Part 3 Opener: A New Idea

"Congratulations are in order, I think." Gus said as he walked into the house.

"I know." Marge said with a smile. "She said yes. I only saw it moments before it happened."

"Your gift isn't as good as it should be. You should've known long beforehand." Gus accused with his arms folded.

"It's not from not trying. At least I proved to you the spell would work. He didn't hear you, did he? Even with you as close as you were." Marge quickly defended herself, hating that she had to do something in Gus's favor.

"Yes." Gus said as he stood there and stared at her in a contemplative manner. "You did well. Good to know you're good for more than just one thing."

In a fit of sudden anger, she flew at him. She hated herself for letting him get to her, but she was aggravated that she couldn't get her psychic ability stronger by forcing it. He easily batted her away like one would an annoying fly. She landed with a hard thud on the floor.

"Aw, come on, Marge! Surely you can do better than that. Your daughter, as a human could knock me flat on my ass! C'mon, impress me! Show me why I should stop going after that power by letting me know you have it too!" Gus irritatingly taunted her, smiling with sadistic mirth as he watched her slowly stand.

"She has it in both bloodlines. I have it in one." Marge offered as an explanation.

"So you've said. Besides, it's meant to be that I go after that power. That's why we're here, isn't it?" he said with his arms thrown wide. Then his voice got nastier as he continued, "Oh, that's right... you don't know. You can't give me an exact when."

She angrily turned around. Her attempts at getting him to believe that the fateful moment was a long time from now had failed miserably. He seemed to think that because he wanted it sooner rather than later must mean that it was destined to happen sooner rather than later.

He smiled wickedly as an idea occurred to him. He snapped over to where she stood and pulled her against him as he said, "You know, Marge, I'd hate to keep you from your own daughter's wedding. Perhaps we should crash the party and make our own 'when'." He laughed. "And he won't know we're coming! And she refuses to use her gift so she won't know either!" He chuckled softly to himself now as he said, "You know, your daughter is more gifted as a human than you are as a vampire. It makes me wonder what dark gift will be bestowed upon her as well, if any. Maybe she's already too gifted. That or she could get something worthless like yours is."

Marge looked up at him with sheer loathing in her eyes. She'd lost control, and he knew it. He'd turned the tables on her. Lately, he had a 'I'll have my cake and eat it too' attitude. She knew casting that spell would only hold him at bay for a short time, but she failed to consider that it would actually aid in helping along future events. That knowledge tore at her.

Guessing her thoughts lay along the lines of her involvement in upcoming events, he said, "Come, come now, my Marge, you and I both know we're merely players in this whole scheme of life. It's one of the things I like best about you. What will happen will happen."

"August, you have existed for over two millennium, and you were just fine before you came across someone like my daughter. Why can't you just continue to be satisfied with what you had before?" she asked pleadingly.

"Because I was not satisfied! I was bored! And in this existence I have made many enemies!" he growled down at her.

"No big surprise there." Marge muttered spitefully. Then she cried out as he spun her around and acted like he wanted to break her arm behind her back.

"As I was saying before I was so rudely interrupted," he spat into her ear, "I have many enemies that I could use a little aid in exacting a little revenge."

"Then why not just use me?" she asked.

"Oh, I intend to, but why only use a rifle when I have an atom bomb? I can only imagine how fascinatingly powerful she'll be once she's turned." A look of surprise came over him suddenly. "Why ... Who's to say I'm not the one that does the turning? What if what Nathaniel ends up doing is only a last ditch effort to wind up being the one to turn her when I've already done it! Why was this idea not revealed to me sooner?"

"August, please!" Marge begged him to release her arm.

"Of course!"

He spun her back around to face him once more so he wasn't hurting her, but he didn't actually let go of her either. He reached up and ran the back of his fingers against her cheek adoringly. He hated that every time he hurt Marge it only made him want to be lovingly affectionate towards her in reaction to that gift of hers. However, not even that defensive mechanism of hers could stop his elation with this idea of his.

"Let's celebrate my revelation!" he exclaimed with a grin before crashing his lips upon hers.

35: Frustratingly Fantastic

Part Two Closer

Adult language, adult situations, nudity, drug reference

Once Nate and Gabriella had decided not to discuss the fact that he would try to turn her in 'the near future', they had a grand time the rest of the night at the fair.

Gabby had seen a little girl begging her father for a toy, so she asked the man, quietly, if she could give the girl the thing that Nate had won for her. Both father and daughter thanked her. Gabby had been just happy to have had the experience, and she didn't need the souvenir. Once Nate understood the reason behind Gabby giving away what he'd won her, he loved her all the more.

They finally arrived back home after they practically threw them out. 

Now that they were home, Nate walked up behind Gabby and sat on the back of the couch behind her. He embraced her as he said, "That was very nice what you did for that little girl."

Gabby smiled a small smile and said, "It was nothing. I didn't need it. Besides, it made me happy." Then a very sad thought occurred to her, "I don't suppose I'm going to have any children."

Nathaniel stood them up and held her as tightly to him as he could without hurting her and thought with a pang of regret how his dreams of children with Helen were shattered so long ago.

Gabby continued, "Because even if I were to try somehow, somehow I doubt I'll be able to. 'The near future', you know. I don't have time."

" 'The near future' is a very vague statement." he said. "But to answer the other question in your head, no, it's not possible for me to have children."

"I think I had children when I was Helen, but I don't know."

"You did. All boys. It was during the fifth one's birth that you died." he said sadly, remembering when he found out.

"How strange that sounds, 'you died'." she mused. "So I never even had anything to do with the youngest. I wonder if there are any descendants alive today."

"I purposefully did not try to keep up with that for fear I'd go after them and disrupt their lives." Nate said plainly.

Gabby nodded and leaned her weight back into Nate's chest.

"You're sleepy. Let's go to bed." Nate told her and kissed her temple.

Gabriella groaned inwardly as Nate said the words she'd begun to dread. She just didn't feel up to another round of them trying to push her past her limits. Nate had told her that it was her decision to only do this at bedtime; that he was game for whatever, whenever. She just couldn't get over her nerves no matter what he did.

"Gabby, stop worrying." Nate said to her thoughts. "We've been through enough today that I don't feel like pushing you either."

After Gabriella spent ages in the bathroom getting ready for bed, that thought of his changed when he got a good look at her before she turned off her lamp. She wore something new that made it impossible for his eyes to be anywhere but on her.

"Shit, Gabriella. Why did you wear that? I am still a man, after all." he said as he slid over to her and ran his hands all over the silky material.

Oops, she thought. I just wanted to be comfortable.

Nate groaned as he pulled her up against him, his hands never ceasing their play on her garment. As much as he enjoyed the feel of it, however, its removal was immanent.

Gabby felt her tiny gown's fabric being bunched in Nate's hands as it slid higher and higher up her torso. She reached around to stop his hands from taking the thing off of her.

"Nate, you said..."

"I know what I said, damn it! But I need you." he said and allowed her to stop him from removing her gown, so, he went for her panties instead.

"Nate!" Gabby protested. She quickly reached down to halt the shedding of that small article of clothing as well.

Unperturbed, Nate instead moved his hand inside of them, enjoying Gabriella's gasp as his fingers began stroking her.

She tried to escape his bold ministrations, but he followed her every move. Eventually, his other arm went under her waist to pin her close up beside him. She reached down to try, though she didn't expect to be successful, to move his hand off of her .... even if what he did to her felt damn good. Another gasp escaped her as first one, then another of his fingers slipped inside of her.

She froze as he said low into her ear, "You may not think you're ready, but your body sure the hell does." Then he took up a rhythm as his fingers deftly stroked her.

"Hah." No. I can't take it! "Nate!" Oh please, stop! I can't take this! "Nate, stop! It's too much! Please!" When he didn't stop, she begged and pleaded some more.

Nathaniel felt really pissed off now. He'd never known a more stubborn, infuriating woman than the one who laid right next to him. He knew it was only fear, but that was enough. He hated being an object of fear for Gabriella's nights, and he'd just about had enough of this.

"Fine!" Nate yelled and left her alone as he rolled over on his side. And this is a woman that says she loves me! Came back to live life again just to be with me. And could possibly leave me again should I fail. Even more pissed now with his thoughts, he grabbed his pillow and got out of bed. I'll take the headache. I'm blocking her out tonight! Besides, it'll make a good companion to the ache in another part of my anatomy!

"Where are you going?" Gabby asked, crying.

"Somewhere else. It doesn't matter! I can't sleep next to you tonight and not practically rape you. I'm tuning you out." Nate growled as he left the bedroom and headed for the couch.

As he threw his pillow on the couch, he heard, rather than felt, Gabriella's crying. He was actually welcoming to the pain in his head because he really didn't want to listen in on her pity party right now. He closed his eyes after he laid down, and even with everything that had happened, he was soon in the arms of Morpheus.

Nate awoke in the middle of the night as he felt a disturbance. Something was wrong! What was it?

Then he heard Gabriella crying. She cried harder than she would for just another pity party. No, this was a more heart-wrenching cry. He immediately tuned her back in again. Dreaming. Bad dream. Real bad dream. He felt a pull to her from behind his navel and immediately went to her.

Nate's gone. He's gone! He's missing, they say. He's left me. No! We were supposed to be married soon! Why did I want to wait? Stupid, stupid Helen!

Suddenly, Nate was there, waking her up. With the dream fresh on her mind, she threw her arms around his neck. "I was so stupid!" she cried into his shoulder.

Nate, my wonderful Nathaniel. I love you. Always! She lifted her head and eagerly pressed her lips to his.

Nathaniel had barely caught up to speed as to why Gabriella was crying when he felt her warm, soft lips on his. He tried to be good and just kiss her only so he wouldn't push himself to the point of torture, but Gabriella's whole attitude had changed. A feeling of determination coursed through her.

He didn't need any more encouragement than that and removed her pretty little gown in seconds. There'll be time to enjoy it later, he thought. He groaned and pressed her back down against the mattress as he positioned himself over her.

Gabby let out a small gasp of surprise as Nate left her mouth for her breasts. She felt the peaks harden as he enjoyed their fullness. A small cry was heard from her as he nipped her. Then, she got an idea that shocked her, but she still wanted it.

"Nate," she knew he'd make her ask, so she plucked up the courage, "bite me. Go ahead. I want you to." Her voice came out as a shaky whisper.

Holy shit! Nate couldn't help but think. He was so surprised that he froze right where he was ... on her stomach. He'd been too focused on his own thoughts to really pay attention to hers. He'd heard and felt her initial desire, and that's all he needed. This last came as a shock.

Confused, Gabriella said, "You don't have to, of course. I just," she stammered, "the thought of you doing that doesn't scare me. It um, actually..."

"Gabby, it's been a long time since I've tasted human blood. About ...  has it really been forty years? Ever since that last one that'd been on LSD."

Gabriella giggled and said, "Well, I'm not on LSD. Sorry to disappoint you." He knew she was kidding.

She's even giggling about it; she's so happy the nightmare ended.

The thirst inside of him began to rise to the surface again, having been dormant for so long. He needed to curb his bloodlust somehow and quickly because he didn't want to hurt her. But oh! How he wanted this!

Gabriella watched the naked emotions play across his features. For a few seconds, she feared an actual attack, but then she relaxed as she watched his self-control rule him once more.

"Please, be very still, my love. The last thing I want in the world is to hurt you." Nathaniel spoke quietly to her as he raised himself up to her neck. Gabriella froze still. Nate smiled kindly as he explained further, "Still, but relaxed." This was a distant fantasy come true for him, and he watched as Gabriella closed her eyes and went limp in his arms.

Though relaxed and still, Gabby's heart went ninety miles an hour as she felt the hand that had been on her waist move slowly up her side to cup her breast. His other hand supported her weight as he lifted her by pushing with his hand in the middle of the back of her shoulders, causing her head to tilt back and expose her throat. He passionately kissed her neck, and it became more difficult for her to continue to relax. She felt her hands find his upper arms as the seconds ticked on. Then she felt a slight slicing of her flesh similar to the feeling she gets when she's cut herself shaving. But, instead of the following sting, she felt warm, and she felt the warmth as it flowed out of her. She felt aware of Nate's hand as it moved down from her breast to between her legs. She didn't fight him off this time as he began to pleasure her. "Oh." she breathed as the mix of mild pain mixed with pleasure made her completely aroused.

Nate groaned with pleasure. He could feel everything she felt, and it amazed him that he could! He saw it as a gift to know exactly what she needed before she even had to think it to him. And what she needed, he felt all too happy to give. Finally, her desires matched his!

He forced himself to stop his deliciously slow feeding, and pulled off her underwear and his soon after. Her heart rate increased as he placed one leg on either side of him. He gazed down upon her and saw a tiny amount of blood still on her neck. So, he leaned down to lick it away, letting the virus in his saliva heal her before her immune system could kill it. As he did this he hovered just outside her, awaiting her unconscious permission.

Gabriella felt a little confused for a moment as Nate merely licked her throat. He'd been more gentle than she'd expected, and that alone dissolved her anxiety about what was about to happen. She felt his mouth on hers, and she could just barely taste her blood on his tongue.

Ow. Nate thought as he pushed in a little. So, feeling what she feels has its drawbacks as well. He stopped kissing her so that he could see her reaction to him on her face. He felt the sting as he pushed again. Her face showed almost no sign of a negative reaction to the pain. She could take it better than he could, apparently. A little miffed about this, he pushed harder once more and felt her maidenhead break. "Shit!" he cried out as she sucked in a huge gasp of air. He moaned as he felt her close tightly around him, but he wasn't done. However, these last pushes were much easier. Buried now to the hilt, he forced himself to go still, allowing her time to adjust.

Gabriella felt each and every breath with acute awareness. Nate had finally joined their bodies. At first, all she could think of was the pain, but even that wasn't as bad as she'd always thought it would be ... especially now that it was over. More and more the stinging got replaced with a growing urge to move. This restless feeling soon began to drown out everything else and she unconsciously tilted her hips into him. His answering, pleasurable groan told her that what she just did was a good thing.

"Hell yes, it's a good thing." he answered her unspoken thought. He didn't need to ask. He knew she was ready.

Nate started to move with aching slowness, and Gabriella felt pleasure like she never imagined she could. So much that it traveled up and down her entire body from her head to the tips of her toes. Again and again, he continued his slow, methodical rhythm. Too slow. Much too slow now for what she wanted.

'Incredible' could not even begin to describe how Nathaniel felt at this moment. He felt everything, and oh, how he wanted to savor each and every last sensation to its fullest before moving on to the next one. He could feel her impatience with him start to build, but he was nowhere near willing to give in to her demands. To do so would mean losing this wonderful experience.

She whimpered now. "Nate, please." she begged, knowing he knew what she wanted.

"Oh no. Not yet. I've waited entirely too long for this to not enjoy each and every part of this to its fullest. You'll just have to be patient." he answered her, and he would've grinned mischievously had not her mild anger make her go even more blessedly tight. He closed his eyes and ran his hands up her thighs to her waist and coming to rest on her breasts. He did grin now as she moaned when he began lightly toying with them. Oh yes. Dear God, the torture of it all! I don't know how much more of this even I can take.

Gabriella begged him some more to please go faster. He ignored her, and the fantastic torture continued. She found herself mumbling some crazy things she never in her life thought she'd say, at least not this wantonly.

"Nate, please. Oh god, please! I'm going insane! For the love of all that's holy would you please fucking go faster!" she said as she uncontrollably rolled her head back and forth while she restlessly arched and contorted her body as much as she could manage to do.

"You want me to go faster?" Nate teased, barely hanging on to his own sanity and wickedly relishing Gabriella's insanity.

She growled impressively at him, ready to claw his eyes out.

Nate grinned as he maintained his achingly slow tempo. "Well, do you?" he asked again.

"Yes, damn it!" she finally screamed.

"As my lady wishes." he said in an almost mocking tone and did indeed go faster, but not fast enough for Gabriella's liking.

Realizing she would have to beg again, Gabby cried out in frustration and anguish.

"More?" Nate further teased. As a human, he might've been a little out of breath by this point, depending on a few factors, but as a vampire, he wasn't kidding when he said he could go all night. And boy, did he enjoy the magnificently vindictive pleasure he got from torturing Gabriella.

Gabriella whimpered adorably as she said yes. She felt Nathaniel adjust their positions so that he was on his knees and pulled her back and forth while he did the opposite with himself. Blessedly, he picked up the tempo, almost to where she needed it. However, the slight difference began to wear on her.

Nathaniel sighed with a small amount of resignation as he remembered that he'd better not take this much farther or she would really be sore tomorrow.

Gabby felt herself being totally lifted up into his arms while Nate remained on his knees. He rocked down and sat on his ankles.

"You want fast, baby?" he asked her in a sultry voice.

"Mhm." she could only get out.

"I can really go fast, you sure you want that?"

"Fuck, Nathaniel, if you don't fuck me hard and fast right now... " she warned, leaving the threat empty.

"You'll what?" he asked, loving how perfect her body felt against his. He grinned impishly up at her.

"You know I can torture you. Don't make me have to."

"What if I like it? A little torture, especially that kind, is good now and again..."

She growled again and attempted to take over, but he held her completely still. She begged again.

"Oh, baby, no need to beg for what I'd freely give." he said and didn't give her a chance to respond as he started bouncing her body up the letting gravity do the rest at an inhumanly fast speed.

Gabriella felt like she was one big ball of nerves and sensations as she felt she'd hardly started up when she was back down again. She felt a tightening inside of her that started to grow exponentially. Just when she thought she'd scream from the immense pleasure, her body involuntarily curled into Nate's, leaving her breathless and totally unaware of her surroundings.

For Nate, this climax made every other in his existence pale in comparison. There were no words adequate to describe the intense bliss as he came simultaneously with her since he'd felt everything along with her. Wave after wave rocked them both, and he felt he couldn't possibly be deep enough inside of her.

As he unconsciously held her tightly to him, he felt they'd transcended into another form on consciousness, to a place where words and language were no longer necessary. He felt, because he was a vampire and therefore damned, that this was as close to Heaven as he would ever get. He never wanted to leave.

Sadly, as things go, they did have to leave and return to Earth. He was aware of her sweating, panting form still connected to his and realized that he would never, ever love anyone else for as long as he drew breath, and probably even beyond that.

For only the second time in his life, he passionately spoke, "Gabriella, will you marry me?"

Gabriella had spent longer coming back to awareness, so she couldn't process what Nathaniel just said for several seconds. When the question finally worked its way through the fog in her brain, there was only one answer she could give.

"Yes. Of course I will!" she happily answered the same way she did the last time. Then she heard Nate's happy cry before feeling herself fly back onto the mattress. Nate cradled her head as he kissed her with more passion and love that has ever been put into a kiss before this current moment.

August stood just on the other side of the property line, listening with his ears to Nate and Gabriella. He smiled a sinister smile as he watched the house, grateful for the blocking spell Marge had placed upon him.

34: Not Good Enough

Adult language and situations

"What do you mean you can't tell me?!" Gus roared to Marge as she stood in the middle of the room, watching him warily.

"I cannot order my visions to give me specifics." Marge steadily answered. "I can only see what's revealed to me. I told you everything I know. I hear you yelling about your 'part to play' and that's all. All I have is sound, no images."

Gus snorted like a bull while Marge did her best to hide her fear.

Gus glared at her and said, "I thought when I turned you I could take you in place of your daughter."

"You did. You have me. You don't need her." Marge answered.

Then she got an idea. She'd noticed how Gus appeared to be putty in her hands whenever she turned on the charm. He'd always acted thrilled when he didn't have to practically order her to put out. She left her place in the middle of the room and sauntered over to where he stood, a slight smile playing about her lips.

Gus looked at Marge suspiciously before turning away. She's up to something. He turned and sat down on the couch.

"You don't need her." Marge reiterated as she sat straddled Gus's lap. She lowered her eyes demurely as his hands traveled up her thighs. He quickly went hard underneath her, and once again Marge was glad he couldn't read her mind. He didn't need to hear how she was only doing this to distract him from his aggravation that she couldn't tell him what he wanted to know. 

She just had to keep Gabriella safe from Gus for as long as she could. Gabby's relationship with Nathaniel depended on it.

August inhaled deeply Marge's fantastic scent as he leaned back against the back of the couch while she worked on undoing the buttons of his shirt. The past week he felt he could never get enough of this woman.

He'd tried to deny himself this incessant need for her. He could only last about half a day. The best part was that he could have her anytime he felt like it, and he felt like it several times a day. In fact, they'd tried to go shopping for clothes (they kept ripping the ones they owned), but he couldn't even last the entire shopping trip. They'd loudly fucked in the dressing room, earning the boot from the owner. They laughed about that for hours.

"See? I can take it off of you without ripping it." Marge said as she smiled wickedly at him, speaking of her removal of his shirt.

"Good girl." he said with a silly grin. "But if you don't remove yours soon I'm afraid I won't be as skilled as you and that dress will be in shreds."

Marge stood up and pouted down at him. "And I like this dress too." she said as she moved the straps off of her shoulders slowly, feeling pleased with the growing, annoyed impatience in Gus's eyes.

"Why even bother wearing anything at all?" Gus asked as he reached for the hem of her dress to pull it down off of her himself since she was taking too long.

Marge tilted her head to the side as she pondered how to answer his question. "I don't know. Maybe to make things more interesting?"

"Then don't get too attached to your clothes." he warned as he threw her onto the couch beneath him. He'd removed his pants while Marge had taken too long getting her dress off. That's better, he thought to himself as he joined their bodies, feeling pleased with the way he'd surprised her.

Marge had been unable to hide her slight gasp. She'd discovered that Gus's persona had a split. There was the demanding, angry and brooding Gus that usually dominated most of the time. Then there was a slightly playful aspect to him, sometimes not in a good way, that came out when he got turned on. Then, the biggest surprise of all, was the Gus he became as he'd make love to her. This didn't happen every single time, depending on how much control angry Gus had, but this sweet, almost childlike, person he became took her completely off guard. It made giving him what he wanted, her, much easier. She preferred the sweet Gus.

However, every time he'd become the sweet Gus, he'd make up for it by being angrier, more demanding, and sullen afterwards. She decided the sweet Gus was worth it. At any rate, she tried to make the best of it.

She didn't think he loved her. She wondered if he knew how to love. She knew his self-importance ruled him, but he didn't even appear to love himself.

That he was skilled as a lover, there was no doubt. But even with sweet things he said, he never gave her any indication that he did anything other than enjoy her body.

No, he doesn't love me. He sure does love my body, though. It's almost like he's addicted. Marge blinked a few times as Gus crooned to her how he'd only ever want her forever.

No, I'm afraid not forever, August. Somehow I know forever is not for us two. 

"Are you happy, Marge?" Gus asked her later as they rested on the bed, his fingers absentmindedly running through her hair.

"Does it matter?" Marge asked him back.

"I was wondering if you missed your daughter." he said casually, and she went instantly on alert.

She managed a laugh before she said, "It's only been a little over a week, August!"

She sat up on her elbows to look down at him and said, "Besides, I want you to myself for a little while longer." Yeah, take that and run with it. Go ahead.

"Then make me stop wondering what she knows by telling me yourself." he said with false sweetness, and Marge knew demanding Gus was back.

"August, you know I've told you everything I possibly can." she looked down at his rapidly souring expression. "I may have an idea, though."

The sour look vanished momentarily as he looked interested and asked, "Oh? And what might that be?"

"Well, I've been a vampire for a few weeks or close to it right?" she asked him.

"Get to the point."

"I am!" She let out a huff. "Well, I've noticed that my innate psychic ability has felt like it's gotten stronger little by little as time has gone on. I can only imagine what I could be like in several years if the rate of improvement continues at this ratio."

"Fascinating." Gus said with a half-smile. And imagine what your daughter could be like if she has the same thing happen to her once she's turned. It's just a pity I won't be the one to do it. The Fates are cruel. "Give me an example." he asked her, wondering what she would tell him.

"Well," Marge said as she worked at maintaining physical contact with him. If she could only distract him from thinking of how to get Gabriella, then she would feel satisfied she was doing her job well. She continued, "Like the other day. I knew that car accident we saw would happen before it happened. I also knew we were about to be thrown out of that clothing store, but I didn't worry too much about it because I knew we'd find it funny afterwards."

August tried distancing himself from Marge just a little so he could think, but she kept rubbing herself provocatively against him, seemingly by accident.

"Why didn't you tell me these things as they were happening?" he asked, wishing his body would stop reacting to her, making him want another "Marge hit". He'd had practically no time to think about what he was going to do about Nate and Gabriella. His body refused to let his mind have the time to think, and it was happening all over again.

"I didn't think much of them at the time. It's only within the past few days that I've noticed that it's happening more and more. I would have things like this happen as a human, but they were few and far between." Marge tried to explain.

Between. Oh holy shit, this woman must be distracting me on purpose.

"Marge. Leave me for a few minutes. I need to think." Gus said, nearly panting.

"Aw, August. Can't you think later? I wanna have some more fun." Marge flipped her hair back and pouted prettily up at him.

She knows. She knows what she can do to me, and she's purposefully trying to distract me. Every time I so much as mention Gabriella, she becomes little Miss Seductress. And when she gets like this she is impossible to resist. I will not be controlled!

Furious, he quickly flipped them around, pinning Marge down on the bed. Then he jerked her head up so he could more effectively make his point.

"What are you doing to me, you witch!" he yelled.

"August. Please! You're hurting me." Marge fought to get the words out as she worried Gus was about to rip her head off.

"I realize I'm hurting you, you little tart!" he growled. He felt irritated that he actually felt a strong desire to let her go. He realized she must also have as part of her ability this method of self-defense.

Every fiber of his being screamed at him to stop hurting her and just fuck the hell out of her. Oh, he wanted to! What a waste of time to be arguing like this. "Shit." he growled again as he fought to maintain control over his actions. "Answer the question! What are you doing to me?!" His voice rang with an authoritative timbre.

"I don't know!" she cried. "I just don't want you to worry about Gabriella. I don't want you to go after her, and I'm trying to make you forget. I don't understand the rest." Marge hated him for forcing the truth out of her the way he did.

"You little bitch!" he nearly spat into her ear. "You don't decide what I do and what I don't do. I'm not one to be controlled, do you understand? That was my dark gift. I was never controlled by my maker, and I'm certainly not going to be controlled by a little slut like you!"

"Please. You're hurting me!" she panted. "I'm not trying to control you, I only hope to distract you." Asshole, Marge thought.

"So it's to be a battle of gifts!? I could very easily win, you know. I can outmatch you in everything! I could rip your pretty little head right off your body right this instant." he sneered.

"You'd miss me." she whispered.

Gus let out a stream of obscenities in more languages than Marge could keep up with as he finally released her. He knew she was right.

Marge collapsed on the bedsheets, waiting for her body to recover. That didn't take long, but neither did it take long for Gus to be nearly on top of her again.

She began to realize that she had a gift to make men want her, or at least Gus. He'd been furious a moment ago, but as soon as she felt the panic coursing through her, she noticed he'd let up on the strength of his hold. There's more to this. He thinks I can control him. That was foolish of him to admit to that.

Perhaps I can, she continued to think. What a strange and awesome gift. I wonder what I could even call it. Obviously I don't know how to control it. Or maybe I do. Maybe that's why every single one of my seduction attempts worked like a charm. It's a weapon, and I'm going to use it.

"Feeling better now, my Marge?" Gus interrupted her thoughts. "Ready for round two?"

"I don't understand why I'm being punished. All I've wanted to do was distract you. Besides, I don't believe it's anywhere near time for you to 'play your part'." she lied.

"Ah, so you're saying why go out and start a fight when I could just stay home and play with my little red-haired toy? We've been through this already. I will not be controlled, distracted, or whatever term you wish to use." he said and found himself running his hand back and forth over her waist and hip. He cursed his body for reacting to her nearness, but he didn't wish to separate himself from her either. Oh, what's a little distraction for now going to hurt anyway? It's not like I was planning on leaving tonight. He found himself running his mouth along the backs of her shoulders.

Marge worked very hard at controlling her victorious grin. It worked. Holy crap, but it worked! Oh, you can be controlled, August. As long as it's subtle enough to not notice it.

"You hurt me." she cried, sounding pitiful. "You don't have to be a bully. You have control over me anyway."


"I'm sorry, my Marge. I let my anger get the better of me." he said as he pulled her around.

"Are you okay?" he continued.

Hello, 'sweet' Gus. "I am now. Why do you have to be so mean?" she said and watched his eyes soften even more. Oh, I like this gift.

"I've never had cause not to be." he admitted with a shrug before brushing some of her hair out of her face. She reached up and ran her fingertips along the inside of his arm, watching his eyes some more as they raked across her body.

Maybe it's not controlling, more convincing. It's not like I'm issuing a direct order. I'm making him want to do what I want him to do. I wonder.. is it because I'm a vampire witch? Or just an outright gift?

After they made love once again, August made as if to get up out of bed. Marge instantly sat up.

"Where are you going?" she asked sweetly as she wrapped her arm around his neck.

"I was thinking you might like to go hunt. I bet you're thirsty." he answered and felt trapped in her crystal blue eyes.

She smiled a small smile down to him and stroked her hand down his face repeatedly. "I am." she answered simply. She saw, after a few seconds, an expression of anger cross his face. She instantly prepared herself for an attack.

"Make it a woman." he demanded, not wanting to watch her with another man again.

Marge wanted to laugh with glee and sigh with relief, but she kept it all inside of her. Instead, she only nodded.

Gus fought for control of his emotions. She's doing it again! Damn it, why should I care if she hunts a man or not? Still, the thought of her with someone... I don't share. She's mine!

There was something, Gus continued to think, Something I needed to remember.... oh yes.

"You'll need your strength if we're to go back to Appaloosa Plains. Nate was right, we shouldn't hunt there. The population is too small and too superstitious. You should know." he said.

"Yes, I know. But why must we go? Why can't we just stay here? It's so nice here, and I like having you all to myself." she crooned.

"I love hearing that, my Marge, but we're leaving tomorrow evening." he said definitively. 
 

Trying not to panic, she said, "You don't need her."

"Then you must quickly learn how to give me the answers I seek." Gus continued to fight the pull to cater to Marge's wishes. "What you've given me isn't good enough."

"And if I do?" she asked about bettering her ability.

"Then, obviously, we can delay the trip." he answered.

She smiled. "Good!" Then she leaned in a little and kissed him. His arms tightened possessively around her as he pushed the two of them onto the mattress, her on her back.

Alright. This gift isn't foolproof. I can see the danger now. He may be under my 'spell', but August is extremely strong and highly dangerous not to mention a genius. I'll have to constantly be on my toes.

33: Carnival

Adult language

Now I know why I keep dreaming about running in an annoyingly huge skirt and it tripping me up. I finally remember more of the dream. The dancing earlier must've done the trick. Gabriella tried to hide from Nate's wide-eyed expression. Nate was asking her what her having had that dream meant.

"I'm not sure. I've always had dreams along those lines. Only tonight I can remember more." she tried to explain as Nate's grip on her upper arms almost hurt.

Nate slackened his grip, but he was far from relaxed. "Yes, you're already starting to forget, but I have them in my memory now." He tried and failed to control the huge onslaught of emotions running through him as he said, "Gabby, all that really happened. You remember it like you were there. I'm starting to wonder if you were there."

"Are you trying to tell me that I'm this woman in my dreams reincarnated or some such nonsense?" she asked and started feeling uncomfortable. She didn't want to give Nate false hope, and she also didn't want him thinking she was this other woman he'd been engaged to before he was turned by Gus.

"Stranger things have happened. Hell, vampires are real. So are witches... and psychics. Why can't reincarnation be real too?" Nate said as he sat on the bed and twiddled his thumbs, thinking.

Gabriella curled up into a ball. She didn't want him thinking she was this Helen person. She wanted him to love her for her, not because Helen missed him and decided to be reincarnated. Although, if that were the case then she was always meant to reincarnate since it happened. Oh, let's not get started on that time/space continuum thing... my brain will explode.

Nathaniel chuckled aloud at her thoughts. "I missed you" suddenly whispered in his head. A memory from an earlier dream came back to the surface. That was a Helen that looked an awful lot like Gabriella. But if that was Helen saying that then how could Gabby be Helen at the same time? Unless...

"You've always had dreams like this?" he asked her, and watched her as she voiced her response.

"Yes. The most frequent one is the running. Constant running, running, running and never making it where I want to be in time." she answered and started picking at the bedspread.

"Um, can you remember if you had a dream like that the night before we threw August out?" he asked, trying to figure something out.

She nodded her head. "I don't really remember the dream, but I remember being very happy you were there when I woke up because the dream was sad. At least, part of it was." she said.

"Part of it..." he almost asked.

"I know there was another part because I remember remembering another part, but it's gone now." she told him and watched as his eyes widened again. "Nate, stop it. You're making me uncomfortable. Don't do this. I know what you're thinking." 

She got up from the bed and told him she was going to go get dressed.

Nate again wished he could cry. He wasn't quite sure which emotion wanted to bring on the tears the most: joy, grief, hope, or excitement. What if she's not? I'd better not do this to her, as she asked. He got up to rummage in his dresser for something to wear.

He got distracted by his thoughts before he could even open the dresser. But what if she is? WHAT IF SHE IS?!

I have a pretty damn good idea what the 'questions we need answered' will be.

He let out a huge, ragged sigh.

If it's true then Helen really loved me... loves me. If it's true then she found me again. Or maybe it was set up so that we were predestined to meet. Well, according to Gabby everything is predestined.

He huffed out a breath of air and paced around the room. Don't. Don't. Don't. Don't think it. Don't get your hopes up. It doesn't matter if Gabby is Helen or not. I love her as much or more than anyone in my whole existence.

It's too late. The idea is already there. I just have to constantly remind myself that it might not be true. Even though I'm pretty damn sure it is. Shit! Stop it!

They think the same. They act the same. There's this .... look ... that Gabby gives me that reminds me of her. Well, for pretty good reason it probably will turn out to be. Stop it!

They even almost look the same.

Nate made an almost whining noise as he put his head in his hands. I know in my heart it has to be true, but the chance it isn't means I've set myself up and I'm going to be almost heartbroken. And that's not fair to Gabriella. When is the carnival?

Gabriella walked into the room to find Nate with his head in his hands. She only saw him that way for a split second before he almost instantaneously took on a more casual pose.

"You're thinking it, aren't you?" she accused.

"I can't help it now." he said as he looked at her, then at the floor, then back at her again.

Gabby spun around on the spot and stomped out of the bedroom. Nate went and sat on his couch to try and not think about it anymore. He failed utterly.

The week passed quickly for the two of them. Nate had a difficult time getting Gabriella to push past her limits as far as intimacy was concerned. Now she accused him of thinking of Helen all the time. He tried to remind her that he'd loved her even before the question was raised that she could be Helen.

The two of them slept in on the morning of the first day for the fair. They'd had a grueling argument the night before so they both were exhausted.

"Well, at least I know what I'm going to wear." Gabriella said as she got ready.

"What if it's not today? Are you going to wear the same dress tomorrow?" Nate asked as he sat on the bed and watched her pull out her dress.

"It'll be today." she said optimistically.

Nate walked up to her and put his hands on her face. "Why don't you just ask whatever it is that gives you the visions if it's true?"

"Don't start that again! I told you. I wanna hear it from somebody else." she said as she scowled at him.

The carnival was enormous. They both wondered how a town as small as the one they were in could host such a shindig. 

Nate found a booth where he could shoot bottles and win a prize. It didn't take him long to read the man running it's mind to figure out that the guns were not aligned properly. Once he figured that out, he adjusted his aim and blew everything away, earning a huge, tacky stuffed animal for Gabriella. She tried to hide her excitement that she finally got the experience of having a boyfriend win her something at a fair, but she didn't hide it very well. Nate just grinned.

The two of them went around to the different sections of the fair, enjoying the sites and rides as the sun set.

They heard a voice come up behind them and say, "Oh! How wonderful! You found each other!"

The pair of them slowly turned around and saw before them the woman from Gabriella's vision.

The woman had her hand over her heart in a hopeless romantic gesture. "This is so rare! You're very lucky that she was willing to do it all over again for you."

I can't read her, Nate thought. I wish I could so I could know what she's talking about. I wonder... is it witches or psychics that do that to me?

"Come, come. You have questions for me that I will gladly answer for free. It warms my heart to see the two of you together." the woman gushed as she beckoned them closer.

Nathaniel couldn't help but feel suspicious of the woman as they entered the tent. He stood and watched her carefully for any signs of fraud; however, the fact that he couldn't read her played in her favor.

"Yes, I've come to you to get some answers." Gabriella asked as the woman looked thoughtful.

Gabriella looked up at Nate and she gave him an 'I told you so' look, meaning that yes, today was the day.

The lady turned to her and said, "I'm guessing you don't know who you are."

"Shouldn't you already know that?" Nate asked in a clipped tone.

The woman's heavily make-uped eyes cut over to him as she said, "I would hope that you understand the way I am since she's the same way. The more I predict, the more it takes out of me physically. I can't just go around predicting constantly. Most of the time, yes, I fake it. In fact, I just wear this clothing because that's what my customers expect to see."

Then her expression softened as she asked Gabriella, "Why haven't you tried to find the answers you seek on your own? You're more powerful than I am."

Gabby blushed as she admitted, "I'm not very good at it. I used to only get the ones forced upon me until very recently." She felt a little better when the woman grimaced, understanding immediately. "Also," she continued, "I want someone else to find out for me. I think it would make it more real... less like I feel like that's what's supposed to be true or I want to be true."

Understanding again crossed the woman's face. "You don't know who you are, do you?"

"I suspect I know." she answered.

Nate felt cross about how Gabriella momentarily hoped the woman would contradict her.

The woman nodded again then said, "Alright. You wish to know who you are... or should I say were."

"Yes." Gabby answered.

"I'll ask." the woman said simply. Then they all were quiet while the woman completely relaxed. She gasped once and then was quiet again.

While they waited, Nate wondered how the woman had known that Gabriella went through something again for him (he assumed she meant life in general), implying that she knew without trying that he was a vampire.

"Helen Stone." the woman said, and Nate had that feeling that he needed to sit down that he hadn't had for over a century. 

He stared at the woman. He couldn't bring himself to look at Gabriella just yet.

"You're in danger." the woman spoke again. "That's not fair. You go through all this trouble only to fall victim to another vampire's greed."

"Fall victim?" Gabby asked, sounding worried.

"It wouldn't let me see the outcome. I'm sorry." the woman really looked upset she couldn't answer the question.

Gabriella swallowed. She couldn't bring herself to look at Nathaniel just yet either. She asked, "So, I'm Helen Stone?"

"You were Helen Stone. Now you're Gabriella Hudson." she answered and Nate fully believed her now.

"What does that mean?" Gabriella asked the question that Nate was thinking.

"It means that Helen's life is over, but your soul remains of course. You're Gabriella."

"You make it seem like we're two different people now. Which is it? Am I her or not?"

"You are, or were, but you must also realize that this life has given you different experiences than the last one did, molding you into a different person. Or.. an effort at improvement as some believe." The woman now turned to Nate and said, "Nathaniel is your soul mate. Again, not fair that he was taken from you and you from him. I knew this without trying, as can sometimes happen."

There was a small pause as the pair of them took in what the woman had said.

Then Nate couldn't stand it anymore, and he practically flew around the table and swiftly pulled Gabriella into his arms. He didn't care that the woman was watching as he passionately kissed Gabby.

Gabriella felt overwhelmed as Nate kissed her. She felt a little jealous. He had all the memories. The only memories she had of her past life she got in her dreams, and those mostly disappeared when she woke.

Nate suddenly broke the kiss, thanked the woman, pulled out his wallet, and gave her the entire contents, eliciting a giggle from the lady. She tried to tell him it wasn't necessary, that she'd said it was free, but he'd rushed out of the tent too quickly for her to say it, pulling Gabriella behind him. She shrugged her shoulders and started counting.

Nate quickly scanned their surroundings for a place where they could go talk. Finding one, he pulled Gabriella through the crowd as fast as she was able to go. He felt sixteen again.

"Nate, slow down! You're going to pull my arm out of my socket!" Gabby gasped. She figured they'd ended up where Nate wanted to go when he pulled her up against the side of a temporary structure. She had barely caught her breath when he started kissing her again.

Nathaniel felt his heart would surely burst with all the love he felt at that moment. He still could hardly believe it. Helen! She came back! Gabriella! His soul mate! One in the same! No longer did he feel guilty about any lingering feelings he had for Helen, nor for loving Gabby, making him feel like he was cheating on Helen's memory. 

He pulled back a little since Gabriella begged him for air. It wouldn't do to have her fainting right now.

Gabriella shook. She closed her eyes and merely focused on breathing. She felt overwhelmed again. She worried that now Nate only loved her because she was once Helen. The idea caused her pain.

"Gabby, open your eyes and look at me." Nathaniel said to her thoughts.

For the first time since the lady told her who she'd been, she locked her gaze with Nate's. She felt stripped away of everything, leaving only her soul looking back at his. Her eyes filled with tears.

Nate felt jealous of her tears. "I love you, Gabriella. I loved Helen, and up until a few moments ago I actually felt guilty about it. Can you imagine my joy at finding out you are one in the same?"

"But..." she tried to form her thoughts into words.

"Absolutely not." he answered her anyway. "I loved her. I love you. I love - you. How can I not? Also, remember I loved you even before we suspected." he said and smiled at her. "Don't be jealous of yourself."

"But I don't remember!" she cried.

"Somewhere, you do." he said as he held her chin while she sighed in a defeated manner. He pulled her to him and said, "How can I make you understand?"

"I think I get it. I'm like... the sequel. Same story, different book. The next volume in a series."

"A little like that, yeah." he said, but something about the way she said it scared him to death. A series... No, not again. I'm not going through that again! Don't leave me!

Gabriella felt confused as to why Nate suddenly squeezed her tightly in an almost desperate way. "What is it?" she asked quietly.

"I can't stand the thought of losing you again. I'm talking about the vision... and the near future."

She tilted her head up to look at him as she said, "Nate, I don't want to become a vampire. I can't stand the thought of leaving you, but I don't want to be turned."

"I know." he said. Then his voice sounded very determined as he said, "But you know very well that's not going to stop me from trying anyway."