Just another night
Title:Just another night
Genre: Gen
Rating: R (erring on the side of caution)
Author Notes: I know I missed the deadline but I've only just found this comm and the last set of prompt words had the bunnies biting furiously so I thought I'd post the result as a thankyou to Neko-no-baka for the inspiration.
This piece is based on Blood Ties. It's a TV series that was based on a set of books by Tanya Huff. I don't own the rights to the series or the books.
Victoria Nelson is a former cop turned private investigator with a degenerative eye condition. Henry Fitzroy is a graphic novelist who occasionally helps her with cases. He also happens to be nearly 500 years old and a vampire. Mike Celluci is a cop: Vicki's former partner, one-time lover - you could say he and Henry don't really get on. Life's never simple is it?
Vicki scanned the last page, closed the book and gently laid it down on the coffee table.
"Well?"
"It's..." she faltered, unsure how to go on.
"I value your opinion Vicki. What did you think?"
"It's all a little Lovecraft isn't it?"
"You've been reading again," he teased.
She shook her head. "What is wrong with you people. I read. I happen to enjoy reading and intend to continue doing so for as long as..." She came to an abrupt halt and sat staring into space.
Henry placed his hand gently on her arm but she drew away. "Don't!"
"Vicki," he paused and decided against pursuing the subject of her failing vision, "it's funny you should mention Lovecraft. I knew him."
She met his gaze. "You knew H P Lovecraft." It was a statement more than a question.
He nodded and turned his attention back to the book. "I was one of the original members of the Lovecraft Circle."
"Well that explains some of his archaic language choices."
He smirked. "I was always particularly proud of 'eldritch'."
After a few moments of silence he turned back to find her staring at him in wonderment. "It must be amazing to have met so many people, seen so many places."
"It is," he said softly and took the opportunity of her guard being down to slide closer.
Her body flushed with heat at his sudden proximity. "I should go," she mumbled and stood, turned and stumbled over her handbag. Henry caught her effortlessly. One strong arm held her firmly around the waist and, with his other hand, he turned her to face him.
"Stop running Vick," he breathed as he pressed his lips against hers. A second passed. Then another. Henry realised that she wasn't pulling away. Then he felt her arms slide up and circle around his neck, pulling him closer as she deepened the kiss. Minutes later she pulled back, breathless and trembling.
"Stop grinning like a lunatic Henry."
"Victoria Nelson kissed me," he said grinning broadly.
"And don't crow, it's unbecoming."
"You kissed me Vick."
"And I still might be if..." he cut her off with another kiss and she responded with the kind of passion that he'd never dared to daydream she possessed.
"I don't want to rush things Vicki, but..." From the depths of her handbag her cellphone started to ring. "Don't answer it," he urged.
"It'll only take a minute." She grabbed the phone from her bag and glanced briefly at the caller ID before flipping it open. "Hey Mike."
Henry flopped back down onto the couch.
"Hi Vick. I hope I didn't disturb you?"
"No, nope. Wasn't asleep," she said sitting down next to Henry and tangling the fingers of her free hand in his curls.
"Good."
"So what's up?"
"I've had the good fortune to catch one of those cases."
"Oh! What have you got?"
"So far? A crater with a strange-looking metal object resting at the bottom of it."
Henry snorted with laughter.
"Who was that? Are you with Fitzroy?"
"Yeah..." Vicki punched Henry on the arm and glared at him.
"Well, bring him too," Mike instructed and gave her directions.
"You can't be serious Vicki," Henry protested as she started to gather her things. "This is someone's idea of an elaborate prank."
"We don't know that."
"Oh come on! Aliens?" His voice held no trace of the timbre that indicated he'd vamped out fully but his eyes were dark and menacing. "We don't do aliens. We do supernatural."
She moved to stand between his legs and kissed him lightly. "Actually, we do supernatural, otherworldly, freaky. This falls into the middle category. So, are you coming?" She gestured towards the door.
"You cannot expect me to drive you to the outskirts of town for a hoax Victoria."
She rested the palm of her hand against his cheek. "Gosh, you're pretty when you're angry," she said softly. He growled.
"Is the flamethrower still in the hall closet?" she asked as she moved away. "Never mind. Found it."
At the door to the condo she turned. Henry's back was towards her and he showed no sign of relenting.
"You know, this would all be over so much faster if you came with me. Then you'd have the rest of the night to have me in your bed, making me see stars."
Before she'd fully opened the door he was beside her, car keys in hand. "Oh you'll see stars," he promised, "galaxies of them."
Genre: Gen
Rating: R (erring on the side of caution)
Author Notes: I know I missed the deadline but I've only just found this comm and the last set of prompt words had the bunnies biting furiously so I thought I'd post the result as a thankyou to Neko-no-baka for the inspiration.
This piece is based on Blood Ties. It's a TV series that was based on a set of books by Tanya Huff. I don't own the rights to the series or the books.
Victoria Nelson is a former cop turned private investigator with a degenerative eye condition. Henry Fitzroy is a graphic novelist who occasionally helps her with cases. He also happens to be nearly 500 years old and a vampire. Mike Celluci is a cop: Vicki's former partner, one-time lover - you could say he and Henry don't really get on. Life's never simple is it?
Vicki scanned the last page, closed the book and gently laid it down on the coffee table.
"Well?"
"It's..." she faltered, unsure how to go on.
"I value your opinion Vicki. What did you think?"
"It's all a little Lovecraft isn't it?"
"You've been reading again," he teased.
She shook her head. "What is wrong with you people. I read. I happen to enjoy reading and intend to continue doing so for as long as..." She came to an abrupt halt and sat staring into space.
Henry placed his hand gently on her arm but she drew away. "Don't!"
"Vicki," he paused and decided against pursuing the subject of her failing vision, "it's funny you should mention Lovecraft. I knew him."
She met his gaze. "You knew H P Lovecraft." It was a statement more than a question.
He nodded and turned his attention back to the book. "I was one of the original members of the Lovecraft Circle."
"Well that explains some of his archaic language choices."
He smirked. "I was always particularly proud of 'eldritch'."
After a few moments of silence he turned back to find her staring at him in wonderment. "It must be amazing to have met so many people, seen so many places."
"It is," he said softly and took the opportunity of her guard being down to slide closer.
Her body flushed with heat at his sudden proximity. "I should go," she mumbled and stood, turned and stumbled over her handbag. Henry caught her effortlessly. One strong arm held her firmly around the waist and, with his other hand, he turned her to face him.
"Stop running Vick," he breathed as he pressed his lips against hers. A second passed. Then another. Henry realised that she wasn't pulling away. Then he felt her arms slide up and circle around his neck, pulling him closer as she deepened the kiss. Minutes later she pulled back, breathless and trembling.
"Stop grinning like a lunatic Henry."
"Victoria Nelson kissed me," he said grinning broadly.
"And don't crow, it's unbecoming."
"You kissed me Vick."
"And I still might be if..." he cut her off with another kiss and she responded with the kind of passion that he'd never dared to daydream she possessed.
"I don't want to rush things Vicki, but..." From the depths of her handbag her cellphone started to ring. "Don't answer it," he urged.
"It'll only take a minute." She grabbed the phone from her bag and glanced briefly at the caller ID before flipping it open. "Hey Mike."
Henry flopped back down onto the couch.
"Hi Vick. I hope I didn't disturb you?"
"No, nope. Wasn't asleep," she said sitting down next to Henry and tangling the fingers of her free hand in his curls.
"Good."
"So what's up?"
"I've had the good fortune to catch one of those cases."
"Oh! What have you got?"
"So far? A crater with a strange-looking metal object resting at the bottom of it."
Henry snorted with laughter.
"Who was that? Are you with Fitzroy?"
"Yeah..." Vicki punched Henry on the arm and glared at him.
"Well, bring him too," Mike instructed and gave her directions.
"You can't be serious Vicki," Henry protested as she started to gather her things. "This is someone's idea of an elaborate prank."
"We don't know that."
"Oh come on! Aliens?" His voice held no trace of the timbre that indicated he'd vamped out fully but his eyes were dark and menacing. "We don't do aliens. We do supernatural."
She moved to stand between his legs and kissed him lightly. "Actually, we do supernatural, otherworldly, freaky. This falls into the middle category. So, are you coming?" She gestured towards the door.
"You cannot expect me to drive you to the outskirts of town for a hoax Victoria."
She rested the palm of her hand against his cheek. "Gosh, you're pretty when you're angry," she said softly. He growled.
"Is the flamethrower still in the hall closet?" she asked as she moved away. "Never mind. Found it."
At the door to the condo she turned. Henry's back was towards her and he showed no sign of relenting.
"You know, this would all be over so much faster if you came with me. Then you'd have the rest of the night to have me in your bed, making me see stars."
Before she'd fully opened the door he was beside her, car keys in hand. "Oh you'll see stars," he promised, "galaxies of them."