Present (Marina)

[Trenton Dante Moore]

Trenton couldn't believe he had actually done this. This was not him. But he knew how much Marina had cherished her pets before Reginald had killed them all. It was because of that he had found himself at a pet store, looking over animals to see what would be a good companion for the girl. It had taken him quite a while, but he had finally found a small cream-colored Siamese cat with a brown face and brown paws who had surprisingly taken a shine to him. He had picked it up gently and caressed it as its blue eyes peered at him It had been perfect: gentle, not too noisy, though it let out a couple of mews, and was apparently friendly. Satisfied, he had paid for it and then left the store.

The vampire stared at the kitten who was inspecting the apartment critically.
"Well, cat, this is your new home. I do hope Marina will like you," he commented. Just then, the door opened and Trent turned around expectantly.

[Marina Anne Sinclaire]

Mari had made it over to Trenton's home trepidatiously. not because she feared Trent but she had a fear of cars now. She kept expecting her driver to get shot and see his brain matter all over her clothes. Luckily that didn't happen and here she was in her burgandy dress, boots and cape coat. After a brief knock she opened the door, "Trenton?" she said softly as she looked at him with her wide brown eyes.

She peered around and tried to get her bearings feeling shy and awkward a bit because she was uncertain what Trenton's reaction to what her father had done to her would be. She braced herself inwardly not knowing and then saw the kitten, "I didn't know you had a cat." she said honestly as she looked up at him.

She felt like she had let him down in some way and she didn't know how to fix it. She cared about him but she knew she wasn't stable enough to get too deep into a relationship with anyone. She was broken and knew it. She sighed and brushed her hair out of her eyes, her short locks tickling her neck as they tended to curl more now that the weight wasn't pulling it straight. She was lucky in a way, she had people around her and maybe just maybe with help and patience she'd come out alright on the other side.

[Trenton Dante Moore]

As Marina walked in, Trenton could see the tenseness in her gait. Along with that, she appeared to be nervous, probably worried about his reaction to what had happened. Trenton didn't have a lot of experience dealing with something like this, but he had a pretty good idea that you probably weren't supposed to crowd the person or make them feel uncomfortable, so he ignored his urge to rush to Marina and wrap her in a hug.

When she commented that she didn't know that he had a cat, he smiled at her.
"Technically Bella, I still do not. I did not purchase the animal for myself, but for you," he told her. I hope she likes it and does not think me presumptious in being it, he thought. She had been so shaken by Reginald's actions and he merely wanted to ease her discomfort a bit, though he knew that this by no means would make everything all better. He fell silent and waited for her response.

[Marina Anne Sinclaire]

She looked at the kitten a moment and then back at him, smiling at him as tears sprang to her eyes, "I love it. He's wonderful." she said softly as she beamed at Trent, "I was afraid you'd be mad at me..." she let the phrase trail off as the kitten bumped up against her.

"Thank you, Trent. No ones ever done anything so nice for me before." she said as she looked conflicted on what she would do. Finally she went over and hugged him, shaking softly in his arms as she did so. Taking what comfort she could as she closed her eyes.

She needed to stop being afraid and stop being paranoid. Trent hadn't hurt her and he wouldn't. There was no reason to think he would do anything, after all he had just given her a cat. She heard a small voice in her head reminding her of other times she'd been burned and she told it to shut up. THIS time would be different. This time she'd not let fear control her.

Resting her head on his shoulder she exhaled gently. She didn't want to worry any more and just wanted to be accepted. When she went outside she felt like a pariah now and she hated it. It was so hard to keep things inside and not burst into tears when she got asked some off color question about her dad.

[Trenton Dante Moore]

Trenton waited anxiously for Marina's response. When the tears first started, he thought he had made a mistake but then she told him that she loved the kitten and that it was wonderful.
"I am glad you like it," he stated. When she admitted that she was afraid that she was afraid that he would be mad at her, Trenton shook his head.
"Bella, what happened was not your fault. Reginald was to blame. Not you. I am just sorry I was not there to protect you," he replied.

Trenton smiled when the kitten nudged Marina. The woman thanked him and then went over to him and hugged him. Feeling her shake, Trenton wrapped his arms around her.
"Bella, I will always be here for you. I promise you that," he whispered soothingly.

[Marina Anne Sinclaire]

She hugged him and closed her eyes as she shook a bit more, "N-no one expected what happened. I mean I didn't think he would do that." she shivered a bit more and tried to focus on the here and now and not what happened back then. "I tried to do what people wanted.I was going to class and..." she trailed off as she exhaled. No one had asked her how she felt not in a way that she could feel safe articulating but this was Trent and for all his flaws and they were many to be sure, she found herself telling him things and showing him parts of herself because he was calm and familiar.

"I'm s-sorry I'm crying all over you its just I can't sleep and I'm supposed to be this strong person and I never was really but people don't believe me. They keep thinking I'm something I'm not." she said softly before she took a breath and hugged him tightly, "I know and I don't know why. B-because y-you don't have to be." she said softly, "I'm sorry I make it hard on you. I shouldn't have been rude to you like I was."

[Trenton Dante Moore]

Trenton held Marina as she trembled. He knew she was right when she stated that no one had expected Reginald to succumb to his desires, but it still angered him that he had let his guard down so easily. When she stammered that she had tried to do what was expected of her, he gently tightened his grip.
"You need to start doing what you desire. Not what others expect," he told her.

He then shook his head when she apologized for crying all over him.
"You do not need to apologize for this. I would be worried if you did not cry," he responded. And it was true. She had been through a horrible ordeal, and if she had reacted in any other way, he would have been concerned. "You have an inner strength that most people do not see," he reminded in response to her statement that people expected her to be strong.

When she mentioned being rude to him, he smirked.
"No, no. I was rash in flaunting what I was doing," he admitted. But that didn't mean he wanted her to yell at him again. Trenton could sense that she was still upset and frowned. He had to get her out of this funk. Well, there was one way he could do that. Making a decision, the vampire bent down and gently sank his fangs into his mark on Marina's neck.

[Marina Anne Sinclaire]

"Well, I am sort of doing what I want. Just slowly because it takes some time to put together." she admits as she started talking and thinking a little bit more. "I guess you're right." she shuddered as the tears started to ease a little bit, "I just...its a lot to process and I'm still trying to work it out in my head. Knowing something and seeing something are two different things." she admitted as she sighed, "Its just hard reconciling it..."

Then she felt his fangs sink in and she cried out in pleasure as her body arched against him hard with the bliss she was feeling. She trembled with the force of it and her knees buckled as she moaned, her head bowed as he found that she had no ability to focus on standing upright as she clung to him and purred with arousal. Confused as to what she should be doing. "Trent..." she murmured close to his ear as she forgot about the cat for the moment.

It felt good. Really good. And she hadn't felt that in a very long time. That was what made it so hard. She'd spent so long being dragged through the mud that she got the least little bit of attention and it blew her mind. Logic was leaving the building and she did her best not to pass out along with it.

[Trenton Dante Moore]

As Marina buckled, Trenton quickly went to catch her and hold her up. He grinned as she pressed against him and he went to add a kiss to his bite. The murmur of his name on her lips sent him into overdrive and he slightly sped up his actions, also letting his hands roam a bit.
"Mine," he murmured. And it was true. She was his, no one else's. He would not stand for it. No one was supposed to have touched her. And he was going to make sure no one ever did again....

[Marina Anne Sinclaire]

She shivered at the feel of a kiss on top of his bite and she felt another surge of endorphines hit her, she tried to find up from down but with him catching her she didn't even need to stand if she couldn't, and honestly her legs were like jelly right now. Even with her leg braces she just couldn't get her motor functions to work right. She felt his hands roam a bit and she shifted slightly trying to keep balanced with what he was doing as she picked up on his possessiveness. She lifted her eyes to him when she felt his breath on her neck, and tried to gather some coherancy, "Hmm?" she said puzzled, confusion in her eyes as she tried to understand what she was picking up from him amidst the bliss, "What?" she got out as she tried to focus on his words. He was speaking and she needed to hear what he said.

She had no desire to run off with anyone right now. Given what she had been through it honestly was the last thing on her mind. Sure she had toyed with the idea of leaving L.A. but that was alone and she knew folks would know where she was.

[Trenton Dante Moore]

Trenton barely heard Marina as she made some confused noises. Now that he had her feeling good, his vampiric nature was taking over. He went to take a gulp of her blood, barely remembering to monitor how much he took. Her blood had always been exquisite, but now that she had new powers, it was intoxicating. He needed---wanted---more. And he wanted to leave his mark on her---show everyone that she was his.
"Mine," he said again, a growl creeping into his voice. Thoughts of what Reginald had done to her invaded his mind and he once more went to press against his mark with a kiss. There was no way he was going to let anyone else's scent stay on her. She was his...all his....

[Marina Anne Sinclaire]

She felt his fangs sink in again and she gasped as she felt her blood rushing out of her and into him as she felt another rush of ecstasy wash over her. Panting slightly she sensed his mind turning towards wanting more and she shifted slightly when he retracted his fangs and looked into his eyes, seeing the darkness there and touching his cheek lightly as she tried to soothe him.

She could sense his adjitation and locked eyes with him, "Trent." she said as she tried to let him know she had no intentions of running off with anyone. She couldn't even think of who she'd run with. Rodney was who knows where and Philip was probably getting his mind and body blown by some cheap wanna be starlet with no talent in NYC. She tried to speak but then he kissed the mark she had from him and she felt her mind lose coherency as she clung to him tightly, locking her body to his as much to keep her balance as from pleasure. "Not going anywhere...." she said softly. Her voice a confused purr as she got out what she'd been trying to say.

[Trenton Dante Moore]

"Not going anywhere," Marina told him with a purr, slight confusion in her voice. Damn straight, he thought to himself, though he still had enough control not to voice it. As he gazed into her eyes, he could feel the blood rush on his features and he knew he had vamped out. Normally, he would've turned away. But now he was beyond caring how he saw her. All he knew was what his instincts were telling him and at this moment, they were screaming for him to take her away and ravish her. Well, far be it for him to deny himself any pleasure...without even thinking twice, he moved towards the door, motioning for her to follow him.

[Marina Anne Sinclaire]

She felt him move away from her, his face still vamped out as he moved towards a door, "Where are you going?" she asked tenatively. Still following but wary as he didn't seem to want to talk. "Trent, are you okay?" she asked him as she moved behind him slowly. Her neck tingled and she felt a bit woozie as she stumbled against him. "Dizzy." she said softly as she looked up at him.

She was beginning to feel the world go in and out of focus. She just wasn't a person who handled being drank from without passing out. She felt her stomach turn and grabbed the door frame before gently sliding to the ground and putting her head between her legs to keep from passing out. "I don't feel so good, Trent." she said weakly as she tried to breathe in and out slowly.

The buzz was wearing off and her brain was starting to be more logical. She could barely keep from passing out right now. Walking anywhere was out of the question. Beads of blood showed on her neck from his bite and she undid her cape to keep it from possibly rubbing against it. Shifting it so it was like a blanket. "Cold." she murmured softly as she looked up at him.

[Trenton Dante Moore]

As Marina asked him where he was going, Trenton could see the confusion on her face.
"Come Bella. You need to get out for a while," he told her. "Yes, I am all right," he assured. Then, she fell against him and stated that she was dizzy. Instantly, he went to put his arms around her, intending to steady her. Damn. I must have taken too much, he realized. "Easy. Steady. Slow breaths," he coached as she put her head between her legs. "I apologize, Bella. I obviously took too much from you," he stated after she stated that she didn't feel good. He watched as she took a cape and wrapped it around herself, complaining of feeling cold. At this, he was instantly at a closet, opened the door, pulled out a jacket, and then was at her side and went to drape it around her shoulders. "This should warm you up," he told her.