Calinico finally let her wrist go, and huffed. "Miss Catherine and Mr. Vincent have to do 5 things in order to break the curse... this is just step 1. And you do know that, right?" he pointed out, and glared at the maid. "So... tell me, little spy: Where the hell is the second key?"

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… In the meantime, in Cat's bedroom (upstairs) …

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As Vincent watched Catherine's bare upper body, his heart contracted in his chest. She was so beautiful...

With a shaky hand, he tentatively traced the swell of her breasts... first the left and then the right one. She shuddered and whimpered softly at his touch, the noise she made driving him almost mad. As he placed his hand flat on her rosy peak, he felt himself starting to turn.

'No... Please don't' was what whirled inside his head, while trying with all his might to keep 'the monster' at bay.

"Baby, please..." she whined, because the anticipation was killing her at that moment." I want you to touch me everywhere..."

His whole body shook, and he took deep breaths, while doing his best not to turn into 'the monster'.

Cat's eyes flew open and noticed how he was hesitating." What is it, Vincent?" she questioned.

He shook his head and replied." I can't... I cannot" he stuttered." Catherine, sweetie... I don't think I can make love to you without turning into that other side of me... I'm so sorry."

At hearing that, she swallowed the lump that had formed in her throat." I don't care... I love all of you and I love 'him' too, Vincent." She said in such a convincing way." If you'll turn, I don't mind... I want to make love to you no matter what..."

He shook his head at that." But, sweetie. I do not want to hurt you... I won't be able to control 'him'."

"Yes you will..." she pointed out." You will, Vincent Keller..."

After saying that, she got up from the bed and stood right in front of him. Without fear or hesitation, she took off of her bathrobe and attempted to make eye contact with him. His eyes had fluttered shut, so she whispered." Look me in the eyes.."

Seconds passed after Cat had said those words, but she didn't get impatient. Instead, she waited for him to get his extremely heightened senses under control.

His eyes snapped open, and he gripped her gently on her arm." I couldn't... I won't be able to bear it, if I.. If I would hurt you, Catherine..." He pointed out, his head shaking, the tone of his voice full of emotion.

She smiled at him and grabbed his hand. He wanted to pull it back, but her grip was tight." Shhh... it's alright. I trust you." she whispered, and placed his open palm on her bare stomach.

Vincent shook his head." Before... before, I'm able to control 'the monster'." he countered." But after they held me captive for all those days in that cage, my heightened senses have been on overdrive constantly. I can't control... I'm unable to control them the way I used to."

As he said those words, she noticed his eyes glowing dangerously, they seem to be on fire!

And yet she smiled and gripped his hand tighter and moved it so it ended up lower onto her body...

He sucked in a deep breath at the feel of Cat's warm skin, and felt his heart implode inside his chest, while beginning to feel a very sharp pain in all his fingers and around the gums in his mouth. His head felt like it was about to explode… No.. he was slowly turning.

Catherine watched him intently, as he fought to control 'the monster'. He was already changing, his teeth becoming fangs and his nails turning into claws. Vincent's eyes were fiery, and yet… Cat wasn't afraid of him.

Instead, she cupped his face lovingly and said." You're mine and I'm yours... I want you, Vincent. I want all of you... human or not."

As those words reached his ears, he felt calmness take over his whole being. She noticed how the fangs slowly disappeared and the claws changed back into his normal nails.

"Come here, Catherine…" he demanded. At that, she sat on his lap and straddled him, while a naughty smile played at her lips.

His eyes still glowed yellow, but she didn't mind. She thought that it was one hell of a turn-on. She never had a lover before, who literally could turn into a wild beast in bed…

Cat ground down on him, making his eyes flutter shut automatically. He swore that he saw stars behind his eyelids, beautiful wonderful stars. He growled softly, as he felt her grab his right hand and placed it on her moist core.

Oh, God… she was so ready for him.

"Vincent, please…"

That's all she had to say for him to react. He swiftly grabbed her and gently placed her on the large, white bed.

Vincent felt the sharp pain around his fingers once more, so he jumped out the bed.

Seeing Catherine in all her naked glory was too much for him." I can't fight 'the monster' within me, sweetie…" he whispered, while clenching his hands into fists.

Vincent loved her and wanted to make love to Cat, but he just was unable to control the 'other side of him'─ his dark side…

While locking eyes with her, he gave her a helpless look." I will hurt you… I can't, sorry…" Vincent apologized, while swallowing the huge lump in his throat.

She didn't reply… instead, she calmly slipped into her bathrobe and closed the gap between them.

Before replying, she kissed him softly on the lips." It will take some time… I can understand that, Vincent. You have been verbally tortured for days by that woman… your ex-wife…" Cat remarked, saying the last two words with such hatred and disgust." And Adon… he put you in a damn cage and betrayed you after all you had done for him over the years…"

She watched, as his eyes fluttered shut and he inhaled deeply.

Vincent shook his head at the memory, the gnawing pain in his heart fucking unbearable.

It had been torture for him, when his ex-wife spoke about their son, Demetrios, when they held him captive in that small cage.

"Vincent? Talk to me please?" she asked, and then gently led him towards the bed." Take a seat?"

As he took a seat, she grabbed some clothes from the closet and hastily wore them. She then took a seat next to him." I'm here for you, baby... you can tell me anything..."

First he gave her a defeated look... He never spoke of his son to anyone except Calinico, because losing Demetrios was the worst thing he had ever experienced in his life." I uhmm..." he began, but was unable to continue.

No, it was still difficult for him to open up about his baby boy. While tears pooled in his eyes, he avoided Cat's gaze.

"Please, look at me Vincent..." she begged, afraid that he was going to put up those invisible walls around him again.

He heard the desperation in her voice and locked eyes with Cat.

"When I uhmm... uhmm, losing my precious baby boy was the worst..." he began, his voice breaking." Then I met you and the pain in my heart softened... it never went away, cause he's my baby... my little precious one. However, you made my life better, Catherine... But then Adon had me captured and they shoved me in that tiny cage..."

Cat couldn't help it. It was too much, hearing all that he said. The tears that pooled in her eyes rolled down, while she grabbed both his hands.

"I felt so lost, Catherine... I felt so lost without you." he continued." But do you know what made it all worse?!"

She shook her head at that.

"That bitch! She began talking about my precious little boy..." Vincent was seething, and he furiously got up from the bed." How dare she! How dare she spoke about him! She's the reason my precious baby boy was dead! It's all her fault!"

Cat noticed how his eyes were glowing once more and saw his claws appearing again...

At that, she calmly and carefully grabbed both his hands." Listen to me... I'm so sorry about your son, Vincent... I wish I can take away your pain... I really wish that I could. Please know that I'm here for you, OK?" she told him and looked at him lovingly.

It still hurt so freaking much, talking about his poor Demetrios. However, Cat made it less painful for him. He desperately needed the comfort and needed to feel loved by her. He wanted to show Cat how much he loved and worshiped her, but just the reminder of that cage and how his ex-wife spoke about Demetrios made it almost impossible for him to be able to do it.

"I'm so sorry, Catherine... that I cannot control 'him' anymore... I uhmm... I..." he started.

But she shook her head and cupped his face." I understand, my love. I understand why you are unable to control 'the monster'… I have all the time in the world. I'm here for you and I promise that I'll never leave your side, OK. I will wait and be patient with you and together we will work on it so you can heal… I'll be right here with you, the moment you're able to control 'him' again. Just like you used to... I love you, Vincent Keller, with all my heart." she declared, and lovingly traced his cheek with a finger.

A happy tear rolled down his cheek, when his brain had processed all that she had said to him. Gosh, he was so lucky to have her in his life. A woman who he could talk to, one who understood him and who loved him unconditionally.

What did he ever do to deserve her─ his precious whirlwind?

He did not know, honestly. At that, Vincent grabbed her face gently and crashed his lips onto hers, kissing her so passionately, wanting to take her breath away...

'She's ours' was what Vincent AND 'the monster' thought at the same time.

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In the meantime, Calinico was an angry mess. He was shouting at Adon's cousin to tell him where the second key was.

(They needed both keys so Vincent and Catherine can break the family curse)

At this point, Parthenios' personnel had gathered around the two.

"Where the hell is the second key?!" he kept repeating, while the young woman sobbed and shook her head.

"I don't know, Calinico!" she replied, while attempting to pull herself from Calinico's tight grip." I knew that Adon kept it in his safe… so when I heard that he was hiding from the authorities and that The Phoenixes wanted his head 'on a spike', I decided to do damage control."

"You're lying! Tell me the truth!" he shouted angrily, while throwing daggers at her.

"I'm not lying!" she sobbed.

At this point Calinico had lost his patience completely." You will show me where it is, now!"

He was seething and was already dragging her from the dining room to the front door, when Vincent, Dylan and Catherine stormed down the stairs.

"Calinico!"

Vincent's voice thundered through the large living room, making the butler stop in his tracks immediately.

"What in the hell is going on here?!" Vincent asked, wondering what had come over Calinico.