Ch. 10

"Dorothy Catalonia, fashionista extraordinaire, how can I help you?" The familiar, powdery voice came from the other line and Relena felt that same familiar comfort she had missed course through her. She smiled.

"That greeting really is a bit much, you know?" Relena teased. She knew Dorothy would know her voice.

"Relena?!" Dorothy responded. The relief and surprise in her friends voice brought another prickling of tears to her eyes. "Oh my god! Where have you been?! I've been trying to reach you! When they found out you were missing I went to your apartment! I thought you had been taken by someone!"

"Well I-"

"Have you called your brother? Does he know where you are?"

"Well, I-"

"I have been out of my mind with worry-"

"Dorothy!"

"What? Oh! Sorry! I just-"

"I know, my friend." Relena sighed. "I've missed you too." Dorothy laughed on the other end of the line.

"Who said anything about missing you? You borrowed my blue cashmere sweater and I was afraid I would never see it again!"

"Dorothy…" Relena shook her head.

"Seriously though, where have you been? Are you ok?"

"I'm fine." She smiled but, knowing her friend, Dorothy did not believe her.

"Where are you?"

"I can't tell you."

"Were you whisked away by your secret dream-man?" Relena didn't want to lie to her friend but…

"I can't tell you anything."

"The hell you can't!" Dorothy yelled. "We have all been out of our minds with worry! I haven't done a single good photo shoot since you disappeared!" Relena rolled her eyes. Dorothy had a way of joking about things when she was truly bothered. People who didn't know her well enough mistook her sarcasm for callousness.

"Believe me, Dorothy. There is so much I want to tell you but I'm not sure how much I can…"

"Well," Dorothy began in that voice that spelled trouble. "What if I guess and you give me a 'yes' or a 'no'?" Relena felt conflicted again. She had promised Heero she would not reveal where she was or who she was with… but surely she could tell her about being in love…?

"I suppose we could try."

"Excellent! I love guessing games!" Again, Relena rolled her eyes. "First, does your disappearance involve a man?"

"Yes."

"Oh! Now I am positively bursting with curiosity!" She could almost hear Dorothy's hands rubbing together with glee. "Is he handsome?"

"Very."

"Have you fucked him yet?"

"Dorothy!"

"That's a 'yes'." The older girl laughed.

"Dorothy…"

"Tell me he's good?"

"He's amazing… in every sense of the word. "

"Sexy and an excellent lover? If you're telling the truth then I am almost jealous!"

"Dorothy, really!"

"Sorry, sorry… it's just… my little virginal Relena is all grown up and fucking a sexy man!"

"Dorothy!"

"Is he the man from your dreams?"

"...Yes…"

"Oh my god! I don't know if that's sweetly poetic or extremely creepy…"

"I like to think of it as the sooner."

"Does he treat you well?"

"It's been… different… I've had a lot of changes… a lot to cope with and I've had a few times where we've been at odds but…" She paused, his gentle blue eyes flashing in her mind… "I'm happy… truly happy."

"I'm not going to say that I'm a fan of your secrecy, or that I like the circumstances, but… if you're safe… and happy… then I can be happy for you."

"Thank you, Dorothy." Relena sighed and smiled.

"Now, when can I come see you?" Relens felt her heart sink in her chest…

"You can't."

"Nonsense! What kind of control freak is he that he wouldn't allow you a day to see your friend?"

"It's not like that… not really."

"Not really?" Dorothy scoffed. "He practically abducts you, takes you God knows where, and doesn't allow you to talk to anyone. And when he finally does allow it, he won't let you tell anyone anything significant!"

"I suppose when you put it that way it does make him sound bad, but…" She paused to consider her next words carefully. "He's really trying… to be better."

"I see…" Dorothy sighed and Relena could almost see her stroking that eyebrow… "Well, it still doesn't sound the healthiest, but it's not my place…" there was another pause. "Promise me you'll try to get him to let you out for the day? I positively must see you and show you all that has changed!"

"I doubt much has changed in a few months."

"You'll never know if you don't get out." The older blonde prompted. "Now, promise you'll try to get Mr. Perfect to let you out for the day?" Relena sighed in defeat.

"I promise."

"Excellent! Let me know when he finally caves! We women have all sorts of ways to make men sweat…"

"I will," Relena promised, knowing the likelihood was slim.

"I hate to do this, but I have to go… I have an early shoot in the morning… I will call you as soon as I can."

"Ok, Dorothy. I'll talk to you then. "

"Ciao." As the line disconnected, Relena felt a strange mix of relief and dread.

On the one hand, she had finally gotten to speak to both her brother and her best friend after months of no contact. On the other hand, she dreaded the idea of asking her… lover? For permission to leave after it took him this long to agree to phone calls… He would be busy with work for the next few hours; she had time to consider her approach.

"Well, perhaps a bit of light reading, until then."

Relena made her way to the library, mulling over the possible options she had in asking such an important question. The familiar smell of the aged paper greeted her as she made her way to the books. She browsed over the section of books she had seen Hilde and the other women pick from many times before. Duo called it the "smut section" though-upon looking-not all of the options could be classified as such. Finally, she picked up a black book with a red apple on the cover and shrugged. "Young adult fiction?" Relena stared down at the novel meant for tweens. "What could it hurt?" She sighed, took the book and went to their room to await the conversation.

Deciding to get comfortable, she changed into her two-piece flannel pajamas and fuzzy socks before tucking herself snugly under the comforter on her side of the bed. Turning on the lamp, she opened the book. Of course, she found the story to be as cheesy as it was inaccurate. The reason behind the avoidance of the sun was weird… She shrugged. It wasn't a particularly good novel but it provided a laugh while she waited. She had always been a fast reader and was nearly halfway through with the book when she felt his presence. She glanced up from the book and offered him a warm smile. He looked tired, his eyes were heavy, shoulders slumped… his fingers went to the collar of his shirt and he began to undo the buttons…

"Heero…" She smiled.

He paused, his eyes Landing on her… She saw something in his gaze; something she had seen many times that stirred a fire in the pit of her stomach… She stared at the exposed flesh of his muscular chest… It had been a few days… Relena felt herself grow hotter at the sight of him... She could feel his own desire from their bond...

"I didn't mean to interrupt your reading…" Heero continued to undo the buttons, "You can get back to your book…" She couldn't. He slid the shirt completely off while approaching the bed… She needed to ask him something… didn't she? His desire grew with every step… She momentarily forgot all else as he took her book and his lips claimed hers…

"Are you out of your mind?!" Wufei's angry declaration echoed through his office. Heero rubbed the bridge of his nose. He had been working all night to broker a new trade deal with a big tech company in Japan. His patience had been worn thin by minor problems in the calculations that were holding back the entire process. This was not helping.

"I made my decision." Heero stated flatly.

"You did so against the advice of your council! You gave her a cell phone and allowed her to contact outsiders."

"Technically, the only council member against it was you, wu-man. Well, you and Maybe Trowa. He didn't say much." Duo quipped and leaned against the wall.

"I was neither for it, nor against it. I can see where Wufei might have a problem. However, Heero is our king." Trowa glanced at him out of the one visible eye.

"Might have a problem? You should have a problem! Don't you realize how much danger this puts us all in?"

"As Trowa said, I can see where you might be worried, wufei, but Relena is a smart girl. She knows the rules. Heero trusts her. You should too." Quatre added

"Heero trusts her?! Oh that makes me feel so much better. Letting a woman decide our fates by whether or not she can keep the proper information to herself."

"Enough, Wufei." Heero commanded in a low growl. He was tired of hearing his subordinate complain. "I gave her a chance to reassure her loved ones of her safety. That is more than our maker did for us." Wufei looked down at the rebuke. Heero had used his bond as king to emphasize his displeasure. "Relena is my bonded, and for all intents and purposes, that makes her my queen. You will show proper respect when referring to her." Wufei slowly lowered his eyes.

"Yes, my king." Heero felt Wufei back down.

"If anyone else here has a problem, feel free to address it now. I am tired." And Relena would be waiting for him…

"I have but one last concern, my lord." Wufei spoke and Heero felt his anger flare.

"Speak quickly."

"If she should mistakenly reveal her location, what will be our course of action?"

"We will not have to worry. Dorothy knows where Relena is. She is still on retainer.'" Heero powered down his computer. "As for her brother, she already had the chance and did not divulge her location." The pain and conflict he had felt from her in that moment haunted him… "Dorothy knows her place and won't test us by asking too much." Heero paused and remembered briefly how the ward she'd enacted to protect Relena all those years had also kept him out… "And she will not tell her brother. She proved that just now."

"Of course." Wufei grudgingly bowed again. Though a bit opinionated and headstrong, Wufei was a strong ally and friend nearly as old as himself. He knew too well the dangers of trust and Heero had always found Wufei's caution reassuring.

"Good." Heero grabbed his suit jacket off the chair and walked to the door. "I am going to bed. I do not wish for us to be disturbed for anything short of an emergency."

Heero could still feel the uneasiness of his advisers. He understood their concern. He knew how great the risk was… but she had been so unhappy… He had wanted to do something for her; something to make up for the secrecy… The look of sheer joy in her eyes when he'd given her the phone… it had made his stomach… flutter… and warmed him… He smiled and made his way down the hall and up the stairs to the room where he found Relena perched on her side of their bed; legs pulled up, lamp on, as she read one of the many books from the library. The way the lamplight played on her features, shining off her dark blonde hair… The sight of her women both of his carnal hungers… He wanted to rip the blankets off of her and…

"Heero." Her lips curved into a beautiful smile and her eyes shined. He smirked.

"I didn't mean to interrupt your reading." He kicked off his shoes and undid the first few buttons of his shirt, an action that caught her attention… His smirk widened. "You can get back to your book…" Her aqua eyes focused on his chest… He continued to unbutton his shirt, taking it off his shoulders. Her eyes glazed over with desire… He could feel it in her thoughts, building and mixing with his own...

He walked to the bed and grabbed her book; took it from her and laid it on the nightstand before he seized her lips with his. He sat on the edge of the bed, his hands finding their way to massage her breasts through the flannel material of her nightshirt. She moaned; one hand rising to rest behind his neck, the other playing with the top of his pants. He groaned into her lips and pulled away, grabbed her night shirt and nearly tore the buttons off as he pulled it over her head. As her creamy mounds came into view, he licked his lips and leaned down, licking the nipple of each supple breast before kissing up to her neck…

"Heero…" She moaned and he smiled into her neck as he licked and sucked the area above her jugular… "Heero… I...uhn… " She moaned again as he climbed over her and grasped her breasts once more in his large hands. "H-Heero… I need to talk to you…"

"It can wait." He growled into her skin before raking his fangs across her delicate flesh…

"Heero-" He sank his teeth in and her protests ceased as her arms went up under his arms and her hands grasped his shoulder blades. The sweet, tangy liquid went down his throat and he began to be lost in the euphoria of her taste… He pulled back long enough to stare into her eyes the look of the blood as it trailed down her pale skin to her breasts was nearly too much. He delved back in for another taste.

"Heero… please…" She moaned and he felt her need. Being fed off of could be very arousing to the partner of the vampire and he was well aware of what he was doing to her. He smirked and retracted his teeth, giving the wound an affectionate lick to heal and soothe. He kissed down her neck, taking time to lavish equal attention on each breast before kissing down her abdomen. Her moans and sighs of pleasure urged him on.

He growled as he reached the hem of the top of her pajama pants… The urge to tear them rose but he tugged them instead and she lifted her rear and legs, allowing him to easily rid her of that barrier. They made love passionately, taking turns lavishing love and attention on one another until finally, he collapsed on top of her, burying his face in the crook of her neck where he placed a gentle kiss.

Her hands massaged the muscles of his back as he laid there… This… this was all he needed… All his years of suffering...all of his crimes, his trials… In her arms, none of them seemed to matter… It both scared him and filled him with something he'd never felt before: true contentment. He knew he didn't deserve her; that this happiness was something a monster like him should never know… but…

He felt her hands in his hair…

"Don't think like that…" Her voice was soft, and sad…

"Relena?" He looked up into her eyes.

"You're not a monster. And you do deserve this… We both do…" She had heard his thoughts... He had left his mind completely unguarded to her…

"Relena…" She kissed him and he felt all that she was feeling: fulfillment, lingering desire… love…? She loved him? He thought he'd imagined it, but it was there; strong and warm and pulling him in… It had been so long since anyone had loved him… His parents being the earliest and only form of the word he knew...and he realized… he realized that he…

'You love me?' he asked through their mental link. She paused and broke the kiss, eyes wide. She looked down, face red, eyes closed.

"Relena…" He spoke out loud this time. He needed to hear… wanted to… "Do you… love me?" She wouldn't meet his eyes…

"Yes…" came her timid reply. Heero felt something inside him change… His stomach leapt… His heart, usually cold, suddenly felt warm again. "I… I love you…"

"Relena…"

"I figured it out weeks ago… but I… I think I've been in love with you... all of my life." She paused and finally looked at him. "I didn't know how to tell you.. or even if I should…" Her eyes went to his shoulder. Realization dawned on him.

"That's what you were hiding from me? That day when you let me feed…?" She nodded.

"I was afraid… afraid you didn't feel the same… I didn't want you to-" He cut her off as his lips found hers. He kissed her deeply, opening the link to their connection to allow her see.. to feel... everything he felt… for her… and about everything… He felt her arms wrap around his neck as tears slid down her cheeks. When they broke the kiss, she nuzzled his neck and he felt her warm tears on his throat.

"Relena… I..."

"I know..." She smiled and kissed him again. He loved her. He knew it now and so did she. He stroked her long hair as he pulled her closer. "Heero." She sobbed, this time with tears of joy. He felt her happiness through their connection give him a warmth he hadn't felt since he was human… her love for him returned his sense of humanity… He smiled and held her closer.