Bambi and the Duke

Seeing the wilderness in his eyes soften at her touch, Vivian felt her chest lighten at the sight of him. It was as if she were taming a lion that was ready to pounce on her a few moments ago. Though she was wrong. When he opened his eyes, the intensity in his eyes had not vanished but had doubled thanks to her tender touch.

Facing her hand to him, he kissed her wrist as he let his lips linger on her skin there for a while. Playing with her fingers using his own hand, he tested the strength. Vivian's breathing quickened when he looked at her without a single emotion except for his eyes that burned into hers.

"Move in here with me, Bambi," he whispered stealing the remaining air she had been trying to save for her lungs, "Here, in my room. With me," he made sure to convey his intention.

All this time they had spent their time in their rooms or it was Leonard who would stay in the guest room with her before leaving the bed for herself. To think of spending all the remainder of the night with each other in a single room and single bed, she didn't know how to respond to his request.

"It is too soon," she said getting up from the bed as she felt shy by just thinking about it.

They hadn't done much as they didn't share the same room but then their rooms were never too far from each other. The thought excited her yet scared her deliciously at the same time. Before she could run away from him, Leonard caught hold of her hand to pull her back to his front. Circling his arm around her waist.

"Than it being soon I would say it's rather late. Hasn't your heart settled in yet?" he asked seriously. Vivian turned around to look at him where she sat a little uncomfortable with the blankets and pillow that laid below them. Noticing her squirming he let her go for a brief moment before pulling her back as if a carnivore playing with it's food out of boredom, "Tell me."

"Tell you what?" asked Vivian coyly as she tried to subtly move out of his arms so that she could run and hide in her room.

"You don't have to be shy about it. We haven't done things what two people in love do, and I wish to do more," he whispered the last words in her ear which heated her body just the way he wanted it to be.

"Leo..." she trailed, her eyes casting down somewhere on the floor.

His demeanour changed to one of a sullen look but he didn't give up on not wanting to move her here permanently, "You don't want to?"

"I do but...."

"But what?" came out the clipped tone like a child from Leonard's lips and she frowned, chewing on her bottom lip on not knowing how to put it across, "We cannot share the room," her words were firm but so was Leo's resolution.

He had delayed the time of wanting her but he wasn't sure how long he would be able to keep himself from not taking her willing or unwillingly, the latter which was an impossible scenario.

"Don't you love me?"

"I do," she answered to his burning question.

"Are you scared?" he tried to bring out all the possible reasons why she was being hesitant right now. He had seen her naked, Bathed her in the tub with his own two hands and though he wanted to touch her more intimately at that point of time, he had put on the leash to the inner beast that had begun to prowl restlessly within him.

Seeing her shake her head even to that question, a frown began to settle on his forehead. He had tired with all possible questions as to why she would refuse but they were none from what he asked her. Letting his arms release her from his hold, he moved away from her. Getting up to walk towards the cupboards where he pulled out a shirt which he wore when he had to go out of the mansion.

"Where are you going?" Vivian asked innocently, a little anxiousness lacing in her voice.

Leonard began to unbutton his shirt and then threw it on the floor, "I am going out for a walk," came the clipped answer as he wore the shirt. Folding his sleeves he walked around the room when she jumped on to her feet. It wasn't that she didn't want to spend her nights and day with them but she had been brought up by humans. Humans that belonged to the lower status in the society when compared to the pureblooded vampires like him.

"Don't go," Leo wanted to stop what he was doing at her words as it sounded small.

He gave her a smile and it only broke her heart further, "Don't worry, Vivi. I will be back soon. If you're alright with it you should rest here as the bed is much more comfortable than where you sleep in. But if you aren't, it's okay," he said taking the cloack that was hung on the stand.

Vivian didn't know how the atmosphere had moved from sweet to one of the cold winters in Bonelake. She hadn't meant to turn his mood away but had it upset him that he was going for a walk in the middle of the night?

How could he leave her here alone!

"Leo, don't go..." she said following him close to the door to which he turned and patted her head as if she were a child, "I am not a child!" what was with him patting her.

"You will always be a child," a chuckle escaped his mouth. Though he had smiled it seemed that he was still going to go out of the mansion.

"Won't you ask why?" she stood in place with her hands holding each other in front of her chest.

"Are you trying to seduce me, Vivi?"

His blatant question made her stagger from her stiff stance, "What? No! Why would you think that?" and he sighed.

"How unfortunate. If that is so, I have no reason to stay here for the night. I shall return back in the morning," he was stopped with Vivian holding the ends of his shirt which he hadn't tucked in.

"Why are you being like this?" she asked, her heart in turmoil, "You bring me to the edge of the cliff to only let go. Do you like to see me like this?" her hand tightened on the end of his shirt to only loosen when he turned to face her.

"Don't start something if you won't be able to finish it," his words were calm yet sharp with a warning asking her to not test his waters by speaking the first thing that came to her mind, "I can't help myself with you. I see you and I want to torture you more, but it would be rude to do it now."

Torture her? Vivian didn't understand what he said.

"Don't think I have forgotten how much of a child you were by doing what you did because you failed to see what and why I did. I must punish you for it. Much more severely than what I have implemented on you last time," this was enough to make her mouth turn dry and her heart shudder in her tiny little chest.

She shook her head to rid the thoughts that had begun to form, "You killed him without mercy," she accused him.

"I did what was necessary."

"You could have given him a much better way to die than take away his life before he realized. You cannot kill any and everyone you feel is a threat," this brought a sour look on Leo's face. Vivian didn't regret what she said and it had taken a lot of courage to speak what she felt was right.

"I can and I will, Vivian. There is no between, no room for mistakes. And if you're talking about death, he got the easiest and honourable death one could wish for," Leonard had killed men and women in far worse way Vivian couldn't imagine and think of. If it weren't for her presence, he would have torn the man's head just because of the mention of the man who killed Charlotte.

Both of them stared hard, Vivian staring at him harder until Leo decided to break his gaze away from her to leave. Being adamant, she held on to his shirt without letting it go. Her anger quickly dissipating after seeing him ready to leave.

"Why are you angry?"

"I am not."

"But you're leaving," she pointed the obvious. Taking a few seconds, she said, "It is easy to be told than being done. Won't you hear me out?"

"I am listening." Leonard turned and folded his arms across his chest. He didn't want to leave but if he wanted to bring her to where he stood, he had to use underhanded tricks to get her to speak to him.

"It isn't that I don't want to share your bed," she started, her cheeks turned pink but the darkness hid it well as her back faced the fireplace, "A man and a woman sharing the same bedroom before marriage isn't right."

She saw him stare at her with no words to offer. As if going through what she just said, his eyes narrowed at her, "How rude is that. Do you mean to say that the kisses we shared and the moments in the bed where I touched every inch of your body," Vivian felt her breath quicken at the mere mention of his words making her nerves weak and liquidating into motlen fire. He took one step after another while she took her footsteps back, "Touching and kissing. Sucking and pulling. Or does it not fall into that teaching what Martha and Paul taught you?"

"It was Grace," corrected Vivan. Grace was Paul's sister, "B-but no this is different..." Leonard stopped in his tracks. Taking a look at her before he grabbed her by her hand and pulling her out of the room. Startled she asked, "Where are you taking me?"

"You will see," he answered.

"My shoes!" she protested but Leo didn't stop.

Taking her to the stable, Leonard went to release one of his horse's rein which had been tied to the pole. Soon he hopped on the horse and gave her his hand so that she would take it. Pursuing her lips, she finally gave her hand to have him pull her up on the horse so that she could sit in front of him.

"You're a pushy man," she mumbled under her breath and he laughed.

The ride was a slow one as Leonard took his time in taking her where ever they were going. Being the time of midnight, the chirping of the crickets could be heard quite clearly as they made their way down the deserted path with forest trees that were aligned on either side of the muddy road. She looked up at the moon that looked high and beautiful in the sky, stars came in and out along with it as the wind blew the clouds.

Both Vivian and Leonard came across a village which was fast asleep. The hooves of the horse made sounds on the ground as they walked through the path and little road to finally stop in front of an old church which she had been coming to. Getting down from the horse, Leo helped her get down and took her hand in his as they entered the church where lanterns burnt brightly just outside either side of the doors.

"It is quite early for both of you to confess your sins," Sister Isabelle held a lantern in her hand with a small smile on her lips. Seeing Vivian's cautious expression she apologized, "I heard what happened at noon. Sorry for the inconvenience caused. Is there a reason that you have arrived here at this hour of the night?"

"Yes," answered Leonard. Sister Isabelle leaned closer, waiting for him to speak while Vivian did the same, except that her hand was tightly held in his, "We would like to marry each other right now."