Icy fingers glided slowly along wet glistening folds.
The long digits ghosting over where she needed him most.
"Aro!" She pleaded.
Her back arched off the deep crimson sheets, her hands tied above her head, unable to relieve herself. The throbbing ache in her core grew every time he trailed his lips over her exposed neck and collar bone. The temperature difference set her skin further ablaze.
He nipped at the junction between her shoulder and neck.
"Patience, Doctor, is a virtue." Aro gave a breathy chuckle. "You will be rewarded, soon, pet. All you must do is wait."
"Please… Aro… I can't take it…" she shuddered as his free hand pinched her painfully erect nipple.
He did the same to the other.
"Ah…"
"That's a good girl, delay yourself." He cooed pressing a kiss behind her ear.
She tossed her head back staring up at the ceiling above her. She caught sight of those cursed restraints hanging off a metal circle just above the headboard. She wouldn't be able to escape if she tried. So badly she wished to grab at his head, run her fingers through those raven-colored locks. He was ruthless.
Two fingers circled her entrance.
She stiffened.
His thumb stroked over her clit. Once… twice…
"Ah…"
She shuddered. She'd been balancing on the edge, for what felt like forever.
Sweat was beading at her temple. Her breaths came faster.
He picked up speed, rubbing her clit clockwise. Winding her tighter and tighter. Readying to push her over the edge.
Beep beep
Beep beeep beeeep
Drew forced her eyes open turning over to smash the off button on her alarm clock. "Gah! Why the fuck do I have an alarm for eight on a Sunday!"
She flopped back on her bed. Sheets kicked off her upper half. She tossed it the rest of the way off.
She slid her hand into her shorts. She was absolutely soaking wet.
"A damned emergency… The universe is seeing fit to cockblock me. Cruelty at its finest." She removed her hand.
Drew reached over to the night stand grabbing her small battery-operated friend. She kicked off her shorts remembering Aro from her dream.
He'd barely been out of his own button down, while she was tied and bound at his mercy all while naked. His raven hair spilling around him, a mess. The sleeves of his shirt folded up around his elbows.
He was such a well put together man. She'd make sure he looked as disheveled has she was to be when she finally did get him into her bed.
How he would take her….
Drew got up for the day and dressed after relieving herself a few times. The release was enough to keep her lust semi under control. She'd never been this horny for someone. She shook her head trying to not think further on it.
She was sporting a pair of yoga pants and a fitted T-shirt. She was planning to relax the rest of the Sunday. After being dolled up for a few hours, left horny on her doorstep she wanted to sulk. She picked up her phone hearing the familiar chirp.
You up? Or still sleeping off the smexy times? -Davina
Drew rolled her eyes at the text that flitted through.
Don't even mention sex right now. -Drew
Damn man that bad in the bed? Or so sore you can't mention it? He gives off I've got a big dick. -Davina
Wouldn't know. He had an emergency. -Drew
WHAT THE FUCK! Seriously?! You even shaved! -Davina
Better that than being waxed. Btw I'm booking a sugaring next time. Shaving takes too long. -Drew
Not all of us get your wages. -Davina.
My treat? I hate going alone. Why don't you just come over btw? Instead of texting me. -Drew
I over did leg day. I'm dying on my couch. -Davina.
Fine I'll come over- Drew.
Drew slid into a pair of slippers and grabbed her bag of chips, muffins, and a few other treats along with a movie pile. Getting her keys, she locked her flat and sauntered across the Hall.
She knocked once.
"It's open."
Drew pushed her way inside. Davina's flat identical to hers except it was a bit disorganized with dishes needed to be done. Drew made her way to the living room.
Davina was plopped down splayed across the couch. Her curls wrapped up in a knot atop her head. She had her bigger squared glasses on. She was dressed in a pair of booty shorts and a over-sized t-shirt.
"Did you want to go to the one down the street or across the city for sugaring?" Drew questioned setting her haul down on coffee table.
"Whichever, you're paying."
"Ok, I brought snacks I was about to eat. And movies." Drew bent down to flip on the flat screen TV and popped in a DVD version of Beauty and the Beast. "It's Disney for now."
"Works for me. Our show is on at eight so we can catch the latest episode." Davina reached over grabbing a handful of chips. "What did you do on the date? Was that part at least decent?"
"We went to a dinner theatre in Florence. It was a murder mystery. I got the killer wrong mind you. Can you believe that? I was so sure." Drew ranted.
"Ok, and how was Aro? Did he give you butterflies?" Davina teased.
"Aro looked as he always does, impeccably dressed and handsome enough to make angels weep. It's absolutely unfair at times. The suit a little more for a fancy dinner. We walked around Florence a little afterwards. We kissed—"
"You left that out! How was that." Davina urged turning to get a better look at Drew.
"He's as talented as he is good looking." Drew rolled her eyes. "We ended up making out, I was severely turned on. We just about did it in some hidden alcove between some closed businesses… Yes, I would have done it, I was that uncaring where it was only that he fuck me into oblivion. Which is even more reason I am frustrated."
Davina but back her laughter. "Didn't take you for a voyeur."
"I'm into a lot of things I don't discuss." Drew mumbled. "I might be a nerd but I'm not a prude."
"Just a sexually frustrated nerd."
"Hush." Drew swatted her hand. "What about you? When was the last time you had an escapade?"
"It's been a while. I've been keeping it casual though. I return to London in January for the new semester."
"So soon?" Drew raised a brow. "I thought you were on for a year?"
"It's been a year almost." Davina reminded. "I've got a few mandatory classes that require in person attendance. I may be back for summer work though."
"I forget about the rotation changes of students. Getting a year out in field is a luxury. I might just need to apply for a professor position in London. Come bug you there." Drew grinned.
"Can professors fraternize with students?"
"The best type of class I'd end up teaching are first or second years for Archeology. I'm more of a paid researcher than educator." Drew assured. "I could look into research opportunities in England, however. There is always more than there is back home. Canada has a few sites but not in my categories. Alas we must get the most out of these few months then."
"Of course, and with time passing online is getting better and better. We can always Skype or message each other on Facebook." Davina agreed.
Drew's cell went off. One of her urgent contacts.
Davina grabbed the clicker pausing the movie.
"Morning, Dr. Danvers." Drew greeted.
"Morning Doc," Kingston's usual accent thickened. "I don't mean to bug yea on a weekend. I needed to alert one of you, I'm headed back to Glasgow immediately."
"Is everything alright? Do you need anything?" Drew sat up.
"No Doc, I appreciate the offer though. I'll be gone for a week or so. My wife is in hospital. There was an accident. She's stable. I just need to be with her. I don't have time to advise the higher ups if you can."
"Of course, Kingston please go. Give Arlene my regards. I will complete the necessary paper work for you with our bosses. I'll watch the lab while you're away of course. Let me know how she does." Drew assured him.
"Thanks Doc,"
Drew hung up her phone sliding it back into her pocket.
Davina peered over brow raised. "Kingston alright?"
"He's headed back to Glasgow for a few weeks, his wife was in an accident. She's stable, he just needs to be home."
"Are you going to head into the office today then?"
"I'll probably go this afternoon to make sure everything is in order for Monday."
"Alright."
Drew switched on her office lights as she shut the door behind her. She'd merely tossed an oversize crew neck grey sweater and headed over. She plopped herself down beginning with sending a few emails out to Aro, and Azrael. Inside she gave notice to Kingston's abrupt leaving for a family emergency. She went digging for the forms she'd need to fill for his benefits to make sure they were signed, and he wasn't affected in anyway.
She'd admit she usually left the further detailing to Az. He was a lot more organized than she was. She had learnt habits that kept her well put together, but it took a lot of time.
She logged into Kingston's shared files where he kept his logs and to do lists uploaded for them to review and advise on.
She printed out the lists and latest logs so she could get herself aware of what was what.
She didn't linger around her office. She took her badge so she could secure her office once more.
She headed towards the labs. She investigated the first lab, which Kingston usually always occupied. A lot already processed and tagged items. They were going through the process of being prepared for storing or given away wherever Aro saw fit.
The other two labs Kingston occupied were at different stages of the processes. Some things still needed cleaning, labelling, and categorizing. The very last lab she came to was what she'd dragged in the week before. Piles and piles of chests, and caskets lined the tables further away. She entered the office. This is where she should probably start. She stopped in front of the dreaded pile with furniture and many artefacts. Trunks covered in dust and dirt. She bit her bottom lip scratching the back of her head. She really had left this a mess.
She had promised Kingston to help him with these things this week anyways. It looked like she'd be dragging another hand in here to help organize the lot.
"Karma really said let me fuck you." Drew sighed.
She turned to the counter along the far wall where boxes of PPE were set up. She took two pairs of gloves sliding one on and setting the other aside for if she needed it.
She got to work sorting through what was most likely recycling or to be given away.
The first trunk closest to her, was two feet by two feet. The brown leather around the locks worn and cracked the wood looked to have seen better days. The grains stained and swollen, causing the wood to darken. The wood gave off a musky smell she recognized as mold.
She carefully undid the case preparing for the nasty squeak that usually followed.
Dust fell around pluming up into the air as the lid dropped particles. She waved the dust out of her face blinking a few times.
She raised her brows.
"A trunk full of silverware?" She picked up a rusted spoon twisted into a circle.
The floral design upon them was still visible despite the rust tarnishing the metal. Send it to a recycling plant to be melted. These couldn't even be donated to some artist to make something out of them. The time they would need to take to clean the rust. If the silverware even lasted the cleaning.
Not a single thing in the trunk could be saved. Her mind reeling as to why there was a trunk full of silverware. Did the Turi family feel they were so rich the moment they dirtied their forks they needed to be tossed? Or was this someone's loot they forgot? Most thieves would sell this and be done with it. Did people steal silverware of the rich often to get some money? She'd read accounts of theft throughout the ages.
"If it was someone's prize they failed miserably." she shook her head closing the trunk again and bringing it to an empty table.
The next trunk held many decaying fabrics also wet form being stored underground so long. To the table it went for disposal.
She got through four more. A few broken bottles with liquid she didn't wish to test. A few clothes long destroyed with time. She came across a medium size casket she was going to toss while sorting through the molded corset. She paused, set upon the dress below three golden bangles dulled with time. The swirled designs on them still very detailed. She picked them up careful of their condition. Below them two golden matching earrings, with beautiful circle uppers and longer dangling bits.
"Jhumkas, we're finding the world within these treasures." Drew took the jewelry out bringing them over to the back counter.
She wrapped them with paper towel before placing them within a storage container so they would not be lost or damaged further. She would give them a thorough cleaning on Monday.
She returned to the pile once more. She sighed settling on a small chest to be her last. She was getting hungry and didn't wish to remain in the lab the remaining parts to what was her lazy day.
"The fates don't seem to think I need a lazy day." She murmured setting the smaller casket down.
It was a dark domed casket. A handle upon the top of iron. The materials she could see were leather and wrought iron. A lock was fastened to the front secured.
She pursed her lips. It needed a key. She didn't wish to damage the beautiful Spanish casket. A late 16th century piece she was certain. Could she pick it? Absolutely not, her mind scolded.
She stopped seeing an old key sat upon the lab table a few feet away. She leant over grabbing it. She slid the key into the lock, a slight struggle with the internal workings. She wiggled it a little more… and she was in. She set the key aside.
She popped the casket open. Inside red fabric lined the wooden core.
She took in the details of the worn fabric still held up very well.
She looked down to the contents.
"Gah!" She flinched.
Settled down in the casket, a perfectly carved marble white hand.
Regardless of the fact her heart was in her throat she leant forward taking a closer look. The details so life like. The nails were showing imperfections, the dimples in the back of the hand… to the lines of where the hand would open and close. The skin so smooth and tight against what looked like bone and muscle.
"I'd put this on Az's desk for tomorrow, but I know we'd be knocking him off the ceiling with a broom." Drew chuckled.
She picked up the hand. She noticed a bit of the wrist as well. It looked to be cut off in a staggered line. She sighed. It wouldn't be the first time someone destroyed a statue for a piece of it. She turned it to get a look at the palm, the marble nails slid across her exposed forearm.
She hissed at the sharp pain.
Drew glanced down.
Blood dribbled down her forearm in a steady flow, quickly trailing down, falling onto the marble hand. She turned still holding the hand to grab paper towel.
She put it immediately to her arm to cut off the flow.
The hand she placed down as she soaked the paper towels. She'd need the first aid kit… her stomach dropped a bit she'd made a right mess. The blood had travelled down the length of the hand to the wrist cut off.
It twitched.
"What…" she stepped forward.
The hand twitched again.
"Ah!" Drew shrieked.
The blood dripped down the back of the hand more.
She didn't let the hand out of her sight.
It flopped once more.
"What the fuck…" she hissed backing up to grab more paper towel. She pressed it against the cut. She never took her eyes off the hand.
"This better be some sick fucking joke… some remote-controlled thing… Az is a dick enough to do it…"
She reached over to the counter feeling up not taking her eyes off the hand as it stretched one finger, then another. It was just the top joints. She got a hold of some band-aids.
"Don't you dare move off that table. You pull a Thing stunt as if you're part of the Addams family I will burn you. Historical artefact and all. Az if you have cameras in here, I will whoop your ass if this was you."
She looked down seeing she had grabbed a band-aid and quickly took the gauze. She tossed the kit back onto the counter and held her arm up where a two-inch slice was slowly beginning to stop. She held up her arm so she could look between the cut and the hand.
She peeled open the sterile gauze packet not caring about the garbage. She dropped it. She padded at her arm. She undid the band-aids and slid it over the square to hold it in place.
"Okay, Thing, I'm going to come around to your other side… If there is some battery pack or something…" she narrated while she rounded to the other side of the table to get a better look at the hand without touching it.
She shivered with a groan. No wires or battery pack. All there was, were darkened veins and arteries. It brought flashes of her undergrad anatomy class of a cut section of a human hand and wrist. It was identical in looks for the cadavers she spent hours on.
Now she was staring some fucking monstrosity in the face. Wrist?
She watched her blood dripped around the edge of the outer side, it trailed down hitting the open blackened arteries. It soaked in.
The hand flexed.
"Oh, Gods of whatever faith, what in the fucking supernatural shit is this!" Drew whimpered counting to ten. She flapped her arms a bit getting through a new set of shivers.
She took deep breaths trying to calm her speeding heart.
"I don't know what you are, you spooky fuck… You are going to Aro." She grumbled building her confidence to get the thing back in its box.
Drew shot forward grabbed it and tossed it into the casket once more. She closed the lock and pocketed the key.
"I am not dealing with this today! Hell no. This is some horror movie shit." Drew shuddered.
Her phone pinged.
She dug it out.
I received your email, Doctor. What are you doing into work? -Aro.
"Speak the devils name and he shall answer." She mumbled.
She didn't respond to the text, only took the casket, and made her way down to city hall.
Drew ignored the receptionist who was shouting at her while running in four-inch heels.
Despite her height Drew was able to run down the hall towards the room she remembered first meeting Aro in. She held the casket close by the handle and hurried her pace.
The running clacks of the secretary's heels gaining on her.
Drew ignored her hammering heart and ringing ears. She was probably red faced too. She was passed the point of caring. She had something she would rather burn.
She shot down the hall stopping when she found the double doors. She forced one open, quickly slamming it shut locking the doors. She didn't want to reveal this thing to anyone she didn't know. Heavens know her ears couldn't take it.
She turned on her heel and faced the same executive dark wooden desk. Aro was sat behind it in his high back leather chair. Many papers and documents spread out before him.
He glanced up with brows raised. He set his pen down.
Drew hurried and slammed the casket down on the desk.
She crossed her arms leg shaking below her.
"I have a high tolerance for weird shit." She snapped. "I don't care what the fuck that is. Get it out of my sight. My tolerance has hit the fan."
"I would reprimand your language Doctor, but from your state, you look as if you've seen a ghost." Aro drawled. "Are you alright?"
"I'd much rather the fucking ghost at least then there's a way to get rid of it." She snapped ignoring his warning. "Deal with it."
"What is it?" Aro sighed looking to the casket in front of him.
Drew dug the key out and tossed it to him.
He caught it without hesitation. He turned the casket towards himself. He slowly opened the box. Occasionally he looked up to her.
She remained stiffened in place.
He opened the lid peering inside.
No response as he shut it once more. He locked it once more, setting it aside. Aro sat back, keeping his dark gaze upon her.
"You have questions." He said at last.
"You think?"
"Come now doctor, we can discuss this civilly as we both know you are capable of, or I wait out your swearing and bad behavior. I am a patient man." He offered.
"How are you so calm looking at that thing?"
"It's but a statue hand," He replied. "Why you are so frightened is beyond me."
Drew pursed her lips. A deep burn built in her chest. "Do not lie to me Aro. Do not gaslight me into thinking I did not see what I saw. That is no statue hand."
Aro unlocked the box once more. He lifted the hand. "It is a marble hand."
Drew's temper flared. She pulled down her sweater sleeve again, she revealed the gauze and bandaids.
Aro's nostrils flared. He sat straighter.
She peeled off the bandage and tossed it in the trash beside his desk. The blood had just clotted. She grabbed the hand from him. He didn't stop her.
She pressed the nail against the slice again, fresh blood scented the air.
Aro choked covering his mouth and nose.
"Doctor—"
"Watch." She snapped back.
She turned the hand, exposing the wrist. She set the hand down on his desk. She lowered the arm so blood could travel down her arm and onto the wrist with the littlest amount of mess.
Seconds ticked by. The blood seeped into the wrist.
The fingers twitched. A spasm in the hand.
She looked up to Aro's black gaze.
"I repeat this isn't a statue hand." She whispered tossing the hand into the box.
She grabbed tissues from his desk and pushed them into would cutting off the flow.
Aro's nose scrunched up, whilst he took a few deep breaths.
He forced himself to open his second drawer in his desk and dug out a small pack of band-aids. He rounded the desk at a slow pace.
He carefully approached her.
Drew looked up from under her lashes. He didn't look at her but focused upon the wound.
He was taking long deep breaths.
His cool hands caught her wrist, and he began to cover the wound and tissue to allow it to stop the bleeding. Once done She went to step back.
Aro caught her other hand.
"I apologize for the way you found out, doctor. I truly did not mean for the truth to come out in such a violent manner." He sighed cupping her cheek, he ran his thumb over the apple of her cheek as she leant into his touch.
Her brow's pulled together. "What truth? What does that thing have to do with anything else?"
"You don't see the connections." He questioned.
She looked up at him tilting her head. "A Thing in a box, to what?"
"Me?" Aro held up his own hand.
She studied the detail of his long digits, his own alabaster skin so stark against her own warm brown skin. It was as always, cold and hard feeling…
Like the hand in the box.
"Okay…"
"That is, it?" Aro questioned. "No further questions, doctor? I do not know whether to feel elated or concerned. This is not the woman I have come to know."
"I just thought you were severely anemic." Drew blurted.
Aro cracked a smile shaking his head. "Your mind usually races with a thousand questions. Yet the oddest thing you encounter it is simply written to anemia?"
"You? Sure. That thing in the box? What in the Addams' family is that?"
"A severed hand of a vampire." He replied.
"I know it's a hand but—" Drew closed her mouth. "Vampire?"
He took a step back. He clasped his hands together. "Yes."
"Vampires can lose limbs and they still move? I thought they'd turn to dust like when you stake a vampire." She shrugged. "Weird."
"Doctor, are you quite alright? This is not –"
"Oh. Oh!" Drew smacked a hand over her mouth, eyes wide. "Shit, you're a vampire!"