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“I was returning home,” I answered him rather tartly. I was annoyed at how frightened I had been, so I was a bit snappish.

“You think Vlad would mind if I visited?”

“Do not tease me!” I whirled about, facing him. “This is not humorous at all! There are lives at stake and I…I…” I flung up my hands, stomping my foot. “You do not understand. ”

Ignatius tilted his head and arched an eyebrow. “Explain?”

“My brother is in danger. I warned him tonight, in a dream, to not help Vlad. This means all could come crashing down up on me rather swiftly, and I know not if I am prepared for it. I have seen Vlad do terrible things. I feel him inside of me and I fear he will detect my intentions. I do not know if I can win against him. I believe I can, but how can I be certain?”

He blinked at the end of the gush of my words, then said, “You would have to attack him when he is weak, drain him of all his blood, decapitate him, burn his body, and then you would be free. Well, you could also drain all of his blood and entomb him, but Masters tend to come back from that more often then not. ”

It was my turn to stare at him, startled at his words, and a bit overwhelmed.

“Oh. I see. ”

“But I would not advise that until you are a bit stronger in your abilities. Considering you are not even one year into your dark life, you are quite formidable. Perhaps because he is a powerful vampire. But you may not be able to destroy him that easily. ”

“Could you?”

Ignatius sighed. “Perhaps. But I am bound by that which I cannot speak of. ”

I curled my lip at him and stomped my foot again. “Oh, very well!” I waved my hand at him, starting off down the lane.

Again, he fell into step beside me.

“You know, I would like nothing more than for you to be free of him so we could be together,” Ignatius said after a long bit of silence.

“My life is very complicated as you well reminded me at the ball,” I said fiercely.

We were now quite close to my home, walking in the shadow of the great wall that surrounded it. The ivy was thick and lush, its dark leaves black in the night. I wished to see the foliage as it is in the sun in that moment, but I knew that was quite impossible.

“Yes, but I am still here, am I not? I have sought you out because you are important to me. And I am quite frustrated, as you are, that we cannot be freely together. ” His voice was now quite somber.

I took note of the priest garb at once. “You say I am complicated, yet you wear priest garb. ”

He shrugged. “On occasion. ”

“Why?”

“Because sometimes it is necessary. ”

“Why?”

“Must you ask so many questions?”

I threw up my hands, turning to walk away. He caught my wrist and hurled me into the ivy. I turned about just before I hit the wall, my back slapping against the stones. Then he was on me, kissing me fiercely, his hands buried in my hair. I responded to his kiss eagerly, my anger quickly draining way into passion. And why should I lie here? I admit I was a beast to him to see if he would still want me. I am quite happy that he did.

I am a bit embarrassed to admit it, dearest diary, but I let him ravish me right then and there. Openly, in the lane, buried in the ivy, I let him take me. Clothes were pushed desperately aside and then we were joined. I absolutely delighted in the frenzy of his passion for me.

Alas, I am truly a wicked, scandalous woman and though my cheeks should be quite red, I am afraid they are not.

“Do not doubt,” he whispered in my ear. “Do not doubt for a moment, that I want nothing more than to call you mine and love you for eternity. ”

I turned my face so I could gaze into his eyes and managed to say with trembling lips, “I only want the same. ”

Our kisses were full of adoration for one another as we straightened out our clothing. Wrapped in each other’s arms, we kissed softly and gently, our passion melting away into something much more peaceful.

“You need to return home,” he said finally.