Can I Keep Her? [nightsorceress & katon]

Lily let out a loud laugh when he was shocked of her warmth. "you have to stop reading those fairy stories" Lily teased him "yes i have warm skin, i am only cold when i have not had blood. without it my body begins to die slowly." lily explained softly "and before you ask, i do not sleep in a coffin, i can go out into the sunlight, and i am not afraid of religious symbols" She emphasized the last point by pulling out a gold necklace with a gold cross on it.

Lily than turned and began to cook. She seemed a natural in the kitchen only had to ask him a few times where things were. "i hope you don't mind but my strength is not fully returned yet. May i have a piece of your meat." Lily planned to cook just the outside of the meat so as not to totally disgust him. Plus she also did enjoy warmer meals compare to cold raw meat.

James was amazed at how well Lily cooked. His assumption that because she didn’t need to eat she wouldn’t be a good cook was dispelled instantly as she naturally knew her way around a kitchen she had never even set foot in before.
There was something elegant about watching her hurry around the kitchen buried within her self preparing the food, she looked much at home.

“Your welcome to anything you want, the servant will be back in a few days and the larder will be fully stocked once more. He just comes and goes I find it helps if im not disturbed hourly by help milling around. And on the plus side it’s a lot cheaper having some one part time.”

Watching her continue to prepare food James wonders off into a world of his own, just having a woman around the house makes him feel more relaxed and he is enjoying him self just by watching her cook. He is unsure why, but cant think of any time in the last few years he has been content. A few moments of glory as the discovery of a new way to bring back his wife. But they always fell short and his hope shattered. His last hope was his beautiful woman. She would set everything right. He could feel it.

The kitchen had filled with the scents of garlic and herbs as lily roasted a steak in a pan. She then found a bottle of red wine and created a sauce with the flavors in the pan. She had done this to his piece of meat first making sure it was fully cooked. then she repeated it with her own, but it was only in the pan for a second. She poured the rest of the wine into glass putting one in front of him. The she put his meat on the plate next to a mixture of veggies. she then took her own and put it on another plate.

Lily sat down across from him. "James, may i ask you why you want to know about my kind?" She asked politely as she sipped her wine. "no matter what your answer i will still answer all your questions, i just never met anyone who cared to know about us"

The room had filled with a suffusion of smells and before he realised Lily had finished cooking and had already plated his food and poured him some wine.
Having not eaten since the day before, James kindly welcomed the food and sat down trying to restrain him self for destroying the steak like some ravenous animal.

Sitting and enjoying the food for a moment her words echoed around his head as he questioned whether he should tell her the truth. Even though she said she didn’t mind the reason it was probably the most selfish reason for bringing her here.

“I want to know about vampires……. Well firstly just to find out if they exist, I mean if vampires do what about all the other myths of the world. I think because vampires live so long, or they are ment to live so long that they perhaps contain more secrets of the world and life than any one library or institute could possibly.”

Taking time to enjoy his food he notices his steak is cooked and Lily’s is rather raw. Not wanting to question her though she must know what she is doing. His food is delicious after all.

“Sorry for the morbid question while enjoying such fine food and company, but…….. Can vampires die? And how long do they live for. I would be fascinated as to your age but it would be rather improper for me to ask a lady her age.”

Probing further into the world of vampires James hopes his interview techniques come across as honest as he hides the real truth somewhat.

Lily listen to his reasons. They were fine, but she knew they went deeper than that. But she would not push the issue. not yet anyways. Lily just simply nodded to his answer and cook into her steak. She tried not to let him see the warm blood that came from the meat knowing to him it was the most pleasant thing.

"As any creature we can die. We can bleed to death, be burned or starved to death. But we will not die of natural causes, not of old age, or of illness. we remain as were when we were turned." Lily bit her lip as he asked the question he knew would as at some point "i will not give you a number for i do not want to shock you, but i will say i have seen the great pyramids in Egypt rise and fall"

((going to the store be back in an hour)

“Such an impressive life then, your eyes must have seen so many wonders, so many changes around the world. Does it not bore you to never be bale to rest?”

Either she didn’t know her age or she didn’t want to say. It was common for women to want to hide their age. Wanting to seem as young as possible, some natural selective gene perhaps that made the female belive the youngest receives the best mates. James never understood women very much. He considered him self lucky he managed to marry. And that the woman was so perfect for him was even more of a shock. Though of course tragedy struck, as it always did with the cruel world, and it was always the perfect stories that suffered.

It was relatively easy to finish up the plate of food. And for some reason James was managing the glass of wine surprisingly fast. The presents of enjoyable company a factor in his relaxation and willingness to allow him self some level of enjoyment.
Feeling though something a little stiffer would accompany such a well prepared meal his thoughts turn to the harder drinks there reside in the cabinet in the main room.

“An excellent meal Lily, most enjoyable. I think a retirement to a more comfortable setting is in order. I would be most ecstatic if you would join me.”Leading the way to the other room James hurries around tidying paper’s and books away from the arm chairs that surround the fire and manages to build a fire with the dried logs that have been stacked for him while he has been away. Within a few minutes the room is more inviting, clutter pushed out of the way and a fire beginning to glow. The sun setting in the distance gave the room an increasing orange glow. James made a mental note to draw the curtains a little later on, he did enjoy privacy and also it helped keep the room warm as it was rather large to heat to begin with.

Lily finished her meat. She finally felt like herself again. Her color was warm and creamy. Her cheeks were rosy now. And if it was possiable her eyes were a more vibrant purple. Her raven color hair even seemed to have a knew shine to it. Lily was going to clean the dishes but he ushered into other room.

Lily watched as he moved papers and made the room warm with the fire. "James, i noticed you were a wedding band, what happen to your wife?" Lily asked politely. She couldn't help but sense the woman pressance that was once here, she needed to know.

After hurriedly moving papers around to make the place a more respectable and comfortable place James was interrupted by the question of why he wore a wedding ring. Stopping and placing the last few papers down on a desk out the way he looks down at his head and all he can do is look at the ring. He had worn it the day him and Jane were wed and had never taken it off. He as accustomed to it by now, their marriage had been short, her departure sudden and unexpected. James had only been with his wife one year and she passed on, though it was now coming up to four years since her death.
Rolling this wedding ring around his finger he thought back to her, desperately trying to bring a smile to his face, not even the warm feelings of the times he had spent with her helped as the realisation she had been gone so long crept in.

Standing with his back to Lily James takes a moment telling her the facts but keeping him self turned. The subject pains him and a few moments to build some courage are needed before he can face Lily once more. But persistently he explains. “She passed on, not long into our marriage she became ill, that was along time ago. Even through her death I won’t stop loving her.”

I slight sigh from James as he razes his clenched fist to his chin and pushes the smoothness of the ring to his lips as to try and stop any feelings of sadness form escaping. Swallowing hard he neatens the papers up for a moment as he looks at all the papers, all the work he has accumulated, just for her just so they could be together.

The feeling of cold came over James, unsure of if it was cased by the subject of death or the fact that the day was soon to come to an end James pushes his feelings away and moves to the fire place to prepare the fire.

Lily looked down, part of her knew his wife was dead and gone, but there was part of her that needed confirmation. Lily looked she hated seeing the saddness across his face. She didn't understand why. What was it that made her connect with the man, this mortal.

Lily had spoken to thousands of vampires over her lifetime and none of them made her feel this way. Lily looked up at him again "i am sorry for lost. I know the pain of loosing someone you care about." Lily sighed "i had to watch my parents die, and my little sister. and i had to let them. knowing i would never see them again unless i took my own life, but even then i don't know if i would ever be able to join them in the heavens"

Unknown to him why but her words comforted him, but they did and though their subject was grim and as depressing as he felt, they were still comforting words. The pair of them were alive, it hadn’t dawned on him that Lily would be alone in this world as well. Her natural family would have passed on and she would have been left alone.
He felt an odd strength come over him, enabling him to push his pain away. The pair of them were alike, and with this they perhaps shared a goal. If he could bring his wife back, there may be a chance her family could be brought back too. This thought alone was enough to bring James back into the room.

Turning around and feeling a lot better for her company James started preparing the fire. Not a hard task for a man that lit it every night and worked by candle light reading ancient myth and text trying to break the truth from the lies.
“I am sorry for your loss too, the pain must be greater for you, I have been with out my wife for a few years but your family must have passed away years ago. Seems we are of a similar being, maybe we share similar interests?”

Lily looked up at him. realizing that might be the connection the shared. The both knew loss, and pain. She rose from her seat and stood next to the fire looking into his eyes. "James" she said his name then sighed "I want to be your friend, i want to know more about you, but afraid to be. I haven't really befriended anyone in years, and i certainly know better than to befriend a mortal." Lily looked down "the idea of becoming closer to you only to loose you to death is unbearable."

Lily statement was blunt and put out for him to take anyway he wanted. She wanted more even though she knew he still loved his wife

Standing in front of the fire James will never fully understand the reasons for his next moves but with the rising heat from the dancing flames and the soft melodic tones of a female voice comforting him he just left him self go. He just wanted to let all of his secrets out. Lily was so genuine, all of her feeling laid out in front of him, and he was still unsure if he should allow her to know what she was really here. Whether the reasons would seem spiteful or devious.

“I have been alone for some time too, I don’t think we could ever fully realise each others pain. Cold as it may sound I don’t know if we should, your welcome here Lily, always. I have no idea why but for some reason it feels you are ment to be here. I fear death no more, humanity is progressing day by day. The British Empire expanding with each passing moment. Soon the secrets of the world will all be unlocked, we can cure many illnesses already. I belive humans will even cure the ailment of death.”

With the final word of death leaving his lips James felt a horror encompass his body, had he said too much to the woman, were his words now turning into those of madness. Many said he would go mad, time spent alone in a large house toiling with nothing with the thoughts of death. Was he sane any more?

"death is permit James. There is no bring someone back. As much as I would love to be able to see my family again i know i can not." Lily sighed. "Some times i think i am even unnatural. How can i be among the chosen to put a stopper in death." Lily sighed yet again "but then i think of all the things i was able to do so far and i know i can't be unnatural. that i was went to be this way."

Lily stepped closer to him. she wanted to change the subject "To think of the great things you would be able to give an eternal life. you would never be able to bring back the dead but your mind could certainly do other great work"

She knowledge and life experiences far surpass his but James disagreed with her ideals. The idea that death was permanent was a idea that so many had come to accept. Religion believed that death could be reversed. He has read the passages of the bible. The resurrection of the son of god, which to him was proof enough that death was not permanent.

Even Lily was proof that death was not the end, she had no doubt out lived any Mortal and showed now sign of any illness or aliment that in less than half a human life time plagued the body of a mere mortal.

“I don’t belive you are unnatural you are as alive as me, you were a Mortal and now you are something more, you have been blessed with the gift of life once more. You are proof alone that death can be beaten. Your words of flattery are greatly accepted, but sadly even though there is so much I could offer the world, there are things I must do for my self first. Death is not permanent, there are numerous accounts of people living through death, reversing it’s affects. My workings and research have all but strengthened my belief.”

Unknown to him of how his words would affect Lily he didn’t care much at that moment in time. He felt his hard work and persistence was now under attack, his work was all he had had through the lonely winters he had endured and the summers of happiness he was denied, he duly defended his studies.

Lily shook her head "i have seen the miracles of resurrections that you speak of, and i can tell you they are sometimes more than you think. Or they are written to be greater than they were." Lily moved one more step closer to him. She placed a hand on his cheek and started into his eyes "oh james, you are a sweet man, but wants have clouded your judgment. Your eyes piece the story now in front of me."

Lily hated to ruin everything she finally thought she had found a friend but appeared he was just using her her "I know now why i am here. you think i can help you bring your beloved wife back. And i can not. there is no way for that to be done." Lily soft silky hand hand rested on his cheek. her words so soft, with trying to be gentle

The annoyance of the woman’s words was obviously showing on James face, he touch and words of comfort did little to bring him form his despair.

The room was littered with his working and research, all the years he had spent learning reading and forcing him self to do nothing more than devote his remaining life to his wife.

How could a stranger that had not even known him a full day even begin to try and understand. But some how she did know, she knew almost everything, even the reason as to why she was her was apparent.

Knocking her hand from his face James disagreed with Lily still there was a way, there had too be, nothing else proved other wise. He had spent all of this time working to the answer, he was no prepared to have everything undermined by anyone. Whether they are living or dead.

“My judgment is sound!” James snaps at Lily as he removes her tender touch from his face. “You have no idea what you are saying, you have even managed to contradict your self. You say you have seen the miracle of life being returned. That to me is proof enough I have a chance some level of hope at achieving my goals.” Anger was all James had now, Lily words we near enough blasphemy to him.

Lily tried so hard not to upset him but that was all she managed to do. Lily was hurt when he roughly knocked her hand away. She held it to her heart as if there was true wound there. Lily looked sad. her eyes were watery but she would not allow herself to cry. "i am sorry i have angered you. i was not trying to doubt your work, only let you know that it would result in nothing. Maybe i should have let you believe what you wanted. for i know how powerful belief can be"

"i want to thank you for all the help you have given me, i just wish there was so way we could have been friends" Lily gave him a half hearten smile. then she moved to the door of his study "good bye" she said softly as she stepped through the door and began to walk across the hall to the door.

As much as he disliked her approach to his work she had still shown him kindness and he felt the same should be shown to her. Her words resided In his head for a moment as he watched the flames in the fire place burn away at the wood withering the dense wood away slowly.
He had felt some level of fulfilment when she was around but now she had left the room he felt alone once more. More alone than he had before, he couldn’t bare to look at the paper work around the room, if she was right it had all been for nothing. His life at this point felt like it was nothing. Watching the fire for a brief moment more he recalled his vows the day him and Jane were wed. He had lost Jane in his life and now another woman of equal kindness was making her way out of his life as well.

Hearing her foot steps down the cold corridor James turns to pursue Lily, not wanting to let her go. Passing through the threshold of the door he uses his hand to grip the door frame and turn him self faster.

She is still walking to the front door, her posture one of sadness as she walks through the dim hall way to the door. Calling out to her James attempts to get her to stop.

“Im sorry” he bluntly calls out, so many emotions mixed with the words he doesn’t know how she will take them, but hopes inside she will at least stop for a moment.
“Nothings anyone’s fault, im not mad at you. I don’t know what I am any more, im nothing that’s all I feel Lily. Harsh as your words are perhaps they are true, maybe I….” too many emotional conflicts storm within James as he tries to hold back his tears of pain. Fighting with him self he questions whether he should just be alone that the nothingness he feels is the way he should be.
“Maybe you should get away……”As his words leave his mouth he can no longer control his feelings and pulls him self back into the room, not wanting to let Lily see his sadness and to save him self see another person of kindness leave his life.

Lily stopped her back still to him as he apologized. She had left a few tears slip from her purple eyes down her silky skin. But just as quickly as he apologized he told her it might be better if she got away from him. Lily wanted to shake him so hard. She wanted to stay with him, she didn't understand when she was with him she didn't feel empty anymore. it was strange.

Lily knew he had gone back into the room and she couldn't stop herself. She went and stood in the door way. "i am sorry for what i said. i just did not want to see you waste your life searching for answer you would never find. I am sure your wife would not be happy if she saw how you were spending your days and nights. I am sure would want you to go on and be happy with your life as tough as that may be." Lily leaned against the door frame. her long raven colored hair falling in her face. "you are a great man James, don't let you beliefs drive you insane"

Entering back into the room James took a moment to stand in the middle of the room, unsure if he had finally driven Lily away or if she would return back to him.
The sound of foot steps sunk his heart as they echoed through the hallway. The sound grew louder not fainter, the sound of Lily returning back to him.

Walking forward to the cabinet James pours him self a stiff drink something a little stronger than wine and stirs the glass around in his hand, the pale brown colour of the whiskey and the crystal mirage of the glass reflecting the flames of the fire around the glass as the soft liquid stirred it’s way around the glass.

A sigh and a feeling of relief as he took a sip of the drink as Lily made her way into the door way. Turning on the spot James catches her words but does not fully register them, the image of the beautiful woman lent against the door pulls his attention from anything else.

Her face was sad as she lent her self against the door frame, almost pulling her self against it as if she needed some moment of affection or reassurance. Making his way across the room James takes another sip of his drink. The liquid running down his throat leaves the all too familiar taste of whiskey in the back of his throat. Breathing out he can feel it’s dense taste on his breath.

Reaching Lily as she still clung to the door way James takes another mouthful of the drink. The large mouthful in his mouth hits him as he swallows, a deep breath of air dragged though his nostrils to try and weaken the after taste only draws Lily’s alluring smell to his attention. Leaving just enough for Lily to have a mouthful James takes her hand and moves his hand around hers and grips the glass in her hand.

“Bring her back from the dead has been all I have worked for, maybe you are right. Maybe I wouldn’t even resemble the man she left behind. Perhaps insanity has worked it’s way into my mind. My heart will always have a place for her though, my heart will never be tainted by darkness.”

Still holding her hand he brings him self to gaze into her eyes. The odd colouring of purple contrasted against her pale completion leaves him captivated by her beauty as silence fills the room.

Lily heard him coming closer to her. At first she didn't look up, but then she lifted her head her eyes locked on him. He looked sad and she hated to bring that upon him. she took the drink and drank it down quickly. she just looked at him. her hand still wrapped tight in his.

"so what now." Was all she managed to say.

Gripping his lip with holding his words back James was unsure of what to say or do. He had managed to take her hand but not let it go, he soft touch brought some relief to his mood. As they both stood together in the door way neither of the pair looked as if they wanted to be apart, nor did they know if they should come together.

“Stay…… stay here, we have no reason to be alone. Maybe your words are right maybe she is gone. Everything happens for a reason I think. maybe you were ment to happen to me?”

With their hands still cupped and the glass now shared between them James wanted nothing more than to welcome the woman properly. To him he was still a married man, though the pair were almost of the same person when it came to their life style and personal tragedies.
Stepping into her James used his free arm to wrap around Lily and pull her into him as their cupped hands still gripped they fell to their sides. With her in his arm and pressed against him James pulled her head down into his shoulder and brought his lips to her ear.

“Just stay, I think that’s what I need right now, I have been alone too long.”

Lily did not want to leave him. Part of her was starting to think she had found her mate. the one she could spend all eternity with. In all her years no one has ever made her feel this way. She never wanted to turn a man into a vampire, and now she couldn't imagine not turning him to what she was.

Lily rested her head against his shoulder her arms embracing him. Her slender pressed tight to him "i will stay forever if you let me" Her words but a whisper. her warm breath gliding over his neck. then she kissed his neck softly before returning her head to rest on his shoulder.

As he pair embraced each other it didn’t occur to him that this woman was a vampire, he had even received a kiss on the neck from her and no fear resided in him even though she could easily have bitten him.
The kiss was a welcome one, it caused James to pull her tighter to him wanting to holder her closer, feeling he though he would never once again feel rushed back to him. For a moment everything was perfect, it was like he had managed to bring his beloved back. Though it wasn’t her it was some one else. And could he now break the vows he had promised to her? She was dead, were the vows now nulled. Was he free from gods judgement.

“Let’s move out of the hall Lily, you can stay tonight. You can stay till you need to go.”

Releasing her and stepping back in pained James some what, he just wanted to hold her once more. There were moral issues now boiling in his mind and whether his will to be loyal would continue to be tested and remain strong in favour of his wife.

Walking back into the room he glances back, an inviting look hoping Lily will enter the warmth of the room and they can resume their mutual friendship and get to kow each other.

Lily could have made him hers forever when kissed his neck. But she didn't. She hoped perhaps one day he might ask her to turn him into what she was. To be with her forever. But she was not sure he would ever do that. he would ever break his vow to his wife. even though she was dead and gone.

Lily moved into the room. taking a seat on a couch near the fire. She had choose the couch and not the chair in hopes that maybe he would sit with her. "i will stay as long as you want me, my leaving will only depend on you" she told him softly