Night Gathering

Arianna hissed at him, her eyes burning. "I never did it because I wanted to, I did it because I HAD to..." She whispered, her hands gripping his forearms as he held her face. A tear slid down her face and she tried to wipe it away. "I am not a whore..." She said quietly, her eyes moved downward to her feet. She didn't try to pull away. Selene looked on, not daring to move.

Valdemar looked her dead in the eye, his hand not moving from her face. "Of course you did. Just like I have to kill her." he said as he gestured his head across to Selene. "You're not a whore?" he said as he lifted her head up so her eyes were looking into his. "If you weren't a whore you would have come to me. Rather than find solace in his bed.." he said shoving her face away from him and releasing his grip.

Arianna closed her eyes and listened as he battered her with his words. "Would you have listened?" She asked, opening her eyes again to look at him. "Will you listen now?" She asked after watching him for a moment. The panther came forward, rumbling deeply, feeling his mistresses's despair. He rubbed her leg gently, eyeing Valdemar. Selene still stood where she was, watching the two.

Valdemar looked to her plainly. "To your lies?" he said with a cold glare. "Sure. Tell me your lies. I'm listening." he said coldly. His eyes looking across to her. He was trying so hard to cut off all his emotions. He wanted nothing more than to just hold her close to him. To hold her.

Arianna rubbed the panther's head and looked at Valdemar. "My family...has a history. One that I do not want to share again." She said quietly. "Aro, as usual, was sticking his nose where it didn't belong. He managed to dig it up." She said, her jaw clenched. A slight hiss emitted from her throat. "He threatened to expose me, you guess the rest..." She said, staring him into the eye. She figured he wouldn't believe her but it was the truth.

Valdemar's expression softened. His hand found her chin. "Why couldn't you tell me the secret?" he asked coldly. "Why didn't you come to me?" he said as he placed a hand to the side of her face. He swallowed slightly. "I could have helped you. You didn't have to.." he trailed off as his eyes found the floor. He didn't know how to feel right now. He didn't know whether to scold her for her stupidity or kiss for her innocence.

Arianna shook her head. "It was a spur of the moment, if I went to you. He would have revealed it." She said, then looked at him as he held her face. She reached up slowly and placed a hand over his. "Believe me if you want...I won't hold it against you if you don't..." She moved her eyes away but kept her face still.

Valdemar eyes traced over her face. "I.." he began but before he could realise what he was doing, his lips found hers. His hand brushing her hair from her face. The kiss seemed to last for ever. All the feelings that he'd had for her came rushing back, it was like they had never left. His lips parted from hers slowly. "I believe you." he whispered to her.

Arianna closed her eyes as he kissed her. It felt like the first time, it had been so long. Her feelings for him seemed to radiate on the inside and outside of her body. She opened her eyes as he pulled away. "I...I'm sorry...I should have come to you..." She said, looking into his eyes.

His hand slid from her face to her neck gently. "You should have." his forehead leaned against hers as a faint smile moved over his lips. "I've missed you so much." he said as he kissed her lips once more. He pulled away once more. "I'm here for you now." he said as he pulled her close to him, holding her tightly. He then kissed the side of her neck tenderly. "What is the secret?" he asked suddenly.

Arianna smiled lightly as her arms went around him. She felt as if a huge weight had been lifted off her shoulders. "I've missed you too." She said, her face buried in the crook of his neck. She pulled her head up a little to look at him after a few moments. "I...I-not now. Later." She said gently, a light smile on her face. The panther purred softly and moved away, allowing the two to have some room.

Valdemar smiled to her before his eyes found Selene. He pulled himself away from Arianna and walked over to Selene slowly. "I'm not going to kill you." he said with a light smile. He looked back to Arianna before back to her. "But I am going to kill your husband." he said with a simply shrug. "But you have nothing to worry about." he said simply with a shrug.

Selene opened her mouth to speak but Arianna shook her head. "Selene, it would be better than having him die at the hands of the order." She said gently. Selene glared at them both. "It won't be easy, I won't make it easy." She hissed, then disappeared into the night. Arianna sighed as she watched her friend go. Then looked back at Valdemar and walked over to him.

Valdemar laughed slightly. "I wouldn't say that." he said with a raised eyebrow. "I'll make the bastard suffer for what he's caused." he said coldly as his fists clenched. "The order wont go unpunished either." he smirked lightly. "And she wont get off scott free." he said as he pointed in the direction that she went. "Mark my words."

Arianna remained quiet as she watched him. She knew she could do nothing to sway his mind. "Valdemar...the sun will rise soon. It would be pointless to go after them now." She said carefully. She looked toward the horizon, the sun was just starting to peek over it. She then looked back at Valdemar.

Valdemar looked back to her. "And where do you propose that we spend the day?" he said as he turned back to her with a smirk. "Where ever it is.. it better have a bed." he said with a grin. "We have a lot of time to make up for." he rose an eyebrow slightly. His eyes moved to the peaking sun before back to her once more.

Arianna rolled her eyes before looking back at him with a smirk. "Don't you live here?" She asked, then walked up to him. She placed a hand on his chest and gently stroked it. Looking into his eyes, her gaze soft yet fiery. "We do indeed." She said, her other hand went to his shoulder.

Valdemar swept a hand through his hair with a laugh. "I do, don't I?" he said smiling with a shake of his head. He looked to her hand before back to her with a grin. His hand swept her hair from her face smoothly. He held out his arm for her to take, before moving down the streets of Benedictus. The moonlight was quickly diminishing and the sun was quickly rising.
They reached his manor rather quickly, he pushed the door open, closing it behind them with a grin. "Home sweet home."

Arianna smiles as she looks around the manor. "It has been awhile, but the beauty of this place hasn't changed." She said, walking forward a little. The panther had not accompanied her, he knew his way home and had quickly disappeared after Selene did. He had enough sense to leave the two alone. Arianna looked at Valdemar over her shoulder with a smile.

Valdemar laughed lightly. "Funny. I was going to say the same thing about you." he said with a smirk. He was thankful that the panther had gone, he hated allowing it inside. The only reason that he did let it in was to please Arianna. He moved over to her slowly, his arms wrapped around her waist as he rested his chin on her shoulder.

Arianna smiled again and leaned backward into Valdemar. "It's been so long, Valdemar." She said, reaching up with her hand to the back of his neck. She turned her head and kissed his cheek. For once, she was glad the panther had accompanied her. She sighed and closed her eyes, taking in his scent. How she had missed that smell.

Valdemar returned her smile. "Too long." He leaned his head to her as she kissed his cheek. He moved down her neck, kissing it lightly. "There's been no-one else. In my bed nor in my heart." he said as he placed her hand onto his unbeating heart. "It may not beat any more, but you make it feel as if it's racing." he said as his lips found hers, kissing her passionately yet softly. He pulled away slightly, his forehead resting against hers.
"I love you." he murmured to her.

Arianna smiled and gently rubbed the spot above his heart. She returned his kiss with one just as passionate. "I wish I could say the same about a bed, but no one else has been in my heart. There is only enough room in it for you and that is all that I will allow." She said as he placed his forehead against hers. "And I love you." She murmured back. She placed her hands over his and slowly pulled them upward.

Valdemar frowned slightly. "Has their been others.. besides Aro?" he asked, his eyes looking down to her hands before back into her eyes. He placed his hand onto her unbeating heart. "That's where I will always be. And this is where you will always be." he said as he placed his other hand atop hers on his chest. His head stroked against hers gently.

Arianna shook her head immediately. "Of course not...Aro was the only one." She said, looking down at his hand on her chest. "There will never be anyone but you, Valdemar." She said matter-of-factly. Her other hand went to the side of his face and gently stroked it. Then it went down to his lips, her fingers tracing over them as she looked in his eyes.