Mine-a Fright Night fanfic
So, I've been writing a fic for Fright Night (Dinah's my OC) and one reviewer sorta kinda made a one-shot request and this is what came of it. I'm pleased with it overall; I just wish I was better at writing action scenes and all the brutal, bloody goodness :P Oh, and there's Nazis. Yeah. Nazis. Yay, Nazis! o_o
Czechoslovakia, 1938, autumn
Jerry hated the cold, always had. It never bothered him physically, but he hated it regardless. It must have had something to do with his upbringing in the balmy Mediterranean, or a trait passed on to him from the one who’d turned him. Either way, he hated it. He pulled his coat tighter around his chest against the sudden gust of wind; he would have hissed at it if not for the amount of people that milled around him. He observed the small crowd, searching for anyone who didn’t look like they’d be missed. He’d left Dinah at a shop a few streets over to browse while he hunted. They’d travelled the majority of the European continent in the fourteen years they’d been together, but she always managed to find something that fascinated her to no end. I’d bet money whatever she’s found now is something shiny. He grinned to himself at the mental image of Dinah being distracted (yet again) by bright, shining trinkets. She could look in even the smallest of shops for hours at a time; he just glanced over everything and was ready to move on in minutes. But she refused to leave until she’d looked at everything, and he wanted to smoke. He’d lost interest in the cigarette shortly after lighting it and took to scanning the crowd for a snack.
Spotting a prime candidate, he pulled a new cig from his pocket and huddled down into his coat in a display of submissiveness. He stepped to the man, slowly, making sure his footsteps were heard with ease. “Hey,” he called, playing off the cold. “You got a light?” His Czech wasn’t the best, but he got the point across well enough. The man hesitantly looked around, obviously not used to being approached by strangers, before pulling a matchbox from his coat. The faint glow of the flame illuminated Jerry’s face as the cigarette ignited. The man didn’t notice how his eyes had gone as black as the sky above them. “Getting colder, yeah?”
“Yeah,” the man agreed. “Winter’s coming early this year.” Jerry took a drag from the cigarette and blew the smoke out through his nose. He didn’t like small talk, especially with his prey. But there were too many people, too many witnesses. He’d have to make this quick and quiet. “Where’d you get that coat? It looks like one my friend Anton has.” He didn’t like the way the man’s eyes narrowed as he studied the article. “It’s even got the same tear in the collar as his…”
“Oh, Anton?” Jerry began quickly. “Yeah, it was his. I won it off him in a card game.”
The man stared openly now. Shit. “Anton doesn’t gamble. Never has.” He took a step towards the stranger, his suspicions aroused. “What did you do to him?”
Jerry had no intention of telling his snack he’d killed the original owner and taken it from his corpse. He stood his ground, dropping the half-smoked cigarette and stamping it out with the toe of his boot. This was getting boring. “Hey, I’m meeting this girl later. Is my face clean?”
The man started to look outraged, but lost all train of thought when he met Jerry’s blackened eyes. He couldn’t scream even if he wanted to when the vampire’s hand shot out and latched around his throat. Faster than thought, Jerry moved behind a closed store and tore into the man’s neck. Steam rose from the blood as it sprayed against the wall and pooled around his feet. Not a soul noticed the carnage, everyone too busy with their shopping, chatting, and drinking to pay attention to the monster in their midst.
Jerry dropped the body when screams reached his ears. They weren’t from someone discovering him; they were farther away. Wiping the blood from his mouth, he stepped around the store and into the crowded street. People shoved past him like a stampede. The fuck is going on? He got his answer when the tank came into view and gunshots from automatic rifles cut through the screams. So, Germany had finally decided to invade after all. Rather than remain in place and risk exposing his nature to an army, he turned on his heel and followed the crowd. He didn’t worry about Dinah; she was smart enough to blend in with the flow of people and could hold her own until he got to her. They’d find each other by scent on the outer edge of town and lay low until the next sunset when they could leave. Of course, with the Germans surrounding the whole community, it would be a while until he could track her down.
Hours had passed as the Nazis rounded up anyone who questioned them or tried to fight back, corralling the more cooperative ones in large groups to be sorted later. Jerry kept moving through the throng, careful not to draw attention to himself, but he’d begun to get antsy. He still couldn’t smell Dinah and the sun would rise soon. Suddenly, he caught strains of a conversation between two soldiers. His German being better than his Czech, he understood they were talking about a woman, something about her being a “hellcat” and how good of a lay she must be. Glancing at the horizon, he snarled inwardly. Fuck it.
He carefully approached the soldiers, the younger one, barely old enough to be in the military by the look of him, giving him the once-over. “The fuck do you want?” he snapped.
Jerry ignored the youngster’s attitude. “Heard you talking about some girl,” he said innocently.
“What’s it to you?” the older one asked, his attitude no better than the kid’s.
“Just curious. If I’m gonna be here a while, might as well have something to talk about, right?”
The Krauts laughed softly, their guards lowering slightly. “Yeah, she’s a spirited one,” the older soldier offered. “Gave Garrit a good punch on the jaw when he grabbed her ass. And what a beautiful ass it was.” Another laugh passed between them as he mimicked the shape with his hands.
“That nice, huh?”
The kid let out a low whistle. “Oh yeah. Dark hair, green eyes, a body you’d kill your mother for. Not bad looking for a whore.”
Jerry suppressed the urge to gouge out the soldier’s trachea at the insult. “Where’s she at now?” His impatience had begun to override his need for discretion.
“On her way to the commander, most likely. He’s got a thing for bitches like that; gives him something to beat on instead of us.” He nudged his brother-in-arms with his elbow, oblivious to the way the stranger’s face had clouded with anger.
Jerry had heard enough. “Yeah, except she won’t be meeting your commander, boys.” He let his eyes go black and his fangs flash in the light of the sparse streetlamps. The Krauts swore and pointed their rifles at him, drawing the attention of others nearby. “See, that ‘bitch’ is mine. I’m taking her back…and you’re in my way.” He lunged for the older one, his teeth sinking into the unprotected neck and greedily swallowing the blood that spewed from the wound. The younger one fired wildly into the vampire’s back, sending people running in all directions. The pain was temporary and the bullets ineffectual, however. Jerry dropped the Kraut and turned to the boy, who kept firing until he ran out of bullets. He smiled harshly at the naked fear in the soldier’s face as he advanced. “Ow.”
He tore through the town like a living machete, ripping both people and things apart when they became obstacles. He didn’t bother to conceal his monstrous form any longer. His mouth filled with rows of sharp teeth that continued to mutilate Czech civilian and German soldier alike as he searched for any sign of his mate. These fucking insects dared take what belonged to him? Then he’d shred them all into confetti until he had her back in his arms again!
Dawn was only a couple of hours away; the passage of time added panic to Jerry’s rage, a dangerous combination at best. He attacked anything that moved, his predatory instincts taking control when he saw the Nazi sons-of-bitches who thought they could outrun him. Some managed to slip away, but only because their comrades had not been as blessed with speed and endurance. Those that fell behind were left in pools of blood and gasping for air through non-existent windpipes. The monster’s inhuman howl echoed in the night air, piercing the hearts of any in earshot with an icy stab of terror.
Jerry soon found himself alone, surrounded by flames that consumed the tiny town in the wake of his bloodlust. With nothing to take the brunt of his wrath, he howled again. There! his mind shouted suddenly. He sniffed the air and delighted in the familiar scent that reached his nose. Dinah! He turned towards the smell and ran for it headlong. Within moments, he’d found her wreathed by flames in the remnants of what must have been a home.
Dinah sat atop a soldier, gnawing at his throat for the last vestiges of blood. She shook him in her teeth like a ragdoll to get just a few more drops from him. When her efforts yielded nothing more, she threw her head back and screamed in frustration, still unaware of Jerry’s presence. He answered with a guttural snarl, making her turn to the source of the sound. Her obsidian eyes locked onto his and softened only slightly.
She removed herself from her victim and picked her way to Jerry over the charred rubble. She stopped with only inches between them and let herself be pulled violently against him. His fangs receded back into his gums and his grayish skin returned to its normal hue as he forced himself to calm down. He breathed in her scent, burying his face in her hair to further reign in his instincts. “Mine,” he growled in her ear.
Dinah lifted her head from his shoulder and met his black eyes with her green ones. Jerry took notice of the blood splashed across her face and staining her clothes. He didn’t have time to admire the way she looked in that moment, however. She pulled him down and viciously assaulted his lips with hers. His arms crushed her against his lean body, forcing the breath out of her. She didn’t release his mouth, though. Her kiss was one of relief, lust, and utmost happiness at being reunited with her lover.
They held each other tightly so that not one inch of their bodies remained untouched. One of his hands slid down her back, tracing the sensual arch of her spine through the thin dress (her coat long since gone) before reaching the swell of her backside. He gripped her bottom roughly and tried to pull her closer. She sighed into his mouth at the possessiveness of his touch. The crash of a roof collapsing in flames broke through the bubble they’d created around themselves. Jerry’s fingers went to her face, stroking down her blood-spattered cheek with as much gentleness as he could summon. “Mine,” he repeated, softer this time.
“Yours,” Dinah agreed with a smile. She mirrored the gesture on his face, loving how his eyes closed in pleasure and how he turned into her palm. “And you are mine.” The press of his lips against her skin served as a silent affirmation of the sentiment. “I should get kidnapped more often,” she joked.
Jerry didn’t find it funny. A low growl thundered through his chest as he tried once again to pull her closer. “Don’t even,” was all he could manage through clenched teeth.
Dinah chuckled softly at his reaction. “I have no intention of letting anyone else put their hands on me again, love.” She placed another kiss on his mouth to seal the promise. When she pulled away, he took the opportunity to begin licking the blood from her neck. She tilted her head to allow him full access, but gasped when she caught sight of the horizon and how it looked more blue than black. She called his name with an unmistakable note of fear.
Jerry turned his head to see what had startled her and swore when he saw the lightening skyline. They needed to get to shelter where the sun’s lethal rays couldn’t reach them. He took her hand and led her into the small forest that lay to the south of the town. They weren’t far from a mountain range, but they’d have to move with all speed to reach it before dawn fully broke.
They made it to their destination, exhausted, with only minutes to spare; the trees offered little protection from the light so late into the year with their leaves gone for the season. Thankfully, Dinah spotted a crack in the mountainside just wide enough for them to squeeze through. A few swipes at the rock and they found themselves in a larger cavern. They sank to the frozen ground, backs against the stone wall, and tried to regain their breath. After his labored pants grew stronger, Jerry turned to his mate and resumed cleaning her neck and face. While he busied himself with that, Dinah commenced licking the now-dried blood and gore from his fingers.
“Let’s go to Brazil next,” she whispered suddenly against his hand.
He grunted against her shoulder in agreement. “I’m sick of this fucking cold,” he muttered, his tongue dragging across her collarbone.
She laughed in spite of her breathlessness. “Well, and the Nazis invading.”
Jerry snarled viciously at the mention of the army that had separated them. Dinah lifted a hand to his head and stroked his hair to soothe him; her anger had dissipated upon seeing her mate, but his still simmered just beneath the surface. She knew how long he could hold a grudge, and the Germans would be smart to keep a wide berth around him…or disappear entirely. At her coaxing, he loosened his grip around her waist and was soon calm, a sound somewhere between a growl and a purr reverberating through his chest. One more lick at her shoulder and her skin was once again free of blood.
Dinah began to yawn as the night’s events caught up with her, her primary fangs flashing beautifully. Jerry quickly captured the yawn with a kiss that left no doubt as to his raw power and strength, yet was simultaneously gentle, almost hesitant. He thought he’d lost her that night; in three hundred years, nothing he’d claimed had been taken from him, let alone by humans. If those soldiers had managed to harm her (unlikely as it was), no one in any uniform or who had even the slightest accent would have been safe from his fury.
He pulled away with a mild tug at her lip before his anger could resurface in the face of his thoughts. He focused instead on her eyes and the sleepy smile she graced him with. “What was that for?” she whispered.
“No reason.” He grinned at the mock glare she shot at him; she knew he didn’t do anything without a reason, but she didn’t argue. “Go to sleep,” he said, a hint of demand in his tone as he pulled her head down to his shoulder. She offered no resistance, scooting closer as sleep descended, safe one again in her mate’s embrace.
Jerry watched her a moment longer. She was back at his side where she belonged, looking positively angelic in her slumber, and those responsible for their parting had been dealt with accordingly. The sight of her always managed to put him at ease; it was why he fell asleep after her, but woke first each evening. She exuded a serenity in sleep that he no longer felt. He felt almost jealous of her for still retaining that innocence. He shook the petty thoughts from his mind and settled himself further into the cold earth. They had a lot of traveling to do when they woke and he needed to rest. Giving Dinah’s temple one more tender kiss, he gathered her in his arms and joined her in sleep.
Czechoslovakia, 1938, autumn
Jerry hated the cold, always had. It never bothered him physically, but he hated it regardless. It must have had something to do with his upbringing in the balmy Mediterranean, or a trait passed on to him from the one who’d turned him. Either way, he hated it. He pulled his coat tighter around his chest against the sudden gust of wind; he would have hissed at it if not for the amount of people that milled around him. He observed the small crowd, searching for anyone who didn’t look like they’d be missed. He’d left Dinah at a shop a few streets over to browse while he hunted. They’d travelled the majority of the European continent in the fourteen years they’d been together, but she always managed to find something that fascinated her to no end. I’d bet money whatever she’s found now is something shiny. He grinned to himself at the mental image of Dinah being distracted (yet again) by bright, shining trinkets. She could look in even the smallest of shops for hours at a time; he just glanced over everything and was ready to move on in minutes. But she refused to leave until she’d looked at everything, and he wanted to smoke. He’d lost interest in the cigarette shortly after lighting it and took to scanning the crowd for a snack.
Spotting a prime candidate, he pulled a new cig from his pocket and huddled down into his coat in a display of submissiveness. He stepped to the man, slowly, making sure his footsteps were heard with ease. “Hey,” he called, playing off the cold. “You got a light?” His Czech wasn’t the best, but he got the point across well enough. The man hesitantly looked around, obviously not used to being approached by strangers, before pulling a matchbox from his coat. The faint glow of the flame illuminated Jerry’s face as the cigarette ignited. The man didn’t notice how his eyes had gone as black as the sky above them. “Getting colder, yeah?”
“Yeah,” the man agreed. “Winter’s coming early this year.” Jerry took a drag from the cigarette and blew the smoke out through his nose. He didn’t like small talk, especially with his prey. But there were too many people, too many witnesses. He’d have to make this quick and quiet. “Where’d you get that coat? It looks like one my friend Anton has.” He didn’t like the way the man’s eyes narrowed as he studied the article. “It’s even got the same tear in the collar as his…”
“Oh, Anton?” Jerry began quickly. “Yeah, it was his. I won it off him in a card game.”
The man stared openly now. Shit. “Anton doesn’t gamble. Never has.” He took a step towards the stranger, his suspicions aroused. “What did you do to him?”
Jerry had no intention of telling his snack he’d killed the original owner and taken it from his corpse. He stood his ground, dropping the half-smoked cigarette and stamping it out with the toe of his boot. This was getting boring. “Hey, I’m meeting this girl later. Is my face clean?”
The man started to look outraged, but lost all train of thought when he met Jerry’s blackened eyes. He couldn’t scream even if he wanted to when the vampire’s hand shot out and latched around his throat. Faster than thought, Jerry moved behind a closed store and tore into the man’s neck. Steam rose from the blood as it sprayed against the wall and pooled around his feet. Not a soul noticed the carnage, everyone too busy with their shopping, chatting, and drinking to pay attention to the monster in their midst.
Jerry dropped the body when screams reached his ears. They weren’t from someone discovering him; they were farther away. Wiping the blood from his mouth, he stepped around the store and into the crowded street. People shoved past him like a stampede. The fuck is going on? He got his answer when the tank came into view and gunshots from automatic rifles cut through the screams. So, Germany had finally decided to invade after all. Rather than remain in place and risk exposing his nature to an army, he turned on his heel and followed the crowd. He didn’t worry about Dinah; she was smart enough to blend in with the flow of people and could hold her own until he got to her. They’d find each other by scent on the outer edge of town and lay low until the next sunset when they could leave. Of course, with the Germans surrounding the whole community, it would be a while until he could track her down.
Hours had passed as the Nazis rounded up anyone who questioned them or tried to fight back, corralling the more cooperative ones in large groups to be sorted later. Jerry kept moving through the throng, careful not to draw attention to himself, but he’d begun to get antsy. He still couldn’t smell Dinah and the sun would rise soon. Suddenly, he caught strains of a conversation between two soldiers. His German being better than his Czech, he understood they were talking about a woman, something about her being a “hellcat” and how good of a lay she must be. Glancing at the horizon, he snarled inwardly. Fuck it.
He carefully approached the soldiers, the younger one, barely old enough to be in the military by the look of him, giving him the once-over. “The fuck do you want?” he snapped.
Jerry ignored the youngster’s attitude. “Heard you talking about some girl,” he said innocently.
“What’s it to you?” the older one asked, his attitude no better than the kid’s.
“Just curious. If I’m gonna be here a while, might as well have something to talk about, right?”
The Krauts laughed softly, their guards lowering slightly. “Yeah, she’s a spirited one,” the older soldier offered. “Gave Garrit a good punch on the jaw when he grabbed her ass. And what a beautiful ass it was.” Another laugh passed between them as he mimicked the shape with his hands.
“That nice, huh?”
The kid let out a low whistle. “Oh yeah. Dark hair, green eyes, a body you’d kill your mother for. Not bad looking for a whore.”
Jerry suppressed the urge to gouge out the soldier’s trachea at the insult. “Where’s she at now?” His impatience had begun to override his need for discretion.
“On her way to the commander, most likely. He’s got a thing for bitches like that; gives him something to beat on instead of us.” He nudged his brother-in-arms with his elbow, oblivious to the way the stranger’s face had clouded with anger.
Jerry had heard enough. “Yeah, except she won’t be meeting your commander, boys.” He let his eyes go black and his fangs flash in the light of the sparse streetlamps. The Krauts swore and pointed their rifles at him, drawing the attention of others nearby. “See, that ‘bitch’ is mine. I’m taking her back…and you’re in my way.” He lunged for the older one, his teeth sinking into the unprotected neck and greedily swallowing the blood that spewed from the wound. The younger one fired wildly into the vampire’s back, sending people running in all directions. The pain was temporary and the bullets ineffectual, however. Jerry dropped the Kraut and turned to the boy, who kept firing until he ran out of bullets. He smiled harshly at the naked fear in the soldier’s face as he advanced. “Ow.”
He tore through the town like a living machete, ripping both people and things apart when they became obstacles. He didn’t bother to conceal his monstrous form any longer. His mouth filled with rows of sharp teeth that continued to mutilate Czech civilian and German soldier alike as he searched for any sign of his mate. These fucking insects dared take what belonged to him? Then he’d shred them all into confetti until he had her back in his arms again!
Dawn was only a couple of hours away; the passage of time added panic to Jerry’s rage, a dangerous combination at best. He attacked anything that moved, his predatory instincts taking control when he saw the Nazi sons-of-bitches who thought they could outrun him. Some managed to slip away, but only because their comrades had not been as blessed with speed and endurance. Those that fell behind were left in pools of blood and gasping for air through non-existent windpipes. The monster’s inhuman howl echoed in the night air, piercing the hearts of any in earshot with an icy stab of terror.
Jerry soon found himself alone, surrounded by flames that consumed the tiny town in the wake of his bloodlust. With nothing to take the brunt of his wrath, he howled again. There! his mind shouted suddenly. He sniffed the air and delighted in the familiar scent that reached his nose. Dinah! He turned towards the smell and ran for it headlong. Within moments, he’d found her wreathed by flames in the remnants of what must have been a home.
Dinah sat atop a soldier, gnawing at his throat for the last vestiges of blood. She shook him in her teeth like a ragdoll to get just a few more drops from him. When her efforts yielded nothing more, she threw her head back and screamed in frustration, still unaware of Jerry’s presence. He answered with a guttural snarl, making her turn to the source of the sound. Her obsidian eyes locked onto his and softened only slightly.
She removed herself from her victim and picked her way to Jerry over the charred rubble. She stopped with only inches between them and let herself be pulled violently against him. His fangs receded back into his gums and his grayish skin returned to its normal hue as he forced himself to calm down. He breathed in her scent, burying his face in her hair to further reign in his instincts. “Mine,” he growled in her ear.
Dinah lifted her head from his shoulder and met his black eyes with her green ones. Jerry took notice of the blood splashed across her face and staining her clothes. He didn’t have time to admire the way she looked in that moment, however. She pulled him down and viciously assaulted his lips with hers. His arms crushed her against his lean body, forcing the breath out of her. She didn’t release his mouth, though. Her kiss was one of relief, lust, and utmost happiness at being reunited with her lover.
They held each other tightly so that not one inch of their bodies remained untouched. One of his hands slid down her back, tracing the sensual arch of her spine through the thin dress (her coat long since gone) before reaching the swell of her backside. He gripped her bottom roughly and tried to pull her closer. She sighed into his mouth at the possessiveness of his touch. The crash of a roof collapsing in flames broke through the bubble they’d created around themselves. Jerry’s fingers went to her face, stroking down her blood-spattered cheek with as much gentleness as he could summon. “Mine,” he repeated, softer this time.
“Yours,” Dinah agreed with a smile. She mirrored the gesture on his face, loving how his eyes closed in pleasure and how he turned into her palm. “And you are mine.” The press of his lips against her skin served as a silent affirmation of the sentiment. “I should get kidnapped more often,” she joked.
Jerry didn’t find it funny. A low growl thundered through his chest as he tried once again to pull her closer. “Don’t even,” was all he could manage through clenched teeth.
Dinah chuckled softly at his reaction. “I have no intention of letting anyone else put their hands on me again, love.” She placed another kiss on his mouth to seal the promise. When she pulled away, he took the opportunity to begin licking the blood from her neck. She tilted her head to allow him full access, but gasped when she caught sight of the horizon and how it looked more blue than black. She called his name with an unmistakable note of fear.
Jerry turned his head to see what had startled her and swore when he saw the lightening skyline. They needed to get to shelter where the sun’s lethal rays couldn’t reach them. He took her hand and led her into the small forest that lay to the south of the town. They weren’t far from a mountain range, but they’d have to move with all speed to reach it before dawn fully broke.
They made it to their destination, exhausted, with only minutes to spare; the trees offered little protection from the light so late into the year with their leaves gone for the season. Thankfully, Dinah spotted a crack in the mountainside just wide enough for them to squeeze through. A few swipes at the rock and they found themselves in a larger cavern. They sank to the frozen ground, backs against the stone wall, and tried to regain their breath. After his labored pants grew stronger, Jerry turned to his mate and resumed cleaning her neck and face. While he busied himself with that, Dinah commenced licking the now-dried blood and gore from his fingers.
“Let’s go to Brazil next,” she whispered suddenly against his hand.
He grunted against her shoulder in agreement. “I’m sick of this fucking cold,” he muttered, his tongue dragging across her collarbone.
She laughed in spite of her breathlessness. “Well, and the Nazis invading.”
Jerry snarled viciously at the mention of the army that had separated them. Dinah lifted a hand to his head and stroked his hair to soothe him; her anger had dissipated upon seeing her mate, but his still simmered just beneath the surface. She knew how long he could hold a grudge, and the Germans would be smart to keep a wide berth around him…or disappear entirely. At her coaxing, he loosened his grip around her waist and was soon calm, a sound somewhere between a growl and a purr reverberating through his chest. One more lick at her shoulder and her skin was once again free of blood.
Dinah began to yawn as the night’s events caught up with her, her primary fangs flashing beautifully. Jerry quickly captured the yawn with a kiss that left no doubt as to his raw power and strength, yet was simultaneously gentle, almost hesitant. He thought he’d lost her that night; in three hundred years, nothing he’d claimed had been taken from him, let alone by humans. If those soldiers had managed to harm her (unlikely as it was), no one in any uniform or who had even the slightest accent would have been safe from his fury.
He pulled away with a mild tug at her lip before his anger could resurface in the face of his thoughts. He focused instead on her eyes and the sleepy smile she graced him with. “What was that for?” she whispered.
“No reason.” He grinned at the mock glare she shot at him; she knew he didn’t do anything without a reason, but she didn’t argue. “Go to sleep,” he said, a hint of demand in his tone as he pulled her head down to his shoulder. She offered no resistance, scooting closer as sleep descended, safe one again in her mate’s embrace.
Jerry watched her a moment longer. She was back at his side where she belonged, looking positively angelic in her slumber, and those responsible for their parting had been dealt with accordingly. The sight of her always managed to put him at ease; it was why he fell asleep after her, but woke first each evening. She exuded a serenity in sleep that he no longer felt. He felt almost jealous of her for still retaining that innocence. He shook the petty thoughts from his mind and settled himself further into the cold earth. They had a lot of traveling to do when they woke and he needed to rest. Giving Dinah’s temple one more tender kiss, he gathered her in his arms and joined her in sleep.