********
EPILOGUE~
What
better way to forget the sordid details of a emotionally nerve-fraying
week
than a night spent tangled in satin sheets with the Master of the City?
Jean-Claude
seemed to sense my need for reprieve. He turned up the romance
tonight,
was extra-affectionate, and fervently passionate. He went out of
his
way to make me smile. He even did a little strip tease for me, which
made
me blush and laugh, and totally confirm my suspicions that he had, at
one
time, worked at Guilty Pleasures before he owned it.
We
made love for hours. Now I was happy, but exhausted. I lay
sprawled
face
down on the bed, my arms stretched out like I was crucified.
Jean-Claude
was sitting on my thighs, his knees pressed against my hips,
leaning
over me, giving me a backrub.
His
hands were warm tonight. I felt him shift and push his weight against
his
palms as he kneaded my shoulders. Then he dragged the heels of his
hands
down my spine and worked his way up my ribs with a slow, circular
motion.
The soft ends of his waist-length hair brushed across my skin as he
moved
around above me and tickled my back. I wiggled and squirmed and he
curled
up over me and dropped several wet kisses on the back of my neck.
Straightening,
he repeated his pattern a couple of more times before
changing
it, reversing it, so different areas on my back got the benefit of
his
magical hands as well.
I moaned
and sighed with complete contentment. Very satiated, very relaxed.
But now that things were winding down, there was this little nagging
question
in the back of my mind that I couldn't ignore any longer.
Something
I just had to know, and suddenly found myself asking Jean-Claude
before
I had even decided to.
"How did Gretchen know about Damian?"
Jean-Claude
sighed. He was working his way down my spine again. "Non, ma
petite.
Please. Don't make me speak of her. Not tonight." His
usually
melodious
voice was slightly strained and hoarse now. Screaming repeatedly
in
ecstasy has a tendency to do that.
"Just
tell me. I have to know. I can't let it go until I do, you
should
know
that."
Jean-Claude
made a noncommittal noise deep in his throat and stopped
massaging
me. I felt his body rise off me and I thought he was getting off
the
bed, but instead he draped himself over my back and pressed his cheek
against
my shoulder.
"Yes,
I do know that, and that is the only reason I will tell you now," he
muttered.
I felt him take a deep breath, but he didn't say anything.
"Well?"
"Well...when
Gretchen was released from her coffin, I took her away, if you
remember,
to the bath. She must have noticed the other coffin because she
asked
me about it, and asked who else we were releasing that night."
I turned
my head, but couldn't see Jean-Claude's face. I could feel the
sudden
tension of his body on top of mine and I knew what he was going to
say
next.
"I
told her," he continued softly. "I told her everything. It
seemed to
distract
her, calm her, that I was talking to her." He paused, then rolled
off
of me and onto his back beside me. I looked over at him and he turned
his
head and met my eyes with a regretful sadness. "If only I had realized.
I had always underestimated her hatred of you, ma petite." He closed
his
eyes
then and took a deep breath.
I sat
up slightly and stretched out my hand towards him. I placed it gently
on
his chest, over his cross-shaped scar. He opened his eyes and peered
back
at me as if he was expecting me to be angry with him.
"You
couldn't have known she'd resort to something like that to get back at
me,"
I reassured him. "Maybe you should have, but you didn't, and the
whole
thing
is water under the bridge anyway. Things worked out."
Jean-Claude
took my hand in his and brought it to his lips. He kissed it
softly
and squeezed it. "Things worked out this time. Perhaps next
time,
we
won't be so lucky."
He
was so solemn and sad now, I became angry at myself for even bringing the
subject
up and spoiling what had been a very enjoyable evening.
"Damn,"
I grumbled and edged away from him. "Why do you always give in to
me
so easily? Why do you let me get my way every time? You didn't
want to
talk
about this tonight and you should have just refused to. Now you're
depressed
and upset. Next time, just tell me to shut up and kiss you."
Jean-Claude
furrowed his brow and the beginnings of a smile played across
his
face. "Ma petite, I didn't realize. I only give in to you because
it
makes
my life infinitely easier." He rolled onto his side and pulled me
against
him. "I will consider refusing you...next time."
He
slid his long fingers into my hair and angled my face up so he could kiss
me.
I put my hand on his side and dragged it down over his hip, then around
to
the firm round muscle of his shapely behind.
"How are you feeling?" I breathed into his mouth.
He pulled back a little to look into my eyes. "Feeling?"
I squeezed
the delicious flesh beneath my palms and flicked my tongue over
his
lower lip. "Energetic, maybe?"
He
raised his brows in surprise and flashed a smile. "Why, ma petite.
You
are
insatiable tonight. Just the way I like you to be." He wrapped
his leg
around
mine and scooted me forward. "How do you want it this time?"
I shot
him a dubious look. "Why are you asking me? Rumor has it, you
have
a
rather impressive repertoire of fun and creative ideas."
Jean-Claude
nuzzled my cheek. "I do," he purred. "I only meant, 'lady's
choice'."
"Oh...I
see," I breathed, and struggled to come up with something creative
of
my own.
"....Whatever
you desire, ma petite," he urged, his hand fondling my breast,
his
hips pressing eagerly against mine.
I thought of something. "Anything?" I confirmed.
"Anything."
I kissed
him extra-seductively before replying. "Jean-Claude....I know now,
just
how much you love me," I began. "And I don't think I ever really
did
before."
Jean-Claude stopped caressing me and stared at me blankly with the
slightest
hint of apprehension. I smiled. "I know you'd do just about
anything
for me." I licked a wet line over his chin and along his jaw.
That
seemed to reassure him some. "Fill me with that love. Consume
me with
it.
Love me in a way I've never been loved before." I turned my face
away
from
him and pushed my hair from my neck to expose it, keeping my eyes
locked
on the vampire's face.
Jean-Claude
swallowed visibly. Suddenly he knew what I wanted him to do.
"Are
you absolutely sure?"
"Yes."
"Positively?" He dragged his lips down the length of my throat.
"Yes, damn it."
He
took a long, slightly shaky breath. Then I felt him exhale it over
my
skin.
He pressed a faint, tremulous kiss on my pulsing vein.
"But I cannot take your mind," he whispered. "It may hurt you, at first."
I felt
the wet heat of his tongue laving the side of my neck savoringly.
"But
you can make it erotic after that, right?" I murmured.
"Yes,"
Jean-Claude sighed. "Very erotic. Very sensual." He nuzzled
me
encouragingly.
"Do you want it?" He began scraping the tips of his fangs
over
my skin. "Tell me."
"Yes, I want it. I want...you."
Jean-Claude
shuddered. Then he raised his head and opened his mouth. I
caught
just a glimpse of his long sharp fangs gleaming against the fullness
of
his lips. I closed my eyes, felt a sharp prick of pain before his
power
moved
over me.
It
didn't invade my mind, but I could feel it seep into my body. In
a way,
the
sensation was everything I hoped it would be, and nothing like I was
expecting.
Like the caressing hand of a lover, it stroked me and soothed
me,
filled me with his love, and consumed me with his desire.
Through
the murkiness of my pleasure-induced haze, I realized I had finally
given
myself completely over to him. He'd never feel insecure about my
love
again.
I belonged to him. I was his possession...but he was mine, as well.
END
* Nine
Inch Nails "Closer" lyrics by Trent Reznor