Change of scenery

[Lovely]

June 27, 2009
9:40 p.m.
Veinna Estate - Jaime's house


He had to smile, thinking back on how Josephine had actually defended him, though he would be hard-pressed to explain why he would thank her when he was nowhere to be seen at the time. The important thing was to get to Jaime before her father's plan was set into motion for too long. He'd been aching at the distance, watching Jaime deteriorate before his eyes in his absence through the tiny eyes that remained positioned in her room. He'd also seen a great deal more of Kent than he could stomach and had watched the man carefully, studying the mannerisms as his own plan formed. There was little to observe that wasn't plain, dull and accommodating, which was precisely why Scotty preferred the man as far as Patrick could tell. Scotty wanted desperately to replace him with something so inanimate and plastic, he wondered why he hadn't simply bought his daughter a doll instead. Patrick had decided enough was enough, watching Jaime become nothing more than a doll herself, speaking a few simple emotionless words over and over to please Scarlatto and actually agreeing to go through with the marriage they both detested. Patrick was of course not invited to the ceremony, but he'd been near enough to the chapel to be a distant witness to the goings-on. He'd avoided being anywhere near the reception, however, having too much to plan out. When he'd heard the murmurs from the guest room that night, he could scarcely believe what he'd heard was playing so very well into his plot. He was thankful there was no speaker to relay his voice back to the room as he listened closer and again in the morning to the discussion in Jaime's room that turned to having the couple leave the house for a cheerier, more private venue. Patrick was at first panicked to have her anywhere he could not see, but once the location of the house was revealed to still be on the estate though away from the main house, he again smiled at the perfection of the set-up. He nearly felt sorry for Kent, but could not find it in his heart, not after the attempts he'd witnessed for the man to take HIS kitten for himself. Enough was enough. He'd seen what a good and furry father meant to Daddy and it was time to show exactly how much he truly disagreed with him, not that agreement was even close to anything he'd ever found with the man.

First things first, he'd waited until the dutiful new companion was ready to scoop up his ill-begotten bride and brood for the night to return home. He'd meet his replacement there, then, and he'd explain the situation himself, in person. Entering the estate had been no small trick. He'd apologize to Mitch in the morning when the boy awoke and after the headache was gone. Only so many tugs and yanks on the willpower could be done before a nasty hangover set in on him. Patrick was in no mood to cross paths with the fangy man on a good day and the effort had nearly broken him, though he succeeded for now and Mitch rested quietly in his temporary catatonia. Marcus and the others could have killed him in a breath in his state, Patrick realized, and he was thankful to arrive at the house unscathed and ready for the next step. Kent had been expecting some more of their belongings to arrive, it seemed. Pity that he wasn't on his keen feral guard when he opened the door.

Patrick's own head rang as he leaned on the counter and ran the soap up his arms, waiting for Jaime to finish with the children in the other room. He'd left no doubt and no trace behind except what he now cleaned from his hands, paying attention to even the smallest detail beneath his nails that a strongly emotional feral might catch scent of. Not good enough. He looked up to the corner and smiled at the plant, knowing the newly placed camera he'd pinned behind it captured him there as he opted for the shower instead. The hubbub would soon settle and so would the children, so his own presence would likely go unnoticed until his little kitten came in to retire for the evening.

[Lovely]

To say Jaime was an unhappy kitty as of late would be an understatement, Tripp had been sent away nearly a month before and Jaime had been destroyed by that. The tantrums had stopped weeks ago and she'd simply shut down, her physical and mental condition had deteriorated from there. It was a frightening change for her family to go from the vibrant, fiesty girl she'd been before to the limp, barely functioning one she was now. She'd agreed to the marriage that had happened yesterday, simply because she had no fight left in her and had stopped caring about anything, including what happened to her. She felt nothing for Kent, her new husband, thier marriage night had fallen quite short of his expectations as he was unable to arouse or stimulate Jaime in any way. She'd been as unresponsive to Kent as she'd been to everything that had been done to her in the past few weeks to try to cure her. It had been decided that she would be given her own space, a brighter setting from the drab makeover she'd done to her bedroom in the main house. One of the guest houses was now hers, her children's things had been moved there and she would be given her own small staff to help in her recovery or so her parents hoped. She didn't yet know of all of thier plans and didn't yet care about them, for tonight it would be only Jaime, Kent, and her three small children. Josie was interviewing and choosing from the family's existing staff those which would best handle the children and Jaime as she hopefully got better.. and unbeknownst to Jaime, those who could stomach Tripp as he was likely to return soon.

Jaime hadn't spoken a word to Kent all day and continued to ignore him after they arrived at her new home. She turned her attention to the children and getting them settled for the night, for them she made the effort though it tired her out to bathe and change all three. It took her longer than it would have if she'd been full strength but she finally got them tucked in together and they drifted off to sleep. The children were feral like her and she'd been enhanced -they were growing quickly, though she was assured they were perfectly healthy. With a small sigh, she left them to rest and made her way to the bedroom. Her steps were slow and her arms curled around her middle as she entered the room. Jaime paused at the door to the washroom, she heard the water running in the shower and she moved on to get herself ready for bed. It was still early but she wasn't interested in trying to entertain Kent or having a conversation with him or anything else he might wish to do. She didn't bother to say anything to him and simply got into bed before he emerged from his shower. She wore a baggy T-shirt and knit pajama pants that were long and covered her feet when she laid down. It was not meant to be flattering and sexy, but to cover and comfort, to hide her as much as possible, though with her shape it was hard not to look good in anything. She tucked herself into the bed, with the covers pulled up to her chin and her back to his side of the bed and the bathroom door. She wasn't sleeping but staring at the wall though Kent might believe she was asleep with how little she responded to things.

His thoughts were snaking around the walls and halls, reaching out to her, trying to sense her presence, but keep her from opening the door. He reminded himself he could say nothing. He leaned to the wall on his arm with the water flowing down through his hair, choking the words back he wanted to say and hoping she wasn't coming in the room as he felt her pass by. He had enough pull left to sway her if necesary, but she stayed at a distance, prompting a smile of relief for other reasons as he finally moved and remembered to breathe, watching the rest of his deed wash away. The gruesome scene played in his mind again and he wanted to share it with her, but even that vision stayed quietly to his cubicle of fog, unshared. He heard nothing more after a few moments and he wondered how eagerly she awaited her evening entertainment in the other room, or whether she waited, or wanted it, at all. The water silenced to the echoing drip and slow trickle along the walls, pulling the last remains of his deed towards the swirl and grate below, down into the darkness of the pipes and the places where secrets were left to the rats to discover. Another tiny eye, another little plastic voyeur, was taken from his bag and held in his palm as he peeked through the door out into the darkened room beyond. There was no movement, but he could feel her near like he stood at a grand entrance of a childhood home waiting for him to knock and enter to play as he wanted. And he would... generously. He moved like Kent, without stealth but without menace, oblivious to the cold shoulder and feigned silence, sitting on his edge of the bed to rub his hair dry, check the clock, move shoes to the floor and busy himself in so many mundane ways as to make himself almost ill with the random normalness of the man. Yet, Kent had been a feral and had none of the fight in his veins that Patrick expected to find when he'd drained each drop looking for it. Was he wrong?

Perhaps Kent was not the coveted furry master Scarlatto wanted for Jaime, either, though the man had chastised Patrick dearly for the same. It made no difference now, did it? The knife was his own, opened again and inspected before it was closed and tossed on the nightstand. Perhaps she knew the sound, but that didn't matter now, either. She wasn't watching, but he knew she listened. He made sure she heard him now as he stretched out beside her, his hand lovingly on her arm at first like Kent's, like he'd observed the night before from the distance, touching her kindly, without want or warning. Slowly he gripped tighter before the hum met her ear. "Hello, lovely..."

[Lovely]

At first she was completely unresponsive as if he was not even in the room with her though he made noises and went through a series of normal nightly tasks which Kent might do. The sound of the knife was something out of the ordinary and it caught her attention enough for her to shift ever so slightly as it reached to the part of her she'd burried so deeply it was nearly gone. The movement was small and could have easily been her snuggling deeper into the covers in her sleep. She didn't flinch as his hand came over her arm, even with a gentle touch the marks and bruises on her arms should have been painful, he squeezed tighter and still nothing. Her eyes closed only to fly open a moment later with the voice and warm breath over her ear. Her lips parted in a soft gasp as her eyes stared into the dark room, it couldn't be.. she must have fallen alseep and was dreaming him while Kent tried to rouse her. She was afraid to speak his name, to turn and look for him, certain she wouldn't find him there. Jaime trembled and felt her heart breaking all over again, now she was losing her mind. She took a deep breath in and her head shook slightly.. she knew his scent, even if he'd used Kent's soap and shampoo. "I've gone mad.." She whispered softly, her tongue moving to gently moisten her lips. She was sure she was imagining it all but it felt like waking from a long slumber, like breathing her first breath after being without air for weeks.

He found that amusing, but given her recent disposition, he wouldn't have ruled it out. "Have you? More fun for me, then, trying to calm you, yeah?" He let go of her arm to run a finger over her cheek, hoping to turn her around to face him. He spoke softly, sad for having missed her so and eager to erase her pain, to taste it, devour it and leave none for her to endure any further. To be allowed to play fully as he wished, alone here with her made him smile through a sting in his own eyes. "Although, the more mad, the better fun to be had. Should I make it worse... pet?"

Her heart was beating rapidly and felt like it was slamming into her chest. Her eyes fluttered and she let out another soft gasp as his finger ran over her cheek, and she turned slowly toward him. Her lips were trembling and her eyes shining with tears she tried to blink away, she stared at him silently for a long moment. Her hand reached to brush his cheek much like he had done to her, and her fingers traced lightly over his jaw, she was afraid he would disappear into the darkness. Her eyes searched his, full of questions she didn't have enough voice yet to ask, she still wasn't sure if he was real. He felt very real beneath her fingers and the pain she'd burried started to seep slowly through the cracks in the walls she'd constructed to block it out. She didn't know why or how he'd gotten there, she didn't care for that moment, he was there and she needed him. She moved in a slow dive to kiss him, her other hand shifting to bury into his thick damp locks.

Her tears were lost under the drips from the wet ends of his hair as she rolled to face him. He was there, real, beside her where he belonged. The kisses were sought hungrily but he was discouraged by the ragged lump of cloth that blotted her true beauty from his view. He nearly growled at the feel of the distasteful garment in his clutched hand. "What is this? His idea?"

For a few moments there was nothing but his kiss and it held her, tugged, and yanked her back to the world she'd left behind, bringing her to life once again though she was still weak and battered. She pulled back and looked at him in question, then feeling the slight tug of his hand on the garment. "No.." She shook her head and looked down, away, her cheeks warming with a shameful blush. "Mine.. to cover up.. not for you though.." Her gaze lifted to his and then darted away, looking around the room as if only now knowing where she was and with that she realized he was really there. If Tripp was there.. how.. and where was Kent? Not that she really cared at all for the man she'd married the day before, but she was confused. She pushed up a bit, propped on one shaky arm and looked around the darkened room again then back to Tripp. "How did you get in here?"

[Lovely]

He thought a moment and shrugged, as though it seemed obvious. He couldn't teleport that he knew of. "I walked," he teased quietly, shushing her worry with a fingertip that slowly traced the tender curve of her lip. "If you're not covering up for me, kitten, then don't. We're alone, as it should be."

Her eyes closed against the feeling of his fingertip along her lip, to be touched by him again, even in such a 'simple' way was too wonderful to describe. Jaime tilted her head to kiss his finger and her gaze came to his, still full of questions but also shining with emotion. "Alone.." She repeated and slowly nodded her head, reaching for the hem of the t-shirt to pull it gently over her head. She moved slowly and part of the reason was revealed as she shed her clothes and the many marks and bruises that had yet to heal were visible against her fair skin even in the darkness. The covers fell to her waist as she shifted the shirt off and then shimmied from the pajama pants as well. Her blonde hair flowed gently over her shoulders and back, she faced him with a small pout.. she was a mess, and she could feel in all over. She waited for him to say something, to disapprove, to scold her for how weak she'd become, or even ask her to cover up again so he wouldn't have to see her. Tentatively she asked. "Where.. is he?" She wondered if she should worry about Kent returning or alerting the guards.

"Indisposed...," he sighed out slowly, nearly laughing as he said it, though he was concerned over the unhindered sight before him now. Her uncles had hurt her as dearly as her father had in their attempts to keep him away and keep her well. Some of the strength he still had reached out to her to soften the pain and her reaction to it as he kissed a bruise on her arm then stroked it lightly. "We're completely alone. Don't expect to be disturbed. Your watch-puppy is taking a nice long nap. Although he answers to you, doesn't he? A simple reply if he should knock and he has no choice but to go away, does he?" With Kent's clothes hung on the door, the wolf would get a confused scent at best. The kittens shared some part of him as well, part of his scent, so he likely wouldn't know any better, or so Patrick hoped for now.

She watched Tripp as he looked over her and gave gentle attention to the cruel marks on her, being 'alive' and back in the world meant feeling and that included the physical pain which had been blocked out as well. It didn't seem to hurt as much as it 'should' have and she gave a soft smile. She felt a little lost and it showed in her expressions and the way she kept looking around the room and then back to Tripp. She kept waiting for him to disappear and her world to shatter all over again. "Yes.. I suppose he would.. as long as he believes nothing is amiss with me.." A long nap and indisposed had her assuming Mitch's condition was not permanent and less severe than Kent's. She felt a tiny bit of remorse that Mitch might have been hurt but it meant Patrick was here with her. Her hand reached to run over his arm, feeling his skin beneath her fingers. "You're really here.."

If she had doubts, his thoughts reached out to ensnare hers in an embrace just as close as he held her. ~In the spirit and the flesh, lovely. Come here~ His eyes held a fire of their own she might have forgotten. "You want a housewarming to remember, yeah?"

"Only if you're staying with me.." She whispered, with a stark honesty shown in her eyes, a hint of fear, and intense need. She gazed into the fire in his eyes and leaned to kiss him, shifting and bringing herself closer to him. "How can you want me.. like this?" How could he even look at her?

[Lovely]

He sighed a little. He wanted to make everything better for her instantly, but that was not in his power. He was far from being a healer, but he would stay once it was made clear that Kent would no longer play any part in her family. He'd heard it clearly, that if things did not work out, he could return to Jaime, but her father could take liberties to change his mind as quickly as her brothers changed into slobbering beasts. "Touch and go, lovely. Until the rest of the matter is settled at least, but no, I don't intend to leave for long. For right now, I'm here and Kent.. is.. not." He emphasized, settling himself comfortably. "I almost might believe you missed me," he said, reaching up to her neck to touch the fine chain that appeared to be one of the few belongings she willingly kept.

She couldn't hide the pout or the pain in her eyes as he pointed out what she knew was still true, that he might have to leave her again. He settled and she curled gently to him, keeping just enough space between them for her to see and touch him, even if she was hideous, he was still beautiful. He hadn't exactly answered her question about how he could want her the way she was but maybe it was better than hearing he didn't what her at all. Her legs were a part of her that didn't hurt much, they twined slightly with his. She shifted as he touched her neck and the chain, she'd kept. It had been a gift he'd sent after he'd first been banished from the estate. She made a show of refusing his gift without even opening it, but then snuck it out when no one was around, disposing of the evidence and then wearing the necklace, hidden beneath her drab clothes, daily since. "..almost, might.." She murmured with a soft smile. "Maybe I did.. until just now. What of it?"

She smiled the first real smile he'd seen on her in weeks as he traced the spidery strand and appeared lost in thought. His finger stopped on her neck. "Not a thing. I'm glad you liked it, though I have something you might like better, yeah? Smooth, buckled, smells like you... I kept it close, hoping, and now.. you need to know your proper place again, don't you?" He wasn't scolding as much as playful now as he sensed her delight in her thoughts. "Do you want it?"

He would know in that moment of the happiness she felt as it lit up her eyes briefly but also of the conflict that came into them and to her. She wanted the beloved collar and to know her place beside him, with him, as his but she didn't feel as though she deserved it right now. It took an amount of courage she didn't know she had to gently shake her head to his offer. "I want it.. but not yet.. when I'm ready... when I'm strong again. I love you and I know my place is with you.. but I can't wear it until I'm strong enough to love you the way I want to and give to you as much as you give me."

"Of course, pet. And you need to wash him off first, don't you? The collar and playtime will just have to wait, but at least take that silly thing off. You won't need it anymore, yeah?" He sneered, looking at the gleam on her finger as her hand rose to her neck. "You should have one much more suitable very soon," he promised, the one thing he'd wanted to give her and been denied the chance.

Her gaze lowered as she realized Kent's scent was all over her, he had not been able to consumate the marriage but had tried and had touched her in different ways during the day. She didn't want him on her in the first place and now felt filthy that he was there at all. Her lips turned down in a sad little pout at Tripp's request, though she was more than willing to wash up. Her eyes caught the gleam of the ring, she'd refused his diamonds and only wore a gold band but it taunted her from her left hand - saying she belonged to Kent. The ring was a lie as much as the wedding had been in the first place. "Yes." She agreed quietly to Tripp's requests. Jai moved gently from his embrace, she pulled the ring from the third finger of her left hand, holding it out with trembling fingers for him to take and do what he wished with.

He pulled the ring from her hand, closing it in his fist, watching and waiting for her to rise from the bed. "What are you afraid of, Jaime?" He looked at her curiously, speaking plainly and directly without the games. Her hand shook even with him there. "Is there something more?"

She started to shake her head in denial of anything but then sank slowly to the edge of the bed she'd just risen from. She wasn't facing Tripp now and her fingers twisted together in her lap. "It's just.. things..like.. Are you angry with me? Being afraid of losing you again.. of what might happen when they discover he's not here... " She began as slowly as she had moved but then the thoughts started to tumble out. "I never wanted to be with him, to have him touch me... I simply agreed to what my father wanted.. I didn't have any fight left in me.. Without you, I didn't want anything, didn't care about anything. I was drowning and I didn't want to be saved.. not if it meant life without you. Look at what I let happen to me.. I'm so weak, so ugly.. ill.. I don't feel worthy of you." She placed all her fears quietly before him and let him absorb them, she waited for any reaction he might have to all she'd said.

She'd feel him move behind her, hear the sound of the ring being set down on the side table and then sense the absence of his weight on the cushion as he stood up. He moved into her line of vision, holding his hands out to her. "Come with me. You're none of those things and I'm not angry. I will be, though, if you believe I am. Understand?"

[Lovely]

"Yes." She accompainied her reply with a nod of her head, she did understand. Her hands lifted to clasp his as she stood up, needing the support and his strength. There was another small brightening of her face to know that he wasn't angry with her and didn't think poorly of her in her current condition. She used his hands to help pull her closer to him, feeling as if she could sink into his embrace and sleep peacefully for weeks.

Patrick pulled her closer, his other hand still closed around the small device he needed to put in place. He opened his palm to show her the tiny camera the size of a tiny gumstick. "This is so I know... anyone coming in or out of this room, even if it's just myself or a wayward moth, this will tell me. When they discover that he is not here, there will be questions you won't want to answer. So I won't tell you and you can remain truthful when they ask and you say you don't know. He left and he never came back Whether he will or not, you don't know. Shrug and sit down and you have nothing more to say to them, but I can assure you.. he won't turn up tonight. Start your bath and I'll join you in a moment."

"A camera.." She whispered looking at the device. It took her a moment or two to absorb and accept all he told her, her hand let go of his and shifted to his hold his face gently. "I love you." She spoke softly, but looked him straight in the eye as she said it, letting him know in her way that she wasn't going to question him. She wanted to know and wanted him to share things with her but agreed this way was best for the moment. She wasn't sure how convincing her shrugs would be, now that she actually felt alive again and did care.. the apathy had been real before and the other ferals might see through her faking it. Her hands dropped away and she moved toward the bathroom, she ached all over and a warm bath was a welcome idea at the moment.

"Not as much as you will when I can stay for good," he cautioned, the fires warming more in his eyes as he watched her move away to the other room. A moment later, the adhesive was off the device he tacked outside her door. Others he had at the ready to dot around the room, but not yet. This one was the most important should someone corner her here. If he saw, he could get word to her soon enough to let her know, or to let her know who might be poking around in her things while she was away. "One step ahead, Daddy dearest. She's still a good girl... a very good girl and I intend to keep her that way... well, keep her at least." He spoke to the camera and the shadows as he stood that moment in the hall, peering down a door to the nursery. They would have to wait. Ferals would smell their real father and he didn't want to wake them up to too many hopeful dreams,yet. He ducked back in the room and draped Kent's shirts around the doorway, one on the hook, another on the knob and the pants on the floor in the crease to keep the man's scent stronger to the wolf guardian who might wake up at any time. Mitch was a smart man and would take a few more tricks yet to keep their secret quiet.

While he went about setting things up in the outer room, Jaime was in the bathroom running hot water into the tub. She'd bent, somewhat painfully, to give her hair a quick wash before finding and pouring some bath oil in and letting the tub fill. She sat in the water, one foot propped on the faucet and her shoulders resting against the opposite side of the large tub. One hand ran lightly into her wet hair and the other draped over the side of the tub, while a myriad of thoughts and emotions cursed through her and she waited for Tripp to come in. The sound of the water cascading down from the faucet to fill the basin was somewhat soothing against the freshly opened damn of inner turmoil and delight for what had brought her back to herself.. even if she had quite a bit of healing left to do.

He stood at the doorway a long moment letting the steam reach him again, this time filled with much more pleasantness than his own necessary cleaning had been. His hair was still matted in wet curls that hung haphazardly around his eyes, a dark framing of his pale features that glowed still with an inner fire. Her uncles had been unkind to leave so many marks, no matter how well-meaning they'd been, he noted as he looked her over from blond hair to curled toe upon the spigot where she stretched. A slow grin curled as he leaned there. "Fancy a shave? Seems to me your last encounter with a strap and straight was without me. You don't want to do that again, do you? Not alone, without a steady, loving hand, yeah?" His slick tone had returned as he watched her, his words lolling and lapping at her from across the room and her the melting cream he wanted to drink up slowly.

[Lovely]

"You brought it with you?" Her eye brow arched slightly as her gaze turned to him, the slightest of smiles coming to shimmer for him. She wondered if he could really know about her last episode when she'd taken her razors to her own skin -carving in hopes of pulling her ache away. She'd had Tyler heal the wounds almost right after, swearing him to secrecy as she didn't want Daddy to find out about it. That was during the first couple of weeks when she still felt, before she'd shut down.. it hadn't worked to dull the pain. Her eyes cast over her gorgeous dark lover, the adoration he had known before returning to them as she held out her hand to invite him closer, to join her and do what he'd suggested. She certainly didn't trust her own unsteady hand at the moment and wanted to do what she could to be beautiful for him, to feel better and get better herself. The bath and a shave sounded like a good start, especially with him there.

"Did I? What I ask, what I inspire... what you want or desire...," he paused and chuckled at his unexpected rhyme as he came closer from his perch at the door and reached in his bag for toys. "Are not always one and the same, but I won't leave you unfulfilled, darkest. I know, I did see and it was torturous not to reach out to soothe it away for you. This, I have, and the will to take your pain as we both please." The glimmer of the black handled steel shone off the mirror as he unfolded the silent razor and held it out for her to see followed by the snapping 'whip' of the strop it had been wound in. It was already deadly sharp, but the sound on the leather was like none other.

There was a sadness in her eyes when he admitted that he'd witness her misery, she wondered what else he'd seen and opened her mouth to ask, but couldn't. If he'd seen her cut herself, it was likely he'd also witnessed her deterioration, seen her sinking and.. her gaze drifted away for a moment. Last night with Kent.. had Tripp watched the other man's attempts to arouse her? It nearly made her sick to think of it, both him seeing and that she'd allowed someone else to touch her when only Tripp should. She lifted her eyes and watched him with the toys he pulled out, the anticipation and conflict showing in her expression as she awaited his pleasures with the sharp blade.

"No use in trying to hide it, pet. Not from me," he chuckled again, watching her expression. "You can confide in me, remember? Perhaps best you do. Tell me what you really thought of him and his feeble attempts... and of your darling Daddy for doing such a horrid thing to his precious girl." He set the strop down and came closer, offering the blade to her like a fine wine cradled against his forearm for her inspection and approval. "Ah, you could even show me, yeah?"

Her jaw tightened and though it was slight there was a glow of amber in her feral eyes, she was warring with the emotions that welled within her now the the damn had burst. A soft barely there, low growl rumbled from her as she reached for the razor he offered her and held it in a clenched fist, looking from it to him with questioning eyes. What did he want her to do? She couldn't show him what she thought and felt toward them because the rage that bubbled within her was near murderous. She was hurt beyond words, really and for a time had been so hurt she could barely function, how was she supposed to express such intense emotions? She didn't want to tear Tripp apart.. well perhaps a small part of her did, but her main anger was toward her father and Kent. "Why didn't you come sooner?" She asked him in a shaky voice, there was only anguish in the question. She knew he most likely couldn't get to her.. but she'd longed for him and been given to another, she'd had another touching her like only he should have been allowed, like she wanted only him to. The blade shook in her hand, how could her father have done this to her? Regardless of him liking Tripp or not.. how could he have 'sold' her off like some prized breeder? "I can't.." She tried to stand up, she was shaking in anger and was much weaker. Her hand braced against the edge of the tub. She looked at him and reached to hand him the razor back. "I can't.. not to you.." She felt dirty, ashamed.. "I should have ripped his throat out.. I thought about it.. but I didn't. I just laid there.. let him.. touch me.. I'm sorry." She moved herself slowly from the tub and tried to move past him toward the door, she felt like her skin was burning with the shame she felt.

[Lovely]

Had she been stronger and not so ill it would not have been too much or too soon. She wanted to follow him into the darkness but her condition prevented her from playing and exploring as they both wished her to. She pouted, feeling close to tears for having let herself get this weak, she'd been too detached to really know how bad it was until now. Her arms came around him, her hand sliding slowly over his arms to his shoulders, gripping gently, lovingly. Her head tipped down as he pulled her even closer and her teeth just grazed his skin, a tiny taste of what she'd been missing since he'd been away from her. Jaime followed where he led, back into the steaming bath water.

The nip was sharp though light and it pleasantly jumbled his thoughts a moment like a bump along the road he was traveling with her in tow. The quick breath, the inhale of delight, was followed by a groan of want for more. "Please... lovely. We miss that too.... and perhaps will a bit longer, yeah?" The 'we' he spoke of was more the part of himself in his mind's eye that savored every moment of watching her in ways he couldn't express but would show her once she could follow deeper. His thoughts retreated down echoing halls like childrens' nightmarish terrors - dark, creaking, eerie sounds and sights, the pit-like feeling of endless falling and the smothering drowning sensations mired in the oil-slick tones of his soft adoring laugh. ~We'll play hide and seek, then, pet,~ he promised as he slipped her into the water and loosened his grip slowly only from her mind, ensuring he hadn't pulled too strongly to allow her the strength to enjoy his company in her steamy water.

Her arms curled tighter and brought her closer so her chest was pressed lightly to his. As they sank into the water, she faced and straddled him, steam and hot water being the only things between them now. It had been hard to have her eyes open to see him as well as to feel and see the images he showed her in her mind, as he let go of the mental hold her eyes fluttered. Her strength was not great but what there was slowly returned as he eased the hold on her mind and will. "Missed everything.." She whispered over his skin, breathing in his scent, tasting it as well with light flicks of her tongue and a glorious sharp nip now and then. She seemed to want to play but also appeared very tired and worn.

His voice called out in his mind for her to continue, the comforting cooing of his laugh ringing out from the deep hallways, past shadowy corners that turned against gravity and physics, bending and twisting ever onward and branching unexpectedly... a corkscrew maze at angles to its own self. The sounds may have echoed into her thoughts as he slipped further out of them. He'd missed her nips and scratches and coveted each one as his scent would relay back to her. He cooed, savoring the sting of each nibble, "Don't stop, lovely. I have many treats for you." Not the least of which was purely physical.

Her fingers dug lightly into his skin as she gripped in the physical for balance as the echoes from his world within her mind still lingered, shifted and pitched, making her feel ill. Tiny drops of blood rose from the claw marks as she gasped, her expression one of near pain herself. The dizziness would not lessen until he'd fully released her from his mental grasp.

"No falling over just yet," he sighed, pleased that she'd traveled as deeply as she had, but frowning slightly again that she was not yet strong enough. "There's someone there you'll soon meet, but not tonight. Ever wonder... have you... where ever I got my clever little nickname?" The epicenter of the quaking journey seemed close, raucously loud for a moment as if in the next room, then shut off to an intense silence as he slipped free from her mind completely to allow her to rest and regain her balance and her sense of private thought. She appeared pale and pained moreso than he'd wanted her to endure from him. "Might make you forget your stable little world altogether, yeah?"

[Lovely]

The parting shot of loud and then sudden silence made her feel as though she pitched and swayed, making more her ill. She trembled and a light sweat glistened over the parts of her above the water level, she laughed softly despite feeling weaker than she ever had in her life. "Stable?" He called her life stable? That was hilarious to her but tainted by her own weakened state and her disappointment that she couldn't participate fully or as deeply as she wanted in the place he showed her in his mind. "I would hardly call my world stable... perhaps controlled.. though it seems someone went and ruined those plans.."

The laugh was the kind uttered by small boys that pulled pigtails too hard. He was not laughing at her but at the same intolerable world she described. "Only perhaps? Most certainly controlled, kitten. Though, I ruin as much as I can when the one doing the controlling isn't me. You think your poor little executive puppy butt-wiper who came in here understood that at all?"

Jaime pouted just a little, though she curled to stay close and attentive, nuzzling into his neck. "It wasn't Kent's fault Daddy doesn't like you... he was simply convienent for Daddy to use and more than eager to please him. Seems those characteristics were very unbecoming in the end." She certainly hadn't cared for Kent in the least, she wasn't sorry he was gone.

"Whose end, hm?" The query was deeply and darkly curious as if to find that more might been done to the boy or his soon-to-be-grieving family than he'd started. Although he didn't care much for Scotty's tactics when used on himself, he admired the man's flair at times when dealing with others.

"Kent's? This farce of a marriage to him? He's not here now, is he? I guess pleasing Daddy didn't work as well for him as he thought it would. He must have made someone very unhappy to end up somewhere besides in this beautiful house with us.."

"Mm... somewhere," he nodded. The laugh was a chill darker and quieted in kisses over her neck as he held her from her swooning, though she seemed to be leveling out now that he'd let loose of her pained thoughts. "Pleasing Daddy surely isn't what brought me here, Kitten. The only ones here are me and you. The only ones who matter at least... even in this house. Your brothers, your father, your pitiful sister and her hairy companion... they'll all lose one day if they think differently. I already own you. I somehow think it's only a matter of time before they become my toys, too, though none I like playing with quite as much, yeah?"

"The only ones in -this house- are you, me, and our children.. and I plan on finding a way to keep it like that." Her voice was quiet but nearly defiant in it's tone, her chin tilting and her eyes narrowing slightly. She didn't have the strength for more than threats at the moment but once she was well and whole.. Regardless of Kent or no Kent, this was her home now and she wanted Tripp here with her and thier children. Even though she was angry with her father for the things he'd had done or ordered she was still loyal to the family and protective of them. The mention of her brothers and sisters becoming his toys didn't set right with her. Maybe it was how he said it -he owned her and they would be his toys too.. as if that's all she was to him.

"You alone plan on finding that way? Oh, tut now, Kitten, you are being a bad little girl," he tisked at her like she was truly behaving badly. His smile, much like a certain Cheshire feline's, broadened as images of what exactly had been done to Kent slipped from his mind back into hers, flashing briefly for her amusement or simple understanding of how much he'd enjoyed disposing of the man.

[Lovely]

She shivered at his voice and scolding, but didn't back down on this. "What is so bad about wanting to protect my family.. our children? If it's bad.. then I am bad and I'll keep misbehaving... though perhaps not alone." She swallowed hard as the images of Kent's departure flashed before her and she witnessed what had happened. "Did you enjoy ridding us of that pesky husband problem we had?"

"Quite a pleasurable time. Too bad I could only enjoy it once, yeah?" He sighed and his tone softened to a kindness and sincerity he rarely expressed. "Nothing at all is wrong with wanting to protect what's yours, kitten, but you misunderstand. Yours is mine and I'm not leaving, nor are you or the children. That makes it ours, yeah?"

Her lips trembled into a small happy and hopeful smile as she nodded, lifting her gaze to meet his. "Ours." She whispered, repeating his word like it was a promise. She didn't want him to go and she didn't want to leave. "Part of me fears this is just a dream, a wish that will disappear when I wake up."

"Don't wake up," he whispered, promising her much as she smiled again. "However, fear... is something I will not tolerate in our house, pet. Never fear me. What others do... is their business." He shrugged and leaned in to kiss her gently.

Jaime nodded, reaching to hold him closer and tighter, leaning up to the gentle kiss. He'd feel that touch of bliss she experienced when he kissed her, like a tiny tickle from her fingers on his skin.

His laugh tickled into her thoughts again with the pleasure of the kiss. ~Hmm. Better, pet. Now about that bath, yeah? Wash off the rest of his stench, won't you, and then join me?~ The offer was sweetened with images of promised embraces.

She smiled softly and nodded again, her hands shifting down to grasp his lightly before she moved away to finish washing off the scent of her now departed husband. ~I'll be there shortly~ She promised, not wanting to be away from him long and wanting his scent to cover her rather than Kent's. Her movements were slow but over all his pressense seemed to give her a boost of strength.

He sensed her hesitation, his gaze nearly glowing with anticipation for her to join him as quickly as possible. ~Or, should I join you? Strap and straight... a clean little kitten to play with when we're done?~ He offered the ivory-handled toy again, glancing to the bag of toys he'd brought along filled with other items he was sure would delight her.

She stared at him for a moment, as he offered the blade and treats once again. She eyes lit up slightly and she offered him a small smile. Her smile was more like a slight smirk and her eyes lowered just so, letting her see him but through the veil of lowered lashes. ~If you like..~

~If I like? What if I insist?~ The tone was nearly a purr, like a large cat stalking its prey. The steam in the room offset the embers that shone warmly in his eyes and dark smile. He reached out to the bag, fumbling to tug it closer and retrieved the razor. The 'toy' was handled and spun gracefully with a trained and practiced motion, pulled over the leather strop in a few slick swipes and tested for perfection of the edge against his bared arm that steamed, itself, held out from the warm water. He looked up again and smiled playfully. ~Ooo, I do insist.~

She was weak but delighted and her eyes shone with life, which had been missing from her for weeks. She wanted to play so much more than she was physically able to right now but having him close gave her more energy - at least enough to participate some in his suggested activities. She could barely keep the giggle of delight contained and as she peaked up at him, he'd see the sparkle dance in her amber eyes. She slipped into the tub and moved to the other side, getting herself wet and then perching on the opposite edge. Her legs and feet set apart and back slightly arched to offer him an open area to attend, long silky legs and a patch of blonde curls his to do what he wanted with.

[Lovely]

Tripp looked back at the door, giving a listen for foreign sounds to be sure no one had been peeking in on his earlier activities. Met with silence, he turned his attention solely on her and his intended playtime, making smooth work and play a slow and pleasurable time for them both.

After her bath she was smooth, and feeling better after the bath and attention he'd given her. She knew she still had a long way to go to build her strength and health back to what it should be, she felt good that he was with her but tired from the energy she'd expended so far. The towel patted the excess water from her hair and skin before she hung it up on the hook in the bathroom. He didn't He didn't like her covered up, so once she was dry she remained undressed for him though she still felt ashamed of the bruises and marks that were not healing. She came out of the bathroom and walked toward the bed, it was not with her usual strength and grace but even weakened she waked with a natural graceful stride. "Thank you." She had enjoyed the bath and shave and was grateful just to be there with him.

"Better. Oh so very much, pet." He was reclining on the pillows like a young Adonis, reaching out for the beauty to take his hand and slide down alongside him, though ready to assist her if she was weakened. "Time to make our home more comfortable, yeah? His choice of sheets?" He held the hem of the coverlet in his fingers a moment, not sure whether to accept it or pull it out from beneath them.

She was more happy than she could express and to see him there on the bed and hear his voice was indescribable. 'Our home', the words sent a thrill that tingled through her. Her eyebrow arched up at his question and she pouted slightly as she slid down beside him. "You don't like them? I picked them.."

Although they would not be ones he'd have chosen, he agreed to accept them as long as they resembled nothing Kent would have liked. Likely Kent wouldn't have bothered to notice. "I like them if they're your choosing," he advised, letting go of the fabric in favor of curling around her. "No Kent, no 'Daddy'...," he nearly spat, playfully reminding her this was their time and theirs alone.

"They were.. we can get different ones we pick together.." She murmured as his arms curled around her and the sheets were forgotten, only the feel of his warmth and his arms around her remained. "Only mine.. and yours.." Her smile could be felt in her touch and the soft kisses over his chest.

Tripp was nearly convinced it could all be this easy, though he was plotting in his mind how to convince her family that Kent had disappeared because he'd stolen from them with designs on stealing more. Though considering how he could make those funds appear to have his name on the funnel, such ideas didn't taint the tender moments of having her there warmly beside him instead of enduring the tiny, cold images of her on his distant screen as he had for weeks. "Mine... has such a nice sound, yeah?"

The soft giggle came with the brush of her lips against his skin and she nipped at him lightly for making her laugh. It was all done with affection and love in her play as she came up to find his lips, her long blond locks trailing over him as she stayed close. "Yeah.." She agreed fully with him, hovering an inch away from the kiss, to let him see how happy she was to have him with her. Her arms trembled slightly with holding up her own weight but she tried to be playful and strong.

She teased him with his own idioms and it sounded as strange as it did pleasant to hear it in her voice. "Ooo that's going to cost you." The grin was sharp and deadly sexy as he dove for her kiss mixed with his own chuckle that reverberated through his mind and echoed into hers where he still held on a little.

"Mmmm" She sank deeply into the kiss, her light frame blanketing over him partly as her trembling fingers dove into his hair. Even without his pull on her will, she found him nearly irresistible and had what felt like an insaitable hunger for him at the moment, though she likely didn't have the strength to indulge as she wanted to.

It was like living a dream and he was intent on not letting either of them wake, though partaking fully would be too much, so a dream it would have to stay for now. He let go and leaned back comfortably though he still tickled her ideas with his own in her part of the 'dream', resuming where they'd left off from the bath, her skin still heated from the steam and smelling soft and inviting. The echo of the word 'Mine' flowed softly through those corridors as he slowly began to help her recover.

His kitten purred softly for him, happier than she'd been in weeks as she shifted over him, against him. She was a little thin, yet soft and silky from the bath. She draped over him as if she was part of him, needing to touch, taste, and feel him.. even if they couldn't fully share in their passion and their love.