|
What’s happened to Catherine?
For watch out Vincent, look out Joe if Catherine grabs you, she'll not let go!
|
|
|
|
Chapter Six In the stillness of the underground world, when Pascal had long retired to his bed and the subway trains had ceased running for the few hours before dawn, Vincent sat quietly in his high backed winged chair reminiscing on the hours past.
Seeing Catherine again, seeing her with Joe Maxwell brought about a confrontation with himself that he did not want to encounter. Joe had been so relaxed with her, yet Peter had told him all that Catherine had done to Joe. How could the fellow be so calm about it? Vincent knew that Joe loved Catherine. If he hadn’t suspected it before, then that afternoon Joe’s body language had told him all he needed to know, seeing them side by side. Vincent wondered if Catherine knew just how deeply Joe cared for her and he wondered if Joe would enlighten her once he knew that whomsoever Catherine had been seeing had gone from her life now.
Vincent wished that he could be so easy around Catherine, yet those few hours he had spent with her had been fraught with tension, and he doubted that very much. He refused to let his mind dwell on the way his body had reacted at the sound of her voice, at the scent of her fragrance, the sight of her face. Now those things came back to haunt him, and Vincent found much to his distress that his body hardened with desire as his mind brought into focus the naked Catherine he had seen a few days before. Would he never forget! Arrgh! He smacked his fist down onto the table, sending books flying to the floor. He needed to run, and run, and run until he could run no more. Grabbing his cloak, Vincent threw it around his shoulders, and left his chamber flying like the wind.
*** *** ***
Catherine went into work the following day. Joe was already there. She decided it would be better for the both of them if they resumed their old relationship, forgetting everything that had happened over the past few days. She stepped into his office a smile and a coffee at the ready, “You been here all night Joe?”
“What? Oh hi Radcliffe.” He’d worried about seeing her again, and caught her intention. He smiled, “You know me Radcliffe head to the grindstone.” He winked at her. He took the cup of coffee from her and settled it to his desk before they shared an embrace knowing the pain of unfulfilled love. Joe surprised her though by bringing her half of it up, “I’ve been thinking Radcliffe. You and Vincent.”
“What about me and Vincent Joe?” She asked softly, her eyes dancing brightly.
“Don’t get me wrong Cathy, and hey I’m not prying but were you two ever lovers?”
“You call that not prying Joe?” She laughed. He did too.
“It was something your doctor said, made me think that’s all. Seems sexually frustrated women react like sex maniacs on the dream drug, whereas those that partake often think they can pull daredevil stunts and get away with it that’s all.”
“And when have you been talking to my doctor?”
“Just before you came in actually. I called him, about the drug mind.”
“Yeah I believe you Joe.”
“Mind you he did mention something at the time, and I just wondered that’s all.”
“And does my answer have any baring on the case at hand?” She teased him.
“Depends Radcliffe. What we talking here, personal or drug related?”
“Either Joe.”
“Well personally its your business but I kinda got to thinking that if you and this Vincent haven’t er, got it together then maybe that’s his problem.”
Catherine was reminded of her conversation with Peter a few days before; she was interested to know what Joe might come up with.
“Can you explain?”
“You’re not gonna tell me whether you and he are lovers right?”
“Got it in one Joe.” Catherine sipped her Styrofoam coffee and even though it was as usual weak and virtually tasteless she began to feel better. She was always cranky without her daily fill, and had only time for juice this morning.
“Yeah I guess that is none of my business, but let’s just say that you weren’t. Here’s the theory. Some guy, what is he thirty, forty?” Joe shook his head, but Catherine just smiled. Joe went on, “He’s different and there has never been anyone in his life before, so he’s possibly a virgin right?”
Again Catherine smiled but did not reply.
“Well get the picture Cathy. There’s this guy and he’s nuts about you but he’s insecure about himself not even sure whether you have a right to love him or to be with him. And he’s inexperienced and isn’t sure whether or not his advances would be welcomed, so he never attempts anything. But he waits and he hungers and he hopes and he yearns…”
“I get the picture Joe.” Catherine giggled.
“Okay so I did get into full swing a bit there. Come on Radcliffe cut me some slack, help me out here.” Joe grinned.
“You were doing pretty well enough by yourself. Don’t let me stop you Joe. You were just getting to the interesting part.”
“Well anyway the guy wants you, but he’s been waiting for a sign, maybe even for you to make the first move.”
Catherine cut him short, drawing her brows together, “How much did Peter tell you?”
Joe coloured up, “Enough Radcliffe. I told him I’d met the guy Vincent that you were in love with. Seems he knows him well. I asked no questions, and he told me no lies. I know nothing more than you told me about the guy except for reading between the lines. You and Vincent have never loved. Am I right or am I right? And Vincent had a bad experience with some girl once that may have left him unwilling to make a move on you am I right or am I right?” Leaning against the desk Joe folded his arms and stared down at her.
“You’re right. So what do you advise Dr Maxwell?”
Joe glared down at her, “Cathy you love the guy. Go get him girl. He’s begging for it, and the first move isn’t going to come from him. He believes that you would only touch him while under the influence of drugs. I can imagine how that would feel. If it were me it would make me feel pretty stressed I can tell you. Alcohol is one thing Cathy, it loosens the tongue to what’s been on the mind, but drugs have no excuse. You can’t relate to them or how they make you feel, you can’t control their impulses and you do a lot of out of character things. Vincent knows that, he isn't dumb and he believes that all those touches, all those kisses would never have happened to him had you of been in control of your mind. Now he has experienced all those things Cathy, the poor guy is probably as high as a kite, and you’re the only one who can bring him down.”
Catherine nodded and sighed.
“So what are you waiting for?” Joe hauled her to her feet, “I said go get him.”
“What now?” Catherine’s eyes sparkled with mischief.
“There’s no time like the present Radcliffe, and you have already wasted too much time. Besides I need to see Fitzpatrick today so I’ll meet you beneath your building around four o’clock, will that give you enough time?”
“Oh I don’t know Joe, I’ve got three years to catch up on. Tell you what I’ll tell someone on my way to meet Vincent that you will be coming at four, just in case Vincent and I are otherwise indisposed.” She laughed, as did he, “Well don’t try catching up all on one day Radcliffe I’ve scheduled the court hearing for the day after tomorrow, and I want you there bright eyed and bushy tailed. Now go!”
Catherine laughed, and Joe didn’t think he’d ever heard a nicer sound or seen her look so happy in a long time. He wished her well he really did, and felt quite proud of his gallant attempt really. Why then deep inside did a tiny little voice keep echoing ‘you fool Maxwell?’
*** *** ***
Vincent was trying to play chess. He could hardly keep his mind on the board, but Father was making a determined effort to keep it there. He too had a lot on his mind. Things he was trying to keep from reaching Vincent’s ears.
Since his break up with Catherine, there had been rumours Below that the tunnel dwellers were voting for Vincent to undergo ‘the silence’ until he agreed to see Catherine again. Father knew that was a bit drastic considering that no one knew the real reason why Vincent had sent Catherine away. Not that he knew it himself, but he knew enough to know that Vincent might have valid reason for his behaviour.
So it was with genuine surprise when he should look up to find Catherine hovering in the entranceway, her eyes fixed firmly on his son.
“Cathy!” Father exclaimed, surprised that Vincent had known nothing of her arrival, but then conceded that his son had probably closed down very firmly on their connection. Vincent looked up at once, his face registering surprise and then anger.
Catherine acknowledged Father’s presence with a nod in his direction, but her intent was plain. Father hid a giggle behind his hand as she advanced on his son.
She reminded him of how she had been a few days before, and if it hadn’t of been for the mischievous glint in her eyes he might have conceded that she was again drugged. Instead he took his cue and hurriedly left, watching at a discreet distance out of sight.
Vincent had risen and towered above her as she reached him, but Catherine was unrelenting, her intent plain. “I’m not under the influence now Vincent. What I do I do of my own violation, because I want to do this, and I have wanted to do this for a very long time.” From where he was hiding Father saw Vincent’s eyes dart around for a means of escape, but anticipating this Catherine shot out her right hand to stop him. Then she allowed the hand that had caught his arm to slide up to his shoulder and join it on the other side with her left hand, meeting behind his neck. For long moments Catherine clung there. Had Vincent of pulled himself up to his full height at that stage, Catherine’s feet would have left the floor. “I love you Vincent Wells, and today I come here to stake my claim.” With that she stood on tiptoes and brushed his lips with her own. Vincent gasped pulling back, taking Catherine off of the ground and she clung to him tighter, moulding her body to his, using the moment to fasten her legs around his hips. Then in less than a heartbeat she leaned in on him taking his lips beneath her own passionately. Her tongue probed his tender flesh until another gasp from him permitted her entry and her tongue whipped inside tasting the delicate folds of flesh therein. Vincent groaned and of their own violation his arms reached around her gathering her to him. Triumphant Catherine’s heart surged in her breast, her mouth left his lips and trailed hot kisses along his jaw line up to his ear beneath his hair. “I’m going to make love with you my darling and if you don’t want it to be here and now, you had best take us someplace very private and very soon.” Vincent gasped and he hardened at once, his breath catching in his throat as Catherine continued to speak sensuous things. To him!
“God I want you Vincent, can’t you feel it? My gorgeous darling don’t you know how I have longed for this moment. I love you, only you, everything I have is yours for the taking. Now find us somewhere Vincent, before my hands disgrace themselves right here in Father’s chamber.”
Vincent shuddered and drew her up into the fold of his arms. He still hadn’t spoken, but as he hurried from the chamber he found it difficult to walk. He had grown so hard.
His mind refused to register. Somewhere in the far recesses it told him to take her somewhere very private as she had suggested, while another part of him could not wait that long. The journey was too far and he could not wait another moment. His own chamber would have to do.
As he approached his own domain, he settled her down just the once, just long enough to place an unlit lantern a few yards from his chamber to indicate privacy was required, and pulled a large tapestry over the entrance to his chamber. Then scooping her up again, he carried her forth delighting in the hot kisses she was wielding upon that little bit of exposed chest her busy little fingers had uncovered.
Once inside his chamber Vincent found his voice, “I love you Catherine, forgive me, please forgive me.” Catherine kissed away his tears, “There’s nothing to forgive, just love me Vincent, I need you so much.”
“Gladly.” Vincent felt no shame, this felt so right, so right. He thought nothing of repulsion; thought nothing of the things that he would have thought of had they of taken things slower. His body was heated with longing and Catherine was here in his arms offering herself to him body and soul.
His kisses when he returned them set her blood on fire. They were everything and more that she had ever dreamed and when he saw her naked body for the second time that week he cried with delight, closing his eyes to the suffocating feelings that swamped him. Falling together onto the bed their hands searched and touched all the once forbidden places. Vincent’s heart sang as Catherine gained so much pleasure from touching his body. With the Bond now wide open he felt everything and marvelled at how she loved him. He was not repulsive in her eyes; he’d never had anything to fear. Her love encompassed him totally and when she begged him to love her, to join with her she spoke no lie. She wanted him every bit as he wanted her.
He had never known such joy, such feelings as her fingers evoked. She sought out and found all his erogenous zones, soon having him writhing and begging for her to stop, then begging for her not to stop. His head thrashed from side to side and a growl burst forth that made her giggle when she touched the head of his hardness with the tip of her tongue. He cried her name, unable to help himself and she silenced his cries with her delicious mouth. Vincent’s mind flew to infinity and back, with the mere touch of her hands and her lips she took him into a swirling vortex from where he never wanted to leave. Never had he dreamed that love could be so deep.
“Does that feel good baby?” Catherine whispered, as she caressed his silky hardness “Does that feel good?” Her fingers found the droplet of secretion she had expected and used it to lubricate his length, sliding the skin away and down to the root, and rolling it back again, feeling him growing harder and harder, his impressive circumference filling the span of her hand.
Vincent could only nod for he had no words. All vocabulary had long since left him. Catherine was using words he never dreamed to hear directed at him and it sounded so good, her hands felt so good. He growled deep in his throat. Catherine loved the sound, “take me baby.” She begged him, laying her body down next to his. She drew her arm around him her intent plain and drew him over her, wrapping her legs around his waist when she had him positioned.
For long moments Vincent’s glazed expression gazed into her eyes. His usual lapis lazuli eyes were impassioned deep as darkest sapphire. Catherine moaned as the head of his arousal touched her softness as if asking permission to enter. Catherine nodded, her eyes penetrating his, as his body penetrated hers, and she gasped as he entered her, the feeling of her opening going on and on until the head of his desire kissed the entrance to her very womb itself.
She screamed his name, the sound piercing in its intensity, and at the sound Vincent roared.
They were as one buried deep, beautifully joined and for long moments content to let it be until Vincent’s instincts to thrust overtook him and he surged home.
Outside Inside his own chamber Father shuddered at the sounds coming from his son’s domain. He exhaled a sigh pure and simple. This was what they’d needed. There would be peace from now on. Why he ever thought he could keep them apart he did not know. Why he had ever presumed his son could not have love like this he’d never know. He knew he’d made a grave mistake in preventing this union for so long and he was filled with morose. But everything would be fine now, the two people he loved most in the world would get their happy life, he was certain of it. Nothing would ever come between the two of them ever again.
Inside Vincent’s chamber two bodies writhed together. His mind was void of expression though his one thought constant, why had he ever waited so long? This was what he’d been missing; this was all he had lived for. He had found the other half of himself and until now, until they’d joined he had not known it was missing. He lived only to love her and to possess her and knew that this one act they shared would change their lives forever.
A feeling was building up from somewhere deep in the recesses of his mind. A pinprick of light signalled its beginning, building, building and searing to an eruption of exquisite star burst as his body convulsed with pleasure and pain. He filled her, hot spurts of seed reaching the cavity of her womb and heard her cries of joy. For long moments Vincent could not move. His lungs demanded air but his mouth was dry and arid. Breathing was difficult and he gulped at the air, drawing it into his starved lungs. Sweat trickled down his furrowed brow between his eyes dousing wisps of the long golden mane that framed his face. His body twitched and his manhood fluttered deep within her like a butterfly inside a flower drawing nectar.
Catherine smiled with tenderness, brushing the dampened hair from his face, kissing the lids of his closed eyes. “Vincent.” She whispered her words as honey, sweet and golden, “Vincent?”
He did not respond. His limbs heavy as drugged remained upon her, almost lifeless. Catherine chuckled, “Darling you’re squashing me.” She giggled but did not force him from her, instead she trailed delicious kisses across his beautiful face and as far around his throat as she could reach. Slowly her kisses brought him back from the most wonderful place he had ever had the good fortune to visit, and Vincent longed to go back there again. Even as he eased himself off of her they remained joined but still there were no words. Still he drifted in that wonderful sea of tranquillity.
As he returned slowly to earth he dared believe it had happened. Opening his eyes he found Catherine looking at him, a smile on her face like no other he’d seen. Her eyes were filled with an expression he had never read before. He loved her that’s all he did know. He loved her so much. “Catherine.” Her name borne on his lips was the most beautiful of sounds. “Catherine.” He said it again, unable to help himself, and buried his lips into the softness of her throat. He was amazed that their bodies were still fastened together, and Vincent never ever wanted to leave.
“I love you Vincent, will you marry me?” Catherine almost laughed at herself, it was something she had thought of often and she hadn’t meant to say it out loud, but she soon realised that she meant every word of it. Vincent drew back slowly searching her eyes, a touch of humour lingered in his, “Is it leap year my love? I thought not.”
Catherine giggled, “No it’s not leap year Vincent, but since it would appear I have to make the first move on everything I thought I’d make an exception. So is it a yes or a no?”
“You’d really marry me?” Vincent’s face showed incredibility.
“Of course. Besides my darling there is a great possibility that you could have just made me pregnant.” Vincent gasped, he hadn’t thought of that and for long moments conflicting emotions took all his recently found words away.
“I’d love to have your child Vincent.” Catherine spoke very tenderly bringing him out of his retrospection with complete and utter surprise.
“Catherine I don’t know what to say.” He told her sincerely, as he suddenly became aware that his body had hardened within her again. Catherine answered by tightening her muscles, making him wince at her strength upon him. “Just say yes my love. It’s so easy, such a little word. Try it.”
Vincent grinned at her, how he loved her, and how he wanted to love her again, “Yes.” He told her, “Yes, yes, yes.”
“See?” Said Catherine “Once you get the hang of it my love you just can’t stop it can you?”
Vincent’s hardness filled her to capacity, he growled into her ear taking the lobe between his teeth and biting gently, “No my love.” He whispered softly making Catherine giggle.
“I have a feeling you are going to agree with everything I say from now on aren’t you my love?” Tremulously Catherine smiled. Tears of happiness wet her eyes.
Thriving on her words Vincent thrilled at the endearments directed at him, and his body shook as he slowly and rhythmically rocked within her again, “Yes my Catherine.” He told her, “You lead and I will follow.”
“Anywhere my love?”
“To the end of forever.”
Catherine hugged him tight. The feelings he evoked in her were exquisite; she had never felt so loved. “We’ll just settle for the tunnels my darling.” Vincent slowed and then stopped dead to look into her eyes. Catherine nodded, her eyes dancing lights of joy, “Yes Vincent I’m coming Below to live. We will never be apart again I promise you. Besides which I don’t think I could. After this day I want to go to sleep in your arms every night and wake up in your arms every morning. Vincent I love you more than life.”
They kissed. A kiss deep and passionate, filling both their minds with wonder at their joining, and deep inside those first few seeds filtered their way to their goal and new life was created just as Catherine had presumed.
That day they loved again and again, making up for lost time, and finally slept with limbs entwined as if they were but one and had always been since time began.
*** *** ***
He didn’t like it.
There was someone following, Joe was certain of it. Though he had hailed a taxi from the office to take him to Catherine’s apartment building, Joe was sure that a certain black Sedan followed at a discreet pace. He cautioned the driver of the taxi, “I think we’ve got a tail, can you lose him?”
The taxi driver glanced in his rear-view mirror watching for several seconds and nodded, “the black Sedan?”
“Yeah.”
“I could take you around a few blocks, but perhaps it would be better if you got out and walked. Lose yourself in the crowds.”
Joe nodded. Beads of perspiration were breaking out on his brow. He fumbled for the fare and thrust it at the driver, “Thanks for nothing.” He told him as he opened the door.
“Hey, don’t blame me. If you’re in trouble I’d rather not be a party to it. I’ve a family to consider.”
“Yeah, yeah.” Joe ducked beneath an awning of a trader selling wares on the sidewalk and melted with the shadows, before keeping level with the building walls, mingled into the crowds as best he could.
The taxi driver checked his mirror eager to be off when someone climbed into the rear again, “You forget something?” he asked, and froze as cold metal touched the back of his head. The taxi driver wet himself. This was broad daylight. People were passing by in the street. He waited not daring to turn around.
“That fellow.” The voice behind him asked, “Where did he ask to be taken?”
The driver hesitated, should he cover for the guy? Should he say he had dropped him where he’d wanted to go? He decided not. He wanted no part in this. As he hesitated, he heard the sinister click of the trigger being pulled back, and felt the cold metal thrust harder against his throat, “Tell me? If you want to live to take another fare.”
“Fifth Avenue.” He answered. “Opposite the park that’s all he said.” Carelessly the taxi driver raised his eyes just enough to see the face of the man on the back seat and their eyes met in the mirror. “Fool!” He heard the word before he felt the pain. There was no sound and he was surprised at how cool the bullet felt as it passed through his throat and finished it's course embedded in his brain. Thoughts of his family drained away, and vaguely he heard the door of the car slam shut. And as his lids closed over glazed eyes the last sound he heard as his body slumped forward onto the steering wheel was the muffled sound of the car horn blaring in his blood filled ears.
Joe neither heard the sound nor knew that his destination had been discovered. He knew that the tunnels beneath the city spread for miles and that there had to be other ways of getting inside them, but up till now he knew only two possible ways. The alley alongside the court was too far now, and the apartment building was close, but Joe knew enough that to lead someone into a basement from which there was no other exit. It would not take long for someone to find that entrance and more than his life would be at risk.
He reached the apartment building fighting just to breathe. Fear had rendered his lungs tight and painful and the calves of his legs ached. He’d run before, it wasn’t that, in fact when he had time he worked out. But the constant climbing of steps and jumping down them three or four at a time added to the twisting turns of alleyways in the hope of outsmarting his pursuers had left Joe realising his fitness regime was sadly lacking.
He reached the elevator of Catherine’s building, and in the dimness of the lobby he was able to discern that the black Sedan cruised level with the building moments later. How had they found him so soon? He pressed the button, and waited cursing for the car to come down from the ninth floor. It was taking too long, and he noticed with desperation two men alighting from the Sedan and walking towards the building. In the bright sunlight they would not see him, but the moment they stepped into the shadows…
The elevator car arrived, Joe leaned in pressed the button to the eighteenth floor, pressed close for the door and fled towards the stairs for the basement just as he heard the doorman acknowledge the presence of the two men coming inside. Carefully he closed the door to the stairwell, and taking off his shoes as he went he ran down the steps soundlessly to the basement. Once there he wasted no time removing the boxes as Catherine had shown him, and disappeared down the metal rung to the opening beneath the basement, before he allowed himself to breathe.
Hobbling forward he grasped the wall to steady himself with the one hand as he replaced his shoe with the other before alternating his hands until both shoes were on. Then and only then did he ease his pace, walking first behind the wall out of sight just in case anyone should check down there. He was pretty certain that no one had seen him but it was almost four o’clock and he hoped that anyone coming to meet him would not be talking too loudly. He decided it would be better to walk some way into the tunnels in the hope of meeting and warning them first, however it wasn’t long before the realisation hit him with a sickening jolt…he was hopelessly lost!
Outside Catherine’s apartment two men hammered on the door after failing to hear voices from within. An informant had told them that Catherine Chandler had not left her apartment all that day, and the assessment was that Tom Duffin was hiding inside.
The two men grinned at one another as they fired the silenced gun at the lock barging inside ready to kill and frowned when they found the apartment empty. They trashed the place, taking anything that they thought might be useful, papers, files, notes crumpled and thrown into rubbish bins, anything related to the case in hand, before leaving the apartment intent on searching all the floors. Knowing that even if they turned up nothing they would still sit outside the building until they did. Maxwell couldn’t hide forever, and at some point Chandler would come home, and they would be waiting.
Wandering through the tunnels, the light on Joe’s watch told him it was almost five p.m. He’d been stumbling along in the darkness for an hour. Knowing Catherine was somewhere near was his only consolation, without that he knew he could quite easily have gone mad. It was bad enough before but then he hadn’t been alone. Now with only the sound of his laboured breathing as his constant companion, Joe swore he would give up his entire pension to the very next person he saw that could rescue him.
His wit kept his brain active and prevented fear from rooting him to the spot. He thought of ridiculous things, anything that made him smile or laugh softly with amusement. For some reason he thought of the stupid tale he’d heard about the genie in the lamp.
Someone had cast the lamp adrift with the genie inside and the genie had floated for a hundred years vowing that the next person who plucked him from the sea and rubbed the lamp would be granted three wishes.
As another hundred years passed the genie grew wrathful and vowed only two wishes, and after another hundred years had vowed only one wish. A thousand years passed and the genie was wild with fury and vowed now to bring death to whomsoever set him free. Then one day as he felt the first stirrings of warmth signifying that someone was rubbing the lamp, he flew out ready for battle. It was a poor fisherman, and for a split second the genie almost relented. This man could do with all three wishes, but then remembrance of his vow caused the genie’s voice to thunder forth. He told the fisherman his tale, and dashed the fisherman’s hopes by giving him two choices of a way to die. But the fisherman was wise and did not cower before the wicked genie. Instead he laughed and told the genie that he did not believe in his magic for in fact he did not believe that he was a genie for surely one so large could not fit inside a lamp so small.
The genie laughed at the fisherman and thinking him stupid said that he could, but the fisherman feigned ignorance and shrugged his shoulders, attempting to turn away. Furious the genie’s voice thundered, “I’ll show you!” He blazed and descended into the lamp with the sound of a whoosh, and the fisherman grabbed the lid, closed it over the genie and threw the lamp back into the sea. At once the genie realised he had been tricked and he floated the seven seas forever more.
Joe smirked, why had he thought of that? Where was the moral in view of his predicament? Okay so he’d give his pension to the first person that rescued him. Cathy had told him that people frequented the tunnels and he had been expected after all. He wondered if he should call out. What if Cathy had gone to their meeting place beneath the basement and had gone looking for him up to her apartment? Joe became frantic now. The longer he hoped for someone to ‘bump’ into him the more he fumed and could see the justification of the genie’s thoughts. Now the reward had become half his pension, and as his watch indicated another hour had passed, the reward became even less, until Joe found that fear along with fatigue made him keep his gun at the ready just in case those he bumped into were foe rather than friend. All right, he reasoned, his story was not the same as the genie’s story but at that moment Joe could well understand the genie’s wrath.
*** *** ***
Looking in on the lovers again much later Father was filled with tender love as he observed their sleeping forms, so it was with great regret that he had to make some sound to awaken them. Loath to enter, even though Vincent shrouded most of Catherine’s naked body with his own, Father crept around the side of the bed where Vincent lay and called his son very softly.
“Vincent? Vincent?”
Surrounded by soft waves of sleep Vincent stirred, his hand clutching at Catherine’s breast and stroking gently. Catherine moaned and Father’s cheeks burned with embarrassment. If Catherine should waken now and find him there… He didn’t like to think of how Vincent would react to that.
“Vincent wake up” Father spoke a little louder rocking his son’s shoulder gently. Instantly Vincent was awake, spinning around with a snarl as Father jumped back in surprise. He knew never to wake Vincent, but on this occasion he had no choice. Without thought Vincent drew the turned back quilt up and over Catherine, covering her from his father’s eyes, even though Father reverted his gaze from her sleeping form. For a moment a blush crept along Vincent’s throat infusing his cheeks, but Father patted his hand, “Its all right Vincent, I understand, she didn’t exactly give you much chance to refuse did she?” Father attempted a chuckle lightening the mood, and to his relief Vincent smiled. “No. What is it Father, do you wish to speak to me?”
“To Catherine actually, but I dare not wake her. Joe Maxwell is in the tunnels. He has been seen wandering as if lost. Catherine left a message with Pascal on her way down here that Joe was to meet the two of you at 4.p.m.” Father shrugged, “I guess this latest development caused it to slip from her mind.”
Vincent smiled, “You’re not angry?”
Father smiled at his son, “Once maybe, but no longer. We will talk later Vincent, but no I’m not angry, in fact I feel rather relieved.”
Vincent looked surprised and pleased, “I will wake Catherine and we will be with you in a few minutes.”
“And Joe Maxwell?”
“Have someone meet where he is and wait for us there. I expect he has come to visit the other fellow.”
Father nodded, “Wait until I am back in my chamber before you wake Catherine lest she hears my footsteps receding. It will spare her blushes I think.”
“After those that Catherine put me through in your presence on her arrival here it would be a welcome sight I think.” Vincent chuckled as did his father and they parted company in high spirits.
*** *** ***Chapter Seven
There had been no need to wake Catherine, but as he made to leave the bed Catherine opened her eyes, “And where are you going to lover?” She queried in a soft lilting voice. Vincent felt a warm glow run through him at her words. ‘Lover’ it sounded so strange to his ears.
Vincent turned to her, “I received a message that Joe Maxwell is wandering the tunnels.”
Catherine sat bolt upright, much to Vincent’s delight as her firm round breasts were displayed before his eyes. He could get used to this. His eyes opened wide and he put out a tentative hand to stroke their soft firm peaks. Catherine shuddered, “If you start that Joe will be left a wandering for ever more.” They laughed together and Vincent drew back his hand, “Thank you Catherine.” He told her leaning in to kiss her mouth, “Thank you so much.”
“Hey.” Catherine broke the kiss, “It was my pleasure, and I do mean my pleasure, but oh I don’t think I will be able to walk a straight line for a very long time.”
Vincent looked at her mystified and Catherine laughed, alighting from the bed stiffly just to prove her point, “Come on then clever clogs lets see if you can walk straight.” She threw back the covers exposing the whole of him, right down to his disappointingly ordinary feet, they were somewhat longer, wider than most but apart from that perfectly human and not a claw in sight.
Catherine pounced on them, “Toenails!” She cried and proceeded to pop one long toe into her mouth. Vincent chuckled, “Now who’s starting something? A fire started from the toe wending its way up his leg to his groin at the speed of light. He hardened and Vincent chuckled, “Come my love, as much as my eyes want to stay and feast on your delightful wares, poor Joe Maxwell is wandering around in the dark not to mention probably dying of starvation and thirst.”
Catherine lay back for a moment and stretched, “Really Vincent I do feel stiff all over, and that part of me that takes me to heaven with your help really does hurt. Its been a long time Vincent since I have loved and never with one quite so…” She paused and smiled benignly, “well endowed.” Causing Vincent to blush from the roots of his hair.
“Would you like to stay here?” Vincent asked her, “Stay and rest, I can see Joe by myself. If he needs you I will come back for you.”
“That would be lovely, but Vincent where thou goest I goest. From now on lover I am not letting you out of my sight. Besides you might be greatly surprised when you stand up and will be grateful for me to lean on.” Vincent smiled at her, obviously she did not know the strength he had, but as he moved to stand he realised that she was perfectly right. In this one thing she knew what she was talking about.
“How can it be?” He walked stiffly causing her to grin broadly, “I work hammering and chiselling out caverns almost daily, yet I feel aches and pains in joints I never knew I had.”
“I know. I guess it is the position, but then maybe not. I think it has to do with the brain. Certainly I could never understand it. I know we probably use muscles we wouldn’t normally use, but certainly the brain goes through some mental battering when our bodies are leading us to climax. That’s all I can put it down to, but you see what I mean don’t you, every bone and sinew aches.”
Vincent nodded, “What did you mean about the position?” They began dressing slowly, each passing to the other items of clothing that were somewhat out of leaning range.
“There are others than just the one Vincent. In fact some provoke feelings more intense than the one we were in.”
“Which do you prefer?” He looked away unable to meet her eyes, yet burning to know. He wanted, no, needed to satisfy her.
“From behind.” She too found it impossible to meet his gaze, “spoon fashion.” She added, “But there are others.”
“But that is your favourite?”
“Yes.”
“Then you must teach me.”
Catherine blushed. Though they had loved, all this was still very new to her, with him, and definitely unbelievable.
They heard footsteps sound in the tunnel outside and then Father calling softly, “Vincent are you decent?”
Catherine blushed, but they called together, “Yes Father, you may come in.” Catherine had just replaced her socks, and pushing her feet very firmly into her sneakers, she prepared to stand straight determined not to show the difficulty of doing so in Father’s presence.
Vincent however was not quite so practised. Manoeuvring his jeans earlier up his legs as he had sat on the bed, and lifting himself slightly to pull them up over his hips, had been relatively easier than standing, but now as he made to stand he swayed and the room span around. Father noticing was at his side instantly, “Steady Vincent.” Father chuckled, “I see you are intoxicated.”
Indignant Vincent flared, “I am not. I have taken no wine Father.”
Father chuckled, sending Catherine an, ‘I ask you’ look. “I’m afraid you are my son. You have indulged in some vintage of 1955, stamped with the brand name of Catherine Chandler.”
Now Vincent understood, and behind her hand Catherine stifled a giggle.
Embarrassed Vincent put his father off, “Catherine will aid me.” He told him, but Catherine had her own brand of humour. “If I can Vincent. I’m afraid right at this moment my feet won’t let me.”
Father suppressed a bout of laughter, if only Mary could see this, it was almost like watching two people walking on stilts. “How on earth you are going to walk down to where Mr Maxwell is beats me, and even if you do, what he will think of you is quite another matter.”
“We’ll let him believe we have been at the wine Father.” Vincent told him somewhat seriously. He was grieved at himself for allowing his limbs to control him. ‘This is ridiculous’ he told himself, ‘I feel stiffer than a plank of wood.’
His shoulders hurt terribly, and his neck! That felt as though he had left it in the bed somewhere. Certainly it did not feel as though it were joined to his head. He was heartened by the sight of Catherine looking not much better. And she’d done this before!
“Don’t worry my love.” She told him, almost as if she’d read his thoughts, “It isn’t always like this. Only on the first time or the first time in a long time, you’ll see with practise it gets easier and joints you never knew you had are stimulated to accept this new part of your life.”
“You make it sound as if it will be a regular thing from now on my love?” Vincent was well aware of Father hiding a grin behind his hand and he glared at him, blue eyes clashing with blue.
Catherine caught Father’s expression, “Only if you want to my love.” She told Vincent sweetly, making Father laugh and raising his eyes as if to say, ‘what a silly question.’
Vincent caught her eye, he said nothing but his expression made her shiver.
As they moved across the chamber helping each other and with Father’s aid to steady them, Catherine became much more sure-footed. It had been a long time true, but as she moved she moved better each time, and soon she was able to walk unaided. They’d reached Father’s chamber by then, but Vincent still walked as though there was pain in every step, clearly he winced as he put each foot down to the ground. Father was finding it all highly amusing, but even he could see that Vincent would be going nowhere this evening.
“I think it’s best that we do one of two things here. Either let Catherine go with an escort to Joe Maxwell and on to see Tom Fitzpatrick, or have someone bring Joe Maxwell here.”
Both of them looked up startled. “You’d allow that?” Catherine was the first to answer.
“You trust him don’t you my dear?”
“Well yes, but do you mean to meet Vincent also?”
“Have you trouble with that?”
Catherine shook her head, and Father noticed her nervousness, “I trust Joe with my life, but Joe is a thorough attorney, and there are a lot of unexplained deaths in this city, especially those connected to me.”
Father nodded, as did Vincent gravely.
“Thank you Father for the offer but I think it would be best if I went to meet Joe instead.” She poured herself some tea from the pot and sipped its heat, feeling it flow through her and smiled, “That’s better. I’m invigorated.” She spared a glance at Vincent. He lay slumped in one of Father’s chairs, his head leaned back, eyes closed, legs drawn out in front of him as if he lay where he had fallen. Catherine nodded in Vincent’s direction causing Father to follow her gaze and he smiled quite becomingly.
Catherine replaced the cup empty to the table, “Look after him Father,” she called gaily as she mounted the steps two at a time, “Let him rest, I’ve not finished with him yet.” Vincent groaned and shifted uncomfortably in his chair. Father giggled, harder and harder until he was in full flow, his poor son hadn’t known what had hit him. Catherine turned at the top of the steps and looked back. Vincent still hadn’t opened his eyes. She laughed and even more so when Father retorted, “Have a heart Catherine. There’s always tomorrow you know?” The sound of her laughter followed her down the tunnel, and Father was warmed to see that his son had managed a half smile, before his face relaxed again, to sleep.
*** *** ***
Kanin and Kipper had brought Joe as close to the main hub as they’d dared but had taken him the long way round. When Catherine walked through the entrance she overheard Joe telling his two guides how impressed he was with the chamber they had shown him into. He swung around when he caught Catherine’s reflection in a mirror, “Radcliffe! Where were you? It’s been hours!”
“I’m sorry Joe I was otherwise indisposed.” She shot him a knowing smile and he laughed out loud, “Guess I can’t blame you for that, you did go with my blessing.”
“Have you eaten Joe?”
“I have and been plied with some wonderful herb tea.” He grimaced and Catherine knew that he hadn’t enjoyed the taste at all. Joe was strictly a coffee fiend. “I was just saying to Kanin?” his expression questioned the tunnel dweller and Kanin nodded, “Sorry its an unusual name, I wasn’t sure if I’d heard right.” Then he continued to Catherine, “I was just saying to Kanin, how impressed I am with this chamber. When you told me about these tunnels Cathy, you led me to believe that’s all they were. I had no idea that places like these exist. Tell me does Vincent live down here all the time?”
“I’m sorry Joe I’m not at liberty to tell you where Vincent lives, but these chambers do exist and some people do spend time here. There are others better furnished than this.”
“Is there some kind of inauguration for people like me? I get the distinct impression for all the time we have known one another you don’t trust me with this secret Radcliffe?”
“I’m sorry Joe, and I guess that is true. To be entrusted with the secret and to be a member of this community there are certain stipulations, but I have nothing to do with that, and there must be a very valid reason for anyone wishing to seek sanctuary down here.”
Joe nodded and drew himself up to his full height as he released a sigh, “Well now can you take me to where Tom is staying I really need to prepare him for Thursday?”
“Is Vincent coming?” Kanin asked looking at Catherine who tried to avert her gaze from Joe’s sudden burst of laughter. Her mouth twitched and she resolutely answered no with some difficulty. Kanin did not understand what had transpired between the two, obviously some joke they shared, but he was disappointed that Vincent was not going to escort Joe.
“I have to get back to Olivia. She wants me to mind Luke for her for half an hour while she takes a bath. I’ve already waited long enough.” It wasn’t a reprimand but Catherine apologised profusely nonetheless, after all she and Vincent had taken quite some time to get out of bed and leave the chamber. “That’s all right Kanin you go back to Olivia now, I think I know the way to where Tom is staying.”
“You think!” Joe exclaimed, “You have to do better than that Cathy, I have already gone around this maze for the past four hours as it is.”
Just then Catherine looked up and glanced down the tunnel. She felt strange suddenly and realised with delight and wonder that she could sense Vincent's approach. That had never happened so strongly before. It had to be since they had become as one. The connection had grown stronger.
Vincent’s cloaked figure loomed out of the shadows but he stayed well back so that Joe could not see his face, “Vincent!” Catherine cried, “You came. I thought you were sleeping?”
“I can sleep tonight. (‘Don’t bet on it’ Catherine thought). I suddenly realised that you did not know where Tom is staying, and I wasn’t sure who would be here with you.”
“I have to go back, Olivia is waiting.” Kanin explained. Vincent nodded, squeezing his friend’s shoulder as he passed by, “You coming Kipper?” He called after him. Kipper looked at Vincent for confirmation, “Do you need me?” He asked.
“No Kipper, Catherine and I can manage. You go back too. And thank you.”
When they had gone, Vincent turned and asked Joe to follow him, and with Catherine at Joe’s side they kept a decent pace behind the cloaked figure. Joe found all words had left him. Down here everything seemed so unreal, and he couldn’t stop his mind from wondering what Vincent must look like so that he had to keep himself covered.
When they arrived at Tom’s chamber they found him warm and well cared for, and sat in a large backed chair reading a book. He rose as they ducked into the chamber, except Vincent who hung back out of sight.
It was only at that moment that Joe felt fit to tell Catherine that he had been followed to her apartment. “How could I have forgotten?” He told her.
“I guess being lost in the tunnels played havoc with your mind Joe. I wouldn’t worry you aren’t becoming senile.” Catherine told him.
“If I do I’ll hold you completely responsible Radcliffe. And there are a thousand and one reasons why that should be.”
They stayed about an hour, highlighting to Tom everything that would happen in the courtroom and promising to return the following day just to make sure he was still happy about going ahead with it. At that moment he was adamant that he had to do this, but fear had a way of altering people’s perspective. Joe had seen it before. It wouldn’t be the first time that someone had pulled out at the last moment.
“Don’t worry.” Tom insisted, “ I won’t fail you. Just make sure that you get me there in one piece that’s all I ask. What becomes of me afterwards is not your concern. I know the risks.”
Vincent listening outside disagreed, “Its all been arranged.” His soft velvety voice carried through from the tunnel outside, “You are to return here and finish your days. You will be safe here and cared for, and we will show you a passageway where you can come and go from Above should you so desire it.”
“But why? You hardly know me?”
“We know Catherine and she is one of us, and it is for Catherine that you do this, among others, that is why we have allowed this.”
“Thank you.” Tom stated. “You don’t know what a relief that is. Up there no one wants a guy like me or will employ a guy like me. No job, no pay, no home, it’s as simple as that. I was dreading the winter, I knew I would never live to see another spring. Thank you so much.”
“Why do you have to let people know you are HIV?” Joe asked.
“Because its responsible to do so. I hate having to tell them. Its like I came up against a closed door the moment it is mentioned. So little is known about it, and people think they can catch it even if you breathe on them. If I didn’t tell anyone and they found out, there would be mass hysteria for all those I have come into contact with. It’s just not worth keeping quiet about a thing like this. I know people are scared. Even here people have given me a wide berth, but at least I’ve been cared for, and that in itself makes me feel as though I belong somewhere again. And that’s a good feeling I can tell you.”
“How come Duffin allows you to tag around with him, and all those others we saw you with at the dinner/dance?” Joe asked.
Tom shrugged, “One of those things I guess.” But he couldn’t quite meet Joe’s eye.
“You’re a runner aren’t you?” Joe exclaimed.
Tom visibly shook, “It’s not what you’re thinking. I needed the money but I’m not proud of myself. When I tried to back off I couldn’t because I knew too much. Glen keeps me close so he knows what I’m doing.”
“He must be shitting bricks by now then.” Joe laughed, “No wonder they were eager to find your whereabouts. I shouldn’t think Cathy or myself are in danger while we can lead them to you. It’s not us they are after. We would just get it when we are no more use to them. Funny how much better that makes me feel.”
“Nonetheless.” Vincent spoke from outside the chamber again; “We will make it harder for them. When you want to meet Tom, either before or after the court hearing, come via Catherine’s apartment. Come by taxi rather than your own car, and we will ensure that we lead you out by another exit, that way they will be sat outside Catherine’s apartment convinced that you are in there.”
“I take it that means that you won’t be?” Joe turned to Catherine, who shook her head; “I’ll be here. In fact Joe I won’t be returning to my apartment. After today this is my home now. I will keep the apartment but will go there only infrequently.”
“Do you have some kind of security lights then that will come on at certain times of the day?”
“No Joe, and by the time I’ve installed them all this should be over. Don’t worry lights aren’t a problem. Getting those hit men to believe we are in the apartment all the time, is.”
“Well just in case they snoop around, we will install a temporary wall beneath your apartment building Catherine so that they can’t enter the tunnels.” Vincent told them gravely, and the good humour they had shared melted away as everyone was forced to realise just how serious all of this really was.
Vincent led Joe out via the park entrance and he was clearly impressed all over again. “That’s why you are never afraid of being in the park Cathy.” He placed a hand to his brow. “There have been so many occasions when I’ve found out that you have been here after dark, not least the time you followed that fraud Jeff Radler here do you remember?”
Catherine nodded, “Jeff Radler as you knew him Joe was actually Vincent’s brother. That’s why he was coming here.”
“Your brother!” Joe exclaimed and watched as the hood of the cloaked figure nodded. “Small world.”
“That’s what we all thought at the time.” Catherine told him. “Now Joe will you be all right?”
“I hope so. What if I get followed again?”
“Then you come back here.” Vincent told him. “Enter any tunnel from any man-hole cover and tap on the pipes and someone will come. Don’t worry you will not be left to wander if you find a stone to tap out a sound on. We do have our own brand of Morse code down here. In time should you wish to become one of our helpers we will teach it to you.”
Joe grinned. He still had the distinct feeling that he was dreaming all of this and could only nod his grateful thanks.
“See you then Radcliffe. Take care.”
“You too Joe.”
*** *** ***
Catherine was awoken to an unusual but in no way unpleasant experience the following morning, as Vincent curled behind her spoon fashion, made tender love to her.
“Mmm. Now that’s what I call a rude awakening.” Catherine chuckled, adding; “It didn’t take you long did it?”
“Meaning?” Vincent nibbled her ear.
“Meaning you are a quick learner. You’d asked me to teach you remember? But last night we were both too tired to do anymore but sleep. Seems mere words were all the teaching you needed.”
Vincent laughed softly. Catherine didn’t think she had ever heard a sexier sound coming from him. She melted within the sound and pushed her buttocks back against him revelling in the hardness of him deep within her soft folds.
Concentration became difficult as he continued the gentle rocking motion, but Catherine wanted more. This was her favourite position, and it had been a long time. “Deeper Vincent.” She begged him as the feelings began to mount. “Harder. Oooh yes that’s it my love.” Her toes curled and her fingers snatched at the bedclothes, while her body convulsed into wave upon wave of liquid heat. She could feel herself melting, feel her brain spinning out of control, and Vincent sharing with her in the bond panted breathlessly behind her.
The spinning vortex sucked him down and rose him up again; higher and higher, faster and faster until her explosion came and he sank back down with her into oblivion. They slept again. Long hours safe within each other's arms. And that was how Father found them much later. He smiled as he took in their flushed cheeks remembering the bloom of first love and wished them well. Yesterday had taken its toll on Vincent, but Father could well remember being no different. Having sex for the first time was earth shattering and giving of love in this way could be likened to a child with a much loved toy, one that would last decades with the right person. Always new, forever wanted.
Father tiptoed from the chamber leaving the lovers to their rest. Vincent and Catherine had spoken with him the evening before of their plans to marry. Father was delighted but had held off telling anyone knowing they would want to congratulate the couple and at this moment in time that would be embarrassing all round. He wondered how things might change with Catherine living Below. Certainly he would have less worries. Vincent wouldn’t need to go above anymore, or only on a few occasions, and he could let someone else take care of his son for a change. Half of him relinquished the hold gladly; the other half felt a sense of deep sorrow at no longer being the one his son would turn to. He knew every parent had to stand by and watch the fledgling leave the nest, but Vincent had taken much longer to do so, and Father doubting that he ever would, found it particularly hard to let go.
Back in his chamber, Father pondered for several hours, imagining the changes that might occur. Sex was one thing, and perhaps by itself it would release some of the tension and stress his son often displayed, but children were another possibility. Ordinarily the thought of grandchildren would delight the grandparent, but on this account Father had his own fears. Vincent as a baby had been abandoned; no one knew the toll it had taken on his mother to birth him. Father could only hope and pray that any child forthcoming from this relationship would arrive safely for both child and mother.
All in all though his overall speculation was one of fondness, of happiness. He had never seen a couple more in love and with the bond to unite them Father knew that no one could have prevented the eventuality of this anyway. No, he reasoned, perhaps mere human thinking was incapable of understanding the mysteries of this strange connection. Whatever it was there for was beyond all human reasoning and as such would not bring the two into jeopardy. He was certain of it. So far it guided them, aided them and within it they would be safe. Whatever came, they would be safe as well as all those that were created from their love.
Much convinced Father felt a rush of relief pass through him. Everything was well now, just as it should be, and his two favourite people would be happy.
*** *** ***
Joe was followed, again and again, but it was just as he had presumed, his life wasn’t in any danger and he wasn’t approached so long as he kept to the crowds. In his apartment at night he found it a bit worrying, and did not sleep well, but soon the day of the court hearing loomed and he was making arrangements to take Tom in. He had to get him to the court without getting his top witness killed in the process.
Vincent came up with the answer. Anyone could attend the court, dressed in any manner they wished. And so donning cloaks with the hoods pulled up to shadow their faces, Joe, Catherine, Tom and several tunnel dwellers helping to confuse the issue left the tunnel beneath the alley at the side of the court and walked right up to its great doors.
The hit men were not expecting this and paid them scant attention, even though the cloaked figures amused them as watching from the street outside the court both in cars and on foot, they waited for a limousine to pull up bringing Tom Fitzpatrick to court. Other cases were being tried there that day and they believed these hooded people to be part of some other case.
And so they waited in vain until an informant from within made them realise their error. Joe and Catherine were jubilant that they had got away with bringing Tom inside the court, but knew that they could not use the same disguise to get him out. But it didn’t matter for Vincent and Mouse had planned for that too, and below the basement of the courthouse they patiently waited to escort their friends’ back home again.
It was simply put a cut and dried case. In the few days since Glen Duffin had been arrested and the court hearing hurried forth due to the main witness being so ill, the police had raided the laboratory in Brooklyn and all narcotics disposed of along with the means to produce them.
The jury did not take kindly to the pranks played upon innocent people, and Mr Bowman’s relatives cheered when Glen Duffin and his colleagues were sentenced to twenty years each in prison. Much to his surprise but not to Joe’s Tom was also taken into the dock. But once his medical records had established that he was in fact in the final stages of HIV he was released on a caution that if he should involve himself in anything like it again he would spend his last days on earth behind bars. In no time at all it was over, and Tom did not cower when Glen shouted obscenities at him as he was led away. He found to his delight that he was not the coward he had presumed, and wished many times over that he had spoken up sooner so that more people could have been saved. However, Mr Bowman’s family were not quite so agreeable and unable to get to Duffin they struck a blow at Tom the moment each were close enough. Yet the scuffle and confusion of the moment acted as a blessing in disguise as far as Tom’s get away was concerned, for while the police brought law and order back into the corridors outside the courtroom, Catherine and Joe hurried Tom away down the stairs towards the basement.
There Vincent heaved huge filing cabinets aside as Mouse showed everyone a small gap to wiggle through that led to the tunnels beneath the basement, until they were all through. Then Vincent went in backwards, pulling the bottom of a filing cabinet back with him as far back against the hole as his fingers would allow, before fully satisfied that they had covered their escape route the small group of friends headed for home.
*** *** ***
Outside in the street several men in black Sedans waited in vain for the cloaked figures to emerge, until the hours that ticked by revealed that somehow they had been beaten again.
*** *** ***
He’d woken her again. The gentle rocking motion was one that she could definitely live with and Catherine smiled dreamily as Vincent nibbled her ear lobe and his hands caressed her breast.
They’d been married three days, and it was ten months since the court case.
Tom had made it through the winter but had passed away as Spring went into summer. Still he had lived to see the fruition of a dream and in his time had been allowed to move within the main hub and had spent his last days with people who had truly cared for him and each other.
Joe had become a regular helper Below, but despite his assurances to the contrary Catherine had still not relented in his meeting Vincent, telling Joe all manner of reasons but never the one in her heart. Joe hated a loose end and there were too many unexplained deaths where the victims had seemed to have been mauled by a lion. Catherine knew Joe would remember. She never once believed that Joe would turn Vincent in, but she knew enough to know that keeping such a secret would affect Joe badly especially if any more unexplained deaths occurring that way should appear in the future.
Vincent seldom went Above now, but the threat to their world was an ever-present factor and he was their vigilant protector.
A whimper in the old wicker crib turned Catherine out of her retrospection. Vincent was breathing heavier behind her now, and Catherine’s senses were such that she gave most of herself to his love making while a part of her listened to the even breathing of the infant who would soon be demanding her attention.
Everything was right with her world. She was deliriously happy and they had seen the realisation of the dream.
Simultaneously as Vincent slowed to a halt behind her and withdrew from her warmth Catherine’s milk let down when her son made it known that he was awake and hungry.
“I’ll get him.” Vincent lifted himself away from her, but Catherine rolled over pushing him back against the pillows. “No stay, rest. Get your breath back.” Their eyes twinkled with amusement.
“I will get better at this.” Vincent assured her, “It won’t always affect me so.” Catherine smiled at him.
“Of course you will, providing you don’t make me pregnant again too soon.”
Vincent rolled his eyes to the heavens. After their first few days of loving almost a year ago, Peter had advised that they should perhaps abstain from sex throughout the pregnancy as they had no way of knowing what they were dealing with. And then as the birth had been a difficult one resulting in stitches it had been several weeks before they had been able to resume their loving, and Vincent had found it just as tiring as he ever had.
Catherine lifted her son from his crib, feeling as always a bolt of emotion that took her breath away as his bright blue eyes feasted upon her. His mouth creased into a windy smile, at least that was what Father assured her it was. As far as Catherine was concerned her son smiled at her, really smiled just as his father did, and made her feel just as gooey inside every time he did. She stroked away the tawny curls from off his face and gathered him to her, returning to the bed where she would sit to feed him.
Vincent had regained his even breathing and watched as ever in fascination as Catherine placed the babe to her breast and felt the familiar tug of love that built up within him every time he looked upon his Catherine feeding his child.
“It will be the naming ceremony soon my love. So are we decided?”
Catherine nodded, “As decided as we’ll ever be. Some of those other names can be bestowed upon our second born, and third, and forth and…” Her voice trailed away as her eyes lit up to see Vincent pretend to collapse from exhaustion. “I think you need some vitamins my love, something to build up your stamina.”
“I thought so too, but Father disagrees.”
“You spoke to him!” Catherine burst into laughter startling the infant at her breast. He drew away from the nipple to stare up at his mother before resuming to suckle again. “What did he say?”
“Much the same as you. Ever the doctor of course.”
“Of course.” She waited for him to continue with delight showing on her face.
Vincent mimicked Father’s words. “Vincent you must understand even for one of your stature and physique these things simply take time. The problem being of course that certain parts of the body are easily stimulated but other parts of the body are slow to catch up. And then there’s your age dear boy.” Vincent burst into laughter at this point remembering how he had felt when Father had mentioned that.
“You’re only in your mid thirties Vincent!” Catherine exclaimed, “Not drawing your pension yet.”
“That’s pretty much what I told him.”
“And?” Catherine had tears in her eyes; she could just picture the delightful conversation taking place.
“He explained to me that certain vertebrae break down through wear and tear as we get older. More so with the life I have led, all that hammering and chiselling not to mention humping injured maidens down flights of steps, jumping on and off of moving trains and crashing through walls. Oh and not to forget scaling eighteen flights of a tower block several nights a week. All in all my love considering Father’s speculation it’s a wonder I can rise to the occasion at all.”
Catherine laughed louder startling her child again, and she used the opportunity to change breasts. “Does that need cleaning now?” Vincent asked bright-eyed as he took in the sticky mess his son had made of her nipple.
Catherine nodded, “Would you like to do the honours?”
Vincent leaned in; his whispered yes lost as his mouth closed over the firm sweet peak. Catherine closed her eyes. This was a wonderful sensation. To have her child at one breast and her husband at the other, it made her feel good, so good.
Vincent’s tongue licked around the aurora flicking across the tip and making Catherine squirm. He loved doing this, and he adored the taste of her sweetness.
“So what else did Father say?”
Vincent mumbled something.
“Pardon?”
“I said I can’t talk with my mouth full.” He pulled away enough to speak before returning to his place.
Catherine leaned back against the pillows, closing her eyes to the thrill of the moment. Tenderness on the one hand for her child. A deep all-consuming love on the other for her husband.
Catherine waited until the baby was full before she held him upon one shoulder, rubbing his back until he burped and Vincent released his hold on her nipple before licking and cleaning the sticky milk from the other.
“I don’t have to burp you too do I?” Catherine asked when finally Vincent had thoroughly cleaned both of her nipples.
He grinned, always as ever amused by the things that she said.
“I’ll put the baby into his crib while you go for your shower.” He told her.
“Just tell me what Father said before I go.”
Vincent shrugged, “He left me with the old cliché I’m afraid.”
“And what’s that?”
Vincent’s eyes glinted and Catherine was happy to note that he was fully aroused once more, “Practice makes perfect my Catherine and in so doing I will build up my strength to maintain longer durability and pace.”
“He said that!” Somehow she couldn’t imagine it.
Vincent chuckled, “Not quite I added some words of my own. Now my Catherine are you going to hurry and have that shower or am I going to have to carry you?”
“I’m going, I’m going. Watch the baby while I’m gone.”
“Just be sure to hurry back, my Catherine. I want to start practising.”
Catherine giggled, “I’ll be back as quick as I can. Just you be sure not to fall asleep while I’ve gone.”
“As if I would.”
Catherine shot him a look that they had shared on many occasions. The look that said, ‘oh yes my love you would’. But she rather liked Father’s suggestion and Vincent’s added remark, and looked forward to the time when Vincent could keep the pace and love her long into the night.
*** *** ***
That time came sooner than she thought, and sometimes she wished to turn back the clock. It seemed these days that she just never got enough sleep and she was always late for appointments.
Their child was three months old, had been named Jacob and Catherine had returned to work. She had given up her car when she moved below, and most days Joe would collect her from Central Park Drive Through and take her to the office and back.
One morning she had kept him waiting and Joe had wandered inside the tunnels remembering the incident over a year ago when he had got hopelessly lost. That had never happened since, but while he waited Joe remembered some of the things he had thought about while he had traipsed around the tunnels.
At last Catherine rounded a bend just ahead of him and he sighed with relief, “You weren’t lost again Joe were you?” She smiled up at him.
“No Radcliffe just remembering the time when I was and some of the things I thought of back then. Funny how a place reminds you of things.”
“Yeah I know what you mean. Or the smell of fresh coffee reminds you of certain bars you haven’t been to in a long time.”
“You got something to tell me Radcliffe?” Joe grinned at her.
Catherine smiled enigmatically; “Just herbal tea does have its down side. Okay I admit it. I’m cranky without my daily intake of coffee.” She laughed and he teased her mercilessly all the way to work, promising her he would take her to the city’s finest coffee house before they went up to the office. But the traffic was against him and he had to break that promise. They worked through the day and Catherine thought of Vincent and Jacob often. She didn’t need to work, she would much rather spend all her time with them, but her being a part of the world if only at a desk job made Vincent feel better. It worried him less that she had given up so much for him and soon enough it was five p.m. and Joe was taking her home again.
Back in the park as they said their goodbyes and arranged to meet the following morning, Catherine asked Joe what he had been thinking of the day he had been lost. Joe smiled, “Oh you know me Radcliffe, just this and that.”
“Were you frightened?”
“And then some.”
“Did you think you would never see the light of day again?”
Joe nodded slowly.
“I had all manner of crazy notions, I kept wishing for all kinds of things.” He laughed now remembering how his wishes had made him think of the genie and that in turn made him think of something else, “Say Cathy what would you do with three wishes?”
Catherine looked at him strangely. “Three wishes Joe. Are they overworking you or what?” She laughed.
“No seriously and metaphorically speaking of course. What would you wish for?”
Catherine looked at him for long moments. Vincent she knew was waiting for her inside the drainage culvert so she wanted to hurry lest he be worried by her delay.
“I don’t know Joe. I don’t have need of wishes anymore.”
“But if you did.”
“Is it so important?”
“Joe shrugged, “It wasn’t when I asked but it is now. Come on Radcliffe what would you wish for if someone offered you the chance?”
Catherine thought about it seriously. There were things she would wish for but two of them she could never tell Joe, for he would not understand. She would wish that people of the world would accept Vincent and not see him as different, and she would wish for the happy life that she now knew to last forever. But as to a third wish? Catherine shrugged her shoulders before she had a sudden idea, “I can only tell you one Joe.”
“Then tell me?” his eyes sparkled with humour, for he could tell that Catherine was filled with mischief.
“Coffee Joe. Coffee. Does that ring any bells?”
Joe laughed, “That’s one wish I can fulfil Radcliffe.
”
“Yeah Joe I’ve heard it all before. That cup of splendid coffee you promise me every day is yet to reach my lips. I live in hope that one day it might come to fruition. So until then it would be my one wish that you could actually fulfil your promise.”
Joe laughed, his eyes twinkled, “You never know your luck Radcliffe, there’s always tomorrow you know?”
“Yeah Joe, goodnight Joe, see you in the morning Joe.” Catherine called to him over her shoulder as she walked from his car chuckling to herself.
The sun was bright and blazing in the late summer sky and Catherine felt on top of the world.
Three wishes indeed!
She grinned to herself, ducking beneath the roof of the tunnel and almost walking into Vincent who was waiting in the shadows.
Their kisses were long and filled with a burning passion, and Catherine knew for a certainty that she would never have need of three wishes. Or any wishes for that matter, for everything she might ever wish for she had already found right there in the security of her husband’s ever-loving arms.
*** *** ***
Disclaimer
The stories found within this website have been written by and for lovers of the American television series Beauty and the Beast and no infringement upon the rights held by Ron Koslow, CBS, Republic Entertainment, Witt-Thomas Productions or any other Copyright holder to Beauty and the Beast is intended.
Furthermore all the stories found on this website belong to Wendy Tunnard de-Veryard, are protected by copyright and none should be copied, added to or subtracted from or altered in any way, without the prior authorisation of the author.
|
|
