Darkened Hearts (Orcus/SHARPii)

Frances pulled himself together and was quite pissed about the way Lord Derby had tried to get rid of him. Even if he could shrug off bullets it was still insulting. As Frances rose yet again he tried to think of some way to salvage this situation. He'd seen the Ripper, he'd seen what the Ripper could do, and he had a pretty good idea of why the Ripper was killing. Even as he focused on his hunt and tried to shrug off Lord Derby's betrayal as a setback he couldn't stop thinking about Delilah.

Lord Derby would say that Frances had been killed by the Ripper no doubt. How would Delilah feel about that? Would Derby suspect her of fornicating? He'd given the man plenty of reasons to suspect such a thing, even if it wasn't true. Even the kiss would be considered taboo.

Frances decided to go to her. He dusted himself off and made his way back to the Derby estate. He first stopped by his room to change out of the cloths with bullet holes in them. The whole time he was remembering a theory he heard a while ago about the nature and origins of the vampires.

"We are angels!" The elder had preached. "We are God's wrath on Earth to smite those who are wicked!" This theory was pretty popular back around the time Frances was turned. He felt that way right now. He wanted to rip the Ripper apart and bask in the irony. He wanted to take back his expensive wine just to smash Derby across the head with it. But there was something more burning in his chest. Something more than the hunt. Something more than vengeance. Delilah.

A nimble hand came up to her cheek, the back of it wiping away the salty tears that wouldn't stop pouring down like rain. It was so pathetic of her, to actually feel something. Granted, it made her happy knowing she could feel something, she kind of viewing it in this great positive light that her parents hadn't completely ruined her to not be open to happiness, only basking in her absolute misery. But why was she crying? What for? She hardly knew him. Even if he did kiss--and an amazing kiss it was--it was so unreal to be crying, and this much too.

Perhaps it was a culmination of it all; the intensity from her mother, her father's lack of power against her mother to take a stand and stop her from this constant form of abuse in a way. He never stuck up for her. So in his own way, he wans't helping her either. In his own way, he was contributing to her suffering by not stopping his wife. The embarrassment from that day about the whole thing with her corset and her fainting and the fact that France gave her a kiss she could still feel so resonant on her lips and she couldn't shake it. No matter how much she tried to stop the tears, she just couldn't shake the tremendous feelings he made her feel in just two days.

Standing, she went to her drawer and opened it, shuffling through some clothes where she hid his journal, taking it out and resting it on the surface of her dresser. She ran her hand over its front and then it binding and sighed softly, sniffling, wiping her eyes once more. Opening it, she sat by the window, bringing her knees slightly to her chest--not completely--and propped the journal on it. The moon's light was shining brightly down on the pages, allowing her to read and see what had occupied its pages.

Frances made it to his room undetected. Non of his things had been disturbed, most likely because he was believed to be dead. France could hear Delilah. He could smell her on the patio. He wanted to go to her right away, but... he was in no rush to tare her understanding of reality to shreds.

Frances focused on gathering his belongings. He would need them for his hunt. He traveled light, so it didn't take much time for him to pack. Frances took the time to chance out of his bullet ridden cloths before hopping from his patio to Delilah's. "Good evening, sweet Delilah."

The door was opened just enough to bring in some fresh breeze as she was reading through this journal, wanting to hold onto whatever was left of this man who had impacted her so quickly in just a short amount of time. She was taken from her enjoyment of his journal when the familiar voice sent shivers up her spine. She turned her head and stood quickly, snapping the journal shut as her eyes widened while she gaped at the man before her. It was Frances.

Without saying much, she just went to him and wrapped her arms around his neck. The act was done entirely subconsciously as she didn't think on it. She was just happy he was alive, making her father's story untrue. As she realized though that she was hugging him, something that wasn't like her, she pulled immediately, taking a big step away from him, holding his journal in front of her, both hands clasped over it. "I thought you were dead." She was blushing, not for saying that but because she had hugged him, even if he had kissed her earlier that night. It was too forward of her.

((Do you think it's too early for him to come out of the coffin? If you do I'll change this post.))

Frances was a little surprised when she hugged him, but he was happy she did. He also hugged her but let go when she began to feel distressed. He knew this was coming. "Delilah. I want to tell you something very important. Would you please sit down? It tends to help." Frances was being very calm with her as he had a feeling this was going to be one of the most eventful nights of her life.

[I don't think so. I'd be happy with that]

"Sit down?" She asked softly. "What is it? Is it so bad I need to sit down?" Though just as she was saying it, as if psyching herself out, she found herself moving back to the cushioned ledge by the window in which she was sitting down at, stepping backwards to it until she felt the edge of it at her legs, prompting her to sit, resting his journal in her lap. "What is it?"

He was about to tell her that her father had tried to kill her, but he knew that would hurt her. This night was and was going to be a very traumatic night for her. "The truth is I didn't die tonight. I'm already dead. I have been for quite some time. I'm what you would call a vampire." He was keeping a distance from her to keep her from feeling threatened.

As he spoke and said exactly what he was, her hand moved to her neck, covering the bite and her eyes widened. "So then...is this on my neck not a bug bite?" She asked, swallowing hard. Yes, because that's what was more important, aside from the fact that he didn't die but was already dead.

He had to struggle to keep from laughing. He was worried she would be offended. "I'm terribly sorry, Delilah. Those are the marks my teeth made when I drank of your blood." He hated doing this. There was no right way. Frances looked at the floor in shame. "Please forgive me."

Biting her lower lip, she looked down, her hands coming to rest in her lap. She didn't know what to think, except for one thing. "I'm food to you." She wasn't asking it, it was stating it and the thought left her uncomfortable and suddenly, the memory of the kiss they shared did not sit pleasantly with her no longer. "Knowing this, were you really here to take down the ripper or was that all a ruse to gain entrance into a home to just...have away with us all?" She murmured in question, looking up at him.

Frances knelt before her so she could look him in the eyes. "You aren't food. Your blood may be But you, Delilah, are far more than food." He reached out to lift her chin. "I came to this place to hunt the Ripper. That was never a lie. I still intend to kill him. Now more than ever." He moved a little closer. "But the reason I chose this place was because I saw you on the patio that night. I fed from you because you're beautiful. I kissed you because I fell in love with you. I'm here hoping you'll forgive me because I'm still in love with you."

She tensed just a little bit when he knelt before her, closing the distance between them. She swallowed hard, especially when he lifted her chin but she just bit her lower lip a little nervously. His words, they made her melt. He saw her on the patio and he came to her home specifically. However, she found it odd that he fed from her because she was beautiful. Then her jaw dropped at that confession. It was perhaps the most unladylike reaction ever but she couldn't help it because she was not expecting to hear those words. "W-What?" Her speech came out almost in a whisper to put further emphasis on her shock. All tension she felt from when he came near her, seemed to vanish. The news of him being a vampire seemed to disappear just momentarily as she mulled over his words. I kissed you because I fell in love with you. I'm here hoping you'll forgive me because I'm still in love with you. Oy, someone was clearly a romantic.

((Indeed))

Frances advanced and kissed her yet again. He was very gentle and slow as he wanted his love to be accepted. He put his arms around her out of desire and held her to him.

Lila tensed up the moment his lips were on hers but just like clockwork, she melted, like she did before when he had kissed her. Her eyes closed and she kissed him back. It was clear, his effect on her. She relaxed enormously. He was just...no words could possibly describe it, even if he was technically dead.

Frances lifted her in his arms. "Delilah, will you leave this place with me? I will love you and provide for you. I will even make you a vampire if you so wish." He was looking deep into her eyes as he spoke. He wasn't glamoring her, but he did want her to see his honesty and to see it in her. "You will be free with me."

It was like she didn't even need to think about that. She wanted to leave her home, leave her family and be free and what better way to do that than with him. Despite her reservations and possible fears--especially at the thought of becoming a vampire herself--she nodded her head enthusiastically, her lips still tingling with a delicious sensation from their kiss. "I don't know about being a vampire myself, just yet, but I know I want to leave with you. If I stay here any longer, I'll throw myself over the balcony just to escape this agonizing life." And her misery and agony was resonant in her tone as she spoke it. Yes, she was scared, especially being with him but she'd rather take that leap of faith with him than stay where she was, in her own prison, her own hell.

"I knew you would." He kissed her and set her down. "Get whatever you want to take with you and we'll go. We'll need to find some place to stay until the Ripper is dealt with." He went over to the window to see how many people were out at this time. "You may wont to wear some plain looking clothes, if you have any."

Lila managed a weak smile at him, but her eyes were shining with excitement because she'd finally be able to leave this horrid place. Nodding to him, she moved from him and went to the mahogany chest and pulled out all the jewelry she was given. It'd be perfect to trade for money, that part of her that would always think of sustenance. Looking back at him as she placed it all in a bag, she bit her lower lip. "Oh um..." Right, clothes. She stood and went to her closet and all her gallant dresses came to her view. None of them were plain or normal. Looking at him, she bit her lower lip. "I don't think I own anything plain, aside from my night gown." She said softly.

Frances put rubbed his chin trying to think of a way to handle this situation. "Well you'd look rather strange going about in a night gown." He looked out at the city. "Maybe we can tear up one of those dresses to make it look plain? Or I could steal some clothes from one of the maids." It really would look strange for her to go in her night gown, but she could be recognized in one of her usual outfits. "Maybe if you just give one of your dresses one last wear, you buy some more tomorrow. Does that sound good?"

Lila smiled a little bit at the comment of her walking around in her night gown. He was right about that, for sure. Biting her lower lip, she nodded to him. "These dresses and all the jewelry I have can be sold for a hefty price." She told him. "The dresses are heavy though and it's easier to take the jewelry; plus they'd probably get a lot more than the dresses since they're real." Perhaps the only piece of jewelry she had an attachment to was the locket she wore around her neck. Otherwise, there was no attachment to any of this. She saw it as instant money for them to get by and by.

"Oh money is no problem for me." He picked up her funeral dress. He ripped away most of the dress so that some of her leg would show. than he started tearing up the front of it. "My maker makes dresses for ladies of the dark. If you decide you want to become a vampire I'll introduce you to her." The dress was a lot more revealing now. "I don't know if you've figured this out, but we are very sensual creatures."

Lila watched him rip a dress and she gasped, her eyes widened. She let it go of course and just bit her lower lip at the finished product, more like gaping at it as she gulped audibly. She'd never worn anything so revealing. "Oh my..." But then she blushed at his last comment. "Yes, I was kind of getting that. I don't think I would be standing here if you were not."

"Well..." He thought over his words very carefully. He didn't want to be more forward than she could deal with, but he figured she had to know what was going through his mind. "I would think this counts as eloping. I would have you as my lover." He knew he had to tiptoe around that just a little bit. These people treated sex like it was evil. He wasn't even sure how much she knew about sex.

"L-Lover?" She blushed madly now and her hands came to her cheeks to really hide them since she knew how red she had just turned. Love meant more than just kissing and being in love. Love pertained to physical relations. It's not like she thought sex was a major sin. She knew it was an act between two people with a physical attraction to each other, either out of lust or love. She just never thought it would happen to her so soon and she felt rather innocent to the very mention of the word. "..." Her mouth opened to speak but she was rather baffled and speechless. It was clear when nothing had come out of her mouth except shocked silence. Was it really that shocking that he would want her for that?

Yes...

Frances placed all the things Lila wanted to take with her and put them in his satchel. They didn't take up much room. He embraced her. and kissed her red cheeks. "I don't ever want to take something you don't want to give." He picked her up in his arms and carried her over to her balcony. "I'll bet you didn't know this was the last night of this life. Don't worry. the one I take you on now will be exciting and full of fun." With that he jumped out the patio and disappeared into the shadows with her.