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8. Talking is for the Daytime –Catherine POV.

There is a soft tap on my window and I raise my head off the pillow to look into the darkened room. Not able to see a thing, I reach for my side lamp. The room lights up and I can see a figure sitting on the ledge outside my window.

There is no dread for I'd recognize his physique anywhere, still I ask. "Vincent? Is that you?"

Everything about him screams reluctance, even his voice when he speaks. "I had to see you. It is tomorrow, isn't it?"

I glance over at my clock radio; 12:00. "It's exactly tomorrow."

My heart has begun to pound so quickly and loudly that I can hardly hear. Breathing is once again struggled and I know that he must hear it. Does it please him how much I want him … Or, does it scare him?

"Did you read my letter?"

"Yes," he answers after a brief moment of contemplating.

'He knows. He's here. He's mine.'

Yet, I can see his indecisiveness.

"Do you want to come in?" I ask, desperate to have him inside before he changes his mind and flees.

Instead of answering, he begins to apologize. "I'm sorry I woke you up. Especially, since it took you awhile to fall asleep."

He is not asking, but stating known facts. "How long have you been out there? Have you been watching me sleep?"

Of course, I am not asking out of anger. Vincent looks over me. He is my Guardian Beast and I love having him close. In fact, I want him closer. If he truly read my letter, he should know that now. Is that why he is here; to submit and surrender himself to me? If it is so, the things I will do to that body of his…

Getting myself excited, I shiver as he speaks and as I watch his lips move. These are lips that I have claimed with mine and plan on claiming again. I can't wait to see what other things his lips can do.

"I've been out here since you got home, Catherine," he reveals and then begins to tell me how the attack earlier tonight had him worrying for my safety.

As he speaks, I have to force my mind to concentrate on his words. It's hard because the only sounds I want to hear him make are moans. If he truly worries for my safety, he should be climbing in through my window to give me some relief before I combust.

Sitting across the glass, teasing me, he continues without showing any awareness of my accelerating excitement. "I left the warehouse right after you did. I had to make sure you got home safe."

Vincent can move fast, faster than my car can legally drive thru town. Vincent's five senses are more advanced than any other creature on earth. He is advanced, unique, special, and I don't think he realizes this. To him, he is an abomination and not worthy of me. For me, it is just the opposite. I don't feel worthy of him. After all… what's special about me?!

"And then, I read your letter."

With his confession, our eyes lock. My letter was very precise on my wishes for our future. Vincent is now fully aware that I want us to be more, that I want us to be lovers. He hasn't told me his reply, if he wishes the same. But then again, he is here and it's in the middle of the night. What else is there to do at midnight?

Finally, he moves and my libido does a joyful summersault. Standing back, I appreciatively watch as he effortlessly lifts up my stubbornly heavy window and climbs inside. Vincent moves gracefully and liquid despite being build like a powerful predator. I hate Muirfield for what they did but I can't help to appreciate the result.

I advance on him the instant he is inside my bedroom, my fingertips aiming for his partially exposed chest. "Catherine, I'm here to talk," he hurries to say, to stop me, and holds up a hand.

He takes several steps backwards, all the way till his back is up against my wall. Only I can make a Beast retreat. Only I can make him nervous and almost fearful. A chuckle slips out as I watch him, this muscle mountain, recoil from petite little me. He, who can take on a dozen of agents from Muirfield at a time, is retreating because of my advances.

"Are you laughing at me?" He asks, his eyes narrowing.

"Yes, but out of frustration."

I sigh and pull a hand through my loose hair, making it fall in waves around me, the way he likes it. I really do not want to talk, not at all. I can't believe he wants to after what just happened between us. I am still on fire and him standing in front of me, looking hot and sexy like always, is only increasing the heat wave.

"Vincent, it's in the middle of the night, you are in my bedroom, you have read my letter, and I am practically naked. Not to mention…" I hold for effect just to see him squirm. "… talking is for the daytime."

I walk up to him, where he stands pressed up against the wall, emphasizing every move. My sway has an effect on him. I can tell and it fuels me. It encourages me. Up on my tip toes I lift, slowly dragging my fingernails up his chest, and attempt to kiss him. Attempt is the correct word…

Moving with grace and speed, he maneuvers around me and escapes to the opposite side of the room. My fingers are grasping at thin air. Not what they were hoping and longing for. I take a few seconds to collect myself, to steady my pulse, before I rotate and face him.

"Vincent, what…"

"Catherine, I…" he aches.

I can see the anguish in him. He is not teasing me or playing games. This is serious and I stop all my pursuit to listen. It is what he needs.

A poor attempt of a smile and then he finally tells me what is holding him back. "Catherine … I haven't been with anyone since… since this," he says and gestures at himself.

He is referring to the experiment. I had figured that he had not been with a woman since before he left for Afghanistan. Once there, he willingly allowed them to tamper with his DNA. He didn't know what he was getting himself into. He didn't ask any questions. He should have, for he has never been the same again; not on the inside or on the outside.

"And, you are worried how the new you will impact… this," I say with understanding while pointing to him and me.

He laughs once, humorless. "That's putting it lightly. Honestly, Catherine, I'm terrified. I don't know what is going to happen. The Beast comes out when I get angry or excited… when my pulse quickens and you quicken it."

It's a compliment which both pleases and distresses me. This is why Vincent keeps pulling away and keeping me away from him. I want him close, near, and to be mine in every aspect. For that to happen, the worry has to be eliminated.

"Vincent, you are not the only one worried," I reveal, because it is what he needs to hear. He needs to hear that I understand and that I can relate. "Believe it or not, you are the first military experiment I have ever been with," I wink and I actually receive a genuine laugh.

Feeling more relaxed, he sits down on my bed. It's a beautiful sight but I keep my distance. Beast, all powerful, and with looks to slay women, I have to give him the time he needs. He is like a scared puppy, unsure and timid. It's a struggle to remain standing just looking him over as he makes him more comfortable, yet I bite my inside lip and fight through the urge.

"Worried how? Tell me?" He asks, wanting me to share as he has.

Still undecided on exactly how much I should reveal since some of it is kind of embarrassing, I start telling him what has been on my mind for awhile. "I'm not worried about the Beast, let him come out and play if he wants to. And, I am not worried about your strength. I know you won't hurt me, neither as Beast or man. And, you know so too or you wouldn't be here with me."

He had planned to interrupt and object but he quickly quiets as my words sink in. If it wasn't for the Beast, I would be dead a long time ago. The Beast protects and saves me. It would never harm me. We both know this.

Yet, there is the issue of… "It's your heightened senses that sometimes worry me," I admit and he raises an eyebrow with interest. "I can't help to wonder if…"

"Tell me!" He urges, leaning forward towards me, wanting to know it all.

I'd rather not tell him but Vincent has a way of spellbinding me with his eyes and voice. "…if you can hear my stomach growling when I am hungry… if you can smell on my breath what I had for breakfast… if I am using too much deodorant or not enough deodorant…"

I stop to read his reaction and it is wide eyed fascination. He is really getting into this sharing. To him, it's like foreplay and the idea fills me with excitement. We are getting closer.

Eager to get my hands on him, to join him on my bed, I hurry to continue. "… if you can see the pimple that is growing and I won't… I won't go to the bathroom with you nearby just in case…"

"I am listening?" He fills in with a grin, his mood much lighter. I nod and he laughs, louder than he should since my sister is sleeping just down the hall. "Wow! I guess I am not the only one worried. First, I would never listen in your bathroom trip. That would be rude and I would never treat you in such a way. Second, I love the sound your stomach makes when hungry. It makes me wish I could take you out on a date. Sit down at a nice restaurant and spoil you… or, at least, cook a meal for you. I am pretty good cook. With JT, I've had to learn. His idea of cooking is pulling the plastic wrapper off a HungryMan. Second, pimple or not, you are perfect and so is your breath and your scent. Your scent is how I track you, find you, even when you are miles away. It is distinctly you and I love it."

I am now the fascinated one. "What does it smell like, my scent?"

He smiles and I melt even further; basically turning into a wet puddle on the floor. "It can't be described. It's a combination of everything that you are, that you do, the people you interact with, and your preferences. Lately, it's changed, just a tad."

"Changed? How? Why?"

A secretive smile and for an instance I think he won't tell me. "Your sister moved in. Your scent now has a bit of her scent in it. She's a permanent part of you," he says and his words hit my very heart. My whole face lights up and he studies me pleased. "You like the idea of this?"

"I do," I tell him.

"There is a little bit of you in her scent as well. It's how I'm able to find her."

I frown, totally caught off guard by his disclosure. "What do you mean? Find her? Have you been tracking her?"

His face loses the smile and he turns severe. "Whenever I know that you are safe, at the office or with your partner, I search her out."

"Why?" I ask even though I can guess the reason because I want to hear him say it.

Holding my gaze, he speaks the words I had hoped for. "… because I never want you to lose another loved one again."

I stare at him, unable to answer. Just when I think he can't become even more amazing, he says or does something that smashes that belief. He shifts, uneasy by my silence, misjudging it.

"Are you upset with me?" He wonders, completely reading me wrong despite his super senses.

I walk up and kneel in front of him, not capable of giving him space any longer. "No," I tell him and I can clearly see him exhaling with relief. I place my hands on his knees and even though he jerks slightly, he doesn't pull away. "It's just the opposite. You are amazing, in every way."

I lean in to kiss him, but yet again he stops me. "Catherine, I don't have a job."

Not expecting that at all, I retract and sit back on me heels in front of him. "Ok," I answer, not sure how to properly react and curious where he is going with this.

'Seriously, can't we just have sex before I explode?'

"I don't have a job and there are no future job possibilities for me, so basically I am permanently unemployed." He waits to see if I will object but I stay quiet. Apparently, he needs to get this out before we can become more. "I live with a roommate who is the sole person on the lease and who pays all the bills which means I can be considered homeless. I have no savings, no property, nothing."

I know all this. He knows I know all this. Yet, it needs to be said out loud and cleared. I wrote the letter and confessed my worries. Now, it is his turn and I hope to God that this is it, because I can't hold off for much longer. Having him so close, in my room and on my bed… oh the possibilities are making my head spin.

"I was the subject in a military experiment which has left me damaged on the inside and on the inside. And, every time I get angry and pulse race, I turn into a Beast; a Beast that could possibly harm you."

I could object, perhaps I should, yet I don't.

"These people, who did this to me, are looking for me and they will kill anyone who knows of me. Just being around me is dangerous, because of the Beast and because of Muirfield. So, I am not much of a catch, am I?"

I wait to ensure that he is done and then I take my time to respond. When I do, it is not the way he had expected me to. No more of this, I have decided. I care about him and I care about his feeling, but enough. I am horny and it is diminishing my patience and affecting my temper.

"Are you proposing?" I ask seriously and get up on my knees again so our eyes are almost on the same level.

Deep crevice in between his eyebrows, reminding me of the Beast, and making me even more excited. "No!" He exclaims feverously. His breathing has picked up and he is nearly panting. "Just the opposite. I am telling you that there is no future with me."

"So you are not proposing," I smile seductively and slide up in between his knees so I can get closer. He frowns at me, looking more worried than he would in a dark alley with a handful of Muirfield agents. "Ok, so since we are not walking down the aisle any time soon, can we hold off the future talk and just focus on this?" I say and place a soft kiss on his neck. He doesn't object or pull away. "… and this… and this… and this…" I continue as I trail kisses up to his mouth.

Without waiting for him, I roughly remove his shirts so that his chest is bare and available. My fingers finally get to explore and I revel at the feel of his skin under my tips. Ripped of all patience and control, I push him back onto the bed and begin to carry out the seduction I had warned him of in the letter. After all, talking is for the daytime!

What do you think, is this story complete or should I write more?

Review and let me know. Thanks, B