“Well, David, we understood, that after all those centuries you found someone at last who could be your partner and perhaps the mother of your children. Do you love her?”

“No, not yet, I think”, answered David “But I feel the opportunities hidden in her. My humble opinion is that she would make an excellent vampire, though her blood probably is nothing to do with ours.”

“Who knows, my son, who knows. She has a noble grace in her movements and she is elegantly fragile, having aristocratic features. Maybe she is a dark descendant too. Gather all you can about her and we will check her out for you soon, my son. Until, just in case, try to keep her as a guest in your home.”

"As you wish. I try my best."

"As always" smiled his

"You are like your father, David" said the other elder, who used to be his father's friend. He grabbed his shoulder friendly "We placed our trust in you and you lived up to it, never betraying us.  After all you did for us, we want to see you happy. You hadn't got an easy life – neither of us had- but you always managed well addressing your problems and solving them or living with them if you couldn't help them. But don't forget, that if we find something about her what makes her inadequate for you, we won’t let this covenant happen. We have rules and we must focus on what is the best for our clan. You should never forget this."

"Gregory is right" said his

“You're right my son. The middle ages, those were the times! Well, but Tempura mutantur et nur mutamur in illis.”

“You are right Greg, the times are changing and we are changing in them too.”

“Yes, Gerard, yes. Well, we won't be younger with a single day, as we are toddling in the stream of time, right, Greg?”

“That's right. So very true.“

"You can go now, my son. Don't make your lady wait for you for too long" Dorian joined the conversation for the first time this evening. He was Dave's former teacher and present guide, who smiled and looked behind Dave "I think she misses you..."

David looked over his shoulder and saw the elated beauty saying good bye to her dance partner and sipping from her glass with a faint blush on her lovely face "She was looking for you with her gaze  time after time" Dorian added and David could bet on it that he saw a nearly invisible wink! This was new for him, but he didn't say a word just turned back to the men.

"Thank you for your kind words" he bent forward a bit "And have a beautiful night."

The three men nodded at the same time and let him go.

---

"Well... I think I drank too much, but I’m fine" she lifted her head, but realized that maybe this wasn't a good idea, because the sudden movement made her vision blurry "Okay... maybe you're right. It'd be better to go back to you. I don' want to cause more problems" she moaned.

"Alright, darling. Let's go" he stood up and offered his hand, but when he saw that she nearly lost her balance, he embraced her waist.

"I'm...sorry... Usually I don't drink this much..." she giggled "But today I was nervous a bit..."

"No problem, Viola, I know the feeling."

"But I don't want...to ruin your night!" she looked up at him with alarm in her eyes "I go home, you can stay."

"No, no" he smiled "It's okay. I've already met those whom I wanted to see and speak."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes I am" he stroked her flushed face and turned away to find Mario with the gondola.

They were slowly floating toward his

Being arrived he guided Viola to her room and asked her maid to undress her. When she was tucked into bed, he sat beside her a while, wanting to be sure she is okay.

He looked down at the flushed face sinking into his thoughts. He knew she was half way to dreamland and decided to leave her to sleep. He bent to her forehead and gave a soft kiss onto it. But when he stood up, he felt a warm touch around his wrist.

"Don't go..." she whispered and looked up with her still dim eyes.

"It'd be better..."

"Please..." she rose up to her knees so the blanket fell down to reveal her body in the light nightie. Dave needed to swallow, but before he could raise his head she grabbed his jaw and neck and after a sudden move Viola pressed her lips against his.

Dave was a bit surprised at the passion Viola was kissing him but responded the kiss nonetheless. His passion was rising too and before he had lost his head he got out of her embrace carefully and tucked her into bed again.

She wanted to protest, but suddenly Dave's eyes changed and she got sleepier and sleepier with every moment till she found herself in her dreams. He stayed for a moment watching her full lips while he ran his thumb on his own. Then he rushed out of the room. He needed a pray. He wanted blood.

---

During the day he needed to stop himself a few times not to go up to Viola's room and watch her in her dream. She made a strong effect on him, now it was clear… He could still feel the touch of those beautiful lips, he could feel Viola's need, the hidden passion and remembered how her slim and soft body touched his. One single kiss making a dozen complications for him. Dave knew that after this he need to be more careful to keep himself to his given word.

"I can't touch her" he said out loud too, just to confirm the fact. He knew he must wait. He knew the elders'll be quick in their decision. They liked him.

Before the sun could set Viola woke up and stretched just to realize that her head was a bit heavy. She sat up and looked around. She smiled when she saw a big tube in her room. She called her maid's name and asked her to prepare a nice bath till she goes out to the balcony.

She was thinking about last night. Some parts were blurry, but she could never forget that kiss. Oh she was so silly! And he stopped her. How could she think that David wanted more from her? He was just kind and attentive, nothing else. After all he was a noble man, it was in his blood how to act in a young lady’s company. And she misunderstood everything. Everything?

Viola walked to the edge of the balcony and looked at the setting red and yellow sun. The light salty wind from the sea started playing with her long and dark brown hair and the white nightdress. As she leant to the banister, one strap of the dress slid down on her shoulder, but she didn’t pay attention to it.

Was she really that stupid? If yes, then what were those dark looks and gestures he made towards her? Sadly, she didn’t know men well. Yes, she had a few relationships earlier, but those were not that deep. And she never felt such a desire for someone like she does now. Her body was on fire, although she should stop herself and apologize for that kiss.

Amelia came and said that the water was ready, so she put these thoughts aside and went in to take that relaxing bath. She didn’t know that from a window someone was watching her thinking then disappearing.

Dave too, stepped back into the library that was in the opposite wing of the castle. He was reading the letter of the elders. They were on tracking down her and her surroundings and ancestry. It seemed she was capable to become a proper vampire with time. They needed fresh blood into their genes, even though she wasn’t the straight descendant of Cain. Her mother’s families had the right bloodline but vampirism never manifested among them. It wasn’t more than a hidden possibility.

But this possibility made her a good candidate in the elder's eyes. Dave was a bit surprised because of her bloodline, but didn't show it. It was much easier for him now that it turned out that she had connections with his world, although probably she didn't know anything about it. The elders asked one more day before their definite answer, but Dave could read between the lines.

He decided to visit the bathing girl.

The still air didn’t move in Viola's room and she was half asleep in her bath. She was daydreaming about David, she just couldn't help herself. Her eyes were closed, she didn't notice the light moving of the heavy curtains and the stirring in the air. Somehow, she suddenly felt cold and was shivering. She sank deeper into her hot, scented bath. Strange thing happened after, it was as if two hands were placed on her shoulders and she turned back scared, seeing no one there.

She felt her own heartbeat in her throat but convinced herself that it was just her imagination. She wiped the foam off her skin and stood up to bend forward for the towel. Her wet body was glistening in the candles' light as she stepped out and dried herself slowly. She was still naked when she stepped to the mirror and combed out her wet hair. She totally forgot what just happened earlier and laid down onto the bed, not bothering herself with dressing up, and turned her head towards the open windows listening to the rain. She closed her eyes and enjoyed the sounds of nature.

Suddenly, she heard a whisper, a voice that was calling out her name. It resonated and echoed between the thick walls and had an eerie effect. Distant and rather spooky. She sat up in the dim half-light of the room. In her room there were tens of unlit candles, she jumped off the bed and started to light them one by one with an already burning candle.

She didn't know what this was, but started to be scared a bit. It was spooky and she turned to the light as man does from the beginning of history. Viola lit all the candles, so the room was shining of their warm lights. She went to the balcony's door and closed it. Now, the storm outside wasn't that loud. She jumped a little bit when another whisper and a faint laugh came. Was it just the rain and the wind? She stepped to the bed to put on her nightie, but suddenly she straightened up as she felt a light touch moving down her spine.

"What the hell?" she turned around quickly, but didn't see anybody.

She didn't know what to do. She was just standing there. The touches were now everywhere. She felt her breasts being caressed, a bruising shadow of a kiss on her lips, a stroke on her bottom and as if a man's hand was slipping between her thighs, reaching for the blossom of her flower. She felt a push and she was already laying on her bed, pinned onto it. She felt small bites on her neck and a licking on her clit. She couldn't move.

She was panting first from the fear she felt, but after it... it started to change.

"Oh God, what's happening?" she mouthed but no answer came, just another lick, and a new one... She started to lose her head. She didn't mind who or what was doing this to her, she just arched her back and opened her legs wider while a big moan escaped her mouth just to feel that someone or something sealed it with a greedy kiss. She closed her eyes and tried not to think at all, just do what she wanted. And she wanted to kiss back and feel the previous work on her clit. She hadn't got time to end this thought and the licking and sucking returned already, while she was still kissing with that someone. She moaned from the feeling how wet she was already. She yelled for fingers and she got them with a sudden movement.