Victoria could see Vail’s inner struggle through his facial expressions. But she had made the bargain worth his while and damn near irresistible. She offered herself to him whenever he wanted her. Even though his grin revealed those sharp fangs in the moonlight, when he said that she was worth it, she nearly swooned. As he stepped closer, her knees felt weaker all of a sudden. Her pheromone levels rose rapidly as did her heart beat. She had fallen to his vampiric charm once again, but she knew what she was doing with Vail. She made sure she remained safe above all else. She smiled as he accepted her terms, finally she had more power to her cause.

He asked if there was somewhere, they could go in the courtyard, she did ponder. “No but there is a summer house in the forest grounds. We could make that our meeting point. We shouldn’t be disturbed in there.” She stretched and bent down to pick up the boxes. She lifted them with a huff and resumed the walk back. She really needed to work on her arm strength and her core. Maybe invest in some kettle bells. She was learning more and more what her body was capable of. “You have no idea what a hindrance this will cause me. I can’t go out when I have open wounds, you know they’ll smell me a mile off.” She sighed as it was a curse to her.

She led him into the estate gate and after setting her boxes down and closing the gate to lock it, she shook her arms loose as they ached from carrying the ammo. “I didn’t know it was going to be so heavy…” She panted slightly out of breath. She could just leave them there to pick up later. “The summer house is just a few hundred yards that way.” She pointed northwest of the manor. With each step she took closer to toward the summer house, the anticipation within her increased, not eager to be bitten but excited to be closer to Vail, taking in his masculine scent and feeling his hands over her body. It wasn’t conventional for such a Lady of high society but she had no time to meet someone normal and she lived among the devils of the night, she could not escape them however much she wanted to.

"So what do you do when you're not out hunting?" She enquired as she walked alongside him through the trees.

The deal had been struck, and Lady Victoria belonged to Lord Hygrace now. Vail circled around to her other side, keeping her in his sight like a lion sizing up its prey. He could tell that his pheromones were finally starting to affect her, though it had taken quite a while for her to give in. No matter the inconvenience, this outcome was far better than what he had been expecting when he’d first left his family’s manor that night. Before, he had thought he would just hunt her down once, perhaps with some force if she resisted. Instead, he had found himself in a position where he could come back to her as much as he wished and drink her blood to his heart’s content. He could already feel his pulse quicken in his eagerness to receive his end of the bargain.

“That will do,” Vail agreed when Victoria told him about the summer house. He didn’t much care where they went as long as it was out of sight, so the Saint she had mentioned wouldn’t catch him preying on her. Now that he was going to be using her more often, he needed to start treading more carefully. He didn’t want this trade of theirs to become the reason he fell victim to the hunters. If all went well, his encounters with the Lady would be but a small chapter in the span of his immortal life.

As she led him up to the protective gates of the Crest manor, Vail followed ardently. “They will,” he admitted when she sighed about the hindrance. “But none will approach you as long as you’re with me… Perhaps not even if you smell like me.” Though their deal hadn’t included his protection from other vampires, he supposed it was going to be part of his offer nonetheless. As long as she carried the remnants of his scent on her person, most of his kind wouldn’t dare approach her. The only clan she might have to worry about were the Wynters, who weren’t deterred by the Hygraces like all the rest.

Passing through the gates, he waited for her to drop off the boxes she’d been carting before they continued on to the summer house. Without the silver between them, he was free to stride closer to her than before, enjoying her feminine perfume as an exhilarating precursor before he would turn her into his prey behind closed doors.

At Victoria’s question, Vail shrugged. “Many things,” he said, glancing at her as he answered. “Most of the time, I read books or practice different forms of art like painting or playing instruments. Individual pastimes are the only option I have unless I can find a reason to leave the manor.” He looked away from her, letting his eyes rove over the grounds of the estate. She had asked him quite a bit about himself, but he had yet to show any interest in who she was. He decided he might as well try to get to know her better, since they were going to be spending so much time together in the near future.

“You seem more knowledgeable than other women I’ve met before,” he observed. “In what areas were you educated?”

“Oh…do I detect a hint of possessiveness, Lord Hygrace?” She chuckled as he mentioned nobody would dare come near her when she was seen with him or smelt of him. Like a wolf marking its territory with its own scents. “I didn’t know Vampires marked humans…then again most don’t leave them alive either I suppose.” The Lady mused on the world of predator prey semantics. She ducked underneath a low hanging tree branch and span around to walk backward a few steps as he explained he liked to indulge in the arts and music. “I see. A painter and musician, are you? You’ll have to play me a song sometime.” She joked with the reclusive vamp before turning back to face forward. She knew he wasn’t that sociable and didn’t seem the type to show off any of his skills. But it was fun to indulge his ego a tad. Men secretly liked their egos being stroked, a vampire would be no different.

He was very creative, well read, classy, a master of many art forms including dancing, then again, he had the upper hand of being a superior being to humans in almost every way. As he expressed that she was more knowledgeable than other women he had met before, she felt flattered by this. “Why thank you.” She placed a delicate hand to her chest. “My father instructed me in the art of fencing and archery. He also taught me how to play chess and the piano.” She adored her father and time spent with him were her most happy memories.

“I had private tutelage from a Cambridge professor in the subjects of English literature, astronomy and geography, some sciences and maths.” She explained as she ran her fingers past a few leaves of a tree they passed by. The moonlight lit the way toward their destination and soon revealed an open clearing. “As you’ve no doubt noticed, I have a thirst for knowledge. I lap up any non-fictional book placed in front of me. So naturally, when I found my father’s journals, I was quite eager to learn more about his life, The Order, everything about this strange life and all of its mysteries. Some mysteries I’ve found to be more...pleasurable to experience. Such as sharing a dance with a handsome vampire.” She smiled as she got to the door of the summer house and turned the handle. It had a simple bolt lock inside and an oil filled lantern to use. It was so dark inside due to the shade of the trees, she felt around for the table for the matches. She assumed the vampire had much higher capabilities of seeing in the darkness, he was a nocturnal hunter after all.

“What type of painting do you like to do - landscapes or portraits?" Victoria enquired. The interior was filled with white wicker lounge chairs and a small velvet cushioned Chaise longue with ivory detail and cream coloured fabric. Everything one would need for a bright summer's day. A complete Ming China tea set sat on a glass coffee table.

“I don’t know that I would call it marking, per say,” Vail mused in return to Victoria’s comment. “It isn’t as intentional as you think, but I suppose it’s similar enough to be compared.” The forested area they were walking through was quite thick with trees, but he was sure they were still on the Crest family’s land since they hadn’t passed through any other gates. Offhandedly, he noticed that their estate was rather vast in comparison with the Hygraces’ manor. His own family’s mansion was just as large and ornate, since they were also members of the highest class in London, but the lot wasn’t nearly as wide as this one. He wondered how many servants were required to tend the whole sum of it.

As the Lady went on to joke with him about the talents he’d confessed, Vail casted her a sideways glance. They hadn’t known each other for very long, but she was already quite comfortable around him. He found her lightheartedness curious, especially since they were currently on their way to her summer house so he could feed on her again. He hadn’t expected his prey to be so cheery. Still, he did find her comments somewhat flattering—or, more so her interest in learning more about him. Outside of his own family, it had been a long time since anyone had asked him so much about himself out of genuine intrigue. He enjoyed answering her questions and expressing his interests to her in such a relaxed manner.

When Victoria described the various subjects she had studied, Vail was surprised to hear how much she had already covered. She didn’t look very old to him—perhaps early twenties at the latest—yet she was clearly very well read even now. He found himself impressed by her thirst for knowledge. It was an outstanding trait in someone her age when most Ladies he came across were too busy gossiping to crack open a book.

Of course, she took another opportunity to flatter him, and this time he couldn’t stop the hint of a smile that crossed his lip. He had always been quite proud of his ability to dance, and it pleased him to know that she had enjoyed the waltz they’d shared at her party. The memory was a fond one for him too. He could still hear the echo of the music and smell the mixture of perfume and blood that had intoxicated him so. Thinking about it now sent his heart racing and made him all the more eager to have her to himself again.

When they reached the house, Vail followed Victoria inside and took a moment to look around. The room was quaint with plenty of cushioned furniture to recline on. It would make a suitable place for them to meet up, since they would likely be seeing more of each other regularly. His eyes drifted back to the Lady as she asked about him once again. “Both,” he answered, stepping over to stand behind her while she searched for matches. “More landscapes than portraits though, I’d say.”

Gently, he caught hold of her hand before she could find the matchbox on the table. With a Saint sniffing around outside, he preferred not to light any lanterns, so there would be nothing to attract attention to the house they were hidden in now. “There’s no need for that,” he murmured by her ear, hovering close to her neck as he took in her feminine smell. It was time to do what he’d sought her out for in the first place.

A smile played on his lip, and he rested his other hand on the small of her back. “Just trust me… and relax,” he went on in a low voice as he guided her over to the chaise lounge.

It seemed Vail was lightening up to her during their conversation. She did feel somewhat comfortable around him considering he was a hunter and she the prey and she knew full well he was going to feed on her, but she was trying to distract herself from the fear. At least he indulged her questions with appropriate answers without a sarcastic attitude or short responses. On that contrary, he seemed to rather enjoy the questions. She initially though he’d grow annoyed at so many questions. She guessed maybe he had very little interaction with humans outside his manor or much interaction with anyone outside his family members. She wondered how many Hygraces there actually were. However, many there was, she bet that not one of them knew he was here with the Crest heiress in her estate.

As he stepped up behind Victoria to answer her question on his painting. She knew he was right behind her as she looked for the matches. She froze as he caught her hand with his, sending a shockwave of tingles down her spine. She felt his breath on her neck he was that close to her now. She practically trembled as he spoke to her that she didn’t need to light the lantern. His other hand found the small of her back once again like it did in their dance, another wave of shivers trickled down her spine. Obviously, he was very eager to feed, and she couldn’t exactly put it off or say no. As he led her to the chaise lounge, she shuffled her feet unable to see where she was going, fearful that she was going to bang her knee on the table. “But I can’t see very well …I don’t think anyone would have followed us out here.” Then again it may be a blessing she couldn’t see him bite her and draw the blood out. She was considered a vampire sympathiser anyway so why would the Saint be bothered about protecting her if she saw her with Vail again and prevented him from killing him before.

She sat down on her comfortable cushioned seat. He told her to trust him and she had little choice but to. He told her to relax and she tried to, but she was too nervous in his presence. He may mistake it for fear, but she wasn’t scared of him in the way a human should be of a vampire. She was nervous in anticipation of his touch. The Lady had never been touched in the way he had touched her.

Judging by the small steps she was taking, Vail could tell Victoria was uncomfortable in the darkness. It was no matter though. He could see well enough for the both of them, so he kept his hands on her waist as he led her through the room, making sure she wouldn’t bump into any of the other furniture they passed by. He had waited long enough to feed on her blood, bargaining and conversing with her until they reached a place where they could be alone, but now it was his turn to indulge in his sinful pleasures. He could already feel the saliva build up in the back of his mouth in anticipation as they got closer to the lounge chair.

“It’s just a precaution,” he explained when Victoria tried to contest his decision to leave the lights out. “Besides, I didn’t know you’d be so keen to watch…” He smiled at her teasingly, though he wasn’t sure if she could see his face or not. It was strange, but he found that he was warming up to her a bit more after they had talked for a second time. She really was a delight to be around—and not just because her blood tasted so good. If he was honest, he genuinely enjoyed spending time with her, sharp tongue and all.

As she sat down, he reclined next to her, close enough that his hip brushed against hers. Another perk of their deal, he supposed, was that the experience of feeding could be better for both of them. He didn’t like preying on his victims in filthy alleyways any more than they did. Unfortunately, it was often his only choice, since he had to take them someplace where they wouldn’t be spotted by a member of the Order. Now, with a willing human at his mercy, he could enjoy the moment in comfort. It was quite the luxury.

Finished waiting, Vail swept one hand behind Victoria’s knees to pull her legs up onto the chaise. “Lay back,” he instructed softly, his eyes wandering hungrily over her body as he leaned over her. Intending to honor her condition that he wouldn’t bite her anywhere obvious, he now had to consider where else he would feed on her aside from her neck. The skin just above the collarbone was the favorite of his kind, since the blood flowed there so easily. However, it was also visible, so he would have to choose another spot this time.

Gingerly, he leaned in to trail his hands down her torso, using both touch and smell to determine where he could coax a steady trickle out of her. Though it was mostly for him, he also hoped the motion would calm her too, since she seemed to be trembling slightly with fear. He couldn’t take away all the unpleasantness of the process, but he would still try his best to make it as bearable for her as possible. She was volunteering to be his prey, after all.

After a moment, he paused at her waist. Her skin there felt warm, and the flesh felt soft enough. He lowered his nose to her side. Though it was faint, he could smell a trace of her blood beneath the surface. It wouldn’t take much to bring it out. He licked his lips.

Having come to a decision, Vail brushed Victoria’s leather jacket aside and reached for the hem of her shirt to lift the fabric away from her middle. He didn’t bite her right away though. As he had done the last time, he swept his tongue over her fair skin, priming the area he wished to feed on and searching for the ideal spot in which to sink his teeth. He also adjusted the way he was seated to restrain her slightly better, just in case she kicked or thrashed from the pain. Unused to feeding anywhere but the neck, he didn’t want to risk getting a black eye that he would have to explain to his family.

Once he was ready, Vail reached up to take hold of her wrists, pinning them down against the seat just before he buried his fangs into the left side of her waist.

[mishap send]

Victoria nodded. He had a point that she didn’t really want to watch him feed on her. “I suppose that makes me your little secret…” She mused as she knew he had to be cautious in these dangerous times, but it still felt thrilling to be sneaking around with such an intoxicatingly handsome man. She enjoyed his closeness to her, although it made her all the more nervous as I on a first date. Only women of the night did this sort of thing. Even though she knew he was only her for one thing, he wanted it from her and she felt unique and special that he chose her again for his prey. This was so bizarre a situation, you would never see a lion and zebra being friends and less so a zebra offering itself to the lion.

Some part of her though Vail loved this power play between them. And like when they danced, he led her into the three beats of desire, lust and sin. She let out a pleasant whelp as he suddenly took her knees up to lay her back. “Oh!” She couldn’t hide a giggle. Was she actually enjoying this? As if he were priming her before the ravishing began. As he leaned over her, she exhaled heavily, not out of fear, but she was thoroughly enticed to reach up and pull him down onto her but prevented herself from doing so. A cold frozen petrification began to set in just as his hands trailed down her sides, slightly tickling her skin. She couldn’t believe how a vampire could be so gentle with his prey. Perhaps doing this regularly wouldn’t be such a terrible ordeal. Especially when he chose his spot and pulled the hem of her shirt up to reveal her midriff. There he could see her stomach rise and fall rapidly as he licked his lips.

The Lady anticipated the pain, but he primed the area with his tongue first, sending shockwaves of pleasure up her spine, you couldn’t have one without the other in this case. A slight moan escaped her lips as he pinned her wrists down. As the fangs set in, she did flinch as she felt a tiny scratch like pain as he began to feast on her rich essence. She lay as still as possible, exhaling slowly to relax and calm herself. She put thoughts of his lips kissing her there instead and nipping her with normal human teeth and it made her less squeamish to this situation. Without seeing any blood drawn from her body, she was less likely to freak out. He honoured his condition to conceal the bite from public. Only Victoria would know where he had bitten her. She just hoped he lapped up all of the blood that trickled out of her waist, so it didn’t stain the white shirt.

She clenched her fists and shut her eyes tightly throughout the ordeal. Her blood flowed so easily from the puncture that it would soon be over for her and Vail would be left fulfilled and satisfied. Well that made one of them at least, she thought. With it over she let out a huge sigh of relief. What she was subjecting herself to, sometimes she wondered if she was of the right mind or not. But then she was reminded she was pretty much alone now in her mission, however this way she would have Vail’s help. And the perk of being touched in a sensual way that she wouldn’t ever know of until she was married. She daren’t move until Vail instructed her to do so or at least covered her back over. She then wondered if he would just leave her there without so much of a goodbye like he had done last time. He had gotten what he came for. There was no need to linger any more than he had to.

If Vail didn’t know better, he might have thought Victoria actually enjoyed being his prey. Though her lithe body still trembled, she didn’t act like she was afraid of what was to come. In fact, she almost seemed giddy with anticipation. Her giggle and moan didn’t escape his ears either, making him wonder if she really did like being pinned down and forced to accept that he would be using her to feed. It was a strange thought, since he’d never encountered the likes of a woman such as her before, but if it was true, it would certainly make his job a lot easier. He quite liked having a Lady beneath him who didn’t kick and scream or even lay limply after succumbing to his pheromones.

Even when he finally bit her, she only flinched a bit. This pleased him, since he was able to fully enjoy the sensation of drinking up her rich blood without worrying about holding her down. He swept his tongue over her waist, collecting the viscous liquid as it flowed steadily from the wound. Just like last time, he could feel it rejuvenate him right away, perhaps even more so since he wasn’t famished at the start. It was almost overwhelming how quickly her essence spread throughout his body, just like a strong liqueur. He shuddered involuntarily as the feeling sent a thrill up his spine. Whatever consequences he had brought upon himself by striking this deal with her were worth it. He was sure of that now. As long as he could continue to feast on her blood, he would take the rest in stride.

After a few minutes, the trickle began to slow as Victoria’s body commenced the healing process. Vail lapped up just a few more mouthfuls before he finally forced himself to pull away. He couldn’t get much more without straining the Lady’s injury to force it to bleed again, and he really didn’t need to do that, since he’d had enough to satisfy his craving. Now that he knew he could have her whenever he wanted, he didn’t feel the urgent desire to drink as much as he could either. If he desired to feed on her again, all he had to do was seek her out, and she couldn’t say no. It was, perhaps, the best trade he’d ever made.

Having finished what he came for, Vail’s eyes drifted to the door. Normally, this was the point in which he would return to the Hygrace manor and leave his victim behind. However, with the protective shelter of the summer house and the level of comfort that had formed between him and Victoria, he didn’t feel the need to hurry off into the night. It wasn’t like anyone was expecting him back home anyway. He’d left without saying a word to his family, so no one would even know he’d been gone unless he didn’t return by morning, and he had no intention of staying out that long.

He looked back at Victoria. She had been offended the last time he’d preyed on her and walked away, and she was going out of her way to hold up her end of their deal. He supposed he could treat her with some respect in return.

Shifting on the chaise lounge, Vail leaned his shoulder against the cushioned backrest and rested his hand over her still-exposed midriff to apply a gentle pressure to her open wound. “I must say, I think I’m going to enjoy this secret,” he mused with a poke at how she had referred to herself earlier. “I’ve never tasted any blood like yours before… Why is it so different?”

Victoria felt his hand put pressure onto her wound signalling that he was done. She still couldn’t see his face, but she was sure he probably had a mouth full of blood and possibly trickling down his jaw right now so she best not view that. She lay there calmly to rest and try to keep from opening the wound again. As he explained he was going to enjoy this secret, her heart skipped. It felt like he almost liked the idea of having her all to himself, and that premise sent a tingle up her spine. Spencer also wanted her exclusively like this but why didn’t she feel like that toward him the same way she did Vail? Perhaps Vail was just more charming, the better dancer, more handsome to look at and didn’t want her entire estate?

He mused to himself about the pleasure of her blood. “I have a rare condition...” She explained softly. “My father also had it. I think it’s called… Hemochromatosis. It’s where there is a build-up of iron over time. Normally there are no symptoms until one reaches the age of thirty, but my father knew I had it when I was twelve…I fell off my horse and my blood drew out a vampire immediately. So frenzied. So ready to drain me. Father killed him. Then on he never let me out the house for protection. Thus, I spent a lot of my time reading, studying as much as I could to be like him so I could protect myself. There is no cure for it. Except that when a vampire drains the blood, it takes time to rebuild so if anything, it slows the process and I wont show symptoms as much. Father used to suffer joint pain and fatigue with it. I sleep quite a lot because of it…” She revealed with a small sigh. “It’s so rich smelling to vampires, it has more nutrients in the blood than the average humans, you don’t even need to drink as much before feeling rejuvenated. It’s so rare that only four people in one thousand have it. It’s inherited from mainly Celtic bloodlines, which my family are descendant.” She gave him a brief history lesson.

“Have you really never come across anyone with this condition before in your years of long life?” She asked him curiously. He would probably miss her when she died, and he would live on without her succulent nectar. She then gently moved her hand to his to move it from her wound and she tested the area. It didn’t feel wet, it had closed on its own finally. She then pushed herself up very slowly and gently so as not to disturb the wound and reopen it. She swung her leg back down to the floor and covered her midriff. She could feel blood rush to her cheeks as she blushed from him seeing her flesh under the Lady’s clothing. This was most inappropriate for a couple who were not betrothed. Social convention was heavily strict on any level of intimacy or viewing of the flesh. Victoria wouldn’t want to be mistaken for a woman of the night. She then waited for Vail’s instruction on how he would call her out each time he wanted her blood. She just hoped it wouldn’t be every single day and become a nuisance where she’d just be spending all her time indoors recovering. She had things to do during the day.

"Well...enjoy it while you still can." She hinted at the fact she wouldn't be around forever.

As Victoria began to explain why she was unlike the other humans he had fed on before, Vail reached into his coat pocket with his free hand to retrieve a handkerchief. Even though he was safe in the summer house right now, he still had to walk back to his own home at some point. He was going to have to clean the blood off his face if he didn’t want to draw attention to himself. It was impossible to say if the Saint was still out looking for him, but he wasn’t going to take any chances.

Dragging the soft fabric across his jaw, he listened quietly as the Lady described her condition to him. The unusual case intrigued him. He supposed he could understand why she was so alluring to him now. The riches of human blood were what drew his kind to prey upon them. If she had an excess flowing through her veins, she would be a prime target for any vampire who caught a whiff of her enticing essence. He was just lucky enough to have found her first.

Well, second, he corrected as his thoughts wandered back to Lord Spencer. The Wynter had been after her for far longer, but he had been rewarded first—and would continue to be as long as their pact stood. However, after hearing more about her childhood, he was admittedly surprised she had been so willing to accommodate him in the first place. It sounded like she didn’t have the most pleasant memories of his kind. He marveled that she would still bargain with him after being attacked at a child. She really was different than any other Lady he’d met before, brave and confident.

“I haven’t,” Vail confessed when Victoria asked if he’d never come across anyone like her before. “If it’s truly as rare as you say, then that doesn’t surprise me though. I only hunt at night. If others with your condition sleep are also affected by fatigue, I’d hazard a guess that they’re all in bed when I’m prowling.” Finished cleaning the blood from his chin, he stuffed the handkerchief back into his pocket and leaned away from her as she sat up. It looked like their short time together was coming to an end for now.

“Oh, I’m sure I will,” he smiled, his eyes sweeping over her lustfully when she told him to enjoy it while he could. Feeding on a beautiful woman with the most delicious blood he’d tasted in his life; what wasn’t there to love? As long as she was around, he was going to get as much out of their encounters as he could. “Every third night,” he added, having decided how often he would seek her out. It seemed like a fair enough compromise to him. Though he would have been delighted to taste her blood daily, he didn’t want to ask so much of her that she would come to dread his visits. As peculiar as it was, she had seemed to enjoy his preying. He wanted her to continue finding it pleasurable, since her sensual sounds and movements made the experience more thrilling for him too.

“We can continue to meet here as well,” Vail dictated, attempting to meet her gaze in the darkness, though he was unsure if she could see him clearly. “Every three days at midnight. Those are my terms.” He paused, thinking once again about the dilemma that was his half of the agreement. He had vowed to help her get rid of Spencer, but he had yet to ponder the first step in how he would do so.

The boxes of silver the Lady had been carrying came to mind.

“Also,” he spoke again before she could stand up, studying her curiously. “You said the gun you purchased was for Lord Spencer. Did you already have a plan in mind about how you want to get rid of him?”

Victoria carefully sat herself up to converse better with Vail as he informed her that he would meet her every third night at midnight here. She would have to mark it on the calendar with a V for Vail. As for Spencer she didn’t have a plan yet. “No…but I plan on luring him into a false sense of security. I’ll ask him to come here and I will sign the pre-nup he wants so badly. Then we’ll shoot him in the heart with that pretty new gun of mine.” She told him as she squinted in the darkness to just about make out his face. Her eyes were adjusting to the darkness well.

She told herself that this was all just business. She gave her blood to him in return for his help in dispatching Spencer. And then forever more he would have her as a treat every 3 days. But that would eventually pose a problem to any future husbands, they’d see all the bite marks over her body. It made her think she was going to have to remain alone. She couldn’t join the Order if they thought she was a vampire sympathiser. She couldn’t marry a normal human. Her options were quite limited in that respect. Having only Vail for company on a night a couple times a week would be her only interaction with a male that she would have. Until he grew tired of the same blood every time he fed, which wasn’t likely. And it wasn’t like she could go back on her word or run away, he would probably hunt her down.

Victoria sighed. “Very well. Every third night at midnight…here.” She confirmed the details with him before he would eventually make his escape. She slowly rose to her feet, holding the wound on her side underneath her shirt. “I’ll make the arrangements for our next meet.” She moved toward the door as she could see better in the dark. She contemplated the fact she was now trapped in this bargain. She just hoped her blood did not weaken too quickly over the course of their secret affair. She felt quite tired and would no doubt fall asleep until the mid afternoon tomorrow. Not that her mother would notice as the first thing she did in the morning was scramble for a drink and spend the whole day fumbling around the house barking orders at the staff for absurd errands. Such a happy life, Victoria led.

“I do hope you enjoyed yourself, Lord Hygrace..?” A silly question to ask as no doubt he did enjoy himself. But as to which part he enjoyed more to was what intrigued her. She may as well exchange pleasantries.

When Victoria answered his question, Vail nodded thoughtfully. It would take plenty of careful planning for them to pull off the murder of a member of the Wynter family. Of course she wouldn’t have the entire plot laid out already. His role in it wouldn’t be very easy either. He would have to find a way to catch Spencer by surprise—no simple task when the other vampire had just as sensitive of a nose as he did. He was going to have to spend the next few days thinking of ways to trap his rival. The thought nearly made him shake his head. It felt strange to switch from hunting humans to scheming against one of his own kind. However, he’d already agreed to be a part of the murder, and he’d already received part of his payment in the form of the Lady’s blood. He couldn’t back out from it now.

As Victoria rose from the lounge chair, Vail did as well. He felt much better now that his craving for her essence had been satisfied. His mind was sharp and his body was enriched. Better yet, he wouldn’t have to worry about suffering from withdrawals again until she inevitably passed. As long as he could keep feeding on her every three days, he would stave off the fatigue and ill symptoms that usually forced him out of the manor to hunt. The next few years of his life would be fulfilling indeed.

Carefully, Vail followed Victoria through the dark house to the front door, as it had come time for them to part ways. All that was left was for him to make it back to the Hygrace estate without being caught by a member of the Order. Enough time had passed that he felt fairly confident he would make the short journey with no trouble. Humans were an impatient species, after all. The Saint who had been prowling about earlier was likely long gone by now. Since no one else among the hunters knew his face—at least, no one that he was aware of—he would have an easy stroll back through the streets of London.

“Of course,” he said amusedly when the Lady asked if he had enjoyed himself. “I did get what I came here for, even though it wasn’t quite how I expected.” Forming a pact with the heiress of the Crest household hadn’t even been a thought in his head before tonight. Plans often had a funny way of changing though.

Upon arriving at the door, Vail reached for the handle to pull it open. He could be a gentleman sometimes, when he felt like it. As he waited for Victoria to pass through first, a smirk tugged at his lip and he couldn’t stop himself from whispering in her ear: “My question to you is, did you enjoy yourself?” It was a peculiar ask, even to him, since the answer should have been obvious. However, the sound of her feminine giggle still echoed in the back of his head. He wanted to know why she had reacted in such an interesting way.

At least he was a gentleman enough to get the door for her but before she could thank him, his voice whispering into her ear caught her completely off guard. She almost jumped out of shock at how close it was to her and she wasn’t expecting him to make such a teasing move on his way out. It sent a tingle down her spine. She wasn’t quite sure how to answer it as she felt her cheeks swell with blood and pheromones rise. She could lie and say she didn’t enjoy it if she felt too stubborn to actually admit she liked it like a sick fetish. She wasn’t really experienced in anything like this much less what kinks existed. She would be considered plain ol’ vanilla.

“I- I..” She started with a shaky voice, she was once again nervous in his close proximity. “So what if I did enjoy it..?” She exhaled heavily. “Is that a problem?” She asked a little defensively. She didn’t want to seem too into Vail but she couldn’t really lie and deny what she thought and felt. He had heard her giggle. He had probably smelled her pheromone levels. He could definitely sense the blood rush in her cheeks. How could she not enjoy it? She’d never been touched like that in her life. And probably never would again if Vail weren’t feeding on her. It was her only excitement lately. She didn’t have leisurely activities as she trained and studied hard every day for the mission, she’d set for herself.

Although she did wonder why he asked her that question? Why would he care if she enjoyed it or not, he had gotten his fill and he needn’t make small talk after it. She took a couple of steps out of the summer house into the moonlight where the light bounced off her hair and the bushy curly tail tied up. She turned back around to look at Vail exit the wooden lodge. “Why do you ask?” She couldn’t resist asking him why he asked her. She just had to know before he ventured off into the night. Why linger around her more than he had to? Surely, he had to get back to is manor quickly and quietly as possible. If he didn’t even want the lantern on, someone could still hear their voices. Perhaps on their next meet, she could set some tea out to enjoy before the donation of blood. She needed to be quite hydrated in readiness for him to drain her and even enjoy the taste more as it would flow more easily. Tonight and the previous feed, she wasn’t expecting him to feed on her but now she could prepare for it each time. And who knows, they may even become...friends?

Vail’s smirk widened into a broad grin when Victoria became flustered by his question. She was always acting so tough and cocky whenever they crossed paths. He enjoyed knowing that he could still get underneath her skin with the right words. Besides that, he found their occasional banter fun. Lighthearted conversation wasn’t commonly found among his kind, and he suspected their longevity slowly sapped away their senses of humor. He’d even fallen victim to the melancholy, to some degree. However, he liked to think he had a bit more of a personality when compared with the rest of his stoic family; a tribute of his persistence to attend human events like the Lady’s party. He hadn’t turned into an emotionless monster quite yet.

Additionally, a part of him liked knowing that she had enjoyed becoming his prey. There was just something about hearing the pleasure in her voice that thrilled him in a different way than the hunt usually did. He wasn’t yet sure why, but there was no denying the feeling was there; an exhilarating sensation when he felt her heartbeat quicken and a breathy moan escape her lips. Just thinking about it again excited him. He couldn’t wait to return in three days to do it all again.

At her defensive question, Vail shrugged. “No,” he answered simply. Far from it, he was rather pleased that she had admitted to enjoying his feeding upon her. He waited in the doorway until she exited the house before following her into the brisk night. Of course, she couldn’t let him get away without asking one more query—one that he decided he didn’t want to answer openly. Though he knew how he felt about it, he didn’t want her to interpret his enjoyment as something more sinister or strange than it actually was.

“Am I not allowed to be curious?” he asked, turning the question back on her in avoidance. “I’ve never had a Lady react like you before… It was intriguing.” Meeting her gaze in the dark, he supposed he could bother to give her a little more of a window into his thoughts. “It wasn’t unpleasant though.”

With that, he offered Victoria a devilish smile and bowed to her customarily. “Goodnight, My Lady,” he said softly as he departed into the surrounding trees.

Part of Victoria could see his smile turn into a grin as his fangs reflected the moonlight off the huge incisors. He knew he had gotten her answer and he seemed rather pleased by it. She wondered if he did take pleasure in knowing she took pleasure. She could see why it would appeal to his ego. She didn’t think it was strange of him to take pleasure in drinking her blood because it was in his nature. He said he’d never had a Lady react in the way she did before. Maybe she really was an odd case. What human in their right mind would love a vampire biting them? Or perhaps she had seen a vampire at its worst frenzied state and could have killed her. As death stared her right in the face at the mere age of twelve, she was reminded that life was precious, and she should live each day as though it were her last.

His answer of her question with another question was a clear deflection. It made her chuckle slightly at his own defensiveness, he was as sly as she was. “Yes…you are allowed to wonder but that’s not what I asked…” She expressed teasingly as she let him off. This time. Yet his further answer, prompted a raised eyebrow from the Lady as he found it ‘intriguing’. Only intriguing? She almost felt like it was a backhanded compliment. It wasn’t just nice…or indulgent or pleasurable. It was ‘intriguing’. Perhaps he needed further samples of her reactions…

His grin caused a small smile to form on her own ruby lips out of flattery. On some level he did take flattery from her reaction. Maybe it made him feel somewhat desirable. She just didn’t fear him in the same way she did her first attacker. He was ten times worse. She feared what Spencer would be like once he decided he was going to take his fill. She also wondered why had not indulged in her as of yet when he could have easily taken advantage. Little did she know he was a very patient man who enjoyed the thrill of waiting and teasing his prey into a corner. He liked the power he held over the Lady that she didn’t know when he was going to strike.

“Goodnight, Vail…until next time.” She gave him one final smile and a bow as he departed and she walked back slowly through the trees back to her mansion, sighing heavily. She did note his devilish smile in the moonlight. She wasn’t sure who was using who anymore. The lines were supposed to be clear in this business deal. But now there were emotions involved. Deep desires and excitement on both sides. She started to wonder if this was such a good idea after all…she began to hum her way back home. It wasn’t the most unpleasant experience being preyed upon by a gentleman vampire. Knowing that he only wanted her blood was entirely invigorating. He would stop at nothing to get it, even comply to murdering Spencer. However, she reminded herself that ‘the enemy of thy enemy is thy friend’.

Over the course of the next three days, Vail stayed predominantly locked up in his room, alternating between practicing his individual hobbies and pondering over what to do about Lord Spencer. Knowing that he was plotting the murder of one of his own kind was still unsettling to him, but there was no way out of it now. He was too addicted to Lady Victoria’s blood to even think of breaking their pact. Thoughts of their encounter in her family’s summer house often passed through his head like a daydream, and his excitement about feeding on her again was always simmering just beneath the surface. He was captivated by her like a snake to a charmer, willing to do whatever she wanted if it meant wetting his tongue with her enticing blood once again.

So, when the night finally came for him to meet up with her again, he wasted no time in getting ready. It was almost midnight; she would be expecting him soon. Eager to get out of the manor, he put on a coat and boots and was just about to head for the door when a sudden knock stopped him in his tracks. He cursed under his breath as Lord Peter stepped in.

His father looked over his attire for a moment, and Vail shifted his weight. He’d been planning to leave the mansion without letting anyone know. Apparently that had been much to expect. However, instead of interrogating him, Peter surprised him by breaking out in a knowing smile.

“Ah, I had a feeling you’d be hunting again soon,” his father said. “It looks like I caught you just in time.”

Vail blinked. In truth, he’d been hunting so often recently that he’d forgotten his family thought he hadn’t fed in over a week. His departure now would have looked normal. He relaxed. “Did you need something from me?” he queried, secretly hoping Peter wouldn’t ask him to run any errands in the city when he was really on his way to the Crest estate.

“No,” Peter shook his head. “I just thought I’d warn you.” His expression turned serious. “When I went out four days ago, there were more Saints about than usual. Practically every street and tavern reeked of silver. I’m not sure if they were just hunting that particular night, but given how many attacks have been happening lately, I would be cautious.”

It’s a good thing I won’t be going anywhere near them, Vail thought with some pleasure. “Thanks for the advice,” he expressed with a grateful nod. “I’ll keep an eye out for them.”

“Of course,” his father stepped back over to the door. “Good luck, Vail.”

Once he was alone again, the younger Hygrace let out his breath in relief. It was a good thing Peter didn’t know he’d gone out just three days prior or he might have tried to stop him from leaving now. He just hoped his father wouldn’t make his occasional stops any more frequent than they already were. There wasn’t much he could do to hide his disappearances if Peter started checking his room at night, and the last thing he wanted was to have to explain that he’d agreed to murder a Wynter in exchange for a taste of Victoria’s blood twice a week. His father would probably think he’d gone mad.

Fortunate this time, Vail headed out of the manor to meet with the Crest heiress, keeping a lookout for any members of the Order on his way to her family’s estate. There was no time for him to concern himself with Peter when she was expecting him soon. Instead, his thoughts turned to what was to come as he grew more eager to prey upon her again, and he hastened his pace.

Over the last three days the Lady had been applying healing salves to her waist bite and luckily her neck wound was healing nicely and only left two scabs ready to fall off any day now and reveal the new skin underneath. She spent more time reading her father’s journals on how and where best to strike a vampire down. Various techniques he’d used to distract them using his own blood as a diversion. She began to jot a few ideas down. She had decided to go to the summer house early evening during the sunset to set up a small writing desk, prepare a pot of tea to drink and hydrate herself in readiness for Vail’s arrival. Soon her blood would be fuller and more easily drawn. She’d even taken to eating iron rich foods over the few days, such as green vegetables and red meat with more iron in it to replenish her nutrients quickly. Like a farmer plumping up his hens and sheep ready to take to the slaughter for their succulent meat.

As she drank her tea and contemplated all the ways she can distract Spencer from the real threat…she looked up to the horizon and the setting sun. Vail would soon be here to drink her blood and yet she didn’t dread his visit, rather she anticipated it. He would have to choose another part of her to bite. Perhaps the other side of her waist, maybe a thigh where it was meaty. In any case, she would have to don something loose fitting so that he could get to it. So instead of wearing a corset underneath a tightly fitted dress, she swapped it for normal undergarments and removed the ties from her red dress. She figured any blood spilled on a red dress would attract far less attention to it. It also had a hidden high slit at the front underneath layers of frills that could be loosened.

She finished making notes and possible ideas in hopes to formulate her plan but as the midnight hour grew near, so too did her excitement at wondering what Vail would do next? The lantern flickered softly as it had all evening, it was no secret the Lady was enjoying the summer house until the late hour. She then set up the Chess board and began to play against herself. She hadn’t played since her father died. Her mother wasn’t interested in this game, she was intrigued with the foreign trend of Mahjong.

“Hmm…what would Father do…” She contemplated a move, remembering his play style. She moved a pawn in sacrifice in order to make a better move next time. “The power of diversion suited him well.” She told herself, that’s when she realised, he was always ten moves ahead no matter which move she made, he always anticipated it and was ready. She had to do the same with Spencer. Imagine every possible scenario and a counter for it. “Oh Father, you’re a genius!” She giggled as he was helping her from beyond the grave. She looked around the summer house, it felt quite empty. She wondered if she could fit a piano in here to spend some time relaxing and unwinding before her impending blood donation. ‘Yes donation, let’s go with that…’ She didn’t know how any other way to really describe this deal. It was a most unusual situation.

Suddenly her butler called out. “Would you like more tea My Lady?”

“No! Get out of here Sebastian!” She shouted at him. “I want to be alone!”

“S-sorry Miss! I will leave you be!” Sebastian’s voice trailed away from the lodge. Victoria sighed with relief and fell back on the chaise lounge. “That was close…” He could have been killed if Vail had sensed any threat of being discovered. That would have been a very hard web to untangle. She placed a gloved hand to her temple. ‘What am I doing…?’ She questioned her sanity once more. Then remembered the sensuous touch of his hands. She told herself, it was just business. She was in the phase of denial.

Despite Peter’s concerns, Vail had no trouble passing through the city that night. He caught a hint of silver on the wind only twice, though he didn’t see any Saints either time. The hunters were probably lying in wait at the taverns, completely unaware that their target had no intention of stopping by this time. Instead he was on his way to a safer spot, one far enough within the Crest’s private land that it was unlikely that he would be followed. Even though he was leaving his family’s manor more frequently now, it seemed his deal with Victoria had provided him with a more secure way to feed. As long as no one found his midnight strolls suspicious, there was no reason for anyone from the Order to attack him. It was rather freeing to feel so untouchable.

The walk to the summer house was quick and uneventful. Vail found the wrought iron gate in front of the property unlatched and slipped inside after double checking to make sure no one was tailing him. The streets were quiet, and he didn’t detect anything unusual among the scents in the air, so he decided it was safe to assume he was alone. No longer needing to look over his shoulder as frequently, he traveled at a brisker pace through the trees on the estate, following his memory of where the lodge was located.

After a few minutes, the familiar building came into sight. He could see a light flickering steadily in the window, and he smiled to himself. It seemed he wasn’t the first to arrive. Eager to get on with the meeting, he made his way toward the front door, but then faltered when he saw a figure near the entrance. The stranger was downwind of him, so he wasn’t sure who it was, but he didn’t want to be spotted trespassing in any case.

Smoothly, Vail stepped off the trodden path to hide in the shadow of a nearby tree, waiting to see what the man would do. His hand idly wandered to the pistol at his waist. If it was the same Saint who’d shot him before, he had every intention to return the favor. However, in the next moment, he relaxed as he heard the stranger call out something about tea through the door. It was the same voice he’d heard at Victoria’s party—a family servant, no one to be concerned about. He let his hand fall to his side.

Luckily, it didn’t take long before the butler walked back to the manor. Once he passed out of sight, Vail waited for a minute longer in his hiding place to be sure the man was gone before he continued on his way to the lodge.

Since Victoria was expecting him, he didn’t bother to knock as he pulled open the door and stepped inside. The summer house looked warmer with a lantern burning on the table. The soft colors of the furniture were more visible in the low light, and the smell of tea gave the room a homey atmosphere. It was certainly an unusual space to get on with their dark dealing.

Vail’s gaze drifted to the Lady, whom was dressed rather elaborately for the occasion, he noticed. The red dress she wore hugged the curves of her body in an enticing way, beckoning his eyes to follow the contours of her hips and chest like the work of a skilled artist. He pondered over where he would draw her blood from this time. She nearly seemed to be challenging him by exposing so much of her shoulders and upper back. If he wanted to get to any part of her that wouldn’t be seen by someone else, he would have to peel away quite a bit of fabric from the more tender parts of her figure. He traced his tongue across his teeth at the thought.

“Did you chase off your opponent?” he asked, referencing the chess board in front of her as he shut the door behind him. Having never preyed on someone in an arrangement quite like this, he was still trying to figure out how to navigate the situation. Small talk was a good way to start, right? It was at least better than springing on her like a wild animal.

He crossed the room to sit on the chaise lounge by Victoria’s side, his hazel eyes sweeping over her attractive body in a wolfish fashion. “This is certainly the most intricate setup I’ve ever hunted in…” he mused absently. “The tea is a nice touch.”

Although she was expecting the vampire to arrive, she did have to look up in case it was another foolish servant or a brave Saint in the ground wondering what she was up to. She sighed with a little relief as she saw Vail enter. She couldn’t hide a small smile, though she attempted to. She turned to the Chess board he referred to and as he asked if she chased her opponent away, she chuckled. “Yes. I beat them into submission with my pawn.” She joked sarcastically. She couldn’t help but notice he was dressed a little more dapper than usual. Or perhaps it was she hadn’t seen him for three days and his image was starting to get blurry in her mind’s eye so that upon renewing that image, it was much clearer and he was even better looking in real life.

She didn’t stand to greet him as she knew he’d just ask her to sit or lay down once again to begin his feed. He came to join her on the velvet seat. She looked around the lodge as he mentioned it was an intricate set up. “I don’t want to arouse suspicion if they see me in here already in the evenings spending my leisurely time, they wont question me going out here at midnight frequently. Do you not play Chess?” She leaned forward and poured herself another tea. It was still luke warm from the tea cosy keeping the pot hot. “The tea is actually for your benefit, Lord Hygrace. If I am well hydrated, then my blood should be all the better for it.” Just like when going to the doctors, if one were to be dehydrated, drawing blood from a vein would be very tricky.

It hadn’t escaped her notice that his hazel eyes swept over her body hungrily. She assumed he was eager to draw that blood from her veins. Which were more prominent, pumped full of her life essence and all the more potent as it were nearer the surface of her skin. The only thing missing was a fireplace to keep her capillaries expanded. Perhaps on the next visit she would make a small log fire in the stone chimney of the lodge’s wall. It had everything one would need on a chilly night. But the tea kept her warmed up and her gloved arms. “In the very least you cannot say that I am not accommodating enough in this bargain of ours.” She mused as she grinned behind her tea cup. “Speaking of which…” She bent forwards to place her tea cup on the table, revealing her shoulder blades to him. “I suppose you wish to choose a new spot to bite, this is the loosest dress I own. Though…I could wear less…if you preferred.” She shrugged at the notion, she wouldn’t feel that embarrassed about being completely in the nude for him to have better access to a spot he wanted. Though with her slender frame, there were only a few options of the fleshier areas. She was quite confident about her body. She had the smoothest, silkiest skin that the finest soaps and perfumes could lash, she had curves in all the right places and volumed thick bouncy hair that most women dreamed of.

She sat back and gave him the nod that she was ready to receive further instruction. Did he want the light on or off? Did he want her to lay down again or stand? She didn’t know what his preferences were yet. But she was sure that over time, she would get to know his likes and dislikes. She was rather calm for one who was about to be preyed upon.