She walked up towards the window to stare at the moon. Susanna glowed in the silver light, lending this monster an angelic aura.

He gasped at the sight of her beauty, and his heart even skipped a beat. However, he found his growing excitement to be exhausting… Does that make sense?

“My control is reasserting itself,” Susanna said. “I could make you as hard as an anvil…”

“I’d welcome it.”

Susanna cocked her head to one side. She proved to be an expert at reading his mind, but it left her confused… she can’t grasp why someone would choose her…

“It would be a pleasant way to die,” Susanna confessed. “However, you’ll need at least a week to recover…”

Before she could shed a tear, her mask fell back into place, bringing about that haunting smile.

“Have you ever been in a relationship that was real?” Marc said.

“That’s rather cynical, and surprisingly wise…”

“I want to experience the passion and intimacy of being with a woman. Something that’s eluded me all my life,” Marc said. “Who knows? Given time you may find that my appetite for you is genuine… in addition to my desire to please you.”

The Contessa slid off of Marc, and the wounds on his chest healed, leaving no traces of behind. This was a powerful display of the control she had over him. He imagined that Susanna could force him to accept whatever reward she wished… I wouldn’t even be aware of it…

He then focused on what was done to him under their influence of those white flowers. Only then was Marc certain that Susanna had the complete picture.

“It wouldn’t be real,” Susanna replied. “I would have to elicit desire in you using my voice, or nudge you through our link.”

“I don’t care,” Marc said. “I’ve looked over your collection of books, and tasted but a fraction of your intellect. You intrigue me, but despite your obvious beauty, I’d never be able to experience what it is to truly desire you… if you so choose.”

Susanna’s features softened, and her lower lip trembled.

“It wouldn’t be real…” Susanna repeated.

“You,” Marc replied.

“Me? Why would you want—”

He assumed that this woman had seen the image of the mother of his child. Perhaps she lacked context to follow his thoughts.

“Only as much as you’re willing to offer,” Marc said.

Marc adopted a wide grin. He enjoyed cutting her off for a change.

“Sex?” Susanna guessed.

“I want to feel normal,” Marc confessed.

Instead of explaining what he meant, Marc brought up several awkward scenes involving Émilie. Most of it was centred on their first meeting and his lack of appetite for women.

“What do I get?” Marc asked to see how serious this offer was.

“What is your wish?”

This was his opportunity to bargain for his life. How much was he worth to creatures that were presumably immortal, ambitious, and powerful? Have I ever really cared about ambition or power?

Marc had no interest in going back home, especially as the image of a pregnant Émilie took centre stage in his mind. Both of these women used their skills to get him exactly where they wanted him… there’s a difference…

“You,” Marc replied.

“Me? Why would you want—”

“You have no influence?” Marc confirmed.

There was a pause, as though Susanna was considering how to respond.

“While I could, I choose not to…”

“Why?”

“You’d resent me later… A grudge festering for centuries.”

That made sense, and a part of him actually admired her for the modicum of honesty… she could always make me forget…

There it was, the grain of truth that would form the foundation for his decision. If their society was as dysfunctional as European royalty, then soldiers were needed to make peace.

“What are my choices?” Marc asked.

“Die tonight by my hand or live on as one of us.”

Outwardly it was not much of a choice. However, it was often better to die with dignity than live on as a shadow of themselves.

“This is my choice?” Marc asked.

“It is.”

“You have no influence?” Marc confirmed.

Susanna giggled and ran a hand full of talons along his chest. Initially there was nothing, but after several heartbeats the wounds burned as blood welled up. Marc clenched his jaw, but he made no sound.

“We have many names, although vampire is the most common.”

“Why would anyone so powerful need me?” Marc began. “It’s clear you can operate with impunity.”

“Against you? Absolutely,” Susanna replied. “Against others of my kind?”

She leaned forward until her lips brushed against his earlobe.

“Many of whom would never think to show you mercy,” Susanna whispered.

Instead of a reply she parted her lips, to give him a view of her fangs. Meanwhile the tips of her fingers lengthened, blackened and hardened until they resembled talons. He missed that development until they pierced his skin.

“You’re just revealing to me the true face of a woman…” Marc retorted.

Upon dwelling on those words, he realised this was how he saw the Comtesse as a child… That certainly set the tone for our relationship…