The sun had set in a magnificent glow of pinks and purple, allowing the stars to sparkle in a velvet black sky, complete with a crescent moon that was made for just gazing. Against better judgment and precaution, Dom was sitting in one of the lounge chair that lined the pool area. Staring at the moonlight reflected in the still water surface, he seemed too lost in thought to notice anything beyond his own breathing. 1
The day had been hard enough with the news that Labeve might make the night her ultimate visit, and he should have known better than to compound it with images from his past. What started out as a simple putting of history in order ended up with Dom feeling about as miserable as he’d ever felt. 2
Fine up until about sixty years into his past, he breezed right through a small pile of papers that explained about his squire’s newest child. Realizing that it would be Craig’s father that had been born had not been enough to stop him from reading, although he had actually wanted to. Morbid curiosity on what he had written had prompted him to continue through the papers to nearly the end, when one small paragraph stopped him in his tracks. 3
He read those few words over and over as a maelstrom of emotions tore through him. Although there were only two other people in the large house, Paul still off on one of his mysterious trips, Dom found it too crowded and claustrophobic enough to make his breathing shallow. 4
Ignoring the fact that he shouldn’t be out after dark, and basically telling Tria to stay the hell away from him for a while, Dom ended up at the pool area for some heavy-duty introspective thinking and general blank staring.5
Angie had come out sometime while he was staring, but he wasn’t sure when. All he knew was that she was suddenly in the chair beside his, waiting to be acknowledged. Glancing to the side, he noticed Tria skulking around a few feet away; far enough to give some privacy yet close enough to act if needed. 6
Not really in the mood to deal with anything, and really too tired to even muster up the façade to even pretend, Dom shifted his body so he was looking the other direction. 7
Frowning at his behavior, Angie sighed tightly. With things being on the precipice of falling from bad to worse, the last thing she needed was to be dealing with a pouting ex-immortal. “What’s wrong?”8
Shrugging lightly, Dom remained with his back to her. Ready to brush her off and deal with the fall-out later, he contemplated standing and walking away. But he couldn’t do that to her. Letting her win this little part of the battle he had within himself, he held a paper up, turning to face at her as she took it.9
Looking from him to the paper, Angie started to read. Another kid, small one he is, with a set of lungs on him that could rival the scream of a Banshee for volume. They named him Craig. Stopping she looked at Dom as his sullen mood became clear. “You miss him.”10
“I can’t recall a day where Craig didn’t annoy the hell out of me,” he said. “But damn it, I miss him being around.” The lines of his face set in grim resolve. “It’s my fault this happened. If I’d been able to kill Labeve the first time…” he trailed off, not wanting to say it. 11
“It wasn’t your fault,” Angie said gently. 12
“It won’t happen again,” he said, standing. Taking the paper from her, he folded it and placed it into his jeans pocket. “This ends tonight, guaranteed.” 13
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Sun filtered its way through the canopy of trees overhead, making the forest area eerie and foreboding. A walkway threaded a route through the trees like a wooden snake traversing the dense wilderness. Standing on it, and looking around for signs of the woman he had come to meet, Paul tried to push down the urge to just vanish before she arrived. 16
It wasn’t like he owed her this visit, anyway. This was more of something he was doing for himself, and he wasn’t overly concerned if she wanted to hear what he had to say or not. 17
Grunting in annoyance as he looked at his watch, he turned to leave. Standing not too far from him on the walkway, she stared, calm despite what must have been a snarl on his face. 18
“You’re late,” he growled.19
“I was here,” she replied calmly as she hopped up to sit on the waist high railing. “So shove that attitude somewhere unpleasant before I do it for you.”20
Inhaling to stop the insult he wanted to give her, Paul nodded curtly. “Well, you’re here now, so…guess that’s better than nothing.”21
“How charming,” she told him in a lifeless tone. “Was there something you wanted, or did you call me just to get in a few more verbal barbs to pass the time?” 22
Once again pushing back an insult, and realizing that he had far too many he wanted to hurt her with, he struggled to get his temper under control. Easier said than done, though. Looking at her as she returned his gaze easily, he was once more taken aback at just how beautiful she was. In a genus of amazingly good-looking individuals, she was still far above and beyond a lot of females in both looks and personality. 23
She’d been cursed even before she was born, and although no one had known until only a few years previous, she had endured a lot of hardships because of it. She’d never let it beat her down, and fought tooth and nail anything that came her way…but eventually it wore away a lot of her resolve, and at one time turned her into a shadow of the vibrant girl he had once loved and hoped to spend his eternity with. 24
Friends, both old and new, helped her find herself again and stood by her through some of the hardest battles she would ever face. Somewhere deep inside, he knew that he should have been one of those that stood by her, but he wasn’t ready to admit that to himself just yet. No, instead of being there, Paul knew that he was responsible for giving her some of the biggest hardship of both her younger days, and her more recent years. 25
“Or did you just come to stare?” she asked gently, sensing the confusion that was coming from him. 26
“It took me a while to realize this,” Paul started slowly. “And…I don’t really know why I’m here, but I’m probably going to die tonight, and I wanted to tell you a few things.”27
Pausing, he waited for her to speak, but all he got was an interested stare tinged with sorrow. “I know I’ve been mean to you,” he continued and he leaned back against the railing at his side. “I couldn’t take what happened between us, and I lashed out, hurting the only person I really ever cared for. I carried it on for over a century, and used your hardships to fuel that hate.”28
”Why?” she asked quietly.29
“I don’t know,” came the honest reply. “I was hurt, and it was easier to blame you than myself.” Exhaling, he stood from the railing. “I just wanted to let you know that I don’t hate or blame you any longer. I understand if you’re still pissed at me, and I can live with that. I just… I can’t die hating you.” 30
Biting her lip, she studied him, then closed her eyes briefly. “Paul… you put me through hell this past century. I lost a good friend the night our future vanished from in front of us. You pushed and punished, making it damn near impossible to do anything but hate you.”31
”I know,” he said with a nod. 32
“But,” she said with a sigh, “if there’s anything I’ve learned over the past few years is that there are some things that we can’t change, and holding on to hate does nothing but make us hollow inside. I could never wish you ill, and if you do happen to depart this realm tonight, go knowing that I don’t hate you.” 33
“Thank you,” he said, more relived than he thought he’d be. “I should go.” Looking like he had more that he wanted to tell her, he smiled slightly, nodded, and vanished.34
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It was hard for her to believe that less than twenty minutes ago he had been sitting by the pool moping about his past and the events that recently happened. Angie watched, slightly confused at the abrupt change in attitude that Dom seemed to have as he walked through the house, checking certain areas and making sure that things were secure. He then vanished for a few minutes into the back part of the house that had once been his domain, and returned with two large duffle bags that he placed on the coffee table. 37
Sitting on the couch, he unzipped one bag and started pulling out an assortment of weapons. Looking up at the gasp that came from Angie, he went back to the pile that was starting to grow on the table. Gently rummaging through the bag, he grabbed the hilt of his trusted wakizashi, which was basically a short katana, pulled it out of its sheath, and held it up as the nearby lamplight reflected of its gleaming surface. 38
“This was given to me nearly three hundred years ago,” he said while staring at the blade. Placing it back in the sheath, he held it out to her. “If that bitch demon comes any where near you, aim for her heart.”39
Staring at the sword, Angie took a step backwards. “I can’t-“40
“Angie,” he interrupted carefully. “Normally I’d defer to your decision, but this is a bit too important for you to get squeamish.” 41
“Dom.” Sighing, she took a step towards him and sat opposite the table. “What’s going on?”42
Giving her a look of pure confusion, he raised an eyebrow. His mouth opened to say something, but self-preservation forced him to keep it to himself. “I can’t rely on those two,” he said with a nod towards outside, and the general direction where Tria and Paul were. “Not with the eagle getting flighty all the time and taking off, and Tria looking like she’d rather beat my ass down than protect it.43
“If this ends up like I think it will, then we’re going to need all the weapons I have,” he continued. “Even then it might not be enough. I don’t know, really, and I haven’t been able to see this future one way or another. I just really need to be prepared so that I won’t be slaughtered again. That serious sucked the first time, and wasn’t much better in the rerun.” 44
“She can’t come here without an invitation,” Angie said, searching for something to say to keep his emotions from getting more intense. “Right?”45
“In theory.” Reaching for another sword, Dom tested the balance before placing it with the others. “And I really don’t need to find that the theory is bust when she’s standing in the living room slobbering all over my dragon statues. That would really piss me off.” 46
Staring as he continued to check his weapons, Angie blinked at the way his intensity seemed to have completely vanished from around him. Gone was the manic look in his eyes from a few minutes ago, replaced by a calmness that scared her more than the other one had. 47
“You’re changing.”48
Looking up as he reached for another sword, he flinched as his finger touched the sharp edge. Pulling his hand back, he sighed, wiped the blood on his pants, then carefully lifted the sword out. Shaking his head as Angie reached for the hand, he smiled lightly. 49
“It’s okay,” he said. “Like a paper cut.”50
“You’re going through more mood swings than I am,” she told him. “First you’re pouting, then kind of agitated, and now you’ve got this calming aura that’s actually pissing me off.” 51
Snorting in amusement, Dom leaned over to give her a kiss. “Sorry.” Pulling back, he studied the pile of weapons, checking each one again before placing more than a few back. Looking over the five that remained, he deftly buckled a sheath to his forearm, positioning it for easy access. 52
“Promise me you’ll get rid of these after tonight,” Angie said.53
“Sure,” Dom agreed, not wanting to mention that he had other various weapons stashed around the house…and definitely not wanting to mention the retractable sword that went with him everywhere. “So, guess we sit in here and wait.”54
Sitting on the couch beside him, Angie snuggled in close. “What if she doesn’t come?”55
”She’ll come.”56
”How do you know?”57
“I don’t,” he whispered as he wrapped an arm around her. 58
“If you were here, would you?” Angie waited for his reply, and when it didn’t come, she glanced up at him. “Dom?”59
“I heard you,” he said. “I just don’t want to freak you out more than you already are.”60
“Trust me,” she told him, “nothing could possibly freak me out more than the idea of a demon coming for my unborn child.”61
Wanna bet? Keeping that thought to himself, Dom went back to staring at the wall. It would probably freak her out if he told her that he wouldn’t have been so predictable had it been him coming for her. And it would definitely freak her out if he told her that he would wait, biding time and suffering insults and indignations until he sensed her defenses lowering, even minutely, then swoop in, and have it done before anyone realized. 62
Uncomfortable that he was even able to think along those lines, Dom removed his arm from around her, stood and looked down. “I need a drink,” he said lamely. “Can I get you a tea or something?” 63
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“I’m bored.”66
Rolling his eyes in annoyance, Paul glanced over his shoulder at Tria as they walked around the perimeter of the property. “Do you always feel the need to talk?” he asked. “I don’t think you’ve spent more than five minutes with your mouth shut since I met you.” 67
“Sorry,” she muttered. “I had no idea my voice offended you.”68
Sighing in annoyance, he stopped walking. “You’re like a child, you know that? Someone says something you don’t like, and you pout, and get snotty.”69
“Coming from you, I take that as a compliment,” she said, trying to read his mind to see what he was thinking. Try as she might, she couldn’t quite get that little trick worked out on command. “Where’d you vanish to earlier?”70
Deciding to pry into her life so that she’d get pissed off enough at him to stop talking and asking nosey questions, he smiled as they started to walk again. “What’s the deal between you and Ash?”71
Surprised at the topic change, Tria glanced at Paul as they walked around the front of the gate. “No deal,” she said defensively.72
Picking up on the tone in her voice, he decided to push the question. “No, come on,” he said. “Every time someone mentions his name, you get this look in your eyes.”73
“What look?”74
“Like a… sad anger, maybe?”75
She shrugged. “We were, then we weren’t, and now it’s over.”76
“Uh, okay.” Frowning in confusion, he finally caught the meaning, and grew silent.77
“What about you?” she asked.78
“Me? I’ve never had an affair with Ash.”79
“Damn,” she said with humor. “Can you ever give a straight answer on anything?” 80
“Probably not.” He stopped for a moment to look around and sniff the air. 81
“Have you ever loved, or does your life consist only of one night stands?”82
“You loved Ash?”83
“That’s not what I said, and it was more of a lust.”84
“I’m a Were-Hunter, Tria,” he told her. “It’s our goal to find the one that makes the mark appear on our palm. One night stands sort of goes along with that.”85
“Still, it’s not what I asked.”86
Starting to walk again, he ignored her as she followed. “Keep your senses open for Labeve,” he said. “But no so open that she can seize control.” 87
“You majored in avoidance in college, didn’t you?”88
“Business admin, actually,” he told her. “Slept through most of it… probably why I suck at running a company.”89
“See, now you’re loosening up and telling me about yourself.”90
“Too much information can be deadly,” he muttered. “People know too much and they use it against you.” 91
“Is that what happened to make you the asshole that you are today?” 92
“No,” he said. “The asshole comes naturally. Hereditary family trait, actually.” 93
“Well, since the first, last and only time I’ve ever met your brothers was when they were trying to kill me, I’d have to agree.” Looking around, she sighed again. “This is boring, you know.”94
“Hadn’t noticed,” he told her as they rounded another corner and were faced with a long wall. “Damn, how big is this property anyway?”95
“Not that big,” Tria said. “How old are you?”96
“What?” Scanning the top of the wall with all his senses, and satisfied that it would probably keep Labeve out, Paul looked at her. “You’re really nosey.”97
“Come on,” she said. “You’ve probably been all through my mind, which is really annoying to think about, yet you’re this standoffish enigma.” 98
“That’s all part of my mystique,” he said as he turned and started back for the main gate. Although he knew the perimeter to be secure, he couldn’t shake the feeling that they were missing something. Since at times his best thoughts came when he was thinking of other things, he decided to humor chatty Tria by giving her a few answers to shut her up. ”Couple years older than Aiden,” he admitted.99
“How old’s Aiden?”100
“Couple years younger than me.”101
Sighing, she shook her head at his vagueness. “You two ever have a thing?”102
Paul raised an eyebrow in amusement. “You mean did Aiden and I ever have sex?”103
Tria blushed. “Uh, yeah.”104
“Sure,” he said in a low tone. “Kind of goes with that mating mark thing we Were’s have.”105
“Sounds sluttish.”106
“Don’t call her a slut,” Paul said, anger in his voice.107
Surprised at the anger, she looked at him. “I thought you hated her?”108
“We can’t help what we are born into,” he said, annoyance still evident. “Trust me on that one.”109
“But…you’re Arcadian,” Tria said, trying to get her new senses to read something in him that would explain the anger he had. “You’re raised more or less like humans.”110
“More or less,” he agreed, wondering where she was going with this line of questioning. Sometimes he’d like to just kill her and put her out of his misery. If it wasn’t for his promise to Roan that he’d train her, then he would gladly stick a blade through Tria a few dozen times. It might not kill her, but at least it might make her mad enough to stop talking to him. “Remember, I was raised in a different time period, a vastly different environment, and looked upon as strange by those not aware of my heritage. You can’t base a ‘more or less’ attitude on what you were raised with.”111
Sighing again at his inability to keep his anger in check, Tria shook her head. “Didn’t anyone ever teach you about anger management?”112
“Nope.”113
“Not even your mother?”114
“My mother died during childbirth,” he said plainly. “So that would be a no. My father hated me for that, and my brothers, being the mindless drones that they were, gobbled up that hatred.” He shrugged. “So, I learned to manage all the anger directed at me.”115
“I’m sorry, I-“ Stopping as he turned to glare at her, Tria took a step back.116
“Don’t apologize for something you had no knowledge of,” he told her. “You’re vastly undereducated on my world, and I would appreciate you shutting the hell up on matters you know nothing about.”117
“You’re very defensive when it comes to your family, aren’t you.”118
“Yes,” he snarled. “And I’m done with your prying inquisition.” Turning his back to her, he continued to walk and study the perimeter. 119
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Tea sitting untouched on the low table before her, Angie absently played with the ponytail that hung down Dom’s back. Running her fingers through his dark hair, she would twirl a few strands around before going back to stroking. 122
Grimacing as his hair occasionally caught on her engagement ring, Dom remained where he was as Angie’s fingers caressed his hair. The action seemed to have a tranquil effect on her, and he was willing to sustain some discomfort if it meant she was calm. Enough pressure would be arriving soon enough. 123
“I miss Amy,” she whispered. 124
“Me too,” he agreed, hoping he’d be able to see and hold the baby again. “Are you all right?”125
“I think so,” she said as she continued to finger comb his hair. “I mean, this is all so weird and freaky, but I think I’m starting to understand that it’s going to happen, and freaking out will do no good.”126
“I wish I could have offered you a better life,” he told her, regret evident. Grimacing as she lightly tugged at his hair, he looked at her. 127
“Stop that,” she ordered. “There’s not one day with you that I'd trade for anything. Grant it, I wish to the gods that Craig and Mel were still here, and that Labeve never existed, but we can’t change that. A future is something we can create, and I’ll be damned if I’ll allow it to be taken from me.”128
Leaning to give her a kiss, Dom rested a hand on her inner thigh. “Your spirit and courage are what first attracted me to you,” he whispered as he moved his hand to unclasp the sheath on his arm and place it on the table. Returning his hand to her thigh, he stared in to her eyes. “And those are the two things that will carry you through to the other side of this mess.” 129
“As long as you’re there with me, Amy and our son, then everything else can go to hell.” Smiling slightly as his hand moved on her thigh, she arched an eyebrow. “How can you think of sex at a time like this?”130
”Perfect time for it,” he said as he leaned forward and nuzzled her neck. Fear that he would never be able to hold her again had prompted him to experience her for one last possible time. 131
Cradling his head as he gently sucked on the skin between her neck and shoulder, Angie reached for the clasp on his jeans. “What if the other two pop in?”132
“Then we’ll have an audience.” 133
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“She’s not gonna show,” Paul said, leaning against the gate and closing his eyes briefly. Standing quickly as his eyes jerked open, he took a few steps towards the road and slowly pivoted so he could look around.136
“What?” Tria said, as she joined in the looking, her stance that of ready for battle. She automatically went to his back so she could provide a set of eyes in another direction. 137
“A wall in your mind,” Paul whispered. “Whatever happens, protect Angela and the baby.” Roan, if you want a piece of this bitch, now’s your chance.138
The thought barely left his mind when pain erupted in his side. Staggering away from Tria, who look confused, he placed a hand against his ribs. The pain subsided as he took his hand away, baffled when there was no blood. 139
“What’s wrong?” Tria asked as she divided her attention between him and their surroundings. 140
“Did we ever find out the full extent of Labeve’s powers?” he asked in a preoccupied voice. 141
“I don’t think so,” Tria admitted as she took a step back towards the gate so that her back was protected. 142
Scanning for trouble, he started to look worried as well as angry. “Maybe she’s been able to off so many of her hunters by distracting their concentration with projected pain, then swooping in for the ki-“ Paul voice cut off as his breath seemed to leave him. Trying to inhale, it felt like a giant hand wrapped around his throat. 143
A hand touched his shoulder as Tria ran for him, and he felt pain in his back at the same time his air returned. Grabbing Paul before he could hit the ground, Tria helped him to the gate where he leaned against it as he fought the pain and dizziness. 144
“Someone touched me,” he said, shivering in disgust at the memory. 145
“No one was there,” Tria told him as she continued to look around. “Try that shit with me, demon bitch!” she yelled to the empty area.146
“Yeah,” Paul agreed. “Pick on her for a while.”147
“Thanks,” Tria growled. 148
“She wants to take me out first,” he told her. “You’re a novice at hunting her, and she thinks that with me gone, you’ll be easy pickings before she moves in…to…grab…” Trailing off, he looked at the gate behind him. “This isn’t right.”149
“You’re telling me.”150
“No.” Shaking his head, he reached in a pocket for the key to the gate. “I mean, if she can’t get in there without being invited, then why is she even bothering to harass us?”151
“Because you pissed her off by threatening her?”152
“Besides that,” Paul said. “I mean, offing me is fine, but she’s playing around here. She’s had what, six months to get Angie. Why now? There has to be more to this.”153
Tria continued to look around, trying to reach out with the powers she had. “If Craig and Melissa were supposed to die the first time, and they didn’t, then killing them the second time, placing Amy in a different upbringing would change the future basically the same as her never being born would have.” 154
“She’ll still be raised in that timeline,” Paul said as he held the key in his hand. “So, this killing of Angie and Dom would change that back to Labeve’s original plan.” 155
“Then why not just kill Amy?”156
“Because until recently, Amy hasn’t left the grounds.” Staring at the key in his hand, the thought from earlier resurfaced. “She usually doesn’t play games like this. It’s almost like she’s setting us up for something.”157
“Like a way in?” Tria asked. “She assaults you, we book for safety, and she hitches a ride on our cosmic wave.”158
“You’ve been spending too much time with Savitar,” Paul pointed out. “But that makes a lot of sense.”159
“Unfortunately.” 160
”I came with you that first time,” Paul pointed out. “We got past any magick because you had Roan’s powers and they could get past. Plus you were human at one point, so the protection might not have-“ Shoving the key into the lock and twisting, he yanked the door open and took one step in. 161
Jerking at a noise, Tria managed to take a step as a figure appeared directly behind Paul. Using her powers to shut the door on Labeve as she started for it, she jumped back as the demon turned on her. 162
Trying to make her mind a wall, Tria adopted a fighter’s stance as the two faced off. Giving a completely dismissive look, Labeve took a step towards the gate. Raising a hand, Tria formed a fireball in her palm, quickly grabbing the attention back to her. 163
Inside the property, Paul quickly picked himself up from the ground where the door had pushed him when it was slammed. Ready to bitch at Tria, he paused as a familiar scent assaulted him. 164
Phasing himself back to the other side of the gate, he appeared just as Tria threw two balls of flame at Labeve. The demon ducked, and threw a flame of her own, screeching as it turned before hitting Tria and headed back to her. 165
Creating a long sword in his hand, Paul advanced as he used the firefight as his distraction. Close enough to strike, he pulled back to swing, and stopped as a clawed hand was suddenly in his space. Confusion crinkled his eyes when he realized that it didn’t really hurt as much as he thought it would. 166
Pulling her claw out of her attackers chest, Labeve stabbed out again, getting him a little lower and more towards the heart. Pulling out as he fell back, she screamed again as fire slammed into her shoulder. Turning to the original attacker, she took a step back as Tria vanished.167
Tria appeared by Paul, grabbed the sword from his hand, and advanced on Labeve. “Last night of your life,” she hissed. 168
“I am for eternity,” came the reply as she stepped back. Trying to escape, and finding out she couldn’t, the demon looked around in angry panic. 169
“You’re going nowhere,” Tria said, finally getting the hang of manipulating Roan’s powers. 170
Motioning at the body on the ground, Labeve projected pain on to an unconscious Paul. The pain was great enough to pull him back to consciousness with a scream so intense that it inadvertently grabbed Tria’s attention. All it took was a fraction of a second, and then she was standing alone with a sword in her hand, and a dying Were-Hunter on the ground. 171
“Fuck you!” Tria screamed. Crouching beside Paul, she placed a hand on his leg and transported them back to the relative safety of the other side of the gate. “Paul?”172
Eyes glazed over in pain, he stared at her like he was trying to figure out who she was. “I’m sorry,” he whispered. “I tried.”173
“Shhh,” Tria told him in a soothing voice as she ran a hand over his face. “Roan!?” When there was no answer, she stood. “Roan!? Here! Now!!”174
A bright flash made her cringe, and the look on the goddesses face prompted her to take a step back. The look faded as her gaze fell on Paul. “You can heal him.”175
“I can’t,” she said, panic seeping into her voice. “I couldn’t even fix a damn cut on his head before.”176
“Concentrate,” she told Tria as Paul’s breathing became slower. 177
Closing her eyes, Tria exhaled as she pictured Paul healed in her mind. 178
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Enjoying the warmth that emanated from the body below him, Dom closed his eyes in contentment. Pushing all thoughts aside so they wouldn’t contaminate the peaceful feeling he was experiencing, he kissed her deeply as he moved inside her. 181
Expecting it to be fast and furious sex built on frantic emotions, Dom had surprised himself at the slow and gentle pace they had set. And yet, all too soon it was over. Joining Angie as she arched below him, their breathing turned ragged as both clutched at each other. Dom hissed in delight as her lips moved to his upper chest, nibbling on his skin as she left her mark to match the one he had given her high on her inner thigh.182
Pulling back, she smiled at her handiwork, then transferred her gaze to his eye. For the briefest moment, she saw terrified regret, then it was immediately replaced with determination. 183
“Dom?”184
“We should get up,” he said, avoiding the question he knew she would ask. Pulling out of her, he stood from the couch, then bent over to grab her clothes from the floor. 185
Angie bit her lips as he placed one of her feet in her panties, and slowly pulled them on to her body. Jerking as he bent over to kiss the love bite he had left on her inner thigh, she was tempted to grab his head and pull it to the area between her legs. Pushing that pleasing thought aside, she arched her back so he could pull the panties up over her behind, and then sat up. 186
Gently grabbing her bra from the floor, Dom slipped one of her arms through each side, pausing long enough to gently suckle each nipple before pulling the bra close and hooking it. 187
“Keep that up,” she said in a ragged breath, “and these clothes will be on the floor again.” 188
Giving an evil chuckle, Dom finished dressing her as he pulled her dress over her head. Reaching down for his clothes, he stopped as she placed a hand on his. 189
“My turn,” she told him.190
Nodding in accession, he leaned back and watched her through half closed eyes as she knelt in front of him. Dutifully lifting his foot so she could pull his jeans on, he gasped as she leaned over and captured him in her mouth. 191
Coaxing him back to life, Angie moved slowly as her tongue teased mercifully. She could hear his breathing change with each stroke, and smiled as he jerked more than a few times. Opening her eyes as she felt one hand gently clasping her hair, she looked up at him. 192
He still had that worried look in his eyes, but it was quickly being dissolved by her actions. Wanting to pull her pants off and climb on to his lap, she forced herself to remain on her knees. This was for him, something she could do and control to take the fear of tonight away from him for a few minutes at least. 193
The hand that had been gently clasped in her hair tightened slightly, a moment before he exploded in her mouth. He tried to pull away, but she wrapped both arms around his waist, keeping him there as she continued to suckle the last drops out of him. Moans mixed with his rapid breathing as both hands caressed her hair and face. 194
Finally pulling away, she gave him a shy smile, then went back to pulling his jeans on his body. 195
“Thank you,” he whispered raggedly as he tried to get his breathing back to somewhere around normal. 196
“Any time,” she said as she reached for his shirt. “I mean that.” 197
“I love you.”198
Nodding as tears threatened to flow at his words, Angie busied herself with buttoning the shirt over his torso. “Don’t die tonight,” she whispered.199
Wrapping arms around her, he pulled her close as she started to cry. “Shhhh,” he murmured in to her hair. 200
Rocking gently in his arms, Angie tried to ignore the fact that he hadn’t replied to her request that he not die that night.
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Comments
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Paul has to life. I like him. Can't wait for the end.
beginning: 5, language: 5, plot: 5, ending: 5, dialog: 5, characters: 5.
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