Frustrated , Kate sits up in bed. After taking a few minutes to collect herself, she gets up, takes off the other heel and heads to the bathroom door. It's closed but not locked and she opens it to find Richie standing in front of the sink and facing the mirror, hands gripping the edge of the counter. "You're a jerk."

He meets her gaze in the mirror. "Get out."

Her first instinct is to scream at him, take out all the anger and sadness that's been bottled up inside her since she heard his message a week ago... but something inside compels her not to give up on him. He may be acting like an asshole but he's in as much pain as her, she can sense it instinctively. "Is that what you really want?"

His mouth sets in a tight, grim line. "What do you think?"

"I'm asking you a question, Richie. Please answer me."

It takes a few minutes before his expression finally softens. A resigned sigh escapes his lips. "Of course I don't want you to leave. But you have to, for your own good."

"You keep saying that but did you even consider that you might be wrong?"

He turns to her, his eyes blazing with anger. "That bruja-"

"I don't care what the bruja said!" Kate interjects. "Yeah, she's been right about some things but she's also been wrong a lot more. The first time I went to see her she spat on me, kept screaming at me about how I'm tainted, wrong, how I'm the devil! Now I have to send Freddie to her to get the potions I need because she refuses to see me."

Richie stares back at her, evidently surprised.

"I was going to tell you once you came back."

"Could've told me on the phone that night when we talked."

"You sounded so determined to get answers and I didn't want to be the one to disappoint you. I just figured we'd discuss it when you returned. Never even occurred to me that you'd believe whatever load of bullshit she fed you and leave me because of it."

"Except it may not be bullshit." Pain saturates his voice; he tears his eyes away from her. "I wish it was. You don't know Santanico the way I do. She fucked with my head so badly and I don't want her to do that to you."

"Look at me, Richie." When he doesn't she advances towards him, gently cradling his face until he's forced to meet her gaze. "Am I the devil? Am I evil?"

His eyes are mesmerising, hypnotic pools of blue. "No. You have the purest soul of anyone I know."

"Then believe me, not the bruja. Trust me. Whatever's going on here, whoever that's messing with my head, I don't think it has anything to do with Santanico. They're using her to keep me, us, distracted from whatever that's supposed to happen."

"You don't know that for sure."

His dismissive tone pisses her off instantly but she fights the urge to snap back, instead reminding herself to be patient. "These dreams I have, they always get worse when you're around and I think that's intentional. They're doing this to separate us because they're afraid of what'll happen when we're together."

"You're not making any sense."

"Richie!" she finally snaps, tugging at his chin to get his full attention. "When you were seeing all those visions, no one believed you. Remember how horrible that felt? So why won't you believe me now? Why are you treating me like I'm a head case? You of all people should know how much that hurts!"

It's as if the truth finally dawns on him. His features soften, regret sweeping over his face. "I'm sorry. I didn't realise... I'm an idiot."

He leans in closer, enveloping her in a protective hug and for the moment everything feels right, like she's safe again.

"I know I don't have all the answers but I'm telling you, there's something more going on here than just Santanico. I hate her too, probably even more than you, and these last few years I've been so focused on destroying her... but I think that was a mistake." His lips graze her forehead and she closes her eyes, sinking into his embrace. "I can't do this without you, and Seth, and they seem to know that. That's probably why they've been using my guilt against me in those dreams. My mom, my dad, they've used everything to get me to walk away from the both of you. And I fell for it for a long time, but not anymore." She angles back to look up, peering at him closely. "Don't let them win, Richie. Please. I need you and Seth. Whatever it is that I'm meant to do, I can only do it with both of your support. We're all stronger when we're together."

He captures her lips in a tender kiss, his tongue exploring the contours of her mouth. She returns the kiss with equal fervor while her hands lace through his hair, tugging at the soft strands. They play with each other, teasing one another with their hands and mouth. When her brain finally starts screaming for oxygen, she reluctantly pulls away.

"Turn around." His voice is gruff, hoarse with desire.

She does just that, facing her reflection in the mirror. Cheeks flushed, lips swollen, she looks like a complete mess but he's staring at her image like she's the most beautiful thing in the world and it makes her heart melt.

Eyes locked on her, he slowly begins to unzip her dress and pulls it down until the fabric lays gathered at her feet. She's completely naked, and feeling very vulnerable all of a sudden, but all that insecurity dissipates as soon as she takes in Richie's expression in the mirror. He's in awe, watching her like a man entranced, which in turn makes her feel confident, sexy, strong. Moving around to face him, she gives him a seductive smile. "Your turn."

Her fingers tremble with anticipation while she unbuttons the rest of his shirt. Slow, sensuous, she takes her time in undressing him, excited to finally see him naked. He's lean and angular, not broad-shouldered like his brother but muscular nonetheless, and so devastatingly sexy that she's almost breathless at the sight of him. His muscles involuntarily flex under her touch as she explores him, kisses him, trailing every inch of his skin with her tongue. His head lolls back, a hard groan escapes his lips which soon transitions into a string of nonsensical moans.

He's hard and beautiful, and she wraps her finger around his long, pink cock, working him slowly, her hands slick with his pre-cum.

She exhales a sharp sound when he picks her up unexpectedly, his hands gripping her sides as he carries her out of the bathroom. But they don't make it to the bed. In fact, they don't make it far at all. The floor is cold against her back but the discomfort is temporary, even forgotten when his body lands on top of her, his mouth devouring her frantically.

It's been so long since she's wanted this, dreamt of it, and a part of her is afraid it's all just a dream again, a mirage that will soon turn out to be just another figment of her imagination. And so she clutches at him, holding onto him tightly, her only assurance that he's really there. "Please, Richie," she begs. "Now," she whispers while his tongue laps at her nipples.

The blues of his eyes are unsettling, piercing into her very core when he finally penetrates her. Her legs tighten around him, allowing him to slide deeper inside, and he thrusts into her, over and over again, driving her crazy with his rhythm.

He's not quiet when he makes love, murmuring how much he wants to fuck her, how much he loves her, how good she feels, how tight she is, and her body reacts to his every word, pushed closer to the edge not just by his slick, skilled movements but also the velvety smoothness of his voice.

The pleasure is pure and intense when her body finally climaxes, a physical release along with an emotional one, and she feels light and free, unburdened, like she's floating on air. It's an out of body experience, and she's watching herself and Richie on the ground, tangled body and limbs all wrapped up in each other.

He comes inside her and she drifts back into her body, cradling him in her arms. If he had a heart it would be pounding like hers. If he still breathed, he would be gasping for air like her. Instead he just kisses her, soft and seductive, giving her all of him.

"I love you," he whispers.

She smiles up at him, tapping his nose. "I love you too."

"What?"

"I love you," she repeats.

"You've never said that before."

"I have."

"No, you haven't."

"Really?"

"Yeah, really."

"Well, I do."

And just like that he's ready to go again, surprising her. Must be a vampire thing, she muses before losing herself once more in his dizzying kisses.