. She played along eagerly, insinuating her small, wet tongue in the man's ear, swirling it around until she had managed to elicit a small moan from him; she proceeded to bite his lobe, then lowered her head to place a trail of kisses along his jaw line.

Horatio groaned, grinding his hips against Calleigh's. The woman gasped. He was hard and ready for her.

-Bedroom…-, she whispered in his ear.

A knock on his door startled Jesse out of his task. He let go of the dish he was rinsing in the sink and quickly wiped his hands on a towel before jogging towards the source of the sound.

-Vera?-, he was obviously surprised to find the petite girl at his doorsteps. Her ears twitched at the shrillness of his voice; she didn't back down, just scratched her left arm with her right hand.

-Hi. How are you?-, she greeted him, her senses screaming at her that she was not welcome there. She tried shaking the feeling away, she really needed to talk to the man.

-Fine. What about you? Are you okay?-, he inquired. He was obviously referring to physical injuries. He spotted none, but with her he'd better make sure.

-Sure. -, the were-cheetah shrugged. –Everything went fine with Raymond. No one got hurt too much. -, she added, only half joking. When she failed to amuse Jesse, she thought it better to get back to business. –Can I come in? I'd like to talk. -, she wondered.

-Whatever…-, the dark haired man replied, stepping inside and leaving the door open. Vera followed in into the tiny apartment and closed the door behind her shoulders, never letting the young man out of her sight.

-Jesse, I'm sorry about the other night. It was like I was drugged, I didn't know what I was doing. -, she told him quickly, before she lost the courage she had managed to muster. Jesse snorted.

-Obviously. -, he mumbled. Taken aback, Vera's eyebrows raised in puzzlement.

-What's that supposed to mean?-, she wondered. Jesse sighed, then put his hands on his hips.

-Nothing. That your… special interest in me lasted no more than that stuff, the pheromones, did. -, he replied bitterly, shoving his hands in the pockets of his pants. Vera took a tentative step towards him.

-You mean my sexual interest in you? That's not true… I'm sorry if I haven't tried jumping your bones the moment I laid my eyes on you, but I think I've made it clear I like you…-, she bit back softly, defending herself. Her apparently calm tone only fueled Jesse's rage.

-Yes, well, I'm the rebound guy, am I not? The one you want is the vampire…-, he accused her, taking a step back as an answer to her advancing towards him.

-It's a tad more complicated than that. -, the girl told him honestly. –He saved my life, I had the imprinting with him. I'm bound to him. -, she tried explaining her situation, her ties, to the dark haired man.

-Answer me this… if he were to ask you to have sex with him, would you comply?-, Jesse hissed malevolently, eyes blazing with the inner fire of anger. He watched intently as Vera took a long breath and exhaled slowly, shoulders raising and lowering in rhythm with her chest. She closed her eyes in a meditative gesture, then, when she'd obviously made up her mind, she reopened them. The resemblance with Horatio's cut deeply into Jesse's heart. Even her eyes were his…

-Honestly? I don't know. I think it would depend on the situation. It's not just a matter of sex. -, she shrugged. Jesse sucked on a little breath, holding it as not to explode and start screaming at the girl.

-What the hell does that mean?-, he demanded angrily. For once in that week, he'd have greatly appreciated a yes or no answer, for the peace of his mind and heart. Vera's oblique answer, though, was a sign that she didn't want to be honest with him, at least in the man's opinion. She was just playing, just toying with him…

-Well, he's with Calleigh now, and I like you. It's unlikely he'd make a move on me. But if he were persistent enough, I think in the long run I'd say yes. There are a number of things he, as my Master, can do, or make me do. -, she told him almost dispassionately. The lack of heat in her voice was driving Jesse crazy; didn't she understand there were emotions involved? Was that just a question of hierarchy for her?

-And if you were with me? Would that be enough?-, he had to know.

-That's vague, Jesse. -, Vera replied quickly. In an outburst of anger, Jesse punched the wall of his living room.

-Dammit, Vera, just answer my damn question!-, he shouted at her, ignoring the rapidly developing pain in his hand.

-Yes, yes it would be!-, she shouted back, color raising to her cheeks.

-Sorry, that was not very convincing. It took you too fucking long to say it. -, Jesse informed her, glaring at her. Now Vera felt crossed. She was just trying to be honest with him! Life wasn't black or white, but a ever evolving shade of grey, didn't that prick of an idealist know?

-You're an ass. I'm trying to be honest with you!-, she told him in a calm tone, all her rising fury showing in her now midnight blue eyes.

-If you really wanted to be honest with me, you wouldn't have lead me on!-, he retorted, gesticulating wildly with his hands. The desire to take a swig at something was mounting to a point that it was getting difficult to control. Sensing all the callousness in his tone and childish desire to hurt her, Vera let the mask of perfect calm slip once and for all. She shouted right back at him.

-I lead you on? If you recall it's been you who's come to me. To comfort me, yes. You even insisted. And while I'm grateful, you have no right to say I took advantage of you!-, she screamed her points at him, desperately rejecting all his accuses. Why was it, that by being there for everyone she only managed to get them angry at her? What had she missed, what had she done wrong?

-Next time I'll mind my own business!-, he swore to the world, to himself and to her.

-Fine! You do that!-, Vera bit back, spinning around to reach the door. Jesse called back to her.

-Yeah, run! Go to your vampire, or better yet, go to Delko! You enjoyed being with him, didn't you?-, he screamed at her retreating back. She froze, her arms shaking violently, shoulders tight with barely repressed fury. She raised a hand.

-Fuck you, Jesse! If you have self esteem issues, bring your frustration out on someone else! I have a life to live; it's not the best and it's messed up, but it's mine, and needs to be lived to the end. Sorry if you weren't always on top of my priorities. Didn't think you expected that from me. -, she told him coldly, not bothering to turn and look at him, her hand firmly planted on the hole she had dug on the wall near the entrance door. She withdrew her arm, then went away for good. She'd said all she'd wanted to say.