A/N: I know I haven't had much of a story for Anna. It seems like our poor heroine is not having much personality development. I was actually thinking about writing a separate fanfic about her, pre-Van Helsing, of course. Her plotline is actually still in the works, and I definitely know that Marishka, Verona, and Aleera will play a major role in the story! Let me know if anyone would be interested in reading it, lol. But, I'm not sure if I should start Anna's story while I'm still writing this one, or if I should finish Christine's story before I start Anna's. I have no idea…lol. Perhaps I'll give it a start…

Anyway, I know you guys want to know what happens next in my story. So, I'll stop annoying you with this author's note. Well….on to the story!

Chapter

I found myself in my apartments several hours later, my face pale and my body shaking from all that had been occurring lately. The rage still welled within me at the mere thought of Velkan's father…the way he had used me to further his own ends…the pure and unadulterated bluntness of his nature. For over an hour of the time during the afternoon, I spent sitting on my settee, facing the window, watching the sun shining brightly in the sky, trying my hardest to forget the conversation I had had only hours before…trying my hardest to forget the frustration and fear of the situations I kept finding myself in.

In the distance, I could hear the Anna and Christopher arguing. Of course, when didn't they argue? What could possibly have occurred between the two that would have created such loathing? Boris had not ventured to speak to me since earlier this afternoon, trying his best to ignore me as we passed each other in the hall one final time before I closed myself within my bedroom.

"Christine?" I heard someone call to me. I turned slowly to find Velkan opening the door, a smile on his face as he quietly shut the door. Doing my best to hide the feeling of apprehension I had been feeling for the whole of the afternoon, I returned his smile with on of my own, slowly turning away from him to look out the window again.

His quiet steps echoed through the room as he approached me from behind, bending down to wrap his arms about my waist, planting kisses upon my neck. "What have you been up to all day, Christine?" he asked me as he pulled away. "I haven't seen you in all day, is something wrong?"

I hesitated for a moment, keeping my eyes locked on the view I had been watching for the afternoon. Slowly I craned my neck to face him, my hands covering his own. "Nothing, I am just feeling a bit under the weather, is all." He smiled at me.

"I can safely assume that Anna and Christopher are arguing again. I can hear them all the way up here." I said to Velkan, slowly pulling his arms away from my waist and rising. He followed my every move with a quiet smile as I crossed the room towards my desk, where I had placed the letter I had written earlier in the day.

"Sometimes I wonder why they don't get along." Velkan replied. I merely nodded my head. "Of course they were able to stop fighting long enough to explain to me what is happening tonight. It seems my father has decided that we will accompany you and your uncle to this secret rendezvous with Marishka."

"Yes, which is exactly what I've been thinking about all this afternoon. It makes me wonder in exactly what way Marishka is going to benefit." I answered. He nodded quietly, rising and approaching me slowly.

"We will cross that bridge when we come to it." Velkan answered. He could see the desire within my eyes as he walked to me. It did not take a genius to realize what we were going to do.

He shook his head, as if he wished to forget what we had been talking about, as if to clear his mind. Finally reaching me, he pulled me into an embrace, his lips bruising my own as he kissed me. I tried to push him away, but could not find the will to do so as he held me to him. Only momentarily, Velkan pulled away to smile at me.

"You are playing games, aren't you?" I asked him as I felt him gripping the folds of my skirts. He smiled and nodded at me.

I could feel the familiar ache beginning to build within me, as he toyed with me, moving in to kiss me, but pulling away at the last moment. Growing frustrated, I pulled him into a passionate embrace, loosing my fingers within the curls of his hair. Our passion slowly building within us, I found myself thrown against the wall, pinned between him and it.

His hands a vice-like grip upon my hips, he traveled downwards until he began to slowly grip my thighs. A shock went through me, as he lifted my skirts, pulling my stockings down. I slid out of the hose in moments, and I pushed him away, taking his arm and leading him in a hurry to my bedside. Pushing him onto the bed, I did not even allow him to remove his clothing, straddling him as I pinned his arms down.

I leaned down and kissed him roughly as he smiled at me mockingly, happy to have seen me eagerly oblige to his request. I slowly released his arms as he gripped me hips once again, the familiar pain growing within me as he spun me until I was beneath him.

I did not even realize he had unbuttoned his trousers until I felt him enter me once again. I cried out in surprise and pleasure as I felt his invasion, feeling nothing but ecstasy as he thrust within me madly, consumed with passion. Struggling to keep our voice down, he compromised on slowing his pace.

I moaned as I felt him working within me, the friction a delicious feeling as I felt the heat between us. "Is this what you came here for." I struggled to say as he moved. He smiled down at me and nodded.

I gripped the cloth of his shirt, my nails digging into the palms of my hands as he beat against me furiously, longing to satisfy his passion. In such a fit I had become, I did not feel him pull my arms away, pinning my hands to the bed, murmuring that I had scratched him. I had forgotten completely about the implications of our union, the goal that Boris Valerious had set before us.

"One of the many reasons." He said in response. And he said nothing more. Hours it seemed as I writhed beneath him, beads of sweat forming at my brow as I struggled to not cry out. Feeling myself constrict around him, I finally felt his release as he breathed a deep sigh of relief.

"That was a dangerous thing we risked." I said to him as he panted above me. "In broad daylight, with the door not even locked."

"Right now, I do not even care." He answered, taking a deep breath of relief. "I felt as though I would die, waiting all day like this."

I did not say anything to him, my mind drifting to his father. Who, most likely at this moment, sat in his library, knowing where his son had gone…knowing the inevitability of the outcome, hoping for the fruit of his son's indiscretions.

I crawled from beneath Velkan, my heart and mind pounding in apprehension. I could not allow this…I could not allow Boris Valerious to find truth in what he had told me. My mind drifted from person to person, guilt riding on its coattails as it settled upon my family. Christopher…how angry he would be had he known what was happening at this moment. If I were ever to find myself with child…he would most certainly kill me.

Velkan wrapped finished straightening his clothing, before wrapping his arms about me, kissing me once again on the neck. "I love you…" he murmured quietly. Struggling to put a smile on my face, I answered.

"I love you…" I whispered. He laughed quietly into my neck, before kissing me once again.

"Come downstairs with me for lunch." He said, climbing off the bed and pulling me up beside him. I smiled hesitantly before he released me to get dressed properly. I hurried to put my undergarments back on. I would send that letter out as soon aspossible. I had to leave. After all that Boris had told me,I could not stay here...Pretending as if nothing had happened, we left my rooms, all the while pretending as if we were nothing more than close acquaintances.