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Nicoletta

By: jesstoyou



I heard a crescendo of waves pound the shoreline. It was an opus I had not heard in years. The delicious taste of briny sea breeze floating over my parted lips beckoned me to open my eyes to the day. But I refused to end such a peaceful dream only to return to my hustle and bustle life in the stifling sour air of Down Town Dallas. Besides, if I woke, all I had to look forward to was a massive hangover. The night before I had a one woman party in my living room, my only guest was a rather large bottle of Grey Goose I managed to half drain. 

I remember passing out on the couch with the bottle neck still in my hand. After several martinis I decided to forgo the glass so that the bottle and I could become more acquainted. No, waking was not an option. Instead, I was content to lie there dreaming, feasting on the air as I listened to the symphony of the day. 

"Not home!"

My voice rang in my head as my eyes popped open and darted about the strange sunlit room. I had never seen this place before. It was the most elegant room I had ever been in. It could swallow my small apartment whole. Sitting up slowly I could see I was in the center of the room on a huge mahogany canopy bed draped with translucent voile pouring onto the floor below. The room was decorated in a sort of avant-garde Victorian style. Its trappings giving way to an old world ensnared in modern day aesthetic. Everything in the room was colored a different shade of white, except for two blood red velveteen chaises sitting in what seemed to be a reading nook next to an open set of glass double doors looking out on an impossibly beautiful ocean.

"There is no coastline in Dallas ..." 

As my sleep heavy voice croaked out of my mouth I knew it was going to be a very bad day. I crept off of the bed through a slit in the voile and made to go out the room door when I heard a silky Italian accented voice slide from the direction of the balcony.

"You are awake ..."

It was not a question, and though it sounded like a simple statement, I heard a warning in it. I stopped in my tracks not turning around, not speaking a word. My heart pounded in my chest as the pain of excessive drink clouded my mind so that I could not think clearly enough to formulate a plan much less words.

"How do you feel Sweet Heart? I have sent for some medication for your head, should you need it."

"Who are you?" My voice shook as I tried to sound unafraid.

"You were ... quite drunk last night Love. I think we ought to keep breakfast light this morning ..."

"Where am I?"

I began to inch towards the door again as I posed my question. I did not hear him move to stop me. Not really interested in his answer, I continued to move while I waited for him to speak.

"Nicoletta ..."

He paused as did I at hearing my name on his lips. Terrified I rounded on him. I had to see who this man is. A man who removed me from my home and knew my name ... yet I had no recollection about his identity. 

"Come away from the door Dove. You cannot leave this room, not now."

"Bullshit!" I spat with too much enthusiasm for my condition. My head reeled with pain, but I didn't care. I had to get away from this man ... this strange man who knew too much. I went for the door handle, pressed the leaver and it gave. I wondered why he was still by the balcony for a second, why he had not come at me when all of the sudden I felt hot breath on the back of my neck.

"Close the door Nicoletta ... Now." 

When I did not move to open the door further, or to push it closed, he placed a well manicured, large hand on the door with grace I had only seen while people moved underwater. Then without exerting much force, from what I could tell, he slammed it ripping the handle out of my grip. We were both still for what seemed like an eternity. My breath came fast and hard as my head pounded. At this point I could not be sure how much fear to attribute to the pain, and how much of it was just my hangover. He had me caged between his arms now with both of his palms pressed to the door. I turned to him, but I could not look at his face.

"What do you want with me?

"Your perfume of vodka assaults my senses Nicoletta ... I want you to go into the washroom and shower."

I could feel him staring at me from above. He was frighteningly tall. I trembled like a lap dog ready to pee himself in the face of utter terror. He dropped his right arm to allow me to pass him, but I could not move. Fear kept my feet anchored to the floor. As I looked down I noticed that he had navy silk pajamas on. His feet did not even twitch as we stood there ... him waiting for me ... and me counting each precious second. As each passed I could not help but to wonder if it would be my last.  

I jumped as he put two of his fingers under my chin to lift my eyes to his. I was taken aback by their golden amber color. Looking deeper I saw shards of coal streaking throughout his irises. I stared at him dazzled by his penetrating gaze into my own muddy brown eyes.

"My patience runs only so deep Nicoletta ... now please, do as you are told." 

He spoke in almost a whisper with a sinister tenderness. His breath smelled of cloves, sage, and something metallic, hard to place ... almost like pennies. It was not a disagreeable scent. On the contrary, I found myself wanting him to speak more just so that I could revel in his bouquet. He inclined his head a bit in the direction of the bathroom as I looked at him, lost.

Moving slowly, I dragged my bare feet across the plushest carpet I have ever felt. I was surprised I had not noticed it when I got out of bed. I got to the washroom door and stopped. I realized that I was going into the washroom empty handed. I turned to the man who was now leaning against the bedroom door with his arms crossed over his broad naked chest watching my every move.

"Yes Sweet?"

"I-I have no towels or clean clothes. 

"I will have fresh things brought up before you are finished, now scoot."

Pleased with my compliance, he pushed himself from the door and sauntered over to the chaise, pulled out a laptop. Before I closed the washroom door I heard him typing away.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The washroom was even lovelier than the bedroom. Frescos divided by gilded borders lined the top half of the walls. Each scene seemed to be from a different time in history than the next. Some were peaceful ... most were gruesome, and a few were down right risqué. They seemed to tell a story, but I was too frightened to try to figure it out. 

Etchings in the stunning coffered glass ceiling caused light to flood the room in shards of blue, lavender, red and orange ... the intensity of the colors depended on the position of the sun. A huge round tub with fawn colored marble steps leading to its edge sat on gold claws in the center of the room. Four small spouts opened into the tub to allow water to flow. Fascinated by the small swimming pool I found the tap and watched four smooth springs of water spill into their waiting basin. 

The hot water surrounding my naked body forced thoughts of the man with the amber eyes to the back of my mind as I sank into the water up to my neck allowing my head to rest just on the edge of the tub. I closed my eyes and allowed the heat to encase me in its heavy grip. After about five minutes I heard a tear drop into the water. I had not realized I was crying. I sat myself up on a built in seat, hugged my knees and let loose tears I wanted to drown in. 

"Nicoletta, you have been in there long enough ..."

His voice was soft as it came through the door ripping me from thoughts of escape from this nightmare. I still had no idea where I was. I assumed by the electrical sockets and the small ecru radiator in the corner of the room, I was in Europe. I traveled quite a bit as a child with my parents, so I remembered bits and pieces of the structures we were able to visit. But where I was in Europe, I had no clue. I lingered in the water a bit longer before draining the massive tub.

"My towel!" I yelled at the door. 

He entered just as I was about to push up out of the now empty tub. I scrambled back down on the still warm marble in an effort to shield my body from his sight. He raised an eyebrow at me as he dropped the towel on a near by bench. Once I heard the door click closed again, and his footsteps became fainter I rushed out of the tub over to the towel. As I wrapped the luxuriant pristine towel around my body I locked the door. Suddenly I heard his footsteps again ... coming closer to the door. A wave of panic struck me hard in the gut as he tried the door handle.

"Nicoletta! Unlock this door!"

I jumped at hearing the new tenor in his voice. He had been so soft spoken up to now. I said nothing at first, but as he shook the handle I moved further back. I was not sure what I was going to do ... I was not sure what he was going to do. I could not figure why he was so angry all of the sudden. I saw no back door or window I could slip through so it was not as if I could escape ... but then I saw the bait of his angst sitting on a side table next to the marble shower. 

"A Phone!" My mind swirled at the possibilities as I whispered to myself. I ran over to the phone and picked up the receiver. All I had to do was try to get an operator. If I could do that, maybe I could get some help.

"Nicoletta do not make me come through this door!"

"Just a second, I am drying myself!" 

"No Nicoletta Now!"

He was furious. But in all of his fury I knew he could not break the heavy wood door down. It took some force for me to get it closed to begin with. As I finagled with the phone I blocked out his yelling. I punched in every European emergency number I could remember. All of the sudden I hit 113 and an Italian voice came over the line. 

"Scusi per favore, Inglese per favore!" 

I yelled into the phone using my best Italian to get an English speaker on the line. But before I could I heard what sounded like an explosion behind me. I dropped the phone and ran to a far corner to duck and cover. I looked up through a fog of dust to find the man standing in the doorway. His chest heaved as he scanned the room to find me. Once spotted he stalked over to me grabbed my arm and pulled me up. Like a rag doll.

"Hey! My towel! Ugghhh you are hurting my arm! Please wait!"

As we passed by the phone he picked up the receiver. The Police on the end of the line were yelling franticly trying to get me to say if I was ok.

"Everything is fine Signor ... this is Alessandro Rossi. I am sitting with my niece and nephew ... you know how mischievous children can be. I apologize for getting you upset, it will not happen again."

As he spoke the last sentence he squeezed my arm in warning. When I winced in pain he loosed his grip a little, but did not let me go as he turned me to face him.

"No phone Nicoletta."

"Let-Me-Go." I said through gritted teeth.

I tried to wrench my arm out of his grasp. But he held fast and tightened his grip on my delicate wrist.

"Little one you will soon come to find that your resistance is fruitless. You are in this place because I would have it so ... here with me, you shall remain. Submit to my will and things will be so much easier for you, fight me and accept the consequences. It is your choice."

He dragged me back to the bed and all but threw me onto it. I righted myself on the bed pulling my towel tighter about my body as he stopped pacing and with the gaze of an eagle stalking its prey he watched me. I pulled and tucked the towel, smoothing it underneath me ensuring that it covered my body all the way around and as far down as I could get it to go. I worked at a feverish pace to try to shield as much of my body from his scrutinizing gaze.

"If I want that towel, I will have it ..." His austere tone was filled with unabated conviction. 

I sat on the bed staring at him with hard eyes that belied the terror raging inside of me. 

"Where are we?"

"Corsica ..."

"Why?"

"Why what Sweet?"

"Why have you brought me here?"

"I have brought you home Love." He said with a raised eyebrow. As the tears welled up behind my already swollen eyes I shook my head in protest. He advanced on me and all I could muster was a weak whispered 'no' before he grabbed at my towel.

"Never hide yourself from my sight Nicoletta!"

He began to press me back into the bed when my fight or flight mode switched on. As his head snapped to the right I thought I had fractured my hand when I hit him. Seeing that my attempt had no effect I brought one of my knees up hard aiming for his groin when the only contact I made was my own knee cracking off of his own knee causing me to howl out in pain.

"So you choose to fight Amore?" In between kisses to my tear stained face he spoke to me with a tenderness I had never heard before I passed out beneath him.

Nicoletta Ch. 02



To my dismay I woke to the same symphonic crashing of waves, but there was no sunlight flooding the room. The city below my lavish prison suite was silent, night had fallen. As I sat up the sheet covering me fell away and I saw that I was still naked. I panicked when my thoughts took me back to my tussle with this Alessandro Rossi. 

When I passed out he had been gazing at me as if I were an exquisite meal set before him to devour at his leisure. My tears had already begun to fall as I threw back the sheet still covering my lower extremities. I had to see the blood ... I needed to confirm his violation against my person. But, the sheets were not stained. I touched myself, and my fingers came back clean. Could he have defiled me and so quickly cleaned me up after? But no, I felt no different than I had before I passed out.

"You are still ... intact ... Nicolette, for now. I am not an evil man after all."

I yelped at his sudden announcement that he was still in the room with me. Immediately I began gathering the sheet I had just moments before tossed away from me. I made to cover myself as I cursed his audacity in presuming that I would give myself, my virginity to him. Before I could pull the sheet up to cover my breasts it was ripped from my hands so fast it seemed like it left a trail of fire searing my palms in its wake. 

He stood between the opening in the bed draperies casually looking me over.

"I have warned you once already Nicolette; do not hide your body from me."

"Why shouldn't I? It is my body; I choose who I allow to look at it."

I tried to sound bigger than I was, and with the naivety of a child I hoped that he would fall for my ruse as I grabbed several pillows and piled them in front of myself to obstruct his view. He made no move to stop me right away. So I figured I had won the battle, which gave me hope that I had a chance at winning the war he had started when he removed me from my home.

"What time is it?"

I tried to keep my voice conversational. Perhaps if I could make 'friends' with Alessandro he could be made to see reason, that I did not belong there, in his bed ... in his home ... in his life.

"It is just after ten in the evening Little One."

His voice sounded cold and calculating as he spoke not looking at me, instead his focus was on the five or six pillows surrounding me. He stepped back away from the bed so fast that I had no idea what had just happened. I heard the shuffling of his feet, fabric rustling, and in what seemed like a matter of seconds he was back and in bed with me naked as the day he was born. Before I had time to react he had me pushed up against the headboard of the bed. He looked me dead in the eye as he began ripping the pillows away from me. 

With each toss of a pillow far from the bed he emphasized a sentence that snapped me back to reality forcing me to realize that I had won nothing ... and this 'war' was not a war so much as it was in fact his will keeping me there, and it would be by his will alone that I would be released.

"This body, you have claimed as your own Love ... is mine! The sweet tears slipping down your pretty face ... are mine! Every breath you take Nicolette is a gift I give freely to you because Nicolette, you, your heart and soul are mine!"

The pillows were all gone and we sat there naked before each other. His chest heaved, at first I thought it was out of pure anger, but the look in his eye betrayed that emotion for something more primal. Even being a virgin, I understood that look emphatically. He wanted me right then, and he was not going to take no for an answer, nor would my fainting stave him off again. "Do-Not-Hide-From-Me ..."

I jumped when I felt his hand caress my hip when he finished speaking. I knew I had only one chance to draw this thing out. Why it mattered I did not know, really it didn't matter ... I was just frightened. When I imagined my first time, I thought it would be this glorious thing between me and a man I was hopelessly in love with. He would be a beautiful man, a man whose utter beauty would put Michelangelo's David to shame. 

His love for me would teeter just close enough to obsession as to have people who knew us best slightly worried that he might snap at even the slightest attention I would get from another man. He would take his time with me that first time, and most of all ... I would be given a choice. This night, with Alessandro ... I knew nothing about this. This was something straight out of a nightmare, but strangely, through morbid curiosity, it was a nightmare I was hesitant to end.

"Alessandro ...?"

His head snapped up and his gaze softened completely when he heard me say his name for the first time. He looked like a different man. He looked like the man I had dreamed would take my virginity. But I had to be careful ... Alessandro Rossi was not my gentile dream man who actually cared about my wants.

"Yes Love ..." 

His voice was tender for the first time. It reminded me of someone. I had heard this voice before, but I could not place it.

"Alessandro ... why-why am I here? I don't understand any of this ... I don't understand you. I have never even seen you before, how do you figure you can just take me from everything I know? How can you do this to me? Am I being punished?"

He regarded me for a long while, the raw passion not dimming in his eyes, but he pushed it back a bit so that he could better focus. He did not mind my questioning him; I saw understanding in his eyes. For the first time I noticed his silky black hair as he smoothed it back out of his eye. I wanted to reach out and touch it ... suddenly I saw myself fisting my hand in his mane, tangling it in my hand as he brought me to heights of ecstasy unimaginable. I was immediately embarrassed and I tried to shrink from him, but he reached out sliding a hand around my waist as he pulled me to him. 

I had never actually seen a naked man, much less touched one. I became a statue in his arms as he gently massaged one of my breasts. When I reached up to push his hand away he grabbed my wrists in his free hand and pulled my hands down to rest in my lap. Only, as soon as he put them there they flew to his hand again. Again, he grabbed my wrists, harder this time, and placed my hands back in my lap. "Please do not make me bind your hands Nicolette. And no, you are not being punished. Nicolette, I know that you do not remember me, but you have known me. We have met on several occasions during your life, the first time being when you were an infant, and the last official time we met was when you were fourteen. I knew then you would forget me with the passage of time. God, You have always been so beautiful."

He sighed as he spoke in barely a whisper. His hand now switched breasts. His fondling obviously had the desired effect, I had stopped trembling as we sat there talking, and I was more pliable in his arms.

"Nicolette, Love, there are things in this life that you will only understand with time. I can tell you why you are here, I can tell you who put you here in my bed, but Love, I do not wish to cause you pain. Just know, the world is not always a very nice place, and extenuating circumstances will decide a person's fate long before they ever have a chance to choose their path."

He was speaking in riddles, and now I had to know exactly what was going on. I tried to move away from him a little and quickly thought the better of it when he pinched down on my nipple and twisted it just enough to get a yelp out of me. I settled back in his arms allowing his molestation of my breasts.

"You said we last met when I was fourteen ... where, and why?"

He hesitated a bit ... he leant down and suckled at my neck causing me to swoon ... I could have sworn I felt the sting of his teeth right at my jugular vein. With a few short flicks of his tongue at the now overly sensitive skin he continued speaking.

"You were at summer camp. Your mother sent you every year from age seven. And every summer, I would fly to Dallas to follow your bus out to Possum Kingdom Lake. After your third summer I bought a house on the lake there, directly across from your location. I still own it, though I have not been back in ages. I own the only home that lies beyond Hell's Gates. Every Fourth of July I would throw a party there. Beginning in the morning my helicopter would fly my gusts in and you campers would watch in awe as it landed. I could only imagine what you were thinking as I stood watching you sun yourself on the docks right across from where I was ... it was torture being so close to you and never being able to speak with you. Anyways, your second to last summer there I just could not take one more season of watching you from afar. I had to find a way to get next to you, but you made it easy. I guess you and your friend's curiosity got the better of you that summer because I overheard my steward yelling at you from our boat house. Do you remember Love?"

I sat stark still as I listened to him speak. At first I thought he was lying, but I did remember that day, and he was right. Three summers had passed since us girls spent every fourth of July wondering what Prince owned the home set in its very own cliff side. We liked to imagine ourselves as one of his party goers ... each of us imagined in our pre-pubescent innocence that sometime he would show up in the night to scoop us up and away from our drab little teenage lives to hold hands and kiss in every room of his lavish home. So, one day, we decided to at least find out who lived in that house. 

We all knew how to sail well having taken lessons at camp since we were ten, so one morning before the rest of the camp woke, the four of us set out in a medium sized catamaran for the other side of the lake. It was a good distance away; we had been over to that side of the lake before, but on sturdier crafts, and always with supervision. Now we were alone, and with every breeze second guessing our intentions. Once we crossed the threshold from the lake proper, sailing into and passed Hell's Gates, I got an eerie feeling and begged that we come about and go back, but my friends were instant.

"Nicole we have come this far! Look we can see the house from here! We can't turn back now!"

Jenny had always been the brave one of our group. Following her lead, we sailed on ... the wind had been strong all morning, but the closer we came to our intended destination the weaker our breeze became. Soon, we were so close to the boat house we could drift right in with little to no wind, but all of the sudden a huge gust kicked up driving us forward much too fast. Before I knew it and could do anything about it we collided with a beautiful Beneteau sail boat docked at the boat house, the name Nicolette II was scrawled in an interesting hand along the side and at the back of the boat. 

Before I could process my name being on that boat three sets of mystified but jealous eyes were on me. I shrugged it off as coincidence, but before I could speak an angry old man came storming down a rickety stair case from the house. "What the hell do you think you are doing? Trespassing I tell you ... that's what ... trespassing!" The bald little man was livid! We were not expecting him to be the one who owned the beautiful home; all of our fantasies were dashed as he spat obscenities at us through an almost completely toothless mouth. He waved his fists at us while he swore the lake police would be after us within minutes for defacing private property. We tried desperately to get underway again, but the wind had gone. We were stuck in irons, facing the entirely wrong direction, and every small wave under our boat caused our boom to scratch into the paint of the Nicolette II. 

I wanted to cry. We were all terrified. It was not until I saw a young man standing at the top of the staircase looking down right at me that for some reason, I calmed a little. Slowly he descended the stairs to the boat house.\

"Throw me a rope ... I will tie you off here until the wind picks up again ..."

Jenny threw him our tie and as he worked he stole several glances at me. Everyone was stunned at what seemed to be taking place. The little man was angry because the young one was not freaking out along with him. And my friends saw the young man's interest in me right away, fueling their jealous gazes between us. We sat on our boat once he finished tying us off. 

The young man walked over to the Nicolette II and studied the scratches. He seemed to be mesmerized by them and soon we all started squirming under his scrutiny of the damages to his once pristine craft.

"Um ... Sir, we are really sorry about that! A big gust came up, and we had no time to come about ..."

He raised one hand to silence Jenny as she spoke, then Kerrianne began rambling.

"Mister, our parents can pay to have it repainted ... really."

"He looked at her eliciting her silence. Then his gaze fell to me.

"All will be forgiven if you and your friends will join me for breakfast."

"Um, really, I don't think ..."

Before I could finish my sentence the other girls had climbed off our boat onto his dock. I hesitated. I did not want to go into his home. There was something not quite right about him, I mean we were teenagers; I knew it was not right for him to offer to have us in his home un-chaperoned. Yet, still, I took his hand when he offered it, and exited our stuck craft. I turned in his arms to face him. I needed to see his face, his eyes. He was not lying ... the man I had met almost ten years prior to this night was Alessandro. He looked at me now with soft eyes waiting for me to do or say something.

When a tear slid slowly down my cheek he kissed it away and made his way down to take my right breast into his mouth. Again I tried to shy from his touch, but he had me before I could get away. As he nipped and suckled at my nipple my body was at odds with my heart and mind. There was nothing I could do but allow his attentions to wash over me in utter rapture and cry.

"Why am I here now Alessandro?" I had calmed some and wanted to continue my interrogation. He was reluctant to leave my breasts but wasted no time expertly easing my body under his. He put one of his legs between mine and hooked his arms under me and over my shoulders before he answered me. I felt his penis throbbing against my belly as we lay there insistent that it be tended to, soon. 

I had never felt so exposed, nor had I felt so much like a woman. I felt my heat against his muscled thigh ... I felt the moisture that had grown in my loins as we had lain there. I knew my body had been preparing itself for something I wanted so desperately to fight, but found it more difficult with each passing second.

"Why Nicolette? Why is how and why you came to be here so important to you? Is it not enough that you are here? Is it not enough that since you have been here a void has been filled within you just as it had been that day we met on the lake? Your questions are irrelevant Angel. You are here because I need you here ... you are here because you need me. I love you, and have loved you since the day you were born ... is that not enough?"

I was becoming angry now; he was beating around the bush. Something sinister was going on and my being there was not as simple as he was trying to make it out to be.

"No, it is not enough Alessandro. You have removed me from my life, from all I know. You are forcing me to be with you. You have completely displaced me. No one knows where I am, what happened to me. I don't even know my own fate here ... once you have me, how do I know you are not going to kill me and fry me up with chips or something? It is only fair that I know why you have kidnapped me, and are preparing to rape me, and after that God only knows what. So again I say Alessandro, your explanation is not enough. What the hell are you hiding?"

My tone and implications angered him, but seemed to drive his desire for me all the more. He ground his hips into mine forcing his penis to drag its length between my nether lips. My breath caught, it was the strangest sensation ... delicious and it left me wanting.

"Child you know not what you demand to have answered ... but since you insist, when your mother was pregnant with you, your father was a dabbler in the dark arts ... witchcraft and the occult. He opened doors he had no business opening ... he invited monsters into your home with no regard to the dangers of his actions. He thought that we were controllable, that demons and the like could be summoned and made to do the bidding of the one calling. 

Your father ran afoul a coven of young vampires a few months after you were born. Their leader had befriended your father with the intentions of taking your mother for himself. He wanted to mate with your mother ... his name was Dorian. He would have you and your mother right now had your father not sought me out. I knew of your father, had seen him around quite a bit. I did not like him. I found him smug and extremely dangerous to himself as well as any other human being in his company. 

One night he came to my offices in Dallas begging that I do something. He knew enough about the inner workings of the vampire hierarchy to know that I am a powerful ancient. He said that he was not ready to give up his family...."

Alessandro's lips feathered against my ear as he whispered his story. He placed his other leg between mine as he spoke. His penis continued to slip thorough my folds threatening with every stroke to enter my body as his breath began to catch in his throat. My legs were not open to him nearly enough for him to go further however, and I was going to try to keep it that way, but I was helpless, he was too strong. His knees forced my own apart allowing him to lie comfortably between my legs ready to enter my as he wished. "Alessandro ... please don't do this ... I am not ready. I only want to be with one man, and he will be my husband ... please stop this."

He did not skip a beat, continuing to slip up and down my folds relaying his story.

"Your father had you with him that night. You were all bundled up sleeping sweetly in his arms. I asked to hold you and he allowed it. The moment I had you in my arms, I knew you had been born for me, you were my mate. I told him I would help him on one condition ..."

He stopped moving and lifted himself up so that he could look into my eyes. He stayed still for what seemed like forever. His gaze was pained, and there was a longing there that looked like it had grown out of control with the passing years.

"Your father swore a blood oath that you would be mine once you came of age Nicolette. He worked a spell on you to keep your suitors at bay. That is what kept your boyfriend's hands off of you save the chaste kiss now and again, and even those burned me up. You father swore you to me ... your hand in marriage, your life, your very soul; he gave it to me for my protection of your family. 

Only, as you grew, he changed his mind ... in the passing years he had decided he wanted nothing more to do with my world and would not subject you to it, so he sent you away. Every time I would get closer to finding you he would get you interested in something in a totally different part of the world. You came to be here with me this time because I kept my search secret, no one knew I was looking or coming or you. 

Once I found you it was just my luck that you had had a bad day and wanted nothing more than to get sloppy drunk and pass out. Nicolette, you by fate and by right of a binding blood oath are mine, you always have been. And tonight, you are my wife and will be so until the end of time."

Alessandro gave me no pause to respond. I felt him position his body to enter mine. I tried to struggle as best I could with his full weight on me, but my fight was of no consequence. He waited for me to calm down.




Nicoletta Ch. 02



"Alessandro, I do not believe anything you are saying! You are a psychotic liar! I don't want this, and I don't want you ... I never have!"

I was crying now at the futility of my efforts to displace him. He simply looked down on me kissing me with a tenderness he had not shown since I had woken the previous morning. As his tongue broke through the barrier of my lips, I felt his penis trying to force its way into my body torturously slow, steady, and unrelenting.

I cried out at the size of him as even though he had me soaking wet and ready to take him, he was just too big. He pushed and pulled in and out of me several times before he was able to seat a quarter of his length within me. I was so tired from my struggle, and now that he had penetrated me I saw no reason to continue to fight him ... with each stroke of his penis all I could muster were shallow requests and demands for him to stop. 

Finally he did stop. He stayed still within me. Alessandro looked down on me again. He gave a small thrust, but it was met with resistance and I felt a tinge of pain.

"Nicolette, I would never lie to you. I am so sorry that you had to hear these things from me, and that you do not know your family and their motivations through the years as you deserved to. But Love really, look inside of yourself and tell me you do not feel like you are right where you should be. Tell me that day at the lake you did not feel me inside you then, that your fears were not assuaged the moment you saw me. Look me straight in the eye and tell me that I am not your husband."

I could not look at him. I could not tell him those things ... not with any conviction. I was distraught and confused. My body was on fire, my heart wanted him desperately, and my mind hated him with every fiber. I could not answer him because deep down I wanted him to be telling the truth. He gave me a few minutes before he turned me to face him.

"I want to see you ..."

He pushed forward slowly. As he did I cried out in pain. I had not realized that loosing my virginity would hurt so much. He made it last and last punctuating every bit of small pressure he applied marking me as his. He knew I was in pain, and it pained him, I could see it in his eyes, but the other thing I saw in those amber pools was possession. He had to make it hurt, he had to instill in me that I belonged to him. Finally it was finished, the last visage of my innocence was torn away and pushed aside allowing him full entrance into my core. I was sobbing and trembling beneath him. He wrapped me tight in his arms.

"I am so sorry Love ..."

"I-I hate you ..." I choked out.

"I know Amore, I know, but only for a while."



Nicoletta Ch. 03



*****I am sorry the chapters are coming so slowly, but I am writing two novels for publication, so I am afraid this one is taking the back burner as I am writing it for relaxation. Please enjoy! :)*****

I could not sleep after Alessandro took me. I lay reluctantly wrapped in his heavy arms as still as possible lest I rouse his desire for me again. I would not allow him to have me again. I won't lie and say I did not enjoy what had just happened between us. 

For all intensive purposes, sex, coupling, fucking, whatever one would call what we had just done was absolutely amazing! Although the beginning had been extremely painful, Alessandro made up for the abuse he rained on me in the taking of my virginity with one mind bending climax after another.

He teased my skin with a touch so soft my nerve endings seemed to stand at attention begging for a heavier hand. And just when I thought I would perish from his tender attentions, his grip tightened rough and demanding on my breasts, belly, thigh, whatever he could get to, and I would be diminished to mush in his arms. He devoured my mouth with his own forcing me to delight in the sweetness of his essence, and as my tongue danced a forbidden dance with his own I decided that I needed no air ... ever again. When he coaxed what I thought would be my last orgasm up from the depths of my soul my breath hitched in my throat threatening never to resume again. But as he surged into me hard and deep I felt the first spasms of his own climax and when he came my fingernails dug into his back. Finally, when my last orgasm hit me hard I screamed in my pleasure ...

"I will die from this!"

No, I cannot lie ... I loved sex, with Alessandro. I loved his hands on me. I yearned to have him again. My body screamed for him. But still, my mind was stronger. And in that strength, I knew I needed to find a way to break free of his hold and get back to my life, a life I had no idea what to do with after all that I had learned just hours before from my kidnapper, my rapist ... my self professed husband.

He seemed to be sleeping as I drifted back into the world from my reverie. His arms were still wrapped about me, but they seemed to have slackened. I wriggled and they fell away some. Just with the small amount of motion I allowed myself as I tested his grip on me was torture to my stiff muscles. I could not lie there any longer. I took a deep breath and gently lifted his wrist off of me. I had moved him enough to get out of bed. It was cool in the room and as I exited our draped divan the chilly ocean breeze tickled over my skin causing goose flesh to spread over my entire body. The only clothing I could find to cover myself was Alessandro's silk robe he had been wearing before he attacked me. With haste I grabbed it and threw it over my shoulders as I quickly made for the open patio doors. I jumped and shushed the door as it swung too quickly shut rattling its frame. Stealing a glance over to the bed and finding no movement, I sighed in relief that I was not yet missed.

"What the hell? Oh my God, I-I must be hemorrhaging!"

I spoke almost too loud when I felt something slip down my leg. Whatever it was seemed to be seeping from inside of me. I reached down and felt what seemed to be a copious amount of thick fluid of some sort. It did not feel like blood, nor was it time for my cycle, so I was not menstruating. I clamped my legs and made to rush over to the bathroom.

"My, you really are very innocent aren't you Love?"

I started as Alessandro's languid voice slipped into my ears and radiated through my entire body. When I jumped my legs came apart and the rest of whatever was spilling from me tickled down my leg to my ankle to pool at my heel on the lush carpet. Alessandro had been awake, and watching me. He had tied the voile drape to the bed post and was lounging on pillows stacked against the headboard of the bed.

"You are not hemorrhaging Amore ... what is left of my semen is slipping own your leg, my emissions if you will."

"I know what semen is you son-of-a-bitch!"

"tsk-tsk such language Nicolette"

I don't know what I thought was going to happen when he took me. It truly never crossed my mind that he would finish inside of me, and when he was doing it I was at a loss to everything ... he could have invited all of Italy into our bedroom while he was screwing me and I would have been none the wiser, and now, standing there in the moonlight with his 'emissions' seeping from me, I understood that I was going no where, not without Alessandro. He had marked me, and the mark I wore inside and out was his.

"I did not screw you Nicolette, I would never do something so, common, to you. We made love ... and I have not yet marked you, not they way necessary to finally truly make you mine ... but you are right about one thing Love ... you are not now, nor will you ever go anywhere without me by your side."

Gleaning my thoughts, he was so smug. I hated him in that moment, and the more he spoke the lust I had felt for him moments before diminished with each supercilious word that came from his mouth.

"Alessandro, you are common. You are an everyday run-of-the-mill criminal who will go down when you are caught because I am going to sing like a song bird when it is time for me to testify against you in court. I don't know you very well, but from what I have seen and heard from you, you know nothing of love, much less how to make it. And as for your marking me ... if you are referring to that ridiculous idea that you are some kind of ancient vampire who found his mate in a months old child ... let me just advise you Love, there are some outstanding medications on the market now that can lessen if not completely obliterate schizophrenic tendencies. Now, if you don't mind, I am going to go and try to wash you off of me!"

"Oh but I do mind very much Love ... come back to bed ..."

When I made to continue on to the washroom, ignoring his mandate that I come back to his bed I knew I had made a grave mistake. He was on me in seconds, slamming our entwined bodies into the wall, my own taking most of the blow. After I recovered from the impact, surprisingly, I laughed.

"S-so you cannot get me to cooperate with your sick intentions; you are going to beat me into submission? Is that it Alessandro? Well let me tell you, I am not afraid ... not any more. You have ruined me Alessandro, don't you get it? You cannot hurt me. Do your worst Sir!"

His gaze stabbed into me as I finished chuckling at his deterioration to physical violence. He seemed to be assessing the situation, while reining his temper in. And for a moment, a single moment I saw in him shame for his actions. He released my body. As I massaged a sore arm and righted myself he hung his head low and walked to the bedroom door.

"I must go out for a while Nicolette. Bathe if you wish, I shant return before dawn. We will sort this out then."

I could see and hear the house still buzzing with life despite the late hour when he opened the door. I heard several voices making merry on floors below where I was being housed, and I caught a glimpse of a woman coming towards Alessandro as he made to leave the room.

"Is everything alright Dear One? I heard a crash ... is she ..."

"Mother ... everything is fine, she is going to bathe and rest and we will talk again tomorrow..."

"Talk?"

"Yes Mother talk, as in open communication, it is the only way we will get through this after all."

"Alessandro, son, you do realize time is of the essence?"

I could hear no more of their conversation as they had moved far from the door. Finally, after trying to look strong and unafraid during five of the longest minutes of my life, I let loose a barrage of tears that I prayed would fill the room and drown me. I sobbed for what seemed like an eternity. Strange though it was, I found certain strength in my anguish. The river of tears streaming down my face came slower and slower until I was able to stand and the tears were no more. I went into the washroom, and instead of pampering myself in the huge tub I had enjoyed just hours before I opted for a longish shower in Alessandro's cavernous den of a shower.

After my hour long shower I found that Alessandro was so far sticking to his word. He was no where in sight. I set out in search of the clothing I had been kidnapped in. Lucky for me I did not have to search very hard. I found a closet tucked into a nook behind the bedroom door. It was actually like a room within itself complete with a stunning vanity area set up to a woman's tastes. The closet beyond the vanity was stocked full of clothing shoes and accessories even the most coddled woman would covet. Everything was exactly my size, right down to the seemingly endless Chantelle underwear sets.

Still, it never occurred to me that this was my closet. I found myself 'window shopping' through some strange woman's most intimate of areas thinking how lucky she is to have a husband who gave her everything she ever wanted. It was not until I I came to the center of the room and found a set of clothes I recognized laid out on a royal blue chaise that I came around and realized that this wardrobe had in fact been put together especially for me. With a ginger hand I stroked the softest mink coat I had ever felt. I took it down off the rack to have a better look and in opening it up I found sewn on the bottom right side a label reading Nicolette Rihan Rossi, my name, only the last name was his. A shiver ran down my spine and back up again stoking my resolve reminding me that I had come in search of my own clothing so that I could find a way to escape.

I threw on my old clothes quickly, mis-buttoning the blouse, but it did not matter. The most important thing right then was finding a way out of the nightmare dominating my life. As if he were still in bed sleeping, I snuck out of the closet leaving the door open for fear that should I close it, it might rouse him. I tip-toed to the door and tugged it finding it unlocked. Breathing a sigh of relief I pulled the heavy door open. It was almost too easy. Either he forgot to lock me in, or he trusted me enough to think I would not run.

"He will miss you. Besides, even if you did get out of this house, I assure you ... you would not leave this island Amore. And Piccolo Mio, when my son finds you ... make no mistake, he will find you ... and when he does there will be ... consequences." Her voice came floating through the darkness; it dripped with a saccharine air chilling me to the bone. I could actually feel the aggression lying just under her surface. I heard the click of a lighter come from the sitting area in the room. Turning my gaze to the corner her voice had come from the flame from the lighter illuminated striking emerald green eyes set in flawless porcelain skin. Her piano player's fingers held a blood red cigarette to perfect crimson lips as she lit the tip and took a long drag to get it started. The flame flickered for a second before the lighter clicked shut and cast us both back into the thick ink black darkness of night. 



Nicoletta Ch. 04



"Who are you?"

I posed my question while gripping the door handle with all my strength. As I waited for a response my skin began to crawl, I just knew this woman was scrutinizing me even though the darkness. I could feel her gaze stabbing at me like ice cold jagged daggers. Still, I stood my ground. I pulled the door open more than I already had in an attempt to see something, but all I could see of her were the glowing embers of her cigarette floating in the darkness. The room was silent for a long while before she spoke again. 

"But Caro, should you stay, and behave yourself, my Alessandro will see that you want for nothing. Yours would be the life of a Princess, a life several women in the past years have been attempting to wrangle literally for centuries. They have plied him with lavish gifts and impossible deeds ... those silly women flocked after my son like lap dogs at their master's heels, but in all this time you Nicolette are the only woman who captured his heart."

A light illuminated her corner of the room as she finished speaking. I had not heard the click. I did not want to hear anything but her enchanting voice, now more warm and inviting than it had been just moments before. Now that the light was on, I heard nothing. I could only look at her in awe as my eyes travelled from the top of her flame read hair, to her swan's neck ... I had never seen a more perfect bosom, admittedly, though my own breasts were nothing to sneeze at, I was more than envious of hers. My eyes followed every perfect line her body made right down to her bone white pumps which seemed to glitter in the light. I had never had any tendencies towards women before, but looking at this woman, I was utterly enamored. 

"P-please ... tell me who you are Signora ..."

"Nicolette, my name is Paola Andalina Rossi, but Amore, you may call me Mother."

I stood staring at her for a bit before I opened the door wider. I took a step out into the hallway. She said nothing, nor did she move from her seat. Paola simply took another long drag on her cigarette as she watched me through narrowed eyes. My heart slammed into my rib cage as I made the decision to run. I stole a quick glance down each end of the hall. Finding it empty I turned my back to Paola ...

"Nicolette, this is your life now, this family ... you cannot run from us ..."

Her voice had gone cold again. I could hear her emotion get the best of her as she strained to keep her composure. I turned my head to look at her; I was not sure if I was attempting to see if she was coming after me or if I was regretting the fact that I would not be able to look at her longer. Her jade eyes burned into my not nearly as spectacular chocolate eyes.

"Thanks for the advice Signora Rossi, but I am afraid I really must go ... give my regards to your son per favor ..."

With that I broke into a full run as I exited the room. I heard her call after me, but I did not hear any indication that she was giving chase. The house was huge ... more like a castle than a family home. Its décor was beautiful and belied that I was even in the same century much less the same country I had been stolen from. I twisted and turned down the wide hallways, past closed doors never running into anyone along the way. But in the event that I did, I was prepared; I grabbed a huge gilded candle stick before I set out to find the entrance to the palatial home. 

Soon I began to smell something sweet, I could not place the fragrance right away, but as I drew closer I recognized the smell as roses, but there was something else, something I did not remember ever smelling. As I turned the corner I found myself standing in the largest foyer I had ever seen. The lights were turned down low in the area and there was no noise at all save the ticking of a clock somewhere in the room. A huge antiquated marble table stood in the center of the vestibule which held a large vase full of at least two dozen of the reddest roses I had ever seen, surrounded by an unbroken circle of pristine calla lilies. It had been the calla lilies I smelled before. I wanted so much to stop and delight in the fragrance of each one, but there was little time. I heard the click of heels on the stone floor. They were not close, but I knew the longer I lingered the more danger I put myself in. 

The massive wooden front doors stared back at me like the tops to treasure chests. A thick wooden plank barred the doors against intrusion. I knew the primitive locking agent did its job all too well when I tried to lift it. It would not budge. The sounds of her footsteps drew closer still ... soon they became muffled as she entered the carpet lined hallway leading to the foyer, leading to me. I knew she was there with me before I saw her. She said nothing as I tried desperately to move the huge post preventing my escape. After about five minutes of trying to force it up and away from the doors I pounded the door with my fists as I cried, finally giving up slumping to the floor in defeat.

"Nicolette, the locking mechanism is automated. There is a code that raises and lowers the bar." She said kneeling in front of me. My hair spilled down over my eyes as I sobbed. She moved it back behind my ear as if we were the best of friends.

"See, Caro, the key pad is just there ..." She said, pointing up to a gilded square on the wall next to the door.

For the first time I noticed that it was not just a piece of art, but it was a housing unit for, like she said, a key pad. I looked at her through teary eyes, but even my tears did not mar her beauty. She took me by the arms as she pulled me up in front of the key pad. Her dainty fingers flipped open the little gold door revealing a pad not unlike the number pad on a phone.

"You are intent on escaping your life Nicolette ... I cannot stop you. We all must make our own mistakes in order to learn. The code is *667543*. But Darling, do not forget if you do this, like I said before, there will be consequences. Few have crossed my son without incurring his wrath. Alessandro can be relentless and ever creative when it comes to discipline."

My fingers flew across the key pad as she admonished me to stay. I scarcely heard a word she had spoken after she gave me the code to unlock the door. I was free, that is all that mattered. When you are in a bustling metropolis, Europe is fairly easy to circumvent. One can always find a helpful person more than willing to assist a lost American find the train station or airport. And in this city even easier so as it was situated on the coast, so I thought. Once I was off the Rossi property, past their massive iron gates, all I had to do is make my way to the beach and follow it until I reached the top of what I hoped to be the entrance to the city center. 

It was a cool night. The Mediterranean breeze chilled me to the bone as I hugged myself to try to retain some heat. But my attempts were useless. When Alessandro brought me to Italy I was dressed for September in Texas. The night time highs were no less than 75. But in Cagliari it had to be in the low 50's and I was painfully underdressed. I must have been walking for quite a while as my joints had begun to stiffen by the time I walked up on a group of people sitting around a beach fire playing music. I gestured to them to allow me to sit by the fire for a while, and was welcomed with open arms and a large glass of wine. It was just what I needed to get me started again, but about an hour into my break I was buzzed and enjoying the music too much to move on.

"So, Amore, will you be introducing me to your friends?"

Alessandro's voice snaked between me and a gorgeous Italian guy I had become quite friendly with as we sat chatting in broken Italian and English. I took another drink of wine as I cursed under my breath. I was too buzzed to panic, but not drunk enough not to try to formulate a plan b.

"Federico ... wanna get out of here?" My new friend looked at me blankly for a second ...

"Um Jessica ... Sono I spiacente ... I do not understand ..."

"A car Federico ... possedete un'automobile, I grow wary of this company, I wish to leave ..."

He looked over my shoulder at Alessandro and then back to me, his unease evident in his apprehensively cordial smile. 

"Who is he Jessica ... l'uomo ... the man, behind ..?"

"He is no one Federico ... just a bad dream ... un incubo."

I turned to look at Alessandro for the first time, and in my drunken haze I openly defied him as I slid my hand casually up Federico's thigh and gave it a little squeeze. Federico lay one trembling hand on his thigh atop mine, and extended his other hand to Alessandro in greeting.

"Signore, di buona sera ... Sono, Federico Salinni"

"Ciao, Federico, my name is Alessandro Rossi; I am your lady friend's husband. I am afraid, Nicolette has been a naughty naughty girl tonight" 

Alessandro's gaze burned into me as he shook his head like a disappointed father would at his disobedient daughter. Federico ripped his hand from mine and struggled to get up and away from me. I could tell he knew who and how dangerous Alessandro was, and I could feel the terror welling up in him as Alessandro explained who he was to me. 

"Be still Federico, I have no husband ... questo uomo e insano ... he is crazy" I said pointing at Alessandro.

"Enough! Nicolette, get up! You are coming home with me right now. I suggest you not make this worse for our friendly Federico here, he is in a sufficient amount trouble as it is." 

My new friends had ceased their music upon hearing the commotion between Alessandro and me. 

"What! Why, he has nothing to do with me at all!" I took a step backward towards Federico, and as I did, Alessandro matched my step, only moving forward, closer to me. It was like we danced a dark waltz to the crashing of suddenly furious waves against the shore.

"Doesn't he Nicolette? Tesora, he was just sitting here in this spot, holding you as if he were your lover. You have been away from the house for how long now Cara Mio, almost four hours at best? So I am guessing you have been sitting here fiddling with each other for about two hours, wouldn't you say? And in those two hours, I am sure, with the aid of the wine in your glass, you have gotten to know our fair Federico Salinni quite well, and he you."

I felt an intense heat at my back ... Federico had drawn closer to me again. His arm snaked around my waist, and pulled me back behind him. As he did I saw several people emerge from somewhere in the darkness to surround our party, and like a flash of lightning I saw Paola's green eyes blaze as she looked at me from the other side of the fire, Alessandro's mother had come out with him to retrieve me.

"The Lady say she has no husband Signore Rossi ... s-she say she want to go ... we go." He said shrugging. 

"Viene l'amore ... stiamo andando." Federico said to me gesturing towards his car.

Federico took my hand and as we were about to turn I heard Paola's voice resonate in my head, I looked over at her, but her lips were not moving ...

"Take one step Nicolette and Alessandro will kill that boy..."

"He is going to kill him anyways so what does it matter?" I spoke back at her, not actually saying a word.

I had begun to cry as I realized the futility of my situation, and knowing the danger I had put everyone I had just befriended in.

"Nicolette, Sweet, come quietly with us now, and we will not harm anyone here, you have my word ..." Alessandro's words had a sinister edge to them as he spoke.

His dark coat tails flew behind him in the wind as if they too wanted to get as far away from him as possible, but like me, it would take a bit more effort for them to escape is hold. He held his hand out for me to take as I gripped Federico's hand tighter willing my feet to turn and run.

"If you choose to run Nicolette, my family has not fed yet tonight, and it looks like there is plenty here ... I will need no help catching you after all, and when I do catch you, well, let us just say, it would be in everyone's best interest if you come with us now."

This time I felt Federico's grip tighten on my hand. I looked up to him to see what he saw that caused him to tense further, but there was nothing. He just stood staring at Alessandro with a new level of fear. It was not until one of the human girls in the party realized along with Federico, but unlike him she announced to the rest the nature of the beasts stalking me ...

"Il mio Dio! Mio Dio!! Sono vampiri! Federico La lascia! Che li ucciderannno tutti! Il mio Dio-il mio dio-il mio dio..."

As she admonished Federico to leave me to Alessandro and his family I could feel my panic rise as I realized that I held the fate of every man and woman in the vicinity in my hands. She was right, if Federico did not leave me in the lions den, they would all be killed. As I took in the entire situation I heard a commotion come from where the hysterical woman was. She had tried to run, but immediately a male in Alessandro's group fell on her. 

As he covered her body with his, he looked up at me flashing a dangerous smile full of murderous intent. I had never seen teeth like his on a human except in movies. All of his teeth seemed sharper than they should have been on a normal man, but the canines on top and bottom were slightly elongated and noticeably sharper than his other teeth. This man had fangs, and he was going to put them to good use as he made ready to rip the terrified woman's throat out. 

Stop this now, Alessandro, and I will come with you! My voice was weak, but carried on the breeze as I sealed my fate. The tears on my face were like ice as the sea breeze kissed me. Alessandro sauntered over closing the gap between him, me, and Federico. When Alessandro was inches away he glared at Federico before he forced his lips to mine. I heard Federico cry out when Alessandro gripped Federico's wrist and half tossed him in Paola's direction.

"No!" I screamed as my knees gave and I fell into the sand. Paola grabbed Federico and subdued him with an ease that belied her svelte frame.

"Alessandro no, you promised they would live if I cooperated ..." I sobbed as I knelt in the sand at his feet. His strong hands gripped my shoulders as he lifted me up into his arms. I was beaten; I could not fight him any longer.

"And they shall live Dulce, but for coming between us, they will be punished. His voice was casual; it was as if we were having a morning discussion over bagels and coffee. 

"Take the woman and Federico, leave the others" He said releasing his hold on me, but never breaking our gaze. I heard the woman who had been hysterical being dragged away as Alessandro's brother grumbled about having to forgo a perfectly good meal. Soon, I would come to understand that what 'leave the others' really meant was, keep an eye on them, and when they start talking too much about the nature of the Rossi family, they are fair game.



Nicoletta Ch. 05



"Get out." Alessandro's cold flat voice caused me to cringe as I gripped the sides of the car seat refusing to go back into his house. He stood just outside the car with his hand fused to the door handle.

"I am not going back in there, you can forget it!" I said with a shaking voice. His brother stood behind him glaring between Alessandro and me.

"Brother, she is a slight thing ... take her out of the car!" He said impatiently.

"Luca, this is between Nicolette and me. Why don't you tend to our guests?" Alessandro snapped as he glared over at Federico and the terrified woman Luca had been so ready to kill just an hour ago.

"I have been more than patient with you Nicolette. Get out of the car, now." His voice was a cross between a growl and a whisper. I knew it was taking every ounce of control he had for him to keep his temper in check. Challenging Alessandro after my failed escape attempt, I was playing with fire, but I could not give in to him.

"No!"

"Damn it Nicolette!" He said catching my arm in a vise grip. Before I knew it I was out of the car standing in front of an infuriated Alessandro. I could not hold back the flood of tears streaming down my face. I was not sure if I was crying because of the crushing grip he had on my arm or from fear of the fury raging in his eyes. From a distance, I had seen the vampire in his brother when we were at the beach, but now, standing toe to toe with Alessandro, the demon churning in the jade pools made me tremble uncontrollably.

"Y-you're hurting me ..." I squeaked out as I tried to wrench myself free from his hold.

"No more defiance Nicolette! From this point on, you will do as you are told without question. Do you understand?" He demanded as his grip became a bit looser. I bowed my head in silence breathing a sigh of relief as my arm throbbed in his hand.

"Answer me Nicolette, do you understand?" He half yelled as his grip tightened again giving me a slight shake.

"Yes damn you! For God sake, let me go!" I screamed with a whimper. He released my arm, and as we stood there his hard stare at me became a tired frustrated gaze.

"I do not know why you insist on making this so hard Nicolette. I know you feel the energy between us." He said in one breath running a hand through his hair. I said nothing. Anything I could say obviously would not change my predicament at all so I opted to look up to beg the biggest moon I had ever seen for any assistance it could offer.

"Sarafina, take Nicolette up to our room to wait for me." He said with a slight wave of his hand in the direction of a girl no more than sixteen years old. Her face was sad, and she looked exhausted leaning against a stone pillar. But as Alessandro finished speaking, she moved with purpose coming to me grabbing hold of my hand. I tried to pull out of her grip, and when I did, her hand tightened on mine almost painfully.

"Prego Signora, do not fight him." She begged pulling me up the stone steps and past the threshold of my prison. Looking back over my shoulder, I found Alessandro staring at me with a fire in his eyes foreshadowing a really long night.

My trip through the house this time was different than when I ran through it the first time. The walls showcased art from what seemed to have been created by every artist who ever lived, Picasso, Davinci, Botticelli, and Waterhouse stuck out right away. Walking through the Rossi compound, felt more like touring the Louver. 

I stopped as we came to a huge tapestry hanging on a wall by itself. An elaborate golden tree decorated its face. On closer inspection, instead of having leafy branches, names sewn in ruby red thread served as the tree's foliage. Across the top of the tapestry in elaborate calligraphy read the words 'Albero di famiglia di Rossi', Sarafina allowed me to linger as I marveled over the the beautiful wall-hanging.

"It is our family tree. We can trace our line all the way back to Adam and Eve, you see?" The small woman pointed towards the two mythical names at the top of the tree as she finished speaking. Feeling uncomfortable with her proximity to me I took several steps backwards until I ran into the wall. She looked discontented as I fidgeted in my nervousness.

"You have nothing to fear in me Nicolette. She said with a small shake of her head. Flaxen waves spilled over her bare freckled shoulders as a dangerous smile reached up to her sparkling obsidian eyes. "I am Donata Rossi, Alessandro and Luca's younger sister." She stuck her hand out for me to take, but retracted it slowly as I eyeballed her with suspicion.

"I-I was rather hoping we could be friends Nicolette, the house is primarily male, if you have not noticed, and my mother is madding more often than not ..." She said with a light chuckle. We stood there in silence for about a minute before I drummed up enough courage to refuse her olive branch.

"I won't be here long enough to make 'friends', Donata. And when I do get out of here, I wouldn't be around when the police show up if I were you because I am taking this whole house down!" I said through clenched teeth. I had forgotten Sarafina was beside me until her now sweaty hand slid into mine tugging me away from the tapestry and Donata. Her spectacular dark eyes had become glassy, like she was ready to cry as she looked on me.

"Nicolette, I know you are unhappy now, but please, give us a chance. Alessandro can be hard at times, but really, he does love you very much, as do we all." She plead. I did not have the energy to respond to her so I shook my head at her as I turned and let Sarafina tug me up the stairs to Alessandro's rooms. 

A smashed vase and a hole in the wall made it clear just how angry Alessandro had been upon discovering me gone. I shuddered at the thought of what was in store for me when he got back, but at the same time, I was so tired, tired of fighting. So, I resigned myself to my fate as I stepped out onto the balcony. 

I imagined I was on the beach with the happy group of people sitting around a fire laughing together. Their formal clothing was not suited for a beach outing, I guess they had been at a party or something and ducked out, perhaps a wedding reception. I imagined myself a new bride, blushing as I beamed out at my several hundred guests while the priest who performed the ceremony announced,

"Ladies and Gentlemen, I present to you Mr. and Mrs. Rossi"

I shocked myself on completion of that thought. Of all the names I could have filled the blank with, his popped in there immediately. I did not want his name in that blank, there was no way I would ever be Mrs. Rossi, but replaying the scenario in my head, his name found its place every time.

"Come inside Nicolette ..." I jumped upon hearing Alessandro's even calm voice behind me. I had not heard him enter the room. His placid tone worried me. Turning around slowly I met his gaze for only a second before my eyes found the stone floor of the balcony.

"Do not make me repeat myself Nicolette ..." he said with more heat. My hand found the sore spot on my arm. As I tested the tender area, I was quickly reminded of how he ripped me from the car, and not wanting a repeat of that, I ambled slowly back into his room. Alessandro stood just over the threshold. When I was an arms length away from him he took my wrist in his hand and lifted it to his mouth kissing my palm with such tenderness I went weak in the knees. But when his eyes popped open finding mine, I knew his passion in that moment was a ruse for the storm that still raged. He began to tug me to an ancient wooden chair that sat alone near his closets.

"W-what's going on?" I asked praying silently for a benign answer, hoping that we were going to 'talk' about the nights events. But in his silence, my fear of what he had planned grew like wild fire. He sat down on the plain chair. Really it was the only simple thing in the room; I guess that is what made it so ominous. Still standing with my wrist securely in his hand I looked down at Alessandro as he studied me.

"Take off your pants Nicolette." He demanded dropping my wrist. A raised eyebrow was the only further encouragement I needed to comply with his order. I took my time unbuttoning and unzipping my jeans. As I slid them past my hips, I could not help but wonder if I trembled because of the chill in the air, or if it was the demented vampire staring at me with a hunger I had never witnessed. Finally the pants pooled around my ankles. I tried to step out of them gracefully, but stumbled a bit reaching out for his hand to steady myself. My clumsiness did not bother him. He offered his hand easily, and waited for me to regain my footing. When I did he held his hand out again, this time, I was confused. His eyes found the pants. I picked them up and handed them over wanting nothing more than to jerk them back and fly to the restroom to lock myself in. But as I looked behind me, I remembered I would be running into an open room, the door had not yet been replaced from the last time I locked myself in.

"Your panties too ..." he breathed.

"Alessandro please ..." I begged.

"Do you want me to take them off of you?" he asked glaring at me.

A tear slid down my cheek as I hooked my thumbs under the only barrier between him and me. And what was one tear turned into hundreds as I slid the thin fabric down my legs as slowly as I could. He waited patiently as I stalled only to inevitably step out of the white lacy panties I had found in the closet before I escaped. A bra and panties was all I dared to take before I left. In taking the panties off I had knelt down into a ball to try to retain some modesty. Half dressed and kneeling at Alessandro's feet, I knew I was in for trouble. My mind raced trying to formulate an escape plan, but there was none to be had, I was trapped.

"Give them to me ..." he whispered. From my ball, I extended my arm up to him as I offered the panties. But he didn't move to take them.

"Stand up Nicolette, and give them to me." The warning in his voice caused my heart to slam against my ribcage. My legs were like noodles as I stood again offering him the panties. Satisfied, he took them. He brought the panties to his nose and inhaled deeply. I could not stand there watching him savoring my essence. I turned my head finding a spot on the wall to stare at. It seemed like decades flew by in the time he had me stand in front of him. Without thinking, I took a step back.

"Nicolette, don't ..." he growled. I stopped in my tracks. He looked up at me as he folded the panties and laid them on top of my jeans.

"Come closer please, Nicolette ..." knowing it was not a request, I shuffled closer to him. Again, he took my wrists in his hand, and seemed to study my palms. After about a minute he looked up into my eyes.

"Lie face down across my lap Nicolette." His voice did not waver, but I just knew I had misheard him.

"I'm sorry?"

"Lie face down across my lap."

"Alessandro, no p-please ..." I begged shaking my head.

"I said, lie down!" He yelled pulling me into his lap. I struggled as he put me into the position he wanted me in.

"S-stop it Alessandro! Let me up now!" I grunted.

"Be still Nicolette!" He said forcing my arm up behind my back. The keen pain radiating from my shoulder to my fingertips forced me to cease my struggle and just as he wanted, I lay still, at his mercy. He said nothing as we both caught our breath. He released my arm and massaged my hurting shoulder. His attentions felt so good compared to the pain that had forced me into submission. I lay there reveling in his massage when he stopped suddenly.

"Alessandro, what are ... Ow! What the hell, you maniac!" I screamed after he gave me a quick smack on the ass. I was more shocked and embarrassed than hurt. I resumed my struggle to get up as his hand circled my still stinging bottom lightly.

"Be still Nicolette ..." he said on a whisper.

"Let-me-up! Ouch!! For god sake Alessandro!" 

He struck me harder than the first time. I tried my best to wriggle free from his hold, but my struggle was useless. The third smack fell so hard the pain from it radiated from my ass down my legs and back up.

"Fuck Alessandro stop it, please!" I sobbed.

"Foul language will only extend this Nicolette..." He said with an eerie calm as his hand fell again. Alessandro hit me eleven times with each strike much harder than the last. I figure it would have been ten had I not sworn at him. I had to lean on him for support when he stood me up. I was so upset I could not catch my breath and my ass throbbed in pain as he began walking me to the washroom sink.

"Shhh, calm down Love, it is finished. Let's get you cleaned up ..." he cooed. When we got to the sink I grabbed on to it for support and shook his hands off of me. Ignoring my rejection, he reached around me to start the water, as he did I looked at myself in the mirror. Tears flowed anew as I examined my swollen eyes and runny red nose, I was a total mess, and embarrassed to boot. Alessandro stood behind me watching me realize that he was it for me, like it or not. And as we stared at each other in the mirror, my hatred for him began to grow into complete apathy.

"Do you know why I hit you Nicolette? He asked as he soaked a pristine washcloth in the warm water flowing in a steady smooth stream from the faucet.

"Y-you hit me because I ran away, and b-because you are a sadistic son-of-a .." I bit my lip before finishing my statement for fear that he might strike me again. He seemed to take no notice of my insolence as we stood there. I dropped my head so I would not have to look at him, and jumped when I felt the towel he had bathe the back of my neck.

"I did not hit you because you ran Nicolette. I expected you to run. I knew you would not get far. As a matter of fact, I expect you to try run again. What I had not expected, Amore was to find you fiddling with another man. And that Caro, is why I hit you." He explained. My eyes found his in the mirror before he finished speaking. I could see the fire the jade pools stir again as he thought about Federico and me together.

"Don't you ever lay a hand on me again!" I seethed through clenched teeth.

"Do not give me a reason to." He said spinning me around to face him. He took the towel off my neck and wet it again. Alessandro wiped the tears from my face with the attentiveness of a dutiful husband, and as he did, I felt my fury dial down to a quiet anger. I wanted to hate him so badly, but the more I wanted to, the more I tried to hate him, the more I felt like I was home. I think he sensed this as he cleansed my face because a smile crept to his lips a he pressed his body to mine. But I wouldn't allow him the pleasure of gloating. I pushed myself into him quickly causing him to stumble back far enough that I could squeeze past him.

"Why do you insist on fighting me Nicolette?" For the first time I heard utter frustration in his voice.

"Why do you persist on torturing me?" I spat back.

My answer came as I found myself flying into the air as Alessandro scooped me up and carried me to the bed. He tossed me gently onto it daring me with his eyes to move an inch as he undressed himself slowly forcing me to secretly beg for him to reveal more skin with each agonizing second. I did not realize I had licked my lips as his pants fell exposing his angry throbbing erection. My breath caught in my throat as I chastised myself for being so hungry for him.

"Being in my bed is torture?" he asked crawling onto the bed as I began to inch backwards towards the headboard.

"P-please, just leave me alone Alessandro ..." I begged not sure of my own conviction. I yelped as he pulled me by the ankle towards him. Without knowing what hit me I was beneath him as his exploring fingers delved into my core. His fingers danced over my wetness flaunting my need for him despite my reluctance. And I could not help but to shiver beneath him when his mouth devoured one aching nipple and then the other raining delicious love bites on them. But when his thumb brushed my pulsating clit and my body arched desperately into his demanding everything he had to give and more, we both knew the last thing I wanted or needed right then was for him to leave me alone.

"I am going to make love to you this night Nicolette. I am going to drive every thick inch of myself into you over and over again all night long. You will scream for more Nicolette, and more I shall give until you are begging me to stop. And Love; when your womb is full of my seed and we are both spent we will bask together in the glory of it all. I am going to make love to you day and night as our desires demand, and one day Amore, you will make love to me. And when that day comes Nicolette, when you can finally admit to yourself that you love me you will be whole." He breathed massaging my clit with a slow tenderness that threatened my sanity.

"I-I will never ... Uugghhh!" I was not able to finish my last protest before he drove his full length into me in one strong stroke.



Nicoletta Ch. 06



"I am sorry, forgive me ... Alessandro."

I woke to find the note and a rose resting on Alessandro's pillow. For the first time since arriving in Italy I slept deeper than I could remember ever sleeping even in my own bed. I had not heard or even felt him get up. And for all the ill will I harbored for him, I could not suppress an overwhelming sense of loss in his absence. I looked at the note again as I tested my still sore bottom against the bed, I prayed he had not left me bruised.

"What a mess I'm in ..." I whispered to myself as I brought the rose to my nose. A shiver thrilled up my spine as memories of the night before flooded my mind. The raw passion in his eyes had frightened me while at the same time it lent me a sense of power. I contemplated how sexy I felt knowing that when it came to me, Alessandro had no control; that he just had to take me. Under his gaze, in his arms, I am not simply a sister, a wife, or a friend; I am a woman, feral and phenomenal. But still, I wondered how long it would all last, and what he would do with me once boredom set in.

"Buongiorno Nicolette ..." Donata's voice floated through the bed's draperies to sail into my ears like the song of heaven's wind chimes. Alessandro's sister was an angel. Her preternatural beauty stunned my senses, and her lovely voice threatened to bring me to tears. However, despite the innocence she exuded, I knew she was just like them, a vampire, and she could not be trusted. Feeling like I had made myself clear the previous night, that I did not wish to be 'friends' with her, I sat stark still in silence praying she would take the hint and go away.

"Alessandro had to go out this morning, I came to keep you company." She said pushing the voile aside as she sat down on the edge of the bed.

"I don't need any company thanks." My voice shook as I grabbed the sheet and wrapped it around myself. I started to get out of bed when she took hold of my wrist.

"Please Nicolette, give me a chance."

"Have you ever noticed how grabby your family is Donata?" I bit out as I glared at her hand.

"I-I'm sorry, I just, Nicolette, I am as lonely as you must be here, can't we just talk?"

"You are lonely in your own house? That makes no sense, this is your family." My curiosity got the best of me as I questioned her. It seemed my inquiry hit a nerve. As she fidgeted with her robe her tension grew instantly as I waited for her to explain herself. The sun spilled over her fair skin and bounced off of her golden mane so much I thought looking at her just right, one might need sunglasses to look at her for extended periods of time.

"I refuse to marry, to mate, and in so doing, I refuse to grow our line. There are not very many of us left Nicolette." She whispered shaking her head as her sparkling dark eyes found mine.

"Vampires?"

"Yes, vampires, we are a dying race. And because I refuse to aid the cause, I am for all intensive purposes shunned." 

"But you're here. I mean ..."

"Why don't they get rid of me? We are not barbarians Nicolette. This is my home, and like it or not we are family, they would never, do that." She chuckled as she ran a nervous hand through her hair.

"But this house is as much my prison as it is yours." The venom in Donata's voice seemed to mirror what I felt about being there. I was beginning to see her in a new light, perhaps we could be acquaintances at least.

"You can't leave?"

"No ... I can go anywhere I like within the confines of this compound, but I am not allowed beyond the front gates."

"Why not?"

"Because I fell in love ..." She whispered as her gaze seemed to go out beyond the balcony.

"But that's good right? You can marry ..."

"Carlo is not compatible Nicolette, our children would be human, his genes are all wrong. My parents and my brothers have forbidden me to see him. But I would not cooperate, so I am not allowed to leave at all."

"Is that why I am here?" I asked on baited breath. Her onyx eyes found mine again, and as she offered me a reserved smile and shallow shrug I knew without her answer that one reason I was there is that I was to mate with Alessandro.

"Are you telling me I was brought here to be bred? What am I then, a cow! This is insanity! I have got to get out of here! I won't do this! How do you know my genes are even compatible? I mean I could be another Carlo!" I yelled.

"We know Nicolette. Alessandro's voice cut through the thick tension in the room. "Sister, don't you think it fair that I should be the one to explain things to my wife?" he said standing by the door of the room waiting for Donata to leave.

"She is not your wife yet, Brother." Donata said with defiance as she made to embrace me. When I flinched she grabbed me, and as she did I felt her press a ball of tissues into my hand. Tucked in its core were several solid pieces of something.

"For after ..." She whispered ever quietly into my ear. She kissed me on each cheek and as she pulled away from me she offered a small wink and her dangerous smile. 

"We shall speak again soon?" She asked. Bewildered, I nodded my head.

"Good!" Her attitude perked up as soon as Alessandro made his presence known. I figured she would rather her family think she is happy. It was safer for her and for Carlo.

"Why don't they just force you the way they are forcing me?" I called after her glaring at Alessandro. Donata stopped in her tracks, but did not turn to face me.

"They are trying to ..." The pain in her voice was almost tangible.

"Good-bye Donata ..." Alessandro seethed ushering his sister out of the room.

Before Alessandro could come closer to me I was out of bed and headed for the restroom.

"Nicolette, we need to talk about this ..." He called after me. When I did not answer, he stalked to the restroom too. He made it to the door before I could and blocked my path. In his eyes was an apology, but I did not want to hear it.

"I have to pee Alessandro ..." I breathed glaring at him. Reluctantly he moved aside.

"Things are not as cut and dry as Donata makes them sound Nicolette." He called through the door way.

"Oh no how are things then Alessandro? I am just dying to know if I should change my name to Bessie!" I screamed as I sat on the toilet. I really did not have to go that bad, but it was the only way I would get a little privacy so that I could see what Donata had slipped me.

"Don't be ridiculous Nicolette! You were not brought here just to mate. I love you! I want to make a life and a family with you!" I did not answer him as I was too wrapped up in the stash Donata gave me. In the confines of the tissues lay four white pills.

"For after ..." Her voice resonated in my head as I thought about what the pills could be. I did not have to think about it long as on the inside tissue she left me a message.

"Swallow one now ... you should be protected from pregnancy. Take one every morning after. I will bring you more later ... Donata"

"The woman is a Godsend! I whispered to myself. I popped one of the pills into my mouth and forced it down dry. The rest I wrapped back up and tucked behind the toilet making a plan to move them to a safer place later.

"What are you doing in there Nicolette?" Alessandro's voice startled me. Without answering, I flushed the toilet and rushed out of the restroom. As I tried to push past him he grabbed my shoulders turning me to face him.

"Did you hear what I said Nicolette?"

"What is it Alessandro? What the hell do you want from me?" I was beyond exhausted with him.

"I love you Nicolette ..."

"As evidenced by my sore ass, I'm so sure ..."

"I apologize for that Nicolette; I don't know what came over me. I was just so angry."

"I don't want to be here Alessandro. But as long as I am, I need some space to breath, I need some freedom!" I plead. He stood looking at me for a while, and then looked out towards the ocean. His struggle was evident, but I knew I had a chance the longer he considered my request.

"I cannot trust you Nicolette. How do I know you will behave yourself?"

"You have my word ..."

"Alright, like Donata, you may have your run of the house and grounds. You cannot pass the front gates. If you do, without my permission, you will find yourself confined to this room again, indefinitely."

"Fair enough ..." I said sticking out my hand so that we could shake on it.

"Oh no you don't ..." he said pulling me into his arms and forcing his lips to mine. For a second, my head swam and my knees went weak as he kissed me. But as we stood there I regained strength enough to push away from him.

"I am not going to marry you Alessandro, and I most certainly am not going to mate with you." I said carefully shaking my head. I thought I would send him into another rage, but he simply leaned against the sink crossing his arms over his chest.

"How do you know you are not already pregnant Nicolette?"

"I know ..." I said praying that I wasn't.

"If you are?"

"I'm not!" I spat.

"Ok Nicolette, look, at this point, it would be in your best interest to stop fighting me. You-have-no-choice in the matter, you are my mate, soon, you will officially be my wife, and soon after that you will bear my children, that's the short sweet version of our situation Amore." He said shrugging. As he finished speaking my anger threatened to force me to keel over, but he was right. There was no escape, not right then. Thinking about it, Donata bought me some time, and time was just what I needed in order to formulate a solid plan.

"What do you mean Donata bought you some time?" he asked.

"Christ! Stay out of my head Alessandro! Why is it, you catch some things, and not others anyways?"

"Sometimes you block me ... how did she buy you time?"

"Well you are not very good at seeing my thoughts are you? I was not thinking she bought me time ... I was thinking she brought me solace, in this place, I have someone I can talk to who understands ..."

"Right, well, I am glad you found a friend, but you can confide in me too you know." He said. I knew he did not buy what I was selling; I only hoped Donata would not pay the price for my mistake. In the mean time, I would have to really work on blocking him from my thoughts better.

"You block me when you are upset Nicolette. When you are calm, and even as optimistic as you are now, I can easily access your thoughts, I think later on tonight, my sister and I shall have a little chat." He said stepping closer to me. He reached out and removed the sheet I had covering myself, I did not flinch to stop him, though, I did back away from him.

"She hasn't done anything ..." I whispered taking a few more steps back as he stepped forward.

"We'll see ..." He said closing the gap between us. I had not realized I had backed out onto the balcony. I looked over the edge as I tried to cover myself with my arms. Thankfully the beach was empty of beach combers and sunbathers, but not for long. I tried to side step Alessandro so that I could get back inside, but he would not allow me to escape him. He began to unbutton his shirt as he looked at me with hunger.

"People are going to see us ..." I whispered.

"And? I say let them watch, you will learn not to run from me Nicolette." A mischievous smile played on his lips as he stripped his pants off. His olive skin seemed to glisten in the sunlight as his penis throbbed against his well toned stomach. And as his messy sable hair fell into his eyes I found myself once again needing to reach out to stroke it behind his ears, and this time, I did. My hand trembled as it stroked his satin hair. He leaned into my touch as his eyes fluttered shut. His breathing came slow and even, it was almost as if my touch put him in some sort of trance.

"Can we please go inside?" I asked stroking his hair with both hands now. He took my hands down, and kissed my palms.

"No, we cannot ..." he said picking me up. He wrapped my legs around his waist and pressed my hips into the cold stone balcony railing. Before I could protest further his cock penetrated me deliciously slow. I whimpered as he pushed deeper and deeper, and when I felt the head pressed firmly up against my cervix I looked up at him. His normally amber eyes were now a smoldering rusty hazel. The black flecks in his irises seemed to swirl. It had been easy for me to think him just a man, but now joined with him in front of god and the world, I knew the vampire, and I wanted him. I reached back to hold the balcony railing, once I got a good grip, I was able to reciprocate his strokes. For the first time, I gave in to him, and he reveled in my submission.

"Oh god Nicolette ... y-yesss! I have been waiting for this!" He breathed as we coupled on the balcony. It did not take long for me to reach my first climax. I could not hold back, and I could no longer hold myself on the railing. I threw my arms around Alessandro's neck as my pussy clamped down on him with the first wave of my orgasm.

"A-A-Lessandro!" I cried out digging my nails into his back so deep I drew blood. He held me tight as I came, and when I began to calm down he walked us over to the outdoor recliner. As he laid me down my eyes fluttered open as I came back to myself.

"P-please don't stop Alessandro ..." I begged.

"Never Tesora mio..." he breathed pushing himself deep inside me again. Over and over again each stroke seemed to reach my very soul as we made love. I felt his penis seem to swell a bit more inside of me after a while and when it did he drove into me and held himself stark still as he peered into my eyes. He was lost in a certain rapture that made him even more beautiful, but I became frightened when he grimaced and his teeth came into view. Something was unusual this time, making love this time meant something very different for us than it had in the past week. His lips found the crook in my neck, and as he licked and sucked the space right at my jugular instinctively I began to fight.

"A-Alessandro, don't please ..." I begged as I pushed against his shoulders. Without a word he simply took my hands in his and pinned me to the chair as he picked up the pace and fervor of his strokes, and with each new stroke he seemed bigger and harder than when we had first begun, and as he kissed and sucked my neck I heard him in my head.

"Do not fear me Nicolette, let this happen ..." with that his teeth broke through the skin on my neck and as they did, his cock exploded deep inside filling me with everything he had. The keen pain from his bite slowly melted into something akin to pleasure as Alessandro fed on me. In that moment I felt him wade deeper and deeper into each beat of my heart. My blood seemed to need to enter him and as it did I felt a lone tear fall for the person I knew I would never be again. As his climax began to wane, my body protested clamping down on his in a final orgasm milking him of still more of his seed. I had to have all of him. 

Finally it was finished. Alessandro lay on top of me, still and softening inside of me as I felt his teeth pull from my skin. He lapped at the wounds he had made, but he made no move to close them. His mark would remain visible to all who would challenge his claim. Exhausted, I looked up at him begging with my eyes that he carry me to the bath. He smiled down at me; the only trace of my blood that could be seen was a crimson sheen on his lips.

"Give the pills back to Donata and I will not say a word to her or anyone else about them Nicolette." He whispered right before planting a tender kiss on my forehead.

"I-I don't know what you are talking about ..."

"You cannot hide this from me Nicolette, I saw them. I saw her sneak them to you, and I saw you hide them behind the toilet after you swallowed one."

"When you bit me ..."

"Give them back Nicolette ..." he said fondling a piece of my hair.

"Alright, but please don't say anything, she was only trying to help."

"We do not need that sort of help Nicolette." 

That was all he said on the matter. There was no punishment, no yelling, no pain. He pulled his now semi-soft penis from me, lifted me from the chair, and took me to the bath where he pampered me for two hours. I don't know how I made it back to bed, but I woke wrapped in his arms at dusk, and oddly enough, for right then at least, I was right where I wanted to be.



Nicoletta Ch. 07



"Alessandro, dear one, wake up." Alessandro's mother, Paola whispered through the gossamer bed drapes to her son, but instead, I woke with a start before he stirred.

"Jesus! This family has a lot to learn about privacy!" I whispered as I tried to pull the blankets further up over Alessandro and me.

"I apologize if I frightened you Nicolette, I did knock ..." She purred through half a smile looking us up and down.

"Mmmm, Mother what is it?" Alessandro's contented sleepy voice seemed to fill the room as he wrapped his arms around my body pulling me into his. 

"You have forgotten about dinner tonight?"

"Ugghhh, yes, I suppose I did. What time is it?" he groaned as he nuzzled my neck.

"It is now six o'clock. Our guests have already begun arriving Angel. Drinks are at seven, and dinner is at eight, I suggest you both get up, now. The rest of the family is eager to meet your Nicolette. Oh, and Alessandro, do not forget, you and Luca are to be kind to Azazel tonight. Your father and I want him in this family. You will make a good impression." She said staring directly at me. Once again, the sweetness in her voice seemed to betray a threat in her words which I felt were somehow directed towards me.

"Of course Mother." He breathed rolling on top of me.

"Alessandro your mother is right there!" I shrieked in mortification.

"Son, you two do not have time ..." Paola chided. He took a cleansing breath bowing his forehead to mine.

"Later Amore ..." he whispered. Silently I thanked Paola as she took her leave. Don't get me wrong; as much as I hated the fact that I did, I loved sex with Alessandro. But, the more he and I were together, the more I wanted him, and the weaker I became. We both knew he was breaking me; but just then, there was nothing to be done about it, not as long as Paola was lurking anyways, and I was ever so grateful to the evil woman for that.

\/*****\/

/\***/\

"What is an Azazel, and why is he so important to your mother?" I asked Alessandro as I slowly pulled the chocolate silken straps of the evening gown Alessandro had chosen for me to wear up over my caramel shoulders. Without an answer he pushed his body into mine while pulling the zipper up to just above my bottom, where the backless dress stopped. 

"I-is he a ..." I began to ask stopping before my lips were able to form the word vampire. I remembered the name Azazel from books my father had read me as a child. The Azazel I knew had been an angel, a fallen angel, one of the chief Grigori. He taught men how to make weapons and armor, and he taught women the intricacies of deception through use of make-up and body adornments. It is said that Azazel taught the people even the secrets of witchcraft. It was said he held a particular interest in human women, and that the ones he chose to lay with bore him progeny said to be giants. When my Father spoke of Azazel, for some reason my blood ran cold. Of all of the demons, and the nasties in Father's books, Azazel seemed to be the worst.

"Azazel is important to this family Sweet. He is a very powerful, very rich vampire; he is an ancient, vampire royalty and a terrific match for Donata, perhaps her last chance really." As Alessandro praised the 'terrific match' for Donata his words took a sudden edge of ice. "Nicolette, Azazel can be quite malicious when he wants to be, I want you to steer clear of him, do you understand?"

"If he is so nasty, why marry him off to your sister?" I questioned further. The tiny possessive kisses he planted over my right shoulder threatened to bring me to my knees as between them he relayed the grisly tale of Azazel and a young French girl called Genève Renau.

"Let's just say Amore, Azazel sets his sight on what he wants, and will allow nothing to stop him from getting it, no matter the cost." Alessandro sighed whist pulling me with him to a lounge in his reading nook. "You see, centuries ago Azazel happened upon a girl, she was young maybe fifteen at the time." He said tugging me into his lap. "As it was conveyed to me my love, Genève was sitting by a stream gazing at her reflection. The girl was known for her classic beauty, her parents had already received numerous offers for her hand. Even Azazel impervious as he is and always has been was taken aback by her piercing azure eyes and flowing black hair the first time he set eyes on her." Alessandro's voice was almost hypnotic as he spoke while winding a lock of my chocolate hair around his long alabaster finger.

"I asked Azazel about her once, you know, I asked him to tell the story. All he would say is that when he looked at her he saw himself feminized. And for the briefest of moments, he knew what real love felt like." Alessandro's grip on me tightened almost painfully as he spoke.

"So he loved her then? Who was she?" I asked squirming in his hold.

"No Nicolette, he did not love the girl. No Sweetling, Azazel loved the illusion he saw reflecting in her young eyes. He fell in love with himself. According legend Azazel went to the girl as she sat by the river on a hot summer evening. As silently as if he had floated in on the evening fog his reflection appeared behind hers. Startled, she stood and turned so abruptly she almost stumbled into the water. Azazel caught her by the waist and held her to him, and for the briefest of moments he thought about releasing her, until she spoke."

It was now my turn to have an iron grip on Alessandro as I drank in every sordid detail of Azazel's encounter with the girl. Right then it seemed Alessandro and I found the place where he wished us to be. I was not the victim held against my will. In that moment as he spoke barely breathing words over the flesh of my trembling cheek I hung on his every word like a silly school girl in love.

"So what happened?" I asked with enthusiasm.

"Oh Nicolette, you are cute when your morbid curiosity gets the better of you Amore..." He murmured bringing the lock of hair closer to his face to savor its scent.

"Alessandro, what happened?" I whined needing to hear the rest of the tale. It was not curiosity driving me, but a need to better understand Alessandro and the life he demanded I be a part of. For some reason, well I had hoped that in hearing some history, Azazel's history, I would be able to have some compassion for what Alessandro wished of me.

"Well Love, let's see, where was I?"

"The girl spoke ..." I said hastily.

"Ah yes, she had sealed her fate in Azazel's clutches ... she said to Azazel ..."

'Sir, be you a man, or Angel ...?'

"'Angel ...' He lied. " Alessandro said on a whisper. His beautiful golden coal flecked eyes shined in the fading light as it spilled into the room as the sun set. He seemed to be centuries away right then, as if he were sitting behind a tree watching Azazel ensnare his prey with his own preternatural exquisiteness. And thus, Alessandro spoke ...

"I suppose Azazel could not resist the implications. After he told the girl he was an angel, without any preamble, he raped her. He stripped her of her clothes. As she begged him to release her Azazel took her there by the river with no remorse." He seethed through clenched teeth. "They say when she raked her fingernails into his face in an attempt to get away from him he continued his assault and the wounds she opened healed almost immediately. Azazel watched her expression with levity worthy of Satan himself as she witnessed the miracle and then she plead with him to spare her life and her virtue. And beyond that, she prayed. When he finished with her, he kissed her mouth and told her that her prayers were heard and her life would be ... spared at a cost."

As Alessandro spoke, the disgust in his tone was almost tangible. This confused me to the point of anger as he continued. I mean, had he not put me into the same position, even worse so than Azazel had done with Genève Renau? "So, Alessandro, what you are telling me is that this Azazel, the 'terrific match' you have found for your sister forced a teenage girl to have sex with him back in the dark ages, after convincing her that he was an angel?" I bit out forcing his arms from around my waist making sure to shoot up fast enough that he not rests me down again. "You feel anguish for this girl, yet for the past month you keep me here, with you, to be used at your leisure?" Suddenly instead of finding answers, I found myself inundated with even more questions laced with accusations which would likely serve only to feed my abhorrence with Alessandro for what he had done to me. 

"No Nicolette! No ..." He growled with a vigorous shake of his head as he too stood to tower over me. As I looked on his face, for the very first time, I saw remorse in his eyes to match that that I had heard in his voice. But still, I did not know if that remorse was for poor Genève or for me.

"Then what Alessandro? You tell me how what you have done to me here is any better that what your precious Azazel did to her then?" I asked taking a couple of steps away from him unsure of what I had hoped to hear.

"The difference Nicolette, our difference, is that I love you. I need you in my life now, and forever!" His aforementioned whisper had turned into an enhanced rumble as he stepped towards me. "After the encounter, word of the girl's attack spread, she told her parents an angel had come to her and stole her favors. But of course they did not believe her and punished her licentious behavior. She became withdrawn and depressed in the passing months." Alessandro's speech had become hurried and desperate as he tried to clean up the mess he had made in the telling of Azazel's story. "Genève began drawing disturbing pictures of a tall man with hair that rolled like salt dusted black seas past his shoulders. His shining jade eyes reflected nothing, and in his sneer one could make out the dangerous animalistic teeth hidden behind a menacing smile. Always somewhere on the drawings a name was written ... Azazel." Alessandro had turned his face from me, and had gone silent. In my own exacerbation I turned from him to look on the cresting waves of true black seas illuminated by the biggest fullest buttermilk moon I had ever seen.

"The difference my love, between what Azazel did, and what I have done is that I would never have taken you, I would never have awaken your vampiric nature, and left you to fend for yourself, never!" Though I could not see his tears, I knew they were there flowing like a river down his immaculate cheeks as he tried to beg my forgiveness. Alas, only a small part of my mind was ready to forgive him, too small to win my soul. He would have to settle for bygones, and in so doing, finish Azazel's horrid tale, because right then, that was all I was willing to listen to from him.

 "So Alessandro, what happened to her? Did she ever recover?" Before uttering a word Alessandro dragged himself to the in suite bar as I questioned him further. He looked more miserable than I had ever seen him. And as he poured himself a drink he finished the girl's tragic story.

"Genève's parents took her and the drawings to the church for guidance. The priests there told them the girl had been defiled by a demon, and that her soul bore a mark that would never come clean. As this was during the dark times when the Inquisition was at its peak, the girl was labeled a witch, how else could she have tempted an angel to leave heaven to partake of her flesh? The girl was arrested on the spot, tortured in every heinous manner known to man at the time until she confessed to being a witch. At dawn the next day, Genève Renau was hung in front of a bloodthirsty crowd. All while Azazel, alongside her parents, watched." He seethed taking in a swift draught of his drink before going on. "Genève's drawings were taken from Provence to the Vatican to be studied. The scholars there had locked in their vaults manuscripts the world has to this day never seen. They compared the girl's description of the angel, and the drawings, to the ancient texts they had locked away and they contended the 'angel' that had lain with the girl was Azazel." And just as before, the last word on Alessandro's lips was Azazel's name. As we stood in silence he poured more drink, this time two.

"What will this stuff do to you?" I coughed as I took a sip of what tasted like straight vodka. "I mean, vampires, I thought alcohol had no effect ..."

"If I drink too much, I will become drunk, just as you would my love ..." He said. "Which is why I do not partake often ..." He muttered through half a smile as he raised his glass. 

"Salute Mi amore ..." 

"And what are we drinking to?" I asked hurriedly.

"Tonight sweet Nicolette, I think we should drink to Genève Renau ..." He whispered, looking to the bedroom door before finishing his drink in one gulp.

"So, Alessandro, Where is she now, Genève? What happened to her?" Before I finished my sentence his face had turned to stone, confused stone, but stone none the less.

"But I said Amore ... she was hung ..."

"Yes, Alessandro, you did say that, in front of a blood thirsty crowd no less. But you also implied that Azazel had woken her vampiric nature right?" I questioned before taking my second sip of poison.

"Ah so I did piccolo mio, you are very smart indeed, and just now, as much as I hunger for your flesh, your mind drives me into an absolute frenzy, but no ..." he said before quickly downing his third drink ... "now is not the time for such nightmarish tales dear heart. If my ears do not deceive me, our guests, including Azazel, have arrived, and it is time for us to greet them."

I knew even before Alessandro had finished speaking, that I did not wish to share a table with Azazel, but at the same time, I knew as well, that Paola would not tolerate my absence. So, as my protector for the evening so graciously held out his hand, I took it with pleasure as in hearing Azazel's tale this night, I would need all the protection I could muster.



Nicoletta Ch. 08



The vodka Alessandro and I had shared moments before seemed to be working its magic on me as we descended the stairs to the boisterous common areas of the exquisite palazzo. Though I was still tense to the point of fear about meeting the rest of the family, I felt that certain bravado only alcohol can lend a timorous soul that is until I thought about Azazel. Each time I involuntarily remembered aspects of the grizzly story of Azazel and Genève a chill dragged itself up my spine and back down again as if thoughts of what he had done to her were materialized into a cruel jagged edged zipper designed to rip my mind apart over and over again.

"Azazel! Mon cher, comme bel il est de vous voir! Il C'a été la si longue heure!" Paola's voice rang out over the din of other guests. "Please, please come in, have a drink, sit! We have so much to discuss!" She said making a bee line for the door where the most beautiful man I had ever seen stood pulling off his black leather gloves to hand them to the doorman. As his eyes scanned the room mine studied him alone until we locked gazes for the briefest of moments before I tried to duck behind Alessandro's back from the piercing gazes of the gathering.

"Oh no, Love ... my wife hides from no man ..." Alessandro whispered into my ear as his arm wrapped around my waist pulling me to him before I could make my escape.

"I am not you wife Alessandro!" I seethed on a whisper through clenched teeth as he maneuvered me closer to where Azazel stood.

"Not yet Amore, but soon, and until then, Azazel beckons, and we shall oblige him with a greeting, together." He whispered in response as he tugged at my waist while I tried in vain to dig my heels into the polished marble of the floor.

"No Alessandro! I d-don't want to ..." I protested, but my argument was cut short as Alessandro greeted us with the warmest of smiles.

"Azazel, my friend ... it has been too long." Alessandro purred holding me almost too tight. Azazel made no indication that he had even heard Alessandro speak as he studied me. As his dark eyes traveled from the top of my head down to my glittering chocolate and gold pumps I wriggled beneath Alessandro's snug hold as claustrophobia threatened to overtake me. Azazel stepped closer to us closing the already small gap and I shrank more into Alessandro hoping that he would get the hint and allow me to make my way to the nearest exit.

"And who is this, a new prize Alessandro?" Azazel's eyes never left my face as he questioned Alessandro.

"My wife ..." he replied with fire and ice shimmering and dancing on his very breath.

"No I am not!" I snapped finding some courage where just seconds before I could find none. "I am not now, nor have I ever been married ..." I breathed as my adrenaline levels surged again as I tried to shove Alessandro's arm from around my waist. With no immediate response to my outburst Azazel slipped two fingers beneath my chin raising my head so that our eyes met again.

"My but you are stunning dove. Yes, the most delicate of birds ..." he said with a raise of a perfectly trimmed eyebrow. "A bird that possesses the fire of a dragon..." He chimed. "Alessandro, wherever did you find her?"

"My name is Nicolette!" I seethed snatching my face away from his fingers. "I am not your Dove, and if you must know where he 'found' me, your buddy here took me! Like a thief in the night he kidnapped me right out of my house!" I fumed with a quick blazing glare over my shoulder at Alessandro.

"Enough Nicolette!" Paola bit out staring daggers in my direction.

"I see." Azazel whispered taking a step back. "I dare say, I would have been compelled to steal you away myself. How could any man, immortal or not, resist the temptation of possessing a trophy as spectacular as you sweet, Nicolette?" He asked as if it were a perfectly valid and logical question. "I am Azazel Sartre ..." he said with a slight bow never breaking gazes with me. "Enchanté Mon Amie ..." he said extending his hand with a certain casual grace.

When I did not offer my hand in response he reached down and took it planting a kiss on my palm that threatened to bring me to my knees. It was as if he was taking ownership of a piece of my soul right there. Afraid of Paola's wrath, I took back my trembling hand saying nothing. Though repulsed by Azazel, a part of me was taken aback by him already. He did not look like the monster Alessandro had painted him to be.

His hair, tied with a silver ribbon at the nape of his neck cascaded over his shoulder like coal black silk. He had an easy smile reaching somehow beyond his eyes. And what eyes they were! It was as if painter William Payne had been gazing into Azazel's strange yet mesmerizing eyes when he created Payne's grey. And as his eyes glittered in the soft light of the room I noticed that like Alessandro, Azazel's eyes were streaked with obsidian shards as well. As we gazed at each other I felt as if I were floating. It was as if Azazel were working some sort of magic on me. However, his spell was short lived when Alessandro moved to stand in front of me taking a possessive stance. Understanding his reservation, Azazel tilted his head in acquiescence and dropped back a step or two, but still, his eyes never left mine.

"You are a lucky man Alessandro Rossi; I should only hope to be so fortunate as to captivate a woman as beautiful as your Nicolette, perhaps under better circumstances?" Azazel said with a malevolently facetious air..

"Indeed ..." Alessandro retorted with an obvious chill in his voice. "Shall we assemble in the library? My father and brother are anxious to discuss your plans for our Donata." Alessandro extended his long arm in the direction of the room where the men of the family and Azazel would haggle over the terms of Donata's betrothal. Azazel reluctantly pulled his gaze from mine as he turned to saunter down the dimly lit corridor. "I trust we will meet again before the night is finished, Nicolette?" He said on a breath turning to look at me as my name seemed to float from his lips.

"U-Uhmm ... I don't ..." I stuttered ...

"We will all sit down to dinner together later in the evening, when your business is finished Azazel ..." Paola spoke up with a slight edge to her words. Son, why don't I take Nicolette in to the parlor for an aperitif, she does look a bit peaky after all." She intoned attempting to wrench my hand from Alessandro's protective grip.

"Will you be alright?" he whispered not letting me go. I could not speak. My eyes were rimmed with tears threatening to cascade down my hot cheeks at any second. In a little over a week I had been kidnapped, taken from my home country, raped, spanked, threatened, and bitten. And now at what was to be my engagement party I was faced with a 6ft 7in vampire inquiring if I would be alright if he left me alone in a house full of still more vampires as he sold his sister to the most notorious vampire of all time. My mind was leaving me, I could feel it slipping away as I stood there in the finest gown I had ever set eyes on, in the midst of the most lavish party I had only dreamt of attending during my hum-drum life. And this vampire, a man who would be my husband asked me if I would be alright ...

"N-no I don't think ... I mean, I am so not alright Alessandro." I said raising my eyes to his as the river of tears began to rain down my cheeks.

"Nonsense ..." Paola sang gripping my hand with more force as she successfully broke me from Alessandro's hold. "My dear, we will go have a few drinks, and an appetizer, and you will be just fine." She said wrapping her cold arms around my shoulders as she turned me away from her son. "Go, have your meeting ... she will be fine." Paola said over her shoulder to Alessandro. I could feel his eyes on me as Paola walked me into the other room. The place was alive with the cacophonous din of late evening revelers. Laughter rang from what seemed like every nook and cranny of the house. The music was electric sailing into my head allowing me to transcend my predicament even if just for a moment. And what a short moment is was as Paola's bony hand squeezed my shoulder. She had been speaking. As far as I could tell she was regaling me with tales of who's who at her little soiree.

"You don't have to babysit me ..." I muttered shaking her arm off of my shoulder. I wiped at my eyes with the back of my hand silently thanking Donata for buying me water proofed make up for the party. "There will be tears tonight I think" She had prophesied while making me up.

"You know my dear, if you would give us half a chance, I think you will find being a part of this family is not without reward." Paola took two glasses of champagne from a passing waitress as she chastised me.

"Do you have anything stronger?" I asked the girl, ignoring Paola, but taking the wing from her.

"Stronger Signora?"

"Yes, like vodka ... Grey Goose? Do you have any?"

"Ah, si si Signora Rossi, grey Goose! You like?" the girl replied happy she understood what I wanted.

"Si, prego un doppio colpo di vodka ..." I confirmed tossing back the champagne as she went to make my drink. Paola stood by watching me as I began to drown my sorrows. As the sweet poison bubbled down my parched throat I found myself wishing for the bottle.

"A double vodka huh?" She chided pulling one of her signature scarlet red cigarettes from a dainty pouch dangling from her wrist. "Alessandro will not be happy if you are drunk when he is done in there you know ..."

By the time she finished speaking the waitress was back with my drink. I took it from the tray thanking her, and before she was gone I had drained half the glass much to Paola's chagrin.

"I guess then, he should have left me where he found me. Tonight Paola Rossi, mother to all that is unholy, I plan on getting sloppy drunk!" I snapped raising my glass to her before finishing my drink and grabbing another glass of champagne from a passing tray. "Like I said Paola, I do not need a babysitter."

 A double vodka and two more champagnes later, I found myself slightly inebriated as I meandered through a garden I had not noticed before. It was a lush seaside oasis full of orchids, roses, and lilies of all colors and families. Also, there was the sweetest smelling flower I had never seen before. At the risk of toppling over in my drunkenness I bent to get a closer look at striking petals so white that they seemed to glow in the dark. The flowers shimmied on the breeze as if they wanted to break loose from their stems to dance. And out of nowhere I found myself reaching down to pick one.

"The cereus flower ..." A soft voice chimed over the music flowing from the house. Thinking I had been alone I pulled myself up too fast stumbling over to a stone bench where I plopped down as I tried to catch my breath.

"W-what?" I breathed heavily.

"Please, forgive me. I did not mean to startle you." She said stepping from the shadows into a beam of light cascaded by lighting form the house. "The flower there, the one you were going to pick? It is called a cereus. It would be a shame if you were to pick it now." She said passing me a glass. "You are drinking vodka, right?"

"You did not scare me ..." I slurred in defiance.

"So, do you always almost stumble over stone benches while stopping to smell the roses?"

"I- I was, I mean ... Well you shouldn't skulk around in the shadows!" I cried acidly.

"Do you want this drink or not?" She asked with a small giggle. Hesitantly I took the drink taking a sip while watching her. I had not seen her before. She did not look like she belonged to the Rossi line, but she was just as stunning, from the top of her raven head to the tips of her crimson toes she was just perfect. Even in my inebriated state, I had the good sense to be jealous.

"Why would it be a shame?"

"Hum?" she crooned while taking a long sip from her own glass.

"The flower? You said it would be a shame if I picked it, now ... why now?" I asked as she clicked her tongue at two passing peacocks.

"Oh yes, the cereus ..." She said fixing me in her mesmerizing sapphire gaze. "In legends she is the princess of the night. You see, the flower blooms only at night. Once the sun rises, it dies. You would essentially be picking it in its infancy if you plucked it now."

"Great, not only am I surrounded by vampires, but also their vampire horticulture as well! My night just keeps getting better and better. How's yours going ...? I paused looking expectantly at her realizing that I had no idea who I was speaking with.

"My name is Genie..." She said smiling the same dangerous smile that afflicted the Rossi clan. "And you little one are my Alessandro's sweet Nicolette."

"Y-you are a vampire too?" I stuttered as I nervously sloshed back a bit more of my drink.

"Guilty I am afraid." She said opening her arms slightly in surrender. "Alas, I am such not by choice, but I am a vampire all the same." She breathed on a teasing whisper. I had not realized that I scooted back on the bench putting as much distance between us as I could without toppling from my perch. Genie watched me with amusement as I fidgeted under her gaze.

"You have nothing to fear from me Nicolette, truly." Her voice held me captive as I decided whether or not to trust her long enough to continue our conversation.

"How do you know my name? I asked timidly. She giggled. It was as if the breeze had disturbed golden wind chimes. Though she was the same monster the Rossi's were I found myself wanting to be near to Genie. She did not seem so cold; her manner did not seem as treacherous as the others. She was sweet, almost innocent. Genie had no ulterior motives for me, none that I could sense anyways.

"My dear, you are engaged to one of the most powerful men in the entire world! Yours is the name on everyone's lips right now. The impending marriage of Alessandro Rossi and Nicolette Landry is the hot topic coast to coast worldwide. Where have you been? She asked excitedly.

"Locked away in his room actually ..." I muttered a bit louder than I had intended.

"What? Why would he keep you locked in his ..." Her voice trailed off as she realized that I had been there against my will. She took another long sip of her drink as her face drained of all its cheerfulness in the moonlight. Suddenly she seemed to be miles away lost in thought. There was nothing for me to do but take another sip of my own drink as I contemplated my predicament.

"You said he was your Alessandro ... where you two an item? I asked changing the subject. She choked a bit on the last sip of her drink before answering.

"Ha, no no Nicolette, he has always been a brother to me. The Rossi's sort of adopted me long ago when my own family ..." She stopped speaking and gave her head a slight shake as if her mind were an etch-a-sketch toy and a small shake would wipe it clean. "He saved my life once ..." she squeaked out. When the light from the full moon hit her face I caught the twinkle of a silver tear that threatened to slide over the edge of her eye, but it never got the chance.

"He loves you ..." She said taking a deep breath.

"He is obsessed with me ..." I corrected.

"Yes, he is, very much so, but he does love you ..."

"Why do you care? Why are you out here?" I asked beginning to feel cornered. Perhaps she did have her motives.

"I am out here because you looked like you could use a friend, one who is not a Rossi? I mean no harm Nicolette. I do not know the circumstances as to how you came to be here, but from the sound of it Alessandro has not played by the rules, I know what that feels like ... but I also know him." Her voice sounded like part of her was furious with Alessandro, and the other part needed to defend his actions. But I did not want to talk anymore about him or his supposed love for me.

"Alessandro never mentioned another sister. I thought there was just Donata." I said standing. I walked back to the cereus flower bending to take in its sweet scent. Only this time I was careful not to disturb it.

"Ahh the fair lonely Donata Rossi, you should watch that one. She is as sweet as honey when it benefits her; she will turn on you like a rapacious pit bull if given half a chance. I am still curious as to why she was so insistent that I be here tonight." I found myself glad that I had not bought into Donata's overly 'friendly' attitude. I too had sensed that she could not be trusted. "Where is the little princess anyways? I had expected her to ingratiate herself to me before I even stepped through the door." Genie asked giving the garden a quick scan.

"I don't know where she is. I have not seen her all night actually ..." I said as my buzz began to wane. "Oh yeah, she may be in the library with her brothers and Aza ..." Before I could finish saying his name I heard his sultry voice cut through the night like a knife through butter.

"Donata was with me and her father, we had to discuss our possible betrothal but seeing the two of you together compels me to rethink taking vows." Azazel said coolly from the door opposite door from which Genie and I came out He slipped his hands into his pockets as he leaned against a stone pillar. "Hello Genève, mi amore, it has been ... too long. His words dripped from his mouth like poisoned honey as he spoke to Genie. It made my skin crawl the way he looked at her.

"That little bitch!" Genie spat. Her relaxed jovial manner changed instantly to one of tension and fury. "She knew he would be here!" the fear in Genie's voice was palpable. Where Azazel made me increasingly uncomfortable, he seemed to strike terror down to Genie's bones. She grabbed my hand in a painful vice grip as she stood drawing me closer to her. "We have to go ... now. Do you know where Alessandro is?" She growled dragging me up only to tug me down the stony path back into the house.

"N-no, I have no idea where he is .. I mean I thought he was in the library with his father and Luca. Genie, wait, what is wrong? W-Where are we going?" I begged confused. I stole a look over my shoulder as she pulled me through the garden towards the house. Azazel stood stark still staring after us with a crooked grin decorating his beautiful face. His expression, a cross between virgin amusement and wanton depravity would stick in my mind for years to come.

We shoved through party goers, and even deposed a poor waiter's tray of champagne in our flight from the party. Before I knew it Genie had me back at Alessandro's bedroom door. She wasted no time shoving me inside and quickly following after me. She slammed the door shut behind us so hard the windows in the room shook in their panes. After she bolted it Genie slid her backside down it dissolving into a torrent of shoulder wracking sobs.

"Genie ... Genie please look at me." I whispered. She was an emotional wreck. When she looked at me it was as if she did not even see me. "Genie, what's wrong?" I begged. Though we had only just met my heart broke as I sat down to take her in my arms. Seeing her so shattered, I almost forget she was a vampire. She did not answer me, so I did not press her again. We just sat together until her tears began to subside and she seemed to calm down.

"Why is he here? Why did no one tell me that he would be here?" Genie whispered.

"Who? Azazel?" I asked stupidly. Of course she meant Azazel. She had been fine before she heard his voice.

"Donata knew!" She screeched. I realized that she was not speaking to me. Genie tried desperately to figure out with herself what mischief Donata had gotten up to. She dislodged herself from my hold to stand and cross the room. As she continued her dialogue with herself Genie's discourse quickly turned into a rant. "She knew Azazel was her last chance. She knew her father would not give her a choice!"

"Genie. I-I don't understand ..."




Nicoletta Ch. 08



"Of course! She knew my presence here after so many years would cause Azazel to second guess their match!" She said taking no notice of me. "She has no intentions of marrying him!" As she slipped further and further from rational thought, Genie began rearranging the pristine room, taking up a stack of books and resettling them on a completely different table. "That little witch would sacrifice my very sanity to sever her own selfish desires!" She raged grabbing a vase of blood red roses, to take them to the bar sink. She emptied the vase of its water only to refill it again and reset the sweet smelling flowers.

"He wants me again, I could feel it! She knew he would!" Genie's angelic face had contorted into that of a crazed cornered animal as she took hold of the vase she had just reset and hurled it against a wall and so began a tantrum the likes of which I had never before witnessed. I squeezed my eyes shut and covered my ears as Genie began to scream and rage overturning tables, and throwing things all over the room. I hunkered down in the farthest corner I could find because Genie was out of control, and even with Azazel in the house Genie was the one I was most afraid of at this point.

All of the sudden I felt a cold gush of air fill the room as the door flew open and Luca burst in. He called for me. From my corner I yelled to him that I was alright. Once he saw where I was he immediately overtook Genie. She left him no choice but to pounced on top of her like a large cat would his prey. As they slammed into a painting on the wall, I hoped it was a just a replica of Waterhouse's "After the Dance" that was crushed under their weight. Luca said nothing as he pinned Genie underneath him.

"Obtenez l'enfer! Outre de moi!"

"Laissez-moi partir! Papa, S'il vou plait m'aident! "

Screaming in French, Genie seemed oblivious that it was Luca who restrained her. She scratched at his face, and pounded on his chest with her too small fists, so the blows simply bounced off of him harmlessly.

"Not again ... please" she cried helplessly...

"No, not again Love, never again ..."

Luca showered Genie with kisses, and he spoke in a tone I had never heard him use before. It was so tender and filled with compassion. With him on top of Genie the room began to calm. The last of the paper that Genie had disturbed fluttered to the floor as she sat in Luca's arms sobbing. I took my hands from my ears as I surveyed the damage to the room. Every table had been turned over or thrown into a wall. At least three paintings were completely destroyed. Scented oil was everywhere except in the several broken burners strewn around the angry room. Flower petals were ripped up and already browning on the floor.

I felt useless in the face of all of the destruction Genie had caused in a matter of minutes. Oblivious to what I was doing I got up and began picking up trash.

"Nicolette, forget about the mess. The maid will find a large bonus in her check at the end of the week."

Submitting to Luca, I walked over to the bed and sat down quietly and waited for someone, anyone to come get me and make some sense of what had just happened. Genie looked up at Luca through a river of tears, and it seemed that for the first time in all of the chaos she knew him.

About five minutes had passed when Alessandro came into the room. He came over to where I was and took my chin in his hands tilting my head upwards so that we were looking at each other. Neither of us spoke. I offered him a small smile, and in that he knew that I was ok.

He sat down beside me locking his hand into mine and waited with me. After a while Luca and Genie got up. He helped her to the washroom, opened the door for her, kissed her forehead and told her to clean herself up. When she clung to him he whispered that he would be right there when she was finished. Luca came over to the bed ran a hand through his hair and fell into a heap on the floor next to Alessandro and me.

"Ok ... what the hell was that?" I broke the silence. Luca and Alessandro both looked at me.

"Why did she freak out like that? Is she going to be alright?"

"Genie will be fine Nicolette; she just needs some time ..." 

Luca sounded tired as he spoke, like he had been through this before and was at a loss as to what would fix the one he loved. In reality he was not at all sure if time was the only thing she needed. Alessandro wrapped his arms around me looking down at his brother.

"She will find out soon enough Luca. Shall I finish Azazel's story, or do you want to?" With Luca's silence Alessandro went back to the story of how Azazel became the fallen angel.

"Nicolette, do you remember the girl ... the one by the river?" Alessandro asked.

"You mean the one Azazel raped? Yes, of course I remember ... but what does that have to do with Genie?" 

Normally it was not so difficult for me to put two and two together ... but this family was everything but normal.

"Amore, Genie is ..."

Alessandro hesitated as he looked to Luca. Luca's head fell forward desperately, and in an impossibly long breath Luca whispered...

"Genie is Genie Renau. Azazel is her angel. Something was broken in her the day Azazel came to her. She has never been the same person she once was. He spared her life at a cost remember? The cost was her life and her sanity." Luca was now furious and bitter.

"Nicolette, Genie was reduced to a half life when Azazel assaulted her ..." Alessandro tried to keep his voice level and calm.

"But ... but no ... you said she was executed after she was arrested. That girl died at the hands of the inquisition..." I breathed confused and becoming agitated at the implications posed by my Luca and Alessandro.

"Yes Love, Genève was executed back then, but she died long before the inquisition got to her. However, history says Genève Renau was hung by her neck until she was no more ... or so her executioners thought. But that evening our Luca had been in the crowd. He knew that Azazel had assailed Genie. He knew too that because of that assault Genève may have still had life in her, and he wanted her."

Listening to Alessandro, I was there in France, watching the last moments of Genie's life such as it had been. Bile crept up my throat as I imagined her standing on a macabre stage waiting to be murdered. I could smell the oil on several torches lighting the evening square. I could feel the energy of the people reveling in the tangible essence of fear rolling off of Genie's skin with her every trembling breath. And finally, when the executioner kicked the stool Genie stood on, the sounds of her attempts to preserve her own life resonated through my core until she choked her last jagged breath.

"She was beautiful even hanging from the gallows. She didn't move at all when I cut her down that night, yet she was still so pliable. I cleansed her body of the dirt, sweat, and rank urine from where she soiled herself before the stool was kicked from beneath her. I fed her wine laced with my blood and in the weeks that passed I was able to essentially bring Genie back to life, but the price had been paid, and it was hefty..."

Luca seemed to be as far away as I was as he recounted what had happened the night he saved Genie. I was afraid to ask if Genie had experienced outbreaks like this before. But judging from how it all came about I thought it would be safe to assume here now in Italy was not the first outburst in recent memory that Genie had flipped out over being in close proximity to Azazel.

"Every time I think she is getting better Azazel pops up and all hell breaks loose." Luca seemed to be speaking to someone who was not there. He was at a loss about how to fix Genève.

"Brother, the kinds of scars Azazel left Genie with sometimes cannot be healed ... All we can do is continue loving her" Alessandro said gently. But I could hear it in his voice that if it would help he would walk through the fires of hell to fix his adopted sister.

"But, how, why is she here? Tonight of all nights, why? Did you tell her about the party brother?" Luca seethed as he tried to piece together how the chaos began. My blood ran frigid as my hand tightened around Alessandro's. Confused at my reaction to Luca's inquiry he looked down at me as he answered Luca's questions.

"I do not know why she is here tonight. Though I had wished that she could be here to meet Nicolette and celebrate with us, I knew it was impossible ... but" He stopped speaking as he scrutinized the new tension garnishing my face.

"What?" I whined while trying to lose Alessandro's grip on my hand. I had no love for Donata, but at the same time I had no intentions on starting anything between her and her family. As far as I was concerned I had no intentions of sticking around long enough to take sides.

"Nicolette, tell me what you know ..." Alessandro said his beautiful fiery eyes narrowing on me.

"You are hurting my hand Alessandro ..." I said squirming and trying my best to avoid his gaze. But it was impossible. He released his tight grip on my hand only to take it gently in both of his. He said nothing, but he did not have to.

"W-we were j-just talking, me and Genie. In the garden while you were in the library, that's all ..." I stuttered. Alessandro said nothing, neither did Luca. They both sat stark sill allowing their silence to announce their dissatisfaction with my story thus far.

"Azazel came out, h-he said, he said he had missed her ..." I mumbled. Knowing the truth of how Genie had come to be at the party was on the tip of my tongue I stared down at my feet in a small effort at procrastination.

"Nicolette, what happened then?" Luca sighed impatiently.

"I did not want any of this!" I cried. "I don't want to be a part of your family squabbles; this is just none of my business!" I snatched my hand from Alessandro's now gentle hold as I stood and trotted out to the balcony.

"Nicolette!" I heard Luca call after me with a new edge to his voice. I jumped at his insistence, but I did not return to the room.

"Wait, let me ..." Alessandro said. He was in quick pursuit of me. I had nowhere to go, no way out save a graceful swan dive off of the balcony into the asphalt below.

"Nicolette, my love, this family is your business, now, as you are ours." He said from behind me. "I need to know what happened downstairs, I need to know what was said."

He stood so close behind me now I could feel his heat radiating into my back. It was such a delicious heat. I found myself backing into him slightly as we stood, and he finally closed the tiny gap between us to envelope me within his strong arms. I made no attempt at escape. On the contrary, somehow wrapped within the arms of my kidnapper, I felt safe.

"Tell me ..."

"I want to go home ..."

"You are home Nicolette. Tell me what Genève told you, why is she here tonight?"

"Why don't you just ask her Alessandro?" I begged squirming in his arms.

"You know I can't." He said at a loss. And he was right; right now Genie was a veritable basket case. She was in no condition to hold a conversation, she could not even form a rational thought based on what I had witnessed.

"It was Donata. Genie said that Donata contacted her and insisted that she be here tonight." I grumbled tensing up. "She said that Donata knew Azazel would not agree to the marriage if he saw Genie here tonight. Genie says he still wants her." My speech had become hurried. I felt like admitting to what Genie had told me had forced me to speak faster than the speed of light the way my words flew from my mouth.

"I see ..." Alessandro said with little emotion. His embrace tightened slightly as he kissed the top of my head.

"Was she right? Does Azazel want her still?" I asked. It seemed like an eternity had passed before Alessandro spoke again. He was tenser than I had seen him be in the short time that I had known him. I thought it sweet that he cared so much for Genie that is until he finally did speak.

"Donata has caused more trouble that she had expected ..." He said. Though he spoke to me, I could feel his thoughts were miles away from that balcony.

"Azazel ... wants you and Genève both ..."



Nicoletta Ch. 09



"Azazel wants us both?" I parroted incredulously breaking free of Alessandro's embrace to fix him in my sight. "What the hell do you mean he wants us both, Alessandro? Just what does that mean?" I screamed at him punctuating my question with a shove to his chest, though my small assault did little good.

"It means what it means Nicolette, he wants you ..."

"And Genie, both ... Azazel wants us both?"

"Yes ..." he replied with too little emotion for my liking. All I could do at this point is laugh. I even surprised myself with the boisterous laughter erupting from my chest. "So what you are standing there telling me, Alessandro, is that you kidnapped me, and now this-this psychotic veritable sadist of a vampire has taken a liking to me? Is it safe to assume that he will be relieving you of my presence?" My tone had flowed from dark amusement to untainted anger as I spoke through clenched jaws.

"He will not lay a finger on you Nicolette, I will not allow it!" He half yelled slamming a fist into the balcony rail. In his voice I could hear his determination, but I sensed a certain lack of faith in his conviction as well which frightened me to no end. For the first time since I had known Alessandro Rossi I saw beyond his bravado, and his dangerous smile. Tonight in Alessandro I saw not the vampire but a man, a scared man.

"Who is he Alessandro? Why don't I believe that you or anyone else here can protect me from Azazel?" I asked. At first Alessandro seemed confused by my question, but soon enough I found that he was just at a loss as to how to explain.

"Azazel is strong Nicolette ... his blood is ancient, drawn from the very first female vampire, an inherently blood thirsty witch of woman who likes to think herself the mother to us all." Alessandro said running a tense hand through his dark hair as he stalked back into the room. He held the door open for me to follow while he continued. Azazel is the oldest living being in this house tonight which puts him at the top of the food chain."

"Speaking of food, everyone is waiting downstairs, and dinner is getting cold Alessandro." Paola's now shrill voice cut through the tension in the room like a jagged knife. We had not noticed that she had joined us. 

"Son, I have never been so embarrassed in all my life! How dare you all run out on our guests as you ..." Her condemnation of our actions stopped cold as Genève stepped from the bathroom. Her bloodshot puffy eyes welled up anew with fat hot tears as they fell on Paola's perfect face. Speechless Paola looked from Genève to Luca, and finally her gaze slid over her shoulder in the direction of the party. It was not hard to discern that she had put everything together. Genève's presence had answered all of her questions and seemed to quell her irritation with our sudden absence from the party.

"Genève, Mon Cher! W-what are you doing here, tonight of all nights sweet child?" Paola breathed crossing the room to embrace Genie. Genève all but fell into Paola's open arms saying nothing. The air in the room became ominous as we all took our respective positions. Paola the protector, Genève the protected, Luca the furiously grieved, Alessandro the concerned, and then there was me ... Nicolette the utterly confused.

"What is going on? Luca, is this your doing?" Paola scratched out as she rocked Genie in her arms. "Shhh my dear, all is well, hush now ... you are safe ..." She cooed waiting for Luca to speak.

"Well?" she whispered.

"Of course I did not invite Genève here tonight mother!" He bit out finally. Alessandro had not had time to share with his brother what I had told him out on the balcony. The crease in his forehead caused by his overall tension told me that Luca too was at a loss as to how and why Genève had come to be an attendee at the party as well.

"Mother ... what is going on?" Donata asked sweetly from the door. "Everyone is waiting ..." She had not noticed Genève cowering within Paola's protective hold. But when she finally spotted poor Genève peeping from around Paola's sharp shoulder Donata tried to turn to leave without a word of explanation. But she did not get far.

"It was you!" Luca bellowed jumping to his feet as he quickly put the last piece of the puzzle together. "You conniving little wretch, you would sacrifice the only woman I have ever loved!" He screamed. The room was a whir of color as Luca darted for his sister arms outstretched with his hands turned to claws ready to squeeze the life from Donata on contact. But he would not get the chance as before he ever reached her Alessandro swatted Luca back like a fly.

"You would protect her?" Luca screeched picking himself up off of the floor. His watery eyes brimmed with hot furious tears as he accused Alessandro. "I want her out of here, now!"

"Wrong she may be, but Donata is still our sister!" Alessandro said as he attempted to keep his temper in check. "Why Donata? Why would you invite Genève here tonight?" Alessandro inquired attempting to maintain a level voice.

"You are right Alessandro, you are absolutely right. I am your sister! She is not!" Donata shrieked furiously as she pointed a shaking finger at Genève. "Azazel would sooner have her warm his bed than me, yet you save her from him while offering me up like a sheep to slaughter! I – am – your – sister!" she spat looking from Alessandro to Luca. I did not know who to feel sorrier for. It seemed the entire family was just one big tragic mess

"Genève is my love!" Luca screamed. As he did with every ounce of passion he could muster his voice cracked in his fury.

"She is your whore, and I will not be Azazel's!" Donata seethed sealing her own fate. With no warning Luca made to attack her again, only this time he would not be stopped. Before Alessandro could grab him Luca had Donata pinned to the wall as he wrapped his large hands around her throat.

"Luca no!" Alessandro screamed. "Stop this now!" he roared as he tried in vain to pull Luca off of Donata.

"You evil closed minded bitch!" Luca wailed taking a hand off her throat to grab her by the hair. "You had chance after chance!"

"I had nothing!" She choked out as tears streamed down her still perfect cheeks.

"You are nothing!" Luca spat. And in that second time slowed to a crawl as we all watched in horror as Luca sank his cruel impossibly sharp fangs into Donata's sweat slickened neck. And as he pulled the first draught of blood from her wounds time resumed its normal speed as I watched Alessandro try desperately to dislodge his brother from Donata's throat.

"I am your sister ..." she gasped on her last breath wile Luca continued to feed on her. His body covered hers as if he were making love to her while he drained the life from her limp body. His entire body held Donata as he moved against her drawing her life's blood into himself. And as he did Donata's blood seemed to sate his rage. 

He suckled at her neck like a babe at the teat and as he did my head swam. The air seemed to thicken as tiny pin pricks of stars inundated my vision. But it was not until I saw a thick crimson ribbon trickle slowly down Donata's pallid neck as it made its escape from Luca's fury that I felt my knees begin to buckle as my legs threatened to give out.

"Luca please ... stop" I begged on a whisper sinking to my knees. It was the first time I had addressed him directly, the first time his name had ever slipped past my lips. I thought he had heard me because stop he did. But when Donata's lifeless body fell to the floor with a sad dead thud and Luca turned to face me with her blood smeared all over his mouth and teeth I knew he did not stop because he was asked.

"You were my sister ..." He croaked out, his voice as dead as she was. As he stood there before us all wiping his mouth hard with the back of his hand I knew that was it for me. I could not take anymore. The kidnapping, my escape and recapture, Alessandro's passions for me, Azazel, Genève, Donata, her death, it was all too much. My world began to spin and whir around me. It was like I was trapped in a nightmarish spiraling bloody amusement park ride that would never cease. But just when I thought the ride would spin me off into a sanguinary oblivion I felt Alessandro's strong arms wrap tightly around me.

"It's alright my love, breath. Just breath Nicolette ..." Alessandro cooed, but his attempt at comfort went unnoticed.

"I-I can't ... it-i-it's too much!" I squeaked. He laid me back in his arms and looked down onto my stricken face. His was so beautiful. Alessandro was an angel sent to take Donata I imagined in my sudden maddness. But that was not right no, not right at all. As he kissed my forehead admonishing me to take deeper breaths my world began to go dark as my eyes found his. I looked him in the eye before my own fluttered shut with one word on my trembling lips.

"Vampires ..."

*****

"We will have Azazel set up at Villa Del Sol until we can sort all of this out." I heard a man's silky voice intone.

"Yes, while you have my son locked in a filthy dungeon!" Paola shrieked.

"What would you have me do wife? Luca is mad with rage right now!" the man yelled. "He killed our daughter!"

"He killed your daughter Marco!"

"That is enough Paola!" The man bellowed slamming his fist onto a desktop. "You will respect Donata in death as you should have in life. You will respect the memory of our daughter or suffer the consequences!" The silky voiced man roared. 

"Mmm ... w-what... w-w-where am I...?" I mumbled as their voices pulled me from my terror induced collapse. "Aless- A- Alessandro, make him s-stop ... please!" I begged. As I came back to the world Luca's madness replayed on the projector in my mind threatening to send me to the brink again. But before I could tip over the edge a second time Alessandro jostled me gently in his embrace.

"Shh my love, I am here, and you are safe. It's over Mi Amore, it is over..." he cooed ignoring his parent's fight.

"Genie!" I gasped as my eyes opened more quickly than my brain could comprehend.

"Genève is safe Nicolette, she is resting." He said stroking my hair.

"D-Donata ... oh my God, h-he killed Donata!" I sobbed before the tears came. "H-he just-just ... I mean ... right there, just killed her!" 

"I know Nicolette, I know. It is over love. He is gone now, it is alright, and you are safe.

"Safe! It is over? What the h-hell ... Ohh my head!" I said gasping as I tried to yell at Alessandro. As consciousness began to come back to me blood began to flood my brain too fast giving me the equivalent of a brain freeze only it threatened to linger longer if I did not calm down. So I pushed myself up slowly as I tried to adjust myself within Alessandro's arms taking in slow deep gulps of air.

"Oh get off me!" I complained trying to push his hands away as they lovingly stroked my back. He ignored my protest however as he helped me right myself within his hold. I was too weak to try to dislodge him again so instead I felt myself allow my head to loll onto his chest. As much as I would deny him, I reveled in the warm comfort he lent my fragile state of mind

"Better Sweet?" He whispered kissing my forehead as if I had not just witnessed an infuriated vampire exact the ultimate revenge.

"No, Alessandro, I am not better 'Sweet', not even close to better." I muttered taking a woozy look around the dimly lit room. Paola sat on the edge of a nearby desk, her long smooth legs crossed at the knee. The top one sliced back and forth through the air as she took long angry drags from her signature crimson cigarette, all the while making no eye contact with anyone in the room. And her husband, Marco sat behind the desk scribbling furiously into a ledger of some sort.

"Marco, please, be reasonable ... Luca is no danger to anyone else ..." Paola plead.

"No!" Marco yelled ripping a narrow sheet of paper from the book he had been writing in. "He stays where he is for his own safety as well as for the safety of all involved! Luca is a rabid animal right now!" He groaned squeezing the bridge of his nose. 

Like a fish out of water Paola opened her mouth to speak again, but quickly closed it when Marco's head snapped up to fix her in his gaze as if he knew she had further arguments. 

"I will not be swayed in this wife! I warn you, say no more on the matter lest I lock you up along side of him!" Marco growled standing so violently his chair skidded away from him to crash into an arched window frame cracking the glass within.

"Alessandro, you will accompany Azazel to the country. I have called ahead to have the villa prepared for your arrival." The exhaustion in his voice was palpable as Marco seemed to have aged five years since the festivities had begun. "Azazel was not prepared for an extended stay. In the morning you are to take him wherever he needs to go to purchase all he will need while he is with us. This check should cover your expenses." Marco breathed passing the slip of paper to his son. 

Alessandro reluctantly released his hold on me to take the check. "Of course father. Nicolette and I will be ready to go within the hour." Alessandro replied.

"Nicolette stays with us son ..."

"What?" Alessandro bit out as I spat "No!"

"I am not staying here ..." I squealed looking around the room "Alone .."

"Father, I will not leave her, not after tonight, not after all that she has been through!" Alessadro demanded.

"Alessandro, please do not misunderstand, I appreciate your need to be with Nicolette now, but son you have to know that she is best kept as far away from Azazel as possible right now." Marco said through narrowed eyes.

"But Father, why do I have to ..." Alessandro tried to interrupt.

"Alessandro listen to me. Luca killed Azazel's intended. We promised him a bride, Son. He did not travel all the way to Italy for a vacation after all." Marco argued gently taking my hand. "Now that he is so unexpectedly bereft of his expected bride do you really believe that he has not considered Nicolette as an option?"

Alessandro had no answer, but when he released his hold on my other hand I knew he saw the situation the same as his father. But it was not until I felt satin lips press to my forehead that the gravity of my situation sunk in, Alessandro, my abductor was leaving me. Before I knew it was coming I felt a lone tear streak down my cheek. My mind struggled with the myriad of reasons I could be crying after the horrible events of the evening played out to the finish.

Though for most of the time that I had spent in the Rossi house I did it hating Alessandro, right then as soon as his hand slipped from mine all I wanted to do was cling to him. I tried to hate him as he backed out of the room never breaking our gaze. With each searing tear that slipped ever so slowly down my already stained cheeks I named it a reason to hate him. My abductor, bully, antagonist, ravager; the adjectives came as fast and hot as the tears until Alessandro rounded the corner. And when all I could see was his shadow slipping around the corner after him a final tear fell, mine.

 

"You will be safe here little one ..." Marco cooed with a squeeze of my hand. With too much enthusiasm I pulled free from his grasp, but tried to glamour my rudeness by wiping away my tears.

"I-I, may I ... I mean, what do I do now?" I stuttered while picking at a snag in the only piece of dated furniture in the entire Rossi compound. I felt like an animal stuck behind the glass at the zoo as I endured their pointed gazes. Marco was at a loss for words. 

There in his office Marco seemed very much the old man, much older than he had been days before. His skin like frail parchment was so pallid it seemed no blood flowed within the blue veins beneath at all. It appeared as if it took maximum effort for him to remain seated upright as his sad eyes fell on me. His exhaustion seemed to be getting the better of him, but quickly I realized that it was not as simple as that.

"Dear one, my husband is weak. He needs to feed." Paola murmured breaking the silence. On her last word she exhaled a thick cloud of sweet smelling smoke I was fast becoming accustomed to. "And as for you Nicolette, I meant what I said before, this is your home. We are your family now. This house is yours sweet ... within its walls, on its grounds; you may do as you wish.

"B-but I don't want ... I mean, I can't be here ... alone." I whimpered looking up at her with pleading eyes. "Can't I go with Alessandro, please? I begged, surprising even myself, one week I am running from him and the next he is all I want. But the reality of it all was that I was quickly coming to grips with my situation.

Willingly or no, my life was changed the second Alessandro stole me. Reality had become fantasy and I was quickly learning that fantasy held more truth than reality ever had; and in knowing this family, these vampires, my life, the lonely monotonous life I had endured up to Alessandro had been false. As much as my logical self hated to admit it, Alessandro was my future, my anchor, my family, my real home; and the thought of him leaving ripped me apart.



Nicoletta Ch. 10



"B-but I don't want ... I mean, I can't be here ... alone." I whined looking up at her with pleading eyes. "Can't I go with Alessandro, please? I begged.

"No ..." came my answer from near the entrance of the room.

"I will not stay here..." I said with heat as I turned to face Alessandro.

"You will stay Nicollete." He countered, closing the gap between the two of us. "You will behave yourself, and you will stay until I return." He admonished voice set with inarguable finality. "I thought you had gone already ..." I breathed, as I chocked back ire and resentment. Had he not taken me, I would not be in such a precarious situation as being held a comfortable prisoner in a house full of blood thirsty vampires. Had Alessandro let me be in my small apartment, had he allowed me to continue to live my increasingly bland life, 

I ... I ... oh who was I kidding The second I woke to find myself in Alessandro Rossi's bed the quagmire of my situation alone yielded to my intellectual side, my curiosity enough to want to stay the course with this dangerous family. And beyond my curiosity I had to admit to myself that there was a small part, albeit resistant and precarious, that had come to at least care for Alessandro.

"I forgot something." He whispered sweeping me into his arms, and before I could complain or resist he kissed me deeply, and true. "Do not fight Nicolette..." He said pressing his forehead to mine. "You are safe here. I will return, and when I do, all will be well. Please have no fear ... this is your family ... you will never be alone." he admonished before stealing one last peck from my cheek, nodding his goodbye to his parents, and leaving the room.

Needing to hunt, Paola and Marco followed their son out and with everyone gone from the room, my fate for the near future decided unanimously, there was only one thing left for me to do, weep profusely. Confused and bereft of all I had once known, forced to try and accept what had just a couple of weeks ago been mere fiction as reality I crumpled to the floor in a shoulder shaking, runny nose, wet faced heap.

"I am such a mess!!" I complained to myself between sniffs. "I hate him, I hate them all..." I squeaked punctuating my falsity with a hiccup.

"Does that include me as well?" came a familiar alto voice from the front of the room. Genève ambled in bearing two clinking glasses in one hand and an awkwardly shaped bottle in the other. Her forlorn aquamarine eyes rimmed in red peered into mine. The red tint seemed to make her irises as blue-green as Grace Bay Beach. Until right then I had not considered that she was hurting too, after all it was her two time savior and lover locked in the basement cell. 

"Fancy a drink?" She asked casually sitting down in front of me. When I did not respond she set a glass in front of my crossed legs and one in front of her own. It was then that I noticed the bottle was shaped just like a teddy bear wearing a bow tie. I watched as she unceremoniously cracked the seal on the bottle and filled her glass just about to the rim. Once done pouring she capped the bottle, set it to the side, and peered into her glass as if it were a crystal ball that was about to transmit some mystic revelation to her about her future.

"I'tzz pretty good ..." she slurred with an approving nod after taking a sip from the full tumbler. It was clear that Genève had been drinking quite a lot already.

"What is that I murmured" gesturing towards the bottle.

"Vodka ..." she replied taking another sip, this one much bigger than the last. When she did not elaborate I scooted my glass forward. She nodded again with a crooked smile as she filled my glass, again almost to the very brim.

"Thanks ..." I muttered almost so quietly that I did not even register my gratitude. 

"Santé" she called raising her glass as I lifted my own to my lips. "Belver Bears..." She announced.

"I'm sorry, what?" I replied as the smooth liquor cascaded down my esophagus landing pleasantly warm in my stomach.

"The drink, it is called Belver Bears." She muttered before taking another mouthful. "I remember when Luca bought it as if it were yesterday, mostly because of its price tag, but that s-stupid man ..." On the thought of Luca Genève had to choke back tears before she could continue. 

"He j-just had to have it ..." she sniffed. "Stupid, stupid man!" She said again. Only this time her tears would not be checked. Two diamonds streaked down her cheeks as she took a long sip of her drink. I watched her drink now in silence and wondered if it was the price tag of the vodka that made her conclude the man she loved was so stupid, or if it was the killing of his own sister. Determining that it was the latter, all I could do was nod my agreement.

"He will be alright ..." I said in a weak attempt at consolation. But inadvertently my statement passed my lips as a trepidatious question. I instantly regretted even mentioning Luca's impending well-being as I watched her hand begin to tremble as she raised the glass to her lips again.

"I do not know what Marco plans to do with Luca" She said, her voice tight. "He has to release him though?" I asked. "I mean Luca is his son, he wouldn't castigate his own child would he?"

"Nicolette, Luca killed his sister, Marco's only daughter, with his bare hands!" She half groaned through clenched teeth. "And as if that were not bad enough, by killing Donata he has ruined the opportunity for an alliance with the most powerful family in the entire world." Speaking with her hands, some of the contents of her glass sloshed over the rim and onto the pristine carpet. 

"On her last breath, Luca's life was forfeit. Even if Marco forgives his son, Azazel will not."

The reality of the situation finally began to sink in. Blood is thicker than water, but things sort of begin to go sideways when fury filled murderous blood mixes with blood. Luca was in a perilous situation. He was in the proverbial rock and a hard place with no escape. But if somehow the events of the evening could repeat themselves I had no doubt Luca would take Donata's life every single time in defense of his Genève. In melancholy, we both sat in silent contemplation as we drained our glasses. "Genève ..." I began after a while.

"Please, call me Genie ..." she insisted.

"Alright, Genie, do you, and I am sorry if I am out of line, but do you ever, well, I mean, do you ever miss being human?" I asked feeling ignorant as my question, when spoken aloud sounded less logical than it had in my head, sophomoric even. But knowing that the end of my road would ultimately lead to the change, I had to know. To my surprise Genève did not flinch, nor did she laugh or mock my ignorance. Instead, Genève Renau told me a story. - "Since before I can remember I always knew that it had been a curse to have been born in such unforgiving times as the twelfth century." She began before topping her drink off. I noticed that after a few drinks in her, Genie's almost non-existent French accent became more and more evident. It surprised me how dumbfounded I was at the thought of her still having a French accent after nine centuries of life over the fact that she is over nine centuries old. 

"I was born in Languedoc, France in 1208 to a master mason, and his wife who longed desperately for a title." She reflected. As I looked at her she seemed so far away. It was as if, though physically she sat there with me in Marco's office, she was miles, and centuries away back in Languedoc.

"My name was not Genève then ..." She said pausing for a minute as she took a drink. I wondered in the time it took her to speak again if she had forgotten her given name after such a long time.

"My mother told me that as soon as I opened my eyes for the first time in my father's arms he said, 'Bienvenue à la lumière de ma petite Clarin ...' and so I was called Clarin Trencavel. 

It was not the best time for me to be born however. My father being a mason was not making much money as there were not many patrons offering work during the Cather Crusade which had been transpiring since 1209." Genève continued to reminisce as my mind drifted to the south of medieval France while she spoke.

As she talked about her family being hungry at times, but ultimately happy, in my mind's eye I saw her playing with her older brothers who allowed her to play at swords with them while they were supposed to have been practicing. She fished with her father who adored her and thought she could do no wrong. 

As an adolescent I saw her in a kitchen with her mother preparing dough for baking as she listened to her mother hum happily while she worked. Those were the good times, the early times. But soon enough the crusade came to back to Languedoc in 1215; and as Cathar supporters, the Trencavel family, well known Cathar supporters, was in danger. As if that were not enough, by then Genève's mother was pregnant again and her father wanted the family out of the city.

"They will take our boys ... you cannot stay ..." her father had said when he tried to send his wife and family further North to safety. "Jean and René are of age to fight Vivienne, but my darling ... they are not fighters!" He implored as his wife vehemently shook her head refusing to leave her husband, alone in the doomed city.

So because his wife would not leave him, Bertran Trencavel and his family packed up their belongings and made the long journey to just outside of Paris. The road to safety was treacherous at best. And to their terror, Jean and René ended up helping their father battle through skirmishes with not only small teams of inquisition deserters, but petty thieves and bullies as well. 

It was during one of these fights that Jean Claude, Genève's eldest brother was run through while attempting to protect his mother from a drunken brigand making untoward advances. The family had at least two more days on the road. And Jean's injury, though not normally fatal, it was severe enough that his father was uncertain that he would live long enough to get the help he needed.

"Will my brother live Papa?" sixteen year old Genève had asked with eyes brimming over with tears. But her father could not answer right away, so he dabbed at his son's feverish brow gently as he muttered a simple prayer.

"My son ..." He said finally, still not heeding his daughter's question. "My sweet Jean Claude ... will you endure the rite?" his father asked, speeding through the question. "I-I fear you'll not live to see our new home ... will you undergo the Consolamentum this night?"

"No!" rang her mother's voice from nearby. "No! I will not hear it! My son will not die!" she screamed holding her belly protectively as if the unborn child was in danger as well. She ambled over to father and son and struggled to the ground with them pushing her husband out of the way. "You will fight Jean Claude!" she spat furiously as she tried to cradle him in her arms. And as she did he tried to speak, but could only force out a weak cough, and a small smile for her.

"Madam, please forgive me ... but I fear you are wrong." We heard him before we saw him step out from the shadows. "Immediately René and my father got on their guard ... even I stood to defend my family grabbing up Jean's heavy blade." Genie said, hesitating on her brother's name. "Oh he was such a sweet boy ... I think I idolized him for a while actually." She said with a sigh.

"So, he died then?" I asked.

"Non ..." She said simply, taking a drink. "No, Jean did not die ..."

"Well what ..." I began before she went on.

"M-Monsieur Sartre?" my father had questioned. "But what are you doing out here Sir?" he'd asked in bewilderment. "My father knew the man who had stepped from the shadows ... he knew him well, which was strange, because all of his friends had been friends to the entire family, or so we thought." She'd said with certain bitterness. But what my father had not known was that I too had spoken with this man before on a few secret occasions.

"Azazel ..." I said without emotion.

"Azazel ..." She confirmed with a slow nod.

Lost in her reverie once again, Genève went on to explain how Azazel had been her father's sole patron and the reason the family had not starved to death since the crusade had begun. Her father had never introduced him to the family due to his keeping of odd hours, and extended trips away from the city. When her father worked for him, it was almost always at night, and never close to home. There had been times when she had been able to sneak out to follow her father as she liked to watch him work, she even fancied herself a master stone mason, ignoring the fact that it was not a path women walked. During these excursions Genie had seen her father conversing with a strange man on several occasions ... a few times no matter how well she felt she was hidden he seemed to know she was there watching him and her father ... as her father spoke to him about his work Azazel's eyes would find hers and lock on, and he would offer her a knowing nod or wink, and normally this would be enough to send her home on swift feet. They played this game often, her following, him nodding, and her running until a few weeks before the family was forced to leave Languedoc.

One night Genève sat watching her father working by torchlight from afar. Azazel had not yet made an appearance as she had expected him to. She knew that when he showed up she had been out long enough, and that if she did not wish to be caught she had better get home. On this particular night, after a while she looked up noticing the moon much higher in the sky than it normally had ever gotten while she was out, and she realized that due to Azazel's absence, she had lost track of time. In a rush she got to her feet and turned to go only to be stopped in her tracks on her first step.

"Leaving so soon chère?" Azazel questioned stepping from behind a great oak tree. Wild eyed, Genève jumped back slapping a quivering hand over her mouth as she tried to contain a squeal.

"Shhh Genève, you have nothing to fear ..." he soothed with his palms out stretched. "Apologies, I did not mean to startle you." He admonished. Genève's hand fell from her face slowly as she looked at him with pleading eyes, and then over her shoulder in the direction of her father ... quickly Azazel's gaze followed hers and he understood.

"Do not worry chère; your secret is safe with me." He promised. "But it is not safe for a beauty such as yourself to be out at such an ungodly hour, don't you think?

"I can take care of myself thank you, monsieur ..." she snapped finding her courage. "And if you did not mean to startle me why are you sneaking around behind trees spying on me?" She demanded. Azazel did not answer right away however as a rich chuckle rumbled from his chest. Genève marveled at how his grey eyes seemed to twinkle as moonlight reflected off of them. But all too quickly her wonder turned to scorn at his amusement and she scowled at him as she bit her lower lip to stifle poisonous chastisements for the strange, yet most beautiful man she had ever seen.

"I sneak around spying on you!" He chuckled. "No chère, you began this game ... I have simply changed the rules." He had said flashing her a mischievous smile. Astounded by his forwardness she had no words. Instead she narrowed her eyes at him, spat a hasty 'bonne nuit', and pushed past him to make her way home.

"Chère .... Wait! Sil vous plait!" he implored still with amusement in his tone.

"My name is not chère!" She spat turning on a heel to face him. "And I will not be mocked!" And with that she turned back towards home and went on her way. As she walked home a small smile played on her lips at the thought of his referring to her as chère.

"Three days passed before I drummed up the courage to venture out after my father again." She said. "It took me so long not because I was afraid I would be caught ..." she paused taking a drink. "It took me three days because for the first time in my life I knew what it was to love a man like a man, and not like a father, or like a brother, and I was terrified ..."

"Wait a second ..." I broke in feeling the effects of the vodka working its magic. I just knew that I had heard her wrong. "We are still talking about Azazel right?" I asked incredulously.

"I went back on the fourth night ..." She continued ignoring my question. "Azazel had been waiting for me in the very spot I had left him last...and he was there every single night thereafter for six months as was I."

"But Genie ... your story ... Alessandro said that Azazel ..."

"That he raped me, left me for dead in the hands of the inquisition?" she interrupted.

"Well yes ..."

"The family has only bits and pieces of the tale Nicolette ..." she whispered on a trembling breath before filling her glass again. "Azazel betrayed me, after my duplicity shattered his heart..."

I was at a loss as we sat there ... my mind swum with the implications of the direction our conversation had just turned toward. Dumbfounded and confused I wondered if I could stand to hear more, if I wanted learn of an Azazel who had not started off as a monster or concede to the sheer terror I felt when I thought about Azazel getting his hands on either one of us. "W-what happened between you two Genie?" I asked hesitantly. As I sat waiting my nerves got the better of me forcing blood from my limbs causing me to shiver once as my hands began to feel like ice. She looked at me, her eyes heavy with drink, and wet with fat new tears waiting to be born.

"Azazel was not always l-like this!" she sobbed in one ragged breath. She raked a hand through her dark hair before drinking again, and giving a loud sniff. "H-he was a kind man, mischievous ... he was so funny, and s-so loving during the time we stole together." She whispered as if she could hide the tale from god if she did not speak her truth more audibly. 

"He always had a small gift for me ... sometimes as simple as a lily, or a book he had picked up during a day trip, and sometimes a small trinket easily hidden from prying eyes." As she spoke I watched her hand absently stroke over a silver encased cameo choker. I wondered if it was one of the trinkets he had gifted to her.

"I was so young ... so young and naive, but head strong." She continued. "Six months into our affair Azazel asked me to marry him ... and without thought I agreed." She admitted. "During our time together I had not realized just how complacent I had become when sneaking out of the house, that is until one night as I lay nuzzled in Azazel's arms my father stepped from behind the same great oak that Azazel had once used to hide himself from me."

"Clarin?" He'd questioned. The tension in my father's voice cut through the perfect night like a jagged blade seeking purchase in supple flesh, Azazel's to be specific. "What goes on here? Get up!" He demanded, his voice now booming.

"Father ... please, you do not understand" I tested.

"Now!" He ordered.

"Monsieur Trencavel I can explain..." implored Azazel as he released me from his hold.

"Have you touched her!"

"Father!" I cried wholly mortified.

"be silent, Clarin!"

"No Bertrand ... I have not" Azazel answered quickly. "I mean to marry Clarin. I would do nothing to hurt her reputation, nor would I dishonor you old friend."

"And lying here in this field where anyone can see you will not harm my daughter's reputation?" He insisted

"Bertrand, please, just hear us out! Azazel beseeched."

"Let's go child!" My father said ignoring Azazel completely. He grabbed my hand in a vise grip and dragged me stumbling behind him in the black of night towards home.

"How long has this been going on Clarin?" My father bellowed while using the full force of his strength to fling me over the threshold of our home. I landed hard on the wood floor scraping up my knees.




Nicoletta Ch. 10



"I-I don't know..." I squeaked willing my tears not to fall.

"Oh but I think you do know my wily little jezebel!"

"Oh father ..." I groaned heartbroken from the scorn of his words.

"How-long damn you girl!"

"Six months!" I cried

"Six months huh...? You played the town whore for six months, Clarin?"

"n-no ... father I didn't!"

"This ends, right now Clarin!" He barked slamming his fist into our kitchen table.

"No!" I shouted, but before I could say more the room around me emitted a flash of white light before darkness flooded my vision. It took me a second to realize that my father's hand had made flesh heating, mind numbing contact with my face in a furious slap knocking me to the ground.

"Father I love him!" I plead while holding my stinging cheek.

"You know nothing Clarin ... and much less about love!" he seethed.

"Please father ..."

"You will not leave this house without a chaperon!" He ruled. And you will bed with your mother, lest you decide to take another midnight stroll."

"Father ..." I said weakly. "P-please ..." It seemed that after the slap he had begun to calm, yet still I flinched when he knelt in front of me so that we were eye to eye.

"This is done Clarin ... do you understand?" and with that he stood up again and turned his back to me. It was like another slap in the face, my father had completely shut down.

"No father, I do not understand ..." I sniffed. He said nothing right off, he just stood there staring out of the window.

"You know nothing Clarin ..." he said with a certain sadness. "Then tell me!" I demanded. He was quiet for a long time as he considered his answer. "I owe you no explanation daughter, none what so ever!"