Entangled White Roses:

Simone’s Notes:

Sexual addiction is a controversial term used to describe a phenomenon in which individuals report being unable to manage their sexual urges. While the condition is not universally accepted by sex researchers and there is some debate, proponents of the idea have offered definitions of sexual addiction modeled after common definitions of substance addictions, but replacing the substance with sexual behavior. Skeptics believe that sex addiction is a myth, a by-product of cultural and other influences. Proponents of the concept have described sex addicts as people who repeatedly and compulsively try to connect with others through highly impersonal intimate behaviors: masturbation, empty affairs, frequent visits to prostitutes, voyeurism, and the like. They have argued that there is an adrenaline rush that can be achieved through these obsessive, highly ritualized patterns of sexual behavior. Proponents have compared sexual addiction with alcohol and drug addiction and have argued that sexual addiction is a worldwide problem. Sexual Addiction and Compulsivity: The Journal of Treatment and Prevention, a journal in which proponents explore the topic, has devoted an entire issue to AIDS and sex addiction as a worldwide problem.

Night 1:

Derdra had been going to club Red Twilight by herself lately. She didn’t know why. Red Twilight was notorious for thugs, night crawlers, and perverts alike. They were eat her alive if they found out that she was a newbie. This was an underground place. The club was hidden under an Asian grocery store. One had to get a certain pass in order to get inside. Somehow, the nurse got a black light devil stamp on her hand. She was meeting someone tonight.

The taxi pulled up at the Rice Dragon store. Derdra turned to the drive and paid him in cash. The driver took the money without any questions asked. It wasn’t his job to anyway. He just delivered the Goths and partiers to this store. Derdra gave him a little smile.

“Good night sir,” she said. “Thanks for the ride.” The driver just smiled and nodded. The nurse watched as he drove off into the night. She turned to the store and walked inside.

The store looked normal as usual. The owner and his wife didn’t ask her any questions. They didn’t even look up and acknowledge her. Derdra followed instructions very closely. Don’t make eye contact she was told. Just walk to the back room and don’t talk to anyone. Derdra was almost at the back door when she heard a soft shuffle. She slowly turned. A six year old Korean boy was looking right at her. This was a cute child. He was dressed for bed in his pajamas. He kept on staring at her. Derdra smiled at him sweetly. She lightly put her finger to her lips and walked through the door.

The stairs were dark and narrow. Derdra walked with her heartbeat. This path seemed to take forever. She finally came to the door. A big guard was standing in front of the doorway. He was as pale as the snow. The black military uniform was intimidating. Derdra stood right in front of him. She kept a serious face.

“Pass?” the guard asked her. Derdra held up her hand to him. He scanned it for a quick second. The guard turned to her with a serious face.

“Go on,” he said. Then he stepped aside. Derdra walked into the club. Inside was much wilder than any club she had seen before in her life! This was like the underworld in full swing. Halloween may have been over for days, but Halloween was going on forever here. Demons and witches were all around. Free booze was all around. Derdra just couldn’t believe it. “Oh wow!” she thought. “I didn’t know it was this intense! This is sin city right here!” Then, she felt a light tap on the shoulder. The nurse turned around behind her. Edward was looking at her warmly. Derdra smiled at him.

“Hello there, stranger,” she said. The incubus smiled at her warmly.

“Hey,” he said. “Aren’t you a sexy little thing?” Derdra smiled at him richly.

“Thanks,” she said. Edward kept his smile at her.

“Say,” he said. “Why don’t you and I get out of here for tonight and go somewhere quieter?” Derdra raised are eyebrow at him.

“Are you hitting on me?” she asked in a flirty way. Edward shrugged at her.

“Maybe,” he said. “So what do you say?” Derdra smiled at him at first. Edward was trying to be smooth tonight. She then leaned in close to his cold ear.

“Dream on, Edward,” the nurse whispered. “Dream on!” Them the nurse walked over to the dance floor to really enjoy herself. Edward smiled to himself wickedly.

“You want me to go after her?” Faerie asked him from behind. Edward held out his hand.

“Naw,” he said. “Leave her be. She’ll come around to me. In the meantime, there is plenty of free ass for the both of us to sample until that time.” Faerie just shrugged.

“I guess you’re right,” she said. Edward smirked to himself.

“I know I’m right!” he said. “I know I’m right.”

Night 2:

The next night Derdra sat at the bar of the club. She was looking in the full glass. So far, no one noticed her. The nurse was pretty content at her situation. She could just be alone in her head at the moment. But that was going to change pretty soon. Derdra noticed that someone was standing over her. She was smiling to herself as she looked up. A man was standing over her. He looked like a sexy-looking vampire. His deep black eyes were so cold that they burned. His short hair was deep red. The man had some lean muscle to him. Derdra had to admit that he had a nice smile. But, the nurse kept her attraction perfectly under control.

“Yes?” she asked. “Can I help you?” The man stepped closer to her.

“Pardon me, madam,” he said. “But you are the most beautiful woman in the bar tonight!” Derdra gave him a little smile.

“Aw, thanks,” she said. The man didn’t stop there. He lightly reached forward and touched her hand. Derdra was a little surprised by his gesture.

“Oh!” she said. “You’re very straight forward aren’t?”

“Why yes,” he said. Derdra felt herself blush now. Her heart was slowly picking up the pace.

“Am I turning you on?” the man asked. Derdra was really surprised now. She didn’t know what to say.

“Uh… well…” she said. The nurse looked away quickly. He was working well with his charisma. Her new companion smiled at her in a wicked way.

“What is your name, madam?” he asked her. Derdra didn’t look into his eyes. She saw his reflect in the glass behind the bar. The nurse couldn’t escape his lethal charm.

“Derdra,” she said. “Derdra Chopin.” The man smiled at her. He had her now.

“I am Eric,” he said to her. “Eric Harness.” This would’ve gone on farther, but there was an abrupt interruption.

“Hey!” someone snapped to them. Both the man and nurse looked up. Edward was standing inches away from them. He was looking pissed off at Eric. He quickly took Derdra’s other hand.

“Derdra and I are on a date tonight!” he hissed. “So piss off!” Eric lightly let go of Derdra’s hand. He slowly backed off.

“Fine, fine,” he said. “Enjoy your night!” Then he left them alone. Edward watched him leave bitterly. He turned back to the nurse. His mood had softened now.

“You okay?” he asked her. Derdra looked at him confused.

“Yes…” she said. “Why wouldn’t I be?” Edward smiled at her kindly.

“Eric is a monster of the worst kind,” he said to her in a low voice. “He has seduced and killed thousands of women. I didn’t want you to become another of his victims.” The nurse looked at him surprised.

“Oh wow!” she said. “Thank you, then!” Edward kept his smile.

“No prob,” he replied. “But I have to stay by you for a while to make it look like were on an actual date. You mind laughing a bit as if I just said something funny?”

“No, okay.” Derdra agreed. So she and Edward pretended to be dating so to fool Eric and keep him at bay. She even let him rub on her leg some. Again, the nurse couldn’t figure him out. Was Edward really doing this to protect her or was he trying to get him some himself? She could never be sure. But it was nice to have the attention of two men at the same time at one night. Made her feel like a princess.

Night 3:

This was all a game that they played with each other. She knew it and he knew it. He flirts with her and she turns him down. It was just as simple as that. They understood each other perfectly well. She was the rabbit and he was the wolf. He wanted her and she was to outsmart him for many nights until she finally did decide to give into him. That proved to be an easy thing to do so far. Edward never forced her into anything at all. In fact, he would go back and improve his technique to try and chatter her up again for the next night. Derdra was impressed with his persistence. Most guys would quick by now. But, Edward was still coming after her like a hit man. “He minds to have me, doesn’t he?” she thought. She wanted him too. But just yet. Derdra wanted to toy with the monster as long as she could. What fun is a chase when one gives up too easily? But the question was who was going to give in first?

Night 4:

Derdra never told anyone where she was going at night. Why should she? It was private thing between her and Edward. Besides with all of the bad press that the alchemist was getting, the last thing he needed was to be publicly linked back to her. No, no! This had to be kept private all costs. Derdra was doing a good job at covering her tracks up. First, she would make sure that everyone was sleeping before she went out. Once that was cleared, Derdra would slip out without any questions at all. She followed instructions carefully that Edward had given her on the first night. And for extra measures, Derdra would check her seclude to see if she had to work the next morning. If she had to work the next morning, the night was canceled. If her shift didn’t start until later that day or it was her day off, the party was on. It was simpler than it all looked. Over the past nights, Derdra had become a professional at this seeking out thing. She and Edward could have their affair and not be bothered. Everything was working out just fine. But then, the rules of the game would become more complicated for them both.