Chapter 11 - Part I

(Caelum)

#

School Week Five. Thursday morning.

I woke up dreading the day, and discovered two messages on my palm-slate.

The first was from Arisa acknowledging my request to meet, and asking if Sunday was suitable.

I decided not to reply just yet, as the second message was from Lidia.

She said she had found something I may want to see, and wanted to discuss it further.

Remembering my impending encounter with the Countess, I wrote back that I could meet her after classes ended today. I wouldn’t have much time, since I had business to attend to shortly afterwards.

To my surprise, Lidia messaged back within a few minutes as I was getting dressed after showering. She told me it was important and couldn’t wait so she would send me something to mull over.

I sat down on the edge of my bed, and played the recording she had attached to her message.

I watched it carefully, then played it back twice more to catch the details I’d missed.

Then I closed the player application on my slate, and flopped back onto my bed.

After watching that recording, I didn’t have a good feeling about today.

My impression of imminent doom wasn’t helped by a message from the Countess.

I CHANGED MY MIND. I’LL BE WAITING IN STUDENT COUNCIL MEETING ROOM TWO.

I tossed the palm-slate onto the bed and stared up at the ceiling for a long while, before my stomach reminded me of the need for breakfast, and forced me to get up all over again.

After getting the morning’s base requirements out of the way, which included breakfast, I arrived at Class Two-Aye for homeroom. There was no sign of Caprice outside the dorm building, and no sign of her inside the classroom. I was both relieved and a little frustrated not to have run into her. I needed to know what had transpired between her and the Countess last night before I met with Simone.

However, not long after sitting down at my smartdesk, I noticed some of the girls in class whispering to each other while throwing me fleeting glances.

Do they know something I don’t?

Shortly afterwards, Caprice arrived at the classroom.

I averted my gaze away from her, feeling my heart pump a little faster at such a vision of teenage beauty.

Yeah, blondes are my preference.

She took her seat at her smartdesk beside mine, booted up the device, and worked in silence.

There’s a saying, how silence can be deafening.

For me, the sounds of the classroom faded into nothing as my awareness was filled by the silence coming from her that was as loud a shuttle thruster engine at full burn.

To my surprise and relief, she broke her silence a few minutes later.

“Congratulations,” she offered me.

“Wh—what?” I stared at her, knocked off balance by the breaking silence.

“I didn’t get to say it last night, but congratulations on breaking part of the Seal.” A faint smile adorned her lips as she faced me. “I’m proud of you.”

Gah!

I could hear my heart fall of its seat as I turned away quickly, unable to meet her eyes.

And I’m blushing like a girl! Get a grip!

I swallowed, and replied unsteadily. “Th—thanks.” I took a quick breath. “I mean that.”

“I will do what I can to support you. That has always been my promise.”

Her words robbed my heart of its strength, and it slipped to the floor where it lay panting, unable to get back onto its seat.

Caprice’s voice drifted into my ears, stimulating them like scented perfume would stimulate my nose, and make me lightheaded. “Let’s do our best together.”

“Ah…sure…sounds good—”

A slight frown broke across my forehead.

Wait a minute. What’s going on here?

I sniffed the air discreetly, then inhaled slow and deep.        

So, I wasn’t imagining it after all.

Caprice said, “I look forward to sparring with you, but that doesn’t mean I’ll go easy on you.”

I swallowed cautiously, then gave her a sidelong look. “You’re wearing perfume.”

Her eyes widened a fraction of a millimeter.

I eased smoothly into a smile, and went for broke. “It’s a lovely subtle scent. It’s perfect for you.”

This time her eyes widened a full millimeter, and she turned away quickly.

Is she wearing blush on her cheeks? They look rosier than usual.

Caprice swallowed quietly, before muttering, “Thank you.”

Lying on the floor of my chest, my heart moaned and deflated like an air cushion pierced by cupid’s arrow, taken out in a single shot by her bashful response.

I turned away and stared down at my smartdesk, relieved when Ms. Fauntine arrived to take homeroom.

I guess it’s official. Caprice is girl number three on my compass.

And the needle of said compass was swinging strongly toward her.

I can’t deny it anymore.

A message arrived on my palm-slate, and I read it quickly while holding the device under the table and thus out of sight.

CAELUM, DON’T FORGET. LUNCHTIME. I’VE INCLUDED A MAP SO YOU DON’T GET LOST ON THE WAY.

Irritation surged through me, and it wasn’t faint by any means.

I replied back to the Countess that I would be there on time, and to stop treating me like I was on a leash. Then I set the palm-slate to silent mode, and shoved it into a trouser back pocket, where it remained through the morning.

With the neural headset straightening out my thoughts and aiding my concentration, I was able to put my discontent with Simone aside, and focus on the class lecture.

However, the headset didn’t nothing for my heart that loitered on its seat, and gazed dreamily at Caprice.

#

At lunch break, I followed the map conveniently installed into my palm-slate and arrived at the Student Council’s Meeting Room Two.

After knocking on the door, I turned the door handle and cautiously pushed it open.

I was assailed by a strong pleasant aroma, and flickering candle light off the walls of a darkened room. The lights were off, and elegant candle lanterns hung on four stalks at each corner of the room. Using the Awareness-field that emanated from the Kaiser’s bracelet that I wore on my right wrist, I probed further into the interior room, and confirmed I wasn’t alone.

However, it’s one thing to feel out the room using the Awareness-field.

It’s another to be visually overwhelmed by the seductive vision sitting on the couch.

I was struck by two immediate thoughts.

Why do the Student Council rooms have so much expensive furniture?

Every room I’d visited of theirs had luxurious leather couches, antique tables, desks, and shelves.

And why is The Countess wearing that revealing, slinky black dress…not that I’m complaining!

My gaze roamed over her body while my Awareness-field enveloped her in a cocoon that allowed me to feel her in exquisite detail without touching her.

The door closed automatically behind me with a soft click.

In the silence within the room, it was as loud as a starting gun, and signaled the commencement of what I believed was a battle of wills.

Man against woman.

Lust against reason.

The odds were certainly stacked in the Countess’s favor.

Simone smiled sweetly and patted the couch seat beside her. “Caelum, won’t you join me?”

I took a deep, ragged breath, then exhaled loudly while folding my arms across my chest.

This is going to be harder than facing Maya in the training cave.

I swallowed tightly, then spoke with as much composure as I could dredge up.

“What…are you…doing?”

Her smile turned coy. “I’m seducing you.”

I exhaled heavily. “Well, you’re off to a good start.”

Her smile turned bright.

I shook my head. “But I’m not the man I was two weeks ago.”

Simone’s expression became visibly confused. “Huh?”

“I can’t say I’m immune, but I have built up a resistance to your charms.”

She pointed at her large breasts. “You mean these?”

As though lassoed, my gaze was dragged toward the creamy mounds on her chest. I swallowed hard and tried turning my head away but it was futile.

Her expression grew sly as she narrowed her eyes. “Caelum, we both know that’s not true. Just this week I was able to convince you to co-operate with a minimum of fuss.”

I cocked my head as I nodded. “I will admit your approach took me by surprise.”

“You see.”

“However, you’ve paraded before me in luxurious lingerie at every available moment when you drag me out shopping, and force me to sit in on your lingerie shows. As a consequence, my immunity to your seductive charms has improved.” I held up my palms for her to see. “You see? My hands don’t sweat nervously anymore.”

“Caelum, you’re still talking to my breasts.”

True, my gaze was helplessly super glued to her charms.

Simone made a thoughtful expression. “However, I will admit it’s been nice to hold your hand and not find it clammy.” She smiled sidelong at me. “That doesn’t mean I don’t know how to tick your boxes.”

With a monumental effort, I squeezed my eyes shut, and broke free of her spell. Taking a few deep breaths, I opened them again and made sure to keep my eyes on her face.

Feeling calmer and once again in control, I folded my arms with deliberate care. “Countess, you tick all my boxes—”

“Ara ara. How reassuring.”

“—except for one.”

“Ara ara—huh?” Her expression narrowed sharply. “Which one?”

“I have a preference for subtle seductive beauties.”

Simone bowed her head while simultaneously peering up at me. “Excuse me?”

“Countess, as much as I find you a ravishing, overwhelming feast for the senses, you’re also over-the-top, you try too hard, you’re blatantly obvious, and you draw attention to us like bees to honey, all of which can be quite embarrassing at times, especially when you’re clinging to my arm in a busy shopping complex.”

She dipped her head lower while continuing to stare at me. “What’s wrong with that?”

“Everything.”

A heavy silence fell between us, until the Countess rose gracefully to her heeled feet, and planted her hands on her shapely hips.

“Let me guess. You would prefer I was more like her, correct?”

I knew whom she referred to without asking, and shook my head firmly. “No. I would prefer you stopped trying so hard, and just be you.”

She placed her fingertips on her chest. “That’s where you’re misguided. This is who I am.”

“Then that’s a problem for me.”

Simone’s lips parted but she was silent.

I took a deep, uneasy breath, and threw her a lifeline. “I want to know the real Simone. Not the Simone who’s constantly trying to impress or smother or suffocate me with her overly sexual advances.”

She lowered her hand to her hip. “You’ve never complained before.”

“Because I thought you would eventually give it up, and behave like the normal you.”

“What are you—?”

I raised a hand, cutting off her rebuff, then pointed at her sexy attire. “Don’t tell me that this is normal for you. I’ve seen glimpses of the normal you so I know it’s a lie. I’ve seen it when you lose yourself in the guilty pleasure of eating hamburger without worrying about the calories. I’ve seen it when you stare at the puppies in the pet shop for ages. I see it when you battle the crane game at the arcades. I see it when you hum softly to yourself while you hold onto my arm as we window shop.”

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I took a step closer to her.

“I felt the real you when you snuggled up against me during the movie we watched last week. The expression you made was unlike the you here at the Academy. You looked”—I struggled for the words—“you looked at peace. You looked relaxed, and unguarded. You looked like the kind of girl I would want to date. A serene beauty.”

Simone’s mouth slowly fell open, but she appeared lost for words.

I noticed I was clenching my left hand, and had to force my fist open. But I also had to unload the feeling ready to burst out of my chest, and to do so I took another deep breath before plunging ahead.

“I want to date the real Simone Alucard.”

I realized what I’d said after the words left my lips.

Oh dear. Is that what I really meant to say?

Distracted by the sudden revelation, I didn’t notice the change that came upon Simone until many heartbeats later.

Silent tears slowly trickled down her cheeks.

“Ah—” I stopped, not knowing what to say. I was afraid of what I might say if I opened my mouth again.

In my chest, my heart was sitting on its seat dumbfounded at my admission and her reaction. Having spent the morning gazing love struck at Caprice, it was now confused by this sudden unexpected turn of events.

I could feel it pondering the matter through, but unable to come to any determination.

Despite this, one thing was certain.

When Simone called herself my girlfriend, I was undeniably proud of it while drastically troubled as well. There were many reasons for my being troubled, and I’d finally given one of them – the biggest reason of them – a voice.

Before me, the Countess was quietly wiping away her tears with her fingertips. She sniffed softly, broke into a nervous smile, then giggled, then sobered, then laughed, before smiling nervously again. Eventually she folded her arms under her impressive bust, and sighed loudly. All the while, her face was slightly averted and her eyes wouldn’t meet mine.

I watched her swallow a couple of times before she found her voice. “So…does this mean…you like me…?”

I tried not to sigh, but couldn’t hold it in. “Yeah…I guess it does….”

Neither of one of us said anything afterwards, until Simone took a hesitant step closer to me, and faced me with open wariness.

I watched her breathe in a couple of times. Contrary to my nature, and completely unlike my behavior a minute ago, not once did I glance at her chest because I was captivated by the myriad emotions playing out across her beautiful face.

Eventually she clasped her hands before her midriff, and found her voice once more. Yet it threatened to break, and so it dropped to a whisper.

“Caelum Desanto.”

“Yes, Countess?”

“Will you go out with me?”

I blinked slowly before asking, “You mean as your boyfriend.”

She nodded faintly. “Yes.”

I swallowed, pressed my lips together, and told my heart to make up its mind.

It tapped the armrests of its chair as it deliberated upon its decision like a judge about to pass sentence on a cheating husband. It crossed its legs, then switched them over, then stood up and walked around its seat in my chest. It sighed heavily, glanced about its room within my chest, regarded the likenesses of three girls it had hung up on the walls, gazed long and hard at one girl in particular, then gave me a solemn nod.

I cleared my throat quietly. “On one condition.”

She dipped her head slightly. “Yes?”

“That my girlfriend be Simone Alucard, and not the Countess.”

Her mouth fluttered with a nervous smile. “Okay….”

I looked inwardly at my heart, and it met my gaze for a moment before offering me another somber nod.

“Then my answer is yes.”

Simone started to laugh nervously as she clutched at her midriff and chest. “Wow. That was a lot harder than I thought it would be.”

I couldn’t help agreeing with her.

She’s my girlfriend now…so why do I feel so ambivalent toward her?

I clenched a hand behind my back.

In that case I should have said no. Stupid heart. I waited for you to make up your mind. Don’t make me feel this way now!

Taking a few deep breaths, Simone recovered most of her composure and planted her hands on her hips. “Caelum, to commemorate our union we should go on a date.” She made a fist and pumped it in the air. “A proper date.”

“Our union?”

“Of course.” With feline grace, she stepped up to me on her designer label high heels. “So, are you free this weekend?”

I recalled a brief conversation I’d had with her at the beginning of the week. “Didn’t you say you were busy with family matters this weekend?”

She fanned a hand dismissively. “I can work around them.”

“Are you sure?”

Simone scowled faintly at me. “Of course I’m sure. I would much rather spend time with my boyfriend”—her eyes widened and she broke into an absent smile—“my boyfriend…I love the way that sounds…my boyfriend.” She giggled and bounced on her heels. “I have a boyfriend. I have boyfriend.” Again she pumped a fist in victory and glared into the distance. “Take that you wench.”

I broke into a troubled frown. “Ah…Simone? Can we get back on track here?”

Her gaze returned to me and she studied me for a short while, before closing the remaining distance between us. “Caelum Desanto.”

“Ah…yes?”

Simone jumped into me and threw her arms tightly about my waist. With her strength as pureblood Aventis it was somewhat back breaking.

“Simone—too tight!”

“You’re a Familiar. You can take it.”

I shook my head. “No, seriously. Too tight.”

“Huh?”

The pain around my lower back wasn’t the cause of my discomfort. Rather, I was in discomfort over the way I was responding to her warm lithe body pressed hard into me.

Simone arched an eyebrow. “What are you so”—her other eyebrow arched—“oh…I see….”

I couldn’t meet her eyes so I turned my head away and muttered, “Sorry. Blame the Creator….”

My words had the opposite intended effect. Instead of drawing away, Simone began to sway her body as it pressed into mine.

“Gah!” I tried edging my hips away from her but it was impossible with her grip on me. “Simone. Really. Please. You’re being unfair.”

She leaned her face into mine. “Are you embarrassed?”

“Well, of course I’m embarrassed.”

“You’re my boyfriend, so grow a pair.”

I winced then scowled back at her. “I have a pair—in case you haven’t noticed by now.”

“Yes. I have noticed. I’m certainly noticing right now. Any less of a response would have been utterly disappointing.”

“Huh?” My scowl crumbled. “Well what other response could there be?”

She grinned slyly at me. “Ara ara, do you really need to ask?”

The temperature in my body had been rising steadily, but now it soared to critical levels. My voice broke and I croaked, “No, I guess not.”

She narrowed her eyes slightly. “So, why are you embarrassed? I’m your girlfriend now. Expect a lot more than this in the near future.”

My voice completely broke as I felt her firm yet soft chest push into mine. “…near future...?”

Simone nodded, then I watched a slight frown crinkle her brow. “Hey Caelum, why did you say you wanted to date Simone Alucard, and not Simone Alucard Raynar?”

The change in her tone, changed the mood, and I felt her grip on me ease a little. “Ah…well…I guess…I just wanted to leave the whole Pride Familiar context out of our relationship.”

Her eyes widened slowly as a mixture of confusion and surprise washed across her face. “Is that so?”

I gave her a halting nod, while thoughts raced through my overheating brain.

It feels strange having her so close. We’ve been close before, but it’s different this time. Is it because on some level, I’ve accepted her?

An uneasy look settled on her face, but Simone hid it by gently dropping her head onto my left shoulder. “Maybe you’re right,” she whispered.

Her warmth was overwhelming me, and her perfume was a familiar scent that I couldn’t place. But it wasn’t just her perfume that stimulated my sense of smell. Her perfume complemented the scent of her shampoo, and the smell of her body.

I realized with a start that I was holding her about her waist, and though I was uncomfortable knowing that she could very well feel my body’s response to her, I reasoned it as something I would just have to get used to…and she wasn’t complaining either.

Her whisper drifted into my left ear. “…I really am like my mother….”

I turned my head slightly toward her. “Your mother?”

She nodded against my shoulder, and I felt her take a deep breath that she released in a shuddering sigh. “My mother…against the wishes of the Alucard Family…fell in love with a Familiar.”

I started to say something, but chose not to as my instinct said it was wiser to wait and listen.

After a long while went by, where we held each other tightly, our hearts and breaths in harmony, Simone drew back slightly and peered up at me with dreamy yet troubled look.

“Caelum…there’s something I need to tell you about me. About my family. And about my father.” She swallowed with difficulty as though it pained her. “After I tell you…you will probably hate me.”

I noticed I was shaking my head gently at her. “No. I don’t think I can hate you. You may annoy me, frustrate me, and twist my head, my heart, and my mind around. But I’ve never hated you.”

“You will. You’ll hate me for not telling you.” She leaned forward and planted her forehead against my collarbone. “But it’s a secret I’ve kept buried because if people find out the truth…I’ll be in trouble.”

“What truth?” I sighed and added, “If it’s an important secret, then don’t tell me. Keep it safe. Keep it buried. If that’s what’s best, then do it. I’d rather you were safe than otherwise.”

I felt her chuckle against me. “Ara ara, that’s sounds chivalrous of you.”

“Simone—”

“But it’s something I can’t do. It’s something I can’t keep from you.” She raised her head and looked me firmly in the eyes. “So before I tell you my horrid, black, dirty secret, there’s one thing I’d like. One thing I’d like to keep from this moment—a memento of my brief time as your girlfriend.”

“Simone, don’t talk like that. Seriously. Don’t.”

She smiled sadly up at me. “Caelum Desanto…would you kiss me?”

My eyes were held by hers and I couldn’t look away.

Sensing my hesitation, her smile trembled. “Just once….”

I closed my eyes shut…and pushed my mixed emotions aside.

Either I committed here and now, or I walked away because I had a choice to make, and anything else wouldn’t be fair to her.

I opened my eyes, and looked at her while gently pulling her closer to me. Then I leaned forward, and Simone closed her eyes as our lips met.

For some reason, I had the impression that I was taking her first kiss.

In a way, that made her lips taste even sweeter.

Yet in the back of my mind, I remembered another kiss.

A kiss that tasted of a girl’s tears.