“When will we arrive?”

Jean-Paul was reading a document of some sorts and continued to ignore her presence.

Philip answered. “Any minuet now. Montclair is near the Mediterranean.”

“Wait, Montclair had snow.”

“That wasn’t Montclair that was Bouillon.”

“Oh.” Amy looked to Jean-Paul for an explanation but he was busy conversing in French.

“Did Jean-Paul tell you Bouillon was Montclair? It was probably to make you feel more comfortable.”

Jean-Paul didn’t offer any explanation.

The carriage soon came to a stop and Jean-Paul quickly exited it. Amy followed and Philip came out behind her.

Amy stared at the impressive palace that looked like a huge villa. “Wow.”

“Beautiful isn’t it?” Philip said.

“Yes.”

“Philip!” Caroline appeared on the steps of the castle and came running down. She threw herself on Philip. Kissing and crying all at once.

“There there. I’m back sweeting.”

Caroline pulled back and slapped him across the face. “Don’t ever do something so reckless ever again! I don’t care if he’s your friend or not!”

Philip only laughed and kissed Caroline again. “What ever your command is sweeting.”

Amy quietly moved away from the couple and headed up the steps. Jean-Paul was inside the foyer, standing with his arms crossed.

“I’ll show you to our rooms.”

Amy’s eyes widened. “Ours?”

“Yes. Ours.” Jean-Paul snapped and turned away from her heading to the large staircase.

A small line up of servants all looked at her with smiles. They nodded to her as she walked past. Amy offered them all small smiles. By the time she finished the line of servants, she had to run to catch up to Jean-Paul.

“Caroline was happy to see Philip.” She noted.

“What do you expect. She is very faithful.” Jean-Paul bit out.

Amy turned to him. “You gave me no choice! But I never knew, I know now...I’m sorry...”

Jean-Paul marched on. “I don’t care anymore Amy.”

Amy ran up so she was walking beside him.

“You have to! I feel it ever time we are near each other. I can hear you talking to me in my dreams. I feel your heart beat in complete time with mine! How can you ignore that! This feels so right and so wonderful. I didn’t understand before, but now I do.”

Jean-Paul whipped around and Amy caught herself before she fell into him.

“It is too LATE!” He yelled at her. “Don’t you understand...I...don’t...want you!”

Amy stood still.

Out of the corner of her eye she noticed Philip and Caroline, frozen watching them.

“You’re lying to yourself and you know it.” Amy said. “You want me! Each glance out of the corner of your eye when you think I’m not watching you. Every time I move, I feel your eyes on me. You want me so much that it’s killing you!”

Jean-Paul slammed his fist into the stone wall leaving a hole. “Son of a Bitch! That is not it! You betrayed me!”

“You kidnapped me!” Amy yelled back.

“You killed me!”

“I died as well!”

They were both breathing heavily and Amy saw Jean-Paul’s eyes sparking with blue flames.

“I don’t want you Amy. I don’t need you.” Jean-Paul turned and moved down the hallway. “And never speak to me of this again.”

Amy let her head fall in defeat. What was it going to take?

Caroline came up behind her and offered a comforting smile. “I have an idea.”

Philip opened his mouth.

Caroline waved a finger at him. “No! You stay out of this. You haven’t made any progress with Jean-Paul. Well, now it’s my turn. Come on, this will take some thinking.”

************

Amy and Caroline had spent the rest of the night unpacking dresses with Claudette. They also spent the time talking about a plan to make Jean-Paul notice Amy again. Really notice her and tell her that he still wanted her and loved her.

She turned the handle of his bedchamber and quietly walked inside. The sun was near to setting and he was quietly sleeping in his large bed, the covers drawn up to his bare chest.

Amy, wearing a sheer nightgown that had come from Caroline slipped into his bed. Sitting beside him she looked down into his peaceful face, never before realizing how much he frowned in her presence. She couldn’t even remember what his smile looked like.

She looked at the mantle clock. It would be a good hour or so more before he woke up. Or at least that was what Caroline had told her. Thank goodness she had a helper in this. Caroline didn’t hold anything against her it seemed.

Amy curled onto her side and rested her head on one of the pillows, close but not touching Jean-Paul. She’d have to wait patiently. Unfortunately, she hadn’t counted on the bed being so warm or so soft and before she knew it, she was fast asleep.

**********

Jean-Paul felt something brush the side of his arm as he pulled himself out of his deep sleep.

He opened his eyes slowly and barley made out the shape of a dark head resting against his chest. An arm was draped across his stomach and soft breathing tickled his shoulder.

His breath caught. It was Amy! What the hell was she doing draping herself across him in the middle of the night, and what the hell was she wearing! He certainly never bought her a gown like that. It must have come from Caroline.

Jean-Paul tried to turn over but Amy moaned a protest and nuzzled her head further into his chest.

Jean-Paul felt her warmth in her fingertips. Her blood pulsing in her skin, it was pounding against his, making his heart quicken. Jean-Paul felt his body tense, her blood called to him.

This was wrong! He couldn’t bind her any closer to him then what had already happened. No!

His body had a different idea and it curled itself around the slumbering Amy. He tipped her head back, resting it in the crook of his arm. Her eyelashes fluttered but she didn’t awake.

“Amy.” Jean-Paul whispered.

He bent his head and kissed the pulse point in her neck. It was too much for him to bear. The sound of her blood drowned out all resistance and before he could stop himself his mouth opened and his fangs sung home.

Amy woke on a gasp of air. Jean-Paul reached with his other hand caressing her back while his other held her in place. His mouth sucked on the small puncture wounds he’d created.

“Jean-Paul.”

He heard her voice, half with fear and glazed over with passion. This was a kiss that only true Soul Mates ever shared. He had to pull back, his mind told him, this would only bind them closer.

Jean-Paul pulled his mouth away with a cry and rolled from the bed, nearly slamming into the ground.

Amy lay on the bed, too weak to move.

Jean-Paul turned his back from her and covered his eyes with his hands. “Get out.”

Amy blinked. She slowly raised herself up on her elbows. “I…Jean-Paul? What did you do?”

Jean-Paul’s face contorted in pain. “GET OUT!” He screamed.

Amy scrambled from the bed tears streaked her face.

Jean-Paul tensed as he hear her tell tale sniffles as she ran to the door.

Philip burst into the room nearly hurtling the door into Amy.

Amy pushed past him, sobbing and fled down the hall. Philip stood in the doorway. “Well.”

Jean-Paul turned, whipping a smear of blood from off his mouth.

Philip rose one eyebrow. “Packs quite a punch for such a tiny thing.”

“What?”

“I told you she’d hit you. I see she walloped you real good mon ami.”

Jean-Paul turned away from him. “Mind your own damn business.”

**********

Amy tore into her room and fell on the ground. Her sobs pulling bits and pieces of her heart out onto the floor. What ever he had done to her, it had been...so beautiful.

Amy cried and hugged herself.

Caroline appeared in her doorway. “Amy? Oh my God! What happened...he bit you!”

Amy looked up, one huge tear balanced on the tip of her nose.

“I can’t stay here anymore Caroline. I’ve tried, really I have. Tonight, he did something...it was so...I can’t stay anymore. Not if I have to live with knowing he hates me.”

Caroline helped her up and brought her over to her drawers.

“Where will you go Amy?”

“Anywhere but here.”

Caroline shook her head. “It’s not that easy Amy. He won’t let you walk out of here.”

“I think he will. He doesn’t want me remember.”

“He’s lying, to you and to himself. Amy! Listen to reason, you don’t have anywhere to go.”

Amy turned to Caroline brushing the tears away. “Then help me Caroline. Please!”

*********

Jean-Paul watched from his study as Amy appeared on the steps below. Caroline helped her lug the bags down the steps.

Philip looked up from the paper he was reading. “What’s so interesting out there.”

“Oh nothing much. Except your Soul Mate helping my Soul Mate leave me.”

“What?” Philip came up behind him.

Jean-Paul tugged at his shirt collars.

“Are you just letting her go?”

Jean-Paul looked back out the window. “Where will she go? She’s not stupid, she doesn’t have a passport or any money.”

“But Caroline...”

“What about her?”

Philip frowned. “Caroline has money, I’m sure she’ll give some to Amy.”

“Pocket cash only. Amy’s not thinking straight…I know she isn’t. She’ll come crawling back.”

Philip grabbed Jean-Paul’s arm. “And then what? I’m getting tired of watching you two play this stupid game. Either take her Jean-Paul or let her go.”

Jean-Paul shook his head and with a secretive smile left his study.

**********

Amy smiled at the Innkeeper.

The innkeeper, a man in his late forties name Edwardo looked her up and down. “Work? You want to work in this village?”

Amy nodded her head. It was a good thing she knew Italian a lot better then she knew French.

“Yes. Do you have a job or not?”

The innkeeper nodded his head. “But not here. Next door at the bar. I need a bar maid.”

Amy frowned. “A bar maid.”

“You are not blond.” Edwardo pointed out. “And you are too…small I think.”

Amy stiffened her back. “I’ll have you know that I will be a better bar maid then any blond fancy piece that walks through that door!”

Edwardo rubbed his beard. He clapped his hands together. “Good! You have a temper needed for the job. You will do just fine. You also mentioned lodging? You’re job comes with a small room in the Inn if you wish it.”

“Yes!”

Amy handed him some of the cash that Caroline had provided. Thank goodness Caroline had helped her and told her she’d seen the sign for work in the small village not too far from the Palace.

Amy pulled her luggage up the steps behind Edwardo’s daughter. The young Italian woman looked at her with wide eyes. “We’ve never had an American here before. We’re a small village.”

Amy smiled. “I’m not that special.”

The daughter, Francesca blushed. “But...you came from the Duke’s villa.”

Amy blinked. She pushed a lock of hair out of her eyes. “So?”

The girl shook her hands. “Oh. So you just worked there?”

Amy wondered what her reputation was to these people. “Yes. Yes, I just worked there. As a maid.”

The girl smiled and opened Amy’s bedroom door. “Is he very handsome?”

Amy put her luggage on the bed. “Is who?”

“The Duke?”

Oh for goodness sake! She didn’t want to talk about Jean-Paul. Of course he was handsome, beautiful, rich and hated her.

Amy nodded her head. “Very handsome.”

Francesca giggled. “Some say he is a vampire, but I don’t believe it.”

Amy looked around her room and ignored the girls’ last comment.

Francesca baked out of the room. “Well, I’ll leave you to settle in Senora.”

“Thank you Francesca.”