The Call of the Heart

Chapter 2

Dorian couldn't remember the last time he felt nervous about meeting a guy. But now, he could feel the tingling of nerves running throughout his body. Being technically dead in no way lessened the intensity of those sensations, and even Dorian's innate confidence failed him when he needed it the most.

To see himself, a guy known as the Don Juan of his time, who enjoyed all the pleasures of life, so interested in a guy was unexpected. It was such a new experience, exciting.

"My dear, you know you are a vampire, blessed with perfect beauty. There is no need to put so much effort into it," Henriette, his sire, said when he changed his outfit one too many times that fateful Friday night. "I am sure that whatever prey you are after, you will catch it with little effort. Humans are so easily hunted that it's void of any fun anymore."

"We are not all ruthless predators that only think about our next meal," Dorian said bitingly. "Some of us are trying to fit in, to see the world through human eyes, to not always be the monster hiding in the shadows."

"Ah, my dear naive Dorian, you always were the one to seek the impossible. Even if we weren't vampires, people would find a way to villainize us," Henriette said, lounging on Dorian's couch like a lioness resting after a good hunt. "We are the other, the unreachable. You should have realized by now they envy us for our beauty and would have killed us as readily as we would have killed them. Only we would have done so for sustenance, and they out of jealousy.

"Your view of them is crooked. Not all humans are like those who tried to hunt you down in the early days," Dorian said, thinking about the innocent guy who captured his imagination. Who he feared could do the same to his heart. "Some of them are tame, kind even."

Henriette lifted herself on her elbows to look at Dorian, something in his tone drawing her attention. One look at the goofy smile spreading across his scrumptious lips that she was fated never to kiss told her everything.

"My darling Dorian, I do wish you accepted my offer, that you became my mate. Life would have been so much easier for you if you didn't go around falling for humans all the time," Henriette said exasperatedly. "It's all just sour grapes, you know? You want what you can never have. None of them will ever accept what you are. You are in love with the pain. It would have been so easy with me."

As she said that, she jumped like a wild cat in front of him and started running her fingers down his chest seductively.

"You are wrong. Besides, you know my preference as I've stated it a million times. It won't change no matter how many times you try it," Dorian said, briskly removing her fingers from his chest.

"You can't blame a girl for trying," Henriette said, batting her eyelashes.

"You can if the girl is an ancient vampire who doesn't seem to listen to what others keep telling her," Dorian said, deciding to keep his current outfit so he could leave.

All to avoid Henriette, whose current mood was a hindrance that happened every few decades.

It made him wish he could leave his clan, that he didn't feel lonely without those around him who knew his darkest secrets and still stood by him. However, whether love kept them together or necessity was a big question.

"Immortality is long. And humans are fickle and not very durable," Henriette said dismissively. "Time is on my side. Sooner or later, you will come begging to be mine."

"Not a chance," Dorian thought, but out loud, he said: "Anyway, how did you know he was human? I never said that."

"Boy, I made you who you are. I know you better than you know yourself," Henriette said coldly. "Besides, you never showed any interest in the nice vampire boys."

"Well, those boys are savages, who are into some weird stuff," Dorian said, shuddering at the memory of how callous those vampires were. "Anyway, this is just a business meeting, nothing more, and I better hurry. I don't want to be late."

"Sure, sure. Have fun!" Henriette said, waving gracefully as her dress 'accidentally' slipped open to show her graceful legs as if showing him again what he was missing out on. "And if you decide the boy is just a delicious snack, I hope you will be nice enough to share."

Dorian had so much to say, words bubbling up to the surface.

Anger.

Disgust.

Frustration.

But he stomped them all down and left the room quickly to prevent himself from saying something he might later regret.

Once outside her negative influence, Dorian took a few deep breaths he didn't truly need. Still, he wanted to breathe in the freedom, the fragrance of flowers, all that was good with the world, unlike the suffocating influence the leader of his clan, his sire, had on him.

Once he cleansed himself of darkness, he hurried towards Basil's house. To prevent himself from being late, he used his vampire speed to reach Basil's home. Only stopping and rearranging his tousled clothing once he reached his destination.

The moment he rang the doorbell, he heard a hurried shuffling inside the house followed by a loud sound of something shuttering as well as low muttering about the horrible timing of the incident. Thus, when somewhat distracted Basil opened the door, Dorian rewarded him with one of his best natural smiles, trying to ease the guy's nervousness.

"I am not late, am I?" Dorian asked, his hair going into his eyes.

"No, not at all," Basil said, staring hypnotized at a disobedient lock of Dorian's hair which didn't seem to want to be tamed. "You are just on time."

Still, Basil just stood there staring at Dorian as if he had unexpectedly found the most precious thing in the world. Lost in the depths of his eyes, in the brilliance of hidden intelligence and deep pain that their surface hid.

"Will you invite me in, or shall we just stay here forever?" Dorian asked jokingly.

"Oh, yes, yes, of course. Come on in," Basil said, blushing adorably as he moved aside to let Dorian in. "Please excuse the mess. I didn't have enough time to clean up."

Dorian noted with a hidden smile that even if Basil had eternity, he would have never had the time to clean up the organized clutter that his studio represented. It was clear that an artist lived there and that he didn't lose any time on practical matters such as cleaning.

"Where do you want me?" Dorian asked, his voice sounding a bit huskier than he intended because of the intimate atmosphere of the small studio.

"Excuse me?" Basil squeaked, stopping suddenly.

It took all his self-restraint for Dorian not to laugh out loud at the idea that Basil's mind was in the gutter when that was usually Dorian's permanent residence. It made for a nice change, and it didn't hurt that Basil's blush made him look like the most adorable man who ever walked the earth.

"Where should I sit down so you can paint me?" Dorian asked, trying to keep his tone serious and not show how amused he was by Basil's reaction. "I am sure you have a lighting preference or something."

"Oh, yes, here," Basil said, clearing up one of the armchairs filled with different paints, brushes, and other painting supplies. "This should be fine."

"Should I do anything special?" Dorian asked.

"As you are is fine. You are perfect. I mean, it's perfect!" Basil said, floundering.

And that was how the most fascinating time of Dorian's life began, hours that felt like days and seconds simultaneously. Being watched with so much reverence and intensity would have made even Dorian blush if it weren't for his undead nature.