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She paced around her room, tempted to start nibbling on her fingernails. But no, that was a terrible habit, and she shouldn’t be giving in to her nerves.
What was there to be nervous about, anyway? Isaac wasn’t a stranger. He was her lover, and even if thinking about it still made her blush a little sometimes, that didn’t change anything. She cared for him, and vice-versa. Isaac would probably do anything she asked him to do.
It was just that she wanted this to be perfect. Today would be an important day for Isaac – he was going to be presented with his first-ever award since he started teaching at the university, and she was so proud of him. Granted, it wasn’t a research award or anything of that sort, but she thought this might mean even more to him than academic recognition did.
Isaac was now officially the most popular professor in the university, following a series of polls conducted among the faculty and the students. He was praised for his empathy, for ensuring that even weaker students in his classes could keep up with his lectures, and his colleagues talked about how brilliant his mind was, how he could solve complex equations and come up with solid theories without even batting an eyelid. Granted, he was Isaac Newton…but still.
To think this was the same man who was once miserable teaching because of his inability to connect with his students. She smiled – how much he had grown. Teaching suited him. Even now he spent his weekends visiting the children with Napoleon, and she always tagged along, content to watch her lover patiently explaining theories and concepts, though she was quite sure that during her time, children their age would never be exposed to topics this complex…
Well, what could she say? Isaac certainly knew what he was doing.
She looked out of the window, resting her fingers on the cool glass. It was about time to leave. The sun hung low in the sky, its warm glow bathing the sky with streaks of pink and orange. If she left now, she’d reach the university right before the sun set – maybe she could catch Isaac before he finished his last class of the day.
When she reached the university, lingering outside Isaac’s classroom, she attracted one or two curious looks, but besides that, she was left alone. Most of the students knew who she was.
The door was open just a crack, and she could hear Isaac’s voice floating through the room. “If anyone faces difficulties with the assignment, remember to let me know. Class dismissed.”
She heard the sound of movement and chatter as the students began to pack their belongings, and she peeked in to see a short line forming in front of Isaac’s desk – a regular occurrence by this point, though she wondered how many of those queueing genuinely had a question for their professor and how many just wanted to ask about her. Isaac had complained a few times about his students trying to poke their noses into his personal life, but she thought it was endearing.
Another thing she found amusing was that the female university students – indeed, all seven of them – were taking Isaac’s class. She didn’t doubt that they did want to learn from their genius professor, but judging from the all-too familiar look in their eyes, his pretty face was more than just a nice bonus.
Sometimes she had to wonder if Isaac himself was aware of the effect he had on the hapless female population. Knowing him, he probably had no idea.
Then one of the students yanked the door open and she blinked, startled out of her thoughts – reflexively she stumbled back, and the student stared at her for a moment before a wide grin spread across his face. “Professor, your wife is waiting for you outside the classroom!” he called.
“What?” And just like that, Isaac Newton, the father of modern physics, the genius professor who had captivated the minds of students and faculty alike, abruptly spun around, dropped a piece of chalk and tripped over thin air as he hurried away from his desk.
She wanted to giggle, but she pressed her hand against her mouth, studying the flustered look on his face – his cheeks were tinged with pink, and he was adorable as he stood in front of her, trying to ignore the curious looks of his students. “You told me you were busy today!”
“I finished my errands early, so I thought I’d come,” she answered, reaching up to tuck her hair behind her ear. She was conscious of all the students staring at them. “And since there’s going to be that gala tonight, I thought it would be good to meet you beforehand.”
He smiled at her, and she felt warmth blossom in her cheeks. He was incredibly attractive when he smiled; she sometimes forgot what she wanted to say when he looked at her that way. “You didn’t have to drop by! The gala is still some time away, after all…but I’m glad that you’re here.”
Then he started, as though he just remembered that they were still in the university. “Right! Let me just finish packing my things and we can go home,” he said, glancing back at his students – they watched him with unbridled glee, and she wondered if they would tease him about her next week. He had commented once or twice about how free-spirited the students of this time were.
If Isaac ever saw the university students in her time…she shook her head, stopping the thought right there. He might end up having a heart attack.
It was a delight to watch Isaac when it was announced that he had won the popularity contest – he blinked at the rector, his expression reminding her of a startled rabbit, his mouth hanging open in shock. It was only when the attendees started applauding that he seemed to realise where he was.
She had been looking forward to seeing him accept his award. The rector had told her about his win beforehand so that she could convince him to attend the gala – otherwise, it was likely that Isaac would do his best to avoid the event. He still wasn’t particularly fond of crowds.
Isaac went up on stage to accept the gold plaque, his pretty pink eyes wide with disbelief, and when he was asked to give a small speech he looked ready to perish on the spot. Nevertheless, he cleared his throat and looked around the room, his gaze settling on her – she gave him an encouraging smile and he nodded almost imperceptibly back at her.
Then he launched into his speech. It wasn’t long and elaborate – instead, it was simple and straightforward, much like Isaac himself. He spoke about how much he had grown since he started teaching here, how grateful he was to have colleagues who supported his ideas, and how much he appreciated his students despite their regular complaints about the amount of homework he assigned them. The more he talked, the more relaxed he seemed to become, and eventually, the rector needed to tap on his shoulder to cut him off as Isaac began to ramble about his students and his latest theorem and how he ought to go back to conducting research –
Isaac coughed, and his gaze met hers again. He ended the speech by thanking her, and she blushed when everyone turned to look at her, broad grins on their faces.
The rest of the night passed in a blur, and before she knew it they were on a carriage home, and Isaac was resting his head on her shoulder. He had been pressured into downing a few glasses of celebratory wine by the increasingly tipsy rector, and now he was dead drunk.
She smiled at the memory of Isaac at the gala. While alcohol didn’t turn him into a chatterbox, he was still less reticent than usual, and it was rather strange to see him socialising with the others, laughing and talking so freely. After a while, she noticed how flushed he had become and she decided it was time to intervene, so with that, she bade the rector and Isaac's students farewell.
Then she left to summon a carriage, and now here they were. It was getting late; there was hardly anyone on the streets, and all she could hear was the clip-clop of the horses’ hooves against the cobblestoned road. The carriage swayed gently as they moved, and when she glanced at Isaac again she had to stifle a yawn. It had been a long day, and she was tired.
It was nice to be alone with him like this. Peaceful. She rested her hand on his open palm and after a moment, his fingers curled around hers – he mumbled something unintelligible before turning his head and pressing his cheek against the velvet backrest.
She squeezed his hand in return and closed her eyes. Though she had no intention of falling asleep, it was nice to be able to stop thinking and just relax for a while. She leant her cheek against the top of his head, his hair tickling her nose. Isaac smelled like alcohol, but even then a tinge of sweetness lingered in his scent, mixing with the cologne he wore specially for events – it was a pleasant combination, one that strangely reminded her of apple cider.
After a while, she finally felt the carriage slow to a stop and she peeked out to see that they were now outside the mansion. She paid the coachman and gently woke Isaac up, eliciting from him a quiet groan – he wasn’t fully roused though, and she had to support him on her shoulder, walking slowly with him into the garden. Sebastian was waiting for them there.
She had no idea how the butler knew they would return at this hour, but she decided not to ask too many questions. “Leave him to me. I’ll bring him to his room. Why don’t you get a drink first? You must be thirsty after the gala,” Sebastian said, slinging Isaac’s arm around his shoulders.
He wasn’t wrong. She was kind of thirsty – she didn’t recall seeing anything but wine at the gala, and she hadn't wanted to get tipsy, so she abstained. “That sounds like a good idea. I’ll leave him to you, Sebastian!” The butler waved her along with a knowing smile and she hurried to the kitchen, getting herself a glass of water.
Once she was done with her drink, she poured a second glass for Isaac and put together a quick sandwich – he might be hungry when he finally sobered up. Placing the sandwich and the glass of water on a tray, she went up the stairs just in time to see Sebastian back out of Isaac’s room, the door closing gently behind him. “Is he asleep?” she whispered.
“Yes. I believe he might wake up soon, though. He seems…restless,” Sebastian noted. “Did you enjoy yourself at the gala tonight?” His eyes gleamed with curiosity, and she was abruptly reminded of Sebastian’s penchant for collecting information about the residents – while it was a relatively harmless hobby, the zeal with which he pursued their secrets could sometimes be rather frightening. “I believe Sir Isaac was never one to enjoy socialising.”
“He still isn’t. That hasn’t changed,” she affirmed. “But he’s a sleepy drunk. Does that interest you?” She placed a hand on the doorknob, carefully balancing her tray with her other hand.
“I can see that much for myself.” Sebastian narrowed his eyes at her, and she laughed, shaking her head. “Well, have a good night. Don’t oversleep. We have many errands to run tomorrow.”
“Yes, yes, Sebastian. I’m aware. We need to go shopping for ingredients at the market again, I remember.” She wrinkled her nose at him and he smiled back at her before he turned on his heel and went down the hallway towards his room.
Taking a deep breath, she turned the doorknob and carefully made her way inside the room, making sure to shut the door quietly – she saw that he was lying in bed, the top few buttons of his white dress shirt undone, revealing a hint of flushed skin. Sebastian had probably hung his vest in the closet. She felt her cheeks growing warm at the sight of his open shirt, but before she could get distracted she turned towards his desk, setting her tray down.
Isaac suddenly called for her, his voice soft and breathy. She glanced over her shoulder and saw that his pale pink eyes had flicked open and he was looking at her, his brown bangs sticking messily to his forehead. She grabbed the glass of water and went over to him. “Are you thirsty?” she asked, concerned – he still looked feverish, and his gaze was unfocused.
“Yes. Thirsty,” he murmured, reaching up to brush his bangs out of his eyes. She wondered if he was even aware of what he was doing. “Throat…so parched. Am I in my room?”
“You had a lot to drink, didn’t you?” She offered him the glass and he propped himself up on one elbow, taking it from her. She noticed that his fingers were trembling and worried that he might spill the water all over himself. “Wait. Let me help you,” she said, sitting beside him and holding the glass up to his lips – she slid her arm around his shoulders to ensure he wouldn’t just flop back onto the bed. Isaac drank from the glass, his brow furrowing as he swallowed.
“No…not this.” He looked dazedly at her, and she let out a gasp when his fingers reached for her neck, gently brushing against her skin. “I’m so thirsty,” he whispered, and after some consideration, she placed the glass on his bedside table; her other hand reached up to tug her collar away from her throat.
Isaac was rarely so forthright when he requested for her blood. It normally took some coaxing before he was willing to bite, and even then he was so nervous about potentially losing control that he usually didn’t feed for too long. There was something exciting about his sudden straightforwardness, and anticipation bloomed in her chest, making her tremble.
“You can bite me if you want.” He paused, swaying slightly – then in the next moment, he leant forward, his hand tilting her chin up to grant him better access. She braced herself for the sting she knew would come, hissing when she felt the pinprick of fangs sinking into her skin.
But as always, the pain only lasted for a second. No, less than that. And then all she knew was a raw, searing pleasure that was impossible to describe in words – her body collapsed inwards and then Isaac’s hands were supporting her, firm but gentle. She trembled in his arms, already feeling giddy; everything was hot and cold all at once and cries of his name fell from her lips, a relentless prayer for deliverance.
The desire that coursed through her veins, the sheer intensity of her emotions, they all crashed down upon her and she was undone – no, she was born anew, and her body spasmed as his fangs sank deeper into her throat. She was floating now, floating in a warm, pleasurable haze that started and ended with Isaac’s mouth on her skin. She barely noticed when he withdrew, his gorgeous eyes wide – her sigh fluttered past her lips as she reached towards him, her fingers resting on his cheek. She was pure liquid now, soft and malleable in his arms.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean –” he started, sounding remarkably sober, but her fingers darted down from his cheek to his mouth, preventing him from saying anything more.
“No. Don’t apologise,” she said, her words coming out slightly slurred. “I was going to…I had intended to offer anyway. Because you won that award. I know how much it means to you.”
“You’re so reckless,” he fretted. “What if I take too much again? I could…you could die.”
“But you won’t.” She touched her neck – it felt a little tender, and there were two tiny holes in her skin, left behind by his fangs. “Because you love me.”
He huffed, though the concern never left his gaze. His face was tinged pink. “You place far too much faith in someone who must drink blood five times a day just to survive.”
“Well, I’d like you to have the same amount of faith in me, then.” She managed to push herself upright, feeling only a little dizzy. He watched her closely, one hand reaching up to wipe traces of her blood away from his mouth. “See? I’m fine! You’re not going to lose control, Isaac.”
He hesitated. “One thing I find odd about you is how optimistic you always are. But I do love that about you,” he added, and she noticed his blush deepening, spreading to the tips of his ears. It was adorable. “Thank you for always being there for me. I…I really…appreciate that.”
“You don’t have to thank me.” She leant forward, wrapping her arms around him and leaning her chin against his shoulder. “I’m just happy seeing you do something you love, Isaac. When the rector told me you’d won the popularity contest, all I could think about was how I could best celebrate with you. Since…I know how concerned you were about teaching again.”
She couldn’t see Isaac’s face, but when he replied, his voice trembled. “Oh, I’m – you know, I don’t want to think about what I’d do without you.” He pulled back a little to press a soft kiss against her forehead, and her eyelids fluttered closed, warmth spreading through her chest. Being with Isaac was like coming home. She’d never want to leave his arms if she could.
They stayed like this for a while, and she had almost dozed off when Isaac abruptly sat up, his arms tightening around her. “Hang on. You said the rector told you about my award?”
Her eyes snapped open and she let go of him, managing to squirm free of his grip. He stared at her with disbelief in his eyes, and she laughed, jumping to her feet. “Maybe?”
“Since when were the two of you even on speaking terms?” he demanded, lunging forward and narrowly missing her by a hair – before he could try to grab her again, she attacked him, tickling his ribs until he was tearing, begging her to stop in between bursts of breathless laughter.
Isaac Newton, a genius physicist, a popular professor, a contrarian who had just wanted to find a space to call his own – and now the man she loved with all her heart. After everything he had been through, he deserved to be happy. She hoped she’d always be able to help him smile.