Holier Than Thou

[Soran Nightblade]

Vlad went through the good old-fashioned stages of grief that night while he listened to his wife's sleeping heartbeat and scoured every book in the library for a way to save her, for a way to not have to share her with Verin for the rest of their life together. For a way to prove he was strong enough that she didn't feel the need to embrace him any further. But even as he studied book after book and tried to stay focused, all he could seem to think about was Verin kissing her. He thought of the consequences if next time, he asked for more than a kiss. He knew he would never stop loving her, but could he honestly endure that? When he'd told her not to come back, had he meant it? How could he touch her again...trust her again...

The sense of loss was so incredible that it left him withered in his chair when the sun rose the next morning. The huge skylight above the library let the new light drift through the silent room. Vlad turned the page in his book, reading it miserably with red-rimmed eyes. What was he supposed to do now?

[Emora Deen]

Tenele blinked her sore eyes open, shifting under the covers. The Queen's Maiden slowly sat up, her silver hair dishevelled and sparkling in the sunlight. For a moment she was slightly confused on her surroundings, and then it all came back to her in a hard sucker-punch flashback that sent her reeling.

Slowly, and a little fearfully, she let her eyes drift to where she expected Vlad to be sitting with his books. She drew her legs to her chest, allowing for more room on the couch if he chose to move closer. She doubted very seriously he would.

"I believe you," Tenele told him. "I thought about it while I was sitting on the floor staring at the door. I thought about leaving because if you didn't want me back then you'd be safe from him. And then I looked at my ring, and I remembered everything you went through to marry me. That's when I knew you could save me..."

Tenele looked away to the window. "I can't take what I did back," she whispered. "I wish I could. I don't want him touching me, it makes me sick. I shouldn't have done that. But, at the time all I could envision was him ripping you apart. I mean honestly, what would you do to keep someone from pulling me limb from limb? But, when I really sat there and thought about it I knew that if anyone in this world could save me it was you. That's why I didn't go through that door. That's why I didn't leave. Not because I was afraid you'd never take me back... well a part of it was that, but a larger part was because in that moment I believed you. I'm willing to do anything it takes to help you find a way to save me. I won't do something like that again, no matter what he threatens. I promise. I won't be such a fool again."

Tenele swallowed, fiddling with the blankets in her lap. "I hope one day you'll forgive me."

[Soran Nightblade]

Vlad raised his head and looked at her. She looked like some kind of dream, nestled in the soft blankets with her hair shining in the daylight.

She was apologizing. Swearing her love. Promising her commitment and to trust him as much as she could. Assuring him that Verin's kiss meant nothing beyond a misguided desire to protect him.

He lowered his head to the book he was holding, pressing his face into the pages. He admitted it to himself, then. Half of the anger he'd unleashed on Tenele last night was fury with himself for being unable to do anything soon enough. Disgust that what Tenele saw as his vulnerability might truly be real, that he might have to admit defeat to a stronger being and lose what he loved in the process. It wasn't okay to be weak, and it wasn't okay to get scared. It wasn't okay to be protected.

Then why did being like this make him so miserable? Was he protecting her, or hurting her?

Like a tree blown too hard and too long in the wind, his focus finally broke. "I'm sorry," his swollen voice croaked into the book he was holding. Tears broke loose and dropped to the pages, blurring the script. "I'm so sorry."

[Emora Deen]

Tenele frowned, standing up from the couch and walking to him. She draped her arms around him, hugging her husband where he sat draped over the books. She pressed her tender lips into the skin of his neck, forgetting his wounded back. "I'm sorry too." She held him tighter. "Let's start fresh. I believe fully in you. I'll help you. We'll find a way to beat this. We will beat him."

[Soran Nightblade]

Vlad's fingers dropped the book and let it fall to the table. Tenele's butterly-light touch on his neck sent tingles down his marred back. It didn't hurt - it mostly tickled. He stood and turned to face her, pulling her in against him. His arms closed around her like he hadn't touched her in years. How could he miss her this much in a single night? He didn't trust his voice, but he kissed her silver hair as he pressed his face to the top of her head. "Yes," he breathed. "We will beat him."

[Emora Deen]

Tenele closed her eyes and rested against him. "Let's go back to our room," she whispered. "You need sleep." Tenele stepped away just long enough to grab their blanket and her pillow and then she moved back to him. She wanted to kiss him, even if her lips were tender, but a small part of her feared he'd have a similar reaction to last night. So instead, she took his hand and kissed his ring before pressing his fingers to her cheek.

[Soran Nightblade]

Vlad curled his fingers along the contours of her face. He didn't want to sleep yet. He felt like he was on to something. But nothing could hide how physically and mentally exhausted he was. The need to lie down with his wife and pretend the night before had never happened was powerful. He found himself instinctively drawn to kiss the soft face he was currently touching. He leaned forward, but paused, looking at her bruised lips. He held back enough to look into her green eyes. "Would you be comfortable, if I..." he left the question in the air, a hint of involuntary seduction brushing into his tone.

[Emora Deen]

Tenele smiled at him softly, the smile pulled on the skin of her lips which made it slightly uncomfortable but not unbearable. "I am always comfortable with you," she whispered to him, leaning in to meet him halfway.

[Soran Nightblade]

The vampire leaned down and covered her mouth lightly with his. The touch was affectionate and careful, although it was impossible for Vladimir Dracul to kiss without putting something behind it. He traced his tongue over her bruised lips, as if to erase over whatever power Verin might have left there. That was all. He didn't go harder, or try to open her mouth, or get carried away with the physical side of the kiss. He just kissed her, slowly and lightly, over and over, like it was something he could do all day without ever losing fascination with it.

[Emora Deen]

Tenele leaned into him, one hand clutching the blanket and the other slipping up his chest to curl around the back of his neck. His kiss flooded her with a warmth that had nearly been abandoned last night. She felt comfort and protection in that kiss. He'd been gone with her brother for a five days, locked in a dungeon for one, bed ridden with wounds for two more. Though, he had kissed her, something about now... about this kiss, about his gentle touch, it made her want more.

But, he was tired, and rightful so and Tenele felt that his body was in no shape to physically nurse any emotional wounds they had.

She drew away slowly, green eyes meeting his. "Let's go get comfortable."

[Soran Nightblade]

Vlad glanced reluctantly at the stack of books that was now extended to piles surrounding the table. Was he being too lax by taking a break? He reached out and gathered a few under his arm, promising himself he would read them in bed. He was more a man of action than the type to study, but if he didn't show Tenele that he could think things through, she wouldn't be able to trust him to confront Verin.

He put his free arm around her shoulder and pressed his senses together enough to teleport them back up to the tower. His back squirmed with the use of the magic, but there was no way he was making Tenele climb all those stairs. Not after all she had gone through.

The following week was a trying one for all involved. Vlad, while apparently past his anger, was particularly protective of Tenele and refused to be more than a room away from her at any time so that he could sense Verin if he returned. He spent most of his time researching. Talon had had homework every night as well, and Vlad made him spend the first hour each day debriefing him on whatever he'd found. Vlad dragged Tenele frequently to the library so he could go through more information.

The vampire was particularly impatient in his treatment of the castle staff and other residents. While it created some anxiety in the staff, it did have the positive side effect of toning down the rumors running rampant around the castle about their marriage and Talon's turning. No one dared gossip within earshot of the ornery vampire, which meant pretty much anywhere in the castle. Toward Tenele, Vlad was largely similar to his normal self, but less relaxed than usual. While he often kissed her, he never did anything beyond that. He slept little and talked less, though he never hesitated to respond when Tenele initiated a conversation.

It was the 8th morning of this when Vlad woke her by flopping an open book down over her sleeping face. He'd been reading most of the night. "Good morning," he purred into her ear, using her blindness as an opportunity to run an ice-cold fingertip along her tummy. The fire had gone out in the night, but the sheets stayed warm, and Vlad had been too distracted to go build it up again.

[Emora Deen]

Tenele blinked her eyes open with a groan, staring at blurry rows of letters. She shivered at the cold tingle his fingers left behind, and at the same time felt a burning rush through her and half formed wish that they'd trail a bit lower. She didn't get her hopes up, he'd seemed for the most part too focused to be interested in her physically. "Good morning," she murmured, pushing the book off her face and holding it up in the air to examine it. "You seem to have dropped your book on my face," she told him, admiring the very graphic drawn woodcut-pressed image in the left hand corner. Her vision was clearing enough that she could see the text.

[Soran Nightblade]

Vlad slid lower into the sheets, lying on his side next to her. He put one arm and one leg over her, effectively trapping her against him. "Ah, yes. That's where I put it," he murmured, lifting the book off her face and peering at her. "How did you sleep?"

[Emora Deen]

Tenele smiled. "I slept very well," she commented. "Deeply. I didn't even dream. I take it from the book to my face that you didn't sleep?" She reached up and stroked a hand down the side of his face.

[Soran Nightblade]

"Now that my lashes are closed and healing, this body seems to be reverting back to its more perpetual energy level," Vlad said with a smirk. "It's boring when you sleep."