A few days after our little incident. My wound had begun to heal. However, the tension between Catherine and I could be cut with a butter knife. It was not out of anger. It was as though she was nervous to be around me. Catherine would avoid me if we crossed paths in the halls. She would stop joining me for dinner. Vadoma would take a tray to her bedroom. I felt things went astray after the other night, our little incident involving my injuries. How though, the day after Catherine seemed fine. She was in great spirits—however, today, the second that is. Catherine is a recluse.

  "Vad? Is Catherine alright? Is she ill?" I uncurled my legs on the velvet couch in the parlour. Roman lay flat beside my thighs, awoken from his blissful slumber. Vadoma flew down the stairs, pivoting her heels as I spoke. "She is fine, Bella. Do not worry. She wants to be left alone. Right? R?mas singur?"

  "I suppose, it is quite boring not to speak to anyone. Roman is no help."

  "And what I am hm? Chopped liver? Just paint on walls?"

  "No, no. I never meant that Vad," I sighed slouching my back, rolling my body off the couch. "You seem so busy every time I see you." I stood from the couch as Vadoma ushered me to join her in the kitchen. "Well, I am busy, but not busy enough to not have conversation with you during the day." Vadoma cascaded around the kitchen as if we were beginning a waltz. Her crimson skirt spun effortlessly as did the scarf on her shoulder wrapped around her waist. Exposing her soft torso. Most of her hair was hidden under a red scarf with two little braids resting on either shoulder. "What will you eat huh? Rabbit yes? No, no. I know how you feel about 'little bunnies'. How about polenta?"

  "Yes please, can I ask you something?" I hoisted myself on the kitchen counter near the door of the parlour. "Of course Bella. What is uh-...phew la naiba! My English is shit...question. What is your question?" Vadoma opened the cold cupboard to retrieve fresh vegetables, laying them on a wood cutting board. "I-Is Catherine mad at me?" Vadoma stopped mid-chop of the vegetables to peer over her shoulder at me. "Why on earth would you think that? Has she said something?"

  "No, nothing like that. I-I just thought since she does not want to be disturbed and has been very distant from me."

  "Oh! That, well...I suppose she is trying to get you to settle." Vad huffed out continuing to chop. "Settle? I am settled. However do you mean Vad?" I hunched over stealing a piece of a green pepper and popping it into my mouth. "Oye! Careful! I almost chopped finger! Lord knows what Catherine would do to me if such mistake would transpire. I do not mean settle in castle. I mean settle in your new realization of Catherine. As a vampire, I do mean."

  "Oh, yeah. That. I am fine with it." I swung my legs on the counter as I peered down at my knees. "Sure, but she has to get used to it too you know yes? Normally girls would be dead by now when they found out."

  "I suppose." I jumped down landing on my feet. I sighed as my feet guided me to the parlour. "Can you let me know when Catherine wants her medicine...I mean-...you know what I mean Vad. I want to bring it to her." I halted to see Vadoma. "But of course dear Bella."

  ?───? ??? ?───?

  *Catherine's Pov*

  God, I need to get out of bed. I flung my body off my mattress as my spine cracked to an all too familiar tune. "Fucksakes..." I whinced as I mustered enough strength to almost straighten my back. Why must I always be in pain? Why can I not awake from our slumber refreshed? I heard Vadoma's footsteps run up the stairs, knocking on my door. "What is it Vad?" I coughed out retrieving my robe. "We need to speak." She let herself in as her body barged in like a gust of wind. "Whatever is it?" I swung my hair behind my back as I sat on my desk chair. "I think you are hurting Bella's feelings."

  "What?! How?" I was aghast. I have not spoken to Bella in days. Which is my fault but Bella has endless activities she could amaze herself in. Hell, she has shelves of books she has not even touched. "I have not spoken to Bella in days. How could I upset her?"

  "That is reason. She thinks you are distant from her because you are cross with something she did." Vadoma folded her arms in front of her chest cocking her head to me. "Goddamit...does she not realize I just want her to settle with this 'issue'" I motioned Vad to come further so I may not raise my voice. "I told her, but she swears she is settled with the whole vampire thing. I even told her that she should allow you to have time."

  "Why do I need time? I have had enough time with the fact! I have been this way for over 500 years!"

  "Can you shut your hole for a moment? You have never had a girl alive this long. You need to learn that this will affect Bella in every outcome. So, you either talk to Bella or stay here and sulk like a child." Vadoma left my room slamming the door behind her. I could not yell at her, she was right. I have to speak with her. I did not even thank her the other day. Even if she did harm herself to retrieve me, she and Vad thought quickly in times of stress. I should thank her for that at least. At least I could do that, perhaps it will be a door to open dialogue between us. Yes. That is it!

  ?───? ??? ?───?

  *Bella's Pov*

  I had to stop waiting for Catherine to see me. I had chores to complete. One thing I wanted to do was beat the dust out of the curtains in the dining room. I took a broom to the curtains as I watched the dust bounce off. What I did not realize was that Vadoma was watching me. Quietly, not uttering a sound. "Bella?"

  "Jesus Christ! Vad! What the hell?" I leaped almost clinging on to a curtain. My feet finally flew flat on the dining chair I was using. "You scared the shit out of me!" Vad chuckled at her work cascading around the dining table to meet me. "You wanted me to inform you when Catherine needed a drink yes?" I jumped from the chair as I breathed in the dust. "Oh! Great." I brushed past Vadoma to the kitchen. My usual duty involved a barrel of what I initially thought was her medicine. However, now, I realize it's blood. My feet stopped as it became a sombre note. I am fine with Catherine being a vampire, but now going through with it felt anew. Like a sickly hunger that I am about to fulfill for her. I loosened the tab watching the thick liquid ooze out in the vase until it reached the top. I straightened my back dashing up the stairs to Catherine's room.

  Should I knock? I normally do not but in this instance...Perhaps I should.

  "Come in Vad." Catherine's voice boomed. I unlocked the door to see Catherine hunched over her desk scribbling down on paper. "Not Vadoma unfortunately..." My body ushered through the door frame as Catherine's head turned. Her red eyes pin-pointed to me. Her brows once furrowed became relaxed. "Oh, Belly darling. How nice to see you." Catherine sat up as her shoulders cracked. "Really? You have been cooped up here for days without speaking to me." I slowly moved to Catherine's desk, my hand placed her drink next to her.

  "I am truly sorry Belly, I have been distant to you now have I." Catherine leaned in her chair grasping the glass. I nodded. "Awe, well I am sorry iubito. I want to make it up to you." Catherine arose from her chair, she took a stride in her robe exposing her porcelain thigh. Her arms reached out as her palms cupped my cheeks. "You do not necessarily have to." My eyes glanced up to meet Catherine's eyes as I felt Catherine's index graze my cheek. "Yes, I do my love..." She broke our stare for a moment to watch her finger against my cheek. "My dear...you are cold as ice." Catherine let go of my cheeks, running down my neck to my shoulders.

  "How can you tell?! You are always cold Catherine." Catherine's hands ran rampant over my arms to attempt to warm my body. "Bella, even if I am not warm-blooded any longer, I can still tell when your body temperature is not adequate." Her rubbing began to burn on my arms. As if candle wax was to be poured on my skin. I felt a sharp sting hit the side of my arm. I whinced as my body leaped back. "Ouch! Catherine!" I examined my arm to see but a scratch. As scratch the same sight Roman would give if I pestered him too often. From a nail. "What? What happened?" Catherine froze before me. "I think you nicked me with one of your nails." The scratch did not break my skin, no blood. Catherine held my wrist further inspecting this little break of my skin. "Oh darling, I am sorry. It seems I haven't been doing a good job on my upkeep." We both peered down to Catherine's hands. Her nails as striking white against her more pale skin. The grey nailbeds brought out the only colour of Catherine's hands. The tips were sharply pointed, however, the tips of her nails are beginning to crack.

  "I can see that...and felt it." I passed Catherine to her desk in search of something. Of what? Who knows until I found it. "Here! Allow me to fix it." I pulled out a small knife, normally used to open letters and parcels. Catherine backed away as her thighs leaned against the mattress. "Woah, now. I do not want you to ruin them. I will admit they are my only defence." Catherine fell back onto her ass. I raised myself onto tip-toes leaping onto Catherine's lap.

  The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

  A rather bizarre sight surely, but Catherine's attitude was the sort of a child. "I'm not going to cut them to the nub now, just cut where the nails are cracked." I reached out for Catherine's hand beginning on her thumb. "I know what I am doing Catherine. I did this constantly for my father. Do you not trust me?" I began to dig the blade in the tip of Catherine's nail as it began to peel off. "I normally do in these situations, but you are still so cold you are shaking."

  "I am not cold! Can we drop the subject, if you stopped squirming then you need not worry." I muttered finishing her left hand with ease. "See, almost done. Just need your right hand now." I switched her hands as she sat in disbelief. "I know what I am feeling Bella. Your arms are cold, though your thighs are like a fireplace." Catherine's hand crept lower tracing her freshly trimmed nails along my thigh. "Is that so?"

  "It is so. I can feel it." Catherine's hand planted on my thigh firmly. "This is not the vision I had for me to repay you, Bella." I finished with Catherine's nails arising from my spot to put the knife in its original place. "You do not need to Catherine." I turned back around to see Catherine amid our brief stare-down. She held out a hand motioning me to come closer with her middle and ring finger. "Yes, I do. I will." I trotted before Catherine as my thighs brushed her knees. "You are still cold. Come curl into bed, I want to warm your little frame." She hooked her hand on my wrist as she pulled me into her mattress. Catherine swung her legs off the floor into bed. She adjusted her position to have her back prompted on the bedframe. "Come to me..." Catherine's legs opened underneath her robe to leave an opening. You can tell she dawned nothing under her robe and called me to entertain the idea of laying upon her. I thought no harm would come to it. I often sleep with her regularly with nothing but a stitch on my back. How could this be different? "Fine, if you insist." I crept my body along the bed on my knees. I spun around to lay my back on Catherine's chest as my hips were snug between her legs. "I insist deeply." Catherine's pale nails dug into the sheets as she drew them further over my body, over my shoulders. "Christ. You are even more cold under the blankets." Catherine chattered. "Vadoma! Vadoma!" Her yell frightened me. Or so I realized as she yelled out for Vad, her hand resting on my shoulder before my body jolted.

  "Yes, yes I heard you, Valeria. What you need?..." Vad appeared with a breath in her lungs. She smirked as an eyebrow began to rise. "So...I see you two have sorted things hm?"

  "Definitely. Go into the closet and get the bear fur will you? Bella is chilled to the bone."

  "But of course Valeria." Vad left more quickly than she entered. "Why would you do such a thing? Vadoma is your servant. Not mine. If you asked I would have gotten the fur." Vadoma reappeared with a rather large pelt. As it dragged on the wooden floors. Vadoma fluffed the fur as it draped over the bed. "No, you will fall ill if you leave." Catherine's hand held firm on my shoulder. "Thank you, Vad." I nodded as if a way to say 'you did not need to do this' look. Catherine nodded in agreeance. "My pleasure Bella," Vadoma smirked a nod. "I will be taking my leave of the night. Oh and Valeria?"

  "What Vadoma?"

  "Nu prea greu cu ea." Vad slithered out of our room. Catherine chuckled under her breath. "What did Vadoma say?" I glanced over my shoulder to see Catherine's smile. "Oh, nothing for you to worry over." Catherine's fingers intertwined in the straps of my gown. As her fingers tugged at the very fabric that held my gown on my shoulders. "How am I to be warm when you insist on me being unclothed?" A cluster of my curls fell forward in front of my eyes. I blew them away to figure my chest was exposed. In the heap of my hair, Catherine managed to pull the top of my gown down to my hips. "You will be warm with me iubirea, under these sheets, under the fur. Clothes are...overrated in my bedroom." I shimmied the rest of my gown off my body. Catherine retrieved it under the blankets, tossing it to the floor. "Do you not think we are going down a certain path Catherine?" Catherine huffed out laying an arm above the headboard as her other hand tangled in my curls. "What path would that be my dear?"

  "Indecency?"

  "Ha, and what about this do you find indecent? Just two women in bed, enjoying each other's company. Who are quite fond of each other might I add. What is indecent about that huh?" Catherine's nails caught in my hair as her hand pulled away. "Owe! Cath..." I whinced as my body pulled away. "Oh I am sorry darling, come back. We were warm for a minute." I laid back to find Catherine's warmth still residing. "You have not answered my question, Bella?"

  "Well...when you put it like that...it does seem rather childish to think of indecency at the moment." My eyes were fixated, on the ceiling. The way the dark of this room seemed to be painted with such brightness with every candle lit. "On that note, I think I found how I can make it up to you Bella." Catherine's hands tucked themself under the sheets, sliding her palms against my thighs. "You are not going to stop beating this dead horse now are you?" My eyes fluttered in exhaustion but more it was a sign of peace. "I am quite adamant. Do not worry, you will enjoy it."

  "Really now?"

  "Yes my love, will you let me?" Catherine lifted the blankets off our bodies escaping the heat. My body startled me, the olive tone had faded to Catherine's shade before the candlelight illuminated my thighs to show its true hue. "Yes-...Catherine." Catherine's hands caressed my thighs as her nails scratched my skin. "You know I'm not the type to act anything seriously but...I mean it when I say I need you." Her nails dug in a rather hard pressure. "Now, open your legs." My serene demeanour was halted. My eyes shot open. "M-My legs?"

  "Yes, you need to know that you are the easiest choice I've ever made." Catherine used her index and pinky fingers to apply more pressure to spread the softest parts of my thighs. Her middle and ring fingers motioned the air, curling her fingers inward. I finally realized what was happening. Perhaps I knew this was coming all along but I was prolonging it. Catherine rested her chin on my shoulder. "Tell me to stop and we stop. I don't care what's happening. All I care about is you." Catherine's hand traced along the hefty fuzz trailing down my loins. I nodded with the feeling of something pressing on my vocal cords. I could not mutter an utterance. Her middle finger dipped into me. The feeling I know all too familiar from my hand, however, to feel it from another person was new. To not know what their next move is. Just the thought of what Catherine was going to do next made me have goosebumps.

  Catherine's finger traced through my slit with ease. The feeling was something I could never fathom, not even words could explain the burst of emotion I felt by just a touch. My clenched jaw loosened allowing only a hum to escape my lips. Catherine's wrist flicked a circular motion around the parting of my lips to trail higher to my clit. My measle hums broke out in short moans that could not be stopped.

  "That's it. Spread your legs, baby, that's it... Wider." Catherine's other hand latched on my thigh as I widened it more until my ankle hung over the mattress. "Oh...n-no...oh!" I felt my head pivot around my shoulders but it felt as though I was not in my body. My head was floating. Like a ball rolling on the ground. Catherine's finger stopped toying with my clit, sliding her finger lower to my opening, slowly entering. My hips bucked as my head flew back hitting Catherines slouder. "Oh God!"

  "Good... good girl. Come on, you can do this." Her whisper was hot against my ear as I felt her finger tilt inside me. Her slow hand movements persisted roughly. My body stuck to Catherine's, the heat between us was too hard to handle. My body insisted on moving away from her. My shoulders were unstuck, leaping away falling to my knees. My elbows sunk into the mattress as my back arched in the air. Catherine chuckled hoisting herself on her knees. "Phew iubito..." Catherine wiped the sweat on her forehead, her body sprung over mine. As her finger harshly reinserted however not alone. As I realized she entered two instead of one. "Ah!...Cath-..." My hands gripped the bedsheets. Catherine's fingers curled inside me as they began to take speed. The constant smack of her palm against my ass echoed throughout Catherine's room. Catherine's other hand swept my hair away from my back balling it in a fist, tugging fiercely. "Urgh! C-C-Cat...s-stop...I'm-..."

  "Gonna what huh? Cum? Do it. Do it, Bella." Catherine's hand drove inside me with an increased speed to not let up. My body felt as if I was melting being one with the bedsheets. Catherine's grip on my hair elevated my neck even more. "F-fuck...Catherine!" My jaw clenched as this wave of emotion flooded in. I knew what this feeling was, I have felt this before however it felt immensely different from another person. Another set of hands, fingers I should say. I felt it all, every mysterious movement of her fingers. Every click of Catherine's tongue against her teeth. Every movement of love pushed deep inside of my being. Love cannot be forced, nor bought. It must be given with intention. The very same intention Catherine gave.

  My arms turned to mush, I became a baby fawn attempting to stand. Catherine laughed at my stance. Her hand swept around my throat pulling me back to her lap. "Awe, come my love. You twitch like rabbit." Catherine embroiled us under the covers of her sheets, the warmth was too much to handle. As the covers grazed my chest I pushed away.

  "Pftt..I'm too hot." I whinced allowing my chest to feel a breeze. "Oh, so now someone's hot huh?"

  "Very. You are not?"

  "Hands are warm. Nothing else. That's the point, honey. You know, the vampire thing? The only place I am warm is where I was touching you." Catherine moved her hands past my body to my thighs caressing ever so gently. The realization of her middle and ring fingers stuck together as she pried them apart on my thigh. The sticky sensation spread on my skin. It was me. My back shivered.

  "I'm so embarrassed—" I leaped from Catherine's lap landing on the bed beside her.

  "Why? It's okay, you do not have to be embarrassed with me. You are safe with me." She seemed surprised by my statement. As if she would never imagine I would say such a thing. Her hands left from the blankets intertwining in my hair. The smell of myself on Catherine's fingers made my stomach turn, I had no reason for it. It just felt so strange to smell it anywhere else but me. "Anyways, I missed that certain sound of your voice." I pulled away from her hand landing my head on the pillow. "My voice? How?" I huffed blowing a strand of curls from my face. Catherine laid her head on the pillow pivoting her body to face me."It's a good voice. I heard it once while you were in the tub. By yourself-...I mean."

  "You were watching me!?" I shrieked rolling onto my shoulder.

  "How can I not Bella, your moans piqued my interest." Catherine crept her arms around my waist as she pulled me close. "And may I say, my interest has been explored in depth definitely." She yawned letting her fangs point out so promptly. "I just hope you enjoyed this, my love."

  "Oh I did-...or so I think."