I wanted to hug him, but I nearly collapsed in relief instead.  I had been so afraid he would be against this.  He crouched down on my level.

"Are you done with this place then?"  He asked me calmly.  I nodded and he scooped me up effortlessly and strode towards his car.

"I promise you Carys, I will use every resource at my disposal; wealth, contacts, vampiric gifts, to find this person for you.  She will not escape from me, I have a very long time to look and she can't run forever."  He gnashed his teeth and the scary wolf look was back.  I shivered and he drew me closer, looking down at me.  His expression gentled.

"Ah Carys, today must have been full of so much stress for you, and I've made you suffer so much.  I apologize wholeheartedly.  What can I ever do to make it up to you?"  He implored quietly.  I shook my head and squirmed, trying to break free of his grasp.

"For starters, you could let me down for a bit.  I'm ok now, I promise."  I answered.  He looked at me dubiously, but set me upright on the broken concrete floor.  I sighed, a thousand things running through my head.  Alexandre was watching me with worry, so I knocked my forehead against his chest to keep him from searching my face anymore.

"Thank you, Alexandre."  I sighed, putting all the gratitude in my body behind the words.  He grabbed my shoulders gently and pushed me back, searching my face.

"Whatever for?"  He asked.  I waved a hand in a broad gesture.

"For...everything."  I shrugged a shoulder helplessly.  How could I say it all?  "For saving me, for bringing me to your home, to even calling it our home, to spoiling me with money I don't deserve, for being so kind to me, for helping me with this here."  I said waving around us.  "For just, everything."  Alexandre blinked, and then chuckled lightly, drawing me into a tight hug.

"Whatever makes you think you don't deserve any of it.  Or that I'm not doing it for selfish purposes of my own beyond that as well?  I tell you I am a selfishly motivated creature."  He released me, eyes gleaming, "And nobody ever harms what I consider mine."  I once again had an uncomfortable mix of fear and pleasure at his words.  I looked down, avoiding his fevered gaze.  In a few moments he reached for me again, using a finger under my chin to lift my face.

"Are you ready to go?"  He asked me, searching my eyes.  I nodded quietly, and he extended an arm in a gesture for me to proceed him.  I hesitated a second, but then nodded again and turned to walk down the hall.  Alexandre followed, once again laying a hand lightly on the small of my back.  It felt at once protective and possessive and I wasn't entirely sure how to feel about that, especially considering my history.  Alexandre's words echoed in my head 'I am neither your mother nor your father' .  How I hoped history wasn't going to repeat itself.  Or worse.  I glanced over at Alexandre, his expression was grim, but when he saw me looking, it gentled into a small smile.

God I hoped this vampire was one of the good guys.

Alexandre's grin suddenly widened.

"Come, let's leave all this death and trouble behind for today.  How would you like to see the city?"  He asked.  I hesitantly nodded and his smile brightened.  A horrifying though occurred to me.

"Oh no-you're not planning on flashing around a bunch of money are you?"  I groaned.  He laughed delightedly, grabbing me by the waist and spinning me around in the hall.

"Absolutely!"  He cried excitedly.  I groaned, but his enthusiasm was catching.  He grabbed my hand and picked up speed on the rest of the way to his car and I almost had to run to keep up.

Alexandre opened the car door for me with a small smile, barely waiting for me to be seated before shutting it and racing to the driver's side.  He sped out of the parking garage and the ruined buildings had faded behind us before I decided to speak.

"Don't think I didn't notice you trying to distract me back there."  I informed him calmly.

"Was I that transparent?"  Alexandre said, carefully keeping his eyes on the road to avoid looking at me.

"The gesture was very much appreciated."  I answered.  This time he did look at me, and I smiled slightly to reassure him.  "But are you serious about the spending money bit?"  I asked nervously.

"What kind of vampire would I be if I brought my best gal to the city and didn't show her a good time?"  He asked with a terrible imitation of a western accent.

"Definitely not an American western one."  I replied.  "I think that European accent gets in the way there."  I snorted.

"Oh yeah?  This from the girl who 'thinks I sound like this'. " He answered, trying to imitate the way I mimicked him.

"I don't sound anything like that."  I objected.  "But you definitely do."  Alexandre opened and closed his mouth and I giggled at the reaction.  I saw the patented Alexandre 'secret smile' where just the corners of his mouth went up.

"I would threaten not to buy you anything, but where you're concerned it would be far more of a threat to promise to spend lots on you."  Alexandre glanced at me briefly, long enough to catch the look of disbelief on my face.

"You're joking, right?"  I asked

"Not anymore."  He replied with a grin.  I groaned and he chuckled.

The first place Alexandre stopped was some clothing place I had never even heard of.  Walking in, I could tell it was full of ridiculously pricey clothing items, just based on the way the staff immediately greeted Alexandre as if he was a long lost friend, and began asking what he might be after today, eyeing me speculatively.  He had them parade an unfortunate wardrobe of clothing before me, and with my growing embarrassment, kept his word of refusing to leave until he had spent a ridiculous amount of money.

"Oh my God!"  I said, horrified at the bill after we left the shop.  Alexandre happily carried the fancy gift bags to the car, smiling smugly at me.

"Had enough yet?"  He asked.

"Yes!"  I could have melted into the pavement.  He laughed happily, stuffing the bags into the backseat and grabbed me by the waist.  Pulling me towards a mall he whispered in my ear "This one's just for fun."

And actually, we did have fun.  Alexandre was delighted with the toy shop, and the active display at the door had him fascinated.  I dragged him inside the store just for the heck of it and we marveled at all the recent toy inventions, until someone mistook us for a new couple of expecting parents, and, with my face turning beet red, we refuted the comment and ducked out quickly.  But the comment had me turning to Alexandre curiously.

"I never actually thought to ask.  Is that even possible now?  Can vvaa.. Can we have children?"  I asked checking the word 'vampire' looking around nervously since we were in a crowded place.

"You'd like to have children with me?"  He looked at me shocked, but I could see the corners of his mouth twitch.  The damage the statement had made was already done though, and I was blushing head to toe.  Seeing my expression, Alexandre stopped walking suddenly and grew completely still, an unreadable expression on his face.  "Would you?"

"I didn't mean..that's not how I meant it..I..."  I stammered.  Alexandre looked upset and relieved at once.  I wondered which one won out.  For each of us.

"I have done a lot of research on the subject, and while there are a lot of myths confirming and denying the possibilities, I have never put it to a practical test, so I cannot say for sure.  And unless you're volunteering..."  His eyes twinkled.

"Oh my God, I so regret asking this question."  I covered my face with my hands and Alexandre laughed.  "If you're done tormenting me, can we go somewhere else now?  I don't know if vampires can die of embarrassment but I think we might be about to find out."  I moaned.  Alexandre laughed again and pulled my hands from my face, kissing my forehead warmly.

"I do so love to see that delicious warm flush in your face."  He said cheerfully.  I groaned.

"That makes it worse."  I whined  "Ok, I yield, you win this round!"  Alexandre chuckled and, laying a hand on my back again, began guiding me through the mall.

A mall for a vampire is an amazing amalgam for the senses.  The smells are so strong, the colors so bright, the noises can be overwhelming, and how I wished I still craved food, oh dear god the food smelled amazing.  When we reached the bookstore I nearly squealed with glee, and Alexandre looked almost as delighted with my reaction as he was with the chance to peruse the books.  He grabbed me by the hand and practically dragged me amongst the shelves.  Nearly everything I showed interest in, he bought.  I objected a few times, but it was halfhearted.  In this regard, I was happy to spend money.  Feeding the mind was a worthy pursuit to me.  A fact that Alexandre quickly picked up on.

"So, I am allowed to buy you books?"  He teased lightly.  I hesitated.

"Only if I am allowed to keep them in your library."  I replied.  His mouth fell open for a second.

"Our library."  He corrected.   That same confusing mix of emotions settled in the pit of my stomach.