10. Conquering Cuteness

Chapter 10

Conquering Cuteness

Victor

I couldn't believe it.

Ever since my brother had told me of her existence, I had my doubts. She was like some mythical being that felt too untouchable to ever reach. Then the little firefly had run straight into my arms after I had just committed a murder, the body of the man barely cold behind the building I had left him behind.

It was a rogue shifter I had felt the need to hunt down myself just so as I could ease my dark soul. My foul mood had caressed my soul ever since my brother and I had found our Moirai, our Fated one, gone. Escaped from our grasp without a trace. It had been too much of a bitter fucking pill to swallow and had sent us both into an uncontrollable rage.

Talon had felt the loss even more than I, for he had not only tasted our Fated, but he had also failed to keep her. Failed to even know her name so as we may track her down with ease. Failed to keep her locked away as our prisoner until she softened to our new presence in her life.

Before we had the chance at making her fall for us.

Hence why Talon had been concentrating his efforts in trying to find her. He had our men working the surveillance camaras to try and track her movements. And all of it had been in vain because she had been the one to find us… or should I say, she had found me.

The chances of such were too slim. Meaning there must be a reason for it because I didn't believe in coincidences. I had just been thankful that unlike her first murderous impression of Tal, I had the opportunity to do things properly. Although had she turned up moments sooner, then she would have found me in the same position as she found my brother, sucking the life out of one of our enemies.

The irony was that it ended with me looking like her hero. The punk kid who turned up I should have thanked instead of breaking his wrist. For it formed enough trust within her to get her to agree to have coffee with me. Although I could feel her reluctance, it wasn't enough to get her to run. Of course, had she done so, then I would have no other choice but to chase her down and kidnap her for a second time. Because I couldn't risk losing her once more.

Not now we had found her again.

But even now, it felt like I was in a fucking dream, and for once, the doors remained open for me to reach her. For here she was, sitting next to me, and I had to say it was the most delicious torture clawing at my soul. The entire time, all I wanted to do was touch her. To feel what my brother already had and more. The angel had practically fallen at my feet, and it took everything in me not to simply snatch her up, there and then.

In fact, I nearly did.

But then I also knew that I had been awarded a unique opportunity, for she had no idea who I was.

What I was.

So, what if I could get her to fall for me as a man and nurture an obsession so as it might grow within her? To root myself so deeply that when the time came for her to discover who I was at my core, she wouldn't want to run. It was a far-fetched dream to be sure, but I knew I had to at least try. Because I didn't want her fear, I wanted her willing submission. I wanted her addiction. Her need. I wanted her obsession to fan the flames of our own.

Because I was already there.

Just in this short time, I was a Vampire lost with a craving of the likes I had never known. Everything about her I found myself utterly fascinated by. And my brother had not been exaggerating. She was the epitome of perfection, but she was also so much more.

She was fucking adorable.

Not something I ever thought myself capable of appreciating, let alone finding it the biggest fucking turn on in my life. That nervous little smile of hers… The way she tucked her hair behind her ear or the sound she made with her uneasy laugh… Her heart-shaped lips mirroring the shape of her face… The dusting of freckles across her small nose, and rosy cheeks…

Then I caught the scent of her, and I was unable to hold back from whispering the same word my brother had said.

"Peaches."

Because he had been right. She did smell like fucking peaches. Gods but I had no fucking hope. Only the threat of the gunman kept me rooted to reality and had I moved past my astonishment long enough to act in saving her from harm. Fuck, but just the thought of what could have happened to her had I not been there, it had me gritting my teeth when my back was to her.

One thing was for fucking certain, and that was she would not ever again be so reckless with her life by walking through the park alone in the dark. She hadn't told me what she had been doing there but then again, neither had I. Although my nefarious reasons weren't exactly something I could freely admit to, not without her doing as she did with Talon. The first thought in her mind would have been to ensure her freedom of me and run. Mine would have been to make chase. Which would have only led to her second kidnapping in less than twenty-four hours.

Poor girl, she had no idea and, for now, that was exactly how I preferred it. Of course, when she asked me if I was a cop, I had wanted to laugh at the irony of that question.

In fact, since our meeting in the park, I cannot recall ever smiling so much in my entire life! I found her utterly fascinating, everything from her oblivious comments, to her cute as fuck nervous rambling. I had nearly burst out laughing when she commented about both our names starting with a V. Not so much the obvious observation but more her look of horror when she realized what she had said. She had an extremely expressive face, and I was completely captivated by her responses.

Her nervousness was my favorite one so far.

It may have made me a bastard, but I enjoyed being the one to make her nervous, for her heartbeat quickened every time I did. The scent in her veins made my mouth fucking water. Her little gasps and sighs made me fucking hard. Her beautiful eyes widened, and it was a sight I easily lost myself in.

Gods, I couldn't fucking wait to make her ours.

Speaking of which, my brother's frustrations and anger were still very much alive as he snapped,

"I am happy you seem so fucking calm, Brother!"

"Perhaps I have reason to be," I replied calmly, making him growl down the phone.

"Yes, nice to know sating your blood lust is all it took but for some of us who actually tasted perfection, then trust me, you would not be so easily appeased if you experienced what I had."

I looked back at the perfection he spoke of, and told her,

"If you will excuse me a moment."

She nodded and waved her dainty hand as if me speaking on the phone was no bother. Had it not been my brother on the other end, then it would have been a bother to me, because anything that took my attention away from her would.

But Talon needed to know, so after excusing myself, I stood and made my way to the front of the coffee shop. I exited and positioned myself so as I could keep my eye on her through the window. For I would not let her out of my sight for a second. Not now we had found her again.

"Who are you speaking to?" my brother demanded, his mood the sourest I had experienced in years and, again, I found myself grinning. The once foreign expression was quickly starting to feel familiar.

The sadistic part of me contemplated making him suffer for a little longer but, in the end, I decided to ease his torment.

"Someone you will be happy to hear does indeed smell of peaches." Silence on the end of the call ensued after a hiss of disbelief.

"Tell me you do not jest? For I know you are a cruel bastard but surely you love me as a brother more than the desire to inflict sure torture."

I grinned again.

"I do not jest."

"How… when… what the fuck, Brother?!" I laughed at that, and heard him mutter,

"And now he fucking laughs, Hell certainly did freeze over whilst I was locked away in this fucking surveillance room." His complaint only had me smiling more.

"I had just caught our rogue and finished my meal, when our little firefly ran right into me."

"Firefly?" he questioned.

"Her hair was glowing a reddish blonde under the light when I found her."

"Cute," he mused, and oh how quickly we had changed, for neither of us ever found anything fucking cute before in our dark lives.

"She is indeed," I unashamedly agreed.

"I told you. Fuck, tell me where you are so I can come down there and bask in this discovery as well." This was when my body tensed because I knew he was not going to like this part.

"I can't do that, Tal," I stated firmly, my body tense and ready for the outburst.

"Why the fuck not?!" he barked, making me close my eyes in frustration.

"Because she is terrified of you," I reminded him.

"And she isn't of you?" he asked incredulously.

"No, our meeting happened seconds after I had left the body out of sight, and seconds before I ended up saving her from being mugged at gun point," I informed him making him growl.

"What the fuck?! Was she harmed? Is she alright?" His panic spoke volumes.

"Yes, for naturally, I took care of the situation," I said, my tone saying it all… my actions should have been fucking obvious. As if I would have let anything happen to our girl.

"I hoped you drained the fucker dry," Tal snarled.

"I was a little busy trying not to give the girl another excuse to run from us," I pointed out sardonically.

"Ouch, fucking gut me, why don't you?"

I shrugged my shoulders out of habit.

"Well, I wasn't about to waste the opportunity when it presented itself," I told him, knowing I was only feeding the bitterness he would feel.

"Great, so I get to be the villain she is terrified of, and you get to play the fucking hero… where are you now? Showing her your white horse?" I couldn't help but laugh at that.

"No, we are having coffee, which you are interrupting, I might add." I could practically see him grinding his teeth after I said this.

"Asshole. Fine, make her fall in love with you, but you know as well as I do that at some point she will figure out the truth. You cannot keep her from me."

I released a sigh and told him the truth.

"Nor do I intend to, for she is as much yours as she is mine, our current situation does not change that."

I heard him take a relieved breath and I couldn't say that I blamed him. If our roles had been reversed, I would have felt the same concern, despite knowing my brother would never stab me in the back in that regard. In fact, I could now understand why those who had been fortunate enough to find their Moirai Theía, then spoke of the ‘Fated Madness' that followed. An obsession that grows until they could be claimed. No doubt then why kidnapping them first is so often the case, because a Vampire would literally go mad without their Moirai by their side.

"So, what is the plan then?" My brother's question brought me back from my thoughts.

"One I will share when I am back but, for now, have our men at the ready, for I want her watched around the clock. I will send you the details when I can," I told him, already planning ahead in my mind and at the ready to make my move, should I need to.

"So, you know who she is then?" he asked, making me grin as I remembered my reaction to hearing her last name. But again, I couldn't help but play the bastard and torture him some more.

"Yes, I did what you failed to do and got her name."

"Fuck off, dickhead," he snarled, and my grin got bigger. Fuck me, this was fun.

"That is smart dickhead to you, little Brother." Oh how he hated to be reminded by the fact I was older, making him reply through gritted teeth,

"Five fucking minutes, Vic."

"And they count, clearly. Now piss off, so I can get back to my date," I said, poking the beast within him some more and knowing I was the only one that would ever get away with doing so with my life.

Although now looking at our cute little Peach through the window, I suppose I could add another to that short list.

"I hate you right now, you know that?" he muttered, making me laugh, and he made a sound as if surprised to have heard it coming from me. Fuck, but I was surprised myself, for it was a sound the world rarely fucking heard.

"Yes, yes I do," I agreed. However, before I could finish the call, I heard him ask,

"Wait! Before you go, at least tell me her name."

"Vanessa Cadell," I told him, expecting his response, for he too would know what it meant, and he didn't disappoint as he laughed.

"Then into battle it really is," he commented, and I looked to her sipping her coffee, totally unaware that her life was about to be spun upside down and owned completely.

And soon.

Hence why I replied…

"Yes, and one we will soon conquer."