Sanctity

Chapter 22

"Here," Victor sat up and held his hand out to me, "I need you to get ready. We have to leave as soon as we can."

"No. Why do we have to leave? It is lovely here," I ran my fingers over the bedspread, "I want to stay here with you," I pouted like a petulant child.

I saw a flash of anger in his eyes but Victor seemed determined to be on his best behavior. He took a deep breath to calm himself and tugged me to sitting and glided me to the edge of the bed. "We will come back, love but I want to take you somewhere, somewhere special first," he bent down and kissed me then turned on his heel and left the room. He was back a moment later with a number of shopping bags. He dumped them onto the bed and sifted through them, "This, this looks nice. Put it on."

Reluctantly, I stood up and did as he asked. I pulled the dress he selected over my head and turned myself away from him so Victor could zip me up. He kissed my neck when he was finished, "Thank you," he whispered. There was something in his voice that made me realize how anxious he seemed to be feeling and that he was trying to keep it from me.

"What is it, Victor, is everything alright?"

"Yes, of course, I just don't want us to be late."

"Late? Late for what?"

"Uh, uh, ah, it's a surprise," he smiled and wrapped his arm around my waist ushering me out of the room and quickly down the hallway into the elevator.

As we rode the car down he encouraged me to take a hurried drop from his wrist again and when we reached the lobby Victor quickly took my face in his hands and kissed me as the doors glided back. I shook my head confusedly and trailed behind him as he grasped my hand and led me outside. It was dark and sultry but the air felt cool and crisp to me and I gave a little shiver.

Victor grinned and I couldn't help thinking that he seemed pleased with my reaction to the night air. He handed me into the car and settled in beside me. He drove us to the airport which took about fifteen minutes or so and once we arrived headed straight for the tarmac to a charter plane that was apparently there for us, waiting to take off.

I wasn't sure whether I had ever been on a plane or not and was filled with dismay, "Oh, Victor, I don't know if I can do this; I had no idea we were travelling," I was suddenly lucid enough to protest against whatever he had in store. "Where are we going?" my face was full of wonder and fear.

Victor took me in his arms, "I told you, love, it's a surprise and this is the only way I can take you there. It's very far and there's not enough time to travel any other way. We have to go. We have to go now," he insisted.

I looked up into his eyes and they seemed to be lost and looking far beyond anything I could see. He turned his gaze back to me and smiled encouragingly, "Here," he nibbled my lip and made a little gnash on his tongue and when his mouth covered mine I could taste the blood from both of us mingling like some intimate potion that softened my resolve.

I started up the stairs towards the cabin and just as I was nearing the last two steps my stomach gave a terrible lurch and I felt like I was going to lose my insides. My breath felt like it was being forcibly squeezed from my lungs; like something had a desperate hold on me from the inside out and it refused to let me take another step. There were beads of sweat gathering on my brow and I stood in a daze, weak and confused as my arms and legs began to tremble again.

Victor glanced over his shoulder and swept me from the back of my knees up into his arms. He kicked the stairs away and placed me in one of the passenger's seats before hurrying back to close and lock the door. He called to the pilot, "Now! Take off now, damn it!"