Entering the dining room now, Nick leads me to my chair and pulls it out for me. I carefully sit down, then watch him take his seat in the larger chair at the end of the table. I didn't see that coming. Walter is standing back by the door with his hands together at the front of him. He called the kitchen before we got here and now Fitzgerald is about to send our meals up. Nick tells him he's not needed at the moment, so he bows his head and leaves us alone. The magnetic pull between Nick and I is beginning to overwhelm me again. But there is also something I don't feel right about. I just wish I knew why and what it is. Evidently, Nick notices my behavior; he looks expectant of an explanation.

I shut my eyes, thinking over what to say first.
"I know what I saw earlier, and I'm not afraid." My tone is just above a whisper. My words might make him think I'm crazy. Not exactly keen on the idea, I reopen my eyes to see his reaction. He has no expression; strictly emotionless. When he does that, it's so unnerving for me, yet at the same time I'm getting used to it.

He leans forward in his chair, placing his hands over each other. I watch him intently.
"What do you feel exactly...?-Miss Summers." he asks.

What do I feel 'exactly'? That's just the thing! I don't know! It's like this infatuation I have overpowers anything else I feel. When it comes to fear of the 'spirits' here, I'm numb. But when it's just him and I together and we're focused on one another, nothing else exists–nothing at all. And he's all I want. All I would ever want. I'm sure of that.

He sees that I am having a hard time answering his question and he sits back again with his finger over his lips, completely focused on me. That stare...

I rest my forehead in one hand, "I just don't understand why, after all these years, I have no fear of the supernatural anymore. At least, it's not as much as it's always been for me."

"Ah... Well consider me mad, but Ivy, the truth is...you are never alone. You are protected by many here, believe it or not."

"...How many are here?" I ask, a little unsettled.
"Native Americans, people from the turn of the last century and some of Dmitri's family and friends. Some of my loved ones visit me but that is...rare." He says. I'm amazed. I'm on an ancient piece of land...

"When we went horseback riding earlier, along the trail, the Native Americans were watching us. I could not show that I knew they were there. Only you know I have this ability." He tells me.

"Really...? You haven't told Walter anything? You've known him for a while." I'm stunned more and more. He lightly shakes his head, "I am not really an open book. Not even to him – and we are good friends. But our relationship is mostly a professional one."
"Wow," I murmur.
"You are more special to me than you realize." He laughs quietly.
"Well I..." I chuckle back, "I'm flattered." He winks at me.

I sit silently for a moment, then say, "Nick, this about the spirits brings me to a question; if so many are 'protecting' me, how powerful is Jennifer?"
"Not powerful enough to overrule the others."
"And you have control over her." I surely say, though at the same time it is a question.
He folds his arms, nodding, "Yes I do." His answer leaves me in immense wonder and a sort of awe. "How?"
"It is part of who I am." He smiles, then waves a hand out, "Hard to explain."
"Would you ever be able to explain it to me?" I ask. He sits back and lets his hand fall into his lap while only staring at me. By the way he's looking at me, I'm thinking the answer is either 'I don't know' or simply–'no'. Suddenly, there's a knock on the door. He blinks a couple times, looks down, then glances over at the door, "Yes, come in." I don't take my attention off him.

Pamela wheels a cart in with our meals and a big pitcher of tea. She places everything neatly on the table and starts to pour Nick's drink but he stops her. She is taken aback by that. He says, narrowing his eyes with an odd smile, "No, I will take care of it. Thank you Pamela." She backs up slowly and looks at me. I do nothing but watch her with a faint 'well, that was intense' face. She then excuses herself and wheels the cart back out of the room. Nick and I look at each other again and he dips his head, smiling as if satisfied. I return it with my own light one.

He opens his hand to my glass, "May I?"
I nod softly, "Sure, thank you."
"It is my pleasure." He stands and starts waltzing around the table to me. The closer he gets, the more my body tenses up. He stops by my side and begins pouring my drink–slowly.

As I stare at how carefully the tea flows into the glass, I mumble, "You're spoiling me." Something is going through my mind besides that; Gina's words about Dracula, and my 'plan' to see if he lives the vampiric lifestyle is cycling over and over in my head.

"Is that a problem?" he asks. I look up at him. He pauses, reading my eyes.
"No..." I utter, watching his fanged smile. He sets the pitcher down without taking his sight off me. I gulp.

"What is on your mind Miss Summers?" He's entertained by my nervousness. I take his hand–his very warm hand. "Please sit by me." He looks at it, then sits next to me.
"What is on your mind?" he repeats, quieter this time and more curious. I know what I want to say but the words just won't come out. I'm so jittery. Again.

"Why are you always so warm?" I ask.
"I don't know."

"It's part of who you are..."
"Yes."

Now I have run out of things to say. He obviously won't give me more of an explanation. Why–why is he so warm and pale? Why are his teeth that way and why is he psychic? Why does he talk about time like it's nothing? I have to find out! But how will I do it?

"Ivy..."
I stop staring at the pitcher and look at him. He takes my hand and kisses it. My lips part.
"What is really on your mind?" he asks.

"I want to...kiss you." Oh god, did I just say that? Me–kissing him? A man with so much authority? The very one that I constantly feel nervous being around, the one who does weird things like dress in clothes from a different era and has unnatural abilities–I want to kiss him.

He snickers until he chuckles in his deep-toned way. This is what I figured would happen. My cheeks are reddening by the second.

"You are so cute." He smiles wide at me. I can't believe I'm still looking at him and not hiding my face. "How about...I kiss you?" he asks. My eyes widen.
"No?" he shakes his head, still amused.
"Um..." I can't answer properly. He offers a hand, "Stand, Ivy." I look at it, then up to him...and carefully take it. Why am I behaving like this? I'm not a kid. It's a kiss–just a kiss, right? No, no it's not.

Once I stand, he places one hand on my lower back, pulling me close while the other holds the small of it. I don't understand why he's holding me like this. "What are we doing?"
"Your anxiousness is getting the best of you Ivy." he says, "I want you to be comfortable." He sidesteps, winking at me, "And so, we will dance! Forget about the food; we can eat anytime." He twirls me around as I blink blankly at his actions and words, then he pulls me up flush against him, taking the breath out of me. I look at his lips. He smiles darkly. I blush.
"Off we go," He laughs and we start to glide around the room; his quick and skilled movements are so graceful it's like we are skating on ice. It's so magical. Moving around the furniture is nothing to him. I'm nervous at first but I begin to really trust him. I even giggle a few times as we move.

He slows once we're to the windows and twirls me around one more time, then I comfortably stop with my hands resting on his shoulders. Our faces are so close now, and his eyes...his captivating diamond-like eyes... I watch them lower to my neck as he says, "It is great fun dancing with you Ivy," I swallow carefully while admiring his glowing gaze.
"You dance...like an angel." I say.
"Years of experience..." he whispers.

Rozalia says, "So soft and fragile... Oh, the ache to sink your teeth into it and drink in her warm blood...you could feel it now; how it would gloss over and soothe your gums, filling you with that sweet body-tingling burst of energy when it flows down your throat. I bet it truly is rich. Bite her...Dmitri." His eyes brighten and flash at the last word. The sight of it causes me to widen my own and my mouth to fall slightly open in more awe.

"Ivy...frumoasa mea," He tilts his head as he brushes his lips over my neck. I breathe in, lightly squeezing his shoulders. Rozalia purrs, "We will take our time...with her." A low growl emits from deep within his throat while he tightens his grip on me. The sharp ends of his eyeteeth run over my skin. I shiver. He starts walking me backwards until he pushes me against a wall and pins my hands above my head. My heart leaps. His kisses trail up to my jaw, and he pauses and gazes into my eyes. I again look at his lips, breathing quicker. He smiles in a wicked way and then claims my mouth. In the moment his warm lips touch mine, a more powerful bolt of electricity shoots throughout my body. Is this lust?

I bite his bottom lip and he makes another small growl noise. He does the same back to me, though his bite is more forceful than mine. I'm not even worried if he bites too hard. My hands escape his grip and take fistfuls of his hair. He clutches my waist and hips as he returns to my neck, then I feel him pinch my skin with his teeth. I take in a quick sharp breath. He removes his lips from my neck with a hiss and suddenly stops. I quickly place a hand over the spot he pinched and stare at him, panting. He bites his bottom lip while looking at me, and gulps.
Rozalia snarls in his mind, "HOW DARE YOU RESIST ME!"

I am without words; breathless and amazed at how...erotic...that was. He halfway smirks and starts to laugh in a devilish way. He won't stop. I lean my head back against the wall with a sigh to regain my composure.

"Excuse me, I could not help myself..." he snickers. I look at him, wondering what else could have happened.

"Please, take your seat–I will have this food warmed up." I interject, "Actually, I..."
"You are not hungry anymore?" he amusedly asks. I shake my head in response. "Me neither." he says. His eyes give me the impression he's not telling the truth. My cheeks flush. He looks over at a clock on a small table in the corner of the room, "Hm...1:55..." Just then, someone knocks on the door. He turns to it, "Yes Walter, come in." How did he know that? I look over and see Walter coming in.

"Sir, Miss Summers.." he bows his head at us. I manage a faint smile and glance out the corner of my eye at Nick who's smiling cheekily at him. Why the snobbish face–I couldn't know.

"Walter." he nods once at the straight-faced butler that soon approaches his side and whispers something close to his ear. I'm able to pick out...a man named 'Gerald' that will be attending an upcoming event. I'm surprised Nick didn't excuse himself from the room to speak any sort of business with him.

"Hmm..." Nick rubs his chin with an index finger as Walter steps back, folding his hands behind his back. Slowly, he forms a fake kind of smile at him, "Very well." He nods at him. Walter bows again and gives me a nod on the way out of the room.

I look at Nick as he walks up and grabs my hand, saying, "Ivy...ești a mea..." What did he say to me? I put my hand on my chest as his eyes watch my every facial movement like a hungry animal. He's making me feel like a lamb in a cage with a lion. He chuckles, "I said I have a surprise for you."
"Oh," I mouth. He winks at me, "You will love it; I am sure." When he's sure of himself, he's usually right...

*Ivy...ești a mea...

Ivy...you are mine...