(co-written by Liquid O)
Eveline was silent for the duration of the cab ride. Her mind playing over the events on the streets. She hated how helpless she was, she wasn’t used to being this way…
Andrew led her to the station, she was too lost in thought to pay attention, she let him lead her around and do all the talking as if she was a shy little girl, too afraid to speak up or say what she wants.
Soon they arrived at the platform. Andrew didn’t know what to say to her, he carried their luggage onto the platform and went to the booth to confirm their reservation aboard the train. The ornate train, the Golden Eagle Trans-Siberian Express, glistened under the fading Moscow light. Inside, the opulent cabins were a world away from the chaos of the city. As Andrew helped Eveline settle into their lush compartment, a wave of unease washed over him. The attack, the fear in her eyes…it haunted him.
He insisted on unpacking her bags, his movements a whirlwind of protectiveness. Eveline watched him, she hated the way he hovered, the way his gaze clung to her like a shadow. It made her feel like a fragile doll, easily broken.
“Here, let me help you with your coat,” he offered, his voice gentle but firm.
Eveline hesitated, a flicker of defiance in her eyes. But the memory of the men’s leering faces quickly extinguished it. She simply nodded, allowing him to slip the heavy coat from her shoulders.
“This is unnecessary Andrew…” she said.
“Of course it is, it’s—“ Andrew realized what he was doing and blushed. “Sorry. I didn’t meant to…” he was stopped by her putting her fingers to his lips.
“I know, don’t worry…it’s sweet.” She said.
As the train lurched forward, Andrew remained glued to her side. He ordered dinner, a lavish spread of caviar and champagne, but his attention was entirely on Eveline. He watched her every move, his gaze intense, his possessiveness growing with each passing moment. Eveline felt a suffocating weight settle over her. The vampire was too closed off and vulnerable to put up a fuss.
Later, as the train rumbled through the night, Andrew presented her with a late Christmas gift. It was an ornate golden necklace, a single ruby heart dangling from a delicate chain.
“For you, call it a late Christmas present.” he said, his voice soft.
Eveline was touched by the gesture, but a wave of apprehension washed over her. “It’s beautiful, Andrew. Thank you.” It was a simple gesture but she couldn’t help but feel she was giving in to some weakness inherit in mortal women, a social chain that held women back as helpless and delicate.
“Here, allow me” he insisted, his fingers brushing against her neck.
Eveline hesitated, a flicker of unease passing through her. But she couldn’t bring herself to refuse. She felt too ashamed, too weak to assert herself. She allowed him to do as he wished.
Andrew gently clasped the necklace around her neck, his touch lingering a moment too long. Eveline felt a shiver run down her spine, a mixture of fear and a strange, unsettling arousal.
As he gazed at her, his eyes locking with hers. She looked away and he blushed. She hated the way she felt her cold heart melt, if it melted she would be left with nothing, a puddle of water and emotions.
“Tell me I’m beautiful.” Eveline asked suddenly. She didn’t know why she asked, maybe to confirm these feeling of social chains and weakness.
Andrew looked at her. He smirked. She didn’t know if he knew why she was asking. Maybe he knew what she was thinking? Or maybe he just didn’t know how to respond on a way that wasn’t pointless and condescending.
“You are always beautiful to me.” Andrew finally replied.
Eveline didn’t know if she was satisfied by his answer, she didn’t know what she should feel anymore. It was either good or bad, maybe both.
She was about to say something when the train traveled over some uneven tracks and Eveline lost her balance and fell forward onto Andrew, who in turn fell back onto the train seat. Both of them looked at each other slightly embarrassed as they both blushed a little.
“Eveline, are you....?” Before Andrew could finish his question Eveline moved closer to him, her skin was still ice cold like it always was, her breath should have been hot. It wasn’t, it was more like a chilly draft. Everything about her was cold. She kissed him, her icy lips against his warm ones.
Eveline suddenly realizing what she was doing broke away from the kiss and sat up quickly clearing her throat as she sat beside Andrew now blushing brighter than she had been before.
Eveline couldn’t believe herself, what was happening to her? Her heart was pounding against her chest after that kiss. She didn’t even know her heart could feel this way anymore. Their first kiss they had shared together. But Andrew hadn’t asked for it, and neither had she. She just did it on impulse. She hadn’t felt this way since.....a very long time ago. Eveline took a deep breath now as she looked at her necklace again. It had been long since she had been given a gift as just a gesture. Still, she couldn’t help but feel touched by how kind Andrew had been, even when it was unnecessary.
Most men and women she had met over the years, were ones who either feared her, or were those who wanted the power and respect of being in the company of Lady Eveline Roseblood.
But at the moment, she wasn’t quite feeling like the title she had worked years to gain, she only felt like ‘Eveline’ at the moment. She didn’t know quite else how to say it. She hadn’t been that woman in centuries…she thought there would be nothing left.
Andrew remained silent for a long time, almost as long as Eveline did. As the train went by and they saw a beautiful countryside, Andrew couldn’t help but think back to an old memory he had of himself with his family.
“You know, my father and mother took myself and my siblings on a train just like this when we were young once. We all found it fun, although maybe it was the view that we found so enthralling. Your country certainly looks enthralling, or maybe the better word would be....enchanting? That is if you prefer it sounding more magical than it already is.” Andrew said almost with a slight chuckle.
Eveline didn’t return this lightheartedness, she tried to make herself stoic, stronger, more Lady Roseblood.
“Eveline, your kiss was certainly.....more forthcoming than I would have thought. But while my feelings to you have been abundantly clear this whole trip we’ve taken thus far. I have to know if your feelings for me are genuine, or are you just....leading me on. Please Eveline, tell me, do you love me as I love you?” Andrew asked gently holding her hands.
“Leading you on?” She scoffed, “No, I do not lead on…I simply am.”
“But....while I know so much about you. You know little of me. I am a figment of fancy, an unattainable phantom in your heart.” She continued.
“So tell me. Tell me the story of the woman I’m falling in love with more and more.” Andrew quietly pleaded.
It was at this time that Eveline gently let go of Andrew’s hands as she sighed and shook her head.
“It is not a pleasant one. It is not something I’m proud of…” the vampire whispered.
Andrew wanted to plead with her again, but he knew it would be wrong to. He then had another thought come to his head. Something that he knew his family wouldn’t quite like, but if he wanted Eveline to open up to him, then he had to open up to her as well.
“Eveline, I’m....I’m going to share with you what happened to me when I was a child. You asked me before if there was ever someone I ever thought about killing. In my mind there has really ever been one man and no it wasn’t one of the Morelands. When my siblings and I were ten, we were taken out into the woods for the first time as survival training. I was probably the most excited out of all of us to go. Ever since I can remember, all I’ve wanted to do is be just like my father and make him proud.” Andrew said taking a deep breath and smiling thinking about his father before his smile faltered.
“But what we didn’t know was there were a couple of men out there looking for children to put into an underground vampire child trafficking ring. There were others there before us and it was horrible to see them. Many of them looked depressed and some malnourished. I tried to be brave and protect my siblings, but I wasn’t really trained yet, I was still only a child. My sister Andromeda was almost taken to be branded, but Nyx intervened and got herself branded first. To this day, her scream is one of the most hurting and haunting screams I’ve ever heard. Our father showed up not long after that with the five. Naturally, Ann took care of the men in her own violent way. But ever since that day, I vowed to never be weak again to anyone, and that I would always protect my family and....loved ones.” Andrew said as he placed his hand between himself and Eveline wondering if she would take it.
Eveline slowly and cautiously placed her hand on Andrew’s hand as she felt her heart beat more for this Tepes boy, no, the Tepes prince. She hated it, she willed her heart to stop beating once more, to remain dead and cold like her. But he was like the sun, bathing all around him with light. Eveline took a deep breath before she spoke again to Andrew.
“I am ready to tell you Andrew, about what happened with my family.” Eveline said still holding his hand and looking directly into his eyes trusting him.
“It was not one of my making, it had nothing to do with your great grandfather. This was decades ago.” She began, her coldness became more icy.
“I was married once, her name was Irina…” Her voice grew quieter at the mention of this name.
Andrew was surprised, he hadn’t known she was bisexual, she seemed so above everything and everyone. He was glad to know something about her.
“I had children too; by blood, not mortal blood, but the oldest of blood granted by myself. Three I had…Yelena, Lillia, Vera.” Her voice was a whisper, barely audible.
“This was back during the Vampire-Werewolf War. It was a brutal time for our people. I was strong then—not like I have been on this trip—I had easily bested the Uaytkhayd pack. They are the largest werewolf pack in Russia. But I was betrayed…betrayed by my own blood…” she continued.
“It was Yelena…she had fallen in love…such a foolish and wretched thing to do, especially during a war. She fell in love with Alyosha Whitecoat, the alpha’s son. Maybe she didn’t know, maybe I failed in raising her. She wanted to end the war, that’s what she said as I clutched the bodies of my wife and my daughters…I never saw her again…” Eveline finished.
"I'm....I'm deeply sorry for your losses. I...I don't know what else to say." Andrew said as tears now began to fall from Eveline's face and she began to cry softly.
"I....I saw the sorrow in Yelena's face before she left. She was....so upset that Irina, Lillia and Vera were lost to us that she couldn't face me anymore. I blamed her for what happened, yelled at her for it." Eveline said through her tears.
"That's....that's the reason why Andrew....why I have been....afraid of....of this. Of falling in love. Because I think....I think I fear what may happen to me....or anyone close to me if I were to ever fall in love again." Eveline said as Andrew brought her close to his chest.
Eveline's crying soon subdued as she looked up at him now thinking she must look quite the sight as she looked away feeling ashamed of herself for feeling the way she did now.
"Love can be a frightening feeling. You are not a figment of fancy, or an unattainable phantom in my heart. You are Lady Eveline Roseblood, the woman I've come to know and grow to love for what I've seen from you, not what I've been told by others. I love you as you are Eveline." Andrew said as Eveline looked up again at Andrew this time looking into his eyes as he looked back at her.
"Andrew..." Eveline said whispering his name.
"Eveline...." Andrew whispered back to her.
Their lips touched each others once again as this time both of them embraced each other more passionately. A few moments felt like an eternity to the two of them as it had turned into night as Andrew lay on the seat with Eveline on top of him listening to his heartbeat.
"Good night, my prince." Eveline said.
"Good night my lady." Andrew replied to her as they both lay in each others arms.