Holier Than Thou

[Soran Nightblade]

Vlad nodded carefully. The need to be connected to her in a human way, and the terror that he wasn't actually connected to her as he'd thought at all, tore him apart. "That is good news," he whispered, his voice cracking.

[Emora Deen]

Tenele frowned as she heard the trimmer in his voice, drawing the rag off her forehead. She pushed herself to sit up, looking weaker than she wanted. Tenele's green eyes sought his.

"I won't," she breathed, glancing away. "I won't do it if you don't want me too." Tenele swallowed the lump in her throat. "I'll just tell him I can't. I don't need children. What kind of mad person brings children into a world like this anyway?"

[Soran Nightblade]

Vlad raised his hands to the sides of her face, cooling her burning cheeks. He drew her carefully forward against his chest and pressed his nose into her bangs. "I want you to," he shuddered. "Don't say that. Please stop saying that."

[Emora Deen]

Tenele blinked, a tear rolling down her cheek. "You want me to..." she repeated the words, because even as he said them he sounded so sad. It wrenched her heart.

She wanted to ask what she did wrong, but she already knew. She couldn't take that back. He said he'd never forget that she tried to use his basest of instincts against him. But, would he ever forgive her for it? Selfish, awful woman.

"I'm sorry, Vlad." She closed her eyes so she couldn't see him, because the words instinctively brought back the fear she felt that moment he'd pinned her to the bed. She didn't want to fear her husband like that. No one should fear their husband like that. She knew he couldn't forgive her right away, but she hoped one day he would. She hoped one day she'd be better than what he thought of her right now.

[Soran Nightblade]

Vlad didn't know what she was sorry for. Wanting children, or something she'd said, or maybe for the fear he could feel curling up her spine. He didn't want her to be sorry. "I'm upsetting you. I could go keep watch. Give you space," he whispered.

[Emora Deen]

Tenele's fingers tightened around his arms. "Don't," she whispered, dipping her head and resting her hot forehead against his neck. "Stay. Please, don't leave me." She lifted her head and framed his face in her hands, one bandaged and the other not. She kissed his lips, even as another tear rolled down her cheek. She kissed him over and over, slowly at first, and then more urgently... as if time were running out and he'd be gone from her in a flash.

[Soran Nightblade]

Vlad met her lips with skill and passion, so overwhelmed that she'd extended herself to him that he felt ready to burst. His hands wove through her soft, if wind-tussled hair. "I will not leave you again. I will not let anyone make you feel this way, ever again," he vowed, his lips brushing hers.

[Emora Deen]

Tenele nodded as she kissed him. Her throat closed around the words, so she didn't speak. She just kept kissing him. The emotions running through her began splitting her at the seams. "I need you," she choked on the words as she pressed her lips to his. She wanted him, and couldn't have him. She just wanted to be close to him, to feel that tender intimacy that only he could offer her, and yet she knew he wouldn't give her that.

[Soran Nightblade]

"You have me," he responded earnestly. Vlad kissed her with gentle passion, and then nuzzled into her neck, where he felt closest to her pulse. He wasn't sure he dared connect with her right now, but her strong rhythm was like a lifeline between them. He ran his cool tongue lightly across her skin and wrapped his arms around her shoulders, keeping her tight against him. The gesture wasn't rough, but it was possessive and slightly fierce and completely Vlad. He didn't sensor himself, suspecting she would notice if he did. If he frightened her, he braced himself to cope with it.

[Emora Deen]

Tenele tried not to stiffen when he nuzzled into her neck, his arms tightening possessively around her. It was an odd combination of fear and safety that rolled through her. The most rational side of her welcomed the security of that hold, while the most damaged side of her felt trapped. She pushed that part of her away, and relaxed in his arms, even if she felt ashamed for fearing the hold.

Her head tilted back as she took a gasping breath, trying to cool her emotions. It exposed more of her slender neck for Vlad's view. She lifted her head, pressing a hard kiss to his cheek. Her hands fumbled over his chest, glided down his sides, and hooked in the lip of his pants. "Please," she murmured into his ear. "Please, please."

[Soran Nightblade]

Vlad nuzzled deeper into her neck, longing for and fearing the thought of joining their thoughts and bodies. The fear outweighed the longing by a landslide. "When we are back in the capitol," he said huskily into her skin. "All of me is yours." By then, he would be ready for that closeness again. He dearly hoped he would be ready again.

[Emora Deen]

Tenele grew quiet as the disappointment washed over her. She nodded, brushing her damp cheek against him. She pressed forward until her head rested on his shoulder and she leaned her weight against him. Her arm throbbed, and she felt so cold. "Will you sleep here with me?" she murmured against his shoulder, even her breath was hotter than normal.

[Soran Nightblade]

"Yes," Vlad said, brushing her hair back from her forehead with his other hand. He returned the cool cloth to her brow insistently, despite the fact she kept taking it off. His cool palm curled against the side of her neck after he pulled another blanket over her. If her fever didn't break by morning, he was beginning to consider taking Talon's advice. "Rest. I will wake you if anything is wrong," he said.

[Emora Deen]

Tenele nodded. She tried to fight sleep, but it won. Hours passed, and then finally morning. Espha fell a sleep on the couch, and when Talon returned he placed his cloak over her shoulders for a blanket. He was thankful for all the blood he'd taken, as the young girls pulse wasn't as tempting as it normally would have been. When the sun broke Atul knocked three times and entered the house.

Talon lifted his gaze to the King, and snuck a peek out the door behind him at the line of soldiers waiting to leave.

"Vlad's upstairs with Tenele." The young vampire nodded to the steps.

Espha sat up slowly, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. "Is it time?"

"It is. Your aunt is here, and your father's advisers. They will see to it that you are taken care of," Atul told him. "Would you like to wait to say good bye to Ambassador Dracul?"

Espha nodded eagerly.

"I'll get him," he told her with a caring smile before jogging up the steps.

[Soran Nightblade]

Vlad raised his head at the sound of Atul's voice downstairs. He hadn't slept, but then, he didn't really need to. He'd been concentrating most of the evening on Tenele's fever, wetting the cloth whenever it melted back to her temperature. The othe man's footsteps jogging up the stairs were a welcome sound. "How was the night?" he asked, studying the king's face to see if he'd even slept.