Sound in the Night

There! She heard it again. Tilting her head to the side, she tried to focus on the sound. She'd already been out twice to look around and couldn't find the source. It was really beginning to bug her. Just as she heard it start up, Henry opened the back door and called out, "Vicki. Where are you?"

She yelled back, "Where do you think I am?"

He followed her voice and found her sitting on couch staring at a blank TV screen. He leaned over to give her a kiss, "No need to be grumpy."

Vicki sniffed and looked at his lipstick smeared collar, "Playing with your food again?"

He pulled out his collar to see the smear and smelled cheap perfume, "You know very well I quit playing with my food. I merely held her close while feeding."

"I know, but come on, did you think I wouldn't react to the obvious clues? Anyway, why feed without me?"

"I went out to get something and had a chance for a quick bite." He held out his wrist saying, " I'll share."

Vicki's eyes silvered as she pulled back her lips showing her fangs, "With or without passion."

His eyes blackened and he grinned revealing fangs of his own, "With."

Tugging away clothes, the vampire passion took over their minds and body. Fingers massaged the points of erotic pleasure, fangs scored their trembling flesh as they lost themselves to the moment. Henry kept his vampire under rigid control at all times except with Vicki and with her there were no limits, no restraints. Vicki's vampire had always known complete freedom with Henry and therefore didn't always understand the intensity of her mate's feelings but she held nothing back. The rush of physical love, with the taking and giving of every part of themselves held them captive until the vampires were sated.

With all their needs met, they lay still looking into each other's eyes waiting for the other to speak.

He kissed the tip of her nose and said, "Don't move." He shifted on the floor feeling for his pants and checking the pockets and smiled as his fingers closed over the jeweler's box. He pushed the pants aside and brought the closed fist up to her face, "Do you know what tonight is?"

Looking confused she said, "Wednesday."

Henry looked at her with sad eyes, "There's not a sentimental bone in your body is there?"

She blinked and sighed, "One of my many strings. String one, don't hope that anyone will remember a special day, that way your not disappointed when they forget."

Henry opened his hand to reveal a small royal blue velvet box, "I didn't forget."

Vicki's eyes focused on the box, "What didn't you forget?"

Henry placed the box between her breasts and kissed the left nipple, "You joined me in this life a year ago on this date."

Vicki started to sit up, "A year ago? It can't be. I don't feel any of the territorial issues you warned me about. If anything, I want more of you each night."

"There's not going to be territorial issues between us. I've been doing extensive research. It's not necessary. It never was. More of a habit than anything else. Perpetuated by vampires that wouldn't play nice or share and if they had remained human they would have been mean spirited hateful people." He kissed her deeply again then said, "Open the box."

She opened the box to find two matching golden bands. One to fit her finger and one to fit Henry's. The scroll work was intricate, a type of Celtic knot with their initials worked into the design. "Oh. Oh. Oh." was all she could say.

"I designed them myself and had a jeweler make them up. I went to get them tonight. The feeding was taking advantage of an opportunity. Nothing more." Henry took the smaller of the two rings and placed on the third finger of her left hand, "You're mine Vicki, and all I am and all I have in the world is yours."

Vicki took the larger ring and was about to place it on the third finger of his left hand when she noticed all the other rings he usually wore were gone and looked questioningly at him.

He answered the silent question, "I want anyone that looks, to see only your ring on my finger and know that I'm spoken for."

Vicki placed the ring on his finger and said, "You've got me for better or worse. I'm never going to be sweet and compliant, but you'll always have my love and loyalty. Henry, if you'd given me a chance to think that night in the condo – I would have said yes. I'd go with you to the ends of the earth and back again."