Clarissa - Raleigh - February - Victor's Haven
Her heels clatter along the marble-lined hallway, at a brisk pace that threatens to break into a jog. She pauses before a mirror beside the office door to make one last inspection of her appearance, licking her lips, smoothing back whisps of hair, tugging on the v-neck of her blouse, checking the line of her suit. It is important to look immaculate, perfect. Feminine. Everything he expects her to be.
She knocks once, softly on the door and waits until his voice invites her inside.
What once was a very neat and orderly desk is now covered in various piles of paperwork. Legal briefs he’s not yet read or reacted to, listings of phone calls and letters to be done. He looks haggard and distracted. Still, Victor smiles up at her fondly, “Hello, love…. Thank you for coming so quickly…”
He’s been working too hard.
He should let me help. I should make him.
"Of course." She replies automatically, and her steps are smooth and elegant, crossing the room to stand before his desk. Clarissa reaches out a hand to finger one of the stacks of paper as she regards him. "What can I do for you?" Her voice is pitched low, with the coloring of love and concern mixed in her tone.
“Well, as I am sure that you have noticed… but have been far too kind to say anything about…my mind has been rather… preoccupied of late.”
You have so many responsibilities. It’s perfectly understandable.
“And the more I try to deal with it, the worse it gets. The only answer that I have been able to come up with is that I must go and spend a prolonged period alone.”
What? No.
No!
“…There are, however, several things that must be taken care of in my absence… not the least of which is you…” he looks up and smiles a bit.
Clarissa's face looks ashen. "Alone?" She stops herself and, if possible, straightens up even taller. "You will need someone to feed on, where ever you choose go. Someone to guard your sleeping hours. Would you let me serve that purpose?"
You can’t leave me! You have to take me with you.
I *have* to be with you.
Victor half-smiles, “I am actually planning on attempting to take care of /all/ of those concerns you just voiced in one person. Prince Moxley of Atlanta.”
Jealousy.
“If she is willing, I am going to ask that she take care of both me while I sleep and you and your need to feed while I am away. If she agrees, it would also mean that you could come check on me as you wished… in exchange for this, you would be as her associate while I am asleep. As she desires, you perform…”
He can’t mean to hand me off. Not to one of his….
No. He’s testing me. It’s a game.
Anything for him. I must show him. He must not doubt.
I can play. He makes the rules and I will play.
Victor seems to shrug, ever so slightly, “If she is willing, that is…”
Clarissa exhales. "…And if she is not?"
He smiles warmly, “I believe she will be willing… but if not, then I will make the same offer to others. The same offer that would allow you to stay near me while I sleep. Likely the progression would be Alder de la Torre, then Alder de la Cruz, then…. We’ll see….”
Yes. He is testing me!
He wants to know if any other man has caught my eye. If I think about anyone other than him.
I can see the answer, perfectly.
Clarissa inhales. "If I might make a request, Victor?"
“Oh course you may, love….” He smiles, trying to look reassuring.
Casting her eyes down, Clarissa speaks softly. "If possible..." She inhales. "Please not Alder de la Torre." She pauses. "I...he unsettles me." Then, she adds, “But of course, if you should decide that is best, I will of course do whatever you think is right."
Victor chuckles softly,
He is pleased.
Relief.
“Not Alder de la Torre… that can be arranged as well. However, I think Baroness Moxley will be the most suitable candidate, and one that will likely accept the offer. Let us expect the best then?”
It’s just a test. He doesn’t mean it. He’s not going away.
I can play along. It’s not real. No panic.
He will see how much I love him. Because I will pretend to accept it. Any decision he makes.
Clarissa nods once. "Yes, of course."
“There are others that I need to write and/or speak with.” Victor’s voice is a slow, mesmerizing drawl. “First among them Baroness Moxley…I promise you more of my time until the night I begin my slumber, but there are others that must be notified of my decision tonight…”
"What may I do to help? Are there lesser lights that I can contact on your behalf? Or any other service to make things less burdensome for you, Victor?"
See. See how useful I want to be?
Perfect for you.
Victor ponders for a moment, “I think, at this point, there are merely a number of letters that must be sent out. Because of the very personal nature of them, they must be by my own hand.”
Personal? Secret from me?
To those other women….
Of course.
I must remember this is only a test. It’s not real. He loves me.
“…. then I’ll spend what time I can with you, love.”
Clarissa immediately gives Victor her undivided attention again. With another respectful nod, she murmurs, "I will take care of getting a selection of stationery for you to use. I will leave it on the desk for you before the sunset tomorrow."
Victor smiles softly and reaches out towards her, “Come here, love...” He pulls Clarissa into his lap. “You know that I’m going to miss you while I sleep, love. I just know that I must do this. If not, I fear my mind will slowly lose all grip on those things around me, including you…”
He loves me. He just can’t say it.
Joy.
He knows he doesn’t need to.
I can tell and I understand. Always.
I can play the game. If that is what you want, Victor. For as long as it amuses you.
Clarissa lays her head on Victor's shoulder. "You'll forget me when you sleep. I've heard the stories." She is subdued, "But I will be waiting for you."
I love you.
“That is a risk, I won’t lie to you.” He kisses her softly on the forehead, “But just think of all the fun you’ll have in….. reminding me… of us.”
Lie to me. Tell me the truth. I don’t care. I don’t mind. I just want to be with you.
She knocks once, softly on the door and waits until his voice invites her inside.
What once was a very neat and orderly desk is now covered in various piles of paperwork. Legal briefs he’s not yet read or reacted to, listings of phone calls and letters to be done. He looks haggard and distracted. Still, Victor smiles up at her fondly, “Hello, love…. Thank you for coming so quickly…”
He’s been working too hard.
He should let me help. I should make him.
"Of course." She replies automatically, and her steps are smooth and elegant, crossing the room to stand before his desk. Clarissa reaches out a hand to finger one of the stacks of paper as she regards him. "What can I do for you?" Her voice is pitched low, with the coloring of love and concern mixed in her tone.
“Well, as I am sure that you have noticed… but have been far too kind to say anything about…my mind has been rather… preoccupied of late.”
You have so many responsibilities. It’s perfectly understandable.
“And the more I try to deal with it, the worse it gets. The only answer that I have been able to come up with is that I must go and spend a prolonged period alone.”
What? No.
No!
“…There are, however, several things that must be taken care of in my absence… not the least of which is you…” he looks up and smiles a bit.
Clarissa's face looks ashen. "Alone?" She stops herself and, if possible, straightens up even taller. "You will need someone to feed on, where ever you choose go. Someone to guard your sleeping hours. Would you let me serve that purpose?"
You can’t leave me! You have to take me with you.
I *have* to be with you.
Victor half-smiles, “I am actually planning on attempting to take care of /all/ of those concerns you just voiced in one person. Prince Moxley of Atlanta.”
Jealousy.
“If she is willing, I am going to ask that she take care of both me while I sleep and you and your need to feed while I am away. If she agrees, it would also mean that you could come check on me as you wished… in exchange for this, you would be as her associate while I am asleep. As she desires, you perform…”
He can’t mean to hand me off. Not to one of his….
No. He’s testing me. It’s a game.
Anything for him. I must show him. He must not doubt.
I can play. He makes the rules and I will play.
Victor seems to shrug, ever so slightly, “If she is willing, that is…”
Clarissa exhales. "…And if she is not?"
He smiles warmly, “I believe she will be willing… but if not, then I will make the same offer to others. The same offer that would allow you to stay near me while I sleep. Likely the progression would be Alder de la Torre, then Alder de la Cruz, then…. We’ll see….”
Yes. He is testing me!
He wants to know if any other man has caught my eye. If I think about anyone other than him.
I can see the answer, perfectly.
Clarissa inhales. "If I might make a request, Victor?"
“Oh course you may, love….” He smiles, trying to look reassuring.
Casting her eyes down, Clarissa speaks softly. "If possible..." She inhales. "Please not Alder de la Torre." She pauses. "I...he unsettles me." Then, she adds, “But of course, if you should decide that is best, I will of course do whatever you think is right."
Victor chuckles softly,
He is pleased.
Relief.
“Not Alder de la Torre… that can be arranged as well. However, I think Baroness Moxley will be the most suitable candidate, and one that will likely accept the offer. Let us expect the best then?”
It’s just a test. He doesn’t mean it. He’s not going away.
I can play along. It’s not real. No panic.
He will see how much I love him. Because I will pretend to accept it. Any decision he makes.
Clarissa nods once. "Yes, of course."
“There are others that I need to write and/or speak with.” Victor’s voice is a slow, mesmerizing drawl. “First among them Baroness Moxley…I promise you more of my time until the night I begin my slumber, but there are others that must be notified of my decision tonight…”
"What may I do to help? Are there lesser lights that I can contact on your behalf? Or any other service to make things less burdensome for you, Victor?"
See. See how useful I want to be?
Perfect for you.
Victor ponders for a moment, “I think, at this point, there are merely a number of letters that must be sent out. Because of the very personal nature of them, they must be by my own hand.”
Personal? Secret from me?
To those other women….
Of course.
I must remember this is only a test. It’s not real. He loves me.
“…. then I’ll spend what time I can with you, love.”
Clarissa immediately gives Victor her undivided attention again. With another respectful nod, she murmurs, "I will take care of getting a selection of stationery for you to use. I will leave it on the desk for you before the sunset tomorrow."
Victor smiles softly and reaches out towards her, “Come here, love...” He pulls Clarissa into his lap. “You know that I’m going to miss you while I sleep, love. I just know that I must do this. If not, I fear my mind will slowly lose all grip on those things around me, including you…”
He loves me. He just can’t say it.
Joy.
He knows he doesn’t need to.
I can tell and I understand. Always.
I can play the game. If that is what you want, Victor. For as long as it amuses you.
Clarissa lays her head on Victor's shoulder. "You'll forget me when you sleep. I've heard the stories." She is subdued, "But I will be waiting for you."
I love you.
“That is a risk, I won’t lie to you.” He kisses her softly on the forehead, “But just think of all the fun you’ll have in….. reminding me… of us.”
Lie to me. Tell me the truth. I don’t care. I don’t mind. I just want to be with you.