I wake up to the gentle feeling of something stroking my hair. I realize I'm nestled into Adrian's chest, but I don't want to move. I sigh and snuggle in closer, and he squeezes in response. But then my stomach lets out a loud grumble, and he chuckles.
"Looks like I need to feed you first," he says, kissing the top of my head.
"First? What exactly did you think we were going to do today?" I ask.
"Hmmm, don't you know the answer to that already?" he teases, pulling my head up to face him. "Or did you want me to tell you in exquisite detail?"
"No, no, it's bad enough as it is," I huff, my cheeks already heating up. But I can see his eyes are dark with hunger. "You need to eat too. Badly. I'll eat quickly so you can do that."
"I don't know that I can wait that long," he murmurs, putting his lips to my neck.
"Well, I'm not going to try to stop you," I reply, running my hand down the back of his head, "but if you drink now, I'll probably pass out."
"Fine," he groans, sitting up. "Oh, here." He tosses something to me, and I realize it's my thrall dress. It's clean.
"I never got the chance to wash these. Adrian, did you…?"
He turns around to toss a bright smile my way. "Of course. It's not like it was difficult. Besides," he adds slyly, "now you have no reason to leave my side at all today."
Ahh, of course. "So that was it," I grumble playfully, but Adrian leans in with legitimate concern.
"It's not just that," he pleads. "Really, I swear!"
I pull him into an embrace, giggling. "I know, I know," I say with a squeeze. But still, I feel like I lost something, even though normally I would be grateful. "I still want to do it myself, next time."
Adrian pulls away, still looking worried. Before he can say anything, I explain, "It's just a little degree of control over my life. Even though it's work. Do you understand?"
He nods quietly and stands back up with a stretch. "Well, you're dressed. Shall we?" But he's only pulled on a pair of...very tight pants.
"Umm, aren't you going to put on a shirt?" I ask doubtfully.
Adrian's face breaks into a grin. "Now is hardly the time to be embarrassed about bare skin, dear."
"No, uh, it's not just that…" I feel my face heating up, and I look away. "I, uh, tend to leave...marks…." I can feel his stare even though I've pointed my face as far away as I can.
Adrian bursts out laughing. "Adelaide, you really are a fool sometimes. Take a look for yourself."
He turns around and shows me his back, pale and completely unmarked. Right. Vampire.
"Oh. Right. Sorry…"
"Though I would love to feel you leave marks that lasted," he purrs, leaning in.
"Uhh…" My cheeks turn even redder. "....maybe…" I mutter, and he pulls my head to his for a kiss, pressing me back down onto the bed.
"Is that a promise?" His gaze is hot again, drilling into me.
"I, uh, we need to eat first," I stammer, before he can distract me any more. Good lord, this man has the highest libido I've ever seen.
Adrian's sultry expression breaks into a mischievous smile. "I'll take that as a yes, then. Come on, dear." And as quickly as he pressed me down, he whisks me back up to escort me to the main room.
Naturally, the other three are waiting in the room already. Waiting knowingly. I groan and head straight for the kitchen. "I'll just gather some fruits and cheeses," I call as I hurry away.
But of course, I can still hear them talking. "You must have had a good night," chuckles Dante.
"You still haven't eaten," marvels Lucien. "Impressive. I feel like I should be jealous."
"Virgil certainly is," chuckles Dante, and I hear a thump. I'm glad I'm not in the middle of that right now.
"Ohhh, you have no idea," hums Adrian gleefully. "She-" I feel myself stiffen, but Lucien interrupts him.
"Careful, Adrian. She might run away if you say anything now."
Damn. I was thinking I might do just that. Now there's just an expectant silence radiating from the main room. And I did fill my platter already…
Hesitantly, I walk in with my food and sit beside Adrian. But my heart pangs a little, seeing Virgil looking down like he's trying to disappear.
"Virgil," I say gently, and pat the seat next to me. "Come here. We're still working on your play, after all. We might as well discuss it while we're all here."
"Adelaide, you sly woman," teases Adrian, and I shove at his shoulder.
"Don't act like I'm not excited for the play," I retort. "It's the most interesting thing I have to do right now."
"Ohhh, so I'm ranked below the play, am I?"
"You're not a 'thing'," I grumble, feeling myself turn red. "I'm serious about the play. Stop it."
"You are serious?" Suddenly I realize that Virgil's crept up next to me, looking skeptical.
"Of course! I've always wanted to act. What's more fun than becoming someone within a whole new story?"
Virgil gives me a relieved sunny smile in response, and I start on my food. "Did you finish planning for the staging?" I ask him.
He nods. "Without a stage, some things are easier, some more difficult. I decided we should just use the entire music room, since it has the best acoustics. Without an audience, we might as well try it as a sort of theatre-in-the round...." His eyes are gleaming, and I just nod along to his enthusiasm as he continues.
Essentially, the kingdoms will take up different sections of the room. Adrian points out that since everyone brought their own furniture anyway, we might as well use it to differentiate the kingdoms. The princess's kingdom will simply be one of Virgil's folding screens.
"When are we going to do this, anyway?" I ask, but Adrian answers me instead.
"Not today." He pulls me up by the arm. "How about a bath, dear?" Seeing Virgil's sour expression, he winks. "You're free to join us too, if you like."
I give Virgil a pleading look. If he comes, then it can be a normal bath. But he just stares back, cheeks slowly turning pinker. "N, no thanks," he says, and I sigh. "Not with you there, anyway," he adds quietly, glaring at Adrian.
"That's too bad," Adrian replies in a light voice, and tugs me rather forcefully into the hallway.
When I look at him in confusion, I see his eyes look almost maroon. "You better plan to drink in there," I tell him. "Why are you starving yourself?"
"Well," he confesses, "after hearing what you did for Dante, I'm hoping to last just a bit longer..." Even as he opens the door, he gives me a suggestive look.
"Adrian, you're an idiot. Just drink, or we'll both be in trouble." I tug at the collar of my dress, and he eyes my skin hungrily.
Still, he hovers hesitantly by the spout. "You should at least wash first."
What a stubborn bastard. I heave a sigh and come to him instead. "Let's just get in already," I sigh, and start undressing him myself.
Adrian lets out a little cry of shock, but immediately pulls me closer and starts taking my clothes off as well. He's too agitated, his breath coming faster. He scrambles eagerly out of his pants, and leans down to kiss me. I put my hand in front of his mouth, and he pouts sadly from behind my fingers.
"You're too hungry," I tell him. "You need to calm down first."
He nods in response, and I steer him in front of the spout. "Relax." I intentionally turn the water a little chilly, and lather up his soap.
He twitches when my hands touch his back. "Adelaide, are you too cold? I can make the bath warmer if you need it."
"See, you are too excited," I tell him, flicking the back of his head. "You didn't even notice that I turned the water cold." I pass him the soap. "Here, finish while I do your hair."
Begrudgingly, he takes it, but he sags backwards off of the stool as I massage his scalp. "Adrian," I grumble, propping him up, "try to-" I start when he looks back at me desperately. He's too hungry. "Get in," I tell him, and he slinks into the water, watching me silently. I slip into the warm water beside him and hold out my wrist.
Without a second of hesitation, he takes my hand and bites in. I flinch a little at the strength of his bite. It might bruise if he's not more careful. But he seems to realize and lets up a little, though still drinking thirstily.
I try to position myself so that I don't slip under the water if I pass out. But with my arm outstretched, I can't quite be sure that I'll stay up.
Adrian lets go for a moment. "Come here." He pulls me closer by the arm.
"Will you be alright?" I ask.
He nods, and I let him pull me onto his lap as he begins to drink again. I curl up into his neck, slowly slipping into a warm, comfortable half-sleep.
Vaguely, I feel his mouth leave my wrist, and a soft kiss on my forehead a moment later. He says...something. I manage a sound to let him know that I'm still awake - technically - and struggle to open my eyes. I know I'll regret sleeping later, but all I want to do is stay in this calm warmth.
"...nap?"
I shake my head. "No...napyet," I mumble. "Sleep later." I groggily open my eyes to see Adrian watching me with the expression of someone watching a kitten fall over. I grumble and shove at his face. "I c'n wake up," I mumble. "But...warm..." I sigh sadly, sinking into the water.
"Ohhhh, Adelaide, I didn't know you could be so precious!" Adrian squeezes my cheeks, and I make a face at him in return.
"'S your fault," I mumble, and reach around his neck. "Can't stand...help me out…"
He squeezes me tightly before he rises out of the water and helps me sit on the edge of the bath. A moment later, I feel the soft warmth of the towel, and I pull it closer to me as Adrian dresses. But before he gives me my clothes, I feel him picking me up again.
"Wait, my clothes-" I begin, but Adrian shushes me with a finger to my lips.
"You'll slip if you try to get dressed in here," he says gently, but his eyes are sparking with something devious.
I narrow my eyes at him as he carries me back into the hallway. "That's not why. You just don't want to let me wear clothes," I pout.
His grin widens. "Yes, and no. I wanted to see how it felt for myself, carrying you out of the bath naked."
My heartrate shoots up as I realize what he's referring to. "Ohhh, god," I mumble, burying my face into my hands. "I was hoping no one saw that."
Adrian giggles as he opens the door into his room. "I was on my way to take my bath. You were absolutely adorable, you know."
I just groan and bury myself further. He sets me down on the bed and I immediately reach for the covers, trying to escape his teasing gaze and my burning embarrassment. But he catches my wrist as he climbs onto the bed over me.
"I'd never seen such a smug look on Dante's face as he had in that moment," he adds, and catches my lips in a sudden kiss. I let out a small sound of shock and confusion, and I feel him smile against my mouth. "But you're mine now." He kisses me deeper, and I push at his chest in consternation. Finally, he releases me.
"I am not yours," I huff defiantly, and he tilts his head with a smile.
"You are, Adelaide." He muffles my mouth with another kiss before I can retort, and murmurs, "But I'm yours, too."
"Ohh, Adrian," I sigh, and hold his face in front of me. "We don't need to own each other. We can just be."
But he shakes his head. "It's not owning, dear. It's belonging. Everyone needs somewhere to belong." He leans in for another soft kiss, sighing as our lips connect.
I don't think that's something I can have. But for now, I let myself relax into his touch, drowning in the sweet feeling of his kisses.
Eventually, the drowsiness from the enchantment passes, and I find myself feeling peckish. I try to extract myself from Adrian, but his touch is so soft and sensual that it takes all my willpower not to kiss him back. Gently, I push on his chest, and he pulls away with a pout.
"I'm hungry," I explain. "And you need to drink something that's not from me."
"Don't worry, I've had my fill," he smiles. "I have plenty of energy left for today," he adds, grin widening.
"Well, I don't," I reply. "And if you don't drink some tea or something, you'll keep getting that hungry."
"It's not that, bad, dear," he says, poking my nose. "I don't need to drink as much as you do, remember?"
But he's losing more fluids right now than usual….I feel myself turning red before I've even said anything, and he leans in with a sly grin. "Ohh, I see. You have a better understanding of vampire biology than I thought." He sits up. "Well, if you're that eager to continue, I won't stop you."
"That's not my motivation!" I insist, but my cheeks are still flushed. "Not my...primary motivation," I add sheepishly.
Adrian just grins as he passes me my clothes. "Sure, dear. Let's go have tea, shall we?"