VIGILANCE
As the movers wrapped the furniture and removed it from the home, Hannibal kept very close watch shifting quietly in and out of each space supervising the situation by his presence alone. The workers were obviously making a very serious attempt to appear unconcerned by his surveillance but their efforts were mediocre at best.
Ever watchful, Hannibal was at the top of the staircase heedful of the activity below when he sensed his wife's approach. Without turning to face Clarice, he greeted, "Hello, my Love."
Clarice walked up behind her husband, wrapped her arms around his waist and rested her head on his back. She held him lovingly in an attempt to ease into her suggestion, "Why don't you go play your piano or something, H?"
Hannibal leaned further on his forearms and stretched over the railing, watching two men as they paused to readjust their grip on a rather large armoire. He reached back and pulled Clarice alongside his body, kissing her cheek.
"I must be vigilant, Clarice. It would take but one ill placed camera. One million dollars is a very powerful motivator. If a photograph is to be published of our child, I will decide when and how it is to occur, not the National Tattler, no matter how much money they offer."
Hannibal took his wife by the hand and moved away from the staircase returning his focus to the men working in the original master suite. The moment he entered the room, the posture of the workers stiffened. Hannibal could smell their fear and stalked about the room enjoying the obvious power of his presence combined with the scent of terror leaking from the pores of the workers.
Have you never felt a sudden rush of panic?
Clarice followed him into the space and watched as the workers slowed their movement, attending to Hannibal's. Seeing that his presence was affecting the output of work and realizing they were paying the men by the hour, ever frugal, she stepped in.
"Okay, H…I'm calling it. Out! Go relax and work on your Bach. I've got a handle on this, you're freaking everyone out and nothing's getting done."
The men were exchanging confused glances, noticeably surprised at how confidently Clarice challenged Hannibal. They began to smile, nudging each other as their fear of the monster shifted to amusement at Clarice's obvious dominance over him.
Hannibal saw their reactions, sensed the shift in the scent and wasn't pleased. Not that he minded his wife asserting herself, but, that, combined with the cover of the Tattler made it appear as if he was, indeed, whipped. He voiced his displeasure with nothing more than an exasperated arch of his eyebrow and a word. Simply, "Clarice?"
Not picking up on his discomfort she persisted, "No excuses H…let me handle this. I know that scent is like crack to you."
Hannibal lowered his head and questioned, "Crack, Clarice?"
"Don't be so thick, H…you know what I mean."
Too gentlemanly to reproach his wife in the company of strangers, Hannibal stood his ground, unmoving but silent.
This is unseemly, my Love…not in the company of others…
Seeing he had no intention of budging she looked closer.
"H?"
Hannibal turned away from his wife and moved nearer the door.
Finally recognizing he was distressed she was momentarily dismayed but then realized.
Oh, God, I made him look like a little boy in front of a bunch of men the same week that picture hits the newsstands. Christ! Not cool, Clarice…Fix it!
Seeking to soften the emasculating blow, Clarice walked over to her husband, placed a palm on his chest flirtatiously and leaned in close, whispering, "It's just like when we had the security system installed. They're all scared shitless and you're enjoying it."
Hannibal, in full view of the workers who were looking but trying not to appear as such, sought to assert his manhood. He nuzzled against his wife's neck, kissed her aggressively and nibbled just behind her ear.
Go ahead and watch closely my friends. She's mine.
A whisper in return as he continued to search her neck with his lips and teeth, "It isn't so much as I'menjoying it, Clarice…" a very brief pause as she felt his lips draw against her flesh and form a smile, "…all right, I'm enjoying it, but that doesn't make it any less prudent, does it, Clarice?"
She brushed her cheek against his and spoke softly, "Maybe not, but that's enough for one day, okay H?"
Not in agreement, he questioned further, "Clarice?'
"H…"the familiar appellation was her signal that she would not demean him, but would stand her ground in this.
"Very well, Clarice. If you wish it of me, I shall leave you to it."
"I do, H…Thanks for allowing me to handle this."
"As you know, my Love. There is nothing I will deny you. Least of all this simple request."
Bowing to her wishes, as he always would in matters that did not involve her personal safety, Hannibal pulled her even closer to him and cautioned, "Be watchful, my Love. I trust you but only you."
Hannibal then kissed his wife passionately as the men pretended to avert their eyes and watched from their periphery.
Clarice touched a hand along the side of his face as they separated to illustrate her possession of him. He understood the gesture and touched her hand, holding it to his cheek for a moment.
"Enjoy, H…I'll let you know when we're finished here."
Further marking his territory, Hannibal very intimately brushed his fingertips down the gentle curve of his wife's back settling his hands just above her bottom. His thumbs continually stroked the small of her back as he spoke loud enough to be heard clearly, "I will be in the music room, my Love. I am but a whisper away."
The alpha male demonstration was not wasted on Clarice. Never shying from claiming Hannibal as well she leaned against him and brushed a kiss across his lips.
"Go, enjoy yourself, H. You worry too much, don't forget Clint is coming by later tomorrow night."
With regret, Hannibal released his wife. "Yes, that eases my mind."
Hannibal turned, but not before reassessing the air, seeking threat. Finding none, he allowed his wife her command and ceded control of the situation to her.
Clarice smiled, watching Hannibal look the workers over one more time.
Not going willingly are you, H?
She gripped his shoulders, spun him around and slapped him on his backside.
"Go on, get out of here, Handsome!"
Clarice watched her husband, amused at how he left the room less than willingly. She then turned to the workers, gauging their reactions. One man either more curious or brave than the rest turned to Clarice.
"Jesus, it's not that he's big but…hell, he's pretty intimidating."
Clarice shook her head, "Nah, he's a pussycat."
"So is a tiger but I wouldn't fuck with that either. Did he mean what he said about being a whisper away?"
Clarice leaned against the windowsill and nodded, "Yeah, pretty much. His hearing is practically super-human."
The man was unconvinced. "Really? I thought that was just one of the urban legends that have sprouted up about him."
Clarice accepted the implied challenge. Raising a finger for the workers to be quiet she directed the man to check the hallway. He returned, shaking his head.
"He's not out there. He'll never hear you."
Clarice smiled a knowing smile. "We'll see."
Knowing Hannibal had probably just gotten to the foot of the stairs, Clarice spoke confidently, "Hey, H...can you come here before you go to the piano? I need you."
The men were shaking their heads, mocking her. Surely such a quiet tone of voice would produce no results.
Suddenly, without a sound Hannibal appeared in the doorway standing uncommonly, unnervingly still. Not knowing whether his wife had been offended, the tone of his voice shrouded a threat, "Do you have need of me, Clarice?"
Clarice winked at her husband, qualifying her playful deceit, "I'm feeling a little light headed, H…can you get me some orange juice before you play?"
Hannibal lifted an eyebrow correctly assessing that he was currently on display for the assemblage, "Who is playing now, Clarice?"
She ran a hand up his arm as she confessed, "Okay, you busted me. I was showing off that bat-like hearing of yours…still, I'd love some juice."
Hannibal forced a smile, "I'm happy to entertain you my Love. I'll return momentarily with your juice."
Clarice turned to the men when she was certain Hannibal was finally out of earshot she announced proudly, "See? I told you so."
The man nodded his concession repeatedly as his coworkers gathered, "That was possibly the scariest shit I've ever seen. What else can he do?"
"He can tell people by their scent, but that's one thing I'm sure as hell not asking him to demonstrate."
One of the other movers chimed in, "He can tell people by their scent? That's some wolf-type of shit right there."
"Yes, wolves too can identify by scent," Hannibal responded as he very furtively returned with a glass of freshly squeezed juice and handed it to Clarice.
"Thanks, H…I really appreciate it."
"Not at all, Clarice, I'm happy to have been of assistance." He turned toward the workers and nodded an acknowledgement, "Gentlemen."
The men nodded low almost bowing in deference to the man they now understood to be, in almost every way they could imagine, superior to them.
Hannibal left the room with far more confidence now that he had proven his predatory power, than he had previously though he was not pleased to have been put on such blatant exhibition.
Clarice did not intuit the displeasure but sensed the advantage this newly asserted dominance gave her husband and again winked as she flirted, "I'll catch you later, Big Guy."
"It's not as if I'd run, Clarice. Never from you."
Hannibal left the room, a bit disappointed but left his wife to the business of the home. Once the movers had taken their leave, Clarice went to the music room, stood outside the door and waited respectfully for her husband to acknowledge her presence. He told her often there was no need, but she believed it was discourteous to disturb his playing.
Hannibal finished the piece and paused so call for her, "Clarice, please come in. I have told you before, there is no need for you to wait outside the door. You are always welcome by my side. No matter the circumstances."
No matter the circumstances? What does he mean by that?
Concerned, Clarice entered the room and announced, "I know, H. I just wanted to tell you that everyone's gone."
Hannibal's response would reveal nothing of his mood, confounding her further.
"Yes, I heard the truck move away from the front of the house."
Unnerved by his ambivalence, Clarice walked to the piano and sat beside her husband on the bench.
"Yeah, they were really careful. No one wanted to break anything and have you come flying into the room. You totally freaked them all out."
"Initially, perhaps…"
Hannibal ran his fingers across the keys pressing lightly, though not with enough pressure to coax sound. Clarice noticed a faraway look in his eyes and was somewhat puzzled until Hannibal voiced the source of his upset. Clarice could do nothing but listen.
"…freak being the operative word in that sentence, is it not?"
Realizing her husband was distressed by the events previous her heart began to cave.
"H…please."
"Is that not what I did, Clarice? Perform for your pleasure? Did you enjoy putting me on display and parading my animalistic aptitudes out for the masses, Clarice?"
"It wasn't like that…I'm not like that."
"It was exactly like that, Clarice. Did it give you some measure of esteem to let those around you know that you have tamed the once mighty beast? Must I now and forever be dragged about by my leash for the entertainment of strangers?"
Clarice's breath caught in her throat, her heart pounding the despair she knew he could sense. She pulled at his shoulders attempting to turn her husband to her.
Hannibal was unmoved.
"Please, H, please tell me you're not angry with me about that are you...H… Please tell me you're just teasing me because I'll die if I think I really hurt you."
Hannibal said nothing.
The silence crushed her. She wrapped her arms around him and held him even as his hands remained on the keyboard. He stared straight ahead, processing.
"You know I'm telling you the truth and you know how much I love you. You are everything to me…"
Hannibal breathed deeply, assessing her words.
Don't lie to me or I'll know.
"H…that wasn't my intention…I'm just so proud. I want everyone to know what you're capable of and I want everyone to know you're mine."
Hannibal's voice rasped low, "I don't even know what I'm capable of anymore."
"H, have I hurt you that badly?"
Hannibal placed his palms flat on his thighs. He sat very still as he assessed his feelings. "Am I hurt? Not as such, though it was…undignified."
Clarice reached for her husband and wrapped her arms around him. She rested her head on his chest seeking his heartbeat for comfort. She spoke against his body hearing the echo of her voice within his core.
H…hear me…
"H, I love you. Nothing about you could ever be undignified and I wasn't parading you around like the freaking Elephant Man or something. I know it was stupid and I know it was immature but I was showing off. I'm really proud of you and I want people to know how special you are. Please, H…Say that you'll forgive me?"
Hannibal sat very still, thinking. Though he did not need or seek out the approval of others, his wife's opinion of him mattered. It disturbed him to know how affected he was to think she might have been, on some level, mocking him. As she held him, he understood it not to be true. She was proud of him. He was surprised at how much that idea pleased him. Hannibal raised his hands from the keys, reached for his wife and held her.
"Yes, of course my Love. I would forgive you anything. If your intention was affectionate how could I find offense in it?"
Clarice held her husband, almost afraid to let go. She kissed his chest, over and over again. Reaching up, she sought his neck and placed very tender kisses, searching the skin of his throat tickling his pulse point with her lips.
"Clarice?"
She clung to him, smoothing her hands all over his body seeking comfort. "Yes, H?"
"I find that…stimulating. If we are indeed alone, and your intention is such, I will be more than willing to oblige."
Clarice giggled at Hannibal's wording. He was always so formal that something as simple as asking if she wanted sex sounded more as if she were being presented with an engraved invitation than a simple call to coitus.
"I'd love to, H…afterward, could we go out for a bit. It's supposed to be a gorgeous night. We could go walk along the water and have dinner."
"That sounds lovely, Clarice."
As she did on occasion, but hadn't in quite some time, she playfully challenged, "I'll race you!"
Clarice, belly and all, bolted out of the room.
Hannibal moved from the piano bench and started after his wife. They met up at the foot of the stairs. Hannibal knew Clarice was incredibly competitive and wanted to win but was not as agile due to her condition has he. He could have scrambled past, but, considering her safety stayed behind her, chasing close behind.
"Though you have lost a step or two in our game, Clarice, your fitness considering the late stage of your pregnancy is quite impressive."
"Not passing me, H? Since when do you let me win?"
"I am not letting you win, I'm saving my energy for the bedroom, Clarice. It is far more important to me to impress you there, than here on the stairs. Not to mention, I'm rather enjoying the view!"
Hannibal reached for her backside, patting her gently, teasing.
Clarice, of course, reached the bedroom first and watched Hannibal, chest heaving more from anticipation than exertion, step into the room peeling his shirt from his body as he walked. He tossed it to the side and reached for his belt, unbuckling and whipping it from around him, discarding it as well.
"Come to me, my Love."
Clarice walked forward and looked him hungrily from head to toe and back again. She spoke her desire as he reached for his zipper, "That's a sight I'll never get tired of seeing."
"I most certainly hope you never do, Clarice."
The couple stood, one in front of the other and quickly removed each other's clothing. This was not the romantic, slow progress to foreplay they normally engaged in. There was nothing of tenderness in the tearing at fabric and the clutching at hooks and clasps.
Soon, they were on the bed. Impatient, they sought each other, neither wanting to wait for the other. Mouths covered flesh. Moans accompanied by grunts of effort and panting breaths, each gripping the thighs of the other. Each with their faces buried within tasting of their lover.
Hannibal's muscles tightened as he attempted to stay his pleasure, his wife was so close to hers. Clarice clutched at Hannibal's thighs even as he held on to hers.
Hannibal and Clarice, each knew exactly how to please the other. Hannibal was attentive and assertive. Clarice was loving and playful, she being as aggressive if not more at times than he though this time neither was patient. Each partner sought to please even as they pursued their own end.
The aroused husband pursued his wife's pleasure, forgetting his own for hers.
Colors swirled within his mind, his memory palace open now, airy as he filled it with sound. Musical scores he was now composing, combining with her soft gentle moans, echoed, soaring to the heights within. He rubbed his cheek against her thigh, wet from his attentions to release her scent further. Living only in that moment he breathed deeply, her scent rich, mingling with his, the perfume created now imprinting on his soul he added it to his mind, filling the spaces throughout.
My Love…my life…
Hannibal's passion for her overwhelming, Clarice's body began to tense causing her to release him from her lips in order to surrender her body to his.
Hannibal stayed with her, searching her flesh with his lips, his mouth, his tongue. He probed the tender parts of her, coaxing her body gently, encouraging the warmth to wash over her. As he sensed her rapture bloom, he enticed, "Give yourself to me, my Love."
She called his name as she slowly submitted to her lover.
"H…H…"
"More, my Love…I want more…"
"Oh, God…Hannibal…Hannibal…"
Clarice, overcome with her own passion gripped her husband's legs, biting down on the muscled flesh on the inside of his thigh. She held the sinews within her mouth as her body rocked against him. Her hips undulating as the waves of pleasure overtook her. She tensed, breathless as her whole being shuddered. Grasping at his body, trembling as she clutched for him, Clarice shook uncontrollably as she surrendered to his attention.
You are mine, Clarice…only mine…
Though she remained blissfully breathless, even as her body convulsed within, she again found his flesh.
Hannibal pulled in a long breath as she drew him in once again. He held her tightly, his fingertips digging into her flesh as he swayed with her, careful not to be invasive in his movements.
Clarice encouraged his flesh until he felt he would burst. "Clarice…my Clarice…"
His abdomen tightened as his breath quickened his body shaking with the beginnings of release. Soon his pleasure followed hers.
"H…I love you, H."
"I love you as well, Clarice."
They held each other gently and remained this way, each almost at the foot of the other, waiting for their breathing to align.
Slowly, the couple righted themselves in the bed, clinging still to their pleasure as they clung to one another.
Hannibal stroked his wife's hair, releasing the scent of her shampoo combined with their lovemaking. He breathed deeply, the scent of almonds and musk heavy in the air. Suddenly, the curtains whipped within the room, a breeze bringing with it confusion. Dread.
Hannibal sat up.
"Clarice? Are there other windows open in the home?"
"Yeah, H…All of the bedrooms. I wanted to let the spring weather in. The house has been closed up for too long."
Hannibal's nostrils flared as he searched the air.
"I fear you have let in more than the weather, my Love."
Hannibal leapt from the peace of his bed and stuffed his legs into his boxers.
"I am going down the hall to determine which room is being accessed from the outside. It is either the previous master suite or the bedroom meant for our future daughter. I think the latter, based on the easement the balcony provides."
Hannibal then slipped his trousers, walked back to the bed and ran his hand quickly under his pillow retrieving his Harpy.
"When the hell did that get there?" Clarice questioned, amazed.
"It is never far from me, least of all now that the Tattler has put a bounty on that photograph. It may be that we will be forced to chase off one or two hopeful shutterbugs, Clarice."
"Chase off being the operative phrase in that sentence, H."
"Yes, absolutely, unless there is a need to protect. You are to lock the door behind me. Do not open it again no matter what you hear unless I direct you to do so. Your safety and that of our child is paramount. Do you agree with me, my Love?"
Clearly afraid for her husband, Clarice hesitated, "Can't I come help? I'll get my gun."
"The gun will remain in this room with you. If there were ever a case where I became incapacitated, you would need the weapon to protect yourself. Last resort only, Clarice. I understand that you are able to defend yourself and I am not insinuating by asking you to remain behind that you are in any way less than. I am concerned only for the welfare of the child."
Clarice nodded, "Okay…okay, H. But hurry. I'll be worried about you. Check it out and come back. Don't take any chances. I need a husband and this baby needs a Daddy."
Hannibal paused before closing the door. "Not to worry, my Love. There is not a thing in Heaven or on Earth that will keep me from either of you."
A moment later he was gone.
Until the next chapter, my friends!
LH