The cat is out of the bag.

[morevacant]

It takes Lydia some time to cool down after Mogget's revelations about Cesare.
It takes a smashed plate, several ripped photos and her holding her Louboutins over the dustbin (she couldn't let them go: the shoes don't deserve to suffer because of Cesare's actions) before she gets it together enough to text Cesare.


We need to talk. 10 minutes. You know where. (angry face, angry face)


Then she goes to the hotel, and stomps up to the room where they always meet, door slamming as she enters. Nobody stops her. The staff know Miss Lydia by now. By the time Cesare arrives, she's sat on the edge of the bed, scowling.

"I am gonna kill you, Cesare Borgia," she snaps.

Comments

[longterm]

Cesare has an idea what this is about. He knew that as soon as Mogget found out about his liaisons with Lydia that things were going to get messy and here it is, extremely messy. He sighs when he sees her, the expression on her face something monstrous. At least she's still wearing the shoes he gave her.

"What is it? What has happened?" he asks, already knowing almost exactly what she'll say.

[morevacant]

"That fucking cat!" She spits out. "I'm going to wring it's neck. And yours too, if it's true?"

She stands up, squaring up to him, hands on her hips. The Louboutins at least give her a few inches to her height.

"Is it true?" she demands, her voice fierce.

[longterm]

Another sigh and Cesare turns to pour them some drinks.

"I have a feeling there might be a misunderstanding..." Of course it's true. Everything is true. Had Cesare lead Lydia her on? Yes. But he had been careful enough that there's still some deniability there. He had never said they were exclusive. He had just allowed her to think it.

[morevacant]

"A misunderstanding?" Lydia practically screeches. She doesn't know what's making her more mad: the situation, or Cesare dismissing it all.

"Cesare, I've had a bloody cat coming to tell me that you've got naked photos of me on your phone - which, by the way, if a cat can get into it, it's not very secure is it? - idiot - AND that you're sleeping with half of bloody London. And you want to make me a drink?"

Still, her hand is out for whatever he's pouring.

[longterm]

Cesare tries his best to remain calm and polite. He knows that the quieter he stays, the easier this will be. He carefully places the drink in her palm, well aware that he's likely given her ammo to throw at him, but he'll have to take that risk.

"In case you might have forgotten, I am a vampire, Lydia. I need to drink from people," he says, trying to explain this as clearly and persuasively as possible. "It can't be helped."

[morevacant]

Throw the drink at him? And waste perfectly good alcohol? Like Lydia is going to do that. Rather, she takes a gulp of it, to steady her nerves.

She listens to his excuse with a frown on her face. "So you're not sleeping with other women? Just drinking their blood? They're like... dinner?"

[longterm]

Ummmm. Not quite. He makes a face that shows that he's weighing up what she's saying.

"With vampires, the two are somewhat intertwined. Like presents at a birthday party," he says, trying to use super simple metaphors for her.

"I am with others out of necessity, not because I want to." I mean, he doesn't exactly not want to either, but he does need to eat.

[morevacant]

"So... you are sleeping with other women? I'm not special?" Her eyes fill with tears, which she tries to blink away. Slowly, she sits down on the bed. Sadness seems to cloak her: all of her normal fizz and sparkle has been muffled by Cesare's betrayal.

"I gave you everything. I gave you my virginity. And you were sleeping with a load of other women. God, I am such an idiot. I mean, look at you. Why would you be satisfied with me?"

[longterm]

Oh dear. That isn't great. He doesn't exactly want a bawling teenager in his hotel. It would not look the best for him. He swoops down to sit next to her, stroking her arm and taking her hand.

"It is in no way your fault. Just as it isn't mine. If I weren't a vampire, of course I would be satisfied with you. I just need to drink a lot and you could not possibly cope physically with my needs. It makes you no less special at all. In fact I am trying to protect you." It's mostly true. Just about. He's just being exceedingly selective of the truth.

[morevacant]

"But you are a vampire!" She all but wails. "You knew and you didn't tell me. You could have told me ages ago - that first night - that you picked up random girls all the time."

She flinches away from him and wipes her eyes fiercely, spreading her carefully applied makeup across her cheeks. "You let me think you really loved me. And you've never even tried to drink from me!" She adds, a little miffed. If it's so intimate, why hasn't he tried? Maybe he doesn't want intimacy. Maybe he just wants a quick lay? God, she is so stupid.

[longterm]

Wait a second. So is Lydia honestly getting upset because he didn't drink from her? Wow, fuck him for trying to be nice, he supposes.

"You want me to drink from you? Trust me, if you want me to, I can," he replies, avoiding the point that he could have told her he was sleeping around at the start. He thought the situation was considerably different at the start. Drinking-sex is kinda the best sex ever. It's a known fact. If she wants to do it, Cesare is not complaining at all. "I thought it would make you nervous. I was trying to ease you into things gently."

[morevacant]

No. Lydia's upset because she thinks he's being more intimate with other girls rather than with her. She really is just a casual fling.

"I..." His last words catch her off-guard. He was trying to be nice?

"Cesare, I'll let you drink from me I'll do whatever you want. IF you can promise me that you'll stop. I want you to love me. I want to be enough for you. I even learned how to do a blowie for you. Please, let me try to be enough."

[longterm]

That's sweet and endearing. Truly it is. But Cesare knows himself well enough that while the sentiment is nice, it's an impractical suggestion.

"Lydia. Do you know how old I am? I have watched many monarchs be born and die of old age. The older and stronger I get, the more I need. I simply can't live off you alone, as much as I would want to. I would kill you within a week."

[morevacant]

"So you're going to keep sleeping with other women?" She's so gutted. Her shoulders slump and her mouth droops into a sad frown.
"And I'm just expected to be okay with that?" she sniffs theatrically, and takes a gulp of her drink.

"Should I just walk away now?" It seems like a raw deal to her: exactly what is she getting out of any of this?

[longterm]

"You can if you wish, though of course I would be disappointed." Though he wouldn't be surprised. He's had a fun time with her and it would be a shame to see her go. He probably should have told her what was going on but hindsight is 20/20.

"You can keep the gifts, of course." He's petty but not that petty. Especially when he's rich as hell. Besides, he likes the reminder. It's always a slight ego boost when he sees women wearing the gifts he gave them.

[morevacant]

"Fine."

She doesn't move.

Like, seriously, what is she supposed to do right now? The man she loves - for goodness sake, loves - is okay with her leaving. And yet, despite everything, she still loves him. Despite everything, she somehow doesn't want to leave. She doesn't want him to be so okay with her leaving. He's disappointed? Is that it?

She's actually a bit gutted.

"You like me best out of them all though, right?" She asks after a minute.

[longterm]

Right now? Actually, yeah he does. That surprises him a bit once he realises, to be honest.

"Of course. And what I do is a survival thing. Little more than that. You are different from that. It was why I didn't even think to mention it at first. They are two completely different things." Which, to be fair, is true. After all, he hasn't even drunk from Lydia yet. If he wanted her for her blood, he would have it by now.

[morevacant]

A flicker of a smile steals across her lips.

"So I'm not just a fling? And you're not using me to spy on the witches?"

Not that she's ever paid any attention at all. She'd be a rubbish spy. She edges a little bit closer to Ces. "I don't mind if you want to taste my blood. If it doesn't hurt. I bet it tastes as good as -" she begins to giggle, a little embarrassed.

[longterm]

Cesare genuinely laughs at her question and shakes his head.

"If I'm using you to spy on other witches, I'm doing a terrible job at it. I have found out nothing from you whatsoever." His brow furrows a little. She hasn't got this idea of her own accord, he's sure of that.

"Who's been talking to you?" he asks seriously, not even bothering to ask if someone had been talking to her in the first place.

[morevacant]

"That cat." Lydia rolls her eyes. "Samantha's, you know?" She drinks another mouthful of her drink. "I don't know why I even bother, you know? She's obviously out to get me. She just doesn't want me to be happy? Well, you know what? I don't want to even be in Circle Daybreak any more. I want to make my own. I am sick of it all."

[longterm]

Oh. Hmmm. That doesn't sound like a great idea for Cesare. If Lydia defects, then that might encourage others to do the same, and then Samantha will be coming after Cesare's head. He would rather keep everything friendly and peaceful.

Besides, if he actually does intend to use her as a spy, he can't do that if she's not in the right coven.

"Why would you want to do that? I'm sure Circle Daybreak has a lot of perks..."

[morevacant]

"Name one." Lydia crosses her right leg over her left, and kicks off her ridiculous shoes. She pouts.
"I've not had a single benefit from it. Just a bloody cat mouthing off."

She holds her glass out to Cesare to pour her some more alcohol. "Make it strong."

[longterm]

"The Magical Innovation Centre, surely? You have access to plenty of facilities. And you have other witches to befriend..." He really does not benefit from her being on her own. As long as she remains loyal to him, he would prefer her to socialise with other people. Expand her social circle even.

Cesare doesn't quite know how he became a bartender but he nevertheless pours her another drink.

"Stick it out. See how it goes."

[morevacant]

"Like that's interesting." Lydia rolls her eyes. "I need to get better at magic before I go off on my own anyway. I'm not completely stupid, Cesare."

She snatches her drink back, and takes a gulp of it again. The liquid burns her throat, but it gives her the courage to ask, "So... do you want to drink from me?"

[longterm]

Cesare frowns a little but doesn't back down at all.

"You know I do." At least it's a distraction pulling Lydia away from the idea of wanting to start her own coven. Cesare is happy to change the topic, particularly to something that he's actively interested in.

[morevacant]

"Now?"

She doesn't want to lose him. Despite everything, despite what Mogget's said, and what other people have told her, the whispers she's heard, even what Cesare has admitted, she can't lose him.

"And you swear it won't hurt?"

[longterm]

Cesare is nothing if not honest.

"It does hurt a bit. Especially at first. But it's enjoyable too." In fact, that's kinda the whole vampire thing. A little painful but very addictive. At least that's what he's heard. The only time he was human and a vampire drank from him, it was his mother, which is a bit of a different situation.

"You'll forget where you are the first couple of times." In a sexy way. Honest.

[morevacant]

But it'll make him happy, so Lydia nods.

"You'll look after me though, won't you? You won't let anything bad happen to me."

She eases back on the bed, reaching to push her wine glass onto the bedside table, before lounging back, and turning her head slightly to expose her neck.

She takes a deep breath. "Okay. I'm ready."

[longterm]

Cesare hesitates for a moment but eventually moves himself over her and slips a hand between her legs.

"That isn't quite how it works..." he says with a smirk. "It takes some prep." A good meal has to be properly seasoned after all, and Cesare has always found that people taste better when they're enjoying themselves.

[morevacant]

"Oh, does it?" Lydia giggles. She shifts her position to allow him better access to her. This is decidedly more fun than what she had been expecting. Though - he had said sex and feeding. Her smile becomes a bit more genuine, and definitely more relaxed.

Cesare knows what he's doing. She may as well go along with it and have some fun!

[longterm]

And Cesare makes damn well sure that Lydia has some fun. He had promised that it was enjoyable and he intends to make certain that it is for her. He carries out the act of feeding almost as if he were preparing a dish, which in some sense he is. Warm Lydia up, leave her to simmer before taking the first bite. She tastes good. As he thought she would.

When they're done, Cesare reaches forward, picking up some of the blood left on her neck with his thumb and presses it to his lips.

"Not too bad, hmm?"

[morevacant]

Gosh, that feels so good.

There had been pain, hot, pricking pain, but it drew her down, pressed her further and further into the bedsheets until the world was black and she lost track completely in her haze of ecstasy.

When it's over, it takes a moment for Lydia to come down again. She smiles up at Cesare slightly vacantly, slightly dazzled by his beauty. And the light above him.

"That was -" she runs a finger over her neck. "Oh..."

Slowly, she sits up. "You're amazing, you know?"

[longterm]

Cesare smirks smugly and gives her another quick kiss before moving to readjust his clothes and put them back on properly.

"You should rest. Just for a moment so that you don't feel too lightheaded." He's seen people faint enough after drinking to know that getting up straight away is not the best idea.

With his clothes back on, he pauses and looks at her.

"So we're good, yes?" It would be a shame if she were still bitter after all of this.

[morevacant]

"Good, yeah," Lydia says. She still feels a bit dazed and not quite with it. But is there any point in arguing with him now? She loves Cesare Borgia, damn it, and that's not going to change any time soon.

[longterm]

"Fantastic," he says breaking into a grin. "I have to get back to work but I'm sure I'll see you soon. Don't get too carried any without me..." And with that he leaves her, already pulling out his phone to send her a saucy text. In the moment, he doesn't even consider how odd that is, how deep into this he might be. He's just having a good time and enjoying himself. For now.