Mins had installed a pottery business in the basement of the block of flats, making bowls, vases and any kind of ceramic. And he was good. The girl watched him as he was taking a small body of clay, rushing his long, strong fingers through it and giving the shape he wanted the clay to have, decorating the moving wet clay either by drawing shapes with tiny sticks, or using rope, pressing it softly to the surface.

“How do you do that?” Nicole asked amazed when Mins placed the last tray of ceramics into the kiln.

“There are many techniques; from the seas of Aegean and Africa to America and Asia, all civilizations have their ways to make pottery.” He answered coolly and clapped his hands, trying to clean the clay.

“And you know all of them?”

“Baby, you would be amazed at how many things I know.” He responded with a smirk and brought his face closer to hers making Nicole feel goosebumps all over her body.

She didn’t realize that her cheeks were in flames until Mins rushed his fingers on them, making her face being painted with the clay in his hands. She gasped with detest and the vampire shook his shoulders, unable to understand women.

Mins hadn’t brought Nicole in this deserted place just for feeding on her; she found out, in the hard way that she had to work too on pottery if she wanted at least earn her living, since her vampire suitor wasn’t in need of human food.

With clothes Mins had brought for her, which were rags in front of the expensive firms Nicole always bought, the girl was slowly taught how to mold the soft clay, spinning it around the potter’s wheel, having her white soft fingers completely covered with the bright color of brown.

She would usually complain how hard it was to clean herself after work, but Mins was ignoring her outburst, by making Nicole work more.

“Slave boss!”

“Chicken”

“Idiot!”

“Free loader”

“…Leech!”

Mins burst into laughter, as he gave more speed with his foot, on the potter’s wheel and Nicole found herself, enjoying the sound of his smile. They would tease each other while working and sometimes when Mins would have sold most of his pottery, he would buy food and some clothes for Nicole. Despite her prideful nature and detest for her poor living Nicole had started to like pottery.

Usually at night, when she would fall asleep, she could listen to Mins humming melodies of the past. But when it was coming to feeding on her, Nicole wasn’t too willing to cooperate.

“Don’t make me pin you down!”

“Try me! I have a black belt in Tae know do!”

“I have belts to handcuff you down to bed if I want! Tell me when you are ready for that!” Mins would toy with her and tease her anger but Nicole would blush and retreat, allowing Mins to feed on her.

Her world had changed; soon she had lost the sense of time as she was trapped in here, unable to leave, since her vampire had made sure of blocking her way.

The time came for Mins to sell his work. Nicole knew that he would usually go out at night, where he was feeling stronger but this time he insisted on her delivering the package to the customer herself.

“What if I decide to escape?” she had mocked him with a victorious grin.

“Then I would hunt you down and bring you back. After that, we could choose how we can enjoy our stay in here!” Mins had threatened her with a grim face as he gave her the parcel.

Nicole knew that it contained both his and her work. He had given her the address of the customer and when night fell, Mins led her through the tunnels, which were connecting the old block of flats with the rest of the city, back to the living center.

The girl had almost forgotten how it felt to live into the day, with all the sounds and people. She almost gasped when she saw her reflection on one of the shop windows; her ragged clothes and her hands, painted with clay, her messed blond hair was falling freely on her chest, covering her healing fang marks.

She looked like a beggar but Mins didn’t bother walking dressed in the same attire.

Of course; even with trash on him, he would look like a god. Nicole thought as she continued walking behind him, having her head down, afraid of meeting anyone familiar in the crowded streets.

“Here we are.” Mins showed her the shiny, made of the glass building and Nicole lost her words.

The sign was showing “Rubens Inc.” with the same steel made and decorated with glass letters. People were coming and going through the doors but Nicole was more concerned of the one she would have to meet.

Thrushbeard.

“Mins I can’t do it.” She spoke with fear and the vampire turned to her.

“Yes, you can. Just walk inside and say you came to do the delivery. The reception will know.”

“Why don’t you go? Please?”

“I have to make five new potteries for the next customers. I only escorted you here just to show the way.”

He pushed her gently to walk and he started to walk back.

“Mins please!” she shouted and he turned.

The hood, which covered mostly his red eyes, was lifted a little and Mins walked closer to her. He cupped her face and kissed her; their lips parted and joined together sharing their emotions and Nicole couldn’t find better comfort than the vampire’s cold breath and touch.

“You can do it.” He whispered to her mouth and disappeared from her sight, hiding in the shadows of the buildings.

Nicole gathered her courage and walked towards the building, entering through the auto opening glass doors. She was overwhelmed by the way everyone was so neatly dressed and she couldn’t help but notice the glares towards her direction.

“Excuse me.”

The receptionist eyed her and her lips formed a hard line. Did she look that bad?

“I have come here for an order from pottery.”

“Yes, we have been expecting…you.” She stretched the word and took her eyes away from Nicole.

I must look like a beggar, definitely.

“Please take the elevator at the end of the corridor and press the button of the last floor. You will be taken to the office.”

“I…I have to go? To Thr…I mean Mr. Rubens’s office?”

“Of course you have. It’s the same way as always.”

Now the receptionist was looking at her with suspicion. Nicole took a deep breath and headed to the elevator. She got in and pressed the button, holding the parcel on her one arm.

Shame had filled her; not only she had put aside her pride and walked into the office of the very one she had spoken with such rudeness; she was also dressed like a beggar. Nicole couldn’t feel more ashamed.

On the 30th floor, the elevator stopped and a group of five women, dressed like they were heading to a party, entered without pressing another button; they were heading to the same floor as Nicole. They looked at her as if she was an alien and with eyes filled with disgust, they gathered to the one side, looking at her.

“What is she doing here?” one of them spoke.

“Who does she think she is?” another commented.

Nicole knew these words; she used to speak like that too and anger made her scold herself for being such a person.

When the elevator reached the top, the door opened and the women stormed out. Nicole got out last but she noticed that there was a party ongoing at the wide room in front of her. People were dancing and catering men and women were serving drinks.

Nicole didn’t expect to see this but she wanted to get over with this and soon. She missed the quiet of Mins’s home and the beauty of his hands on the clay. She asked for the location of the office and one of the serving men showed her a room across the dancing people.

She tried to pass the crowd, careful with her parcel on hands but soon she was circled by the same group of women, the ones from the elevator.

“What do we have here?”

“A beggar?”

“What is she carrying?”

They took the parcel from Nicole’s hands and dropped it to the floor, crashing the pottery in it.

“NO!” Nicole screamed and got ready to punch them but she remembered her position.

She couldn’t bring trouble for Mins, but she had failed him.

“Sorry!” the women sang with fake voices laughing at her, making the people around her laugh at Nicole too.

Nicole stormed away from the dancing floor, running away from them and the haunting image of her past self. She found the veranda doors open and got out, looking at the magnificent view below her.

“What will I do now?” Nicole whimpered and cried, having her hands on her tearing eyes.

“What happened to you?”

The voice made Nicole snap; she knew that melody of voice. She had heard it before. Slowly, she turned around and met the standing man before her.

Dressed in the same black suit he was the day she had met him, Peter Rubens was standing before her. But the face was…

“Mins? You are…”

“May I say ‘surprise!’ now?” Mins came close to her smiling.

“You tricked me?” she was both angry and amazed.

“I had to shave a beard I was growing the past two centuries, you know! But” he came closer and held her waist “it was worth it.”

He brushed her blond her with his hands, which still brought the scent of clay and Nicole smiled.

“That was a lesson for me wasn’t it?”

“You deserved it, Nicole.” Peter Rubens spoke and kissed her cheek.

She brought his lips closer to hers kissing each other with the same affection they had, just before the truth was revealed.

“Thank you, Peter.” She whispered to him and the vampire smirked.

“Shall we go back?”

She nodded and he took her hand in his kissing it softly. Nicole smiled and they both stormed into the night, as Peter jumped from the skyscraper, with Nicole in his arms.

“You should grow your beard back Peter!” Nicole shouted with bliss.

“You are kidding me right?” Peter answered back as the night covered their traces.

“Maybe if you take me with you to eternity I will be able to see you Thrushbeard!”

Peter kissed her hard and they both melted into the dim light of the moon above them.

And so they lived bloody ever after.