~~Antoinette~~
"Do not lie to me, Begotten. I can see your thoughts."
"No you can't." Sándor did not so much as blink as he looked at her, and then back down at his electric guitar.
The two of them sat together in her Elysium Tower, in one of its many deep, large rooms. This one was a carefully balanced room with acoustic panels in strategic locations, to ensure whoever played their instrument within its center, would experience only the most perfect balance of sounds. The appropriate amount of time smearing and echo, minimal but existent. No standing waves. No loose bass to bury their instruments and hide their depth.
But other than the various, and sometimes intricate arrays of white panels along the black walls and ceiling, with especially thick panels within the room's corners, it was an empty room. Large enough for plenty more than Antoinette and Sándor, but small enough that such a small arrangement felt natural. She had been tempted to invite Maria, but ultimately, she was happier to have not. The two of them would never get along, and she wanted to speak with Sándor alone.
"Nonsense. I can see it in the way you move. I can see it in your eyes."
Sándor effortlessly played a scale along his guitar's neck, and the tiniest smile appeared, only to vanish. The man did not like showing his emotions, but he had them. It would be an interesting challenge discovering them, a challenge that likely intrigued Beatrice to no end.
"Fine. It's going well."
"I would imagine so, for it to garner such massive reactions from you." She grinned at him as she mirrored his scale. Alas, the cello was not designed for such quick notes. She did well, and Sándor watched with a pleased, if subtle expression.
"It's going very well," he said at last.
"That is good. Beatrice, and even that little minx Jennifer deserve some happiness. As do you, whether you believe it or not."
He nodded slowly as he looked back down at his guitar, and quickly tested another scale.
"I believe it."
"Oh?"
"I do." He nodded again, and played the scale faster.
She eyed him as he continued to warm up. Any other man would have explained what he meant, but Sándor was content to let his words stand. He knew that she knew he referred to the night of Jacob's death, and the advice the dead souls had given many. A powerful night for all present, and perhaps Sándor most of all.
Antoinette mirrored the scale.
"I can only imagine the sex has been quite the adventure for a man such as yourself. Two women at once, with appetites as large as theirs? Jennifer is a buxom, beautiful woman. And of course, Beatrice and her rather... large derrière."
He missed a note, paused, and resumed playing the scale again, faster.
"You're shameless."
"Of course."
He closed his eyes for a moment, as if rolling them would have been too great an emotion.
"The sex has been great, and they're both gorgeous. And, they're both wonderful."
"That they are." She offered the man her most warm, inviting smile, and scanned his expression as he peeked up at her from under his stern eyebrows still aimed at his guitar. A confirmation. The two women had indeed satisfied some of his fantasies, helped settle his nerves, and perhaps, even opened him up to new experiences he had not considered.
Antoinette was tempted to tease him about it. A threesome was hardly a step above vanilla, and neither was anal sex, two forms of sexual activity that had been practiced by many cultures for thousands of years. But she could not tell how sensitive the man would be to teasing. Some quiet men were quiet because they were fearful, with sensitive egos. She doubted that applied to him, but still, no reason to poke the bear and taint his newfound pleasures.
But that did not mean she could not indulge the conversation and satisfy her curiosity, either.
"And the gargoyle?"
He lifted a brow as he looked up. "What about it?"
"Forgive me for asking, but it gave me the impression it was capable of sex, when I saw it. Am I wrong?"
He looked back down at his guitar. Hiding his facial expression then. Embarrassed? Unsure of himself? She could not tell, not yet.
"Not wrong."
The small inflection was enough to tell her much. He had had sex with the girls while transformed, and it had been good. And considering who he was now dating, the girls had likely been the ones to suggest the idea.
Antoinette tapped her chin with a finger, before again setting her bow to the strings of her grand instrument. She paused, opened her mouth, and closed it, before again playing a scale.
"You want to say something," he said. He had not looked her way.
She smiled. "You know I am interested in sexuality in many ways. Academically and artistically."
"I do." He tuned one of his strings.
"It appears you have indulged Beatrice and Jennifer in what has likely been some of their greatest sexual fantasies. I would be in your debt to learn of the details."
"Details..."
She grinned as she looked back to her cello, and again played the scale he did. The cello would never be as fast an instrument as the guitar, but a few centuries of practice helped mitigate the issue.
"Details. Such a fantasy is so tantalizing, so delicious, I am afraid I must ask for the particulars."
"I'm not sure I get... why my sex life would be so interesting to you."
She laughed and shook her head. Sándor was an ancient, wise man, but the ways of a woman's mind were, perhaps, still a mystery to him.
"The idea of a beast, gargantuan, deadly and dangerous, powerful and beyond intimidating, even terrifying, and yet strangely handsome and oddly masculine? And, dare I say it, perhaps a touch tortured, morose, and longing for companionship? That, is a romantic fantasy given life, Sándor. Have you not spoken with Jessy? Or rather, has she not bombarded you with tales of what it is like to be pinned and thoroughly ravaged by Eric when he is transformed? To be filled to bursting by hot flesh, claws wrapped around her throat, while a hungry beast glares down at her with an aching need to wholly possess and own her? She craves such a fantasy."
"I..." He gulped. Finally, she had managed to dent his armor.
"Have you not seen Disney's Beauty and the Beast?"
"I... have."
"Then be aware that many, many women, found the idea of Beast in said movie, to be utterly carnal."
"Because he transf--"
"No, not because he transformed into a man at the end. I mean, as the Beast, Sándor. A deadly, terrifying, massive, strangely handsome monster. To be held down and ravaged by such a creature? Many young girls -- and boys -- had their sexual awakenings watching that film."
He frowned slightly. "You might ruin that movie for anyone listening."
"Then be glad it is only you that listens." Chuckling, she played her scale again, faster, faster than a song would require, until she felt comfortable her Kindred half would not interfere with her muscle memory tonight. "There is no need to feel self conscious. Women everywhere would love to taste such a fantasy, not just Beatrice and Jennifer. And as you and I become better friends, I hope you will share with me the details of such an indulgence. I envy those girls."
He eyed her, a little suspicion in his gaze.
"You never--"
"Alas, never. Looking back, I can see I was too absorbed in my own growth of power to ever dare risk a sexual encounter with a deadly creature, such as a werewolf or monster. Now, I am centuries old. There are few creatures on this planet I could not fight face to face. The delight in being helpless and at the mercy of a colossal creature about to force his massive length into my dripping, boiling insides? I will never experience such a treat. And while I adore my life with Jack, and our sexual dynamic, a wandering mind cannot help but peek over the fence to examine the grass elsewhere."
The man said nothing for a while, watching her, looking for the joke in her words. There was none. She was serious, and she made sure he knew it as she held her smile.
"You're a strange person, Antoinette."
"Do not be ridiculous, Sándor. No one can live as long as us and not become a touch bizarre."
"Touché."
