Venezia Immortale {Domenico Michele}

fidati di me

Domenico had nearly reached Georgina's temporary residence in Santa Croce when he received a message on his cellphone. A soft laugh escaped his lips as he glanced over the text, amused by the information it contained.

Forgot to eat again. Ran out to the shop, be back soon. Let yourself in - G

It was a generous display of trust on her part and the vampire couldn't be sure whether it stemmed from sheer ignorance or a willful disregard for reason. Regardless, he would be loathe to miss an opportunity that had been so expressly afforded to him. 

The door of the flat was unlocked, giving way at the slightest touch, and he entered without resistance. It was in a state of disarray much the same as on his previous visit, dominated by an overwhelming assortment of resources strewn about in a manner that made sense only to the daemon.

In spite of his inherent aversion towards disorder, there was something undeniably intriguing about the opposing nature of Georgina's existence. She used chaos as a disguise, hiding amongst ancient manuscripts and past lives, just as he employed structure and discipline to obscure his own identity.

A quick sweep of the bedroom added weight to Georgina's claim of requiring little sleep. The bed had hardly been touched and was mostly occupied by clothing. Domenico picked up a silk blouse that was draped over the bureau and rubbed the fabric between his fingers, breathing in the subtle mixture of orange blossom and pink peppercorn that pervaded the space.

It was clear from the lack of personal effects that the daemon had been honest about the duration of her stay, there were no photographs or sentimental belongings indicative of a prolonged visit.

As he returned to the main room Domenico's eyes scanned the contents therein with relentless determination, no detail going unnoticed. After a moment he alighted on an object that brought an eager smile to his face, Georgina's sketchbook. It was rare for the daemon to be without it and he recovered the hardbound journal from underneath a smattering of loose papers with the satisfaction of a predator seizing its prey.

Once free of its tie, the book fell open to a page marked by a charcoal stub and Domenico felt genuine surprise as he was faced with his own image. 

Behind it were several more drawings that had been ripped from the binding, all of him. The daemon had chosen to reproduce his likeness at different angles, the strokes of charcoal pencil so heavy in some places it threatened to tear the thin parchment. The thought of her laboring over these drawings was immensely gratifying and appealed to his possessive disposition.

Domenico's initial curiosity towards the daemon, which was largely fueled by his belief that she harbored a connection to the de Clermont clan, had quickly developed into something deeper and far more dangerous--he was craving her. In truth, he had known this from the moment Georgina had proven herself reckless enough to strike a deal with a vampire after one conversation. 

Acknowledging his desire, however, was another matter entirely and had been made all the more pertinent by this discovery. Teasing and banter aside, Georgina was clearly grappling with her own emotions and he was tempted with the possibility of what might happen if she were forced to confront them.

Solid footsteps against cobblestones told him that the daemon was returning, but he didn't move. Eyes darting towards the door, he watched with a devious smile as the handle turned and Georgina made her entrance.

"Sorry 'bout the wait, there was a queue at the bakery and I just had to try the fritoe--"

Georgina stopped short, a pastry bag in one hand and an iced coffee in the other, frozen at the sight of Domenico holding her sketchbook. He made no attempt to hide the drawings and his stance seemed almost defiant, as if daring her to rebuke his actions.