Evey knelt down to restack the pile of books that toppled. She did this not paying attention to the works. She was reading them, but her mind didn't register the titles of George Orwell, Mark Twain, and Alexander Dumas that passed before her eyes. Her mind was on something else. Her mind and heart were with a man. This man she feared, loathed, mistrusted, mourned and misjudged. The latter more than the former. He was enigmatic about himself, but always so sincere about his beliefs and his ideals, never hesitating to let her know about them. Evey didn't understand why she had been so angry when he told her she couldn't leave. She laughed. Where else could she go? She was misdirecting her rage at someone that only desired to love and protect her. And her impulse? To run like a frightened child.
Why?
Why did she feel so strongly about this? Was it the thought of being trapped with him? No, the very idea of being away from him gave her a feeling she did not want to entertain. Not again. It was the powerless feeling, the helplessness, the thought of doing nothing while those around her suffered. Sort of like being a mouse in a cage, always looking for a way out. Never finding it. Forever running on a maddening treadmill.
It brought her back to the incident when her mother demanded she hide as she watched her vanish into a black bag never to see her again. There it is. V must have felt these same things, the only difference being that he violently acted upon them. Something she could never bring herself to do.
And what of the kiss? She thought she was obvious and passionate enough to let V know how she felt. She wanted him. His kiss and the feel of being in his arms had been amazing. She didn't want it to stop there, and felt certain V felt the same thing by the reaction of his body against her. He fought to tear himself away in the dark. Something made him withdraw, as if she looked into the sacredness of his soul.
Wiping the dust off her hands, Evey stood. She needed to shower or bathe to get refreshed. She still felt so tired, and decided that maybe a bath would be better.
She grabbed some undergarments, opened the door, and headed toward the bathroom. V cleaned and straightened the kitchen, and a wooden table replaced the contemporary one. The Shadow Gallery seemed vacant and quiet. A sigh of relief came over her. She was much too tired to deal with anything right now.
After bathing, Evey dressed and went straight to her room to fall asleep…
The sound of music from the Wurlitzer woke her. She looked at the clock that read 8:00PM. Stretching, she noticed a candle that flickered on the chest of draws. Something draped on the chair adjacent to it. Evey blinked to adjust her eyesight and pulled the covers back.
She went to the chair and picked up the soft silk fabric, which caught the light and revealed a rich burgundy. She held it up gasping at the fine quality and style. Evey removed her sweats and put it on over her head. It fell on her with a whoosh that hugged her hips. It draped with a low scooping neckline and trailed to the floor.
Like an excited little girl, Evey rushed to the mirror and twirled half way around each way. She beamed. The dress made her look like a starlet from an old Bogart movie. Her lace panties underneath would have to come off, their presence added too many lumps to the perfect fit. Once removed, she studied herself and realized this was not a dress at all. It was more like lingerie. It revealed too much for it to be mistaken for anything else. It was almost as if V were giving her the option to stay put if she so desired. Evey looked at the door and then the floor.
She lifted the front of her skirts and emerged from the room, looking around the gallery, now bathed in sparkling candlelight. She felt her heart fall to her stomach and walked to the jukebox. It played soft acoustic guitar. She caught sight of V dressed in his usual pristine tunic and black trousers. His boots looked shiny as his hair and mask did as well. He seemed to like the persona he created for himself. He seemed more than comfortable and happy in it. He was striking, but it wasn't just because of the clothing he adorned himself with, it was his radiance within. Evey always thought so.
He poured wine into a crystal wine glass, and stopped when he saw her to stand upright. He watched her walk toward him, and placed the bottle of Cabernet on the table. He did not remove his eyes from her.
"Hi." Evey said at a loss for words.
V didn't respond.
After a few moments, Evey smiled. "Is that for me?" She gestured at the wine glass.
"Oh yes." He said forgetting himself. "Forgive me." He grasped the glass by the base, and handed it to her looking into her eyes. She took a sip.
"The gallery looks beautiful like this." She looked away at the paintings that now moved with light and took on a life of their own. It seemed, as usual, he positioned the candles to reflect the adulation of the owner of each work of art.
"It is only surpassed by your own beauty."
She turned her attention to him and blushed. He had never looked away from her. "Thank you. And thank you for the…ur… dress." She looked down at herself and lifted the side of it. "It is the loveliest thing I've ever owned." She admitted.
"Do you like it?"
"I love it. Where did you get it? Did you make it? It fits perfectly."
"It suits you well." V studied every curve of the dress, delighted that she was happy to wear it.
Evey ceased from swooning over the dress when she saw that he observed her. She stopped to watch the mask that looked over her form. The lingerie had a certain transparency and Evey felt her face flush.
V noticed her embarrassment took her glass. He left it on the table and led her to the dance floor.
"I am sorry. I didn't mean to make you feel uncomfortable Evey. I suppose I am not accustomed to the delicate intimacy that can occur between a man and a woman." He took charge of the situation as if he was a pro though and turned her on the dance floor.
"No doubt your opinion of me from the way I behaved this afternoon--"
"Shh." She put fingers on the lips of the mask. "I enjoyed the kiss V. And you didn't make me feel uncomfortable; I love the dress. Really." Her voice softened as she looked up at him with desire in her large eyes.
They stopped dancing as he pulled her close. His embrace was strong and powerful. Masculine. Her fingers played with his shoulder. She gazed at darkness in the mask as the gleaming light danced around its smiling features and stared back at her.
"V…"
"Yes."
"There's something I need to tell you."
"What is it?" His head tilted to the side as he looked down at her. She had his undivided attention.
"The night before the fifth when I came back here." His hand stroked her lower back now exposed by the low cut of the dress. "I came here to tell you something." She hesitated.
"Yes."
"I came back here because I wanted to tell you that I was wrong about the way that I treated you, and I wanted to tell you that …that"
"Yes."
"I'm in love with you." Her eyes were hazing with tears as she spoke.
V fought to keep his self-control as if the power of her words could somehow bring him to his knees. She heard a breath escape him as he pulled her close and hugged her. He was so warm. Safe.
"No tears, Evey." He tried to reassure her, and then backed her away once more so he could look at her face. He removed his glove and put his hand on her cheek to stop the tear that escaped. "Why did you not tell me?"
"I thought you might not be ready to hear it. And then I never got the chance."
"I am flattered that you feel that way for me."
She closed her eyes.
"And now. I have something I need to ask you." He pulled her close to him taking her hand to his chest, the silk becoming a slippery boundary between them.
He spoke so soft that his words were lighting a fire within her. Evey's heart raced.
"But first, I want you to understand that you are not under any obligation to me, and if you should decline-- I shall respect your wishes." There was a sound of reluctance in his voice as he loosed his grip on her. "I don't know the kind of suitors that you are accustomed to, but I would hope not to sound too forthright."
"What is it?" Her chin was down, and her brown eyes that looked up at him caught the candlelight.
He paused. "Would you…spend the night with me, Evey?"
She tilted her head to the side the seriousness of her expression not giving a clue as to what she would reply. She thought of the courage it must have taken for him to ask. Then again, she knew that he was a fearless and strong personality. Anyone who could have endured what he must have, had to be something special.
"Yes, I would love to."
Just then, everything in the room came to a halt. The music stopped. All movement either froze or went into slow motion. At that moment and it seemed to V that the whole world around them became a blur of small lights and sound.
She heard his breath. It released with the understanding that he would have his prize. He was standing still, stunned, looking at the floor as if someone had just dealt him a blow.
He straightened and collected himself.
V suddenly turned on her. "Then you will belong to me forever!" His voice became loud and wracked with emotion.
Evey didn't have time to react as he lifted her off her feet, carried her as if she were made of air.
They went into the hallway, to the door of his room that seemed to open all by itself. He placed her on her feet as she heard the door close behind her. They bathed in darkness. The room fell silent as if she were standing alone. Evey felt suddenly afraid.
"V?" She couldn't see a single thing. He did not answer as a few moments passed.
"V? Where are you?" She was turning in a circle. "V?"
"Hold out your arms Evey." He whispered behind her into her ear. He was close. She felt his hands gently lift her arms straight out. "Don't move." He commanded.
She heard the unmistakable sheathing sound of a dagger and winced.
"Don't move." He repeated.
Then she felt a cutting noise next to her ear and then the other as he cut the lingerie at her shoulders. The fabric fell to the floor in a single motion. It betrayed her instantly. She lowered her arms to the sides of her naked body, and stood for a few moments in silence.
"You are exquisite, Evey." His voice came from a few feet in front of her.
"You can see me?"
"Every inch of you." She reacted, attempting to cover herself. V walked closer to her. "Don't conceal yourself from me, Evey. Please." He said.
"I…I can't see you."
"And you never will." He whispered.
His hand stroked her face and pulled her toward him. He pressed his nakedness against her, and she wondered how he got undressed without her knowing. Her hand reached up to touch his face. He grabbed it.
"Love the man, Evey." He started kissing her forceful at first, then yielding, moving down her neck, his hands roving all over her skin.
Evey reached out and touched his chiseled and powerful arms as her hands moved over his well developed chest. His build was solid and his skin felt hot and smooth, like a person scorched by the sun. It was then she realized there were no bullet holes, no scars, and no testimony of the injuries he had sustained.
"Did my heart love till now? forswear it, sight! For I ne'er saw true beauty till this night."1 He spoke kissing her lips.
V lifted her to the bed.
Evey squeezed her eyes shut tight. She choked back the fear as he dominated her; accepting that she could not turn back now. No. Not that she ever wanted to.
1. Romeo & Juliet