It's a date: Perseus Burk's perspective

Hello lovelies. I've been working on a Burk POV scene based on part of Celestial Magic where Rosemary accidentally calls Burk one evening and they discuss going on a date, then he pops in to see her to make sure that's actually what she was wanting. If you want to know what might have been going on in his head, read on! (If you haven't read Celestial Magic yet, you may want to wait until you have).

Enjoy! xx

Perseus Burk

In the dimly lit suite of the family castle, Perseus Burk paced restlessly, his mind replaying the phone conversation he'd had with Rosemary. The ancient walls, steeped in history and secrets, felt unusually constricting tonight, as if they were closing in on him, echoing his turbulent thoughts.

Rosemary Thorn was an enigma. A woman so strong and vibrant, yet so conflicted by the struggles of her own mind. Every interaction with her threw him. In all his centuries of existence, he’d never encountered such a reaction.

He recalled every detail of their unexpected phone call from the night before, poring over it in his mind to try to ascertain the meaning behind her words.

He remembered answering the phone, trying to mask his worry with a smooth, casual tone. "I got a missed call from you," he had said, his voice betraying none of the turmoil within.

Her hesitation at the start of the call was palpable. It was as if she was battling with herself, deciding whether to open up or retreat behind her usual veil of composure.

There's something about her voice that always catches me off guard. It's not just the sound, but the emotion behind it – the conflicting power and vulnerability that resonates.

He paused his pacing a moment, looking out the window toward the surrounding fields and pastures, aware that his life had so much bounty, and yet, what he wouldn’t give to be closer to Rosemary…

When she spoke of feeling lonely, it had struck a chord - a feeling Perseus knew all too well, the companion of many a long night. But hearing it from her, it felt different, more acute, as if her loneliness was something perhaps he could, and should, alleviate…if only she would let him.

Perseus began pacing again, relentlessly, as if he could walk his way out of his inner turmoil, yet he could not get his mind off Rosemary and the unexpected phone call. She had agreed to a date, though was that just out of courtesy? He had to know, to speak with her in person, to confirm if it was something she really wanted.

The mere mention of her being in bed had sent his thoughts spiraling. It was an innocent comment, yet it conjured images and feelings best left unexplored, at least for the moment.

She had tried to sound casual, breezy even, but there was an undercurrent of something more. It was as if she was on the cusp of revealing something deeper but pulled back at the last moment.

He couldn't see her at the time of course, but he could picture the blush that must have colored her cheeks. It's a sight he found so endearingly human, a visual echo of her emotions.

Just then, there was a knock and his door creaked open.

“Perseus, my dear,” Azalea stood in the doorway. “Your pacing is beating an eloquent rhythm. Are you quite alright?”

Perseus turned to his mother. “Of course,” he replied, not wanting to give away too much.

“It’s the witch, isn’t it?” Azalea said with a sparkle in her eyes.

He had only mentioned Rosemary in passing, but few details ever escaped Azalea’s sharp wit.

He merely nodded.

“Ahh, my boy,” Azalea said, sauntering into the room, her long black hair disappearing into her dress of the same tone, her face animated. “Such torture is love!”

Azalea had not only a flare for the dramatic, but an unfathomable penchant to be delighted by all of life’s miseries and suffering.

She reached out and brushed his cheek. “You do not deny it.”

Perseus sighed. “I do not know what to call these feelings,” he admitted. “They are beyond my comprehension.”

“Then you must spend more time with her, my sweet boy. Enjoy the agony of it all!”

He knew that she was right, but he also knew he had to give Rosemary time and space in spades. The last thing she needed was someone else demanding her attention.

The next day, he bided his time, catching up on work at the office, distracting himself with his intellectual pursuits. It was a welcome balm to his inner conflict, but later, as he left the office, he caught a familiar scent on the breeze.

Rosemary.

A low light was on in Marjie’s teashop. As he approached, he saw her working, the sweet smell of chocolate permeating the air around as she tended to her craft.

The way the dim light catches her red wavy hair, turning it into a fiery halo around her face, is enough to make any ancient heart beat faster. Every time I see her, it's like the first time. The way she moves, a blend of grace and purpose, never fails to captivate me

Perhaps a small conversation would clear the air.

Perseus lingered outside the tea shop, his mind a tempest of conflicting emotions before approaching the doorway, he was taken aback by her sudden exclamation.

"Back, foul demon!" she cried, brandishing a wooden spoon, and he couldn't help but chuckle.

Her words tumbled out in a delightful cascade, each one laced with that fiery wit that always seemed to set his senses alight. It was like watching a dance of flames – mesmerising and slightly dangerous.

"I’ll have you know, I recently showered," he quipped, trying to lighten the mood. He could see she was flustered.

He watched as Rosemary, slightly flustered, stumbled over her words.

"Oh, I…” she said. “Erm...Hi.”

“Hi,” Burk replied, offering a smile to ease the tension. He wanted to address the unspoken feelings that lingered in the air since their call. “I realised that during our phone call we hadn't made any specific plans. And then I also realised that you'd been in maybe not such a good place last night, and I didn't want to take advantage of that.”

Rosemary quickly reassured him, “Oh, no, not at all. I was fine. Really. I was just, you know…”

If rambling were an Olympic sport, Rosemary would surely take gold.

Burk, trying to lighten the mood, quipped, “Reconsidering the terms of your existence? Compensating for a future empty nest syndrome?”

Rosemary sighed, a hint of vulnerability in her voice. “I'm sorry. Did I sound that desperate?”

If only she could see herself through my eyes – not as a woman driven by desperation, but as a beacon of great power and inspiration.

Burk's heart ached a bit at her words. Her vivid green eyes held a world of emotions, like twin emeralds, gleaming with an inner fire that drew him in, leaving him spellbound

He shook his head slowly, his voice soft but earnest. “I don't want to be the man you turn to just because you're worried about being alone.”

“You think I’m pre-emptively empty nesting towards you?” she asked, a mix of humor and seriousness in her tone.

There was a certain allure in the way she stood there, a mix of defiance and uncertainty, that made her irresistibly captivating.

It's as if she's a puzzle I'm perpetually solving, yet never quite completing

“Are you?” Burk asked gently, needing to know her true feelings.

“No,” Rosemary replied, her voice gaining confidence. “It’s just that…” She paused, her heart skipping a beat. “I actually do like you. The other stuff – well, the circumstances now are just clearing a path through all my resistance, that’s all.”

Burk felt a surge of hope. “And here I am at the end of that path?”

“Yes, if you want to be,” she affirmed.

Burk was about to speak, but Rosemary cut in, “You take this all so seriously. I’d have thought a vampire of your age would be playing the field.”

Her playful challenge sent a thrill through him. It was the unexpected spark in her, the way she could turn the world on its axis with just a few words, that he found so intoxicating.

He couldn't help but smile at her assumption. “I suppose I’m a romantic at heart. Besides, I’ve had many years to soak up all kinds of experiences. I’m more interested in something deeper,” he confessed.

Rosemary, slightly taken aback, asked, “Does that mean you don't want to go out with me? Are you calling me shallow?”

He laughed, reassuring her. “Not exactly.”

Confusion crossed her face. “So do you want to date me or not?”

Burk felt a rush of emotion The way she bit her lip in confusion, was enough to make him want to close the distance between them, to reassure her in ways words could not. “I do. Of course I do. I just want to make sure it's actually what you're wanting.”

Rosemary's response was immediate. "Yes.”

“Yes?” Burk echoed, seeking confirmation.

He could hear her heart racing, and she declared, “It’s what I'm wanting. I do want to go out with you. I’ve wanted to for ages. It's just...it's taken a bit of a reality check to make me prioritise my own romantic life. I had a lot of resistance and the conversation with Neve just helped me see through it all.”

Burk smiled, his heart melting with her words. “I suppose I should be thanking Neve then.”

Rosemary shook her head with a laugh. “She's got enough to think about already without random vampires showing up at her place.”

Ah, the mysterious ways of the human heart. More complex than any ancient vampire ritual. And with fewer candles.

As the conversation continued, he felt a profound connection to her, a sense of rightness. Her shoulders relaxed and he could see the spark of excitement in her eyes when she told him that despite her resistance, she really did want to go out with him.

That genuine expression was the confirmation he needed. His heart soared, however finding a suitable evening proved challenging.

“Shall we go out next Friday?”
 He asked.

Rosemary smiled. “Yes...Oh wait, no.”

“No?”

“The end of the term is coming up way too quickly and I've got plans with Athena on Friday before I get ready to go away for my course.”

The irony of two beings from different eras trying to synchronize their modern lives is not lost on me. Time, it seems, remains a playful trickster.

"It's a date," he said, his voice a mixture of relief and anticipation. “I won't delay you any further, Rosemary Thorn.”

He took her hand, kissing it gently, feeling the warmth of her skin against his cool lips. He wanted to reassure her, to let her know he was there for her, not just as a response to her loneliness but because he genuinely cared. He had seen many things in his long life, but the connection he felt with Rosemary was unique.

He looked her in the eyes, a promise of what was to come, and disappeared into the night, his heart lighter than it had been in a long time.

Rosemary Thorn, with her fiery spirit and gentle heart, had managed to do what centuries had not – she had awakened something in him, a desire for something deep, something terrifying, something so transformational as love.