Chapter Text
When X first arrived at The Curator Armand’s Island estate, she assumed the silly looking old man that greeted her at the airport was the illustrious Curator but it turned out to be one Daniel Molloy. An award winning writer and internationally acclaimed journalist. When asked what he was doing greeting X on Armand’s behalf, he just smiled and said he was interviewing him for something nondescript and had the free time to make sure she got in safely.
“He wanted to be here but a last minute call from some dignitary came in so he sent me instead.” he smiled in an annoyed type of way. “He still thinks I’m some type of errand boy.”
The word still was an odd choice for a person like Mr. Molloy to use but X tried not to let the thought linger.
What the hell. Art people are weird as fuck anyway.
Armand himself didn't come to greet you until dinner was being served that evening and the doorway he entered through might as well have been a gilded antique frame.
Wow. Who better to work with art than art itself?
He was surprisingly young in appearance, his shining dark hair was in luxurious curls that fell to his shoulders, framing an inhumanly beautiful face that held the brightest saffron eyes X couldn't pull her attention from.
His body was just as distracting, long arms and legs shrouded in simple black but accented by a belt only made noticeable by a gleaming buckle, showing just how trimmed his waist was forcing X’s eyes to watch his hips with each step he took towards her. He wasn't that much taller than her but his energy took up the whole room.
A strong hand took X’s in his and shook it slowly. “If I didn't know better,” his voice was like honeyed bourbon as he kissed the back of her hand. “I would think you were the art piece Gurmier sent asking me to appraise.”
Up close his eyes looked like gold right as it hit its melting point and the heat felt like it was being transferred to X’s cheeks.
It didn't take long for her to realize that Armand was a charming and accommodating man who, while secretive, was extremely attentive.
Almost obsessively so.
As the days turned to weeks, X wanted for nothing and it seemed as though her host was able to read her mind and find out what she needed before she would figure out how to ask. Clothes more fitting for their environment (jeans switched out for pastel colored linen skirts and dresses), hair and skincare needs, her medications, books, all arrived within hours of her simply thinking about them and Armand would just smile and nod if and when the pair crossed paths.
“The dresses suit you much better.”
~~
“Does it usually take this long to move a piece?” X finally asked on the morning of her 3rd week.
“It depends.” Daniel looked up from his breakfast (coffee and several global newspapers) and shrugged. “Some pieces are gone in hours, others take years.”
Years?
X wondered if she had that much time? Well she was still technically working. But who was funding all of this? Was her boss being charged?
“Don't worry yourself with that.”
She had grown used to hearing Armand without seeing him directly. She assumed it was the acoustics of the room and that the man was nearby but choosing to not join them.
“You are safe here with me.
Relax.
Nothing here will harm you.
Enjoy yourself.
I will take care of you.”
At some point X’s inner voice seemed to have morphed into Armand’s and moments like this made things difficult. Was he really there or was it all in her head.
“You said you were working with Armand on something as well.” X tried to bring her focus back to the conversation. “How is that going?”
Molloy chuckled as a staff member refilled his coffee. “I’m still here too remember?”
X nodded solemnly and returned to her own meal.
There was a type of silent solidarity between the two in that respect she assumed, held hostage in a beautiful house miles away from any real problems and nothing to really worry about other than what the next page of their documents might hold.
X could only sigh and continue with her own business affairs.
~~
By that point X had fallen into a rhythm of sorts. Breakfast in the morning with Daniel, lunch alone or on business calls by herself, and dinner with Armand. It provided structure and routine for X to follow so her mind couldn't drift to her host for too long. He was elusive when he wanted to be and managed to be everywhere and nowhere at the same time.
Most of the time, X wasn't sure if this wasn't all just a fever dream anyway. A beautiful mysterious man, with untold amounts of money taking care of anything she thought too hard about. He picked outfits for her like she was his little paper doll and she couldn't ignore the long stares when she took his recommendations.
“See how pretty you look when you let me take care of you?”
It was like being in the Lotus Hotel.
Occasionally she would spot him on a balcony having a smoke and they would just stare at each other from a distance. Or he would materialize at the far end of a hall leaving or entering a room on a call or speaking privately with Mr. Molloy so she steered clear. Besides, even if she wished to converse with him, what was there to say?
X was barely above the level of intern in the office and an amateur admirer of art at best while this man was clearly top of the field, being good enough to afford a multi million dollar mansion in the middle of nowhere filled with priceless artifacts.
“Is there no one that would be missing you back home?”
It was early evening and X had been lounging out in a portion of the gardens that had a beautiful pond and fountain. The unexpected voice almost cause her to drop the book she was reading and when she turned it was Armand standing under a nearby rose arch.
He looks like the ‘Young Man Amongst Roses’ by Nicholas Hilliard.
“Um. Not really.” X righted herself and marked her place before closing the book. “I don't know. Maybe?”
“Apologies. I didn’t mean to startle you.” He stepped closer with his hands behind his back in an attempt to seem non-threatening but X still felt like a hunted animal that was finally cornered. “I only came to collect you for dinner.”
The romance novels he had been placating X with had been starting to take over her imagination and the visual of him reaching for her felt like he was a character out of the book itself.
Their hands touched and suddenly they were no longer in the garden but running away together. X was a princess and Armand, well, she couldn't tell if he was saving her or kidnapping her but he was gripping her tightly and pulling her with him as they ran from guards. He was strong and dashing, holding her close to his chest to keep her hidden from the swarming lanterns. Fantasy X clung to him desperately and stared up at his face, brow furrowed in concentration.
She reached up and moved a soft stray curl out of his face and tucked it behind his ear. “Like copper and stardust.”
Armand smiled gently. “I’m sorry?”
“Your eyes…” X’s thoughts trailed off and her handsome Savior urged her to run.
“Come with me. I’ll keep you safe.”
~~
“X,” someone called her name. “Can you hear me? Are you well?”
The last thing X remembered was being out in the gardens but now she was inside, on a couch being spoken to in several languages. As her vision cleared, she realized both Armand and Daniel were sitting together.
Have I ever seen them this close before?
Armand reached forward and took X’s wrist in his hand and she tried not to shiver at the cold touch. Slim fingers found her pulse and warm amber eyes stared at her unblinking.
“You were out in the garden with nothing to drink all afternoon.” a staff member told her.
“Silly, naughty girl.”
X was handed water that had an electrolyte mixed in and she finally realized how thirsty she was.
“I lost track of…” She didn't even know. There had been so much she had lost track of recently. “I’m sorry.”
A hand found her forehead and it was declared that she didn't have a fever but she was most likely dehydrated.
Armand stood slowly and pulled X up with him. “How about I help you to your room and we will get something light for you to eat. Hmm?”
Yes Sir.
“Good girl.”
~~
No one save staff had been in X’s room since she had arrived. It felt strange to have Armand in her space but she couldn't find the desire to fight about it as he led her to her vanity and handled her nighttime care routine.
More water for her to drink.
A cooling towel to clean her face.
Gentle fingers rubbing in nighttime skin cream.
X sat placidly as Armand began wrapping her hair up. Fingers scratched at her scalp and oil was dripped in places filling the room with nutty floral aromas. The fragrance offered some grounding and X was able to focus on the figure behind her in the mirror. “How do you know I do this?”
“I know everything.” He smiled, giving one long gentle scratch from temple to nape.
Something didn't feel right but his hands on her felt so, so good.
“This is the one thing you want but you can't bring yourself to ask for.”
“What?” X tried to focus again but nails gently scratching along her trapezius shattered that immediately.
“Say it and I’ll do it.”
*
Armand had his fangs bared ready to take a proper drink from his beautiful flower. As he leaned in the door opened forcing him to counteract and grab X’s scarf for her hair. A staff member came in with a small salad of cucumbers, watermelon, mint, lettuce, and blueberries, all drizzled with honey and chili powder.
“The Chef made sure it would be as hydrating as possible for Miss X.” they bowed. “As ordered.”
He did order that, didn’t he. Keeping mortals alive was hard. The staff was dismissed and Armand turned his attention back to X who was going for a stray blueberry.
“Not yet Ma fleur.” He made sure his voice was smooth and gentle as he moved the bowl out of reach. “Go change for bed X.”
Armand always loved the way the living behaved when exhausted. It could always go one of two ways where they could be like his sweet boy, combative and ornery until they tired themselves out, or they could be like X, passive and compliant, following orders with no questions.
It didn't take X long to return in her night clothes and he ushered her to bed and began feeding her bits of the meal little by little with few words being exchanged.
“Eat.”
X obediently accepted each forkful chewing slowly.
“Good girl.”
The night might have been a bust but it was great progress in his opinion. She was in need and he wanted to help her but she had to be the one to ask for it.
But then again mortals are always needy.
Once the bowl was empty, Armand tucked X in and told her to rest.
“I will have your breakfast brought up in the morning.” X was fighting sleep and Armand humored her for just a moment before taking control again.
“Rest, Ma fleur.
Everything will be alright.”
~~
Back in his own room Daniel was already in bed reading.
“How is she?”
Armand sighed as he began getting ready for bed as well. “She’ll live.”
“I would assume so.” Daniel’s tone was noticeable and the pair exchanged glances through a nearby closet mirror. “What are you doing to her?”
Armand said nothing but Daniel knew the smirk playing at the edge of his lover’s lips.
“The piece she’s escorting is peculiar.” Armand switched into his own nightshirt ignoring Daniel’s question. “I can't force it on anybody if it doesn’t fit their styles.”
Daniel put his book away and watched as Armand handled his own bedtime routine. “Really?”
“Really.”
Daniel Molloy was an entertaining companion at the very least. They had been together on and off for about half a century by this point and they got on well enough but Vampires were unfortunately not known for being monogamous. Daniel knew this as his own marriages had gone up in flames due to infidelity (once on his part once on the other) but Armand had to admit it was fun to tease the old man and make him jealous.
He tasted sweeter when he was upset.
Armand nuzzled at the man pitifully asking for a taste. “This whole ordeal made me miss my own dinner.”
His finger grazed weathered skin at his favorite feeding point pouting to give Daniel the illusion of having the upper hand.
“Save some for the doc tomorrow, yeah?”
Armand chuckled as he settled on top of him and gave his sweet boy a kiss. Tender and unassuming. Just as Daniel tried to return the affection, Armand pulled back and kissed along the other man’s jaw until he got to his bite point.
Like always Daniel was obedient as his Master fed. Hands found their way to Armand’s hips and he made sure to grind down on him at least a little bit.
As a treat.
Focus was broken when a small beep was heard.
A motion camera was tripped somewhere. Armand paused long enough to pull up his security feed. On the screen he saw X, still in bed but squirming. “La fleur est-elle enfin prête à éclore?” (Is the flower finally ready to bloom?)
Daniel was halfway out and paying him no mind as Armand continued watching his screen. He had been using the Mind Gift with X to see her thoughts and learn of her needs, but this? She hadn't even dared to think about it.
Large umber eyes went wide as he watched the woman thrash and moan.
“I’m here X.” he called out to her. “I can help you.”
Armand?
“Yes”
Her inner voice was like sweet honeysuckle and he was salivating. It wasn't that he don't love his intimacy with Daniel, but he knew what it took to get him going and get him done in record time if he wanted to.
But this was new.
Please Armand.
“I’m here X.”
A hand was freed from the blankets and gripped a nearby pillow.
The light was low but he could see that her other hand wasn't stuck but moving furiously still under the covers.
“Tell me what you need.”
You Armand.
“Good Girl.”
Armand let his hand dip into his own trousers and felt how hard he was.
“I’m yours X. Show me where you want me.”
The blanket shifted and he was blessed with the sight of her upper thigh showing her pajama pants had been discarded. She was still preserving her modesty but he could tell she was rubbing slow circles into her cunt. Armand bit back a moan.
“Yes, good girl.” He pumped himself slowly to the sight of her. He wanted so badly to go to her but he knew better. “Do I feel good for you?”
X could only whimper as she tried to cover her face.
“No, no. Let me hear you.”
From where he was he took the pillow from her and sent it flying as he encouraged her to keep going.
Armand I’m close.
So was he. He imagined how warm and tight she felt as his precum began pooling.
“I’ve got you.” he whispered to her as he thrusted into his own hand. “Release it.”
He wanted so badly to make her move that blanket but the way X cried for him as she arched off the bed due to her own orgasm was better than he expected.
Armand looked down at the mess he made of himself and shook his head.