It feels like midmorning when I wake up from my nap. Dante's curled around me, half-hiding under me. He may be safe in the sun while transformed, but I doubt he likes it. Still, it's strangely comfortable, lying in his coiled ring.
I stare at the bright blue sky, trying to memorize what it looks like. Who knows how long it will be before I can see it again. I turn my head to the side, brushing my hands through the cool grass. I never want to leave. I feel Dante shift under me, and I begrudgingly stand up, stretching.
I look around and remember the gazebo from before. I suppose a light-sealed "outdoor" area can have its uses.
Once we're inside, and after he's checked the seals thoroughly, he transforms back.
"What a relief," I hear him say, but my eyes are still adjusted to the sunlight and I can't see a thing. I reach up the post, trying to find a candle dish. I swear I saw them on each corner, and I think I'm just tall enough to reach-
My heart jumps when a cold hand closes around my wrist. Dante chuckles, deep and echoing in the small space. "Now, I think I'll take my reward," he says.
"Reward?" I try to say, forgetting I have no voice. I lose all sense of space as he whisks me up, presumably taking me to the center of the gazebo, away from the posts. My eyes won't be able to adjust at all, I realize, since there are no gaps in the seals.
Dante chuckles again, presumably at my expression. "Realized it now, little bird? And as for the wager, I promised to let you outside. Letting you take a nap for an agonizing two hours was a gift."
That's fair, I suppose. Still, I can't help but feel nervous in the pitch black.
"I thought you didn't fear the dark," he teases. I can hear his voice moving around me, but I can't pinpoint him exactly. I shake my head.
"You don't? You fear...what's in the dark?"
I shrug and try to listen for the rustle of clothing when I remember that he has none - they would have been left in the mansion, just outside the door. Unfortunately, he can see my cheeks redden, and his low laughter echoes through the gazebo.
"What exactly are you thinking about right now?"
I feel his cold hands on my ankles, but my reflexes aren't fast enough to stop him from locking them.
"No one will hear you out here, you know."
My cheeks grow even hotter.
"You can make as much noise as you want." This time, his voice is right next to my ear, and I jump. His hands close around my shoulders, and he leans into my neck, but stops.
"Ahh. I forgot about that little vampire's lock."
A smile breaks across my face, and I shake with silent laughter.
"You shouldn't laugh, Adelaide." I feel shiver run down me at the sound of my name. I didn't realize how little he used it until now. Had he used it before?
But I'm immediately broken out of that thought when he moves away again. I sit up hesitantly, and hold out my hands protectively, even knowing how little that would do.
But in a flash, I find myself pinned to the floor, his hands gripping my wrists. His weight on me feels strangely warm.
I gulp and turn my face to the side, trying to hide how fiery red I feel. I feel the breath of his chuckle on my cheek as he forces my wrists together above my head. Even blind as I am, I swear I can sense the smile he wears as he turns my face back towards him.
"Ohhh, this is a good expression," he murmurs, and I do my best to glare at him.
"Yes, like that," he murmurs, running his hand down me. I flinch a little, but he stops at my stomach, moving to grip my waist. I fight the urge to buck under him, but even so I feel like his invisible grin widens.
"You…" His voice is close to my ear again. "How long before you stop me?" His hand runs up and down my side, not quite veering into dangerous territory, but just close enough.
I've never been pushed this far before. I know that I don't want to stop him. I want him to-
A sharp pang of loneliness cuts through. What I want is to be kissed. Not this. Not...yet, at least... His hand stops at my expression.
"Found some clarity, have we?" He leans into my neck, taking a deep breath. "You'll have to tell me about it later. But…" He brushes his lips against my neck, making me shiver. "I'm too hungry to tease any longer." At long last, he bites into my neck. I feel my back leave the floor as he half-picks me up to drink, squeezing me just a little too tightly until I lose consciousness.
I blearily open my eyes at the sound of the gazebo's blind being rolled up. I'm sore, tired, and hungry, so when I see the expressions on the three vampires looking in, I just sigh and close my eyes again.
Behind me, Dante is obviously still completely nude, leaning up against one of the pillars with every limb wrapped tightly around me.
"I knew they'd be here, but what a sight to see!" cries Adrian. "You don't think…"
My face is turned away, but I feel my cheeks heat up a little.
Adrian gasps, and I finally have to face him. "Ohhh, you did!"
I shake my head furiously, but he just won't listen. "No fair, I wanted to be first!'
"You still might be," Dante replies from behind me, and I finally free myself from his grasp. However, he doesn't move, watching me with a grin. "We still have a whole day, little bird. And you still have a job to do."
All I can do is glare. That is, until I feel a stab of hunger and double over in pain.
"You need to feed her," says Lucien, but his gaze is trained on me. It looks hungrier than usual. I realize with a sinking feeling that he's up tomorrow. From one conniving bastard to another.
I try to stand, but can't even get close, since my ankles are still bound. I point to them with a pleading expression, but as usual, Dante chooses instead to pick me up and carry me back.
He lays me down on the couch, and I can hear him heating up the recovery soup in the kitchen. Hopefully he puts his clothes on as well. I'm not looking forward to more of that damn soup….
I wave Virgil over, and he looks at me questioningly. I mime holding the bowl of soup, and putting something in it. He's completely blank. I struggle to remember the name. Masa? Maso? Miso! I mime it as clearly as I can. He shakes his head, still confused. I pull his head closer, leaning in. "(mi-so.)"
At last he seems to understand, and goes to fetch it. Dante returns, thankfully clothed, and sets the bowl in front of me. I wait patiently for Virgil to get back.
"What's wrong? You're hungry, aren't you?" I nod. "Then what are you waiting for?"
I mimic a sour expression and hide behind an invisible book. Dante laughs. "Is that Virgil?"
"Yes, she asked him for something a moment ago," replies Lucien. "It must be food, but why Virgil would have any is beyond me."
Virgil reappears with a small wooden container. He scoops a bit of the reddish paste out and mixes it into the broth, giving the soup a much richer color. I smile and bow a little to thank him, then dig in.
Adrian's just staring at Virgil with disbelief. "Why do you have food?"
"I like the smell," he mumbles. "It's nostalgic."
"I can understand that," says Lucien. Everyone looks over to him, surprised, but he just shrugs. "Smell is the most important sense to memory. I, too, fill my room with familiar smells." He smiles at Virgil.
"It makes me a little nervous when you smile at me," he grumbles, and I giggle soundlessly into my soup.
"Don't choke now," chides Dante, but he's also smiling.
When I finish my soup, I "ask" once again for Dante to unlock my ankles. This time, he gives in. "You can't convince me very well if you can't move," he says with a smile. I roll my eyes, but follow him to the room.
Once inside, he settles into a chair and looks me over. "Now. How exactly were you going to convince me to join this play?"
I look around until I find his box of games. I open it up and dig through until I reach the very bottom, where the massive Go board sits. I carefully pull it out and lay it on the table, placing the two baskets for the stones off to the same side.
"You...want to play?" he asks doubtfully. I shake my head. "You want to learn." I nod, and make a heart shape with my hands. "You've always wanted to try it? You didn't seem very eager…" I shake my head and point at him, repeating the action. "Ahh," he says, finally understanding. "You know it's my favorite." I nod again. "Very well. First I will teach you the basic terminology. It's really quite simple mechanically."
It's difficult not being able to ask questions, but Dante is a clear and precise teacher. Even before he starts the example game - against himself - I find my mind whirling with the innumerable possibilities. After a couple of hours, I put my hand on his arm to stop him.
"You want to take a break?" Well, yes and no. I shrug and wiggle my head back and forth. I motion for him to wait and go to the kitchen to make tea.
There are far more Chinese teas in the cabinet than I expected, and I end up needing the cart to bring it all back. I select a tea set that seems to his taste - deep, rich earthenware, very traditional - and wheel it back into his room. Once inside, I gesture to the teas, each on a tiny platter for him to choose.
"Do you want me to pick my favorite?" I nod, and he leans back. "What do you think is my favorite?"
Hmm…. I scan the line of teas. To begin with, I exclude all the light teas - the whites, the greens, and anything floral. I see him smile from the corner of my eye. Then I take what's left, and breathe in deep scents of each. They're all complex, earthy and woodsy tones, matching my impression of Dante. But I keep coming back to one in particular. It smells sort of familiar, or like there's something I can't quite place. I put that one at the front.
"Is this your decision?" he asks, and I nod. "Well, you were close." He leans in, and reaches for a different pu'erh than the one I had chosen. Still thinking about that scent, I realize what it reminded me of when his sleeve wafts towards me. I turn my face to the side, trying to hide my cheeks, and pick up the one I had chosen to examine it again.
"Why did you pick that one?" he asks. I feel my cheeks heat up at the answer, but I shake my head. I have no way to tell him that this tea smells like him without my voice.
"Well, that's an interesting response," he says with a chuckle, and reaches for the pu'erh in my hands instead. "I suppose I'll just have to taste it for now."
While he relaxes and enjoys the tea, I snack on the food I brought for myself. I end up being hungrier than I realized, and eat more than I expected, but the tea calms me back down. Now that I've had some rest, I realize that I'm actually enjoying learning how to play. Excitedly, I tap on the board again. He smiles and continues his game, explaining each move as he goes. But I'm still drained from the night before, and I find myself struggling not to nod off.
"Am I boring you?" I shake my head urgently, and he chuckles. "I know. I really drained you. You may sleep. In the meanwhile, I think I'll decide what I want you to do for me."
I make a face and move towards the bed, but he stops me. "Not there." He grabs my arm and pulls me onto his lap. "Here."
I know he's smiling smugly above me, but I'm too sleepy to care. And all the layers he's wearing are quite comfortable...