Turn of Darkness: Book One: Diaries of Nicole Johnson

Chapter Five

Demetri's P.O.V.

"Dude, what the hell was that about? You basically just sexually assaulted her after physically assaulting her. She's never going to want to be your wife now. She's not Ophelia. You can't just treat her like that. You don't even know how to win over a girl, do you? All you know is betrothal and arranged marriage. It's the 21st century. No modern girl is going to go for that, no matter how rich and esteemed you are."

"Shut up, Shadow. I did not sexually assault her. I just... I lost control. My fear and adrenaline and instinct got the best of me. Her fear turned me on. I wanted to hunt her when she ran out. She's going to hate and fear me forever now." I groan.

Shadow sighs. "Look, I can help you. You can turn it around for yourself. You know, some girls like the big, bad, scary vampire. They like a little violence and aggression. If it's played right. We can make your weaknesses of bloodlust, emotional instability, and misogyny into a strength. She has a keen interest in vampires, more even than most fangbangers. We can use that. She most likely likes a little darkness with her romance," Shadow wiggles his eyebrows provocatively.

"What do you have in mind," I say absentmindedly as I open the drawer to take out my writing instruments. As I reach for the dip pen, my mind goes back to yesterday, when I had to help the young unworldly girl write with it. Her hand in mine had been so small... so soft... so fragile. My fangs begin to throb, and I chuckle. How the times change. And those changes might not bode well for me, what with my experience with women. I write out a quick letter and seal it with my red wax, then press it with the stamp that holds the letter of my family's name.

I think back. The letter that Nicole had shown me had had the same seal. The only person who would have such a stamp would be...

"Ophelia," I sigh wistfully.

"Yeah, about that, what the hell is going on?" Shadow demands.

"I don't know, but I'm going to see if I can't draw them out. The person who wrote that letter. They would recognize my blood." I take the letter opener and slash my hand, letting the blood drip onto the letter. "They will smell it and be drawn to it. It's all I can think of to do for now. Now, again, what do you have in mind."

"Well, first, you need to be vulnerable with her. Show her that while you might be a monster, you're a monster deserving of sympathy. Sympathy for the devil kind of thing."

I growl. "I do not want anybody's sympathy. Especially a young human girl's."

"Also that. None of that sexism stuff. That stuff went out the door a long time ago. Show her that she is your equal, deserving of your respect. Or even above you."

"What?!"

"Just play along, would you?"

I grumble.

"Tomorrow, when she comes over for her research, apologize to her. Explain to her why you just can't control yourself. Make up a sob story and make her want to apologize to you, even though she didn't do anything wrong. Women love a man with a tragic backstory; with baggage.

"Tell her the story about your mother. But make it extra sad."

I jump up out of my seat. "No! Hades no!"

"Open up to her, and she will begin to trust you unconsciously, against her better judgment. She will be able to empathize with you, instead of you being an unreachable stone-cold monster with no feelings. You will be real to her."

I sigh and sink into the plush velvet. "I'll swear her to secrecy."

"You do that. Actually, that'd be a good idea too. She'll believe you can trust her. Trust is the first step to a relationship."

I raise my eyes towards him, lifting an eyebrow. He shrugs, "Nowadays at least. Instead of instilling the fear of god into her, like you did with your first wife, instill compassion and trust...and love."

I snort. "Love is a fairytale they force down young girls' throats to make them more agreeable to marriage."

"Exactly," Shadow says with a smirk and wink.