Quote Originally Posted by InTheMachine View Post
She does look quite infatuated, Emi replies after another quick glance over at the two across the dining hall. She pauses after seeing what John had showed her, taking a bite of her salmon. Both of them are quite similar— even so far as having fallen in love with a vampire. Would you categorize Stella as a thrall as well? She obviously has her free will intact, however, she is intent on assisting Raphael in whatever way she can, it seems.
No, John projected slowly as he eased a flake of his fish off the filet. No, I don’ think so — at least not as I understand it. While there are pulse points, John observed as he felt himself beginning to blush, that are not as visible as the neck and wrist, there are no obvious signs that Stella has chosen to share her blood with Raphael yet. Of course, she knows healing spells powerful enough that any visible scars would have disappeared. Nevertheless, their relationship appears to be founded more on equality and mutual devotion rather than devolving into something that requires her to become subservient to Raphael. It may be wishful thinking on my part, but a relationship based on one of them being subservient to the other seems out of character for the two of them. And even in a state of extreme distress, Stella possessed a greater sense of confidence than her counterpart is projecting right now.

“Is the steak as good as you remembered, Raphael?” John asked. “The fish is excellent.”

That said, you are correct in pointing out that I am likely extrapolating too much from one data point: The manner in which he took her arm and led her firmly away from Stella after scaring off the lesser vampires.

At least I have provided you with plenty of examples of how one appears when one is infatuated, he observed affectionately. So we can be more certain of that data point.

Oh, he added, my congratulations on correctly assessing Raphael’s state. While it is perfectly clear in retrospect, the world we live in does grant enough plausible deniability and alternate explanations that the majority of the base does not know or even suspect, given that I was the only one who went looking for his coffin. Seraph, of course, knew but Stella had to be told — and if she hadn’t figured it out, given how close they are, he hides it well. I doubt I would have been able to determine he was a vampire as quickly as I did without Montcrieff having included her own guesses about him prior to my arrival.

John paused. Would it be wrong to say I am proud of you for having determined he was a vampire? The whole “That’s my gal” thing feels a trifle paternalistic or possessive, somehow, but I can’t come up with a different word to describe it.