A Little Bite of Love

Henry was standing alone looking up at the stars. He had been looking at them for over 164,200 nights and he still didn't know if there was life on other planets. He just knew he grew tired of life on this planet from time to time. Tonight was one of his rare, tired of life nights. He had forgotten her face and wondered how one could forget the face of true love. The battered, broken body was what he kept seeing when he thought of her. He could count his true loves on one hand and each one had their own anniversary dates. Nine dates to remember in all; five first time meetings and four final good byes. He never counted Christina in that group. She was before he became vampire and after his turning, it was vampire territorialism that drove them apart. Of all the lovers, he mourned the loss of Genevra the most and tonight was her night. If God were willing he would never have to say good bye for the fifth time to his present love, his Vicki.

--

She sat at her desk putting the last notes on final reports and preparing invoices. Tomorrow Lana would present the facts and the bills to the clients. She felt the emptiness of the room and noticed that Henry had left without saying anything. Opening her senses, Vicki located him out back and got up to join him. She kicked at some gravel as she approached Henry, knowing he was deep in thought. He turned at the sound held out his arms and in a joyful voice cried, "Genevra, my love." Realizing it was Vicki, not Genevra, he allowed his arms to drop, disappointment on his face.

Vicki's eyes silvered as she marched forward and gave him a resounding slap across his face and continued marching down the street.

Henry's hand rose to the bruised cheek as he heard Mike's laughter, "Trouble in paradise?"

Henry growled as he pushed past him, "Don't make me hurt you," and went after Vicki.

She was moving rapidly and Henry had to picked up speed. He was surprised as a knee buckled because it had been months since it had bothered him, and he swore in pain as he continued to limp after her. Vicki had heard the knee pop and his angry words. She stopped her forward movement and waited for him to catch up but when he was close she snarled, "Why come after me? Go find your lover, Genevra. She can kiss your knee and make it better."

Black eyes stared back at her, "She would do that for me if she could, but she can't. She's been dead for hundreds of years." He took a step towards her and his knee buckled again, "Bloody hell. Go ahead, leave. Walk away." Henry turned his back on her and limped back toward their home.

Vicki watched his retreating form. The starlight made the white in his hair glow and the limp reminded her of the sum total of his years. He had told her about his past loves and knew of the calender dates he marked each year for remembrance. This was one of the dates he honored. She took her time returning home, allowing them both time to put out the fires of their anger.

Henry climbed up the steps and heard a familiar heart beat over the sound of the baseball game on TV. He opened the apartment door and was greeted by Mike holding out a beer and an ice pack. Mike laughed, "Vicki has quite an arm on her. When she connects, it hurts." Henry nodded in gratitude, took the ice pack and placed it on his cheek.

Mike sat back down on the couch, "Want to tell me what earned you the slap?"

Henry sat beside him took a sip of beer and said, "I called her by a former lover's name."

Mike shook his head in sympathy saying, "Ouch." Rubbing his jaw he added, "I did that once too. Flowers, candy and jewelry didn't help. You should work on your story. After she gets in a second or third blow, she usually listens. Care to tell me about the other girl?"

Henry shrugged and told him the story of Genevra Trechi and the Spanish Inquisition. When he finished Mike was shook his head and said, "Damn, that was rough. I don't blame you for the way you paid them back. Anyone hurt Vicki, I'd forget I was a cop and do the same." He took a swig of beer, "Yeah. I know she's yours now, but I'm always going to love her." Mike then shared some of his funnier, less personal times spent with Vicki.

When Vicki got home she found the two men talking, laughing, and swapping stories about women and the dumb mistakes they had made while dealing with them. "What a wonderful Kodak moment. My ex and my current drinking beer and watching baseball." Mike grabbed a handful of cheese curls and threw them at her, saying, "Go away. This is male bonding at its finest. Beer, a game, and woman troubles."

She went to the fridge, grabbed a beer and sat down between her men. "You're both jerks and I love you." Henry kissed the right cheek as Mike kissed the left, together both men said, "We know."

Vicki took a sip of beer and looked at Mike, "You hate vampires. What are you doing here and where did the beer and cheese curls come from?"

"I needed to thank you both for helping Molly. I brought the beer and snacks. She's doing better. Molly keeps thanking me for the wonderful man I brought to her bedside. I told her he was Vicki's husband and she's thrilled for you Vic. She wants to have you both over when she's strong enough. Henry stopped the torment and saved her life." He stopped talking, sucked at the beer bottle and munched a bunch of curls. "Besides, it's hard to maintain a good hate, so I'm dropping it down to loathing. Honestly Henry, thank you for helping Molly. Once we knew where to look, the rapist was caught and further investigation revealed a long chain of similar crimes over the years."

Henry gave a gracious nod, acknowledging Mike's remarks saying, "When Molly is strong enough Vicki and I will stop in for a short visit. Nothing more than one visit. We don't have to explain to you the reasons for limited contact, you are well aware of the pain that comes from knowing a vampire. Now get out of here." Henry stood, "My wife and I have an argument to finish. Take your beer and snacks with you. Next time you come, bring pretzels."

Mike stood gathering up the left overs and asked, "Why pretzels?"

Henry gave a good natured growl, "Because it takes me over an hour to get up all the orange powder you leave behind."

Mike laughed, " I knew it wasn't Vicki keeping the place so clean."

Vicki's snarl turned ugly as she said, "Go home or get thumped."

Mike opened the door and said over his shoulder, "Duck and sway Henry, and keep an eye on her left fist, she has a vicious roundhouse swing that hurts like hell when she connects." He slammed the door and ran down the steps.

Henry raised his fists and took the traditional boxer's stance, "Come ahead girl, I'm ready for you this time."

Vicki also stood, raised her fists in response and fired off a rapid series of right jabs. As Henry blocked each blow, her left fist came up and around, gently tapping his right ear. With that, she dropped her fists and charged forward, wrapping her arms around his waist kissing his lips with firm passionate possession. He matched her hug and kissed back with a passion and possession of his own. He broke the hold, lifted her up and carried her to the couch where he took possession of her willing body. Later sated and panting for air Henry asked, "I thought you were mad at me for calling you Genevra."

Vicki burrowed her way closer to Henry as said, "I wasn't angry about your memory of her. I was pissed off because you dropped your arms and looked so disappointed to see me."

Henry's cheek rested on hers as he said, "I can't hide anything from you. I could never hide anything from her either. Just before you came, I was asking that God never make me have to say good bye to you my love. I don't ever want to say good bye to you."

"Don't worry Henry, we're in this life together now and always. Give me a little bite of your love." His eyes darkened as his teeth sank into her soft white neck and she sighed in pleasure.

As always a special thank you to my BETA READER.