Heirot

"If I can come, I will," Vlad said. He kissed him one more time, as if he might disappear when he left the room. Then he teleported, perhaps a bit too enthusiastically, straight into their shared bedroom. "Tenele?" he asked, looking around for a sign of her.

Tenele was sitting on the balcony railing. The sun had set a few minutes ago, and it was very beautiful. She held a decorative glass bottle in her hands admiring the contents that had sunk to very low levels over the course of two hours.

She heard her name, and immediately lifted the bottle to her lips and took another sip. She was dressed in just a thin silk robe, and her ends of her hair was damp like she'd returned from a bath. The robe was barley held closed by the silk sash around her waist.

"I saw this woman," muttered as she slipped off the railing. She stumbled a little. "I said, 'I need a drink.'. She said, 'I know those days.' and gave me this!" Tenele handed the bottle to him. "It is definitely not water."

Vlad lifted the bottle to his nose and sniffed at the contents. It was just alcohol, or so it smelled. "When people are trying to kill you, accepting drinks from strange women may not be the most prudent choice, my love," he teased, curling an arm around her waist as he slid up against her.

Tenele snickered. "She drank it, too. Can't be poison," she sighed, wrapping her arms lazily around him. "Where is Tenara?" She nipped at his neck without thinking.

"Atul is playing with her," Vlad said more deviously than he intended. He lifted her against him, hands under her rump, and spun her around. "You wonderful, crazy woman," he murmured adoringly, looking up into her eyes.

Tenele gave him a bewildered look as he hoisted her up. "Don't poke at your crazy wife," she snickered, curling her legs around him. She ran her fingers through his hair and cupped the back of his head. Tenele kissed him. After being rejected twice that day, she thought she had enough gusto for a third. If not, there was always that trusty drink.

Vlad laughed and carried her into the bedroom, toppling over with her onto the sheets. "Didn't anyone tell you not to get drunk around vampires?" he purred merrily as he rolled over her and began tickling.

Tenele giggled and tried to get away from him. She squirmed and struggled. "No," she laughed, nearly coming out of her robe. "No one warned me anything of the sort. Stop! I have to breathe!"

Vlad pinned himself over her, propping up on his elbows to grin at her. "You are wonderful, my Maiden Girl," he said with a fond smile. "And crazy."

Tenele blinked at him. There it was again, that word. Crazy. She laughed. "Eh, thank you?" She stared into his red eyes. "You are in a better mood than this morning. Did research go that well? Should we celebrate?"

"Research was productive, though I'm not quite there yet with an answer for you." Vlad grinned at her. "Atul told me that you talked to him. After last night, I know you're ill at ease about my relationship with him. And yet you spoke with him on my behalf. It makes you uncomfortable, but you went to him anyway. You did that for my sake, when you could have asked me to leave him." His eyes glowed with passion as he smiled into hers.

"I'm moved, Tenele. I'm floored that you would do such a thing for me. Sometimes, because of your amnesia, I forget how incredibly tough you are."

Tenele swallowed. "I wanted you to be happy," she whispered, wondering how much of the story Atul confided in him. "I wanted you to have the man that you wanted and to be happy. You seem so, I am glad."

Vlad pressed his lips to her forehead. "You told me on the ship, that you loved me. I didn't believe you. And then last night, when you kissed me, I felt like you told me again, and I broke down because I wanted to believe, and didn't."

He drew back and looked at her. "I think I might believe you now. Even if you don't tell me."

Tenele blinked at him. He believed her now? Getting him Atul, or at least trying to, made him believe her? "You believe me?" she asked him, rhetorically. Tenele smiled. Would that make her enough for him now?

Tenele kissed him, just as passionately as she had the night before, curling a leg over him. "That makes me very happy."

Vlad melted into the kiss. "I love you," he murmured against her lips. "I'm sorry it took something like this to convince me. I'm sorry it was painful for you. I won't take it lightly. I won't rush you with Atul. You are perfect as you are. I love you beyond expression," he kissed her again and again.