Title: The Other Side of the Wall (1/?)
Rating: PG-13

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the wonderful characters created by Tanya Huff, or portrayed by the lovely actors on the hit TV show 'Blood Ties', though I wish I were as lucky.

Synopsis: Mike and Henry are driving Vicki crazy with their need to win her over. She's spent a year ignoring them, but when it comes down to it, how long can she hide from her own feelings? Especially when her nights are filled with horrifying nightmares that she can't seem to control. When Vicki meets Nathan, she thinks maybe he's exactly what she needs to distract herself, but can he be as great as he seems at face value? Or will he turn into a nightmare, too?

Preview: Night was fast approaching in Toronto, and Vicki Nelson sat alone in her office, lights off, eyes closed, senses alert. It was April, and the day had been warm enough to open the windows, and she hadn’t bothered to close them; she was expecting a visitor.
A light breeze fluttered against the curtains, and Vicki smiled into the dark. She didn’t need to open her eyes to know who was standing amongst the shadows, mere feet away.
“Hey stranger.”



Night was fast approaching in Toronto, and Vicki Nelson sat alone in her office, lights off, eyes closed, senses alert. It was April, and the day had been warm enough to open the windows, and she hadn’t bothered to close them; she was expecting a visitor.
A light breeze fluttered against the curtains, and Vicki smiled into the dark. She didn’t need to open her eyes to know who was standing amongst the shadows, mere feet away.

“Hey stranger.”

A familiar hand, cool to the touch, traced a finger along her jaw line.

“Hi.”

His scent filled her nostrils, and she breathed in deeply, taking comfort in his nearness. She doubted she would ever fully understand this, because being so near a person who could drain the life from her in mere seconds had he the will would have been terrifying in any other situation. But for some reason Henry Fitzroy was one of only a select few whom she knew she could count on, vampire or not.

“I’m sorry I didn’t come earlier.”

“The sun just set, Henry. I wasn’t expecting you for another hour.”

“Let me rephrase that. I’m sorry I didn’t come sooner.”

Vicki knew what he meant. It had been over a week since they’d seen each other. The last time they had been together, they had gotten into an argument over one of Vicki’s cases. Once again, they had disagreed over her need to dive headfirst into the most dangerous of situations, Vicki claiming it was necessary, Henry insisting she was being foolish.

“I just don’t want you to get hurt,” he’d said, grabbing her shoulders and trying to shake some sense into her. He had known it was a bad idea, but somehow, when he was around her, logic often escaped him.

“You sound like Mike,” Vicki had snapped, backhanding Henry hard enough for him to loosen his grip.

“Well maybe you should listen to him,” Henry argued, hardly moved by her attempt at violence. “Since you obviously won’t listen to me.”

“I think you’re both idiots,” she growled, prying his hands from her arms. “And I think it’d be best if you just leave.”

Henry blinked; so fast a mortal would never have noticed. But Vicki did. She may have been just an average human being, but she knew him better than anyone had in more than a century.

“You don’t mean that,” he said calmly, taking a step back, feeling the anger radiating off her skin with such intensity it nearly burned him.

“Yes, I do. GET OUT!” she had screamed. “I don’t want to hear about Mike, I don’t want to hear about your need to be overprotective because you think you know more than I do. You may be old as fuck, but you’ve lived in this lifetime just as long as I have, and I know how to do my job.”

“I never questioned your ability to do your job, Vicki.”

“You just question how I do my job.” She opened the door. “Get out.”

Henry had granted her request and had stayed away, giving her time to cool down. He knew her well enough by now to know that, eventually, her anger with him would subside. He also knew that if he came anywhere near her before her anger had dissipated, she would be able to sense him, and that would only make things worse. And so he had kept his distance for nearly two weeks, pleased to see that tonight she seemed glad to see him.

She shook her head, remembering the last time they had been together. “Sorry.”

“Apology accepted.” Henry smiled, running his fingers through a section of her hair. He loved the way a shudder ran through her body every time he touched her. She reached out and caressed his cheek, any anger she’d had stored in case of another fight draining.

“So, tell me about the case you’re working on,” Henry said, pulling himself from her grip, smirking at the brief look of surprise that fluttered across her face. “Any zombies that need salting, any mummies needing a good night’s rest?”

Vicki shook her head and made her way to the window, taking a deep breath of the spring night air. The moon was just a sliver in the night sky, and birds chirped in a nearby tree. She couldn’t help but wonder if Henry ever noticed things like that; the slight change in the air that signaled the beginning of spring, birds chirping, the dew that appeared on the grass late at night and stayed until the sun came up.

“Spring’s almost here,” he said, as if reading her thoughts. Though she knew it was impossible, because while he could sense things normal people could not, reading minds was not part of the job description.

She nodded, tracing the patterns imprinted on her wrists. “I don’t suppose you really get to enjoy it.”

“No. I don’t.” He let out something resembling a sigh. “But there are plenty of other things I can enjoy.” He took a step towards her. “Like spending time with you.”

“Like not arguing,” Vicki teased.

Henry grinned. “Like not arguing.” He leaned his head against the wall and peered down his nose at her. “Did you and Mike have arguments as stupid as ours when you were involved?” He wasn’t sure why he’d voiced the question that had been nagging at him for over a week, but he couldn’t take it back now. He couldn’t read the look on Vicki’s face either, and that worried him.

She sighed. “Worse.” Vicki ran a hand through her hair, slowly closing the gap between them as she spoke. “We fought about everything. Even something as stupid as how often we did laundry, or the color of the sheets.” She was only a foot away. “We still fight. A lot.”

“But you care about him.” It wasn’t a question.

Vicki’s breath brushed his face. “You didn’t come here to talk about Mike and I’s relationship, Henry, and I certainly don’t intend on letting you.”

His skin crawled as their fingers intertwined, a shiver now running down his spine. She had the power to do things to him no one else ever could. He often wondered if he had actually loved those other women in his past, or if this was something entirely different.

Soon the inches between them were gone, and all rational thought was, too.

*

“Where were you last night?” Mike asked, planting himself on the edge of Vicki’s desk. “I tried calling.”

“I was busy,” she said simply, scribbling something on a notepad.

“Busy with Henry Fitzroy,” Mike muttered. “I thought you two weren’t speaking.”

“He apologized.”

“In more ways than one, it seems,” Celluci said, staring pointedly at her wrist. Two sets of matching bite marks stared back at him. She didn’t even try to hide them.

“That’s none of your business, Mike,” she said coolly, her barriers in place. She was ready to fight, he could feel it.

“We were just doing really well, that’s all,” he said defensively.

“You and I make up when we fight,” Vicki replied. “Why shouldn’t Henry and I?”

“We don’t make up the way you two do,” Celluci snarled. “I told you, Vicki, I love you. I’m not willing to give you up.”

“That decision isn’t yours to make,” Vicki said, her voice dangerously calm, though the tension in her shoulders betrayed her resolve.

Mike Celluci sighed, running a hand through his hair. They had had this discussion numerous times, yet they seemed to be going in circles, never actually getting anywhere. As soon as he thought he had gained some ground, Vicki dragged him back to reality.

“C’mon,” he said, pulling on his jacket. “Let’s just get some lunch, okay?”

“Can’t,” Vicki said, shuffling papers on her desk. “I’ve got work to do.”

“I thought your caseload was pretty easy this week,” Mike prodded.

“Things change.”

“Are you really going to shut me out, Vicki?! I have been there for you every time you and Fitzroy get into a fight, when you aren’t sure how you feel, and I’m certain you do know, you’re just avoiding it. I have helped you solve numerous cases by putting my own career, my own life, on the line, and I’ve even kept that damned vampire’s secret, and you’re still shutting me out?”

Vicki glared at him from over her glasses. “I have work to do.”

Mike shook his head in defeat. He’d pushed to hard, to soon. He’d asked for her coldness this time, but it still didn’t make him feel any better.

*

Vicki had lied; her workload was light. Apparently even murderers enjoyed spring enough to hold off on killing for a few weeks. However, it seemed that Mike did not feel the need to contain his thoughts, though he had always been that way. Mike had always spoken what was on his mind, regardless of whether or not he knew it would cause a fight. It did bother her that Henry seemed to be the only thing plaguing Mike’s mind lately. The two of them had always been territorial when it came to her, and it annoyed her to no end, but she had learned to deal with their macho need to protect her by ignoring them both when needed. Right now she needed Mike to stop being so jealous, and for Henry to become a normal human being, but both, she knew, were impossible.

*

Sweat danced across her brow as she slept, the blankets twisted around her. Vicki had never been subject to powerful nightmares until recently, and it nagged her that they took up so much of her night.

She ran down an alleyway, a large, unknown shape following closely behind. Bodies lay around her, but she didn’t have time to examine them, because she knew if she stopped, she’d soon join them. When she reached the dead end she came across every night, she turned, her hands shielding her face from the oncoming attacker. When it was within a few feet of her, she made a vain attempt to slip past it, but was grabbed from behind and thrown against a wall. A knee pinned her to the ground, and when she peered up into the eyes of her attacker, she screamed.

Henry had been watching her sleep, torn between the idea of waking her or letting the nightmare conclude itself. He’d opted for the later, though he realized it may have been a bad idea when Vicki let out a blood-curdling shriek that reverberated in the empty apartment.

Her eyes flew open and searched the room desperately for anything she could recognize, snatching her glasses off the bedside table. Her gaze settled on Henry, who stood silently in the corner.

“How long have you been there?” she said, her voice husky with sleep.

“A while,” he replied honestly.

“Don’t you have anything better to do?” she asked. She knew he didn’t.

He moved to the edge of the bed and took a seat, covering one of her hands with his. “Do you want to talk about it?”

“No,” she said simply. “What time is it?”

“Nearly three.” He still had time.

She wiped the sweat from her brow as Henry untangled the blankets around her, his hands occasionally brushing against her side.

“Do you always come to watch me sleep?” she asked after a while, once her breathing had returned to its usual steady, even beat.

Henry considered silence over an honest answer, but watching her writhe in her sleep made it hard for him to lie to her. In consciousness, Vicki Nelson was the strongest person he’d ever met. In sleep, a side of her he didn’t know existed.

“Not always. But often.” He felt her fingers curl around his. “You’ve been having trouble sleeping lately,” he said matter-of-factly.

Vicki nodded, not really sure what to say. A vampire felt the need to slip into her apartment almost every night, just to watch her sleep, yet she wasn’t even the least bit concerned.

“If you don’t want to talk about it, that’s fine,” Henry said quietly. “But if you do, I’m here.” I’ll always be here.

Vicki leaned back into her pillow and sighed. “I’m just tired, Henry, that’s all.”

Henry knew what that meant. It meant that she had wanted to stay up to see him that night, but fatigue had overtaken her, and she was to tired to fight it off. It was part of what he hated about being a vampire. Mike Celluci could spend all day and all night with her if he had such an inclination. He, on the other hand, only had the night, and he couldn’t expect Vicki to go the rest of her life without sleeping.

“Do you want any help?” he asked, watching her closely. He was always startled by how vulnerable she seemed in near-sleep.

Vicki raised an eyebrow. “Vampire magic says you can put people to sleep? I’ve never heard of that one.”

Henry smiled. “Just relax.”

He placed a hand on either side of her temple, massaging them lightly. He could feel her relax beneath his touch and leaned in to plant a light kiss upon her forehead.

“Good night, Vicki.”

She mumbled something he couldn’t understand, but she was soon breathing in slow, steady, even beats, obviously asleep. He settled back against the headboard, his fingers tracing circles around the bite marks on her wrist. He hadn’t fed in three nights and the hunger was growing. He didn’t have time tonight, but tomorrow, before finding Vicki, he would feed. Vicki often teased that he needed to adapt to modern society and start dining out.

“Can’t you just eat raw steak?” she’d ask.

If only it were that easy.

The bedside clock now read 5:30am, and Henry sighed. It was time for him to leave. He laid Vicki’s arm across her stomach, pushed a stray curl off her face, and disappeared into the night.

*

Mike Celluci lay in bed, eyes fixed on the ceiling, head cluttered. There was a lot on his mind, but none of it had to do with work. No, Henry Fitzroy was on his mind, and that’s all that had been on his mind since he’d first met him. Mike was a competitive guy in just about every aspect of his life, but when it came down to fighting for Vicki’s love, he would not let anyone stand in his way, especially a vampire who had no right trying to win her affections.

“How could that even work?” he asked the darkness.

It couldn’t, he knew deep down. Henry was immortal, he could live forever if he was careful. Vicki, on the other hand, was like himself in that someday, regrettably, they would die. If she, for some crazy reason, chose Henry, what would he do when she died? He could just find someone else. He could have a million more Vickis if he so chose. Mike, on the other hand, his life would be over if Vicki died. There was no one else quite like her, no one that could even come close. He would never be able to find a replacement should she make what he considered the wrong decision.

“But she wouldn’t choose him,” he argued with himself. “We have history.”

But they could have history.

“He wouldn’t turn her into a vampire just so he could keep her… would he?”

You know he could.

Mike battled with himself well into the night, and when his alarm went off at 6am the following morning, he hadn’t gotten a wink of sleep.

*

Vicki awoke to the smell of coffee brewing in the kitchen. Pulling on a sweatshirt, she headed into the office to see Coreen piling over a large stack of books.

“I thought you didn’t go to class anymore,” Vicki said, stifling a yawn.

“I don’t,” Coreen said, handing her a cup of coffee. “It’s just some light reading.”

Vicki counted at least eight books splayed out on her kitchen table. Light reading, my ass.

“I found some information about that missing kid you asked me to look into,” the young woman said, pushing a pile of notes across the table. Vicki thumbed through them and nodded. As chatty as Coreen was at times, she had to admit that she was useful.

“Thanks. This is great.”

Coreen didn’t even notice the rare praise, already running her finger along a line of text in a large, leather-bound novel.

Sometimes it’s like talking to a brick wall, Vicki mused, heading back towards the bathroom to shower. Rummaging through her closet for a clean set of clothes, she came across one of Henry’s shirts folded neatly in the corner. It seemed as if he was omnipresent, always a part of her, whether he was physically near her, or just a lingering scent. The corner of her room smelled like him from his constant nighttime vigilance. Her pillow fought to mask his smell with Mike’s, but it was still there, though faint. Everywhere she went she was constantly reminded that two men, complete opposites, but both able to complete her, were fighting over her, and it should’ve driven her crazy, was she anyone else. But Vicki Nelson was not going to let Henry or Mike distract her. They could fight all they wanted, but she would continue to ignore them, just as she always had.

A knock sounded at the door. Bang. Bang. Bang. Mike’s knock. A policeman’s knock. She heard Coreen let him in, and was hoping he’d wait in the office, but moments later the door opened and Vicki had to quickly pull a blanket off the bed to cover herself.

Mike smirked.

“I don’t know why you bother,” he said, leaning against the doorframe. “I’ve already seen everything.”

I bet Fitzroy has, too.

“Good morning to you, too, you lousy bastard,” Vicki muttered, though her voice held no anger.

“It’s almost 10,” Mike said, checking his watch. “Pretty late for you.”

“Couldn’t sleep,” She said, hiding behind the closet door as she pulled on clean clothes.

Probably because a certain vampire was here all night.

Vicki could hear his thought even through the silence.

“No, Mike. Don’t even go there.”

“Well, I’m sure he was here, Vicki! I’m not stupid.”

“Why can’t we have a single conversation that doesn’t involve Henry?” Vicki pleaded, running a brush through dripping hair. “It was starting off to be a good day.”

“Because Henry Fitzroy is all I can think about!”

Vicki stared at him.

“Gee, Mike, I never would’ve pegged you as-”

“This isn’t funny, Vicki.”

“No, it’s not. It’s stupid. Mike, c’mon! Can’t you just let it go?”

“Let it go that a… vampire,” he spat, “is trying to seduce you?”

“If he wants to try, that’s none of your business! I don’t belong to you, Mike.”

Mike let out a low, guttural sound and shook his head. “Maybe not, but you certainly can’t belong to him.”

Vicki blew out a breath. “Stop it, Mike. Today was supposed to be a good day, and you just ruined it. I have enough information to find a missing kid and bring him home to his parents today. It was supposed to be a good day. And now it’s not. Because you just had to come over here and yell some more about Henry. Henry, Mike. You came to yell about Henry, when you really should be yelling at yourself. If you two want to fight over me, fine. But don’t drag me into it, because I have enough on my plate as it is. I don’t need to baby-sit you two.” She grabbed her coat and headed for the door.

“Grow up, Mike.”

He watched her leave, her shoulders tense, back straight. He hadn’t intended on arguing with her, but it seemed as if that was all they were capable of these days. He would’ve given her space if he’d thought he could afford it. But any time he gave up was a chance Fitzroy had to tare down her defenses, and that was not something he was willing to deal with. He wasn’t going budge an inch. If he had to give up his nights, so be it. But he sure as hell wasn’t going to give up the day, too.

*

It was dusk, and Vicki sat at her desk, chewing at the tip of her glasses. Minus the fight she’d had with Mike that morning (and what was that, anyway?), it had been a good day. She had made headway on one of her missing persons cases, and had been lucky enough to return a missing boy to his parents, nailing the guy who’d kidnapped him nearly a week ago. She wasn’t exactly tired, but energy seemed to be something she was lacking at the moment. She knew Henry would be awake soon, but to be honest, she really wasn’t up to seeing either him or Mike that evening. What she wanted was some peace and quiet. Henry had the sense to usually keep his questions about Mike to himself, which she appreciated, but she could sense his need to ask them, and didn’t want to deal with that tonight.

There was a bar a few blocks away that she knew of, though she’d never been. Maybe what she needed was some anonymity, a place where vampires couldn’t reach her, and the police wouldn’t bother to look.
Decision made, she pulled on her leather jacket and walked the short distance to the Salty Toad, taking a seat at a corner table, beer in hand. She had felt the stares as she entered, she was used to it. Henry may have had a lifetime of positive reinforcement, as he so called it, but so had she.
Taking a swig from her bottle, she casually scanned the room and caught the eye of one of the men at the bar. He smiled, and came over to stand by her table.

“Hi,” he said, offering a hand. “I’m Nathan.”

“Vicki Nelson,” she said, offering the seat across from her.

His eyes were kind, a dark hazel, though not as dark as Henry’s, his hair a dirty golden blonde, though lighter than Mike’s. He was about 5’11”, a perfect balance between the two, and his smile was entrancing.

“Pleased to meet you. Now, what’s a beautiful woman doing sitting all by herself?”

Any other woman would have smiled at the compliment, but Vicki’s brow twisted in thought, unsure of how to answer. Nathan waited patiently for a response.

“Honestly, I’m hiding.”

“Honestly,” Nathan said, clinking his bottle against hers, “I think you chose the perfect place.”

Vicki smiled. “Maybe I did.”

*

Moaning could be heard from the alley behind the bar, though it wasn’t the kind that would grab Vicki’s attention. There were two kinds of moaning, one being the kind one makes when they’re in pain and words cannot be formed, the other the sounds one makes while making love. The moans coming from the alley were of the second in nature, and so Vicki had paid no attention upon entering the bar.

Henry, however, could sense her presence a mile away. Her scent was so recognizable it caused him to shudder and pull away from the woman he’d been feeding on.

“What’s wrong, baby?” she purred, pulling him back.

He blinked, positive of what he’d felt. Vicki was inside, only a wall separating them. Why hadn’t she waited for him?

“Baby?”

His gaze returned to his prey, his lips curling up in a smile. He would know when Vicki left, and so he lowered his lips to the unknown woman’s neck and continued to slake his thirst for something he refused from the woman on the other side of the wall.

*

“It’s getting late,” Vicki announced, her words a bit slurred from the alcohol in her system. She wasn’t inebriated, but she had definitely had one to many beers. She squinted at the tiny numbers on her watch, the digits shifting the harder she stared.

Nathan, having only had one drink, was perfectly sober, and nodded his agreement. “Let me walk you to your car.”

“Don’t have one,” Vicki said, heading towards the door.

“Well, at least let me walk you home, then.”

Even through the haze of alcohol, Vicki knew it was probably a bad idea. She wasn’t sure she could get herself home in the darkness she felt closing in around her, and she had a feeling Nathan would try and stay. And while a one night stand sounded like a not-so-bad idea after the month she’d had, she knew she’d regret it when Mike or Henry, or both, found out.

“No, that’s okay,” she mumbled, squinting into the night. Her night blindness was bad enough, but adding alcohol to the mixture was never a good idea. She should have known better, and she knew she’d made a mistake in trying to drown her issues with Mike and Henry in liquor. But home was only a few blocks away, she’d be fine.

“Really. I don’t mind,” Nathan said kindly, offering her his arm.

It was at that moment that Vicki sensed a familiar presence close by, and turned her head to stare into an alleyway. Her vision was terrible, but she didn’t need good vision to know who was there.

“Henry-” she began, taking a shaky step in his direction. Then she heard a woman’s moan, and her heart stopped.

Nathan looked confused, but kept a firm grip on Vicki’s arm.

I just had to pick the crazy one, he chastised himself. She’s talking to a complete stranger in the middle of having sex in a deserted alley. This is awkward. But Nathan was a noble man, and would at least make sure she made it home safe.

Then the figure in the alley turned, and Henry saw the look on Vicki’s face. He had been too wrapped up in feeding that he hadn’t noticed her shifting presence. Now he was staring into a face that looked… dare he say, hurt?

“Vicki, wait,” he called, stepping away from the woman, who looked incredibly out of place.

Maybe she isn’t crazy, Nathan thought to himself. That’s good.

But Vicki had let go of Nathan’s arm and taken off in the direction of her office.

“Vicki!”

Nathan watched her run down the street, unsure of whether or not to follow. The man from the alley seemed to be moving much faster than he could’ve, and so, figuring the other young man could handle things from here, he decided to make sure the woman in the alley was alright.

*

“Go away,” Vicki yelled at the figure trailing her footsteps. She was having a hard time finding her way home, and while she wished she could ignore Henry’s warnings from behind her, she took heed without acknowledgement. She had sidestepped a garbage can, a homeless man and a telephone pole by the time she found herself at the front door to her office, and Henry’s presence had not disappeared.

“You’re drunk,” he said, watching her fumble for her keys.

“You’re an ass,” she snapped, shoving random keys into the door, praying one of them would open it so she
could be rid of him. She had momentarily forgotten he didn’t really need doors.

“Give me the keys,” Henry ordered.

“Go to hell.”

“Vicki, would you listen to me for a second?!” Henry asked as she finally pushed the door open, trying to close it in his face, but missing.

“No! Go away, Henry!”

“Why are you so angry?”

“Why were you having sex in an alley?”

Henry blinked. “That’s what this is about?”

Vicki snorted. “Unless you were doing something else, yes, that’s what this is about.”

Henry watched her pace across the room, her anger filling the space. He knew she was drunk, which was having a direct affect on her attitude towards him. Granted, he knew he should have noticed her leaving, but sometimes the hunger was too much for him to handle. On any other occasion she would have accepted that he was just feeding, but she was aggravated tonight; something else was on her mind, and he couldn’t figure out what he’d done wrong.

Who says you did something, a voice said. Maybe it was Mike.

“Vicki, I haven’t fed in days.” Honesty, it seemed, was always the best policy when it came to Vicki Nelson.

“So you decide to have a little fun on the side, I get it.”

Her insides felt twisted, and nausea was taking over. She wasn’t sure why, but the idea of Henry being with another woman made her sick.

Henry felt his cheeks growing warm with anger, but he kept his temper in check. He had seen Vicki drunk once before, and he’d learned to stay calm, regardless of how angry she made him.

“I’m not going to lie to you,” he said, his voice measured, seemingly calm.

Vicki laughed. “Like you haven’t lied to me before. ‘I care about you, Vicki. I would never do anything to hurt you.’”

“And I haven’t!”

“No? So what was all that in the alley tonight?”

“What did you expect me to do? Die? Because if I don’t feed, that’s what will happen.”

“You could’ve asked me.”

“Asked you if I could die?” Henry frowned.

“No. You know what I mean.”

“I care about you, Vicki. I’m sure as hell not going to feed on you every time I need blood.”

“It’s never stopped you before.”

“I can’t do this to you, Vicki. I can’t rely on you for everything.”

“When you care about someone, that’s what you do. Or maybe you really haven’t learned the definition of caring over the past five hundred years.”

“I have learned a lot more in the past year being in a half-relationship with you than I have in an entire lifetime,” he retorted. “Don’t try to tell me how I feel.”

“Fine.”

Henry raised an eyebrow. “Fine?”

Vicki threw up her hands in mock defeat. “Fine. If you say you care, prove it.”

Henry wasn’t sure he was hearing her correctly. Was she saying she was willing to give this a shot?

“If you really care, then you won’t suck other women’s blood, you won’t have sex with them, and you sure as hell won’t lie to me about it anymore.”

He blinked. That was a tall order for a vampire who didn’t want to hurt the woman standing before him. He could never feed off Vicki alone, and had she been sober, she knew that. But rational thought was lost on her when she was drunk. Henry was positive she would remember little, if any, of this argument when she woke up the following morning, so he nodded in agreement.

“Deal.”

He knew this was a promise he could not keep, but she would never remember his agreement, or this night, so what could it hurt to lie to her now? He had always been told to feed on strangers, not the woman you love. Feeding was not meaningful, it was a way to survive. He could have easily promised Vicki to never have sex with another woman, but it was a necessary evil when it came to getting a woman’s attention. At least those he chose to feed on.

He could sense the anger cursing through her veins, though it was less intense than before.

“You should get some rest,” he said quietly.

“Don’t tell me what to do,” she retorted, though the force behind it was gone.

Henry made sure she was sound asleep before heading home. The entire drive back, only one thought cursed through his mind: If she remembers any of what I said, she’s going to be even angrier tomorrow.

But as the sun rose and Henry fell away into unconsciousness, a tiny thought pushed its way past his worries. Had she finally allowed herself to make a decision? And had it been him?

//To Part Two.


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