Chapter 33

Night had fallen and I had heard no word from either Anna or Velkan. What in the world had happened? My mind had raised a million different but possible conclusions, hoping against hope that their father had not treated them to harshly. For hours I had paced about in my room, to afraid to leave and once again meet that cold hard gaze.

There mere thought of the many different sorts of reactions he would have sent my nerves mad. Was Velkan, even now, confessing all that had happened between us? Had he told his father of the morbid fascination the Count had taken to me? My heart pounded madly merely at the thought. Boris Valerious was a man not to be trifled with. Knowing that I had possibly angered him even more with my presence in his home put me ill at ease. How was I to rest knowing that?

My things had once again been grudgingly brought to the room I now stayed in. All of them had been carefully stacked at the end of the large, four-poster bed I was to rest in. I glared at my belongings in anger, noticing that nothing of William's had come as well. Where had it all gone?

I slowly approached my luggage, unpacking from it some nightclothes that I could wear. Finding something comfortable to wear to bed, I slowly began to remove my gown, folding it gently at the end of my bed. My eyes I kept tightly fixed ahead of me, out the window. Darkness had finally fallen, and I hoped against hope that the Count had not received news of my whereabouts. With that thought, my mind soon found itself turning towards the night.

We had been called down to dinner, and I had attended grudgingly out of respect. And so we five had sat around an ornate table, eating silently and eyeing each other in suspicion. I kept my gaze cast tightly down upon my plate, refusing to meet the father's eyes. Such shame I felt. I was not confident enough to meet the piercing gaze of that man once again.

Throughout the whole awkward ordeal, I had felt Velkan's eyes tightly trained on me. Finally growing sick of it, I looked up to meet his admiring eyes. Mouthing words of surprise, I looked around the table, realizing no one else had caught his wandering gaze. I scolded him with my eyes, gesturing for him to return to his meal. He smiled and did as I had asked, taking a bite of his food. He never stole another glance after that. I felt like a child after he had done that, feeling as though if we had been caught gazing at each other, Velkan's father would most certainly had put us to shame.

The dinner finishing sooner than I had expected, we had been allowed to go to our rooms for rest. And so I left the room as quickly as I had entered it, wanting more than anything to be alone. The uncomfortable, and strangely angry silence that had pervaded the whole dinner scene had overwhelmed me.

Hearing a sudden knock at the door sent my thoughts soaring out the window I had been so intently concentrated on. "Christine?" came the soft reply from the other side of the door. Velkan. I scrambled to once again slip my clothing back on.

I had chosen to wear a gray gown, one that I had not worn in some time. Not since I had last attended a dinner party. It was rather simply made, my neck and shoulders exposed, plunging down and barely exposing my breasts. On my neck I had worn a simple silver chain, a pendent hanging at the end.

"Yes?" I called as I dressed. Velkan hesitated for a moment on the other side of the door before replying.

"May I come in?" he asked me. By then I had completely covered myself. Hurrying to the door, I opened it, allowing some room for him to enter. He turned to face me, gesturing for me to close the door behind us. I did as I was asked. I did not try to hide my disapproval at his coming to see me.

"I'm sorry if my father seems a bit cold. He is angry, that is all." Velkan said simply. I walked from the door, towards my luggage. I blushed, and as I felt myself redden, I quickly bent down, opening my bags. I slowly began to unpack my belongings.

"It is not a problem at all." I said simply to Velkan. The mere thought of his father's angry face had indelibly made its mark on me. I cringed. "For some reason, I highly doubt you have come here to apologize for your father's actions." I finished. I heard Velkan's light laugh, though he did not respond.

"I have a right to visit my wife, do I not?" he asked. I took a deep breath, hearing him utter those words. Struggling to keep my elation hidden, I turned away from him and began to pile my clothing into the closet.

"I am not your wife." I said. "And the way your father reacted to my entrance this morning, I would highly doubt he would approve." I finished. Velkan did not make a move towards me, but I could hear his even breathing. It was the only indication that he was still there. I turned away and walked towards the luggage once again. "He would not approve of you being here. You had better leave."

For some moments, I did not hear Velkan reply. He had begun to gather his thoughts. Then he spoke.

"You may not be my wife yet, but you soon will be." He said. "Besides," I heard him continue. "From what my father has said, he seems to approve." My eyes widened in shock as my gaze lifted to meet his.

"What did you tell him!" I said in a hurried whisper. "You did not tell him everything, did you?" Velkan could only smile and shake his head no.

"The horror on your face was priceless!" he said, amusement in his eyes. "Of course I didn't tell him. But, he does approve of you." He finished.

"I'm sure he does." I answered sarcastically. "Allowing myself to be bitten by a vampire will truly raise his opinion of me." Velkan laughed before approaching me. I had taken a bundle of clothing in my arms. As I rose to carry it to the closet, he pulled them from me, dropping it carelessly to the ground.

"I didn't come here to be berated." He said simply. I glared at him angrily.

"Then what did you come here for?" I asked him, irritation dripping in my voice. He smiled at me, angering me even more. In moments, he had captured my lips in a feverish kiss. My heart beat madly in my chest, hoping that at this moment his father would not decide to open the door. I pushed him away roughly.

"Your father!" I said in a hushed whisper. "He could find us at any minute!"

"He's gone to bed already." Was his simple reply.

"Have you gone mad?" I asked him. "What is wrong with you?" Velkan laughed in annoyance, turning away from me. He said nothing in response to my angry accusation. Fearing I had hurt him, I tried to apologize.

"I'm sorry." I murmured. "I didn't mean to hurt you."

Velkan turned back to face me. Nervousness had overtaken my senses. I turned away from him and hurried to the other side of the bed, towards the full-length mirror I found there. I could see his reflection in it as I busied myself undoing the pins that had held my hair in place. Finally removing the final piece, I felt my hair fall free.

For what seemed like minutes, I remained at the mirror, playing with strands of my hair, pretending as if I planned to braid it. Velkan had not yet made a move to leave. I felt my heart begin its ancient and yet new rhythm. This seemed all too familiar…

I closed my eyes, remembering all that I had seen of Charlotte's past. My heart beat wildly, realizing I was quickly finding myself in the same situation that she had been in. Though I highly doubted she had been as apprehensive as I now was. I opened them suddenly, feeling Velkan's arms wrap about my waist.

"We cannot do this." I said quietly to him as he nestled his lips in the crook of my neck. I could feel his lips brushing against my skin, raising the hairs at the back of my neck. In moments he had tightened his grip on me, and as I felt his kisses begin to grow more urgent, I began to surrender.

His hands followed the path that the Count's had traveled so long ago, his fingers running small circles on my stomach. In moments, they had traveled upwards, towards my breasts. His hands stilling as he felt his bare skin against my own. So loudly my heart was beating, I was sure he could feel it, and if he did, he ignored it.

He turned me to face him, his smile widening as he noticed my lack of resistance. I reached up and touched his cheek gently. Wrapping my arms about his neck, I found myself returning his attentions, as strongly as he had done to me. I heard his muffled laugh as I began to push him towards the bed.

"You don't seem to worried about my father, now, do you?" he asked me, after we had fallen onto the bed. I was now straddling him, my hands feverishly working to undo the buttons of his vest. His fingers grazed the burning skin of my exposed chest, making me close my eyes in pleasure.

His hands reached to stop my own anxious fingers as he pulled me down onto him. As kissed me, I felt his hands travel to my back, fingering the lacing of my bodice. In seconds, I felt his lips go still on my own as his hands worked madly to undo the lacing of my gown, and he had succeeded quickly, practically ripping the clothing off of me. The only thing barring him from my body was the meager underclothing and corset I now wore. I noticed his smile of approval.

Maddeningly, I noticed him undoing the buttons of his vest, throwing it across the room, along with his coat. In such a hurry he had become, that the cravat around his neck had come undone, baring his throat to me, enticing me even more than I already was. I smiled as I began to unbutton his undershirt. I hesitated for a moment, fighting my better judgment. Noticing my hesitation, Velkan immediately took control.

In moments he had taken my wrists, smirking seductively as he saw the disappointment on my face. He once again wrapped his arms about my waist, throwing his full weight upon me. In moments I was below him, and as I felt his looming body above me, my heart beat even faster. I pulled away from under him, my head hitting the pillows.

He did not give up his pursuit, following me with his eyes as well as in position. His arms were soon on either side of my body, and as I took note of this, I began to realize that there was no escape. He smiled only briefly in acknowledgement of my discovery before capturing my lips in a kiss once again. His undershirt had become partially undone, exposing a bit of his flesh. As I felt it come into contact with my own chest, I shuttered. He laughed quietly, feeling my movement beneath him. In moments, he had begun undoing the latches of my corset. He fingered them for some moments, building my passion slowly before pulling his hands away.

My mind had begun screaming at me, telling me to stop what I was doing, to not allow him to finish what I most certainly was allowing him to begin. Thoughts of his father's disapproval burned within my mind, his cold gaze the thing I saw each and every time I closed my eyes or touched Velkan. But our frenzied bodies had taken control. I could do nothing to stop him or me.

His hands had traveled to my thighs, and mine had as well, aiding him in his search, allowing him to lift the thin skirts of my undergarments separating myself from him. I could hear him moan as his hands slowly traveled up my body. In moments he had taken my hands in his own: holding them down firmly. His kisses had traveled from my lips, to my neck. I arched against him, setting him to a fever pitch. His legs suddenly forced mine open, the heat of his skin burning through the cloth.

I tried to push him away, but his insistence drove us on. A knock at the door was what interrupted us. We immediately pulled away from each other in surprise, our hearts beating maddeningly. We had been caught.

"Christine." I heard. It was my Uncle. My eyes widening in surprise, I looked up at Velkan, who looked at if he were a deer looking down the muzzle of a rifle. We had been found out. There would be hell to pay.

"Yes?" I asked, trying my hardest to hide the fear in my voice. I had pulled away from Velkan, running across the room and collecting his vest. Throwing his discarded clothing to him, I hurried to my closet, dressing myself in a robe.

"Is it alright if I come in?" he asked. "I was passing and it sounded as if you were having a nightmare, are you alright?" My gaze shot to Velkan, panic the only thing that could be read in my features. What were we to do?

"Christine?" he asked again. I cleared my throat before answering.

"Yes, I was having a nightmare, but I am alright. Do not worry about me, Christopher!" I called. He hesitated for a moment before accepting my answer and wishing me a goodnight. In moments we were alone again.

Thank god he had interrupted us…