Her legs spread, her lashes fluttering up at me. I look over her exposed flesh.

It's how we are, Eleanor and I. She hates me for what I've done, but desires me.

"Why do you want me?" I ask her softly, caressing her cheek with the back of my cool hand.

Her eyes close, a soft breath leaving her luscious lips. "I can not help it. I yearn for you. Despite what you are and what you've done."

She turns her head, pressing her warm lips against my hand.

"You are the deadly sin, I can't seem to escape. I fight with myself," she muses, in ire. "Trying to resist you. Forcing myself to despise you. And yet..."

I lean down, pressing my lips against hers softly, barely there.

And yet. Because she both loves and hates me, though we will only use one of those words. The weakest of the two.

"Let's not fight anymore," I say softly, laying her back on our satin sheets. She pulls her dress up, just a slip, her curls fanning out, a halo of black coils.

"Let's not fight anymore, my Eleanor," I whisper, pressing my lips against her throat. Her hands tangle in my hair.

I don't sink my fangs into her. I want her admission to come from her.

"Will you be my good girl, Eleanor? Will we cease this quarrel for now, right, wrong, sin and righteousness?"

Her tongue darts out, pink, flashing me. It swipes her bottom lip.

"I will set aside my quarrel for my soul," she whispers. "But only for a moment."

I catch a glimpse of her. I tracked her from the gallery to a coffee shop. I wait until she comes out, snatch her, pull her into the alley.

My fangs protrude, aching to taste her.

"You keep trying to bite me," she shoves her hand into my mouth a familiar movement now. I stiff instantly.

Something about her so close, but being unable to touch her is riveting. I press my erection against her thighs needing, silently entreating her with my eyes to release me from bondage.

She's a cruel mistress but I am a cruel master so I take no offense to her.

My hands fondle her breasts as she makes my jaw ache at the stretch.

The last night I saw her before I left the UK, I wanted to leave her with my name. I thought it cruel...so I didn't.

Perhaps now I can—

"Alastair. You can't keep following me."

She lets go of me with a roll of her eyes. I pull her back.

"But I want you. I want to drink...I want to hold you. I need you. To touch you, be inside you. Let me?"

She looked down, as I press her against the wall.

"I'll have you, no matter what I have to do." I kiss her neck.

She rolls her eyes once more, gorgeous dark brown eyes, I want to kiss her.

"Alastair, you are obsessed with owning me. Why?"

I frown. "I don't want to...I love you, Eleanor. I love you, and I can't stop. I feel alive next to you."

I take her hands, pulling away. "I enjoy living knowing you're here. These years have felt like hell,"

She pulls away, turning her back to me. "Love requires sacrifices, Alastair."

"What do you want me to destroy? Just tell me. And I will do it."

She glanced back at me. "What?"

I kiss her shoulder. "A business? A person? A country? Government? The world. Just tell me,"

"You've lost your mind," she scoffs.

I smile. "You told me, love requires sacrifice. I am prepared to sacrifice anything for you."

"But you'll never let me go, will you?"

My lips turn up. "No. I can't. Only that, is out of my reach."

Eleanor holds her fur coat closer. "What did I do to deserve you?" She asked. "Some sin perhaps?"

I nod. Perhaps. Still, I am unable to relinquish her.