Revenge

Yolie:
I wake up like every day, suffocated and sticky. Thank God the cold sweat crises have disappeared but I'm afraid that having dengue has destroyed my thermostat. Nowz I feel like a menopausal woman, suffering from hot flashes that lead me to take showers five to six times a day.
I go through my days sweating and melting like ice cream in the sun. Alex protests that I've lost too much weight, that I look bony, that I must reinforce my diet. He's behaving like he's psychotic. My eternal enemy, miss body weight scale informed me without a pinch of mercy that I have gained four kilos in the last month. On the other hand, I don't doubt that Don ex Hegemon is fattening me with the intention of sticking his fangs into me.
I get in the shower and wash my hair. I love the caramel scented shampoo they have here. I wonder if I could ask Yulia for Kira’s phone number, I would like to have a little chat with her on my next day off.
Coming out of under the shower, I keep a towel rolled over my head and another one covering me. I've seen some bathrobes somewhere, but they were too small. I huff. Rescuing my glasses from bathroom's sink, I put them on and head out into my bedroom.
Oh no.
Alex is inside my room, again. I grind my teeth together.
—May I know what Your August Majesty wants? - I ask, acidly.
— I have come to take my revenge. - He shoots, widening his eyes slowly and leaning his head on his right shoulder.
Those are gestures he makes very frequently.
—To take your revenge on what? - I ask, instantly prickled.
—I see you've already forgotten. - He shakes his head in bemusement. - You left me in agony one night not long ago...
I search my memory and bite my thumbnail nervously. He means that night, he got turned on after our discussion about the clothes in the closet.
—I remember, you promised you’d take revenge. - I whisper.
He smirks.
—What have you done now?
—Mhm, come and see. - He says pointing to the closet.
Oh no. No, no, no. What has he done to my innocent and defenseless clothes?
I snap the closet open. My things are gone. They've been replaced by a kind Greco-Roman styled togas, they're made of multicolored and TRANSPARENT silks. They look like something out of a historical television production. I check the drawers, my practical granny panties are gone too. Luckily he hasn't dared messing with my only shoes.
—Where are my things?! - I roar.
—I have sent them to a shelter for homeless women in Athens. Your... defense of the poor has inspired me and I wholeheartedly wish to correct my thinking and my behavior towards those most in need. - He smiles widely, placing a fist against his chest, right over where his heart beat should be.
—I'm not going to walk around the Villa wearing those, those ... rags!
—Oh. Well, if you prefer to walk around my Villa completely naked, I am not against it.
— What about the servants? What will they say when they see me disguised as a slut? - I screech.
Alex bites his lower lip, sending me a flirtatious look.
—What I would give, to see you quite slutty and without disguise.
He approaches me and I fear the worst, with the tip of his tongue he licks one of the lenses of my glasses and I huff.
What?!
I fight against a huge and irrational desire to kick HIM.
—A disguise? You think I wear glasses as if they were some kind of disguise?! -I growl. - I'm nearsighted Alex, without them I'm unable to see things that are far away.
—Exactly. You do not need them to see me since you have me... Very, very close. You put them on as if they were a kind of armor, as if you could hide behind them.- He smiles.-and that’s being silly, precious.

000
I have no courage to continue reading the Grimoire. For a moment as Yoleandra described her sentence and how she "died" by hanging I felt as if the rope was tight around my neck, even worse, afterwards I saw myself painfully crawling out of a grave.
I think I finally know what Alex wants to find in the book, the recipe for the aforementioned Aqua Vitae.
I looked up "Aqua Vitae" on Wikipedia and read:
'' In alchemy:
Aqua vitae was supposed to be a leachate of the solid compound resulting from the Great Work, which was the philosopher's stone or stone of transmutation. This aqua vitae was attributed - to profane imagery - the property of transmuting "lead man" into "gold philosophical man", and thus was recognized as the elixir of eternal youth. ''
Mhm, the only detail that doesn't add up is that Alex already has eternal life. Maybe he wants the recipe to give someone else immortality? But... couldn't he just turn that person into a vampire?
I don't even know what to think.

Alex:
The pesky witch refuses to wear the robes I have brought her. I have given Yulia and the other servants a week off so that Yolie can get used to wearing the revealing outfits.
I've been a fool.
She has remained firm in her refusal and has wrapped herself in whatever sheets or duvets she has had on hand. She’s infuriating. She never does what I order or expect. And that precisely makes her so attractive. She is unpredictable and inventive. My mouth waters at the thought of the multiple things that could occur to her in bed if she was not so stubborn and wilful, she remains firm in her decision to stay away. Lately she's allowed me to touch her a bit, even though she resists my most intimate kisses and caresses.
She is close, very close, the air in the village is changed. Even Patrick feels the vibrant energy building up around us.
I wonder… if all the sheets, towels, tablecloths and anything else she could use for cover herself should be mysteriosly gone... would she dare to walk around naked or would she wear her ceremonial robes then?

Yolie:
GRRRRR.
Alex has done away with all the things I could use to cover myself and get out of my room somewhat decently. Even the towels are gone! Luckily I'm a resourceful woman. I have taken my five pairs of bras and cut them with scissors and have stitched the pads of them to five of the offensive togas. Alex hasn't removed the curtains because they are too thick and heavy for me to try to use them as I did with the bed sheets, but that won't save them from the scissors!
I cut the pieces that seemed appropriate to me and also stitched them to the togas so that they covered my... ah... intimate lower parts.
Finished my work I go down to breakfast, opening the refrigerator door and looking for bread, butter, orange juice, taking out a piece of pudding, some popcorn, cheese, ham and a cucumber. I put the popcorn in the microwave, set the timer, and hit the button.
Patrick materializes next to me, clicking his tongue.
—You are really clever, Miss. You have managed to disobey each and every one of my lord's orders, in a very ingenious way, I might add.
Miss? I frown back at him. Since when is Patrick so respectful towards me?
The microwave beeps and I pull out the popcorn package. I put everything else and a knife on a tray and head into the living room. Once there I sit on the floor and start eating my snack. If they saw me they would think I haven't eaten in a whole month!
—Patrick informed me that ... you've finally leaved your room. - Alex whispers behind me.
I had turned on the TV and changed channels several times until I found a channel in English, at least. Right now they are broadcasting a pretty loud action movie. I pretend I didn't hear Alex say a peep and chew the popcorn as loudly as I can.
In three seconds he takes the control which rested next to me on the couch and turns off the TV.
—I said...
—I heard you the first time. - I cut him off, putting the package of popcorn on the sofa and standing up.
Alex's eyes sweep me up and down, very, very slowly.
—What have you done to that toga? - He murmurs.
—I've modified it. - I answer haughtily. Proud of my textile work.
He makes a face, not in disgust but in admiration.
—Not bad, not bad at all… I must admit it. You have hidden abilities, precious. Your whole body is visible except for your most delicious parts. Is this an invitation to take off what you are wearing with my teeth? - He growls.-By Zeus, say it is!
—No! - I squeal in alarm, crossing my arms over my chest.
—Well...I had to try.
—Alex, I need appropriate clothes. I can't go to town on Sunday wearing these ... - I pinch the silk fibers between my fingers. - ... things.
—We'll cross that bridge when we get to it.
I huff.
—Where is your necklace? - He asks sharply, alarmed.
—I've left it upstairs, in my room, inside its chest. Why?
—You must be careful with it. It isn't a mere trinket, precious. – said, reminding me of the obvious.
I ponder if I should reveal the discoveries I made while reading the Grimoire but I bite my tongue. Discussing the topic of the Aqua Vitae could be quite dangerous.
—Won't you read today?
—Are you giving me an inquisition, Alex?
—No. I just wanted to know your plans.
—I plan wandering without difficulty throughout the entire Villa and getting used to carrying this thing on me. Wasn’t that what you wanted?
— Or you could stay the whole day in here, lying on the couch or on the floor watching movies or something like that. Patrick will bring you food. - He smiles.
— I'm not handicapped, much less lame. The kitchen isn’t at the other end of the world. I'm not going to force Patrick to behave as my slave. He's your servant Alex, not mine.
He squints at me, running his left hand through his hair and pursing his lips in frustration.
-—Alex, can vampires have headaches? - I blurt out.
—No. At least not me. Why do you ask?
— Due to a gesture you made the other day.
His mouth left corner rises.
—My gestures are from when I was alive. I have kept them because they are unconscious acts. Don't trust them too much.
— Can I ask you something else?
—Go ahead.
—Are you ... or were you left-handed? I've seen that you favor the use of that hand.
— I'm actually ambidextrous, but while I was alive, yes, I used my left hand predominantly.
We are silent for a moment he send cheeky glances in my direction and I glance at him sideways.
—Sir. - Patrick is standing at the door. - A phone call from France, it’s Mrs. Marié Capeto.
I raise an eyebrow, looking at Alex with a smug and petulant expression. Alex scowls at Patrick, closing his eyes into slits and clenching his hands into fists.
Patrick lowers his head, visibly contrite.
—Forgive me sir, miss ... - he begs looking at Alex and then at me. - I did not know I was interrupting an important conversation.
I wrinkle my brow. Important? Is it important that I ask questions about what vampires are like or details about him and his previous life?
—Go ahead, Alex. Your ... friend must be getting bored on the phone.
—She has all the time in the world. Five more minutes won't kill her. Patrick, tell her I'll be with her right away.
—Sir. - Patrick bows and leaves.
Alex looks at me with an amused glare, pressing his lips together to keep from smiling.
—Don't think what is not, precious. I don't want any more misunderstandings between us. Marié is has not been my lover since centuries ago. She's the dressmaker who designed those... rags, as you call them, at my request.
—Then why is she calling you?
—Because she is one of the twelve members of my coven. She must have some problem. I am the Mégas, therefore it is my obligation to attend to her... concerns.
I give him a puzzled look.
—I'll explain it later, now I must go. - he takes one of my hands between his and kisses my knuckles, slowly.- See you at dinner, Mhm?

000

I have followed Alex's advice, spending the entire day laying on the couch, pretending to watch movie after movie. Something is going on here. It never crossed my mind that that Marié person was one of his many former lovers. I thought she could be his secretary or something. After all, Mr. Megalomaniac owns at least five companies, one of which is based in France, I know this because the other day I entertained myself doing Google searches on him, yeh I’ve crossed to the dark side, I’ve become a cyber- stocker. Also, Patrick called the other woman "Mrs. Marié Capeto", that in these countries implies that she is married, I think. Until a few days ago Alex was able to know exactly what I was thinking, something had to have happened for that to change. Was it due to the strange fainting spell and subsequent glimpse into the past that I experienced? I have no idea. I go upstairs to bathe and change before dinner. This toga is strangely refreshing. Since I have put it on, I haven't suffered a single one of those suffocation attacks.
Humph, Alex knows more than one thing about me that I don’t, apparently.