In Good Graces - {SG}

[Shaden Grace]

The soft whispers of yes and the lost adoring look in her sweet green eyes nearly broke him down. Was she feeling the need to moved closer to? To touch his face like he was so dieing to touch hers. To press his lips against her and finally show her what the hell was running through his mind. He wanted her to feel everything he was. But from the look in her eye, she might already be feeling the same thing. And he comforted himself by thinking that.

How could someone like him finally find what he'd been looking for after all these years? Was it wrong to have this feeling so quickly? Didn't it take some time before he started to feel this way? Shaden didn't know/ And he didn't care. To Hell with how he was supposed to feel.

He wanted her, but not in the same way he'd ever felt. More like...he wanted to be with her forever. To never let her out of his site after this night. "No...Don't give up on love.....Not when it's so close." So it wasn't just Shaden having this feeling? He couldn't even describe that look in her eyes anymore. Were his eyes showing something similar to her own?

"You have such wonderful passion Shaden." He had wonderful passion? Shaden Grace? Really? He felt confused by that for a moment before that vanished. "No ones ever told me that before..." He smiled warmly at her, and his eyes were bright. He liked it. He liked hearing her say things like that to him, and he really loved hearing her say his name. There was no way his name could ever be worn out when it was being said through her lips and with her soft voice.

"What if this is it?" It amazed Shaden that neither of them had yet to look away from the other, but he made himself focus in on her words more carefully. "What if God has taken our wish and brought us here?" His thoughts had not been going in that direction but he understood what she meant, and it didn't take lone for his own thoughts to start realizing that she might be right. "You are the most optimistic women I've ever met." He smiled, again. "And I love it." It seem as though he'd been smiling a lot tonight.

"That you and I were to meet on this night, for this reason only." He could only nod his head in agreement. His eyes finally left her, as he watched her hand come up, and touched the side of his chin and then moving over his lips, which parted as soon as she did. Inhaling her scent, wanting more, to the point it was painful.

And he knew right then. He wasn't, and couldn't hold back another second. His hand slowly rose and gently took her hand into his, moving it to his shoulder, and and his other hand took to strands of hair that had fallen out of place and placed them behind her ear, but his hand stayed there on her face, his fingers splayed back into her hair, and he leaned in.

The very instant his lips touched her, right and wrong no longer existed, at least not for him. And there was only the present, no thoughts about the past or worries about the future. Everything was perfect. And nothing would ever go wrong again as long as she was with him. His lips left her, but still remained close enough so that when he softly said her name, their lips brushed.

Nothing mattered but her. What she wanted. And he watched her through half closed eyes. This was not something he'd ever expected to have. He'd been starting to think it was impossible for him. Yet here he was, sitting with a beautiful women and ready to spend forever with her, all in less then two hours. Both his hands were on either side of her face, and he couldn't help but kiss her again. This kiss, however, was longer, and more passionate. He was a man, and he knew what he wanted and just how to get it. He kissed with a slow burning urgency, like a drowning man need air. He needed Helena. For the second time he released her lips.

[*♥ Helena Kyle ♥]

"You are the most optimistic women I've ever met." She blushed as Shaden smiled. A slight feeling of awkwardness came over her before his words lifted over her ears once more. "And I love it." She let out a comforting sigh of relief accompanied by a smile; a blush. Letting fingers sweep strands behind her right ear before lifting her eyes once more.
"That you and I were to meet on this night, for this reason only." Helena spoke to him and his eyes left her sights. A little drowned with a slight disappointment, however; Helena could feel his sense of satisfaction, confusion and self worth flood him over.

It was almost confusing. The way he seemed so well composed, have actual difficulties in his life. Not to say he didn't or shouldn't. A vampires life is usually one of the more complicated aspects of one's life, but the thought of him feeling a glint of sadness had made her sad. To connect with someone like that was not something Helena had ever done. Connecting. Especially with other vampire, let alone a man. For all her life Helena had been a very solitary person. If she had ever fallen in love with a mortal man she would have to reveal her secret. Change him even. It was the exposure and the heartbreak of finally having someone after so many years of living, only to lose them in the end. Did Shaden ever feel that way? Was she alone on this one in the world? Did others feel the same way?

Then it was only an exchange in gestures and wants. Desires. A need? Her eyes fell to watch his hand move and rise, his hand taking hers, moving it to his shoulder where she openly welcomed it. Welcomed it? This was incredibly odd even for her, but it felt more right and so heart felt.

Then those eyes roamed over to his other hand that took fallen strands of hair, moving it behind her hair as she had only previously. She could feel a partial of his palm, and then his thumb over flesh of her face. She swore there was a skip in her heartbeat. It was like feeling the magnetic pull of your weight while in space. As if gravity left just the two of them sitting there face to face and so close. As if nothing else mattered.

Helena knew it was going to happen. She knew that she was going to let him, and that she wanted it. And she could feel it get closer and closer long before it happened.

It felt as if they had been moving through a time that was unavailable to anyone else but them. As if time stood still and only they flowed through it on a soft and gentle path. How corny it sounds, surely it does, and maybe a bit unrealistic, but a feeling is a feeling and it was rare for Helena to have such feelings toward anyone.

There was a release of soft air through parted lips after theirs separated. When he whispered her name his lips brushed against hers as lids remained closed to relish in the moment. Keep it for a moment more. Helena licked her lips and it seemed slower than anything anyone in the movies had done. Our dear Helena was savoring his taste. His touch.

Those fingers on the back of her neck, her own tips loose over his shoulder as if there was no weight. Her eyes opened, lifted to view his half closed lids bit catching that hint of sea glass that she admired so much. Captivating. Shaden was captivating.

Another breath was dispersed as her other hand rose to match the one over his shoulder, uncaring of those around her but still aware that she was in public and that she was a vampire, and yes, the werewolves were out on a full moon. She leaned her body forward as her right arm moved more around him to embrace him further. Their chests meeting and as if she cuddled up with him, she kissed him equally as he gave to her. Sinking into him. Knowing that he was something more than just another vampire. As if they had both been soul mates and only now, their God had allowed them to finally meet.

Helena hated moving Shaden's hands from her face, but she wanted to be closer to him. With him. Not giving up her sainthood when it came to her more sensual side, but to embrace the passion inside of her that seemed to cry out for Shaden, that was something undeniable.

There was another release and her head managed to move to the side of his so her face was away from his own. How pale skin could turn pink was beyond her, but like it was stated before, she was more so on the olive side, but anyone could tell, any human could tell, there was something different about her.

She chuckled, slightly embarrassed but more nervous than anything. How was she to act around a man she barely knew, just kissed, and was falling for in a mere matter of hours? Who in the hell actually had found someone that you felt to want to spend the rest of your unnatural life with? Be damned who, but there was now a winner in the race. Record time, but she was sure it was the right time, and with the right person.

She took in a breath and worked up the nerve to speak first. "Shaden...don't get me wrong, I..." She smiled and chortled out with a breath. "I don't do things like that...." She eyed him worried that perhaps it was the moon, and her mood, and maybe it was all wrong. "Ever." She said as a matter of factly. Maybe he would think of her as just another vamp tramp and think she was easy. But she was sure she wasn't wrong. It didn't feel wrong.

A long breath was given as her hands fell to her lap but laid claim to his own with a keying grip. "This is all happening so fast." She smiled after the feeling shot through her, hands raising shoulder level and she couldn't help but feel gitty. "It just feels so right." She spoke upward as if to the stars and then met his gaze once more. "It feels right with you." Spoken calmly as if Shaden comforted her. As if Shaden could have been the devil himself and because it felt so right, there was no possible way it could be wrong.

[Shaden Grace]

Shaden had been so unsure of what her response might be to him as he went to kiss her, surely she would pull away, telling him that he'd gone too far too fast. He'd expected anything other then what happened. He could feel how she wanted him, that kiss, this moment and how she was savoring his taste and even his touch. It sent such a wild rush of feeling bursting through him that he'd barely controlled himself. He just couldn't understand how he could feel so easily connected with this women he'd only just met.

Fate was a bitch, but for this one time, he was actually glad at what Fate had given him. He knew though, now it would be up to him to keep her. She embraced him further, as if she knew she was testing his limits, seeing how far he could hold himself back while still being highly aware of where they were and the foul dogs running around under the moon.

God it was if he could feel what she was feeling. He'd never been very empathic before, never been able to pick up on others moods and feelings, he had to go by looks alone. With her now though, with this new connection sizzling between them, he was finally able to. He didn't want it to ever stop. Never. It was crazy. And he didn't care, because it didn't matter. For some, love came softly, for other, love came so quickly that neither were truly prepared for it. Shaden was unprepared, that wasn't going to stop him from keeping her though. Nothing would be able to stop him.

He felt determination flare in him. He needed her. It had seemed so impossible before but now it sounded more like the truth. A fact that could very well have just saved him from years and years of bitter loneliness, and self-pity.

Shaden felt how she hated moving his hands, and so perhaps she in return could feel the same hate coming from him. He wanted to keep touching her. It seemed to have ended much too soon, and now his hands felt empty and cold. Her face was moved beside her, and he could swear he felt the slightest amount of heat in her cheeks. Was she blushing again. Shaden couldn't remember the last time he'd made anyone blush.

"Shaden...don't get me wrong, I...I don't do things like that...." He looked at her, his gaze intense and still bright with a deep aching longing that he'd never felt before tonight. This was so different then anything he'd ever experience. He saw the truth in her eyes. He couldn't doubt her. There was simply no way to. "Ever." He smiled at her matter-of-fact tone, "I believe you." And even if by some chance she was telling the truth, he wouldn't have cared. But her honesty was real, and it seemed to deepen the connection; or maybe he was just crazy.

Her sudden grip on his hands made him feel whole once more, "This is all happening so fast." So he, at least, wasn't the only one with similar thoughts. "I know." He said softly. "It just feels so right." He smiled and then looked up at the sky as she did, wondering about everything that was going through her mind right now. This did feel right. But would that be enough for her? He felt her gaze on him, and a moment later he returned it. "It feels right with you." It was nothing short of amazing, those words, he wanted to listen to her say that forever. "I thought..." He smiled almost sheepishly, "I thought it might have only been me, that was feeling a...connection." He sighed, though it was now a sigh of boredom or anger, it was more like sheer relief. She felt the same. He wasn't alone. The words had a very uplifting kind of power to them.

"Somewhere i have never travelled,gladly beyond
any experience,your eyes have their silence:
in your most frail gesture are things which enclose me,
or which i cannot touch because they are too near

your slightest look easily will unclose me
though i have closed myself as fingers,
you open always petal by petal myself as Spring opens
(touching skilfully,mysteriously)her first rose

or if your wish be to close me, i and
my life will shut very beautifully ,suddenly,
as when the heart of this flower imagines
the snow carefully everywhere descending;

nothing which we are to perceive in this world equals
the power of your intense fragility:whose texture
compels me with the color of its countries,
rendering death and forever with each breathing

(i do not know what it is about you that closes
and opens;only something in me understands
the voice of your eyes is deeper than all roses)
nobody,not even the rain,has such small hands" His voice changed to something more gently and velvety as he said the poem in which he'd long ago memorized. He didn't look at her, instead, chose to keep his eyes on the moon.


OOC: Poem was by: E. E. Cummings. Interesting name, right?

[*♥ Helena Kyle ♥]

"I thought..." He had broken her focus and brought eyes to him. "I thought it might have only been me, that was feeling a...connection." Her perception hadn't deceived her. Shaden had felt the same way. Of course he did. No one kissed someone else like that back unless they felt what you were feeling. If one was passionate, the other would have sunk right in. If you didn't feel the passion, you didn't feel the passion. There was no forcing it. Unless you were mentally unstable, then there was that likely chance that things were going to end bad. But as stated before, her empathetic insights had never let her down before.

Shaden appeared to her as the type of man that would make you feel like you were dancing in heaven, and Angels would encompass you with the warmest light. She could lay in his arms on a puffy mound of beautiful white cloud, untouched by human hands yet welcoming to their immortality.

In His Good Graces.

Finally her body was able to relax and rest at peace with herself. She wasn't alone in this. He had felt it just as she did and oh what a feeling it was.

There was a loving caress in the way she looked at him. Like some hopeful romantic who found her Ricky Nelson. Ricky Nelson? Damn she was old. And how old was he? For crying out loud she didn't even know the guys last name and here she was swooning over him like a ruddy puppy. "Bollux. How could I have let that happen?" She asked herself.



"Somewhere i have never travelled,gladly beyond
any experience,your eyes have their silence:
in your most frail gesture are things which enclose me,
or which i cannot touch because they are too near

He began reciting a poem, a poem she had read not too far back. It was along a river bank. Resting on a large rock and reading a book of various poetry. She was a fan of poetry. The delicate nature of how one's emotions played an important part in the narrative's words. The way you could see the scenery by letting your imagination fly. Beauty with words. He amazed her already.

your slightest look easily will unclose me
though i have closed myself as fingers,
you open always petal by petal myself as Spring opens
(touching skilfully,mysteriously)her first rose

She spoke it with him in her mind as the second paring was brought off of his cool and tender lips. She licked her own as she let lids close. Taking in the scenery that bore through her mind.

or if your wish be to close me, i and
my life will shut very beautifully ,suddenly,
as when the heart of this flower imagines
the snow carefully everywhere descending;

He had this thing about him. Shaden. The way he spoke. The way his voice sounded at different intervals in his passage. She didn't know him. She liked what she heard, saw, felt. Expressing poetry the way he spoke it made her question her thoughts about her life. Could she have been involved before and felt this way with another? She was sure it wouldn't have been as splendid. Is this what love truly felt like? Would there be more? Could there be more?

nothing which we are to perceive in this world equals
the power of your intense fragility:whose texture
compels me with the color of its countries,
rendering death and forever with each breathing

Her eyes were steadily on him with ease and grace. A small smile in the corner of her mouth as she spoke along in her mind with him. It was too hard to resist, but at least he would know they shared something. A knowledge of poetry. And exactly how much did he know?

"(i do not know what it is about you that closes
and opens;only something in me understands
the voice of your eyes is deeper than all roses)
nobody,not even the rain,has such small hands""

Finally the last part had been spoken with him. If it had started to rain and she pressed her hands to his it would have been one hell of a sign from above.




There it was. She felt it as she made the move. She couldn't help it. Shaden's voice had put her in a trance along with those words. How alluring it had been not to let her hands fall gently over his. Cold to cold. Death to death. A surge lifted inside of her as her palm touched his. Right to left. Skin to skin.

There was a drop. It landed on the tippity top of her index finger and slid down the side before vanishing between both of theirs. Sliding onto his hand, down the center of his palm. She watched it as it rolled down the side and drip from the bottom. Another. Another drop hit her middle finger and did the same. Another to the ring finger, then the pinky and thumb before speckles of rain sprayed gently over them. It was like a dew shower with bare drops of water.

Helena didn't even think about the book or how wet it would be, she didn't think about the blanket and having to bring it down to get cleaned. Her clothes. So what if she was wet. Granted she was wearing all white, and of course that is the main no no when rain is in sight. This seemed to have happened out of nowhere. Even the weather man had said it was clear skies.

Something was doing this. Someone. And she didn't quite care.

She looked at him as if something had been wrong. Snapping out of it as her hair began to lose it's fit. The water weighing it down and oh how bloody sexy he looked when wet. "This is insane!" She shouted out with laughter. There were loud drummings of water hitting metal, the crashing sound of water hitting pavement that had overstalked her voice, hence the shout.

[Shaden Grace]

Although he had started the poem looking away from her, he couldn't stand to look away for long and found himself once more lost in her eyes. Shaden wasn't use to so much eye contact for this long. Normally he wouldn't be able to hold any ones gaze for more then a few minutes at a time before glanced away. Now he found himself helplessly gazing into her orbs without hesitation without feeling uncomfortable at all. And it scared him.

She spoke the last line with him, saying every word with him, and their voices melted together, blending and showing just how perfect the two of them could be. It was like throwing his fate right at him face. But why now? He may believe in higher powers, but sometimes he wished they give a little more direction in life. Like where the Hell was he supposed to go from here. That would be helpful

"Helena..." He hardly realized he'd whispered her name. He couldn't believe fate had offered him this chance. He didn't believe he deserved someone like her. After all the things he'd done, he probably didn't deserve anyone.

Her hand touched him, her touch felt so light, and so perfect, and the contact made all his doubts simply fade into the night, and be forgotten. He didn't know her. Hell, he didn't even know her last name, but he had the sudden feeling that he wanted her to know him. Everything. Because he'd never told anyone his real story. He was the way he was for a good reason, and sadly there was only person left alive that still knew it, and that was the vampire who had created him.

He so desperately wanted to touch her face again, to hold her, and kiss her, but he held himself back. He didn't want her regretting anything. Plus, she'd already told him once that she'd never done anything like that. He was virtually a stranger.

Then, out of nowhere, there was a single drop of rain. He stared at, a look of almost confusion on his face. He hadn't smelt had rain coming, at least, not any time soon. And it seemed so odd that he only just finished a poem and it had ended talking about rain. If this wasn't a sign, then he wasn't sure what was.

The rain picked up, and Shaden noted that Helena was wearing white. Not the best thing when in the rain. And he found himself wishing he'd worn a jacket of some kind so he could be the gentleman and lat her make use of it. But she didn't seem too concerned at the moment anyway.

"This is insane!" He laughed softly, and listened to the noise the rain was starting to make. She was right. This was insane. He lifted his head slightly, looking up at the now cloudy sky. Wondering how in the Hell they'd come in that fast. Well, there were two things he knew right now. One: he wasn't about to let Helena walk out of his life for any reason, and two: they couldn't still here in the rain all night. Though it was a fairly tempting thought.

"Helena, would you like me to walk you home?" Before your white dress is completely see through, he wouldn't say it out loud but his gaze flickered down just for a second. He smiled. Damn. Did she have any idea how sexy she was in the rain? He was having some keep his hands off. All he wanted was to touch, and kiss, and care for her. The need to was straining against every ounce of strength he had.

[*♥ Helena Kyle ♥]

"Helena, would you like me to walk you home?" She let her eyes go straight to him after glancing away. After feeling the rain and smiling because it was all so strange and she wanted to embrace what gift had been bestowed upon them. A breath. She could have one breath to exhale and feel complete when she gazed into those eyes. Arms moved over her front but it wasn't purposely to block herself, palms were flat over thighs and she kicked up on her feet with a lent hand, taking up the blanket, wetness and all, and moving it around her form.

Hair was pushed back over shoulders, her book was ruined, everything was ruined. All she had to do was take her keys with her and toss the ruined items in the nearby trash receptacle. How sweet that nod of her head had been with smiling eyes of compassion and innocence.

He was incredibly beautiful. Handsome. Sexy. She couldn't help but feel that aching urge to let eyes linger over his features. His form. She let the naughty thoughts stay out of her mind, but, admired him more than have thoughts of certain exploits.

With vampires, they had sexual tendencies that Helena just simply didn't cater to. She supposed it felt like how it felt when she drained someone for a wonderful fulfilling meal. That tingle down in the abdomen, the need for more in that stomach. An overwhelming rush before lifting up from a near dead mortal and taking in the air around. Helena made her feeding time magical, maybe it was like that when you were with someone you loved.

She managed to keep up with Shaden, and he her. Moving through the park to cross the bridge, over the grass to hit the street. Her building was just across diagonal. Cars bustled by down the street, the light had just turned green for them to walk and walk they did, or more so with a bounce in their step.

Heels carefully maneuvered their way across the cement and land on the sidewalk. She took hold of his hand and moved up the stairs after the second crossing. Laughing as the overhead finally covered them from the rain. Her fingers were working to find the key to unlock the main door, then there was a pause.

She must have looked up at him for a bit over ten seconds without saying anything. Wondering what to say. How gorgeous he was. "Do you want to come up?" She asked awkwardly. That was what people did right? Invite them up and get dry, have a cup of coffee or cocoa? What would they drink? She laughed to herself, nervous on whether or not he would take that the wrong way. "I mean...your all wet, and it is still raining." A smirk at the corner of her mouth, another moment before she slipped the key in, pushing the door open with a half step so that her left shoe hit hardwood flooring. Moving through the door as she let a single digit tug at his shirt and cup fabric to pull him close.

What the bloody hell was that about?

[Shaden Grace]

Shaden stood, putting out his hand to help her up, and he watched as she picked her blanket up, but seemed to decided her other items, like her book, were ruined and ended up in the trash. He followed her over to it, and saw her nod her head. Obviously that was his sign that he could walk her home.

He wondered what he would have down should she have said no. The thought hadn't even crossed his mind. He assumed she would let him, and hadn't spared one thought on the other alternate choice. Was it over confidence or was he simply aware of her odd mixture of emotions that implied their deeper connection and therefore wouldn't possible be able to say no to him.

The way she looked at him was by far different then how others looked at him. She seemed to admire, while other observed his every move like some interesting science experiment waiting to explode or make some kind of mistake. It was a nice change of pace, though it almost made him embarrassed. God, sense when did he ever feel embarrassment of any kind? Something must be wrong with him.

His hand moved to her back as they walked, touching, but not touching, but wanting to oh so badly. She was special, and he wasn't about to treat her like some one night easy fuck, and move on. No, he doubted he would even go into her place, even if she asked. At least that's what he kept telling himself as they finally got to the street. Shaden hardly paid attention to street signs. He crossed the street even if it was red. If a car hit him, oh well, its not like it was going to hurt him. Its like hitting a deer. The deer normally does more damage to the car then you do to the animal. The only difference in this case is that this creature had a tendency to bite.

He had already lowered his hand, to remove himself from temptation, when she suddenly grabbed it, and led him up the stairs. Being out of the rain almost felt weird, having been in it for a short while. Shaden had always rather liked the rain, even as a mortal if he remembered right.

He smiled as she started her search for keys, and then watched her pause, and turn to look at him. She didn't say anything and neither did he. Part of him already knew what she was trying to deice in her head before she even asked the question he had already determent to decline. But when she finally did ask, there was no hesitation as he nodded, and smiled. Smiled because she seemed so nervous about it. Like she wasn't really sure what to say or if that was the right thing to do. As if she was completely knew to this type of thing. And Hell, maybe she was. It didn't matter to Shaden, it only made her more attractive and adorable. "I mean...your all wet, and it is still raining." His lips twitched as he fought back a laugh. Yes, how absolutely adorable and sexy she was. So different then many other women he'd met.

She finally had the door open, and she was started to walked through, and when he was pulled in too by single digit, and it brought him close to her as they walked through the door. It was like she really hadn't given him a choice. He would have ended up going in even if he had said no to her offer. He was liking her more and more with each second.

[*♥ Helena Kyle ♥]

A puddle had started, getting slightly bigger by the drop as they stood in the elevator. She felt so awkward the entire time, not to mention, she had left the blanket in the trash just outside the building, and was completely drenched from head to toe. Shaden wasn't doing too good either, but it was a good look on him. She enjoyed it immensely. She cleared her throat as the doors opened, stepping out onto the wooden floors and pausing half way in the hall, lifting feet to pull off heels before she slipped and made a complete ass of herself, or made too much clompity clomp in the halls.

"It's just there." She pointed out as she slipped off the other shoe, standing up straight and moving over toward the second door on the floor.

The flats in New York, or, apartments and lofts as they called it, had been surprisingly large, but definitely a bit too close to the neighbors than she had been used to. These had been side by side and stacked, whereas her flat in London had been on top by top. It was rather lovely, but it wasn't the same as the poshness she had been used to.

"Don't mind the place....It's been a while since I've actually been able to relax here." The place wasn't a mess. There was no dust, but she knew that certain elements of living in had been lacking.

There were things in the fridge for fronting purposes. If she did have a guest that was of importance, she could fake it to make it. Linens were clean, crisp and fresh, ready to be used. The bathroom was spotless, shiny with it's stone and chrome elements. The only thing wrong now was there was water being tracked through the house.

Off down in the hallway by the kitchen that sat off to the right, Helena fished out a few towels, moving back as she held onto one tightly. Moving it over her hair before she looked him over. Helena tossed him the towel. "There aren't any clothes here that would fit you, but If you want to jump in the shower or something I can have your clothes dry at least."

She gave a quirky little smirk of the mouth, letting the towel fold around her neck. A small little sigh lifting from lips. "I'm just going to change out of these." She pointed to the bathroom, she had her own of course which was where the door had led. "Bathrooms just there.....you can drop the wets there and I can dry them for you."

She took a couple steps back, curious as to what he was thinking. How a mess the two of them had been. How funny it felt to have a man standing in her apartment, a vampire no less. "My room's down the hall and connects to the bathroom. Plenty of towels...just....make yourself at home." She gave a blush with an awkward smile, turning with a pause and then off down to her room, closing the door, slipping free from that wet dress and underwear. Her shoes were tossed off to the corner on top of a towel, she could wear one of her robes while she waited. If she had to wait. If not she was going to enjoy a hot one before changing to bed.