Eden

by Eden (lit)

  “Light bruising and a small cut,” she whispered in disbelief.

  Catrina pulled a few stray curls over the injury and almost hid it completely. Okay, so maybe she would be going out with Viktor tonight after all. She put on her shoes, grateful once again that Jacob had clearly been thinking of comfort, and went down to breakfast.

  The kitchen was big enough to match the rest of the manor. Even though there was an official dinning room, she’d always eaten at the small table in the corner of the kitchen. Her uncle too had preferred the intimacy of a smaller space. As she walked toward the table, she noticed Alexander reading the paper and couldn’t help smiling. He managed to look intelligent and dignified while wearing a pair of sweats and a t-shirt which read, “I bite.”

  “Antonio,” she scolded on her way past the butler.

  He followed her gaze toward the werewolf and shrugged. “He picked it out.”

  “Good morning,” Alex said, smiling. “You look much improved today.”

  “I feel much improved. I can’t believe how much of a difference his blood made. Last night I was going to die. I’m convinced of that.”

  Alexander folded the paper as he nodded grimly. “I agree.”

  “Still, don’t you think this is a bit dramatic?” she asked, gesturing toward her face and hair. “My body wasn’t even bruised. I checked.” The werewolf smiled as if to say so had he. “Alex, I’m serious. I wanted to be well, but this concerns me.”

  “Me too,” he said. “But there’s nothing I can do about it. Then again, I’m not concerned for the same reasons you are. As far as your appearance goes, it only added to your beauty.” He winked. “Vampire blood has a tendency to do that. I’ve seen people who were mangled worse than you be returned to health by vampire blood. I wouldn’t worry about that.”

  “Then what are you worried about?”

  He looked her in the eye and Catrina had the strangest sensation that she was melting. He was definitely the perfect combination of beauty and beast.

  “I’m afraid of losing you completely,” he answered softly.

  She was taken aback by his admission, but Catrina didn’t have a chance to respond other than to look surprised.

  “How would you like your eggs?” Antonio asked. “Scrambled as usual?”

  Her stomach growled at the mention of food and she was just about to reply. But then she had the most hilarious mental image of Viktor sticking out his tongue and making a face. From this she not only understood their mental connection, but she knew Viktor didn’t like eggs.

  “What else have you got?” she asked. When Antonio gave her a questioning look she added, “Viktor doesn’t like eggs.”

  The butler stuck his head back in the fridge as he said, “So it’s true then.” He sounded as if she had just answered some great question of enlightenment.

  “What’s true?”

  “Vampires can experience the human world through their human servants.”

  She walked over and started helping him remove ingredients from the fridge.

  “What do you mean the human world?”

  “Well, Viktor can no longer eat or drink, or feel the sunlight on his face. But through you he can.”

  Catrina shook her head as she poured some orange juice.

  “How is it you know all of this?”

  “I helped your uncle with a lot of research. You pick shit up.”

  Antonio started making French toast while Catrina searched the fridge for fruit. She couldn’t believe that Viktor preferred a fruit and veggie breakfast. He’d just have to tolerate the toast. Sure it had eggs, but it didn’t taste like eggs. While they cooked Alexander mentioned that he had a ten o’clock class and offered to give Catrina a ride home. She was happily slicing strawberries when Antonio said, “How did you get the bite mark, if I may ask?”

  It took her a minute to figure out what he was saying. It had been a while since Antonio had seen her naked and at the time she didn’t have a bite mark on her hip.

  “That was courtesy of the first vampire I had to kill, who until recently was the only vampire I’d had to kill.”

  He nodded. “And the small scar on your ribs?”

  “From the only werewolf I’d had to kill before last night.”

  “Ah,” the butler replied. “Just curious.”

  Alexander put down his paper again as he said, “I’ll admit I was curious about the bite mark, but I wasn’t going to ask.”

  About an hour later after they’d finished breakfast, Catrina gathered up her clothes from the night before while Alexander called a cab. The butler had offered to drive them both back, but Catrina didn’t want to attract attention by being chauffeured around in one of her uncle’s cars. Alexander agreed that it would look odd for him to be dropped off in a limo or the Bentley.

  “I’m afraid most of your jacket was shredded, but here are all of your blades,” Antonio said.

  He handed her a small duffle bag filled with weapons. He had washed and dried her other clothes and placed them in another small bag.

  “You must promise me that you will not wait so long or for such terrible circumstances to visit again,” he said softly. Antonio smiled sadly as he added, “The place gets lonely, especially with everyone else gone.”

  Catrina stood on tiptoe and kissed his cheek as she replied, “I promise.”

  They were about halfway back to her apartment when Alex turned to her and asked, “Who’s Hank?”

  “What?”

  “You called me Hank last night, in your sleep.”

  She snickered. “He’s my teddy bear. I’ve had him for as long as I can remember.”

  “Oh,” he answered, blushing.

  Once they arrived, Alexander carried in her bags and promised to call her later. Before she could reply he dashed back down the stairs before the cab left. Catrina walked in to find the priest slumped down in a chair, drinking a bottle of blood. She also noticed he’d brought her motorcycle home.

  “Long night?” she asked.

  His blue eyes took her in with a glance as he said, “You look better than I’d expected.”

  “I feel better than I’d expected,” she admitted.

  He got up to throw away the empty bottle. “I thought you had no intention of hanging out with werewolves?”

  While Catrina laid out her weapons to be blessed again, she told Jacob what had happened. The only part she left out was the fact that Alexander had actually slept in the bed with her.

  The priest took off his long coat and hung it by the door. “So, what’s it like?” he asked. “The connection with Viktor.”

  Catrina thought it over while she looked for some chocolate milk. “It’s not that strange,” she said finally. “I just sort of know what’s going on with him. I don’t actually hear his voice in my head or anything like telepathy. I just know things about him. I feel like I’m a part of him.”

  The priest seemed to absorb this information for a minute or so before asking, “So, did the butler tell you what I said?”

  “About the guy’s girlfriend? Yeah he did.”

  “Did he tell you she tried to kill me?”

  She looked startled. “No, he sort of left that part out.”

  Chapter Twenty

  Catrina made herself comfortable on the couch while Jacob explained what had happened.

  “I found the bar where she worked fairly easily. I waited out back until she left. She didn’t stay long, only a few hours after dark. Turns out she lives close to the place, so she was walking home. I followed her on the rooftops, not wanting to take a chance on getting too close. Then out of nowhere she starts freaking out. She looked up and down the street and started saying that she smelled a vampire.”

  “Cover scent,” Catrina chided under her breath.

  “So, anyway,” he said, giving her a scathing look, “I came down to try and keep her from making a scene and maybe hurting some innocent people. She followed me into a nearby alley and completely wolfed out.�
��

  “And?”

  “And I smacked her around a little, but no major damage was done. I just knocked her out long enough to escape.”

  “Good grief,” she said, finishing her milk. “You report back to the client yet?”

  “Called him before dawn. He said that payment in full should be in your account before noon today.” Jacob stretched, showing just how powerful and impressive his physique was. “I’m going to shower and get some rest,” he said. “I still can’t figure out why daylight doesn’t affect me the same way. But thank God I don’t have to always miss the sun.”

  “But you do miss the sun,” she said.

  The priest smiled sadly. “I can see enough of it through the curtains to know it’s still there.”

  Catrina spent the rest of the day catching up on laundry and doing as much research on vampires as she could. The internet was chocked full of information, but very little of it was fact. She found lots of mythology, several books she wanted to read later, and a few vampire societies. She even found one vampire church, but nothing that would help her know how to interact with the vampire council members.

  Her phone rang almost as soon as the sun went down and she knew it was Viktor before answering. Not because she guessed he would call, but because she knew.

  “Thanks to you I’ll have to spend an extra twenty minutes brushing my teeth,” he teased. “Did you really have to eat something with eggs as a main ingredient?”

  “Nice to hear your voice too,” she said sarcastically. “I missed you and I’m feeling much better after bleeding from the head last night.”

  He sighed heavily. “Don’t be a drama queen. I know you’re alright because I can feel it. But if it makes you feel better, how are you darling?” His voice was so sweet it gave her a sugar rush.

  “Asshole.” She laughed.

  “My car is already on its way to pick you up,” he said, snickering at her comment. “Don’t worry about how you look or what to wear, leave it all to me.”

  His driver arrived barely thirty minutes later. She gave Jacob a brief farewell and another promise to avoid werewolves before leaving. Catrina laughed when she saw the car Viktor had sent. After refusing Antonio’s kind offer earlier today, she still ended up in the backseat of a Bentley.

  Catrina arrived a short time later with her mind racing. She wondered what Viktor had up his sleeve. What sort of outfit was he going to ask her to wear? Would it be something she could tolerate? And since he now had more power over her, would it be something she could refuse?

  “Ma’am,” the night guard said, tipping his hat as she neared the door.

  “Good to see you again,” she teased.

  The guard smiled warmly, happy to know he was remembered. He opened the front doors and Catrina found Viktor waiting for her in the lobby. His long dark robe reflected off the marble floor along with the light of hundreds of candles. His hair blended with the robe, adding to his tall dark appearance. His lips looked redder and more luscious than she remembered noticing before. But then, Viktor had always had great lips. Even though the robe was closed tightly at the waist, he didn’t appear to be wearing anything underneath. Just the thought of him standing there, naked except for the robe set her on fire. Catrina felt like it was Christmas morning and looked at the sash around his waist with anticipation.

  Viktor picked up on her thoughts and stepped forward to greet her, smiling as he offered her his hand. When he did this, the robe fell open to reveal a creamy expanse of thigh.

  “I’ve been waiting for you,” he purred. “We have much to do.”

  He led her down, once again a different way, to his quarters deep below The Palace. As soon as they were in the bedroom, Viktor spun around quickly, giving her another tantalizing glimpse of his legs.

  “Now please, indulge me,” he said. “Don’t ask questions and don’t worry about anything. Just let me do this and I won’t embarrass you.”

  She wasn’t sure what all “this” entailed, but Catrina nodded her agreement. At least he promised not to embarrass her.

  “Go ahead and get undressed,” he instructed, walking across the room. Even though she didn’t ask out loud he could sense the questions running through her mind. “Just do it,” he said with a smile. “And get on the bed.”

  Catrina did what he asked with shaking hands and was shocked when he returned from the closet with a large makeup case.

  “What’s all that--”

  “No questions,” he said, cutting her off. When she looked irritated he pleaded, “Let me surprise you for once and don’t expect the worst of me.”

  The truth of his words stung and made Catrina feel guilty for the way she treated him.

  “I don’t expect the worst of you,” she said quietly.

  “Prove it,” he taunted.

  The vampire climbed on the bed and sat facing her Indian style.

  “Oh, God, Viktor,” she panted. “If you’re going to sit like that you’ve got to close your robe.”

  His smile was wicked, but he closed the robe. “I said don’t ask questions. I didn’t say you couldn’t touch me.” He opened the makeup case and took out a band which he told her to use to pull back her hair. With her face completely exposed he leaned forward to inspect her injuries. “Mind if I finish healing this?” he asked. She shook her head and watched as the vampire pricked the tip of his finger on one fang. After a minute of rubbing his blood across her forehead he announced, “There, all better. Now, I’ll get something to wash that off.”

  He returned with a washcloth and as he sat down, closed his robe with a mischievous smile. “The reason I am doing this,” he explained as he began to apply some light foundation to her face, “is so that you will look appropriate for our audience tonight.” He kissed the tip of her nose and Catrina giggled, then blushed. She couldn’t remember the last time she actually giggled.

  “It isn’t that I don’t think you’re capable,” he went on to say. “But if someone compliments you on your attire you can say that your master picked it out.”

  “My master?” she asked, raising an eyebrow.

  “Play along,” he said. “It’s a vampire thing and it will make us both look good if that’s how you answer.”

  “What’s wrong with just saying thank you?”

  “Nothing. But it will help to make our relationship look more legitimate if you give the answer I suggested. And technically, I am your master.” She fidgeted at his words and Viktor took hold of her chin to keep her still while he applied the makeup. “Don’t get upset, it’s just a title. I don’t plan to abuse you in any way or make you my slave. Much of vampire terminology is archaic. And if I weren’t one of them, it would be offensive to me. Just know that I will never treat you as any of these terms imply. But sometimes for appearance’s sake, you might need to act like I do.”

  She sighed and the sound was filled with irritation. “I’m sorry, sugar fangs but I’ve got questions.”

  “Can’t you ever call me that with genuine affection? Alright, go ahead. I realize now that telling you not to ask questions is like telling someone not to breathe.”

  “If we’re dating then why go through all this master and servant crap? Who cares what the public thinks as long as people assume we’re going to bed together? Wasn’t that the objective in the first place?”

  He paused and turned her face from side to side before answering. “It would have been alright before, but things have changed. You have taken my blood and whether you like it or not you are one step away from being my human servant for forever and always. Even you have noticed the changes in your appearance.” He made it sound like a question and waited for her to nod. “There are others who can actually sense my blood within you. To call you my girlfriend when you are clearly more would be considered an insult and a lie to those who knew better.”

  Catrina reached over, opened his robe and then closed it again.

  “For something that started out as a cover story, this sure
has gotten complicated.”

  “Only if you want it to be,” he assured her.

  Once Viktor was finished with her makeup he took the band off of her hair and ran his fingers through her long soft curls. His smile was appreciative as he said, “I think it looks wonderful, just like this.”

  “What about the rest of me?” she joked.

  Viktor let his eyes take in her lovely naked form before saying, “That looks wonderful just as it is too. But I have the perfect dress in mind.”

  Viktor’s robe made a soft slippery noise as he scooted off the bed and motioned for Catrina to follow him. He had a fire going when she got there, so it wasn’t as drafty as usual, a fact that she was grateful for. Otherwise she never would have been able to parade around naked without getting a chill.

  She followed the vampire into his enormous closet and while she was admiring the space he pulled out a slinky little dress and held it up to himself.

  “It isn’t my style,” he teased. “But this will look great on you.”

  The dress was long and as soon as Catrina touched it she knew it was silk. It was also the same shade of turquoise blue Viktor had been wearing the night before. She took the dress and held it against the front of her body. The back dipped low with thin crisscrossed straps. It was beautiful, but Catrina’s first thought was that she wouldn’t be able to wear a bra. Maybe not even panties unless they were very low cut.

  “It’s gorgeous,” she said. “But what about underwear?”

  Viktor laughed. “You don’t need any.”

  “But--”

  “There’s a split on the side, but it doesn’t go that high,” he interrupted.

  “But you can see my nipples through the fabric,” she protested.

  Viktor took a step closer to her and long strands of his hair fell across her face as he bent down to whisper, “Precisely.”

  Catrina placed her hands on her hips and said indignantly, “Fine. What are you wearing?”

  “Don’t worry,” he said with a wink. “I’ll match.”