Victoria managed a small smile at Vail as he soothed her with his tender lips, she closed her eyes to breathe him in. At first, her phobia was able to be coped with. It was only other people’s blood she didn’t like to see. Still blood was fine. Any flowing blood made her feel faint. It was now when losing so much of her own blood, seeing it being physically extracted from her like she was a cow being milked in a factory, that she couldn’t stand anything to do with it any longer. She didn’t think telling Vail about it would stop him, however. At least he tried to make it as painless and unpleasant for her as possible. He was nothing but considerate toward her and that did prove to her that he did have deep feelings of love for her. But how far would he really go for her blood?

At his confession he would miss her blood, she nodded as she obviously knew the answer. But at his reaffirmation that he loved her, another question struck her mind. “Then how come the first thing you want from me is my blood and not my body?” She grinned teasingly at the vampire as she leaned in to nibble his earlobe enticingly. True, it was too dangerous for her to be turned until more evidence could come to light or even technology could assist with it. They had just about perfected blood transfusions medically without patients dying, the invention of antibiotics had helped with any septicaemia resulting from the procedure. Perhaps that’s how the humans that didn’t survive the transition, died? But how could they experiment with this, they didn’t exactly have willing test subjects throwing themselves at their feet.  

She winced at him as he told her not to concern herself with it. He could tell her all he wanted, she still would. Eventually death would claim her. It was only worth trying when she was in actual fact, at death’s door. But if she were turned at an older age, would she revert to her youthful age or stop ageing at her current physical state? Questions, questions…she could only sigh as she pondered, sweeping her delicate hand down Vail’s bare chest as she rested her head atop his shoulder for a few quiet moments in contemplation and savouring her time with the man she was effectively banned from seeing by his father. 

“I think I deserve[i] my[/i] reward now for letting you drink from me, despite my phobia.” She still went through with it, for him. Bravery was nothing to do with it. Quite simply, she would do anything for this man. He had stolen her heart and she had fallen for him hopelessly and completely.  If he asked her for her hand in marriage it would make her the happiest woman alive. She didn’t care how long she’d have to wait for Peter’s blessing or in fact going ahead with it without his blessing altogether. She was just happy that Vail felt the same and this infused her with such feelings of deep love and the desire for him that came along with it. There was no denying he was the best-looking gentleman in the city. If this female vampire Peter so eagerly wanted Vail to be with, knew of his preference of a relationship with a human instead, she might positively think herself hard done by! A [i]human[/i] capable of outdoing a vampire? This was proof that they should never underestimate the resolve of a Crest woman.