Out of My Grave

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Out of My Grave Page 17

by Stephanie O'Hanlon


  “Oh…so…he is going to stop me from seeing you?” My eyes cast down to the floor sadly as I bit my lip.

  Suddenly, Vincent was beside me on the floor, his face inches away from mine. “No. He will not intervene. He will be watching us though, very carefully and possibly not as lenient. He has mentioned about your maid being a chaperone, not one of my staff.”

  His eyes danced over my face, leaning into me slowly, but turned his head away at the last moment.

  I sighed heavily as I looked away, his hand suddenly in front of my face and standing in front of me. I frowned and put my hand in his, helping me up.

  “Shall we attend the plans I had for us today?” He quickly let go of my hand, putting the one behind his back and extending the other towards the door.

  I backed away from him coyly. “What plans are those?”

  “I thought you would join me riding. I have a place I want to show you.”

  He led me out of the room and into the foyer, helping me with my cloak as we made our way to the stables.

  The stable hand already had our horses saddled and ready for us when we arrived. Vincent always used one of his Friesian stallions, the larger of the two, whenever we rode. He used them for riding and his carriage, the beautiful horses looking elegant while they trotted along. I always looked forward to seeing them pull up in front of the manor, raising their front legs up high, elegantly.

  He helped me onto my horse, the side-saddle always difficult on my own, but I sometimes cheated and rode astride. Not very lady-like, but no one was a wiser to what was under my gown.

  Vincent and I had ridden before, just around the grounds of my estate, not going off too far. Once we breached the boundary of the trail to the open field we continued on until we reached beyond my father’s land. I hadn’t ridden so far off since the night I saw Vincent in the field, the night of my horrible nightmare, the day I had slept away.

  We passed by where I fell from my horse, where Vincent was so annoyingly charming. It felt like so long ago when he was just my newcomer, my dark stranger who happened into town and romanced many different women.

  We reached the middle of the field and Vincent stopped.

  “Why are we stopping?” I surveyed the area, the field barren. To our right, not far off, was the forest, it was so close, almost close enough to touch it.

  “We are where I wanted to show you. This is the place.” He got down off of his horse and walked over to me.

  “The middle of a field? You wanted to show me the middle of the field?” I said as he grabbed my waist, lifting me and placing me down gently on the ground.

  “Somewhat. We need to walk this way,” he said as he pointed to the forest, taking the lead.

  We walked through a small brush, getting to a little circular area with a few logs and towering trees. It was secluded, almost seemed as if you were in another world, yet only a few feet away through the small brush was civilization. It wasn’t large; it was only a small pocket, for if it were otherwise it would have overwhelmed you. It was perfect as it was. It was shadowed except for the sun beaming through the tops of the trees, though it only illuminated the small circular area.

  He moved over to a toppled log and sat on it, putting out his hands.

  I looked around. “So, this is why you were in the field that night.”

  He nodded. “Yes. My land is not too far off, the field is quite barren, you can see the stars beautifully at night and the forest is well sheltered, as you can see. I often come here to sit away from people. You know of my discomfort of mortals and their world.”

  I smiled. I did know. He was uncomfortable around all mortals, even me. I understood the closeness we all saw as normal was too close, too intimate, and much more intimate for a vampire. I said I understood, but I really think I did not.

  “If this is your haven away from us mortals, why bring me here? Would that not be divulging your secret? Defeating the purpose of it?” I walked over to him, looking down to my hands and gown, the pink again looking white in the small amount of sunlight around us from through the trees.

  He looked to my hands. “You are the only mortal I actually enjoy being around. To show you this place gives us a place to run away to where no one else will find us, yet it is close enough to your home to get you back safely, my own home as well for me to retreat to.”

  “What would we be running from?” My brow furrowed.

  He stood up, walking over to one of the trees and leaning against it, his light blue frock coat gleaming in the light. “Life.” He stopped, looking down to the ground. “Away from the noise…do you recall at my home…while we—you—were having dinner, you said I was glaring at you menacingly?”

  I scoffed, folding my arms. “Yes, you were glaring.” I sat down on the log he had got up from. “All the hatred of seven suns coming out of those emerald eyes.”

  He turned to me, laughing. “No. No hatred. I was trying to focus on you, to hear your heart and only your heart. Your heartbeat, any mortal’s heartbeat tells a great deal about them. While I was painfully straining to hear it, I would often get distracted, outside influences barging in on my concentration. It can get quite aggravating. I thought if I could read your heartbeat, I could tell what it was you wanted, why you were there and perhaps convince myself I could kill you. That I had a reason to do so.”

  My head tilted to the side as my brow furrowed. “A reason to do so?”

  He looked up to the tops of the trees bringing his arm up and letting his hand rest on the back of his neck. “Annalee, I was—I am trying still, to convince myself you are just like every other woman I feed upon. You have no substance, there is no real mind, just a body filled with blood and eyes to drink in all your surroundings, make you easier to catch.”

  I felt my heart sink, the fact he thought I still had such thoughts paining me. “Is that why you hate me looking at you? Because every other woman does it?”

  His hand fell to his side. “Somewhat. I thought that is what you were doing, that you were staring as every other woman, but you do not. You look at me differently—you have substance. There is a mind. Your body is filled with sweet crimson blood and those beautiful green eyes drink me in, yet there is something else there. You feel. You even told me.”

  My mouth scrunched at the side, thinking. At least he knew I was different from other girls, that I wasn’t planning on using him for any reason, that I really did have feelings for him, that I really did love him, more than I probably should. I looked up at him. “Tell me…what it would be like to kiss me.”

  He wasn’t taken aback by the question as I thought he would be. He stayed silent for a moment, thinking. His voice came out velvety, very soothing to my ears. “Agonizing. It rips through my body and makes everything in me shudder from the intensity. Not that I do not enjoy it, I think I enjoy it much more than I should, more than what is considered normal. Perhaps I like it too much. I like it beyond everything and anything I have ever experienced. I think about it more than I do drinking human blood.”

  I loved hearing him say it, I loved hearing him talk about kissing me as being something he thought about, thought about it always, just as I did, obsessing over it.

  I stood up. “If you enjoy it so much why don’t you—”

  He walked up to me, not too close, but I could feel the warmth from his body seeping through my gown. “Because I am afraid if I start, I will never stop. Would you really want me to take you in the streets? I am sure people would frown upon that, my lady.” He turned away from me, sighing heavily. “I am trying to distance myself without causing you pain from my absence. My plans always seem to miscarry.”

  I looked down to the ground, my skin blushing. “We are alone now. You can do anything you like.”

  He smiled, looking up to the trees again. “Are you giving me permission?”

  I smiled, looking to his feet, sitting down. “I am. Anything you wish…within reason of course.”

  He chuckled. “Oh, of
course.”

  He stood where he was for a moment before he walked over to me, not a branch breaking or a blade of grass bending as he did so, there was complete silence. He sat down beside me and slowly reached out for my hand taking hold of it and bringing it closer to him. He examined it, both of his hands moving over my own, softly caressing it and looking it over.

  I felt a shiver as his fingertips stroked the back of my wrist up my arm lightly.

  He looked up to me and smiled with satisfaction. “Interesting response.”

  He turned my arm over and examined my wrist, pulled my arm up gently to his nose, slowly taking in my scent in the one area. He began making his way up my arm, continuing to smell me, his nose lightly brushing against my skin as his face got up to my shoulder, then to my neck, where he breathed in very deeply.

  I felt my heart beating uncontrollably, my blood rushing to my face as I felt the heat from him seeping into my skin from how close he was. I felt his nose against my neck, brushing up behind my ear. I shuddered once again, feeling heat rise up my spine, a tingle shooting from my toes.

  I closed my eyes and swallowed hard as I felt his lips brush against my neck, then to my jaw, then to my cheek. He was still taking me in, still taking in my scent, though now he was also taking in my taste, tasting my skin. I opened my eyes slowly to his face, up against my own, as he slowly leaned into me letting his lips meet mine. My free hand moved from my lap up to his shoulder, but as his kiss went from gentle to more intense I found it quickly reached up the side of his face.

  His hand let go of mine, reaching around my waist and pulling me closer to him.

  I could have kissed him forever, the moment not lasting long enough.

  He pulled away from me, panting heavily. “Oh, Annalee. I think I should take you home.”

  I tried to pull myself closer to him. “No! I do not want to. I want to stay here.”

  I quickly began to kiss him again, I could feel his restraint at first, but I won again and he began to passionately kiss me back. As quickly as I thought I had won, he pulled away from me again, laughing lightly as he stood up, walking away from me to the center of the small copse.

  “Really, I should get you home.” He put out his hand to help me up.

  I stood up, ignoring it as I walked over to him. “What would happen if you didn’t? You would take me now? Right here, in the forest?”

  His hair had escaped his ribbon yet again, loosely falling out from the back, falling around his face as he breathed heavily, looking me in the eyes, seriously thinking about what he would do.

  He shook his head as if convincing himself not to say what was on his mind. “We need to return you to your home. We will speak of this later tonight.”

  I grabbed his hand as he began to walk away, pulling on it, pulling him towards me. “Tonight? At your home?”

  He turned. “Yes. You will have dinner. If I can arrange things we will attend the ballet.”

  I frowned. “Vincent, you do not need to take me places. You do not need to buy me things. I just want to be with you. It does not matter to me if we are here or in your home.”

  “I know. I want to. Annalee, I never do anything I do not want to do. I want to take you places. I enjoy the ballet as well. Before I had you, I spent most of my time alone. I went to these places with an escort I quickly disposed of after she had fulfilled her requirements.” He eyes came to mine, knowing I would remember at the masked ball how he used the same words.

  I nodded. “All right.”

  He sighed heavily, frowning as he leaned into me and softly brushed his lips on mine making sure he pulled away fast enough to ensure I wouldn’t get my hands on him and continue it further. He knew how much it meant to me that he had brought me there, how much it excited me I was finally getting what I wanted, yet it wasn’t enough. I couldn’t have him to the extent I wanted. I was still bound by rules, by his still wary ideals.

  I complied and we made our way back to the house. We left our horses and made our way inside, the sun still shining brightly, only being one o’clock in the afternoon.

  We made sure we were both presentable. Vincent’s hair was back in order, his clothes straightened out perfectly. He knew that to have me in the house would mean I would be on my best behavior and wouldn’t push anything—I would sit and be a refined young woman. This didn’t stop me from holding his hand and making sure I was closer to him than usual, my skin brushing against his whenever possible. He seemed a little uncomfortable at first, but after a few moments he relaxed and enjoyed having my hand in his. It became a more natural gesture for him.

  We sat in the sitting room, Higgins large head on my lap as I sipped at tea Bess had brought for us, Vincent’s cup sitting untouched.

  “Why a young lady such as yourself would have such a beast is beyond me. I thought you would have one of those ugly things, poodles. The women in Paris seem to like those things.” He sat forward looking over the cup and saucer on the table.

  My mouth scrunched to the side. “He is a magnificent dog, not a beast. The only beast around here is sitting admiring the china.”

  He smiled as he looked up. “A beast I am. That is the first nice thing I have heard you say about me.”

  His eyes were elsewhere in the room, avoiding the glare I was shooting at him.

  Bess walked into the room with a letter in her hand. “I am sorry Miss, I thought I should get this to you as soon as possible. It just arrived.”

  I took the letter. “Thank you.”

  “What is it?” Vincent took a deep breath as he put his hand under his chin, his elbow on the arm of the chair.

  I examined the stationary, groaning when I recognized the writing on the front. It was Sean’s writing.

  “You have really got to be joking.” I opened the letter, looking it over.

  “What is it?” Vincent sat forward in his seat, sensing my uneasiness.

  I groaned again reading it over. “Sean wants to apologize for his behavior and invites us to a social event he is throwing. A party for Deirdre and Peter’s engagement.”

  He began to laugh lightly. “It seems he does not give up easily. I suppose he thinks he can get you away from me long enough to convince you to do away with me.”

  I shook my head. “No, us, it is inviting us, Miss Annalee Harding and her escort, Mister Vincent Moor.” I handed him the letter.

  He looked it over. “What is the purpose of it?”

  I shook my head. “I don’t know. Perhaps they wish to have a word with you, try to convince you to loan me out.”

  “Do not talk like that,” he said angrily. He glared down at the page, as Bess stood uneasily beside him.

  “Um…so Miss, how shall I reply? Or do you wish to reply yourself?” Bess stepped forward.

  I looked to Vincent. “Shall we go? It is tomorrow night. I hope you did not have anything planned.”

  He shook his head. “I did not. I will need to conduct some business beforehand, but I am sure we will be able to attend.”

  He shot a look at me. I knew what his business entailed, of course.

  I smiled. “I will reply myself, Bess. I will do it before we leave for the ballet.”

  “Oh…didn’t your father ask you about supper tonight?” Bess took the letter from Vincent.

  “No, why should he?” I was confused, my hand falling to Higgins head.

  “He was talking about having a dinner, just the two of you. I guess it slipped his mind. I am sure it is nothing, dearie. You go ahead with your plans.” She smiled as she left the room.

  I sat in silence, staring at the floor, biting my lower lip.

  “If you wish to dine with your father tonight, I am sure we can continue our earlier discussions another time. We can also do the ballet another time.” Vincent’s voice was soft, very gentle. It was something I wasn’t used to.

  I shook my head. “No, I want to go to the ballet. My father should have informed me of his plans. I have made mine already.”
/>   It did sadden me I was missing an opportunity to dine with my father, one of my favorite people to be with. At the same time I reminded myself of all the times he promised to be home in time for supper and play bridge with me and did not. I never held a grudge about it, but the thought comforted me.

  Vincent put out his hand across the table. “Are you certain?”

  I nodded and smiled. “Yes. I am completely certain. Tonight the ballet, tomorrow night Deirdre and Peter’s engagement party.”

  Chapter Fifteen

  Lustfully

  I decided to embrace the gifts I received from Vincent in the past. I would be lying if I said I did not know why, but honestly it was in hopes to seduce him. Was I even capable of being seductive? We were going to find out.

  I wore one of the gowns Vincent had purchased for me in town, one of the pink ones since he voiced his like for that color. It was an open robe à la polonaise, the pink champagne color overskirt gathered at certain points to create a delicious draping effect. The petticoat was a darker pink silk with floral patterned gauze over top of it.

  I wore the perfume he had given me when we first met, when I had known him only as my newcomer, and the jewelry he bought me, a heart-shaped diamond pendant. I had Bess dress my hair, pulling it up and piling it prettily.

  Vincent arrived differently, for the first time in his carriage himself, getting out and coming up to the door, even entering to fetch me, telling my father I would not be home late.

  “It will be just dinner tonight I am afraid, I could not get the tickets for the ballet as I had hoped.”

  He gave a friendly smile to my father, who stood in the foyer with us. Bess helped me with my cloak.

  “Hmm. I have voiced my concern to Annalee about that playhouse. Most of the missing girls have gone missing around there.”

  “You mean had…had gone missing. That has stopped, if you remember,” I said, eyeing him.

 

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