::::: Chapter 34 :::::::

::: Rod's POV:::

"I must go back…... If I don't they might start getting suspicious……"

"No you mustn't…..dangerous for you….too huge a risk to take…."

"It won't be…..it would be more dangerous if I don't return….."

"The Dark Lord is an expert occlumens. You mustn't return….."

I can hear voices talking in rushed tones, a woman's and a man's voice. Ugh….my head….it feels like it's just been clobbered. It was difficult even to open my eyes. I tried to concentrate on their voices, to try to understand what they were saying but the pounding in my head was too distracting. For a moment I felt as if I was just like a toddler, learning to string words together and trying to make any sense of it.

Slowly I began to understand what they were saying but, still, it didn't make any sense to me. Slowly, I tried to open my eyes but the bright lights were so blinding that I had to shut my eyes immediately. I tried to move my arms and it was then that I realized my wrists were chained against the wall. This was definitely not home and those people talking must have been my captors. They must have realized that I was awake at that time for their conversation had abruptly stopped. Though I had my eyes closed, I knew they were both looking at me. No point feigning unconsciousness now, still, I can't fucking OPEN my eyes!

"I should leave now." The woman was saying.

"Alright, but be extra careful Aurelia. Things are getting even more dangerous now that it's coming to an end. Be on your guard at all times. Dietrich has already left for the Riddle Manor."

"Thank you. I'll be careful."

Wait a minute…..did he say Aurelia?

Back in the den of Riddle Manor….

::: Bellatrix :::

"How did you find out where Potter had hidden his family, my Lord?" I asked him as I watched him sit back comfortably in his chair opposite mine. Comfortable is the last thing I am feeling right now. It has been so long since we had both gone on a mission together and seriously, watching him blast a door open, knocking out that bitch Potter's wife and letting me handle the kids, I am so hot for him right now. I can hardly concentrate on his words as I struggled to make sure I'm not projecting the thoughts I have in my mind right now.

"Potter was my priority and still is. I will never let him out of my sight as long as he still lives and breathes the same air that I do. Experience has made me realize that I can only trust myself in handling matters of this importance and I was right. Now, I have Potter's family and he is at my mercy." He answered, without looking at me.

I looked away quickly for a moment for I was reminded once again about the countless times when I had disappointed him in matters where Potter was concerned. The failed missions, losing his horcrux, the prophecy……it made me shudder as I recalled the terrible price that we paid for our failures….my failure. For me, it was always personal, unlike everyone else.

I hate being a failure to him.

I want him to be proud of me.

I need him to be proud of me.

I need him to need me.

Everyone wants to feel 'wanted'. And oh…. how I want him to want me.

Now, I'm watching him carefully placing his fingertips together as if it needed a lot of skill and precision. He is trying not to look at me…..or does he really just not want to look at me? Ours is a forbidden love…if I can even call it 'love'. It's such a taboo for people like us to be associated with anything like 'love'. Hell….I would really be freaked out if he were to admit that he is in 'love' with me. Ughh….it's too….clingy.

I'm happy with the way we are right now. At least he is beginning to notice me and my needs. Our 'visit' to the Potters' was like a dream I would never forget and I'm still in it. Usually he would delegate missions to the Death Eaters; meaning me and several others or, he would go on a mission alone. Right now, I so badly want to just reach out and touch him, just for the satisfaction of feeling his skin against mine, but, I will never do that, not unless he makes the first move.

I had my hands clasped together in front of me trying to keep from losing control. His right hand was now placed on the table and I don't know if he noticed but my hands started to ball into fists as I fought against the mounting temptation to just reach out and grab his hand.

Somehow, I felt relieved inside that he had not noticed, still, I was disappointed. All I could do to feel close to him was to lean in against the table that separated us.

"You did wonderfully today my dear,' he said as he glanced at me.

I thought I saw a smile for a moment but it had quickly disappeared again before I had a chance to really see it. It wasn't my imagination, I would bet my life on it. He really did smile at me. He still wouldn't look at me and even though I can only see one side of his face, I know it holds no expression. If I know myself as well as I think I do, I would admit that I don't have many virtues, however, looking at him now I realize that I do have one: Patience.

So I replied, quite breathlessly, "Thank you, my Lord,"

::: Voldemort:::

From the corner of my eye, I can see her watching me. Not looking….watching. She is watching my every move. I bet from the way she is staring at me, she wouldn't miss anything, not even a blink of an eye. I felt tingly sensations running down my spine, a feeling I've never felt before, apart from the lust I'm feeling to feel her baked body squirming under mine. Surprisingly, I like it and at the same time, I hate it! I have a huge feeling this is how it feels like to be…..to really like someone and I hate it!

I tried to turn my attention to something else, trying to distract myself from having such 'thoughts'. Slowly and carefully I placed my fingertips together as if I, the Dark Lord could possibly have any trouble trying to accomplish that. I won't return her gaze just yet. I will not allow myself to indulge in such thoughts under the circumstances. But, the more I try to avoid thinking about it, the more the flashes of her beautiful naked body started infiltrating my mind.

I wanted to say something to her, to try to kill this awkward silence that had befallen us. But all I could say was:

"You did wonderfully today my dear,"

I glanced at her slightly and I noticed how tightly clenched her hands were and she was eying my right hand that I had placed on the table mostly to help maintain a sense of normalcy on my part, as if it was a piece of meat and she was a hungry werewolf. I couldn't help but smile, surprised and partly glad that she was feeling it too.