Mature: Desert Moon

[Soran Nightblade]

"Better than I thought," Vlad said, crossing the room quickly to his side. Without a word, he sat next to the king and drew the man into a tight embrace. "It will be alright, my sweet king," he murmured softly. "I will fix what I've broken."

[Emora Deen]

Atul closed his eyes and rested against Vlad. He wasn't going to cry on the man's shoulder like some woman, he promised himself. "Better than expected is good," he replied, feeling a tinge of relief. "Do you think she will look at me with fear or disdain in the morning?"

[Soran Nightblade]

"I'm still working on that part," Vlad said quietly. "She has allowed me to stay with her tonight." To be sure Atul didn't think he was abandoning him to play around, he added, "She's also removed my ring."

[Emora Deen]

Atul sighed heavily. "I'm sorry," he whispered. "Maybe she did it in a rash thought. It might not have meant anything. She hasn't thrown the rings in your face, has she? If she still has them... maybe it means she hasn't totally forsaken your marriage. If she is letting you stay with her, she still trusts you to some degree, right?"

[Soran Nightblade]

"Enough for me to keep her safe," Vlad said. He leaned back and sized the man up with a careful stare, worried about him. "If you need me, you need only speak outside my door," he said. He knew Atul had a tendency to avoid showing his pain when he was upset, but this wasn't a healthy time to be stoic.

He should take his own advice.

The vampire slid off the bed and headed to the door. "See you tomorrow, Atul."

[Emora Deen]

Atul nodded, waving his hand. "See you tomorrow," he sighed, flopping back on the bed.

* * *

Tenele climbed wearily under the covers. She felt a little like she'd been beaten, but she was pretty sure nothing of the sort had happened. Maybe the emotionally last few hours had just worn out her limbs. She tugged the covers over her and draped the blanket the guard had given her on top. She liked the heavy weight of the extra blanket.

If she couldn't have someone hold her to comfort her, it was nice to feel cozy and comforted by the blankets.

She stared up at the bottom to the top bunk, wondering if Vlad would actually come back. Maybe he went off to Atul. Maybe they were playing around with each other and talking about how good it felt to be with her?

Tenele clenched her eyes shut.

No! They weren't doing that. They weren't. Vlad wouldn't do that. Remember his pain, and his fear, and his sorrow for what he'd done. Even if she'd only felt it briefly, she had to keep thinking of it. It was an accident.

[Soran Nightblade]

A moment later, Vlad knocked lightly on the door and let himself in. He knelt beside her bed and fought the urge to reach out and brush back her hair. He honestly couldn't imagine her desiring any kind of contact from him. He was far past being capable of the arrogance that would usually allow him to give it a shot. He opted for just watching her for a minute, her breath shifting the covers. He wondered where the rings were. She couldn't have thrown them overboard....could she? He didn't let himself ask. He sat down against her bedside and untied his boots.

[Emora Deen]

Tenele watched the back of him as he untied his boots. If it was an accident, why did he act so guilty? Maybe this wasn't guilt. Maybe he was just sad, like she was?

It was such an odd thing, needing to be comforted and having no one to comfort her. Or rather, the one person she could count on to comfort her, was the one person who couldn't or wouldn't.

"I feel alone," she whispered. "And you're right next to me. Yet, you are a thousand miles away at the same time."

[Soran Nightblade]

Vlad smiled ruefully. He knew that feeling. Although unlike her, he could do something to help. "You aren't alone. I am here." As an afterthought, almost in disbelief, he added, "I could...hold you, if it would help."

[Emora Deen]

Tenele was very, very quiet. She stared at his back. "I love you," she muttered, eyes welling with tears. "I realized that earlier... Before... When we were in the middle of it. I don't know why. I have no idea why I love you. But, when I look at you, I feel safe. I feel..." She wiped her eyes. "That's why it hurt so much, and even thought it hurts... I still want you to hold me."

[Soran Nightblade]

The words jolted him. Vlad looked back over his shoulder slowly. Those were the single most unexpected set of words he'd heard in his whole life.

And he didn't believe them.

He tried again, with no luck. Vladimir Dracul couldn't imagine a world where Tenele loved him, and he didn't want to know why. Maybe it was the wall he'd built inside his brain, trying to protect him.

Either way, it didn't change what she needed from him right now. "I will always love you, Maiden Girl," he said gently, pushing up to sit on the bed with her. He leaned sideways next to her and brushed her hair back, the rubbed his hand in circles over her back, through the blankets. "It's going to be fine," he whispered, repeating the mantra he'd just spoken for Atul.

[Emora Deen]

Tenele tried to relax with his touch, but something felt so mechanical about it. She was afraid. Maybe she shouldn't have told him such words? What if she really didn't love him? What if he knew that? She thought she loved him, she cared about him very strongly.

She convinced herself it was her imagination. She listened to his words. It was going to be fine. Tenele settled down against the pillows and closed her eyes. It did feel less lonely to have him next to her. She did feel comforted by that.

[Soran Nightblade]

Vlad went on stroking her back for several minutes, his mind spinning in loops as he tried to understand her words. She might pity him for having lost his wife, but she wouldn't actually say such a thing because of that. She wasn't that irresponsible. And he'd felt her thoughts loud and clear, before he'd bled away their beautiful joining. She believed him capable of doing such a thing deliberately. Could such a person be in love?

It was too much to try to understand, and every time he came close to the reason he needed to hear, his emotional wall pushed him back a step. Make the wrong move, and it would all tumble down. Then he could see how much she 'loved' having him sob hysterically against her back.

He didn't mess with the wall. But after a few minutes, when he was sure she wasn't upset by his contact, he slid forward and spooned her back, wrapping his arm around her securely. This. This was where he wanted to be. "Don't throw them away," he said softly without even realizing the words were going to escape. "There's no need to wear it, but please don't throw them away."

[Emora Deen]

"I won't," she whispered, staring at the wall. "I was going to give them back to you... But, I decided against it. I'll keep them safe for her, and for you." Tenele felt better, only be a small fraction. She wanted to talk to him, to voice her concerns and her heart, but she wasn't even sure where to begin.

"I probably would have handled this whole situation better if that man hadn't raped me," she whispered softly. "When I first heard Atul's voice in my head I couldn't understand why he was there... and then I felt everything. I took inventory of the multitude of sensations coursing through me and I realized... he'd felt everything. Every thrust into me.... without my invitation. I was transported back to that time. Another man had felt pleasure from me, without my invitation. My fear took the reigns and I was lost to reason."

[Soran Nightblade]

"That's not unreasonable, Tenele. You're justified," Vlad said quietly. "I raped you. I raped him, too. He didn't ask to be sucked into the current. You've felt it, on the island. You know there is no controlling it when my need is spreading into your mind. What we were doing did the same to him, only as soon as the spell wore off, he realized he'd never been wanted in the first place. And that the woman he loves might never see him kindly again. I've torn him up badly, just as I did you. Rest assured that no one is happy about what happened, least of all him.