dsChpt 3

"So your from England but you live in Canada, going back and forth to the US and Europe?" The tall thin boy asked as he picked up another box and followed Lottie. He was the neighbour from across the streets son. He'd followed his mother over to look round and had soon found himself in awe of the pale little feral in black.

"I'm English, yes. I live in Canada because my children were born here and my husbands Canadian and my work requires me to go all over the world." She answered him politely. He was a pain, but while he was there, Lottie was willing to put up with him, if only to use him.

"Oh...is that your husband?" He asked quietly, looking over at Dante as he signed for some packages.

"pfft! No." She laughed. Dante looked up. "He's the help. I love him, but not in that way. Besides, he's not the traditional marriage type, if you get my meaning..."

The Neighbour's boy looked at her blankly and Lottie sighed. "Never mind..."

"Erm...ok." He gulped. "Anyways, where is your husband?" he tried to continue, desperate to impress.

Lottie glanced at him over her shoulder as she added the last of the macabre decoration to the study.

"You ask a lot of questions..." she purred dangerously, even if the boy didn't realise it. After a moment of silence and a dangerous look flashing in Lottie's eyes, she turned back to the large oak desk of Victor's and straighten up the shrunken head in a jar that sat in one corner of the desk.

"My husband's a businessman of sorts." She told him quietly.

"Oh, my dad is too. He sells computer parts to large companies." The boy opened the box he'd carried in and quickly shut it again, quite disturbed by the contents.

"You have some weird taste...no offence." He murmured quietly.

"Thank you." Lottie smiled wickedly. The boy looked shocked that she'd heard him. "But I like to think of it as an...Acquired taste. Myself and my husband have very special tastes." She turned to him and smiled.

"Cool...so...he works away a lot?" The boy returned to the first subject. "My dad does. Mom doesn't like it though."

"His Jobs may take time. It depends on the difficulty. He's usually home in a week at latest." She purred and ran her hands over the desk, looking forward to said husbands soon arrival.

xxxxxx

1:30am.

xxxxxx

The cul-de-sack was silent as the neighbour's son watched the stars from his window. Tell a lie. He was watching the new object of his affection across the street as she wondered from room to room in front of the huge windows.

The sound of a vicious sounding car engine caught his attention and he turned to see a big black hummer roll down the street. The windows were blacked out just like Lottie's charger. It roared its way up the cul-de-sack and turned into the gates of his new neighbour's home.

"Jeremy." His mother called from his doorway. He mentally cursed and turned.

"5 minutes mom!"

"No. You had 5 minutes 10 minutes ago. Bed. Now. You have your round in the morning."

Jeremy huffed and closed his curtains without a second thought to the black hummer.

XXXXXX

Lottie turned off the final light and crawled into the large four poster bed. The kids had been settled for hours but Dante and herself had only just finished unpacking.

Her eyes drifted closed and she fell into a light sleep. When she awoke no long after first closing her eyes, she was confronted with two flaming eyes. They glowed intensely in the dark of the room, only inches from her face. She also noted she was pinned to the bed, her clawed hands forced down against the bed.

When she finally realised who it was, a sly grin spread across her lips before they were devoured.

xxxxxx

7:30am.

Jeremy opened the side gate to Lottie's new home and headed up the drive. He'd brought her the morning paper and a single rose he'd taken from a garden nearby. He planned on wooing her while her husband was away. Maybe even if she turned him down, he could keep her and her kids company.

Getting to the large double front doors, he knocked and turned away, planning on giving her the romantic speech he'd been planning in his head since he'd gotten up.

He heard the door open and he brought the rose to his lips.

"Ah, good morning my beautiful English rose..." the fact that his back was to the door helped with his confidence. "The mere thought of you has brightened my morning and-..." He finally turned and practically shit himself at the sight of the person that greeted him.

"Mornin' ta you too boy..." Victor stood leading against the second door, his arm propped against the door, claws on display. His blonde hair hung loose over his shoulders and was a mess, giving it a Lion's mane like appearance. He was bare chested and a pair of sweats hung low on his hips revealing the thick layer of muscle that made up his upper torso.

He cocked an eyebrow at the boy, his eyes glowing a soft amber in the morning light.

"Can I help ya?"

"I-is Lottie t-there p-p-please?" Jeremy stuttered and almost fell back down the steps to the door in fright. Victor smirked at his terror and flashed him his large canine teeth.

"She's sleepin'. Why?"

The boy gulped and held out the paper with a shaking hand. "I-I got her p-paper."

"Thanks very much." Victor purred and snatched it from him. "Now fuck off." He growled and went to close the door.

"E-excuse me?" Jeremy whimpered once more, causing Victor to pause. "Who are you?"

Victor leaned right out the door, getting right into the boys face and snarled with as much ferocity as he could be bothered to muster that early in the morning.

"I'm 'er husband." He snarled and slammed the door in Jeremy's pale face, knocking him backwards. He scrambled to his feet and shot off down the drive.

Back in the house, Victor stalked back up stairs and down the hall, meeting Dante half way. The smaller man gave him a warm smile and affectionately stroked his arm as he passed.

"Who was that Mr Creed?" he purred.

"Some dumb kid fer Lott...fuckin' hell. She attracts 'em!" He grunted and disappeared down the hall and into the master bedroom.

He hadn't been lying. Lottie was curled up in bed asleep. He dropped down on the bed beside her and turned onto his side facing her. She quickly began to stir and her eyes fluttered open to look at him. A smile twitched the corners of her lips and she leaned up to kiss him. He obliged her, a low growl rumbling from his chest.

"Your up early." She whispered, her lips still against his.

"Had ta answer tha door." He mumbled and pulled back. "it was one of yer fuckin' toy boys."

"What?" Lottie scowled and lay down again.

"Tha paper kid. Brought ya a paper an' a flower fer his 'beautiful English rose'." He added sarcastically.

Lottie shook her head. "He's the neighbours kid. His names Jeremy." She glanced at Victor and her scowl deepened when she saw his sceptical look. "He's 14 Victor."

"Exactly" He grunted and lay back. "Yer toy boy."

Lottie slapped his arm and shook her head. "Some of us are fussy about the age of the people we sleep with Victor. Like myself. We're not all like you."

"I'm open." He yawned.

"Your down right perverted sometimes Vic." She muttered. "Your fucked up."

"An' yer not? Frail, yer missing out!" He told her and closed his eyes.