Re: Knowledge can be dangerous (Consulting Detective and Lamenting_Quill)

[Lamenting_Quill]

"You are enormously attractive," he told her, a small smile gracing his face. "You should never let any man or woman make you believe otherwise."

She wasn't sure if it was the wine or his beautiful amber flecked brown eyes, but she couldn't help but notice how lush and kissable his lips looked.
Arial knew she really shouldn't be thinking such things about a man she had only just met today, but she was so depressed and he was so absolutely handsome. Didn't help that he was telling her how beautiful she was.

"You know" Arial said, her jade green eyes slightly darker with intoxication "You really know how to make a girl feel better when she's down"
Arial wasn't sure when it had occurred, but she was closer now to Vincente, she wasn't positive if Vincente had to moved at all.
None of it seemed to matter though, her mind was dulled with a pleasant dizzy feeling and she was sitting across from one of the most handsome men she'd ever seen.

“I'm gonna kick myself for this tomorrow” Arial murmured softly before she leaned in the rest of the way and caught his lips with her own.
His lips were as soft and velvety as she thought they would be, it was like pure heaven in a kiss. Who needed some magazine editing nerd when she could make out with a gorgeous hunk like this in the back of a limo on the way to a romantic dinner at a beautiful French restaurant.

[Consulting Detective]

Vicente watched some rather interesting things occurring before his eyes as he studied Arial. Seeing her mood change from being depressed and angry to intoxicated and desirous was very intriguing, and he inwardly smiled at the thought. She had a rather lovely aura, he had to admit. Lovelier than most he'd seen. That was quite special. There were sparkles in her aura, which he'd never witnessed before. Quite beautiful.

He raised a thin eyebrow ever-so-slightly as the woman scooted closer to him, almost seeming not to notice that she was even doing so. But then her next move was quite intentional, judging by her murmured remark about regretting this later. He certainly hoped she wouldn't regret tonight. Then again, even if she did, it wouldn't be for long. Well... sort of. She could do plenty of regretting once she was dead. The spirits of the dead were not overly happy beings, he'd heard. Not that he'd ever interacted with one, but he knew vampires who messed around with ghosts quite often. Not a talent he was particularly fond of.

The woman's next move surprised Vicente, but only because he didn't think she'd actually go through with this. He quite suddenly found her lips brushing against his own, and he set his glass of "wine" down before wrapping his arms around her to draw her in more closely. He ended up with her straddling his lap, but he certainly didn't mind. It felt rather good to kiss someone warm and alive. Her lips felt incredibly soft, and his eyes slid shut as he gave a quiet sigh of enjoyment.

It certainly wasn't the best kiss in the world, but it was all right. Arial seemed to be a good kisser, and it was Vicente's side of the kiss that wasn't quite right. Not because of what he was--his lips were passably warm--but because he was a bit out-of-practice when it came to kissing.

[Lamenting_Quill]

She giggled a little against his lips as she wrapped her arms around his neck, the limo turned a corner and she fell into him a little bit more.
Arial lifted one of her hands to run a hand through his thick silken black hair, it felt absolutely amazing between her fingers... or maybe she was just a little drunk... who knew.

Her tongue snaked out to sensually caress his bottom lip, good lord his lips tasted as fantastic as they felt. She wanted to explore every inch of his mouth, he was better than chocolate.
Did she mention how sexy this made her feel? Sitting on a gorgeous man and enjoying a hot kiss.

"Either I really have been out of the dating scene a long time or you are seriously just absolutely amazing, like the sweetest chocolate" Arial purred softly against Vincente's lips "You are just too addictive. No man should taste that good, should be illegal or something"
Her hands moved down to rub his shoulders and then his chest, he was firm and well muscled. It made her shiver all the way down to her toes, she was seriously considering not drinking even again, she really could get herself into some serious trouble.
For now though? She had just been humiliated and embarrassed, so she was going to enjoy herself some nice luscious man-cake.

[Consulting Detective]

Vicente gave a little shiver beneath Arial as he felt her tongue trail along his bottom lip. She was tasting him, and that thought made him hum lightly in pleasure. He wanted to taste her, and once that desire was in his head, he couldn't stop himself from parting his lips and letting his own tongue join the fray.

He got to enjoy only a few seconds of tasting the woman's lips before she pulled back enough to speak. Her words made his eyes dilate slightly with desire, and he breathed, "We could pretend it is illegal, if the idea of acting outside the law excites you."

It was only after he'd spoken that he realized exactly what he'd said, and a very light blush rose into his cheeks. That had been rather suggestive of him, but with the addition of the blushing it was rather adorable. Like there was a certain innocence to him.

[Lamenting_Quill]

Arial blushed and smiled, a small giggle slipped from her lips before she leaned back in to reclaim his lips.
His arms around her made her feel wanted and desired, the way he held her so close.

She gave a long pleased sigh as their lips rejoined in that passionate embrace, it felt so unbelievably good to kiss this gorgeous Adonis of a man. Andrew who?
Wasn't like she was very close to Andrew anyhow, she barely knew the guy, but this right here... This was was magic... or maybe just a lot of wine...
It didn't matter she supposed, not now and not tomorrow either, she deserved better than some idiot that would turn up another woman's skirts in less than fifteen minutes after confessing feelings to her.

It felt good, being here in Vincente's arms, he washed away all of the hurt and humiliation, he made her feel like she was actually worth something, for now anyway...
Her hands lifted to bury into his ebony locks, caressing his scalp with every wave of passion that swept through her. He really inspired her.
She wasn't sure what it was about him, but he brought out everything she was, he brought out the magical being in her... the one that wanted more than a mediocre human life.

It was far too dangerous for her though, vampires would hunt her down for the powerful boost her blood would give them, so these moments here with Vincente would have to be enough.

[Consulting Detective]

Vicente was reveling in the feel of the woman's hands running through his hair as she kissed him so enthusiastically. It made him feel amazing, and he moaned softly into her mouth. The sound caught him by surprise, making him falter slightly in the kiss. Only for a moment, though. Then he was back to his previous standard of kissing. Average, but getting better. It was hard to forget how to kiss well.

His own hands were doing their share of exploring, running through her hair and caressing her shoulders and back. They eventually came to rest on her sides, bringing her closer to him. It was hard to maneuver in the back of a limo, but Vicente did have some practice with it. He'd been riding in limos all his life plus extra. He honestly hadn't gone horrendously far in the back of a limo, but there had been some heated make-out sessions. Much like this one, really.

He shifted his weight, keeping one arm around Arial while the other steadied them as he moved to practically lay on top of her. That was surprisingly comfortable, and he gladly shifted his full focus back to their kiss. Considering how intoxicated the woman was, he doubted she'd protest this change in position. All things considered, Vicente was behaving himself. He wasn't touching her anywhere inappropriate. She should be grateful for that. Unless it's what she really wanted from him right now. In which case, his lack of intimate touching would probably be an annoyance.

[Lamenting_Quill]

Heat pooled in her lower stomach as he grasped her tightly around her waist and turned them over so he was laying atop her, she became instantly aware of every inch of his body.
His was firm and sculpted everywhere, perfect flat stomach and washboard abs, and his biceps... Perfect, not too big and not too thin, firm and strong.

Made her wonder if he made routine visits to the gym or something, oh to be fabulously wealthy and make total use of it.
She lifted her free knee to caress his thigh, it brought his lower section even closer and shiver of desire traveled down her spine.
"You are amazing" Arial purred in between feverish kisses, her hands traveling up and down his back, her nails occasionally lightly scratching through the silk of his shirt "Make my toes curl"

Never without wine would she ever confess being so effected by a man, but what the hell, she would probably never see him again after tonight, she was certain he had far more attractive options.
The limo turned another corner and she had to hold tighter to Vincente's waist, If they rolled off together she doubted they'd notice with all the heavy kissing going on.
She doubted that firm body of his would even feel much of it, which just made being enveloped in his strong arms all the more sexier.

"We're almost... there... I think" Arial murmured between coming up for air, her hands rubbing down his back and down his sides "Mmmm, so good"

[Consulting Detective]

Feeling Arial's knee rub against his thigh had sent a little jolt through Vicente, and he found himself returning the kiss more fervently than before. He couldn't believe that he was actually doing this, but that was not a reason for him to even consider stopping. Here he was, making out with the woman he'd been told to kill earlier that night. Instead of killing her, he was dancing on first base. That was certainly not what he'd anticipated happening tonight. Then again, the night hadn't gone as planned in most ways. If it had, she would have shown up alone to meet him at some public place, and he would have killed her in a spot with no witnesses before leaving and going about his business. Certainly not how things had ended up.

He could feel Arial's hands running over his body, feeling the solid musculature of his torso. Going to the gym had been a regular occurrence for him when he'd been human. He still went on occasion, even now. For old time's sake, perhaps. It was no longer possible for him to gain weight or lose his physique, so there was no real point in working out. Ah, the perks of being undead. There were some good qualities to it, aside from all of the shit that he had to deal with.

Upon hearing her guess at when they'd be arriving, Vicente regretfully pulled back from the kiss. He did remain on top of her, however. That spot was so very comfortable, and he wouldn't give it up so easily. He was just coming up for air, so to speak, and to see if they really were getting close. They were most certainly in the city now, and he could recognize the street that the restaurant was on. He'd heard about this new place when it opened, and he had been wanting to check it out. If only as a location for business-related meetings.

"You are correct," he stated with a sigh. That meant their time on the seat was coming to an end. Then they'd have to get up and go into the restaurant. Not something that he was particularly looking forward to, truth be told. The company was fine, but the food... Well, that presented its own share of complications. He was fortunate enough to still be able to taste food and eat it normally, but he did have to deal with some stomach issues afterward. Namely, vomiting up a belly-full of ash. That's what food became when vampires ate it. Ash. And it was disgusting.

[Lamenting_Quill]

Arial just about cried out with dismay as he removed his lips from hers and lifted partially off of her, which brought on the reality that they really were almost to the restaurant.
"You know what" Arial said, slightly panting from lack of oxygen, though really needed oxygen "I'm more hungry for something else... who needs fine French food"

She gently grasped the back of his head and pulled him back down for another passionate and hungry kiss, she moaned in pleasure as his lips came back in contact with her own.
Arial wrapped her arms around his shoulder and caressed the back of his back and down to scratch lightly on his back, he seemed to like that.

"You are intoxicating" Arial whispered against his lips just before the kiss returned to its prior fever, her tongue twisting with his in that age old dance of desire. She'd never wanted a man as much as she wanted Vincente Ashcroft and boy was that frightening, but she couldn't possibly pull away from his lips right there.
Those lips of his were like the most addictive drug on the face of the planet and she couldn't get enough of it.
'I must be insane' Arial thought to herself 'What would a wealthy guy like this want with a middle class journalist like me? Oh but good lord, he was absolutely divine!'

He certainly could kiss, he really knew how to get her going with those delicious mouth of his on hers, it made her think about what else he could do with that mouth.
Unfortunately for her, she didn't know the frightening secrets that mouth held as well...

[Consulting Detective]

Vicente really hadn't wanted to go to the restaurant anyway, so he was perfectly content to stay in the limo for a while longer and kiss Arial until both of their heads were spinning. He heard that quiet moan she gave as his lips returned to hers, and that delicious sound made him give a slight tremble in her arms. He couldn't remember the last time he'd felt this way from something as simple as kissing, but this kiss was exciting him to a level that he hadn't expected.

"And you are incredible," he breathed against her lips after she called him intoxicating. "Gorgeous, amazing, special..." He kissed her fervently for several long and blissful moments, then added, "Different..." That was perhaps the highest compliment that he could pay someone. Different. It was easy to become cynical when in a position like his, and he had to admit to himself that he saw most humans as being discouragingly alike. When he found someone who broke the mold, he tried to collect them as his ghouls. That's how he'd gotten Richard, Jeanette, and Zachary. But he didn't want Arial as just another ghoul in his service. She had such potential...

He put those thoughts out of his head for now, not even noticing when the limo came to a stop in a parking lot. Richard didn't draw attention to that fact. Apparently he was letting the two young people--well, one young and one who was significantly closer to Richard's own age--have their fun in the back. He certainly wouldn't disturb his employer. Not when he looked like he was enjoying himself so much. Such a refreshing sight. It had been far too long since he'd seen Vicente with a girl.

[Lamenting_Quill]

"And you are incredible," he breathed against her lips after she called him intoxicating. "Gorgeous, amazing, special..." He kissed her fervently for several long and blissful moments, then added, "Different..."

Those sexy compliments purred into her ear drove her wild with want and desire, she craved to take him back to her place and shag him senseless, but that was just a little too far too soon even under the influence of wine.

She almost didn't notice when her tongue scrapped across something sharp in his mouth, but odd teeth here and there rather on the sharp side were not unsual, so she just dismissed and allowed the exchange of saliva to wash away the tangy metallic taste of blood.

Her hands pulled up the bottom of his shirt from the back, her hands eagerly caressed silken smooth bare skin, he felt absolutely divine. It made her want to touch him everywhere, to partake of the forbidden.
Arial moaned with pleased satisfaction as she wriggled her pelvis a bit in an effort to tease him, she giggled when she heard a hiss of pleasure.

"You liked that?" Arial murmured, nipping gently at his bottom lip as she leaned in for another kiss "This isn't bad at all for second base in the back of a limo"
She leaned forward a bit to nibble at his neck as she caught her breath, every square inch of this man was ten times greater than her favorite chocolate.

[Consulting Detective]

Vicente gasped softly as he felt the woman's tongue graze one of his fangs, drawing just a little bit of blood. In no ways a substantial amount, but enough to put the taste into his mouth and make him hum softly with desire. He hadn't realized that his fangs had come in somewhat while kissing, but he certainly noticed now. The only thing to do was put them away in a hurry so Arial wouldn't take further notice of them, but it was a little hard to do that with the taste of her blood--her absolutely delicious and incredibly potent blood....

He felt her hands slide up under his shirt in the back, and he squirmed slightly at the contact. Being touched in places usually well-covered by clothes was something that he wasn't used to, but it was by no means an unpleasant sensation. He quite enjoyed it, and he hoped she would continue to touch his bare skin. Her hands felt pleasantly warm, a stark contrast to the coolness of his skin.

When he felt her hips move against him, a quiet hiss of pleasure escaped him before he could stop it. She heard it, clearly, and she seemed to enjoy it. That was fortunate, because so did he. Especially after that taste of blood. Oh hell did he want to get more of that blood. Even just a small taste. It was so incredible...

"Not bad at all," he agreed, his voice low with desire. His breath caught as her lips found his neck, his head tilting back to give her easier access. He vaguely remembered the feel of a very different mouth on his neck, and he gave a soft groan just from the thought of that amazing night. The end of his life and the beginning of something new.

[Lamenting_Quill]

As amazing and wanted as Vincente made her feel, she knew it was also highly unlikely that there could ever be a relationship between them, so it was best to stop this before it went too far that she would regret it later and have her heart broken. It wasn't wise to let herself fall for this mysterious and handsome man, he was just too charming.

It was far too important to Arial to continue searching the world for that one special man whom would love her forever and be her soul mate, she wanted to live happily ever after with her prince charming and she truly doubted Vincente was that prince charming meant to take that important seat in her life.

She was so very lucky that she possessed such an iron will and a strong respect for herself, she also had respect for Vincente and didn't want to lead him on when she knew this wasn't going to go beyond tonight. It just wouldn't be right, Arial knew that.

Vincente was cut from a completely different cloth than she was, he had been handed everything he'd ever wanted all his life and she had always worked hard for what she got and had. Arial truly doubted that they could ever belong in the same world or make a relationship work... even if he was a really great guy.
At least she could spend the last few decent hours of the evening with him, laughing with him and swapping intellectual opinions and stories before they went their separate ways.

Arial put her palms on his chest and gently pushed him up "We need to stop now, before it goes too far. However... I wouldn't mind a walk under the stars? The coast isn't too far, maybe along the beach would be nice?"
Her smile was full of warm sincerity, she really truly wanted to spend some more time with him without the risk of either of them ending up with a broken heart in the end.

[Consulting Detective]

Vicente was surprised by the sudden change in the mood. The woman had made a decision regarding how far she was willing to let Vicente go, and even though she desired him, she was managing to stop. Vicente didn't think he would have had the strength to stop if he had been in her position. Even as it was, he was having difficulty backing off. His tongue was still buzzing with the taste of Arial's blood, and he wanted more of it. Oh, how he wanted more.

"A star-lit walk down the beach?" he echoed, giving Arial a too-sexy smile. "That sounds awfully romantic." A short pause, then, "I would be honored to join you for such a walk." These beaches, from what he'd seen, were largely abandoned at night. No one would disturb them. Hell, he could even toss her in the ocean after killing her. Let the water destroy the evidence. That sounded like a wonderful idea, but he wasn't going to kill her without getting another taste of that blood. That would come first. It must come first.

Did he really want to kill her, though? He doubted he'd ever find another human quite like her. She was different, but not in the same way as his servants. She awakened certain desires in him that he thought he'd never experience again. He was intrigued by her, and he wanted to learn why this was happening to him. Why did she have such an effect on him? The idea of killing her was so unappealing right now. The idea of taking her blood, though, was the opposite. He could think of nothing more appealing. Not even gaining favor with the Prince.

[Lamenting_Quill]

"A star-lit walk down the beach?" he echoed, giving Arial a too-sexy smile. "That sounds awfully romantic." A short pause, then, "I would be honored to join you for such a walk."

Arial gave a soft and musically pretty chuckle, her jade green eyes filled with amusement and then also the urge to warn him that this was more of a memorable way to say goodbye rather than a romantic outing for a potential couple.
She said nothing and with a smile, she slipped out from under him and reached to open the door on her side of the limo.

Stepping out, Arial waited for Vincente to join her and when he finally came around the limo to stand at her side, she took his hand and they began to walk in the direction of the coast, a mere ten minute walk away tops.
"You know" Arial said "I've always love night the best, especially when the are so many stars scattered across the sky like tiny glittering diamonds. It's so serene and quiet, an untainted beauty... the night sky is truly magical"

She turned her face to look at him and blushed, smiling as she chuckled a little bit "I'm sorry, I bet that sounds really silly and just plain girly. Don't be afraid to tell me if I am boring you at all"
Arial seriously wished she could find a nice safe middle class guy as sweet and charming as Vincente, but he seemed almost too perfect to be true.

"Sometimes I think about giving up this lucrative career of journalism, it's not really getting me any closer to knowing what I saw that night... that's really the only reason I pursued this, I wanted to know what that was and I thought maybe if I kept writing and researching, I might find something or someone might be able to tell me" Arial said, gazing down at her comfortable low heels as they walked "My mom always said I was trying to substitute my love life with an overly exciting career, sometimes I wonder if she was right, but... I just want some answers, that's all"

Her rose pink lips curved into a sweet smile as she looked over at Vincente "Thank you, for listening to my ranting by the way, I appreciate it a lot"
She looked up ahead when she could hear the sound of waves crashing onto sand, they were just arriving at the beach now "So peaceful, the ocean... so huge and mysterious... As terrifying as it is beautiful"

[Consulting Detective]

Vicente joined Arial outside the limo, trusting that Richard would wait for them. That's what the man was paid to do, after all. Wait for Vicente and drive him places. And, on occasion, act to assist Vicente in some less-than-safe situations. The middle-aged driver had a handgun stashed in the limo, of course. For occasions which called for such things in order to get out alive.

Listening to the woman's opinion on the beauty of the night was interesting, to say the least. Her opinion resembled Vicente's own, and he smiled pleasantly when she apologized for sounding corny. "You may not believe it, Miss Kolette, but I agree with you wholeheartedly," he stated, looking up at the starry sky. "The night sky is truly beautiful, and the night is my favorite time to be out in the open air." It was the only time he could be out, but she didn't know that.

"You are speaking of the individual you saw with the glowing eyes?" he inquired after Arial spoke her part about considering leaving her job. If she just quit, then Vicente wouldn't have to kill her. The only thing keeping her there was information, it seemed, and he couldn't exactly tell her what she wanted to know. Then again, if she did find out from him, who would find out? If that knowledge would result in her quitting her job, then she wouldn't write about it. There would be no spreading of that knowledge, and therefore her life could be spared. It was something to consider.

He smiled when she thanked him for listening, and returned, "Any time, Miss Kolette." That implied that there would be another time, and he'd like that. He needed that, really. Whether it was to kill her or just to spend time with her again. Even get her blood, perhaps... Oh, how he wanted to get another taste of that delicious blood.

[Lamenting_Quill]

Arial smiled at him and gave his hand a warm squeeze before she released it and walked onto the sandy beach, she slipped off her heels and allowed the sand to go between her toes.
"I love the beach at night, the sand is so pretty and white" She said and began to twirl around with a giggle, it had been awhile since she felt so free.
She turned and looked to Vincente with a bright beautiful smile, she held out a hand "Dance with me, Vincente, with only the sparkling stars as our audience and the crashing of the waves as our music"

She came forward and grasped his hands before pulling him with her and twirling about in the sand, laughing merrily.
Before she knew it, their feet caught in the sand and they went down onto the soft cushy sand. When Arial opened her eyes, she found Vincente hanging half over her, his beautiful eyes staring down into hers.

Arial had wanted to avoid this, but something about Vincente was just so magnetic and she couldn't pull away from it.
When he leaned his face down closer and closer to hers, Arial didn't fight it, she closed her eyes and waited for the his sinfully blissful kiss.

[Consulting Detective]

Vicente agreed that the beach was beautiful. Seeing how the moonlight glinted off the waves filled him with feelings of awe toward the natural beauty of the world, and he would have stood there for a while, simply watching the sea if Arial hadn't spoken to him again. Requesting a dance, of all things. That was surprising, but he'd play along. He loved dancing, but it seemed like all Arial had in mind was spinning around. Not quite dancing, though it was still fun.

Fun... When was the last time he actually took time to have fun? He hadn't done something just for the sheer enjoyment of it in years. It was incredible that he was doing this with Arial tonight, simply having fun despite the task that had to be accomplished. His doubts were increasingly rapidly regarding that task. He had been so certain at first that he could kill her, but now he wasn't sure. Would his superiors be too displeased if he didn't do the job? Could he convince them to spare him any punishment for his failure?

The spinning ended abruptly as they fell, and he found himself lying partially on top of Arial. It was oddly romantic that they were lying on the sand, with the blanket of stars above them. It was a beautiful scene, to say the least. He smiled gently at the thought, noticing just how close his face was to Arial's. The temptation to kiss her again was too great, so without hesitation he leaned in to press his lips against hers.

It started off chaste enough, but quickly spiraled downward into the realm of passion. His eyes slid shut as he practically devoured her mouth, desire lacing his every move. He nibbled on her lower lip, fangs accidentally becoming prominent again. That easily drew blood from her lip, which he was quick to suck on. Again, that exquisite taste overwhelmed his taste buds, making him groan lightly. The sound was undeniably erotic, and he attacked Arial's mouth with more fervor, excited by the taste of her blood.

[Lamenting_Quill]

Arial knew she should have pushed him away, but when his kisses turned feverish and filled to brim with passion, she couldn't stop herself from bringing her hands up and began to drag her fingers through those silken strands of ebony, not one snarl or tangle anywhere.

She moaned into his mouth when she felt him bite her bottom lip in the throes of passion, sure it hurt a tiny bit, but damn it was hot.
He sucked on her bottom lip a bit, probably a caring thing just to stop the bleeding, though she had to admit... the action was incredibly sexy.
In their passionate kisses, Arial only just barely felt a hand caressing her right thigh, Vincente Ashcroft was certainly exciting her as no man ever had before.

Arial moved her hands down from his hair and swept them down his back to sneak them under the back of his shirt again, he seemed to enjoy that.
Her hands were bolder this time around as her fingers danced and traced little teasing circles along his skin.

She heard him moan into her mouth before his lips broke free from hers and drifted down to her neck, kissing and nipping.
Arial groaned from sheer pleasure and tilted her head back to give him better access, she would probably kick herself for all of this later... but right now, right here... only she and Vincente mattered...

[Consulting Detective]

Vicente was as lost in the moment as Arial was, and when his mouth migrated to her neck, he really couldn't help himself. His fangs grew in as he bit into her neck, drawing blood which he was very quick to drink. If he'd thought just a few drops had tasted amazing, this more substantial amount was taking his body by storm. He moaned against her skin, swallowing another mouthful of that incredible blood.

As he drank, he felt the strangest of sensations come over him. It was like a new sense of power was filling his body, and the feeling coupled with the usual pleasure of feeding was making him feel positively euphoric. He gave another of those delicious moans of his, his hands running over Arial's body far more boldly than before. Oh, how he wanted her right now. He didn't know if he'd be able to stop if Arial tried to push him away. With her blood sating his thirst, stopping would be a real challenge.

The thought of the blood's addictive quality briefly crossed his mind, but he set that aside for now. He wouldn't become addicted. He was so certain of this. His will was stronger than that, wasn't it? That remained to be seen.

[Lamenting_Quill]

Arial moaned aloud when she felt a sharpness as her neck, most likely just another arousing nip from his teeth, but he began to suck on the flesh of her throat, Arial just about went over the edge right there.
It was impossible to describe how this felt, it was like Vincente was making love to her without actually doing so.

She couldn't refrain from moaning his name over and over in encouragement, her hands caressing his back and her thighs hugging his hips in a ferociously desirous hunger.
Arial wanted him, more than she had ever wanted any of other man in her entire life, the ferocity of this wanting was almost frightening.
When a mage gave her heart, she only did so once and so had to be most careful whom the lucky man was that she chose. She would have to be very careful to avoid giving Vincente her love and her heart before she knew it was the right decision.

"Vincente..." She sighed with passionate desire "Vincente..."

[Consulting Detective]

The beach was not quite as private as it had first appeared, it would seem. A shadowy figure was watching the pair from the darkness, barely able to see them in the moonlight. His eyes might not be of much use right now, but he could easily smell the delicious blood that was being spilled and consumed. It smelled absolutely incredible, and a pink tongue slipped out to wet thin lips with desire for it.

The watcher wasn't much of a fan of stealth, and he didn't bother to try and hide as he strode right up to the pair like he owned the beach. A grin was situated on his face, the dryness in his throat hopefully going to be sated soon. He'd drink from that girl until there was nothing left, and he wouldn't care. He might even drain that other vampire, too. Might get something good out of it.

"Just about screwing on a beach!" he jeered. "How cliche!" He seized Vicente by the shoulder and tore him off Arial, sending him flying back a few feet before hitting the sand again. Hard, at that. The beefy arms of this man were clearly not for show. Even then, the strength he'd exhibited was beyond human. Vicente recognized it immediately, but he didn't recognize this vampire. There were a few explanations for this, but one of them stuck out rather plainly. That vampire had his fangs exposed. Such a blatant disregard of secrecy meant... Oh hell no.

The moment between Vicente and Arial had quite plainly been ruined. Though Vicente's body was screaming in protest over the interruption, he had to act fast. There was no time to hesitate, and he quickly shouted to Richard for help. Hopefully the man would hear him and get here in time. While he waited, though, he had to protect Arial.

Why, though? He could easily book it from there and leave Arial to be killed by this muscle-head of a vampire. That would solve his problem regarding his orders, but it would also mean that someone else got Arial's blood. He couldn't have that, and he didn't want Arial to die. For reasons he couldn't even fathom at the present time, he needed Arial to stay alive.

[Lamenting_Quill]

It took Arial a moment to realize what was happening when Vincente was ripped from her and tossed away onto the sand, it infuriated her when she heard how hard he hit
Sure they were not a couple, but she did care about him and she didn't want him hurt, she had to protect him... herself too, but Arial was generally more concerned for others than herself.
"Don't you touch him again, leech!" Arial shouted, scrambling to her feet and quickly mumbling some words in an old magi language that summoned a fireball over her hands, which she promptly tossed at the vampire's face.

She heard the vampire shriek and stumble backwards as he grabbed at his face, vampires so brazenly in the open? Since when? Well, a lot of her questions were now answered. Grandma Kolette was right.
Arial wasted no time however on thoughts that mattered little at the present time and quickly chanted more of the ancient language to form a cage of fire around the vampire.
Arial stood with her frame held with pride, she glared at him as the proud wielder of mana that she was "It is time for you to say goodbye, you never should have messed with a mage!"

She closed her eyes and began a highly concentrated chant, as she spoke these ancient words, the flaming cage began to close in on the vampire inside, encasing him inside one large fireball until there was nothing left of him but a pile of ashes.
When it was over and her spell faded, Arial felt quite tired and drained of mana, she needed to rest soon.

Turning around to help Vincente, Arial ran to where he was picking himself up "Vincente, are you alright?!"

[Consulting Detective]

To say that the muscled vampire panicked would be an understatement. He had shrieked like a banshee as those flames closed in on him, burning him alive in quite the horrible manner. He might have managed to escape from that situation if he'd been able to think, but his fear was so mind-numbing that it was impossible. He'd died in great agony, becoming that pile of ashes on the sand.

That vampire wasn't the only one who panicked, though. Vicente's eyes had gone wide with terror, and when the fire faded and Arial went to help him up, he was a bit further away than he had originally been. The sand around him from disturbed from where he'd madly scrambled back from the flames, and he still seemed to be badly shaken from what he'd just seen.

"F-Fine," he stammered, visibly shaking as Arial helped him to his feet. He saw Richard running across the sand toward them, and he gave a sigh of relief. He hadn't realized until then that he'd been concerned over Richard, as well. That vampire could have killed any of them. But Arial... She'd tossed fire around like it was nothing, and she'd utterly destroyed that vampire. She could easily do the same to him, and that made him visibly uncomfortable around her. His suspicions over what she was were certainly confirmed now. She was indeed a Mage, and quite the powerful one at that. He hadn't even seen a Tremere play with fire with the same level of expertise.

"Mr. Ashcroft, perhaps we should leave," Richard suggested, reaching the pair. He had a military-grade handgun grasped in his right hand, though it was pointed at the sand right now. "There may be more of them around." The driver gave Arial a questioning look, as though wondering what she was. He'd seen her summon that fire, though he hadn't heard what she'd said. He'd also seen rather plainly that the fire had panicked his employer, so he was being extra cautious.

[Lamenting_Quill]

"Mr. Ashcroft, perhaps we should leave," Richard suggested, reaching the pair. He had a military-grade handgun grasped in his right hand, though it was pointed at the sand right now. "There may be more of them around."

Arial was exhausted and barely registered anything they said, she needed a good sleep to replenish her mana level, it was never wise for a powerful mage to be so vulnerable.
"Um, Vincente... Can I get a ride home? Andrew had brought me to your place and I have no way of getting home... I'm so tired" She said, approaching the pair "I know we have a lot to talk about, but I really need to sleep first"

She hadn't thought about the level of magic she was using in the face of danger, but she had to get rid of that thing before it hurt anyone.
It bothered her as well the way Vincente looked at her, she must have frightened the poor guy "Or if you want, you don't have to see me again after this... This must have been a lot for you to take in"

[Consulting Detective]

"We can talk later," Vicente said, still looking shaken. "Tell Richard your address and we shall get you home." He started to walk toward the parked limo, forcing himself to help Arial get there. Honestly, it was really bothering him to be around her right now. Though he doubted she could manage another show of magic right now, he was still very cautious. He didn't like being around people who could kill him in such an unsavory way. Not that any form of death was particularly appealing, but burns were ugly. He didn't want his body to be marred with them, if even for a few moments before he was completely destroyed.

Once they reached his limo, Vicente helped Arial into the back seat before joining her there, but he kept a careful distance from her. He sat by Richard's end of the limo, in the part of the seat which faced backward. Arial was positioned nearest the door, so the two were facing each other from opposite ends of the backseat.

"You can sleep in here during the drive," he offered, feeling a little better now. He gave Arial a small smile, showing that he wasn't mad at her or anything. She'd just scared him, that was all. He was recovering rather quickly. Besides, he was quite sure she'd react rather badly if she found out what he was. She'd called that other vampire a leech. Would she think of him the same way?

[Lamenting_Quill]

Arial nodded and gave Richard her address, then once she had laid her head back on the cushioned headrest of the backseat, she was fast asleep. Though not without deciding that after she got home, she would avoid Vincente Ashcroft from now. She wasn't about to let him get killed because of her, she was certain that vampire attack was her fault.

Arial started awake when the limo stopped, she gave a small smile to Vincente before she opened her door and was out of the car before anything could be said, she had to be strong with this. She could not allow Vincente's charms and sex appeal to get in the way of her judgement.

She was across her lawn quickly, the image of her comfortable bed in her mind, she had her key in the lock and was inside before Vincente would ever have had the chance to chase after her.
Tonight had been a mess, she really hoped Vincente wouldn't tell anyone about her, she really didn't need all that drama on her plate.

For now however, she just went upstairs to go straight to bed. Tomorrow she would call in to say she was taking her vacation time of a month, she really needed it. She needed a clear head and the time to think about her life.

[Consulting Detective]

Vicente just let Arial go when they arrived at her house. He said goodbye, but he didn't think she'd heard him. That made him frown slightly. He was just trying to be polite, but that wasn't working out so well. She was too set on fleeing the limo, but why? Why was she so quick to flee from him? Was it because he was being so cautious of her now, or because she was just that tired?

He let himself be taken home, thinking that he might as well get some work done. There was a bit of software he needed to write, so he'd puzzle that out tonight. He had a handful of hours until morning. He'd let his superiors know what had happened with that vampire on the beach, though. Arial would go unmentioned in that event--no need to mention that Masquerade breach--but they needed to know what he suspected about that vampire. The signs were not good.

[Lamenting_Quill]

It had been four days since that night on the beach, four agonizing days of thinking about Vincente and how to feeling of his velvety lips remained on hers, she could still taste his kiss.
Never before had a man ever made such an impression on her, she wanted to see him again, but she didn't want him to be attacked again either.

Arial could handle herself with a few annoying vampires wanting to become a big pile of ash, fire was her specialty and she could wield it like none other in her family before her. Grandma Kolette said Arial had a very special gift with the arcane.

Vincente however... She wasn't sure if she could protect them both under dire circumstances, she would blame herself forever if something happened to him, especially if it was because of her.
Love really sucked.... Arial would just have to keep the stereotype of a little spoiled rich boy in her mind if she was going to remain strong in avoiding him for his own good.

She was standing now under the blissfully warm spray of the shower, scrubbing strawberries and cream shampoo and conditioner in one into her long chestnut brown hair.
Arial bit back a groan when the warm water caressing her skin almost reminded her of Vincente's hands on her body during their heavy kissing on the beach, the man knew all the right places to touch her and it was driving her absolutely insane.

"It will never work" Arial told herself, using it as a mantra of sorts "He's rich, I am middle class, it will never work. It will never work. Just a whole lot of heartbreak for me in the end"
It seemed to help for now, she turned off the water once her hair was free of shampoo and conditioner. Wrapping a towel around herself, she went to her room and selected a nice pair of blue jeans a forest green silk blouse.
It was perfect combo of fancy and casual, even though she really wasn't going anywhere, that didn't mean she didn't want to at least feel good.

Her thoughts were distracted however with the sound of a car pulling up into her driveway "Oh good lord, who could this be"

[Consulting Detective]

Those three nights had felt far too long to Vicente. He'd resisted the urge to go visit Arial to talk with her, but he was getting thirsty and the appeal of her blood was just too great. He wanted another taste of it, regardless of how dangerous it would be. Would she even want to see him, though? It wasn't like she'd made any effort to see him. His servants would have told him if she came by or called during the day. No, she was avoiding him, and he had been too stubborn to go to her. Until tonight.

It wasn't that he hadn't been busy those past few nights, though. His superiors had been quite interested to hear his account of that attack, though he left out any mentioning of what Arial did. He didn't even mention her name. He'd said he'd just been feeding when he was attacked. They accepted what he had to say, it seemed, but he did notice the Prince and his own Primogen giving him some hard looks once he was done. If they suspected he was lying, though, they didn't bring it up. They just let him go, and a city-wide hunt for more vampires like that one began. Thus far, there was no success.

This night that car wasn't the only one that pulled up to Arial's house, though the first car was the only one that went into the driveway. The other car--a sleek black limo--dropped off its passenger on the street before moving along, and the well-dressed Vicente jogged over to the walkway to the front door. He spotted Andrew there as well, with flowers and what looked like a box of chocolates.

Their conversation was short but animated. Andrew puffed himself up like some kind of angry bird--were the flowers his feathers?--and tried to intimidate Vicente that way. Vicente just brought up Jeanette and the passionate make-out sessions with Arial in the limo and on the beach. He said in no uncertain terms that Andrew didn't have a chance with Arial, and when the man needed further convincing, Vicente shot him a glare that made the man's blood run cold in his veins. Vicente almost appeared to have fangs in that moment, and Andrew was quick to flee back to his car, dropping the flowers and he turned and fled.

With a satisfied grin, Vicente picked up the flowers and knocked on Arial's door. Hopefully she would see fit to let him in.

[Sponsored content]